My Favorite Beam Routines (Thru 2012)

10. Catlaina Ponor

Catalina is definitely a Romanian icon and her long career is quite impressive. I love her aggression and steadiness, she was definitely gold medal worthy for this routine!

9. Terin Humphrey

Artistic and strong at the same time, Terin's consistency on this event is admirable.

9. Yang Yilin

I love the Chinese look on beam and their unique combination skills. Yang has such a lovely and light look on this event.

8. Anna Pavlova

I love Anna's skill where she flips over the beam perpendicular. Such elegance and grace, love that she is currently making a comeback.

6. Amanda Borden

Amanda is SO overlooked by the other members of the MS but she was a true rock. I love her steadiness during this routine, not one bobble! Take note!

5. Chellsie Memmel

I love Chellsie and I love this routine. She mixes the power of a standing full twist with the uniqueness of an illusion turn. Super difficult and she nailed it almost every time.

4. Hollie Vise

I wish more athletes would show off some flexibility like Hollie does, I think a lot of times muscle is hindering them but Hollie had beautiful lines, artistry and still manages to be powerful while tumbling.

3. Kristen Maloney

I'm a huge fan of Kristen, of her consistency and the difficulty she upheld all throughout her career. My favorite part of her routine is her tumbling series when she ends in a full laid out twist down in a split n the beam-impressive!

2. Shannon Miller

Ahhh, the queen of the beam, so graceful and so artistic. I love "the Milller" and I love the somersaults.

1. Shawn Johnson

Better landings there never were! Shawn is so amazing here, no wavers, no balance checks. She OWNS this event.

-G-

My Favorite Floor Routines (Thru 2012)

10. Anastasia Grishina

 Poor Anastasia totally headcased in 2012 and has since been riddled with injuries. However, in her prime she was quite lovely on FX, Classic dance elements are often lost these days.

9. Tasha Schwikert

I've always enjoyed the little strip-tease section of her routine because it was different and showed that she wasn't just a cookie-cutter gymnast.

8. Shayla Worley

I like Shayla's flexibility and her choreography. She has more of a dancer build really.

7. Shawn Johnson

I know people got kind of weirded out by Shawn using the August Rush music but I love it. I remember watching the 2008 olympics and being so excited when her routine started because I recognized the song right away. Strong tumbling!

6. Ivana Hong

Another routine full of flexibility and actual dance.

5. Aly Raisman

The performance of her life for sure, and it just happened to be at the Olympics! Aly isn't a dancer but I appreciate her music and fun choreography and that first tumbling run-wow!

4. Shannon Miller

Great dance, great artistry. Shannon is the best.

3. Aliya Mustafina

I LOVE THIS MUSIC. And I love her dramatic choreography.

2. Tabitha Yim

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Tabitha is one of the few gymnasts who truly felt their music. Perhaps it's because she also ice skated on this side.

1. Sandra Izbasa

Another set of music that I love, so powerful and dynamic.

-G-

"Favorites" Series

Awhile back I made a list of my favorite routines from all four apparatus. I figure it's about time I post them on her! The thing is, they do not include this  last quad. I plan to update them in the coming year to include new favorites and sadly exclude some old ones :)

I'll be posting them over the course of the next three weeks or so. Enjoy!

My Autograph Collection *UPDATED*

Some of these autographs I was lucky enough to receive in person, others I got back after sending fan mail. I think I added about 4 more since this post was originally published.

 (Maggie Nichols)

 (Ragan Smith)

 (Alexis Vasquez)

 (Nia Dennis)

 (Brenna Dowell)

 (Rachel Gowey)

 (Jordyn Weiber)

 (Mckayla Maroney)

 (Lexie Preissman)

 (Elizabeth Price)

 (Jordan Chiles)

 (Jazmyn Foberg)

 (Bailie Key)

 (Shannon Miller)

 (And Shannon Miller again...)

 (Aly Raisman

(Norah Flatley)

(Jordan Chiles)

(Kyla Ross)

(Carly Patterson)

When I Talk About a Dynamic Floor Routine, I Mean This

I know I went on and on about how lackluster most of the FX's seen at the Olympics were in terms of music and feel. There is one routine and with dance and music that can give me goosebumps on any given day.

Watch. Appreciate.

The song, so many feelings. Now, I don't love the simplicity of the tumbling but the musicality that Lieke shows makes up for it. I love and I hope to see more like it from the USA.

She looks like...

After becoming a serious gymnastics fan, I thought it was time to learn my history. So, about three years ago I went back and watched all of the major United States competitions since the early nineties. It wasn't long until I picked out a few girls who were serious ringers for current elites. Maybe you won't see the resemblance, or maybe you will! Take a look at these four side by side comparisions:

Jordyn Wieber and Kristal Uzalec

This one is MAJOR for me, like they could be sisters.

Hollie Vise and Raegan Smith

This one wasn't as obvious when I put the pictures together but there is definitely something similar about their mouths and they are both tiny!

Aly Raisman and Rachel Tidd

Spoooooky....these two could be twins in these pictures.

Bailie Key and Nastia Liukin

Ok, so I don't think Bailie looks like current Nastia or even 2008 Nastia. I'm talking about vintage 2005/2006 Nastia. The braces certainly help but beyond that, they do look alike.

What do you think? Any other "look alikes" you have noticed??

The Case of Vanessa Atler

Today I tumbled upon this article at Full Twist and it had me scratching my head. A lot of words come to mind when I think of Vanessa Atler but artistic is not one of them.

From what I can tell, the gymternet is pretty split on Atler. Some people think she was a prodigy robbed of her Olympic dream and others think she's a bratty headcase. My take? Somewhere in-between. I think she had talent, you can't really deny that but she wasn't this gift to humanity that the US media made her out to be. Sure she may have had national success but that never translated to the world stage. As far as her attitude goes, I think it's a product of circumstance. From what I can tell, the Rybacki's seem like good people who really cared about Vanessa. However, what the heck was with them not taking out the Comenici salto? I don't care how many times Vanessa hit in practice because she NEVER did in competition (scratch that, she hit one routine at the 1998 nationals). I suppose this probably lead to her departure from Gliders and straight into the arms of Valeri Liukin. By 2000 it was obvious that she was done and didn't seem to want it as much as the other Olympic hopefuls, her attitude showed indifference and annoyance. She was a teenager, it happens.

I recently watched some bits and pieces from her time on the TV show "Starting Over" and it made me sort of sad. Clearly she was living with a lot of regret and emotional baggage. It would totally suck to work so hard for a goal and throw it all away without really even knowing why.

Anyway, that was quite the tangent. Back to Vanessa and artistry...she didn't have any. Let me give her due credit though, her floor routine was absolutely impressive. It was powerful and innovative. But her dance? Not so much. It did work with the music and feel so I can ignore it unlike say, Gabby Douglas (now THERE is horrendous dance, I mean what the heck??).

So yeah, there's my feelings on Vanessa Atler because I'm sure you were all dying to know!