Artistic Gymnastics: Stick the Landing!

[Dots And Stripes]

Aly being the one to calm her coach down after the bars routine. 

[Daisy]

1 minute ago, scarynikki12 said:

I also give Peggy full credit for why Shannen's beam was so consistent and why it was (in my opinion) always her best event.  Peggy was in charge of beam and consistently played to Shannen's strengths while Nunno was kept behind the partition.  I also think Shannen privately liked Peggy more (though she'd never say so), and I definitely think that Peggy would have pursued a head coaching job much earlier had Shannen not stayed with the sport.

I totally agree. 

Honestly, (watching this)... I have to wonder if A-T-N are commentating over the video... or this is then commentating while it's happening. because if it's post Simone win then it is coming off relatively fake. (like Aly's bar score, and Al goes, oohh no, we can't have too many yellow scores). 

[Minneapple]

OHH SO THEY'RE HER PARENTS, ARE THEY, AL?

(I see NBC already promo'd Phelps vs. Lochte. I may whack my head on the coffee table at some point tonight.)

[scarynikki12]

They're definitely commenting on video.  I'm sure they watched live but the responses are always too planned (well, Tim and Shut UP! Al).  I think the Beijing AA was done live and, coincidentally, was the last time I didn't want to reach into my tv and strangle all of them. 

[Daisy]

4 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

They're definitely commenting on video.  I'm sure they watched live but the responses are always too planned (well, Tim and Shut UP! Al).  I think the Beijing AA was done live and, coincidentally, was the last time I didn't want to reach into my tv and strangle all of them. 

I know. I am very violent (like more than usual) towards tim and al. 
(and yah. Al can't wait to point out Simone's parents very emphatically).

[Amethyst]

I wonder if Ryan's hair turned blue from the algae in the water, lol.  Probably the chlorine.

I've never been a big fan of Aly Reisman, but between her coach griping at her and her parents always looking like they're about to pass out or throw up in the stands, I feel bad for her.  

Also, the commentators say the same thing every time when she's on the uneven bars; that that she doesn't want to ace it, just get through it, or something along those lines, and it's been driving me crazy the whole time.  But now, I can see why she would be nervous.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Amethyst

[ParadoxLost]

"Its the third best bar routine she's done here."  Its also the third bar routine she's done here.

Edited August 12, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[Quof]

While I appreciate that CBC is showing most of the competition, and live at that, I can't take any more of their commentators. Kyle Shewfelt sounds like a 12 year old girt - both the squeaky voice, and the maturity of commentary.   And Brenda Irving keeps saying pummel horse.  I've tweeted her about it twice, but no response!

[megwhite]

I miss the Romanians weirdly enough, from there code-whoring to cookie cutter bars work, its not the same without them!

[Dots And Stripes]

NBC will be sending Mustafina a fruit basket for providing some suspense before the break.

[Superpole2000]

19 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

They're definitely commenting on video.  I'm sure they watched live but the responses are always too planned (well, Tim and Shut UP! Al).  I think the Beijing AA was done live and, coincidentally, was the last time I didn't want to reach into my tv and strangle all of them. 

Who are they trying to fool? Tim continually makes "foreshadowing" comments. If someone falls in an upcoming apparatus, rest assured Tim will tell us that she is inconsistent just before it happens.

Tim is the guy who reads Bachelor spoilers then posts in episode forums all season long about who he thinks is going to win.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Superpole2000

[Daisy]

7 minutes ago, Quof said:

While I appreciate that CBC is showing most of the competition, and live at that, I can't take any more of their commentators. Kyle Shewfelt sounds like a 12 year old girt - both the squeaky voice, and the maturity of commentary.   And Brenda Irving keeps saying pummel horse.  I've tweeted her about it twice, but no response!

me either. 
I generally watch the streaming we have a Kiwi and a Brit commentating and they are soooooooo much better. 

[Growsonwalls]

I kind of like cranky Mihai with his heavy Romanian accent. But the way he was snapping at Aly after her bars routine was unnecessary. It's not like he didn't know that Aly has issues on bars. 

[Crs97]

I got nostalgic and watched Olga's bar routine again from 1972.  For all the dramatic acrobatics shown tonight, Olga's routine is still my favorite because she so seamlessly wove between both bars.  I hate how today's women pretend the lower bar doesn't exist.  I never warmed up to Nadia and still cannot forgive her for bringing the cowboy tuck to the women.

