gymn Digest Mon, 31 Jan 94 Volume 2 : Issue 66
Today's Topics:
Element names
introduction
It's a Girl!
Names of tricks
Naming moves (2 msgs)
Naming moves some more
NCAA schedules
Reese's
Reese's Meet (2 msgs)
Reese's televised (2 msgs)
Reese's World Cup - Format and stuff (2 msgs)
Reese's World cup TELEVISED (2 msgs)
Results & Stuff
Scores
See what I mean?
Skating moms
Spanish and Knees
Spanish and Knees and owls and bigmouthed govt studies and fitness and alarms, oh my !
truth vs. tv ratings (4 msgs)
We all feel this way!
This is a digest of the gymn@athena.mit.edu mailing list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 09:05:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: ***@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
Subject: Element names
I believe the Soviet gymnast that did the back handspring 1/4 to
handstand everyone is refering to is Oksana Omelianchik - I've heard
the move called that before.
Does anyone know whether or not she is the true originator of the
back-to-back tumbling pass (at least for women?)
Why not give Chusovitina credit for the hop full, even if it was a
men's move - she was the first to throw it on the uneven bars, which
is a lot different than high bar. Incidentally, does anyone remember
that Kurt Thomas and Tracee Talavera did flares, and for awhile a
flare on beam was called a "Talavera"? Or am I just old...?
Cara
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 9:21:00 EST
From: <***@flemingc.on.ca>
Subject: introduction
I have been on this list for a few weeks so it's about time that I
crept out of the shadows!
I am an international trade student from Ontario (I'm the lone
dissenting voice *for* NAFTA!), 30 years old, a Canadian but raised in a
miserable little island dump called Britain, returning here two years ago.
My interest in gymnastics goes a long way back but is almost
exclusively as a spectator, my favourite gymnast was Oksana
Omilianchik (where is she now? Does anyone know? I'd love o hear some
'where are they now' type stories).
My only active role in the sport was way back in the late 70's and
early 80's when I was a (field) hockey player and weights coach
(uncertified, flying by the seat of my pant) and I worked with several
gymnasts (but mostly with track athletes) in developing specific
weight and exercise programs for competitors, especially for those
coming back from injuries (which was my personal speciality, three
knee surgeries later...). I liked working with the gymnasts as I found
them to be much more familiar with their bodies and the specific uses
of each muscle group. We had a new sports centre that had been built
for the Commonwealth Games so the gymn equipment was 'state of the
art' for the time and coaching athletes how best to use the equipment
was very interesting work.
Naturally I am in awe of some of these male gymnasts and their
phenomenal *controlled* strength.
I am hoping to be down in Orlando for my first live gymnastics
competition in a few years. Maybe I'll see a few of you there?
And what *did* happen to Oksana, Aurelia...
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 0:03:37 PST
From: <***@cisco.com>
Subject: It's a Girl!
Bill and Mary Ann are proud to announce the birth of their
daughter "Alyssa Katherine", Born Sunday morning, Jan 30,
at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City.
Vital statistics: 8lb 5oz, 20.5 inches, born at 0938 after a mercifully
short (less than 5 hour) labor. Mom, dad, and Daughter are all doing
fine, except for assorted silly grins that won't go away.
BillW
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 13:19:47 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Names of tricks
A few days ago somebody (I forget who) mentioned she'd just learned
that the hop-full over the bar that Shannon does was actually first
done by Chusovitina and named for her. That is one pet peeve I have
with meet commentary. They often either don't know these things or
ignore them and misinform the public. Not one of the times that
Shannon has done that on TV (that I've seen) have they mentioned who
originated it. They just say she's one of the only ones to do it or
somehow give the impression she's the only one.
