Olympics 2008

[Tenigma]

Originally Posted by blueerica

Hey now, hey now... I don't know about anyone else but I kinda thought Alicia Sacramone was a little on the 'stacked' side of things... And that Shawn Johnson... anyone looked at that ass. Might be the best one I've seen all games long.

Well, let's set aside the fact that Sacramone failed miserably in the team competition, falling on her butt and whatnot. Ouch.

Shawn Johnson is a little packed powerhouse. She kind of reminded me a little of Mary Lou Retton.... just that huge burst of strength in such a tiny package.

If you look though, she had developed BUTTOCKS. NONE of the women had wide HIPS. Once your body starts to mature and your pelvic bones start to widen, and you get a noticeable waist and wider hips like an adult woman, it's physically more difficult to do some of those movements.

I agree with Alex. We should be judging adults on what adults can do, even if it means they might not be able to do quite the same limber stuff as a 14-year-old can do.

Steph -- that Time article is the ick. All the more reason for me to increase my hatred towards the Chinese government. Patooey!

[Kevy Baby]

People should be willing to sacrifice themselves in some way for my personal amusement. I see no problem with that.

[~MS~]

Add another "not a fan of the man" here....he attended the Special Olympics summer games 3 different times when I was involved as both coach and director of our area and he was a pompous arse to the kids but they didn't realize it. The volunteers all did and none of us made much of an effort to stroke his ego after the first time 'meet and greet' with the guy.

[katiesue]

My boss's daughter is way into gymnastics. She's had two knee surgeries and now has a very serious back injury. She's 15.

Maddys cousins were way into it as well. Driving two hours each way from their home for training. When I asked why I got the well they could get college scholarships. Um not if they're injured. Wouldn't it be more prudent to put all the cash you're spending on meets and gas and lessons into a college fund? You'd probably have more at the end of the day.

[scaeagles]

In China, that could mean do what the government says or be shot.

[Alex]

I definitely include figure skating in my gymnastics stance. I was just saving it for 2010. Ballet, at least, can lead to a lengthy adult career and beauty pageants may increase emotional problems that lead to physical problems but they don't (so far as I know) directly cause physical damage.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I'm not sure it is any more unhealthy than the figure skating, ballet or beauty pagent culture. Why is it that cultures dominated by girls are the "unhealthiest"?

Maybe because they generally don't recruit boys when they are tiny children for any of those things.

[Not Afraid]

For gymnastics, more than skinny you have to be tiny in stature - same with ballet. At least with contemporary dance, that has changed quite a bit. The main body type requirement is muscular.

[Not Afraid]

Although, Karolyi has been VERY outspoken about the obviously younger than 15 girls on the China team.

I know a lot more about skating, ballet and beauty pageants (I hung out with Olympic skaters, danced myself for 13 years and was 1st runner up Little Miss America 1968) but I've never had much contact with gymnasts, so I can't speak for the sport knowledgeably enough to argue a point.

[Stan4dSteph]

Did someone already mention this article in Time magazine?