OLYMPICS

       So we watched the American Women's Gymnastics team tonight and having been a gymnast myself, I'm not sure how I feel about the new scoring system.  It was easier when it was a score of 10.  Bela Karoly, U.S. gymnastics coach,  reported tonight that the new scoring system allows for an umbrella of confusion and allows more cheating on the scores from the standpoint of the judge based on the fact that now the routine has two parts, execution and value of the difficulty.  

      

    One of the gymnasts this evening, Shawn Johnson, according to Bela, was shorted 1.2 points from an Argentenian judge who didn't give her the full allotted point value for the difficulty of her routine. Shawn's beam routine was the best beam routine I've ever seen (except for her wimpy mount).  It was nearly flawless. Her tricks were practically glued to the beam and her landing was solid. Aside from two small adjustments for balance she had a flawless routine. 

      I was happy to hear Bela's opinion since two of the U.S. gymnasts gave amazing routines, and got lower scores than they should have. Based on what Karoly said, it was blatant cheating.  He didn't come right out and say that bias or possible U.S. distaste had anything to do with it, but it could have been.  

    

      Gymnastics has and always will be a difficult sport in the Olympics (or any competition) to get a fair score in because there is that area of judges "opinion" or "bias".  It isn't like swimming where the first person to touch the wall wins, or in running a race when the first person to cross the finish line wins.  There is always an element of "what will the judges feel that routine is worth".  And you can bet there isn't a judge out there who doesn't have a bias for or against certain gymnasts or teams.  

   

     Gymnastics is my favorite event, but I can't help but get a bit peeved when they aren't scored properly.  I can only imagine how the team is feeling!  

    

    After watching the Russians, it was apparent that the judges weren't being fair with them either. Their scores were definitely lower than they should be, and those girls were rock solid in their floor routines.  In fact, the American girls, especially Alicia Sacramone, were not as dancy, didn't really appear as solid, or "finished" as the Russians.  Alicia was ALL OVER the floor, and really didn't leave me feeling "safe" with her routine having gone out of the line more than once. Most of the American girls seemed like they might make a mistake or go over the lines.  I always felt kind of AFRAID for the American girls.

    

      Now lets talk swimming.................wasn't the mens swim relay AWESOME!!!!!  The look on their faces when France and America both seemed to touch the wall at the exact time!  Phillips and his team mates faces as they looked up at the score board to see who won will be embedded in our memories forever. All of us yelling.... GO, GO , GO,  YOU CAN DO IT,.... THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE,.....THEY'VE PULLED UP BEFORE..... YOU CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT................and we see the swimmers hands both touch the wall and it's not obvious who was first.  Phillips and teammate both looking down to see who touched first and then up at the scoreboard at the exact same time to see the times.  Then their faces of absolute amazement from the rush of  winning. And after they won..............YEAH BABY!!!!!!!

GO AMERICA.........GO AMERICA..........GO AMERICA!!!!!!!   Yeah Jason Lee!!!! 

8 one-hundredths of a second!!!!!!  World Record beaten by 4 seconds!!!!  

GO AMERICA, GO AMERICA, GO AMERICA!!!!!!