This week we talk to Olympic silver medalist and head coach of the reigning NCAA Champions at Illinois, Justin Spring. He tells us where his daredevil nature comes from, the origins of his unique and sometimes terrifying skills, about his proposed match meet format, the injury to Maestas, uniform changes for men and yes, we ask him about all of the controversial events at Illinois over the past few years.

We discuss our fantasy gym-acro floor combos, announce our gymnastics-holiday decoration contest and our new service for all of your burning gymnastics needs, called GymLine. A little bit like Oprah for gymnasts, or maybe like LoveLine for the nerves of the overzealous fan; we will answer your questions and solve your conundrums. Can’t figure out why your leo still rides up even after applying butt glue seven times? We can help with that. Need to decide which far away meet to spend your hard earned cash to travel to? We can help with that too. Call and leave a message on our Skype line (username GymCastic) or by calling 415 800-3191. Leave your name (or makeup a really good one), your city (or fantasy location) and try to keep the message under 60 seconds.  We’ll be back on January 2nd with our year-end award show.

Remember to send in photos of your entries for the gymnastics holiday decoration contest before December 28th!

Illinois Gymnastics Orange & Blue Exh. Highlights 12/9/12

No handed Onodi

Jeager from high to low, or a flipping straddle back from Sara at Chow’s.

Hope Spivey’s famous NCAA reverse routine

Mo Hulian FX 1997 Worlds, gym-acro reverse

Leon Purvis asks Gabby Douglas to prom

Jamie Dantzscher – 2000 Olympics Team Prelims – Floor Exercise pretend front 1/4 after first pass.

Liz Tricase 2004 Olympic Trials FX

Really, a tinsica should start like a cartwheel showing a side position but these are pretty close.

This week we cover the Stuttgart and Glasgow World Cups, the two-per-country rule petition and Gabby’s book takes us into a discussion of life lessons in perseverance. A rare interview with FIG Women’s Technical Committee President, Nelli Kim leads to talk of ugly artistry, Uncle Tim teaches us about the YMCA’s contribution to US gymnastics and we continue our fantasy connection series with beam combos.

In part two of our interview with Miss Val, we discover how she and her former roommate inspired one of the creators of the television show Will and Grace, we find out why so many UCLA athletes have success in elite after college, why Canadians thrive in NCAA, de-programming damaged athletes to build self-esteem and tells us the price of going pro; the actual dollar amount after taxes and experiential cost. Lastly, she tells the story of the amazing wedding gift she gave to a fan.

Nelli Kim interview from Sports Panorama translation curtesy of Rewriting Russian Gymnastics.

Jenny Pinches interview with The Couch Gymnast

Two-Per-Country rule change petition and commentary from Dvora and The Couch Gymnast.

Blythe’s review of Gabrielle Douglas’s book “Grace, Glory and My Leap of Faith”

Uncle Tim’s review of Dvora’s book Hersey on The High Beam

Positive Coaching Alliance

Out gymnast Josh Dixon is a Stanford graduate and 2012 US National Team member.

Out gymnasts and University of Michigan graduates Ben Strauss and Evan Heiter shared their journey in an It Gets Better project video.

Will & Grace –  fast-forward to :40 second mark for the water bra episode highlight.

Kristin Furukawa BB- 2011 University of Minnesota

Doris Fuchs Brause Uneven Bars 1966

Mariya Livchikova BB – Front ariel front tuck on beam

Marcia Frederick UB 1978 Gymnastics World Championships

Svetlana Khorkina – 2000 Olympics EF – Uneven Bars

Ksenia Afanasyeva FX – 2012 Olympics qualifying

We discuss the results and routines from the fall European series and the Mexican Gala, the history of the Sokol’s in the US and share the skill combinations we most want to see on bars and high bar. Then, in the first of a two-part series, we talk to UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos Field about why gymnastics matters, the power of an athlete identity, college gymnastics as a life skills class, basing personal value on performance, the Kellogg’s Tour, incentivizing artistry and her most embarrassing moment as a dancer.

Next week, in part two of our interview with Miss Val, we find out why so many of her athletes have the desire to go back to elite after college, why Canadians do so well in NCAA, de-programming deflated athletes to build self-esteem back up, and what she told famous gymnasts we all know, who shall not be named because we would never want to put their NCAA eligibility at risk [insert zerbert to NCAA rules here], about going pro.

American Sokol Organization. A Sokol Club in Cleveland with gymnastics for all.

American Turners 

Dvora’s article in Jezebel with sassy Sokol Olympian, 88-year-old Laddie Bakanic.

Help Jacoby by donating $1 to her recovery fund.

