YCN...

[vickie1ok]

While we are nail-biting during this game (dang, UCONN keeps getting those offensive putbacks!), did you know the OU women won the regional gymnastics tourney beating #3 Alabama and host team #10 Ore st? What a huge stretch they are having! They will be in the NCAA championships in LA in 2 weeks.

[Row6Seat10]

Originally posted by vickie1ok:
They will be in the NCAA championships in LA in 2 weeks.

As will the Huskers! They finished second in their regional finishing behind top ranked UCLA.

Congratulations to both teams as they are the only Big 12 teams to qualify for the championships.



[This message has been edited by Row6Seat10 (edited 04-04-2004).]

[vickie1ok]

I just read on the big 12 web page the Huskers made it as well. Let's hope both can make the final cut. I'd love to see the Big 12 cut into the SEC's dominance of women's gymnastics. The Huskers have had a really solid program forever; let's hope the Sooners are reaching that same plateau. Good luck to both!

[dem]

Despite being seeded second in their regional and having led the Big XII all year (with a national ranking of #9), Iowa State failed to advance to the NCAA National Gymnastics Championships. They finished third in their regional behind #4 Georgia and #19 Michigan. It was a huge, huge disappointment.

[YCN]

I'm been extremely occupied with other matters vickie, and I had NOT noticed that. That's terrific.

What a shocker it would be if the women finished ahead of the men this year! I'm just shaking my head how OU missed their 3rd straight title by only 1.05 points. We'll get 'em next year!

I noticed that they broadcast highlights of the men's meet this afternoon on ESPN2. Too bad work prevented me from watching.

Women's gymastics seems to get more play at ESPN than men's, maybe we'll get to see the women's championships on tape delay or something at a decent time to watch.

[vickie1ok]

I hear ya, YCN. Been really busy myself. I don't think the women have a chance to really challenge for the top spot, but getting to the finals as a top six would be a great accomplishment.

Actually, the tape delay will be on CBS May 1 from 1-3pm EDT. I agree the networks focus more on the women, which is a bit unfair at the collegiate level because more male collegians can compete at an elite level than women. In fact, the only woman I can recall off the top of my head who went on to compete as an Olympian was Kelly Garrison. That is only because Kelly got burned out as a teenager and quit elite competition until her college career. Had Kelly continued elite competition, I think she could have been a world competitor. But, you have to have the will...

Let's hope the ladies do well; the first round begins tomorrow afternoon and the Sooners must place in the top 3 in their rotation to advance to the finals.

[Dale8R]

Oh, I well remember K G-S, Vickie. They were showing stuff live back then (remember that?) and they took most of their commercial breaks when Kelly was up. Made me so *##(&%%$%$ MAD!

There HAVE been a few others who went that route. I can't name them at the moment, but I can recall a sprinkling of so-called "elite" gymnasts who went to college and competed at that level after their mid-teen years.

+++++++++++++
But you are right: very few ever make the jump from college back to "elite" status.

[This message has been edited by Dale8R (edited 04-15-2004).]

[dem]

The usual path is FROM elite level competition TO college gymnastics, which always struck me as rather strange. But the advantage for the fans is that you get to see athletes who are ALREADY proven world-class competitors, not just who might become so, e.g. Elise Ray (Michigan) and Kristen Maloney (UCLA), both members of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team.

(And of course, we get to see COACHES of famous athletes, like a certain fellow currently supervising the Sooner women . . .)

[swok34]

ah.....know who else is in Norman?

Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci
http://www.bartconnergymnastics.com/

The championships start today.

go http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/ou.gif

go http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/nu.gif
http://www.ncaasports.com/gymnastics/womens

[Row6Seat10]

Here's just a little more information on this afternoon's meet from the conference web-site.
http://big12sports.ocsn.com/sports/c-gym/spec-rel/041304aaa.html

Go Huskers & Sooners!

[vickie1ok]

Sorry, folks, haven't been on for a few weeks. Well the Sooners and Huskers didn't make the final cut. Sooners had some misses on the bars and apparently some wobbles on the beam. But tomorrow's another year, and I'd love to see the Big 12 make an impact on the SEC.

Dale, I don't remember seeing the NCAA championships when Kelly competed. OU did not make the finals or probably even the championships when she was there. She was a lone ranger on the team. I do recall when she made the 1988 Olympic team and competed in the Olympics. Too bad she quit as a teenager because I think she could have been an Olympic champion contender. She was unbelievably talented when she competed on the elite level as a teen.

Before the NCAA championships, there was an article with Nunno about how he had to change his approach with college women vs when he coached at Dynamos and Shannon Miller. The ladies he coaches at OU are there first to gain a college education and a career. Shannon and the other spitfires at Dynamos were geared towards competing at the world and Olympic level. Not to say they weren't good students, because Shannon was a straight A student in high school and when she attended OU after the Atlanta Olympics. And she took science courses.

And, yeh, SW. We have Bart and Nadia in Norman. I never would have thought Nadia would have landed in Norman, OK when I first saw her perfection in Montreal. Wow. How times change. She and Bart are such great people, too. Ain't we lucky?

[wwi_flying_ace_17]

I thought I heard Shannon was going to law school.

I still miss watching her perform. She was so graceful, especially on floor exercise.