I agree with Nadia:

… the host nation should have a rhythmic gymnastic presence at the Olympics to inspire the next generation of young women.

“It is important,” said Comaneci, noting that this was a rare opportunity for the sport to promote rhythmic gymnastics at the highest competitive level.

“How many times are the Games in your home country …

Telegraph

Even if they finish last, it would be be a good news story. And a finish in second last place would be a win.

Nadia’s in London for the Laureus World sports awards.

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Alabama gymnastics sophomore Diandra Milliner (from Folger’s) scores a 10.0 on the vault against Florida on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012 in Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide beat the Gators 197.725-196.900.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’m not happy with so many “perfect” 10 vaults so early this season. That was a superb vault, but not nearly “perfect”.

Either the judges should be more judicious, … or Yurchenko 1/1 should start out of 9.9.

That way Diandra would still get this 10, but there would be fewer total. AND it would encourage more variety on that apparatus.

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Not safe for watching at work. … or anywhere, really.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

“Sexy and I Know It” is a song by American electro-hop duo LMFAO …

(it) became the group’s second number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States …

Thanks Jessica.

On a serious note, the Egyptian revolution has not done much yet to remedy gender discrimination. Of 508 seats in the first ‘free’ election, only about 2% will be filled by women.

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Here’s my list of what I feel are the greatest benefits our children will get from youth sports (in rank order).

NUMBER 1: FRIENDSHIP

NUMBER 2: LEARNING GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP

NUMBER 3: DEVELOPING SELF-DISCIPLINE

NUMBER 4: HAVING FUN

NUMBER 5: ACHIEVING SUCCESS

NUMBER 6: LEARNING THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS

NUMBER 6.1: LEARNING GOAL SETTING AND GOAL ATTAINMENT SKILLS

NUMBER 6.2: DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE

NUMBER 7: WINNING

NUMBER 8: WINNING A LOT OF AWARDS

NUMBER 9: DEVELOPING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

details on FOLGER’S GYMNASTICS – What’s Important in Youth Sports – Part 4 (Concl.)

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

related – a new post from Tony Retrosi on SPORTSMANSHIP FOR GYMNASTS, COACHES AND PARENTS

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Paul Hamm wants to be remembered as a great Olympic champion, not the guy in the YouTube video.

More than six months after his embarrassing arrest on assault and two other misdemeanor charges, Hamm spoke out Tuesday, saying he regretted what happened and hoped to regain his reputation. …

Universal

Finally. If he’d apologized, paid the $23 taxi fare and damages, this might have been over 6 months ago.

OK.

Good luck at Winter Cup. Having trained recently with Jon Horton, Paul’s competing 4 apparatus this weekend.

related – IG – Ward Black – Guest Opinion: Hamm Still Deserves Respect

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… but who are these judges?

International elite gymnast Mackenzie Brannan earned a perfect 10.0 for this jam-packed uneven bar routine during the exciting event finals session of the 2012 Alamo Classic in San Antonio. Watch for Brannan as she makes her senior international debut this year and works to achieve her dream of qualifying to the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Click PLAY or watch her competing L10 on Gymnastike.

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We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read. …

These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.

details

Some are freaking out.

That’s dopey. Not much is changing. Here’s a much more measured assessment:

Read Write Web – Tech World Overreacts to Google’s New Privacy Policy – How Does It Affect You?

… You know what you can do? Stop sharing things you don’t want tracked. …

Before and after March 1st best advice is not to do anything online you’ll regret in future. Somebody, somewhere could be tracking it. And it probably won’t be Google. They’re one of the least evil players.

If you want to dig into this deeper, the best authority is Jeff Jarvis. He’s the author of:

• What Would Google Do?
• Public Parts
_____

related – Student-Athlete Privacy

On Gymnastike, Anne commented on some NCAA schools using a 3rd party service called Varsity Monitor to follow their team online.

They flag “questionable conduct“.

That’s a bit scary. But I suspect Universities are mainly worried about what their high profile basketball and football players say. Gymnasts are probably the least of their worries.

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… Hamm has kept a low profile since being arrested in Upper Arlington, Ohio, last summer on charges of kicking a cab driver, damaging a cab window and refusing to pay a $23 fare.

Olympic Games News

Idiot. … Did I say that out loud?

Andy Thornton has compiled Paul’s potential routines based mostly on Facebook video clips. Andy thinks he’s still in the mix for the USA team, especially for Pommel Horse.

He’s a long shot, I’d say. But don’t count Paul out. Not yet.

There’s a chance that he might even make an appearance at Winter Cup in February. I’d love to see him compete a couple of apparatus there.

Here’s Paul’s Facebook Wall. Not everyone is able to watch those video clips, be warned.

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Examiner – Israeli requirement puts Olympics in jeopardy for Maksyuta, Aronovich

Telegraph – London 2012 Olympics: qualification dream over for Great Britain’s rhythmic gymnastics group

Even if FIG approves your athlete for Olympics, most nations have additional requirements. “Evidence that the athlete will finish top half of the field”, for example.

In the case of GBR Rhythmic, it’s British Gymnastics that is refusing to nominate the team to the British Olympic Association.

I was involved in one of these dramas in 1999, the Canadian Olympic Committee initially unwilling to approve Kyle Shewfelt for the 2000 Olympics. (He was the youngest competitor.)

Kyle nearly qualified for Finals in Sydney and went on to be the most successful Canadian in history. It’s examples like this that coaches should cite as a reason to approve athletes / teams for Olympics.

It’s crazy that the host nation won’t approve their Rhythmics Team. Imagine what kind of boost the sport would have in the U.K. with all that Olympic exposure, regardless of result.

Leave a comment if you know of other athletes who made the Olympic qualification standard, but were denied participation by their own nation.

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The Youth Olympics feature many of the same sports as the regular Olympics, but often with a mixed-gender and/or team twist. Some of those variations could find their way onto the Olympic program, as sports try to widen their appeal and offer more medal opportunities to participating athletes. …

The Winter Youth Olympics include mixed-gender events in alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, luge, short-track speedskating and ski jumping. …

The U.S. curling team, comprised of Massachusetts resident Korey Dropkin, New Jersey resident Thomas Howell and twins Sarah and Taylor Anderson from Pennsylvania, was the only team to go undefeated in round-robin play this week …

read more – USA Today – Coed teams provide twist to Youth Olympics

IOC president Jacques Rogge started the Youth Olympic Games. Does FIG disagree with the entire concept, I wonder.

They seem to be a HUGE hit, so far.

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