"Inspire a Generation" - Day Four Review/Day Five Preview

When the United States Women's Gymnastics Team defeated Russia by a whopping four points at last year's World Championships, it was chalked up as an aberration. Not that the US wasn't the best team in the world, that was most certainly true, but that the dominating manner in which it occurred could not be duplicated. Surely, the Russians would use the returning Mustafina and their superior artistry to bridge the gap. Obviously, the Chinese would pull five dynamos out of its sports machine to surpass the USA. Octavian Belu would find enough Romanian consistency and skill to reclaim his country's gymnastics preeminence.


Not this time. Not against this juggernaut.


The US destroyed the field yesterday by such a wide margin that John Geddert, coach of Jordyn Wieber said, "This is the best team. Difficulty-wise, consistency-,wise, this is the USA's finest", and why not? I'm embarrassed I paced around my house for a good ten minutes leading up to the final. Why should I have been worried? Oh right, because gymnastics never just goes the way its supposed to. There's always somebody that falters, something that creates the drama. Not with this squad. These girls are the most guaranteed thing I've ever seen in gymnastics. They've hit every routine in a team competition since the beginning of last years worlds, EVERY SINGLE ROUTINE. This team attacks each apparatus with a controlled aggression that is just sensational. They aren't just trying to stay on, they're using these four separate apparatuses to pound their opponents into submission. When Wieber, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney put on the greatest vaulting display ever seen in an Olympic final, they put their foot on Russia's throat and never let them breath. Even after a great bars set, you could the tell the Russians were wilting under the pressure. Mustafina's stare became less intense and more sad. Komova's laser focus wavered just enough that her normal consistency ceased, and the rest of the team went completely "dear in the headlights". It was crazy to watch such fantastic athletes, with elite skills, just be unable to respond to a US team they clearly thought they could beat. Their tears told us that much.


Sometimes sport does weird things to you. It can make you cheer as loud as you possibly can, but also cause you to sob uncontrollably. Yesterday, watching this team, I just kept smiling. I smiled after each vault (as a yelled profanities, in a positive manner!). I smiled hearing each encouraging word from Maroney and each Raisman pep talk. I smiled when 15 year old Kyla Ross, who's an incredible gymnast and gets absolutely no press, did her  routines with a maturity beyond her years. I smiled when Gabby Douglas, who had struggled with nerves last year, got nowhere close to falling off anything. I beamed when Jordyn Wieber landed her first tumbling pass on floor, smiling away, shaking off a shattered dream to live another one. However, I smiled the biggest when I saw Aly Raisman literally crying before she finished floor. All of the emotion just flooded out of her. In a world where we see people always attempt to guard their emotions, she didn't even try. It was the first indelible moment of these games, and I'll never forget it. The motto of these games is, "Inspire a Generation", with the organizers' goal being to use the Olympics to spur on the next generation of athletes. Watching these girls perform last night was the epitome of that. Their skill, class and determination were off the charts, a team every American should be proud of.


How could you not be inspired by that?


Things you Need to Know:

• Jordyn Wieber's recovery from her all-around heartbreak to this performance tonight was pretty remarkable. I know that all Olympic golds are created equal, but you know that all-around title had a special place in Wieber's heart. She just shook it off and did three great sets for her team. Bravo, Jordyn.
• McKayla Maroney's vault was perfect. I mean, I'm sure there was probably something minuscule wrong with it, but this decently trained gymnastics eye couldn't see anything. Keep watching it, and find something wrong. That vault was electrifying.
• Speaking of Maroney, if I need someone to win a staring or encouragement contest, I'm calling her agent.
• I hope Gabby Douglas does what she did yesterday on Thursday because she was magnificent. Also, Aly Raisman is an awesome leader. An. Awesome. Leader.
• I don't have much to say about Phelps that hasn't already been said. You know what  though, it's really cool he's from Baltimore, really, really, cool.
• Team, "WTPOOWS" destroyed Tunisia. That first half means nothing. Its just basketball. 
• Team, "We want to kill you" beat North Korea. Nothing to really talk about here either.
• China is great at diving, the USA is great at beach volleyball and this medal count thing is going down to the wire.
• I was so caught up in the gymnastics yesterday that I missed a lot of the smaller stuff (and almost just wrote this whole thing on gymnastics), so go over to nbcolympics.com or ESPN or SI to get some reading in about that. 

What to Watch:

Men's all-around madness occurs today from the O2 (11.30 ET, nbcolympics.com). Americans Danell Lleya (and his crazy father/coach) and John Orazco will compete with a host of others trying to beat Japanese sensation Kohei Uchimura... Synchronized Diving is really impressive, and the 3 meter springboard finals are today. Hint, the Chinese might win.  American flag bearer and two time gold medalist Mariel Zagunis goes for gold in the women's individual sabre (check nbcolympics.com to see her schedule)... Swimming continues live at 2:30 on the computer. 

Storylines to Watch:

• Kohei: The 23 year old sensation is huge in Japan. Think Kim Yu-Na in Korea cirque 2010, although maybe not that big. Someone smarter than me can figure this out. Anyway, he's under enormous pressure and has looked a little shaky so far this Olympics. I'm interested to see how he deals with it, although he's Uchi, so it probably won't matter. 
• TFA TO WATCH: John Isner, Sue Bird
• PGA TO WATCH: I am in such a good mood after yesterday, everybody gets a pass.

One Last Thing:

• I tried to keep an open mind about NBC, I really did. I was convinced that at some point they'd figure it out, but this commercials during live events thing infuriates me. I know their aren't tons of built in breaks and they have to do it, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to complain about it. 
• NBC would be wise to give Shannon Miller a call after these games. She was awesome on the world feed, and while I don't hate on Al, Tim and Elfi as much as some people, a new voice would be welcome in NBC's gymnastics coverage. 
• Shawn Johnson couldn't complete a coherent sentence on Twitter yesterday. Keep in mind, she's a special correspondent for the Today Show right now, so that's kind of her job. It was pretty funny.

I am so happy about gymnastics and I hope you are too. If not, thanks for reading anyway! I would really appreciate any comments. Also, follow me on Twitter @TaylorSmyth10 unless.... YOU. HATE. SPOILERS.