We've had Olympic fever. Emma wasn't sharing in the mania at first. (I think "Move - I can't see the tv" and "No, Mommy's too busy to read bedtime stories." And the fact that everyone in the world wasn't cheering for HER made her a little cranky.) But eventually, she joined in.
Our dining room has almost no furniture and it's huge. Emma devised a better use for the room: roll out all 3 yoga mats to create a very nice square for floor exercise.
Chalking up before the event.
Saluting the judges. Is there a deduction for wearing your leotard backwards?
Connecting dance sequence and leaps
With powerful tumbling run
plus a stuck landing for TONS of bonus points!
Needing a little bit of a spot on bars...
Some of my favorite Olympic moments/memories/items include:
1) Gymnastics commentating. Tim Dagget, if you're listening, you probably should learn to contain your glee when the Chinese fall off beam and the Russians biff it on bars. It's just tacky. I mean seriously. You all but clap, do a "fist pump" and say, "YESSSS!" We're with ya, buddy, but a little decorum, really. I already posted on the Karolyis, but let me say, that the fantastic-ness of Bella's commentating is unparallelled in the history of sport, there is nothing else like it, noone can do like he does, it is its own acomplishment feeling of great joy and exuberation.
2) Medal presenters' gowns. Where can I get one of these beauties? (The DRESSES, not the girls.) Because I would have so many occasions to wear it.
The blue and white were chosen as the primary dresses and were based on the theme of Chinese porcelein. It's my favorite. I really don't think this picture does it justice.
3) Bob Costas' interview with Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson after the all around, and particularly his reaction to learning that Shawn had not even had a chance to see her parents before the studio interview, which was like 5 hours post medal ceremony. He was genuinely mortified. (To his crew "Someone get the Johnsons on the phone immediately. (To Shawn) I feel that it is absolutely NOT RIGHT that I be talking to you before your PARENTS!!!!!"
4) The Steve Parry (a former Olympic swimmer) is NOT Michael Phelps confusion. (OK - I've tried 3 times to sign up for Youtube, so as to do the cool embed in my post, but it keeps not working, SO PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK!!!! IT'S PRICELESS!!!!! and less than 2 minutes long)
5) 19 year old American Pole Vaulter Alisson Stokke's coach's response to her silver medal (against the greatest pole vaulter of all time, Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, who has been the unchallenged world record holder for YEARS). Did anyone else hear this little "pep talk?" It was awful. Coach (with mildly detached disdain) "Well (sigh) You made the same dumb mistake you always make, Alisson. So - you're never gonna win if you keep doing that. I don't know what to tell you. (sigh) You know it IS a silver medal at the Olympics - not bad for only 4 years as a pole vaulter. No - really you shoudl be happy (sigh)" I don't think he realized that the mics were picking him up. Tom Hammond and the other NBC track & field commentator couldn't hide their horror. I think they (and the entire viewing audience) wanted to collectively punch the coach and hug Alisson. Alisson, if you're out, American is PROUD of you! You ROCK!
6) All of the gymnastics, but I'd like to point out that in the team event, only the Americans put the same 3 gymnasts up for almost all events. China, Russia, Romania has a line of ringers, aka "specialists." They only do 1 or two events all Olympics long. Nastia and Shawn did nearly EVERY event night after night - all the way until Indviduals, and continued to earn medal after medal. AMAZING!!!!! Alicia Sacramone was expecting to be a "specialist" for the US, but due to other girls' injuries, she became essential and ALSO competed almost all events night after night - at age 20 - when her body shouldn't be able to gymnastics at the world level anymore, when 12 years old anorexics were doing 2 routines and calling it a day. Go Alicia! You are awesome!
I appreciated the lack of "lumberjack gymastics choreography" that dominated the 90's. Think Kim Zemeskal slapping her knees and tugging on imaginary suspender straps. Shudder.
7) Michael Phelps
8) The Spaniards synchronized swimming suit scandal. They actually specially engineered their bathing suits with LED lights to light up and flash during the routine. IOC says: No way! Lights out!
9) Oksana Chusovitina - a 33 year old gymnast who has competed in FIVE OLYMPICS, 4 for Russia and now 1 for Germany who gave her a special opportunity for citizenship so that she could train on the German national team in the hopes that her little boy would receive treatment for his luekemia. He is in remission, she is a silver medalist in 2008. Inspiring. Amazing. Awesome!!!!!!!!!
10) The opening ceremonies. (Did anyone else feel like the closing went ON and ON? And did you think that maybe the Chinese pop stars watch Telemundo for their wardrobe inspiration?)
That's all for now! Until Vancouver!!!!!!
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