[superdeluxe]

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Yes, indeed!  Wish the final outcome were reversed but happy for both girls. They were outstanding and they're both such good sportswomen.

You wish the final outcome were reversed?  Well,  that just tells me all I need to know.

 

Quote

(I see NBC already promo'd Phelps vs. Lochte. I may whack my head on the coffee table at some point tonight.)

I'm not even dealing with that nonsense.  Preseason football is on.

[windsprints]

34 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

I got nostalgic and watched Olga's bar routine again from 1972.  For all the dramatic acrobatics shown tonight, Olga's routine is still my favorite because she so seamlessly wove between both bars.  I hate how today's women pretend the lower bar doesn't exist.  I never warmed up to Nadia and still cannot forgive her for bringing the cowboy tuck to the women.

I've been down the youtube rabbit hole of gymnastics videos for the past hour or so. I just watched the evolution of bars and beam from the 50's through 2010.  Obviously the skills have become increasingly difficult but I have to admit I liked watching the bars when they weren't like the men's high bar, the 70s-80s in particular. They seemed creative in how they incorporated the use of both bars.  I wonder when the point will come where increasing the difficulty isn't as encouraged.  I can't imagine how much more difficult they could become than what Simone is doing now and still be safe.

Edited August 12, 2016 by windsprints

[FormerMod-a1]

At some point they stopped being the uneven parallel bars and became the uneven bars.  Watching that video you can see how they used to even look more like the men's parallel bars, but at different heights.  I have missed that set up.  I used to think they should go back to that, but now I think they should 1) go back to that/add that back in, and 2) add a highbar event for the women.  Then we'd have the best of both worlds. :-)

[ParadoxLost]

I've been doing the same thing.  I have to admit I did a double take when I saw Mary Lou Retton dismount over the lower bar which I have no recollection of seeing anyone do.  Maybe lost to history with the changes to the bars through the years.

Watching Bela jump the wall and argue with the USA coach after her vault was funny too. 

'84 is the first Olympics I have any memory of, so nostalgia.

BTW, have they announced when they are going to air the Karolyi documentary yet?

[AuntieDiane6]

Ok ... can someone tell what Tim means when he says "the big solid"?!  It sounds like something you'd say to a toddler!  

I just cringe ... I can't bear to rewind the DVR to hear the context  of his inanity.

[Shanna Marie]

12 minutes ago, windsprints said:

Obviously the skills have become increasingly difficult but I have to admit I liked watching the bars when they weren't like the men's high bar, the 70s-80s in particular. They seemed creative in how they incorporated the use of both bars.

Yeah, the bars were so much closer together when I was taking gymnastics in the late 70s. I loved the moves that used both bars, like the one where the gymnast held onto the high bar while hitting the low bar with her hips and either bouncing off it or flipping around it and then back up to the high bar. That was the move I really wanted to be able to do when I got tall enough to do it (unfortunately, I never ended up learning it because I got a bad inner ear infection and had to drop out of gymnastics because that really messed up my balance).

Are some of the gymnasts wearing tights? I never thought that was a thing in gymnastics, but with some of the gymnasts, it looks kind of like they might be wearing flesh-colored footless tights, with ankle wraps disguising the ends. The Chinese aren't even trying to hide it. There was the one in the team event who had a gaping hole in the knee, and there's the one competing tonight who seems to have on convertible dance tights with the feet just flapping around her ankles, without even an attempt to roll them neatly.

[windsprints]

A little humor while waiting for the gymnastics coverage on NBC to resume: 

[Superpole2000]

35 minutes ago, aquarian1 said:

At some point they stopped being the uneven parallel bars and became the uneven bars.  Watching that video you can see how they used to even look more like the men's parallel bars, but at different heights.  I have missed that set up.  I used to think they should go back to that, but now I think they should 1) go back to that/add that back in, and 2) add a highbar event for the women.  Then we'd have the best of both worlds. :-)

I agree with you that they should have more apparatus for women. I don't think they should move the uneven bars back, though. The old way looked really cool, but I don't think it's a good idea for girls to be slamming their pelvis against a bar day after day.

[FormerMod-a1]

There are other moves they could do, that's not the only thing they did.  And if something is too dangerous they can outlaw it like the backflip off the top bar.

[ParadoxLost]

OK, my humor contribution will be a little different.