Another example (these are just the ones I can think of -- I'm not
picking on Shannon): Last year, Kathy Johnson must have said a million
times that Shannon's flip-flop with a 1/4 turn to handstand immediate
1/2 pirouette (on beam) was named after her, the "Miller." As it
happens, although it is hers, she hasn't met the procedures to get
that move in the Code with her name. At Birmingham, Shannon submitted
a description that called for a flip-flop 1/4 to handstand to HOP 1/2
pirouette. Milosovici submitted a description for a flip-flop 1/4 to
handstand to just a regular 1/2 pirouette. In the meet, Milosovici
didn't do the move at all, and the one Shannon did (and does) was not
a hop 1/2 but just a regular 1/2 pirouette. Since she didn't do the
move she submitted, it wasn't put in the Code with her name, and since
she didn't submit the one she did, she didn't get her name on that
either. In the end, neither move was put in the Code. I guess that
will probably change in Australia.
For the sake of accuracy and giving credit where it's due,
Gimnasta
: )
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 23:58:52 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Naming Moves
Hello All:
I had to smile after reading about how television keeps screwing up
who invented moves or giving statistics that just aren't true.
For example, they say the hop-full on bars is being thrown only by
Miller and Chusotiniva (sp?). That's not true. It's also being thrown
by the University of Georgia's Agina Simpkins, who throws them higher.
And the back-handspring with a 1/4 turn on beam that is the basis
for the so-called "Miller" was not invented by her but was named after
a Soviet gymnast. Interestingly, the Soviet gymnast was not the first
to invent it, though. The back-handspring with a 1/4-turn was invented
by Canadian national team member Tracy Wilson. Tracy told me that she
threw it in practice at an international meet but never threw it in
that meet's competition. The Soviet saw the move and remembered it.
When World Championships rolled around the following year, Tracy got
hurt and couldn't perform on beam. The Soviet did and introduced the
move.
Tracy later went on to compete at the University of Florida. She's
now a nurse. To this day, I still call that move "The Wilson."
---Ronald Dupont, Jr. in Gainesville, Florida
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 03:24:52 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Naming moves
I'm going to be a little picky here and call Ron on a couple small things:
> For example, they say the hop-full on bars is being thrown only by
Miller
> and Chusotiniva (sp?). That's not true. It's also being thrown by the
> University of Georgia's Agina Simpkins, who throws them higher.
Well, the whole argument was that they *weren't* giving credit to
Chusovitina when they should be. Also, Simpkins is not the only other
person throwing it -- there's several gymnasts in the world who do it.
Can't remember any off the top of my head except for, I believe, Kim
Bonaventura (Alabama)? Not sure about that.
> And the back-handspring with a 1/4 turn on beam that is the basis for
the
> so-called "Miller" was not invented by her but was named after a Soviet
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don't think it's ever been implied that the back hand with 1/4 turn
was invented by Miller. When Kathy Johnson refers to the Miller, it's
the back hand with 3/4 turn. So it's not like Miller's taking credit
away from Tracy Wilson... (although that other Soviet would be...)
Rachele
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 09:40:08 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Naming moves some more
Warning: this is long
In the past, apparently, the rules were not clear or not applied or
something, and it's hard now to go back and figure out who did what,
so the WTC (Women's Technical Committee) has just let things lie with,
for example, Giengers and Tkatchevs.
For at least the last few years, however, the rules are clear and
applied consistently, though I'm not sure I like them. It's not about
who invents a move, but who does it first at Worlds, World Cup (the
real one, not the candy one) or the Olympics. You couldn't get it in
the Code, say, at Chunichi Cup. To get a move in the Code, you have to
submit a sheet with the description to the WTC, and they give it a
value (if you just perform it w/o submitting, you get no credit, since
it has no assigned value). If then you perform it *successfully* (you
can't fall), then it goes in the Code with your name next to it.
Hence, the situation with Wilson, for example. The flip-flop 1/4,
according to the Code, was done by Omelianchik (though I could swear
she did 3/4 turn, not 1/4). The so-called "Miller" was done by her
first, because that move adds a 1/2 pirouette after the ff 1/4. I
already explained why it's not called the Miller in my other message.
The triple turn on beam was done at Olympic Fest in maybe '87? by
maybe Juliet Bangerter? before Betty Okino did it. This sort of thing
happens constantly.
