SPOILER: Women's All Around | Page 2 | Golden Skate

SPOILER: Women's All Around

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
I really like Khorkina's personality. In the NBC fluff piece, she said she wanted a gold medal like she wanted to mother a child. Maybe the translator got a little creative but if that was close to what she said, that was a really nice way with words. I don't blame Khorkina for screaming at her teammate, etc, there is a lot of pressure put on her shoulders. Also Svetlana, unlike Carly, really helped her team in the team competition. I think that the team competition really took a lot out of Sveta's gymnastics b/c I think she had more fire in her for that comp than the AA.

As for those who think Carly is an angel, she was asked what her thoughts were during Sveta's program b/c she had such a smile on her face and Carly demurred from answering. I personally think that Carly knew she could beat Sveta's program and that was why she was smiling. These girls are competitors and top girls have to be arrogant and the true leaders , like Sveta seem overbearing, but sometimes you have to be that way in order to motivate people.
 

Jill

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
I'm thrilled that Carly won, but even more thrilled that she beat out Khorkina. I respect Sveta, but I think she is just way too pompous. I read that she hoped Carly would last as long as she has in the Olympics. News flash, Sveta, we don't have to stay in the Olympics for 20 years. In America, we further our education, get jobs, get married, have kids, and do what we want to.

Oh, and one more thing, Sveta, eat a piece of cake or something. You look like a spider on the uneven bars.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I certainly wanted to see Khorkina win. An adult sport should be for adults, not for children, and there hasn't been a non-teenage all-around champ since something like the 60's. Would have been nice to have one again.
 

Yazmeen

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
I was rooting for Khorkina, mostly out of sentimentality in wanting to see her win the big one; However, I became a Carly fan last night. She was clean, powerful, gracious and sportsmanlike. A true winner.

Sveta made too many little breaks and errors. I also have to state that I'm also getting just a bit tired of her "diva shtick" after all these years. She was beaten fairly, yet there she goes again, pout, pout, the "judges will have to live with themselves for their decision." We don't need to see her latest modeling pictures at the post event press conference, nor did we need to have her try to draw all the attention away from Carly and Nan to herself, par usual. Yes, she's an Olympic Champion. To quote a certain figure skater, no-one can take that away from her, but last night she was NOT the Olympic Champion. Svetlana is a wonderful gymnast, and her diva antics used to be cute and funny, but this time around, she pushed it too far. In Sveta's mind, its always "all about me, me, me." Last night, it wasn't, and she just couldn't stand that. At least Carly and Nan had the decency to be sportsmanlike. No matter how coyly and cutely she tried to cover it up, Sveta was a plain, old sore loser. I will miss seeing her perform gymnastics. I won't miss her off the floor antics, they've grown old and stale.
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
JillLaQ said:
In America, we further our education, get jobs, get married, have kids, and do what we want to.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Not if you're Michelle Kwan you don't! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Anyways, just because someone finds their passion early in life, doesn't mean that they are somehow worse off than those who switch careers several times. I think that the days of the evil Soviet empire forcing kids to do athletics is long gone. I think Svetlana is "doing what she wants to".
 

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm not really impressed with Carly's gymnastics b/c she really doesn't have the unique risk elements

Did you watch her beam routine? She had a lot of risk in that routine.
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I thought that Anna Pavlova was just lovely. The complete package, even the name.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
berthes ghost said:
I think that the days of the evil Soviet empire forcing kids to do athletics is long gone. I think Svetlana is "doing what she wants to".
Kids did not actually get forced into it. If anything, if you didn't like it, you would not be kept in the programs. I did gymnastics when I was little. I have always been really short and I am rather flexible, so coaches would see me and be willing to take me into any elite-heading class. However, they would soon discover that while I liked gymnastics, I absolutely lacked the need-to-win attitude. I would then be swiftly kicked out. My point is that even in the old Soviet days kids who really didn't want to do it didn't.
 

Jill

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Maybe so, Ptichka, you would know more about Russia than most of us. However, to paraphrase the great coach Mishin, "A hungry dog runs faster than one with a full stomach". My point is we have a lot more opportunity here to do something besides sport.

As for Michelle Kwan, I guess she still likes to compete, and she usually wins, without all the Diva antics that Sveta displays. I'm sure she'll be successful in whatever she decides to do after she retires from skating.

I am curious about another former gymnast from Russia (or was it Ukraine?). Do any of you hear anything about Sveta Boguinskaya? She was always one of my favorites, and I always rooted for her to win. She was a diva, too, but not on the level of Khorkina. What's she up to?
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
What Carly needs now is an agent to line up appearances and endorsements for her. I wonder if Mary Lou Retton's old agent is available these days -- Shep Goldberg.:)

Mathman
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Jill Laq:
Svetlana Boginskaya married William Yee (or Lee) and had a daughter a few years ago. I read it on an IG website.

Re Carly's Risk:
Her risk elements were not unique. Contrast her program with Sveta's and Anna and the two Russians took more risks with their hi low elements (swinging around the beam, I always love that move) and the connecting steps. Carly's risk was her dismount but her acrobatics were pretty much the same backflips and arabians that everyone else does. Terin Humphrey had the best risk elements (of the US team) and a really unique mount. Marta should have let her do all around. I don't really understand the strategy b/c for prelims, the US only had to qualify for the final so any bad score would have been thrown out. I actually think Terin is the better all around gymnast than Carly.