Paul Ruggeri’s Respect My Step Video 

Marian Dragulescu – Gangnam Style FX Gala de Estrellas Mexico 2012

 

Catalina Ponor & Marian Dragulescu – FX Gala de Estrellas Mexico 2012

Tommy Ramos & Jorge Hugo Jiraldo Gala de Estrellas Mexico 2012

Barbara Achondo Andino- FX EF World Cup Ostrava 2012

Ecaterina Szabo’s toe on 1.5 turn on low bar – 1985 Montreal – UB (00:27)

Shang Chunsong 2012 Nationals AA UB

Balavanov – layout Jeager

Blythe brings us news on up and comers from the Asian Games, NCAA signing week and Philip Boy. We begin the first part of our chapter by chapter feature on the tome, The History of USA Gymnastics: the early years through 1991. Uncle Tim takes us back to the days of Frederich Jahn and the Turners. We delve deep into the proposed deductions for artistry in the 2013 code and talk to marketing badass Greg Marsden of the University of Utah. Check out our votes for most artistic routines below (haha, not Boy’s fall, that’s the reference to our news segment…you guys think you are so funny…).

Sandra Izbasa Interview

FIG Proposed 2013 Code of Points

SuperGymmie’s YouTube Channel

Philip Boy’s scary high bar peel:

Our votes for most artistic routines:

Spanny is only referring to the  straddle sit-switch half turn-to straddle sit. Not the whole routine. Puuulease!

This week we interview multi-time NCAA Champion and elite standout, Paul Ruggeri to find out what makes this fan favorite so unique. We discuss FIG elections, Nastia’s new agent, Geddert’s latest blog post, Jake Dalton’s clothing line, the genius Chetkovich Cup, winners of the Northern European Championships, NBC’s alleged mistranslation of a Khorkina interview and give you tons of Halloween costume ideas.

And Paul takes Uncle Tim’s MAG Athlete Oath:

I, Paul Ruggeri,
take you, Pommel Horse,
to be my one true love.
I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad,
in sickness and in health,
and even when the other events seem more titillating.
Though you are inherently boring for gymnastics fans,
on my honor,
I will try to make you popular,
even if that means I have to gyrate on top of you
naked
in competition.
In the name of Kurt Thomas and his flares,
Amen.

The deadline for the costume contest and to win the shirt of your choice from Cloud&Victory is Thursday, November 1st. 

Show Links:

Dalton’s clothing line: www.mesomorphic.storenvy.com

Tatiana Gutu wearing a back-warmer a la Elite Sportz Bands.

Blythe’s story on Northern Euro Championships.

Peter Vidmar story Jess refers to “Beyond Gymnastics with Peter Vidmar”

Khorkina Fluff with alleged mistranslation video is below. Russian speakers, please give us a second opinion on this! Rachael says,” For example, at one point the translation reads “I have been great for a long time”. The literal translation is “I don’t want to be called strong… quote” (It’s about 1:44 in the video).”

This week we talk about changes in the vault code, gymnastics portrayal in the media and talk to Horton about his scooter gang, triple doubles, body hair in men’s gymnastics and which of his teammates is the most unique person he has ever met.

Don’t forget the enter our Halloween Costume Contest. You could win one of these cool shirts from Cloud&Victory! Just send in a picture, new or old – via email, Twitter of Facebook.

Related Links:

Uncle Tim’s blog post Changing The Code: Vault Problems

And this is the moment Horton talks about in his interview; shirt off and everything!

Allison Taylor on what it was like to be part of the greatest US elite program of all time at WOGA. Uncle Tim’s six year-old-friend reviews Shawn Johnson on Dancing with The Stars and we tackle cyber bulling in gymnastics. Dvora Myers follows up on our discussion of the popularity of men’s gymnastics. We play, who would win this reality tv show, if every contestant was a gymnast.

Find out what we are talking about here:

From our friends at FullTwist, all four of Chusovitina’s routines from Bundesliga.

A humor-filled primer on the ongoing Russian Team saga from Because Fan is Short for Fanatic.

Dvora Myers book and website.

Uncle Tim’s impression of Steve Nunno comes from the ’92 Olympic vault final.

Interview with Great Britain’s Louis Smith about Strictly Come Dancing, pressure, role models, his famous pommel horse photo shoot, style and Rio. Spanny Tampson writes and new and improved version of the FIG’s Athlete Oath. We discuss how to make men’s gymnastics more popular.

Here is Spanny’s new and improved version of the FIG Athlete Oath. Please administer to your gymnasts or take it yourself and show us the video!

“I declare on my honor that, as a gymnast, I will make an attempt to do pretty gymnastics.  I will not bust my wrist nor shelf my butt in an attempt to portray artistry.  I will flash neither my heiny nor hipbone, for I understand that doing so will not actually give me longer lines.  I will perform skills to the best of my ability, and understand that chucking horrific but highly valued elements is a recipe for death.  With consideration to the fans and myself, I will try not to die while performing my skills.  I hereby swear to uphold the tenents of grace and dignity of gymnastics, and not cause fans to run to Youtube to recall a better time.  In the name of gymnastics and Nadia, amen.”