As for giving moves the name of the first woman to do it, that has
come from a feminism on the part of the WTC I think I've decided I
don't have a problem with. In some cases, usually on bars, it takes
more than just imitation to translate a men's move into a women's
move. There is also a challenging of the definition of what an uneven
bars routine is and of the ideas of what a woman can do. I think
Chusovitina's and others' doing eagle giants is incredibly cool even
though men have done them for, well, longer than I've been alive. It's
maybe less the case with tumbling (did you know a women's full-in is a
Mukhina?), but I really don't want the WTC deciding what took
inventiveness to bring in from men's and what didn't. And I think
eagle giants and hop-fulls, even though already done by men, take more
imagination to do than a triple turn on beam, which gets a name.
Should just bringing something from floor to beam warrant a
christening? For a triple turn or a switch-straddle leap, one might
think not; but what about a full twisting ff? And again, I'd rather
keep handing out names than let the WTC make that judgment (they make
too many as it is).
Lengthily,
Gimnasta : )
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 17:00:36 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: NCAA schedules
My team schedules have started coming in now... I'm getting 5-8 a day.
There are too many to list -- if you are looking for any schedules in
particular, let me know and I'll send it to you when I receive it.
Btw, my vote for best covers of media guides: for men, Univ. of Iowa.
They have this cool clear reflective print over black background
that's very effective. For women, it's Univ. of Alabama, hands down.
They have a picture of five chalky hands all wearing bar grips... the
hands are arranged as in the middle of the huddle, and the top hand
has a 1991 NCAA Championship ring on. (Now if only the leotards didn't
have sequins...)
I will be posting to Gymn the NCAA rankings for both men and women
this week, probably on Wednesday.
Rachele
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 11:09:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: ***@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
Subject: Reese's
I think I reached a lifelong dream of mine - I saw myself (and Dennis
as well) on Wide World of Sports! Wow! We had 5th row tickets, but
these people left in the second row aisle before floor, so we were
second row aisle, facing the camera during floor. How cool!
Rachele -your description of slip grip vs. undergrip was very well
done. I don't think I could've done better myself. I was clear on the
distinction, but missed what grip it was (and the rotations! I have to
get better at this live...) because I was on the other side of the
arena and was suprised when she threw it. You'll also notice I got
Dom's first pass and other minor things wrong as well. C'est la vie.
The entire sequence goes as follows:
(for any of you that missed the coverage)
after her Geinger, Miller kips on the high bar (facing low) and does
a 1 1/2 pirouette (540 degrees) to go over the handstand in an
undergrip, then executes a straddle back over the low bar. 'Twas not a
slip grip, but an undergrip (hands in same position as if she were
doing a front giant)
Miller would get more difficulty if she would hold onto the bar a
little longer and straddle backed to a handstand on low.
I missed some of the coverage, due to an all-day conference in Akron.
I really hope my mom taped it. But I saw Gutsu's beam - they cut out
tons of the dance before and after (like she started dancing at the
other end of the beam and put her hat on it, just in case you were
wondering how the hat got on the beam in the first place)
Ooo, I just had a nice thought. I would pay to see Miller do Stalder
swings. I bet she would look amazing doing them. And Endos. Both
Stalders and Endos - just like Missy Marlowe. Yeah...
Cara
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 23:53:00 BST
From: ***@genie.geis.com
Subject: Reese's Meet
Here are a few interesting tidbits from the January 24, 1994, issue of the
_Baltimore Sun_:
"Dawes....was awarded $4,400, but declined it to retain her collegiate
eligibility."
Miller didn't compete on FX because "she's working on incorporating more
difficult elements into her routine." What happened to that plane flight
she was supposed to catch? :)
It was an excellent meet; don't forget to watch it on TV tomorrow.
