The 2003 World Gymnastics Championships.
Aug. 25th, 2003 04:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
diemmeSo I spent a bit of time yesterday watching the WGC on NBC. I have a few complaints. First of all the new rules. To get anything approaching a decent score the athletes have to do ridiculously complex skills, many attempt them but with little success. Clean lines, fluidity and beauty are sacrificed as gymnasts trip, stumble and fall attempting these stupid elements. I'd far rather see a moderately difficult routine executed elegantly and gracefully than a disjointed set of superhuman skills.
And what is up with the three up, all scores count format???? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of. It's just an excuse to show fewer performances, more commercials and backstage footage of whomever is the latest American sweetheart princess. GAGS.
There's another gripe! Now all props to the American girls for consistency under pressure and emerging from the pile up to take the gold. But good Lord those girls are annoying as hell! Prissy and perky with voices like squeaky wheels! Tasha Schwikert (sp) alone had that "Nothing gets to me," thing going on which was at least endurable. At least the Americans looked healthy and well fed this year, must be due to Bela taking a back seat in the team management. The Russians, what I saw of them, looked tragic. They must be really missing Zamolodchikova (sp) and Ziganshinia (sp)actually I'm not sure why the latter wasn't there. I thought she was still young enough. I miss Zamo too, she was awesome at the 2000 Olympics. The little Chinese and Romanian girls were adorable and a joy to watch. I really think the Chinese are the ones to watch coming into the Olympics.
Svetlana Khorkina was her usual incredible, pissed off self in the all around. I'm glad she won. Carly Whatsherface was cookie cutter dull but she had the hard stuff and did it well so silver medal and moving on. The little bronze medalist from China had complexity and beauty she just needs the experience and the mental toughness that comes from it. Chelsea Memmel was more interesting, in my opinion, than the second place American (despite the fact that she has a HUGE head) but it just wasn't her night.
What really pissed me off were the announcers! Tim Dagget, Bart Conner and Elfie Schlagel, I believe. Snide, has been, washed up all of them. All they could do was criticise and whine that this and that country was fielding athletes with little talent or discipline. That lot were famous twenty years ago when a tuck double back was a daring move! Give me Shannon Miller, Kim Zmeskal, Dominique Dawes, Svetlana Boguinskaya, Lilly Pod, Gina Gogean or Milo, people who've actually put themselves on the line attempting some of the skills the kids of today are doing!!!!
Sighs, I need a coffee break.
And what is up with the three up, all scores count format???? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of. It's just an excuse to show fewer performances, more commercials and backstage footage of whomever is the latest American sweetheart princess. GAGS.
There's another gripe! Now all props to the American girls for consistency under pressure and emerging from the pile up to take the gold. But good Lord those girls are annoying as hell! Prissy and perky with voices like squeaky wheels! Tasha Schwikert (sp) alone had that "Nothing gets to me," thing going on which was at least endurable. At least the Americans looked healthy and well fed this year, must be due to Bela taking a back seat in the team management. The Russians, what I saw of them, looked tragic. They must be really missing Zamolodchikova (sp) and Ziganshinia (sp)actually I'm not sure why the latter wasn't there. I thought she was still young enough. I miss Zamo too, she was awesome at the 2000 Olympics. The little Chinese and Romanian girls were adorable and a joy to watch. I really think the Chinese are the ones to watch coming into the Olympics.
Svetlana Khorkina was her usual incredible, pissed off self in the all around. I'm glad she won. Carly Whatsherface was cookie cutter dull but she had the hard stuff and did it well so silver medal and moving on. The little bronze medalist from China had complexity and beauty she just needs the experience and the mental toughness that comes from it. Chelsea Memmel was more interesting, in my opinion, than the second place American (despite the fact that she has a HUGE head) but it just wasn't her night.
What really pissed me off were the announcers! Tim Dagget, Bart Conner and Elfie Schlagel, I believe. Snide, has been, washed up all of them. All they could do was criticise and whine that this and that country was fielding athletes with little talent or discipline. That lot were famous twenty years ago when a tuck double back was a daring move! Give me Shannon Miller, Kim Zmeskal, Dominique Dawes, Svetlana Boguinskaya, Lilly Pod, Gina Gogean or Milo, people who've actually put themselves on the line attempting some of the skills the kids of today are doing!!!!
Sighs, I need a coffee break.