I saw Bela Karolyi doing this across multiple Olympics on youtube today.  And it became the ultimate earworm that would not go away.  I could hear another voice screaming "You can dooo it!" over and over again.   But I couldn't place it.

Until it came to me.  And eighteen years later I got the joke.

Edited August 12, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[Growsonwalls]

I read that a lot of uneven bars slamming led to fertility problems for gymnasts back in the day. I remember Loudmila Tourischeva said that she had issues conceiving and her ... um, inner organs were messed up. Then again she had a very long career.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, superdeluxe said:

You wish the final outcome were reversed?  Well,  that just tells me all I need to know.

 

 

What did it tell you? Don't I have a right to be a fan of Aly & wish she'd won the gold medal?  I was a fan of hers 4 years ago and continued that appreciation of her talents at this Olympics.  What's wrong with that?  You make it sound evil.

[Cherpumple]

Thanks for posting that ParadoxLost! No lie, that is STILL my go-to motivational trick whenever I need a boost of energy. And yes, I always say it with Bela's accent!

[ketchuplover]

• Different strokes for different folks

[kittykat]

Yay to our US Ladies.  Glad Aly turned it around and pulled silver :-)

[windsprints]

56 minutes ago, ParadoxLost said:

BTW, have they announced when they are going to air the Karolyi documentary yet?

Is this the one you're looking for? (dated 7/29) 

[ParadoxLost]

No I don't think so.  There is supposed to be one titled 'Karoyli' to air during the Olympics.  Its supposed to cover their coaching going all the way back to Comaneci and their defection to the USA.   They announced it about a week ago but didn't give an air date.

Edited August 12, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[Shanna Marie]

More mainsplaining from Tim: He interrupted Nastia talking about what it's like to compete on balance beam to talk over her and explain what it's like to compete on balance beam. Which one of them has actually competed on a balance beam? If he's ever even been on one, I want video.

[ExplainItAgain]

1 hour ago, windsprints said:

I've been down the youtube rabbit hole of gymnastics videos for the past hour or so. I just watched the evolution of bars and beam from the 50's through 2010.  Obviously the skills have become increasingly difficult but I have to admit I liked watching the bars when they weren't like the men's high bar, the 70s-80s in particular. They seemed creative in how they incorporated the use of both bars.  I wonder when the point will come where increasing the difficulty isn't as encouraged.  I can't imagine how much more difficult they could become than what Simone is doing now and still be safe.

God, what has happened to the bars? It used to be more of a "skills" thing than a "routine" thing. Now, all they use the lower bar for is some handstands and slowing down their momentum. It's not even a fun event anymore - my personal least favorite.

[FormerMod-a1]

On the livestream Jonathon Horton said he thought the wolf spin(?) looked easy so he tried to do it on the floor and couldn't even keep is leg up off the ground.  He laughed and before he started the story said something like "you'll hate me for saying this...".

[chitowngirl]

<small, shallow voice> I hate Aly Raisman's hair bun. Always have. Don't know why.

[Aliconehead]

5 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

<small, shallow voice> I hate Aly Raisman's hair bun. Always have. Don't know why.

For me, with her long neck, it stretches her out even more and makes her neck/head region disproportionate and her neck look even longer

[Dots And Stripes]

Nastia didn't get the memo about manufacturing drama. She just poo pooed Al's "concern" about history repeating itself for Aly.

[scarynikki12]

She also had a bit of disdain going on when she contradicted him. Personally, I think she hates his guts but plays nice because of the job. I bet she also hates Tim (especially when he talks over and interrupts her to be Women's Gymnastics Know-It-All like tonight) but she hides it better. 

[Shanna Marie]

On the bad choreography thing, they left out the phase when everyone was apparently sucking up to the Soviet Bloc judges and using Eastern European folk-sounding music, with attempts at "folk dancing" (or at least their perception of what that must be like, based on having seen some movies, I guess) in the choreography. This wasn't helped by the wave of Soviet Bloc coaches who defected to the West and coached their new gymnasts the way they had in their home countries.

On a somewhat related note about what was just on TV: Russia seems to have stopped making their gymnasts train in ballet. I've seen better pirouettes in a beginner ballet class. She fell out of every single one.

[chitowngirl]

I kind of like seeing the vaulting in the background with the floor camera zooming by.