Debbie
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 09:07:00 GMT
From: ***@axion.bt.co.uk
Subject: Reese's Meet
>Miller didn't compete on FX because "she's working on
>incorporating more difficult elements into her routine." What
>happened to that plane flight she was supposed to catch? :)
Perhaps that was her more difficult element, to leap from a plane or
was she be pushed by some Psychotic parent who was out to get her :)
Clive
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 02:17:23 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Reese's televised
My few random thoughts---
Miller looked pretty sharp! Cara, if I had to put words to it, I would
call that new Miller move on bars a 1.5 pirouette into straddleback. I
have no idea if that's right or not. At first glance, you're right, it
does look like a twisting slip-grip (the compulsory move as you
pointed out), but in my opinion there is one big, biiig difference:
the grip. The whole big deal about the slip grip is that you are
swinging forward with an overgrip, whereas this Miller move was done
in undergrip (which is normal for forward swinging). It's really easy
for small girls to slip off the bar on a slip grip because their hands
are so tiny.
I find it very hard to explain undergrip vs overgrip electronically...
I guess the best way is that if you had a bar in front of you,
overgrip is grabbing the bar "normally", whereas undergrip is grabbing
the bar with your palms facing up. So, for a slip-grip imagine a
handstand on top of the bar in undergrip (your normal bars handstand),
and then having to fall forward, circling your hands as quickly as you
can to get them back on top of the bar. Hmm, maybe I'll stop trying to
explain this right about now. Somebody please tell me that made *some*
sense. =)
Anyway, Miller certainly looked to me to be in pretty good shape;
doesn't look like any hiatus is in the near future, does it? With this
new move, I have new respect for her bars.
Dawes - left out the whip-full on her first floor pass, but who cares?
It was still awesome. And what guts to do the three layout pass on
beam again after missing it. Cara was right, her dance seems much more
comfortable for her now.
Onodi - gee, we saw so much of her!
Efton, the great predictor of our time -- yup, it was short in TV
time!
Miller again - nice to see her so much more relaxed talking in front
of a camera than she used to be.
Wecker - amazing with his nodding to the crowd during an iron cross!!!
I couldn't believe my eyes. The man must have arms of steel.
Men in general -- looked sharp! I enjoyed seeing Dimas hit his Kovacs
and Bilozerchev and Mogilny out there once again. Keswick has a better
Kovacs than Dimas though, I think. I wonder what it is that makes
Keswick's Kovacs so smooth.
Chusovitina - looked a little rougher than I expected she would on her
floor tumbling, but then again, I was expecting her to be in the same
competitive shape as the 1991 Worlds. Still looked pretty decent.
Gutsu - what a strange beam costume and what a high score. Ah well,
that's the style of pro-gymnastics, I suppose.
Rachele
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 15:24:25 -0700 (MST)
From: ***@sosi.com
Subject: Reese's televised
> Anyway, Miller certainly looked to me to be in pretty good shape; doesn't
> look like any hiatus is in the near future, does it? With this new move, I
> have new respect for her bars.
Did anyone think she looked like she gained a little weight? Just a
little.
> Onodi - gee, we saw so much of her!
What a bummer.
> Gutsu - what a strange beam costume and what a high score. Ah well, that's
> the style of pro-gymnastics, I suppose.
Yeah. The scoring system was sad. (They gave 30 points for difficulty,
30 for execution, 30 for something else, and 10 for bonus for a total
of 100) Almost EVERYONE got perfect 30's, with the winner was usually
determined by differences in bonus. HellOOO ?!
On NBC this afternoon, they did a segment on Atlanta hosting the '96
Olympics. They had a section on gymnastics and talked about Tonya
Maiers, Jenni Thompson (sp?) and Soni Meduna being the next
generation. Pretty cool. Didn't mention anything about Shannon Miller
which really surprised me. The media usually blows those types of
things out of proportion.
Also, to follow up on a thread from a few months ago, they mentioned
that the gymnastics events will be held in the Georgia Dome (where the
Superbowl is being held), not the Omni. That will hopefully mean that
tickets aren't impossible to get.
Andy
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 10:30:02 PST
From: ***@Eng.Sun.COM
Subject: Reese's World Cup - Format and stuff
Robyn writes:
Maybe not the gymnasts bashing each other, but maybe a gymnast with a
psycho parent... wasn't there a case where a mother KILLED the competition
so her daughter could become head cheerleader?
