Superbowl slackline

Did you catch slacker Andy Lewis, aka Sketchy Andy?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

He’s sponsored by Gibbon Slacklines (Facebook).

Click over to YouTube to see Andy’s 2011 Showreel.

(via Browbeat – Who Was That Guy in the Toga With Madonna? And What Was He Doing?)

U.S. Men’s National Team

John Orozco, USOTC
Danell Leyva, Universal
Jonathan Horton, Cypress Academy
Steven Legendre, Oklahoma
Jake Dalton, Oklahoma
Alex Naddour, Oklahoma
Chris Brooks, Cypress Academy
Brandon Wynn, Ohio State
David Sender, Illinois
Paul Ruggeri, Illinois
Sam Mikulak, Michigan
Jesse Silverstein, U.S. Gym Center II
Glen Ishino, Cal
Adrian de los Angeles, Michigan
C.J. Maestas, Illinois

It’s still possible for Paul Hamm and others to make the Olympic Team.

Right now for LONDON most would pick the top 3 from VISA Championships 2011:

Orozco, Leyva, Horton … and …

Blythe:

… Given that Orozco is looking more and more like a lock for the team, Leyva isn’t bad on horse either, and the general agreement is that the team needs a specialist like Ishino or Alex Naddour to round out their potential, pommels might actually be considered a strong event for the U.S. men in London. …

Winter Cup redux: U.S. Olympic team contenders emerge

Like 2008, it’s not going to be easy for the Olympic selection committee. They could assemble at least 2 very competitive teams from this pool.

Update: Andy Thornton’s top 10 Olympic Contenders:

1. John Orozco
2. Danell Leyva
3. Jonathan Horton
4. Jake Dalton
5. Glen Ishino
6. Steve Legendre
7. Alex Naddour
8. Brandon Wynn
9. Chris Brooks
10. David Sender

Ishino’s surprisingly high on that list, I’m thinking. Wynn a bit low, perhaps. A team including Wynn for Rings and Naddour for Pommels looks interesting — assuming Alex is better overall than Ishino.

I could easily see Sender improving to the point where he’d rival Horton for the #3 spot.

Sadly injuries will likely factor in the final team.

Next 5:

CJ Maestas
Paul Ruggeri
Sam Mikulak
Paul Hamm
Ty Echard

Acrobatic Gymnastics in Olympics

… sort of. 🙂

Britain’s Got Talent winners Spelbound ­limber up for the Olympics – as it was revealed they are being lined up to star in the opening ­ceremony. …

Oldest member Alex Uttley, 25, said: “Being part of the Olympics has always been one of our dreams and it is very close to coming true.”

Mirror

Watch their first audition on YouTube.

Nice to see Simon blown away.

Sexy and I Know It

A comic parody of the unrelentingly sexist music videos featuring bimbos.

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.

John Orozco wins Winter Cup

1. Orozco (180.700)
2. Legendre (175.200)
3. Wynn (175.000)
4. Danell Leyva
5. Chris Brooks
6. David Sender
7. Paul Ruggeri
8. Jesse Silverstein
9. Sho Nakamori
10. Adrian de Los Angeles

… not the greatest Winter Cup of all time. 😦

But things look good for Team USA looking forward to Olympics. No need to peak in February. I’m still ranking USA 3rd behind #1 Japan and #2 China … at this point.

There is no American to challenge Uchimura. But they have a lot of depth. With young stars still improving. Like John Orozco.

He’ll stay focused at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. No NCAA to distract.

related – Examiner – 2012 Winter Cup: Final results

Brandon Wynn – Rings 15.750

You’ve got to count this guy one of the favourites for London. He’s no Rings Olympic finalist, but would certainly be top 3 for USA in team. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Score looks too high to me.

Best Ring men of the strong all-arounders: Horton, Maestas, Sender, Silverstein … who else?

Rings and Pommels are the weakest apparatus for USA.

Orozco H Bar – 15.750

USA Gymnastics on Facebook:

QUICK VID: John Orozco shook off a mistake on the first day of competition on the high bar to nail this 15.750 routine in the first rotation of Winter Cup finals!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

@Gymnastike
Orozco is proving himself invaluable for the US team as a strong all all-arounder who can also swing horse. 15.35 (6.8/8.95) for today’s PH

Orozco is young, consistent, strong on both Rings and Pommels. And he’s still being cautious with his legs. So far he looks like the U.S. #1 for Olympics.

Putin: $130,000 for Olympic Gold

via Grace Chiu GraceClick on Faceook:

… Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to make provision for the reward funds to be handed to the medalists of this year’s Games.

The gold medal holders are set to receive 4 million rubles (about 130,000 USD). Silver medalists will be rewarded by 2,5 million (82,500 USD), while the owners of the bronze will receive 1,7 million (56,000 USD). Notably, the same scale applies to the holders of both Olympic and Paralympic silverware.

A special clause of the governmental order implies that the coaches and staff of the Russian national team will also be rewarded according to the achievements of their disciples. …

AIPS

Blythe:

… If Aliya Mustafina were to do as well as she did at the 2010 Worlds (two gold, three silver) she would earn $507,500. …

Examiner

She, Komova and Sidorova are scheduled to compete February 14-17 at Moscow Dinamo.

Putin loves sport. 🙂