<p>And outside of the Olympics there’s synchro trampoline. It’s pretty interesting to watch.</p>
<p>I was wondering if there was syncho trampoline.</p>
<p>Seems like they could do a team competition.</p>
<p>I wonder where how many facilities there are where a kid could learn trampoline at an elite level. The facility would need such high ceilings…certainly higher than the cheer and gymnastics gyms have.</p>
<p>Men’s trampoline is today (am watching and it is a lot of fun!). Women’s is tomorrow.</p>
<p>Also enjoying watching women’s heptathlon events this morning.</p>
<p>Dong Dong won trampoline. I wonder if any Chinese people think our names are adorable.</p>
<p>I looked up some prior US Championship gymnastics results…interesting. In 2009, at Jr. Nationals, here is how our current team did:</p>
<ol>
<li> Ross</li>
<li> Raisman</li>
<li>Maroney</li>
<li>Douglas (only competed bars)
no Weiber that year</li>
</ol>
<p>Last year (2011) at Nationals, Ross was still a Junior and placed second. The rest of our team:</p>
<ol>
<li>Weiber</li>
<li> Maroney</li>
<li> Raisman</li>
<li>Douglas</li>
</ol>
<p>Nothing like peaking in the Olympic year!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That one is remarkably appropriate for a trampoline jumper.</p>
<p>I read the earlier link about Gabby’s mom moving her to a “better” coach while owing the former coach $20k. Later I read that her mom worked in the “financial services” industry, but is now disabled and unable to work. She is divorced from Gabby’s dad who (I think) is a soldier. So who in the world has been paying for Gabby’s living & training expenses? Not to mention the family entourage at the Olympics.</p>
<p>Thankfully, she did win and will be able to pay off her/their debts but WOW - one broken toe or sprained ankle could have squelched that plan.</p>
<p>xiggi - :D</p>
<p>Ahhh… MP’s last race. Here is a little footage from the past:</p>
<p>[Michael</a> Phelps Agressive against Cavic - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>
Very good question! I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the former gym owners sue her. I think there’s a lot more to the story, which will come out in court. Natalie has certainly been looking for media exposure, though, yes? I don’t remember past AA gold medalists with such attention-seeking mothers!</p>
<p>Just saw Gabby on TV holding up a Corn Flakes box with her pix on the front. That was fast! </p>
<p>I agree that her mom is attention hungry.</p>
<p>Hmmm, I hadn’t noticed anything unusual about her mother. </p>
<p>And really, several US medal winners have been featured in ads alluding to their victories, some immediately after the victory. Gabby doesn’t seem unusual in this regard. </p>
<p>I’m happy for her and her family. They all sacrificed greatly for this.</p>
<p>I think Gabby also has been the beneficiary of a tremendous amount of goodwill and help from others, financially, emotionally, and otherwise. She has a lot of people to thank for getting her where she is.</p>
<p>Gabby is awesome! I rooted for her ever since the trials. She’s all smile and I’m glad she won.</p>
<p>However, Olympic training would fall under my definition of a luxury. Unless a family on public assistance can find someone willing to donate the training (and I’m sure that happens sometimes) I don’t think it’s right to be going into debt for it when you have no way to ever pay that off. The debt belongs to the disabled mom - Gabby wouldn’t be responsible for it being a minor.</p>
<p>In contrast, look at John O (male gymnasts) story where he rode the subway to train and his family sometimes slept in their car at meets.</p>
<p>In this case Gabby’s mom’s gamble paid off I guess, so hopefully Gabby can support her mom instead of the taxpayers.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think we might look at a different angle, and perhaps consider celebrating the accomplishment of someone who was not born with a silver spoon in the crib. For many, and especially for minorities, the road to success in expensive sports is spiked with tacks and setbacks. While some sports are driven in K-12, others require substantial financial, moral, and emotional support from the parents only. The case of African-Americans is particularly more difficult with the relatively large number of broken families and one-parent nucleus.</p>
<p>The above does NOT mean that it is easy for a more typical middle-class family. Sacrifices are also in order, and the incredible meets and repeated practices are not shorter. But with an extended family and a cushier bank account, many problems can be resolved. </p>
<p>So, perhaps, instead of worrying about who paid for the expenses of Gabby, we might ask ourselves … how in the world did she do it! Or simply let the young athlete bask in her glory without worrying about her taxes and her repayment plan.</p>
<p>Completely agree, xiggi.</p>
<p>If you get an Olympic gold medal, you did not do it. Others made it for you. </p>
<p>Is that what you guys are saying? LOL</p>
<p>BTW, is it just me, the total medal counts and the country’s economic power seems to go hand in hand. </p>
<p>Wondering out load, will NBC or CCTV4 be the broadcaster of the 32nd games in 8 more years.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Not sure why this is anyone’s business. The first coach made a business decision to extend the credit to Gabby/mom. S/he clearly thought it was worth their while to do so for any number of reasons. It’s private enterprise. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Is this sort of comment necessary? My sister is disabled after working in the financial services industry. Her disability is paid by the company’s disability policy.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Again, is this really our business? If you’re suggesting federal disability allowed them to live large and fly about the world attending the Olympics, you would be quite wrong. The amount of federal disability is tied to previous income and for low wage earners (which I have no idea whether the mom was or not), it is barely a living. If NBC or some other company decided to foot the bill in exchange for XYZ, that’s again their business decision.</p>
<p>A little late on this, but:</p>
<p>Is it just me, or is the tie-breaker on the all-around gymnastics competition the dumbest rule ever? Raisman and Mustafina tied for third, and the first tie-breaker (which decided it in favor of Mustafina) is to drop the lowest apparatus score and whoever has the highest point total on the remaining 3 wins. But wait a minute! That rule just guarantees that the athlete who had the single worst performance on one of her four routines wins the medal in the event of a tie. Mathematically that’s got to be the case. But this is supposed to be for best all-around gymnast. So why, then, would you reward the one whose performances are most uneven, i.e., 3 high scores and 1 very low one? (Mustafina’s performance on the balance beam was dreadful and got by far the lowest score as between the two gymnasts). It seems to me that just gives you the exact opposite of the result you’d want in an *all-around *competition, where you’d want to recognize the athlete who performed well across-the-board.</p>
<p>"Just saw Gabby on TV holding up a Corn Flakes box with her pix on the front. That was fast!</p>
<p>I agree that her mom is attention hungry."</p>
<p>Several of the swimming gold medalists had commercials aired mere minutes after NBC showed their winning race. some were even aired before NBC showed the race!</p>
<p>I didn’t think Gabby’s mom was nearly as attention seeking as Raisman’s mom and dad or the Levya’s father, who ran around the gym like a maniac after his son’s performances.</p>