Didn't actually have her killed, but contacted someone to put a
contract out on her. He was scared by the whole thing and went to the
police. The HBO movie about it was incredibly funny, starring Holly
Hunter. Ahem, gymnastics tie in: They show the girls working out at
some gym (surely stunt doubles.) You can see the uneven bars and stuff
in the background, and a few of the girls do some back handsprings and
such, while the parents look on. This all happened in Texas, where our
beloved Forum Manager attends a hhighly regarded University. ;^)
Okay, I'm beginning and ending my own non sequiter thread, mildly
associated with gymnastics...
-George
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 13:29:52 -0500 (EST)
From: <***@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Reese's World Cup - Format and stuff
> Maybe not the gymnasts bashing each other, but maybe a gymnast with a
> psycho parent... wasn't there a case where a mother KILLED the competition
> so her daughter could become head cheerleader?
Ah yes, the Texas cheerleader case, the problem with all this is, it's
not that difficult to have the oppunity to hurt someone assuming one
is willing.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 14:22:28 -0600
From: <***@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Reese's World cup TELEVISED
According to today's _Tribune_, the Reese's World Cup will be on ABC
at 4pm today.
It should be very interesting to see what type of coverage this meet
gets since Kim didn't go at all, and Shannon left early. Maybe we'll
actually get to see some foreign competition... or maybe it will be a
very short TV program. ;)
Have fun
Efton
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 15:51:31 -0500
From: ***@cykick.jvnc.net
Subject: Reese's World cup TELEVISED
Efton writes (in part):
>According to today's _Tribune_, the Reese's World Cup will be on ABC at 4pm
>today.
>
>It should be very interesting to see what type of coverage this meet gets
>since Kim didn't go at all, and Shannon left early. Maybe we'll actually
>get to see some foreign competition... or maybe it will be a very short
>TV program. ;)
Well...the TV Guide indicates "time approximate after golf" - so it
may get cut up a bit. :-( That's why we're gonna tape skating and try
to watch this in "real-time."
Helena
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 1994 14:13:51 -0500 (EST)
From: <***@dorsai.dorsai.org>
Subject: Results & Stuff
Last Saturday Penn St. 277 Temple 268. (Sorry don't have exact scores)
Acording to Temple coaches Temple did not hit as well as they could
have. Off to Southern Connecticut for Southern vs. Temple Report
tomorrow!! Have a nice weekend!
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 08:33:57 -0500 (EST)
From: <***@dorsai.dorsai.org>
Subject: Scores
Mens Scores NCAA
1/28/94- Temple 262.5 Southern Connecticut 233 CCNY 153.70 @ Southern Conn.
1/29/94 Syracuse 266.6 Army 266.4 @ West Point!!
Have a nice Day!!
------------------------------
Date: 94-01-31 11:59:15 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: See what I mean?
This is a postscript to my message on the lousy (and sometimes biased) job
commentators do regarding the origins and names of tricks.
I watched some of the Reese's "World Cup" (what-EVER) and when
Chusovitina did her hop-full on bars, Kathy Johnson's comment was that
Chusovitina and Miller were the first to do it. Yes, that's
technically true, but it tends to obscure the fact that Chusovitina
was competing it at least a year (and a half?) before Shannon. There
was no contemporaneity, no credit to be shared for coming up* with the
trick, as she made it sound. Am I just oversensitive, or is there an
attempt here to play up Shannon (who, don't get me wrong, I like very
much) at the expense of someone else?
*I know she didn't "come up" with it in that the men already did it.
-- Gimnasta
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 11:25:42 -0400 (EDT)
From: ***@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
Subject: Skating moms
CBS Evening News is doing a piece tonight (Jan 30 a.k.a. Super Bowl
Sunday) on how pushy the world of skating is on young girls. I figured
some might be interested due to the recent discussion of the Texas
Cheerleading Mother and the correlation between young female skaters
and gymnasts. Thank goodness a Harding-type incident hasn't happened
in gymnastics yet (and I hope never). I can't imagine all the bad
press gymnastics would get - it would make it look as bad as tennis
or, now, skating.
I guess Dom wants to compete for Stanford since she isn't taking
money and has signed a letter of intent to go there. She's delaying
her entrance by a year.
