Men's and Ladies' Gymnastics

[Serious Business]

I agree and Gabby was the best in London.

Jordan still knows she could have had a shot at the podium though.....so not so sure how "happy" she is.

I'd like to think while Jordyn may feel some deep pangs of regret over the qualifications round, she's very happy for her friend (and for the recent team win of which she was a major part). I'd like to think team USA is just skipping around the Olympic village singing Justin Bieber songs.

 

[Tonichelle]

I'd like to think while Jordyn may feel some deep pangs of regret over the qualifications round, she's very happy for her friend (and for the recent team win of which she was a major part). I'd like to think team USA is just skipping around the Olympic village singing Justin Bieber songs.

She sat down to Ryan Seacrest on the Today Show today. He asked her about plans for Rio (she says anything is possible) and if she was still bummed with not making the all around. She basically gave the PR version of "it sucks but I'm getting over it". Either she's a really good actress, or she really does feel what she said... she looked a little bummed, but super proud of the team event.

 

[Olympia]

I couldn't stand not knowing until they showed this on TV tonight, so I looked things up, and then I came to GS to see if anyone had any commentary to offer. I was not disappointed! Thanks so much for your account, SB. What an amazing outcome. Now I can watch without, in your vivid phrase, my eyeballs sweating with tension. Aside from this being the first instance of a black athlete winning the individual all-around, I think it's also the first time that the U.S. girls have won both the team gold and the individual gold at the same Games. Wow.

DianaSelene, I understand your feelings. In the same vein, I still feel that Michelle really, truly won gold at Nagano. But there it is: that's a judged sport for you.

 

[janetfan]

I'd like to think while Jordyn may feel some deep pangs of regret over the qualifications round, she's very happy for her friend (and for the recent team win of which she was a major part). I'd like to think team USA is just skipping around the Olympic village singing Justin Bieber songs.

OK, I think you might be right.

But there is good news and bad news here....

the bad news is that they have limited taste in music

the good news is they are not embarrassing USA by having to send out for a "platinum" medal

 

[ice coverage]

I'd like to think while Jordyn may feel some deep pangs of regret over the qualifications round, she's very happy for her friend (and for the recent team win of which she was a major part). I'd like to think team USA is just skipping around the Olympic village singing Justin Bieber songs.

I'm thrilled for you, Serious Business!

And Wieber and Maroney have tweeted their happy reactions to the all-around win for Douglas:

Jordyn Wieber ‏@jordyn_wieber​

Congrats @gabrielledoug! You are the Olympic all around champion and you deserve it girl! ❤
10:36 AM - 2 Aug 12
​

Jordyn Wieber ‏@jordyn_wieber​

So proud of you @Aly_Raisman! You amaze me every day! xoxo
10:37 AM - 2 Aug 12
​

McKayla Maroney ‏@McKaylaMaroney​

Extremely proud of @gabrielledoug & @Aly_Raisman!! You girls did amazing today and I totally lost my voice cheering for you!! #loveyouboth
11:54 AM - 2 Aug 12​

ETA:
And Ross now has tweeted too.

Kyla Ross ‏@kyla_ross96​

Extremely proud of @gabrielledoug and @Aly_Raisman! You guys did amazing and I'm so glad that I was there cheering u guys on! Love u❤
12:57 PM - 2 Aug 12
​

 

[ice coverage]

And these earlier tweets indicate a lot of mutual love and support among the Fab Five, I think:

Jordyn Wieber ‏@jordyn_wieber​

Can't wait to watch @Aly_Raisman and @gabrielledoug rock the house today at all around finals! I'll be the loudest cheerleader in the stands
1:41 AM - 2 Aug 12
​

Alexandra Raisman ‏@Aly_Raisman​

@jordyn_wieber thank you so much Jo!!! I love you!!!!! So lucky to have you as a friend! 
1:53 AM - 2 Aug 12
​