[cesstar]

Congratulations to all the girls! I'm sure it was a big relief for Simone to have that out of the way and it was lovely to see how emotional Aly was at finally getting an AA medal. That said.... it was a slightly underwhelming AA final to watch especially compared to the men's. The only real competition was for 3rd place and Aliya held on fairly comfortably despite only really hitting 2 events. It must be bittersweet for Gabby and Laurie to sit in the stands and know that they would have been so competitive in that field.

Great results for Black, Thorsdottir, and Lopez making the top 10 - the best results ever for their respective countries I think?

The Russians seem to lack stamina, not sure what their training regime is, but they really struggle to make it through back-to-back days of qualifications/team finals/AA finals. Aliya looked exhausted on floor.

Hopefully the event finals will be a bit more exciting. Vault and Bars should be particularly close and Beam is always a bit of a crapshoot with the mental side of it.

[scarynikki12]

Background vaulting is the BEST! Few things are as funny as a random gymnast just running across the back of the screen. 

[DawnDavenport]

7 minutes ago, Shanna Marie said:

On the bad choreography thing, they left out the phase when everyone was apparently sucking up to the Soviet Bloc judges and using Eastern European folk-sounding music, with attempts at "folk dancing" (or at least their perception of what that must be like, based on having seen some movies, I guess) in the choreography. This wasn't helped by the wave of Soviet Bloc coaches who defected to the West and coached their new gymnasts the way they had in their home countries.

Simona Amanar's 2000 floor exercise should be a clinic on what not to do for choreography. The finger snaps OFF THE BEAT always make me laugh. She has no sense of musicality at all

[Amethyst]

Man, I feel bad for Seda.  Falling on her beam dismount, then again on the floor.  I give her credit that she kept going.

Rebeca Andrade had a great routine.  Nice choice of music, and some impressive artistry.  Even the crowd was digging it.

[scarynikki12]

Man is Shut UP Al! annoying. 

I am surprised they didn't point out that Simone is the first defending Women's World All-Around champion to win the Olympic AA in twenty years (Lilia in Atlanta). You'd think they'd be all over that. 

[ParadoxLost]

Is Al announcing alone tonight?  He kept saying that the last time this happened was in 2008 with Nastia and asking what it felt like.  And I'm thinking, well isn't Nastia going to answer.  But he just kept talking.  Then I realized that I don't think I heard anyone but him.

[Jx223]

Congrats to Simone Biles and Aly for taking gold and silver in the All Around. Well done and deserved. Also congrats to Aliya Mustafina for taking bronze.

I thought that it was sweet how Simone's parents were overcome with emotion after she won the gold. And Aly's mother continues to amuse me with her "I want to throw up/I can't wait until it's over" faces. I think she's great, lol. I understand that she is very nervous she is for her daughter and that she will probably be glad when this is all over with. 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Jx223

[Growsonwalls]

Aliya Mustafina has gorgeous eyes. Wow. I saw on the live feed that when Simone got off the floor Aliya got up immediately to congratulate her. But of course NBC cuts that out of the prime time. 

Anyone shocked at how old and out of it Bela looked in the stands? Maybe Marta had to take over because he's not all there anymore? 

[Kromm]

7 hours ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

Oh, darn!  You know what this means:  5 minutes of gymnastics at 8 p.m.   Thirty minutes at 9:20 and 10 minutes at 11:55, spilling over into the news so the DVR doesn't catch it.  Go NBC!!  Not.

Eh.  I'm okay with it, because I was half convinced NBC was going to pull a cheap ass move and try to recoup some of that lost time by only showing the American part of the medal ceremony for that swimming thing where the American and Canadian tied. And... they actually shockingly showed both, despite being "behind time". 

12 minutes ago, ParadoxLost said:

Is Al announcing alone tonight?  He kept saying that the last time this happened was in 2008 with Nastia and asking what it felt like.  And I'm thinking, well isn't Nastia going to answer.  But he just kept talking.  Then I realized that I don't think I heard anyone but him.

I bet it has something to do with this all being on delay from earlier today. It means they can sit Al's fat ass down and just have him talk even more, if he was doing it after the fact I mean. Yuck.

[twoods]

1 hour ago, aquarian1 said:

On the livestream Jonathon Horton said he thought the wolf spin(?) looked easy so he tried to do it on the floor and couldn't even keep is leg up off the ground.  He laughed and before he started the story said something like "you'll hate me for saying this...".

After being spoiled with the livestream commentary it really sucks to hear all the annoying crap on primetime. Al is so painful to listen to, I need to mute just so my ears don't bleed.