Cara
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 13:44:34 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Spanish and Knees
I tried to respond to the question about the Spanish word "gimnasta"
directly, but it was returned, so I'll do it this way. It is the same
word for men and women. Only the article "el" or "la" and the
adjectives change to indicate whether the gymnast is male or female.
On the subject of bashing people's knees -- a little girl gymnast may
not be able to arrange such a thing, but parents are perfectly capable
of doing so. There are also other ways of sabotaging competitors,
which maybe should not be listed so as not to give anybody any ideas,
but which are perfectly within the reach of teenage girls.
Fortunately, I haven't yet heard of any actual incident, but it
definitely should remain in the gymnastics world's mind as a concern
as the sport becomes more and more a source of $$$ for those who are
successful.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 20:42:26 PST
From: <***@us.oracle.com>
Subject: Spanish and Knees and owls and bigmouthed govt studies and fitness and alarms, oh my !
I was the one she referred to about the bounced message. Indeed I got
the message. I could have done this in private mail, but many of you
are on AOL and may be suffering with bounced messages.
AOL means well, but their mailer sux ! The AOL mailer breaks the RFC
for proper mail header processing. The message got to me but AOL
thought it was mailing to @@AOL which confused the daylights out of
the operating system.
When Tanya's body guard gets out of jail, we should send him after the
sysad group at AOL ? (manical laughter)
Someone made a quip about Rachelle's well known school, and her net
connection being down. Sounds like those kids at "Cougar High" nailed
Rice again ! (more laughter)
Recently some moronic govt agency did a hatchet job type study on some
of my favorite foods. They had the NERVE to call "Fetticini Alfredo" a
"heart attack on a plate". Talk about hearts... where in the name of
carries corset is theirs?
Seriously, kidding aside, I find pasta to be a great source of complex
carbs, filling, satisfying, economical toward the end of the paycheck,
quick to prepare etc. What do the rest of you put on your training
tables ? What does our own USGF and USOC server their gymnasts on
their training tables ?
A week ago, I looked at myself in the mirror after climbing out of the
shower. Scary ! I realized that my injuries over the past year have
kept me out of the gym too much. I'M FAT !!! My bike "Midnite" & I
took a spill Monday night on US-101. Im finally well enough I decided
to start walking more. I work on the 11th floor, but several of my
servers are in the data centre on the 3rd floor and I spend a LOT of
time riding elevators. I decided to try the stairs. BAD IDEA !!! I
tried it tonight and set off all sorts of alarms. I thought security
was gonna KILL ME ! WOW WOW WOW !!
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 9:23:00 EST
From: <***@flemingc.on.ca>
Subject: truth vs. tv ratings
In reply to:
Gimnasta
.... and when Chusovitina did her hop-full on bars, Kathy Johnson's
comment was that Chusovitina and Miller were the first to do it. Yes,
that's technically true, but it tends to obscure the fact that
Chusovitina was competing it at least a year (and a half?) before
Shannon. There was no contemporaneity, no credit to be shared for
coming up* with the trick, as she made it sound. Am I just
oversensitive, or is there an attempt here to play up Shannon...
*I know she didn't "come up" with it in that the men already did it.
***** NOTES from JOHN at 1/30/94 7:55a
You're being a little oversensitive in that Cusotinova has little
more right to the name for the move and any way that the TV can
stretch the truth for the sake of TV ratings is what Wide World of
Sports is about, and any (US) television for that matter.
After all, look at all the press that Mary Lou Retton still gets
for all that she did for world gymnastics. She did very little for the
world but did a great deal for the US and that over-reacting to her
has been good for the sport. So long as they don't take someone elses
credit then they are not doing too much bad.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 14:51:21 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: truth vs. tv ratings
> ***** NOTES from JOHN at 1/30/94 7:55a
> You're being a little oversensitive in that Cusotinova has little more
> right to the name for the move and any way that the TV can stretch the
Why doesn't Chusovitina have rights to the name of the move? She was
the first to do it in international competition. Because of this, the
move, in the official rule book (Code of Points) terms the move a
"Chusovitina". It seems to me like she had a right to the name, and
also it seems to me that the commentators are taking away from that
prestige by implying that Miller is the only or first to do it. If I
had a move named after me (it would be of E level, of course), I
wouldn't like someone else consistently getting more recognition for
it.