Gabrielle Douglas ‏@gabrielledoug​

@jordyn_wieber awww thank you soo much!!! I love you soo much!!! Xoxo!!
2:08 AM - 2 Aug 12​

ETA:
I will try to stop adding tweets, but these young ladies are adorable! More tweets from before the all-around final:

Alexandra Raisman ‏@Aly_Raisman​

@gabrielledoug aaaaah today's the day! So excited, can't wait to compete with you tonight! pic.twitter.com/lQj625DU
1:58 AM - 2 Aug 12
​

Gabrielle Douglas ‏@gabrielledoug​

@Aly_Raisman IKR IM SO EXCITED TO COMPETE TONIGHT WITH YOU!! Today is the day!!! <3 love yah!!
2:17 AM - 2 Aug 12​

 

[janetfan]

Gabby's Story

http://www.youtube.com/user/ProcterGamble/featured?v=HbhzLI-vNjE

Amazing how much more elite training time most of the other girls have had compared to Gabby.....

 

[DianaSelene]

I couldn't stand not knowing until they showed this on TV tonight, so I looked things up, and then I came to GS to see if anyone had any commentary to offer. I was not disappointed! Thanks so much for your account, SB. What an amazing outcome. Now I can watch without, in your vivid phrase, my eyeballs sweating with tension. Aside from this being the first instance of a black athlete winning the individual all-around, I think it's also the first time that the U.S. girls have won both the team gold and the individual gold at the same Games. Wow.

DianaSelene, I understand your feelings. In the same vein, I still feel that Michelle really, truly won gold at Nagano. But there it is: that's a judged sport for you.

Yep, we all have those moments when we think our favorite athlete was robbed.

 

[Serious Business]

I just rewatched the women's comp, this time in the BBC archive and with actual commentary. The BBC commentators were pretty right on in their predictions. After Gabby's beam (which came after Komova's), one commentator enthusiastically proclaimed, "surely that's enough to put her in first!" And the judges did. After Douglas' floor, Christine Still declared it "golden" and some other commentator said it's impossible to catch up to her now. And so it was.

Other things I noticed:

Really, Douglas won this gold on beam. She had the most difficult beam routine, and made fewer wobbles than Komova (though Komova still earned a slightly higher E score due to her immaculate form).

Mustafina's fall on beam was pretty much canceled out by Raisman grabbing the beam with both hands to save a landing. And in the end, with scores tied, it came down to the fact that Raisman would've won bronze if she left in the front layout at the end of her first tumbling run. This may explain why Raisman look so dejected afterwards.

Larisa Andreea Iordache made a pretty huge wobble on one of her moves, a wild balancing check that went on and on (but she managed to keep on the beam). I remembered it as a much tinier mistake. But that is entirely Iordache's fault! Unlike other gymnasts who'd let such a scary wobble rattle them, Iordache completely forgot about it. And hurried through the rest of her routine with the confidence of someone tumbling on flat ground (and seemingly the impatience of someone who has somewhere else to be!). Utterly fearless athlete.

 

[Olympia]

An interesting thing to do, watching with another set of commentators. I can see how it would give dimension to one's evaluation of a performance. Kind of like hearing two different actors reading the same classic poem.

One thing about having seen the results before is that tonight I'll really be able to concentrate on details like the ones to which you called attention. When I don't know the outcome, I'm almost too scared to watch. I'm like some of the athletes' parents, who watch through their fingers (or like Liukin's mom, who I think was the one who had to leave the arena). I'm half-afraid I'll jinx the athlete, which is silly when you consider that hundreds of millions of viewers are tuning in around the planet. But that's the kind of tricks my chicken mind plays on me. Thank goodness I was brave enough to watch all of YuNa's long program in Vancouver. Think of what I would have missed.

