Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Did He Touch Her?
In his latest blog entry, John Geddert pointed out that his athlete's biggest rival was inadvertently touched by her coach while he was spotting her layout Jaegar. I watched the meet and didn't notice until it was pointed out. It is difficult to determine because Komova didn't lose her momentum. If the coach did touch her, a deduction should've been taken. The rule exists so coaches aren't pushing their athletes through skills they can't master. Komova has done the move countless times and it appears to be a true accident.
Was Komova touched?
Should the score be changed?
Is the rule rather pointless as it isn't even her fault?
The outcome of the meet ultimately wouldn't change...but it is certainly food for thought.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I don't even understand why coaches bother putting their arm out like that. Very rarely do I see them help break the girls' falls (or catch them). I've seen Valeri catch Nastia, but other than that, usually coaches just let the girls fall onto the mat. In this case, Komova may have been touched ever so slightly (too close to call for sure), but it didn't look like she was aided in any way.
ReplyDeleteGeddert really has guts with that blog of his. If I were a coach of one of the other US girls, I might be a little pissed off at what he writes. He has no problem mentioning that Sabrina Vega was struggling in training, or that McKayla Maroney botched a certain element. If I was a coach, I would just be like, "shut up, please, and keep these things private". I mean, overall, I love his blog, but he may take it a little too far when he starts talking about other coaches' athletes.
I do think that Geddert is a dick, especially for posting shit about the Russians on twitter like "Alexandrov is watching us instead of his girls, jealous much?!" or whatever high school girl drama it was that he tweeted. He needs to grow up and get over himself.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, in response to Anon1, I don't think it's out of line to post about mishaps in the USA's training. He's not being malicious...he's giving a beat-by-beat take on what happened. All factual. Other bloggers who are there are doing the same. That's why I hate USA Gym's coverage...they NEVER post the truth, always "USA looks AWESOME! YEAH!" and other sugary idiocy. Geddert was writing about why they went they way they did in terms of the bars and floor line-up...it's no secret that athletes make mistakes or struggle in training. Everyone has an off-day in gymnastics. I'm sure most people would rather read about the truth than a bunch of overly patriotic bullshit.
Oh I agree that it's good to not have the overly patriotic BS... I just think it's different when it's a fellow coach pointing out your athlete's mistakes and problems. Like if I'm coaching a kid and she falls in a meet, I wouldn't really like another coach blogging about it the next day. Worry about your own athlete.
ReplyDeleteGeddert is so cocky. He's made multiple comments about the Russians watching them or "playing games" with them... Geddert, we realize the US in the best team, but give it a rest with the "Russia is so obsessed with us!" nonsense.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'd be annoyed if I were another coach, but as a viewer, thank god! Sports that aren't traditionally popular need non-PC, potentially grating or eccentric personalities to capture the public's attention. Maybe John Geddert is a dick, but I'm glad he keeps it real and thus a bit more interesting.
ReplyDeleteCome on . I'm sick of all the PC crap. I'd rather have brutal honesty than people being phony and "rah-rah." Geddert is a breath of fresh air.
ReplyDeleteJohn's brazen candor is matched only by his brazen disregard for the correct spellings of the other coaches and gymnasts.
ReplyDeleteThe more Geddert blogs the more I hate him...
ReplyDeleteYes, I think he did touch her and the deduction should have been taken, but Geddert just looks like an ungracious asshole in pointing it out. It's not like this happens all of the time when Komova is on bars, and the US won by 4 points, so why bring it up. I'm all for free speech, but he just looks like a sore winner here, and the only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner.
ReplyDeleteYou mean their names aren't spelled Ali and Alisha?!? Love, John Geddert.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the touching. Maybe. Maybe not. Too close for me to determine. But ya JG is cocky as hell. He needs to check himself. Also, I like how he points out everyones elses "faults". Um didnt Jordyn go OOB during team finals? Wouldnt make a difference in outcome but neither would Komovas-UB-touching.
ReplyDeleteWould like to hear his excuses if god forbid Jordyn gets anything less than 1st.
Seems petty to point out. Is he prepping excuses in case she beats Jordyn in the AA or something?
ReplyDeleteAnd look who's watching who closely now.
Komova clearly has mastered the element but the rule is there. This isn't like the bogus athlete/coach on the podium during the routine rule that cost the U.S. team bronze (at the insistence of evil Ellen Berger rest her greedy soul)in 1988. If the coach DID touch her and the score would have affected the outcome of medals-then yes the deduction should have been taken. But perhaps this is considered a 'field of play' situation like with Paul Hamm? The judges didn't take the deduction, none of the other teams made an inquire about it within the required time so the score stays. Anyway-I think he did. He jerks his hand back kind of fast like he knew he did.
