Olympics Thread

[FBallFan123]

It absolutely is. Difference is she plays a sport where she isn't flying 10 feet in the air. Losing your nerve or having doubt about being able to complete a skill in gymnastics can result in some pretty severe injuries.

Absolutely a different degree of injury risks in the two sports.

Would just point out … Osaka was still doing the playing tennis part, at first … what she stated she wasn’t going to do was the post-match press conferences.

It was when that snow-balled into fines and possible disqualification that she withdrew.

 

[Bob Sugar]

Keri Scruggs had a big pressure on her and a big injury. She still landed, stood and delivered. Just sayin'

I may be misremembering, but in the end, I don't think her vault mattered based on what happened with the team that came in second around the same time.

 

[Mean Purple]

I may be misremembering, but in the end, I don't think her vault mattered based on what happened with the team that came in second around the same time.

The points were needed.
In the final event — the vault — and after 14-year-old Dominique Moceanu failed to secure the 9.430 needed to win twice, it was all up to Strug.

 

[Mean Purple]

I may be misremembering, but in the end, I don't think her vault mattered based on what happened with the team that came in second around the same time.

Also, I totally butchered the spelling of her name. Kerry Strug. Also translated into sports = Champion

 

[Zubaz]

The points were needed.
In the final event — the vault — and after 14-year-old Dominique Moceanu failed to secure the 9.430 needed to win twice, it was all up to Strug.

@Bob Sugar is right, the Russians were doing a floor routine at the same time that scored a level where the Americans would have won either way, and ultimately the vault wasn't needed to win. This wasn't known at the time though, so it's not like the coach was some sadist screaming "PAIN FOR ME!" or anything.

....he saved that for other girls.

 

[BrewingFrog]

From what I understand, Simone Biles is a really fine person and does a lot of good things in the Houston area. It is a damned shame that the IOC decided to single her out in this Olympics, and another damned shame that she lost her mojo.

It's also a damned shame that we can't just root for our fellow countrymen anymore.

 

[FBallFan123]

From what I understand, Simone Biles is a really fine person and does a lot of good things in the Houston area. It is a damned shame that the IOC decided to single her out in this Olympics, and another damned shame that she lost her mojo.

It's also a damned shame that we can't just root for our fellow countrymen anymore.

Its also a damn shame sexism still exists.

 

[BrewingFrog]

Its also a damn shame sexism still exists.

(Carefully selecting the old, dull needles with just enough rust on them, and eying your voodoo doll...)

 

[Bob Sugar]

Its also a damn shame sexism still exists.

 

[Moose Stuff]

From what I understand, Simone Biles is a really fine person and does a lot of good things in the Houston area. It is a damned shame that the IOC decided to single her out in this Olympics, and another damned shame that she lost her mojo.

It's also a damned shame that we can't just root for our fellow countrymen anymore.

scheiss our damn countrymen.

 

[Frog92]

Keri Scruggs had a big pressure on her and a big injury. She still landed, stood and delivered. Just sayin'

Strug no doubt deserves all accolades that come her way. Gutted it up and performed under pressure. But Olympic gymnastics today is SO much different than 1996. In 2006 the scoring was changed such that 10 was not the top score. It incentivized innovation and pushing boundaries. No one has pushed that bar further than Simone.

Before 2006 you had to do routines that had enough elements that they started at a 10.0 value then do them perfectly. Now it is how insanely difficult can you make it and you earn bonus points for that. They pile on the hard skills, making it even more dangerous if you are just a little off or hesitant. So Simone is caught in a trap of having pushed things so far that she has to be totally on. If she is just a little off, bad things happen.

Contrast that to college gymnastics which is like it was before 2006 still. 10.0 scale and the emphasis is on perfecting things instead of pushing human limits.

That's a lot of weight to carry when you are the literal tip of the sword for 7 years in pushing the boundaries.

 

[Frog92]

Strug no doubt deserves all accolades that come her way. Gutted it up and performed under pressure. But Olympic gymnastics today is SO much different than 1996. In 2006 the scoring was changed such that 10 was not the top score. It incentivized innovation and pushing boundaries. No one has pushed that bar further than Simone.

Before 2006 you had to do routines that had enough elements that they started at a 10.0 value then do them perfectly. Now it is how insanely difficult can you make it and you earn bonus points for that. They pile on the hard skills, making it even more dangerous if you are just a little off or hesitant. So Simone is caught in a trap of having pushed things so far that she has to be totally on. If she is just a little off, bad things happen.

Contrast that to college gymnastics which is like it was before 2006 still. 10.0 scale and the emphasis is on perfecting things instead of pushing human limits.

That's a lot of weight to carry when you are the literal tip of the sword for 7 years in pushing the boundaries.

If you want to really go deep with how different they are pre versus post 2006:
https://usagym.org/pages/events/pages/fig_scoring.html

 

[Pharm Frog]

If you want to really go deep with how different they are pre versus post 2006:
https://usagym.org/pages/events/pages/fig_scoring.html

Tomorrow I’m meeting with one of our managers in Houston who was an alternate to the women’s gymnastics team in 1984. Still a fierce competitor. Should have an interesting take.

 

[Mean Purple]

Watching the prime coverage on NBC and reminded of what happen at trials. Biles was missing a lot during trials too.
Having a high degree of difficulty helps. I guess eventually not sticking the moves counters it.
Hoping she can have a comeback in the all around. But the warmups they showed for her team work was something that rattled her.

 

[Mean Purple]

@Bob Sugar is right, the Russians were doing a floor routine at the same time that scored a level where the Americans would have won either way, and ultimately the vault wasn't needed to win. This wasn't known at the time though, so it's not like the coach was some sadist screaming "PAIN FOR ME!" or anything.

....he saved that for other girls.

dude, you really had to go there?

 

[Mean Purple]

Tomorrow I’m meeting with one of our managers in Houston who was an alternate to the women’s gymnastics team in 1984. Still a fierce competitor. Should have an interesting take.

MLR in 84. Popular teen celebrity crush. And not because the cute McDonalds ad. Well, maybe the corvette.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog]

 

[Moose Stuff]

Watching the prime coverage on NBC and reminded of what happen at trials. Biles was missing a lot during trials too.
Having a high degree of difficulty helps. I guess eventually not sticking the moves counters it.
Hoping she can have a comeback in the all around. But the warmups they showed for her team work was something that rattled her.

Why on earth should she be allowed to compete in the individuals? She wasn’t UNABLE to perform, she was UNWILLING to perform. Let someone who was willing take her place.

 

[Mean Purple]

Why on earth should she be allowed to compete in the individuals? She wasn’t UNABLE to perform, she was UNWILLING to perform. Let someone who was willing take her place.

There is the reality that McKayla was not getting to compete in team today. Biles response that "the mental is just not there today" is a little void. The media went full prop mode to cover for it. Whole thing is kinda odd. If she shows up for all around and individual, it is gonna look even more odd.

 

[Moose Stuff]

Tomorrow I’m meeting with one of our managers in Houston who was an alternate to the women’s gymnastics team in 1984. Still a fierce competitor. Should have an interesting take.

I have a wife who was a competitive dancer. My oldest was a competitive dancer and then a Showgirl. My middle daughter was a competitive dancer, a Kilgore Rangerette, and is now on the Aggie dance team. My youngest is an 8th grader and also a competitive dancer. They were/are all very good. All 4 have strong negative opinions on the matter.