 

[Serious Business]

I watched with no commentary 'cause the BBC online feeds were borked for most of the day, and I was forced to use some raw feeds. I don't really know that much about gymnastics (I think I follow enough to have some idea what judges look for on some things), so I don't mind the BBC commentators. But most of all, the BBC feeds have lovely HD quality, and the EuroVision raw feeds had slightly lesser resolution quality. Still, I can't be too mad at BBC. After all, I was essentially trying to steal their service (I pay no license fee, unlike actual Brits).

And now I will try to watch some of the NBC coverage. I have utterly failed to make it through NBC's awful, awful coverage of gymnastics so far. I mean, I was curious to see how NBC would cover it and what they'd say about it, but at some point frustration and anger just overwhelms.

So far, not good. A long rambling fluff piece sets things up, with Nastia Liukin narrating as if she's talking to the two American competitors personally on how to handle this competition. At one point, she said something like "but there are two Russians who could take that gold away from you!" It was just baldly nationalistic/xenophobic. I feel especially bad that Liukin, a second gen Russian, has to say something like this. Both Komova and Mustafina are great competitors and lovely people who at least deserve to be mentioned by name. While maybe team USA and team Russia aren't friends, I'm sure they have plenty of respect for each other. I'd just read an interview with Komova where she said that Douglas deserved her win and is a beautiful gymnast. Why can't NBC be as gracious as that?

 

[skateluvr]

I watched NBC-truly bad night and day, and guess I missed the last rotation. So I'll try BBC or when NBC does replays. I don't have access to Universal sports. I am guessing there will be replays of the floor. As ususal NBC coverage sucked eggs. Good on Gabby. Not surprised and hope to see her face everywhere. US ladies-you rock! And I wished to have seen more athletes. Its as bad as skating coverage these days! Ah well.

And GS ladies made it so much better! Gracias!

 

[ice coverage]

Is Gabby the first African-American/Black gymnast to win the all around?

Absolutely! Historical!

Although maybe not as significant, here's another bit of history, from Christine Brennan ‏@cbrennansports:

Gabby Douglas becomes first US gymnast in history to win team gold and indiv. gold. Other US indiv. winners didn't win team title.
1:33 PM - 2 Aug 12​

 

[Olympia]

So far, not good. A long rambling fluff piece sets things up, with Nastia Liukin narrating as if she's talking to the two American competitors personally on how to handle this competition. At one point, she said something like "but there are two Russians who could take that gold away from you!" It was just baldly nationalistic/xenophobic. I feel especially bad that Liukin, a second gen Russian, has to say something like this. Both Komova and Mustafina are great competitors and lovely people who at least deserve to be mentioned by name. While maybe team USA and team Russia aren't friends, I'm sure they have plenty of respect for each other. I'd just read an interview with Komova where she said that Douglas deserved her win and is a beautiful gymnast. Why can't NBC be as gracious as that?

This kind of thing bothers me as well. Komova especially did some exquisite work tonight. Even my inexperienced eyes could see that her floor exercise was stupendous. One thing that Daggett and/or Schliegel pointed out was that the Russians always move beautifully because they take years of ballet. This is a Russian contribution to both gymnastics and skating that goes back to the Soviet era. There are times in these sports when Russian contenders make everyone else in the world look crude by comparison. (It especially shows up in male pairs skaters.) Their years of rich tradition deserve respect at the very least. How nice of Komova, by the way, to say what she said. Clearly the Russian was devastated by the outcome, and for her to muster up the civility to give such a lovely evaluation is praiseworthy and touching. I'm thrilled that Gabby won for a variety of reasons, but if Komova had edged her for the gold, it would have been just as good.

 

[Tonichelle]

I think NBC must be stuck in the 80s... they pull the same stuff in the Winter Olympics... they must have died inside when the Cold War ended...

 

[Bluebonnet]

Just want to say congratulations to Gabby!!! And to Phelps!!! What a night! Phelps won another individual gold medal and Douglas won all around gold! I love these!!!