ReplyDeleteI actually wondered if she was touched when I originally watched the vid, but forgot about it since it wasn't pointed out. Yes, it does come off a little ungracious that he mentions it on his blog (which I haven't read, but apparently need to!). But, let's face it, if the situation were reversed, the Russian coaches would be complaining about it. It's kind of their job.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about JG is that he has a real down-to-earth "aw-shucks" element to his personality that just does not carry over in print interviews. I thought he was another Steve Nunno until I actually watched an on-line interview with the guy. Who knows--his Alexander tweet could have been intended as, "Can you believe this living legend is actually checking ME out?" having lived in the Midwest, which is where he is obviously from given his accent, that seems likely to me. People from that part of the country are usually pretty modest.
ReplyDeleteAs for the timing--I agree with Anon 1:45. If you have an athlete entered in the biggest competition of her life, you do what you can to ensure a level playing field. Particularly when your athlete's biggest competition has a mother who is actually a judge at that competition. All JG is trying to do, IMO is make sure everyone is judged using HHS same rulebook.
It is interesting that Geddert didn't mention 'solid' Jordyn stepped out of bounds on floor during Finals-perhaps he didn't see it lol but he apparently was watching Komova and her coach when the Russians were on bars. If Komova defeats Wieber in the AA I hope Geddert isn't a jerk about it on his blog (which I do enjoy for the insider's point of view).
ReplyDeleteI just wish he would learn the spellings of the gymnasts' names and the difference between 'lose' and 'loose.' He spends months of his life with these people and could pay a bit of attention.
ReplyDeletePeople are pretty harsh with JG......give the dude a break, geez.
ReplyDeleteAnon @2:05 - is Komovas mom actually judging? Thought her name was submitted but not chosen. Arent the WAG judges mainly from non-major competing nations?
ReplyDeleteComment seems petty given that the touching deduction didnt matter at te end of the day. His comments on this + other usa gymnast are especially curious givem that Jordyn was "solid", oh ya but for that OOB.....
It is a deduction if the coach assists the gymnast, but not for an inadvertent touch. The judges would rather have the coach there in case of an impending disaster on a large release element.
ReplyDeletePlus, depending on where the judge sits they may not have seen it, and you can only take the deductions you see.
the Russians and Chinese overspot their girls. I don't like how close they are even when the girl does not fall (takes away from the performance and the risk). When they touch, they should definitely be penalized. I would really feel better just not allowing the spotting at all (if safety was the real driver they would allow spotting on the dismount also, allow pits, etc.) It looks like crap how the Chines are all over their athletes on every tiny element. Fuch them. Geddert could beat them in a fight. USA!
ReplyDeleteeven if the coaches dont catch the girl al la valieri/nastia. the touch does slow down the momentem to the floor so the athlete can get in a better position.
ReplyDeleteRe: Jordyn's OOB. It's not like she landed 15 feet OOB and fell off the podium. She literally had a toe OOB. I would still call her performance solid. And in the gymnastike interview he mentioned her OOB and how they need to work on it. John has never shied away from telling it like it is when Jordyn messes up. He was very outspoken about her performance night 1 at nationals.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone who said it's pretty classless for Geddert to point this out after USA won by four points. It doesn't make a difference one way or another. Calling out Komova specifically was weird (he did it more than once in the post). None of the girls would ever do that, I don't understand why it's okay for him to.
ReplyDeleteJohn Geddert is like Tom Z to me. Ugh.
lol. John Geddert... one has to laugh. If he was so concerned about the coach touching Komova he should have filled a complaint (like the Russians did when USA entered Weiber in the American Cup without the right to do so) instead of writing about it in his blog. He is cocky and extremely unprofessional... On another note, I wish Alexandrov had a blog where he would talk about things because I would love to hear what he has to say about some sketchy stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe safety of the gymnast is first and foremost in this sport, as it should be. The judges have this mindset as well and if anything is questioned in this manner the benefit of the doubt is given to the gymnast. On bars specifically, a touch would slow her momentum and make it harder to continue the routine, not "put her in a better position".
ReplyDeleteThe coach can spot any skill, but if they assist the gymnast by helping them get amplitude etc the gymnast not only loses value of the element, but they lose for the spot and any connection value or difficulty value they would have received doing the skill on their own. Because of this coaches have to be very careful and I think this was one instance where it was not intentional - if it did happen.
He touched her and should be more careful during the AA and EF. As for TF, it doesn't matter now. THe score should not be changed b/c it needs to be called in the moment.
ReplyDeleteI like Geddert, but he shouldn't have mentioned it. He seems to really dislike the Russians for whatever reason.
@ anon 7:30
ReplyDeletethe person who commented about the "better position" meant a better position for the gymnast to fall to the mat without injuring herself, not a better position to finish the release move. I actually feel better knowing the girls' coaches are usually standing by ready to help break a fall. Yikes.
Gedderts blog seems as innocuous as AJ's, just sharing his point of view, and I for one, dig it. Yeah, he's kind of rough sometimes, but as it's been pointed out, he IS midwestern, and just like Alexandrov et al, everybody has their own style. It's his personal blog, not the NYTimes, so if it offends, don't read it. Somebody above talked about Alexndrov starting a blog and how great it would be...oh, yeah!
weird, everybody wants inside info and then when someone blogs about the truth then everybody gets their panties all bunched up.
ReplyDelete