Gymnastics coach -- TV delay, not a conspiracy, rattled Sacramone
7:42 AM Thu, Aug 14, 2008 | Permalink
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Projo Sports Blog |
BEIJING - Video killed the balance-beam star. It was technology, not gamesmanship, that undid Alicia Sacramone in the U.S. women's gymnastics team final, team officials suggested. U.S. national team coordinator Martha Karolyi said a television delay broke Sacramone's concentration. Karolyi initially suggested the attempt might have been deliberate, but soon softened that stance. The United States and China were in a tight race for the gold medal. Sacramone, the first gymnast in the U.S. beam rotation, twice approached the balance beam and was twice told to wait. After a delay that seemed "like five minutes" to her, she said, she finally was allowed to mount. She failed, falling off, the beginning of a ruinous routine that opened the door for China to win gold. Why the delay? Did the Chinese try to psych her out? No. There was no conspiracy, despite her handlers' most sinster suggestions. Television needed time to adjust. "There was a two-minute delay, so the world feed could get Alicia's routine into the world feed," USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny told the Philadelphia Daily News several hours after the event. "That was unfortunate, but it is not unusual. The hold could have had an effect on Alicia." That sounds benign. For a change. Immediately afterward, Karolyi was asked if she believed the host nation somehow stalled the proceedings. "I think so," she said, then backtracked: "I have no way to know. It possibly could be. Possibly not." There was no doubt in Karolyi's mind when she snagged Sacramone after she came off the beam, grabbing Sacramone's head and pressing hers to it, forehead-to-forehead: "In my opinion, it was an attempt to break concentration. That's exactly what happened." Sacramone proceeded to fall during her floor routine, and stepped out of bounds as well. Apparently, Sacramone is not the only one. 
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no matter, alish is the best.
i hope someday meet her.
sassy,good luck in london.
peace.
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I really enjoyed following the story of the chinese gymnasts this summer. found a website that covered the more interesting points of the chinese gymnast conspiracies called www.tinfoilonmyhead.com. i thought it was really well written.
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I really enjoyed following the story of the chinese gymnasts this summer. found a website that covered the more interesting points of the chinese gymnast conspiracies called www.tinfoilonmyhead.com. i thought it was really well written.
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