I love Komova's floor exercise the best. I thought she should have earned higher scores than she got. I mean she and Douglas should have had bigger difference in floor scores. Douglas had better vault, uneven bar, and ballance beam though. But what do I know?! I'm truly a casual fan who only watch gymnastics once every four years. Anyway, I'm thrilled for Douglas! And her coach!:thumbsup:

 

[Serious Business]

"[Gabrielle Douglas] performed beautifully today," Komova said during the post-meet interviews. "And I believe that she earned her gold medal."

That's the exact quote.

Well, I made it all the way through NBC's gymnastics coverage this time! And it wasn't totally useless. The NBC commentators did point out, all gossip-like, that Mustafina shrugged off her coach's consoling pat after she did her beam routine (the one where she fell off). I think I saw that on the European feed, it just never registered that's what it was. She wanted some time alone, and she's also not afraid to say no to her coach. I respect her for that.

The NBC commentators also let on what seems to be the strategy for Aly Raisman and her coach: she'd do the same floor routine she did at the team finals, get the same score, which would be enough to put her over Mustafina. But of course, no two routine is the same, and judges don't judge the same. They gave her a lower score, enough to tie her with Mustafina, who won on the tie-breaker. This explains why Raisman didn't put in that front layout that would've won her the bronze had she done it without going out of bounds. And if she did go out of bounds, she'd still have been in 4th place anyway. Hindsight is 20/20, and that's painful clarity. That maybe why Raisman looked rather pained after finding out her final placement. I hope Aly doesn't take it to heart, though. It's only a bronze! At the floor finals, where I'm sure the front layout is going back in, she could win a gold!

Unlike the European feed, NBC, of course, showed Gabby's immediate reaction to finding out she won. She hugged her coach in tearful, overwhelmed joy. Then they cut to Komova, who also hugged her coach, but out of seeming despair and the need for consolation. It was a very dramatic and poignant contrast. I also noticed that Mustafina may have been feeling a bit awkward. She seems to be very happy about her bronze win (with all her injuries, getting on that podium is achievement enough for Mustafina, I bet). But she didn't want to seem too happy when her teammate was so sad.

I was also pleasantly surprised that NBC not only showed the 4 routines of each of the top 4 gymnasts, but threw a few ones of Deng Linlin. Although, it is a bit weird considering Linlin only wound up in 6th, and I don't think NBC showed anything of 5th place finisher Sandra Raluca Izbasa.

 

[Bruin714]

Gabby Douglas did the best that she could do, so a big congrats to her.

I'm not an expert either but I think Viktoria Komova should have won. I think it's her style and her look on all four events that I prefer. Douglas' floor routine looks juniorish in comparison.

On another note, had Jordyn Weiber competed in the all-around, she probably would have won the bronze.

 

[Olympia]

I don't know what to make of Deng Linlin. She looks to be about ten years old. She's apparently twenty? Okay.

Mustafina reminds me a bit of Khorkina, who would scold (I think I recall) her coach. We in the U.S. grew up with tales of domineering Eastern bloc coaches who ruled their submissive gymnasts with an iron hand, and so seeing Khorkina arguing with her coach a refreshing contradiction.

 

[Mathman]

I'm not an expert either but I think Viktoria Komova should have won. I think it's her style and her look on all four events that I prefer. Douglas' floor routine looks juniorish in comparison.

I don't think there is any way in the present scoring system to take things like that into account. Is that right? As I understand it, the only thing that counts is the difficulty of the tricks you attempt, and then there are deductions for mistakes. (?)

For the once-every=four-years fan, I think that gymnastics has the same problem as figure skating does. It is not possible for the audience to know why the winner won.

In this contest, it came down to the last floor routine by Komova. The announcer said something like, she needs a 15.385 to win. She performed perfectly. Did her routine deserve a 15.3 (she lost) or a 15.4 (she won)? There is no way for a casual fan to have an opinion, no matter how much that fan may like one performance or the other.