I think she should have put Tasha on the team instead of McCool. How sad is it that she was relegated to just watching the team final? That put more pressure on everyone else.
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Okay, just time for my b**chy opinion here.

No, Carly Patterson is NOT Mary Lou Retton, or Shannon Miller. In terms of the Olympic All-Around, she's better. Because unlike Miller (who DID deserve it), she won it. And unlike Retton, she won it in a fully attended Olympics. Comparing her personality with the others, that's ridiculous. Miller was always quite reserved. Did that make her less of an athlete? I though Patterson was quite gracious to NOT respond to the question of "What were you thinking during Khorkina's floor routine?" Because honestly, her response could have been "Well, the old hag is doing well enough, but I've got her tail kicked, because I've actually got some muscle and power." Or something similar.

I am VERY glad Khorkina didn't win. I don't care if that makes me look like a wench or not. She presents herself with NO class, she never has, and probably never will. "Diva" does not set well with me. And if SHE is some top model in Russia, well, those Russian women need to eat more. She looks like a drug-addicted Uma Thurman. NOT attractive.

Pavlova, on the other hand, is a beautiful girl and a beautiful gymnast. I really hope the future will be bright for her. I too agree that she should have won bronze.

Kasey
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Why the fuss over these Russian gals? Had Carly not won, I would have given it to that Romanian gal.

BTW, the American judge, whom I know, did not judge this event, but was an alternate. So that subjectivity must be ruled out.

Joe
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I also think people are forgetting that Carly Patterson is only 16 years old! She got the job done with some great gymnastics...the end. I don't believe it matters very much whether she is a natural during interviews or not. She doesn't have to be....she brings it where it counts....on the beam, floor, vault and uneven bars. I also think saying "well, she was lucky because gymnast X wasn't there or because gymnast Y messed up" isn't fair at all. Carly was there and did more than enough to win. She has her flaws just as any other gymnast, but on that night she dealt with suffocating pressure and proved she was the best "All-Around". She hit everything when it counted most and the others couldn't keep up. I would say she is a tremendous athlete. And no, she isn't Mary Lou, or Shannon Miller...she's Carly Patterson, 16 year old Olympic Champion with her whole life ahead of her. Give her a break!
 

JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Kasey said:
"Diva" does not set well with me.

Kasey


THANK YOU!!! It doesn't with me, either. Bad obnoxious behavior is bad obnoxious behavior and it does not matter who's doing the behaving!! :D
 

hrmsk8ngnutt

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
soogar said:
Terin Humphrey had the best risk elements (of the US team) and a really unique mount. Marta should have let her do all around. I don't really understand the strategy b/c for prelims, the US only had to qualify for the final so any bad score would have been thrown out. I actually think Terin is the better all around gymnast than Carly.
I think she should have put Tasha on the team instead of McCool. How sad is it that she was relegated to just watching the team final? That put more pressure on everyone else.
Remember that Carly is the reigning World Silver Medalist in the all-around and Co-National Champion with Courtney Kupets. So of course Carly would be one of the gymnasts to put in contention for the all-around.

I wish Tasha had made the team. However, Courtney McCool made the team because she finished second at the Olympic Trials behind Courtney Kupets and just ahead of Carly. First and second place automatically made the Olympic team. McCool also won an international in the same building earlier this year. Unfortunately, prelims was not her night.

Herm (sk8ngnutt)
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
JonnyCoop said:
THANK YOU!!! It doesn't with me, either. Bad obnoxious behavior is bad obnoxious behavior and it does not matter who's doing the behaving!! :D

But it makes things much more interesting.
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Piel said:
But it makes things much more interesting.

Ok, I'll concede part of that! ;) I think the 'bad attitude' can make for some interest....on my part, it usually makes me interested in watching them fail! ;) But that 'woman' has taken it a bit too far. Three olympics of snottiness is....three olympics of snottiness! :)

Kasey
Not a diva
Just a wench!
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I am certainly not a gymnastics expert here, but for me, the dividing line between Carly and Khorkina (and the others really) were her landings on the bars, beam, and floor............she stuck them, rock solid. It doesn't matter much what you do in the air if you can't land it on the ground. And for Miss Khorkina, I don't know about anyone else, but I can't stand to watch her perform..........I'm sorry, she's a stick. It hurts me to see her tumble, I'm afraid she'll snap off a body part. She looks very unhealthy and could be a "poster person" for eating disorders. I know she's tall, but she must have less than one per cent body fat........42
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Mathman said:
What Carly needs now is an agent to line up appearances and endorsements for her. I wonder if Mary Lou Retton's old agent is available these days -- Shep Goldberg.:)

It's difficult to say exactly how marketable she is, or if she even wants her face plastered all over something other than the traditional Wheaties box. Let's not forget that after all the hoopla had died down, nobody really knew what to do with Kerry Strug, although I thought she would've been a shoe-in for lengthy career doing cartoon voices...something I still think could possibly be in Jenny Kirk's future. Perhaps she'll be shoving microphones in people's faces at the 2006 Winter games, like Sarah Hughes (America's other 16 year old gold medal sweetheart) is doing right now.
 
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