Olympics - Olympic Trials

**soogar** · 06-27-2004, 03:33 PM

Thank you for the article link. I really like Martha's style. She is softer than Bela and she was the "real" coach of the Romanian team. She is the coach with the technical know how while Bela was very good with the psychology. I also think Martha is more impartial than Bela. It might be a fairer selection process than the past because before Bela definitely favored his own students over other coaches's pupils. It always seemed like a pissing match between Steve Nunno, Karolyi and Al Fong as to whose girls made the team with Al always coming up short.

If Martha likes working with other coaches and doesn't have her own students, she can make better decisions for the team. I also thought it was cool how Martha showed her pleasure when a girl would have a difficult element and hit her routine.

**Piel** · 06-27-2004, 05:24 PM

Thanks Mathman!

**A.H.Black** · 06-27-2004, 07:17 PM

As I understand it the format at the Olympics this year is-

Prelims - 6-5-4 - 6 on the team, 5 perform, 4 scores count

Finals - 6-3-3 - 6 on the team, 3 perform, all 3 count.

Thus the opportunity for "specialists" The U.S. women seem to be weakest in vault right now. Mohini Bhardwaj and Annie Hatch are very strong in vault so there is a lot of talk about them

Mohini also was at trials in 1996 and finished around 8th as I remember, then went to college. I noticed that NBC gave no coverage to Annia Hatch or Tia Orlando. Hatch had higher scores on both floor and vault than Mohini.

Remember, we won't know a thing (except that the top two get automatic bids to the last Karolyi camp) until July 18th after the last camp. I understand that 3 petitions to the camp have been accepted so there could be as many as 17 hopefuls at Karolyi's in July. If last years Worlds is anything to go by the whole team could change around several times before the opening day in Athens.

**Piel** · 06-27-2004, 11:17 PM

What do you guys think about Tasha Schwikert? Is she the Nicole Bobek of gymnastics?

**soogar** · 06-28-2004, 01:03 AM

How does it work in terms of girls qualifying for the AA? Is it based on prelim scores or final scores or a combination of both? It is a new life AA right? Everyone starts from a fresh slate? What about event finals? Combination of all the scores or just the first two to qualify and then new life in the event final?

I don't think Tasha is a flake like Nicole. Mainly b/c they don't coddle girls in gymnastics as they do in skating. I wish they had a selection process like this in Nagano b/c if Nicole knew that she could have been replaced by Tonia K, I think she would have made sure to pace herself so she wouldn't get injured and had good practices in Nagano.

I think Tasha is extremely talented and I actually think she has the right idea. She needs to peak for the Olympics and since everyone has been commentating on her improvement, I'm sure Martha will take this in mind in making her selection. Plus Tasha did fairly well at the trials. I also think she might be better at handling pressure than Carly. I don't want to see what Carly is gonna do on beam at the Olympics. I think she'll be like Zmeskal. While CArly will go to Athens, I predict that she will not win AA. I think that she's going to fold like a deck of cards. I think Kupets and McCool will be our girls in the AA and Kupets strikes me as fairly laidback.

**eliza88** · 06-28-2004, 02:31 PM

I may be incorrect, but I believe the prelims seed finals for the teams, AA, and individual apparatus finals. If you have a poor team with one stellar athlete the team wouldn't make it to the finals, therefore for there would be only one opportunity for this athlete to "make their case" for the finals (AA and indiv. apparatus). I am not sure if the prelims are a one or two day event where the totals are combined for final rounds. I know for the AA and the apparatus finals the slate is clean and all scores start again. I am not sure about team finals--do scores from prelims get counted?

eliza88

**RealtorGal** · 06-30-2004, 11:46 AM

I don't see Tasha making the Olympic team except for MAYBE as an alternate. Just a feeling. She looks very nervous--yes, I know that it's a nerve-wracking situation--but she looks much more nervous than the other top ladies. If she's nervous now, what will happen in Athens?

**soogar** · 06-30-2004, 02:25 PM

I think what made Tasha nervous were the low scores for her routines which put her on the bubble. I think that the hard part for Tasha is getting on the team. Once she's on the team, I think the battle is over for her and she can just concentrate on her programs.

**A.H.Black** · 07-06-2004, 07:38 PM

This is the week for the "up the medal count" trials.

Swimming starts Tomorrow and will be broadcast Saturday and Sunday and next weekend. The main results site is here

http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/...=533&ItemId=411

There are lots of article links here -

http://news.google.com/news?ie=utf8...3015544,00.html
http://news.google.com/news?ie=utf8...9000153551.html
http://news.google.com/news?ie=utf8...sp%3Fid%3D29656

Track and Field starts on Friday and runs through next weekend. There are live broadcasts every day for that one. Get ready to be very tired of the "Did Marion Jones take illegal substances" story.

The main link is here -

http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/OlympicTrials-TF/

Finally - someone was asking about the NBC schedule. It isn't complete but here is a basic time grid. I found it helpful.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tvlistin...759/detail.html

**ouridol** · 07-07-2004, 01:49 PM

the nbc olympics link doesnt work for me. :\

**A.H.Black** · 07-07-2004, 05:49 PM

You're right. When I first posted, I checked and it worked, but it doesn't now.

Try this - http://www.nbcolympics.com/tvlisting...59/detail.html

If it doesn't work go to NBColympics.com and click on the TV listings on the right side of the page. Then go to the announcement that talks about the universal grid.

**Longhornliz** · 07-07-2004, 06:15 PM

I hope that more than 2 events I'm interested in wont air at the same time... I'm only able to record two programs at once with my DVR.

**Joesitz** · 07-07-2004, 09:22 PM

Thanks for all thos links, AH!! I don't get to see these sports so often onTV and I want to get familiar with who's who. I really enjoy the Decathalon as well as the diving and all the others. But I have to get busy and find out some important names to watch.

Joe

**purplecat** · 07-07-2004, 10:30 PM

Oooh! Don't want to post any spoilers, but in reading today's results it looks like the swimming trials have got off to an exciting start! Looking forward to the coverage!

**A.H.Black** · 07-07-2004, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by purplecat

Oooh! Don't want to post any spoilers, but in reading today's results it looks like the swimming trials have got off to an exciting start! Looking forward to the coverage!

Ya made me look. Ya made me look.

They are interesting indeed. Whats the deal with Moses. Is he injured or undertrained? The women's 100m fly looked interesting too. I'm guessing Micheal Phelps has decided not to swim the 400 meter freestyle even though he holds the American record.

The results page surely works weird.