I agree though that this is all done for TV ratings, and as much as we
hate the way they hype up some of the stuff, it does eventually get
more fans.
Rachele
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 18:01:12 EST
From: ***@sunland.gsfc.nasa.gov
Subject: truth vs. tv ratings
I have a comment to make on the topic of whether or not a gymnast has
a right to the name for a move. I don't see why Chusovitina should
have the full over the bar named after her...wasn't it used my a man
first? What is the distinc- tion between mens and womems? If either
invents a move and executes it first does/should the other sex get the
name for the move because they were the first to compete in in their
domain i.e. mens gymnastics or womens?
I really don't think its a TV ratings thing. Why would anyone like to
see more gymnastics just because Miller can do a full over the bar.
Its more of a comentary thing. Comentators tend to either blow things
out of proportion or focus on athlets that they favor. If I recall
wasn't Olga Korbit mistakenly given credit for being the first to do a
somi on beam. I recal reading an article which qutoed the athlete who
was the first to compete it and I think she said they just overlooked
her.
Comments?
Dennis
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Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 21:05:04 EST
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: truth vs. tv ratings
I'm logging in far too much today (trying to avoid my psychology reading,
grin)...
Dennis:
> to the name for a move. I don't see why Chusovitina should have the full
over
> the bar named after her...wasn't it used my a man first? What is the
distinc-
> tion between mens and womems? If either invents a move and executes it
first
> does/should the other sex get the name for the move because they were the
> first to compete in in their domain i.e. mens gymnastics or womens?
The method for naming of moves isn't absolutely consistent by any
means. Basically, if the FIG wants to name a move after a gymnast,
then they do, and one can *generally* say that it was because s/he was
the first to do it. But it's really an iffy sort of thing. It's
sometimes separated by gender and sometimes not... like I said,
there's not any real consistency. A lot of times just because a move
is named after a gymnast, people still don't call it by the gymnast's
name (such as the hop-full. Or, for example, no one is going to call a
handspring front layout vault an "Ewdokimova".) There are some moves
that will be named after a gymnast in a certain code and then just
given a generic name in the next code. Or if a move is "revived" then
it's given the name of the gymnast who revived it. I don't have any
specific examples, but it's what I have been told. Perhaps someone on
Gymn knows some more concrete facts...?
> I really don't think its a TV ratings thing. Why would anyone like to see
> more gymnastics just because Miller can do a full over the bar. Its more
> of a comentary thing. Comentators tend to either blow things out of
proportion
I think it has everything to do with TV ratings-- how the show ranks
and also the share of viewers that it gets. "More of a commentary
thing" ... commentary is *directly* related to ratings. A lot of times
former gymnasts (and ice skaters) will start out as good commentators
but they are pressured by the producers (who want better ratings) to
jazz up their commentary, which is why they degenerate into the noise
that we patiently tolerate. (Hmm, nope, I'm not bitter.)
Of course Miller being implied to be to the only full-hopper (grin) in
gymnastics isn't alone going to make people flock to the sport. But it
is one of the many ingredients used to make her into a pop icon.
People like to see that this little 16 year old wisp of a girl has the
determination, drive, and so forth to become a champion. Anything that
adds to that mystique and aura -- such as having a move named after
you, or being the only one in the world being able to do a hop-full --
helps the image.
> or focus on athlets that they favor. If I recall wasn't Olga Korbit
mistakenly
> given credit for being the first to do a somi on beam. I recal reading an
Nancy Thies (-Marshall), I believe, was the first to do a back somi in
the Olympics, because she competed in an earlier session than Olga.
Btw, a couple more notes re the televised Reese's -- (1) Okino sure
reads cue cards well, (2) they advertised the video that Karen won in
our end-of-the-year drawing, (3) anyone catch that commercial where
the gymnast does a 1.5 layout and lands on the ceiling? How funny.
Rachele
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End of gymn Digest
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