At 11:20 a.m. on Friday, March 4, Shannon Miller will deliver "a special message" on Fox News Live online.
Gross.
I mean, don't get me wrong--I'm guessing it's about her cancer scare, and I think it's great that she's educating women. But does she have to remind me that she's a big 'ole Republican? Can we not just overlook that part of her life?
Yeah, I just got all political on your asses. I detest Fox News.
Showing posts with label Shannon Miller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shannon Miller. Show all posts
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Shannon Miller hangs out in Florida
And I'm kinda pissed that I didn't know she'd be in Tampa. My brothers live there, and one of them is a gym fan and probably would have gone out there and gotten me an autograph. I really need to stop doing things that keep me away from the computer so that I can know where all gymnasts are at all times.
'Cause I'm creepy.
Anyway--Shannon talks to the St. Petersburg Times about Atlanta and her beam gold, as well as Shannon Miller Lifestyle. And the reporter has a Research Fail and says that Shannon is the only American to have won Olympic beam gold. You know--because the one Shawn won two years ago didn't count. Insert eyeroll here. Is it really that hard to fact check when you are a PROFESSIONAL JOURNALIST?
Whatever. Check it out, peeps.
'Cause I'm creepy.
Anyway--Shannon talks to the St. Petersburg Times about Atlanta and her beam gold, as well as Shannon Miller Lifestyle. And the reporter has a Research Fail and says that Shannon is the only American to have won Olympic beam gold. You know--because the one Shawn won two years ago didn't count. Insert eyeroll here. Is it really that hard to fact check when you are a PROFESSIONAL JOURNALIST?
Whatever. Check it out, peeps.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Gym Gems
Or, "10 Things I Love About You."
These are the things that make gymnastics such a magical experience for me as a viewer. Sometimes, it's all in the details.
1.) Thoroughly, and consistently, pointed toes. Especially during release moves.
There is nothing that kills a great bars routine for me - other than an ugly fall - like flexed feet. But even if the gymnast does a decent job most of the time but flexes in a release move, the spell is broken for me. The aesthetics have been marred. If I were a judge, I would probably kill routines on lousy toe point.
I'm supposed to be listing the things I love, and I've veered off into annoyances. That's another post for another day. Anywho...I love pointy toes.
2.) A few months ago on IG, someone mentioned that they hated squeaky uneven bars. I kind of love them.
I love the satisfying creak as a gymnast builds up power or transitions. I love the slap of their hands grabbing the bar after a transition from low to high. I love the "thud" on the beam during a full-length tumbling pass. I love landings that look light but sound finished. I want to see a cloud of chalk dust billow up in a slow-mo replay of a great pass on floor or a vault that's stuck cold.
I just get so much satisfaction from the sensation of the equipment doing its part. It's gritty. It has texture. It lets the blood, sweat and tears of training trickle into the aesthetic perfection of a finished product.
I can't find a good example of the creaky bars, but if someone has one, please let me know!
3.) Beam passes with four connected elements.
I get that these might not be especially valuable anymore, or might post more risk than they're worth, but I really love a tumbling pass on beam that has the viewer wondering if the gymnast has enough room. It gets me every time.
4.) Floor routines that are choreographed to the music - not just the code.
I hate how the music on floor has really become just background noise. Routines rarely seem to have been designed with the music in mind, and that's a real shame. Dancers could never get away with this, and I hate that, as long as they can throw a few big skills, gymnasts can. It should be a true performance, not a labored instance of going through the motions. A floor routine should ALWAYS be very "Look at me!" And if the music is treated as a simple accessory, that idea is really lost.
I was never a massive Moceanu fan, but her floor routine in '96 was perfect for her. It suited her personality, her skill level and it all WORKED. Everything about it was a performance. Even for those who prefer a more classical floor set, it's hard to argue that her routine didn't match the music.
Khorkina is another one who really, genuinely knew how to perform, and every routine was a chance to play to the crowd. Her floor routines were always carefully crafted. Lilia, too. She was magical on floor, partly because her routines respected the music.
Wow. I could keep going on this one, because I think if we get back into the eighties and seventies, I'll just keep naming people with great floor routines.
5.) Beam shoes.
Like most gymnasts, I probably wouldn't use them, either, but I loved how they looked when they were common.
6.) Big old heavily secured grips.
I love it. It's such a contrast to the sleek, refined look of gymnastics. It reminds us that this is, in fact, a SPORT, and there is necessary equipment. They make it seem like the gymnast is READY. Like she's prepared her mind and body and she's GOT this. I just love it.
7.) Chalk and spray bottles.
When I see gymnasts chalking up, I always want to, too. I love the smell of chalk, and the way it bursts into the air and fills the space. Chalk is amazing.
8.) Effortlessly stuck landings.
There's nothing more satisfying than a dismount that flies followed by an easy, (mostly) chest-up landing. Even a mediocre routine seems somewhat sensational when the landing owns. But a stellar routine loses something when the landing is not perfect.
9.) Oversplits and hyper-extended knees.
I love Nastia Liukin's legs (mind out of the gutter, folks), and I know it bothers a lot of people how they almost look like they bow forward, but I LOVE it. I love the tension in a slight hyperextension. And I love a split that goes above and beyond the call of duty. It looks like true commitment to me. This is likely why I've always liked Nastia so much - she has the aesthetic qualities I love.
10.) Elegant hands.
I love balletic hand positions. I hate awkward monster fingers. Hands should look soft on beam and floor, and always in saluting the judges. Basically I appreciate it when a gymnast remembers that she HAS hands and feet and opts to do something with them rather than leave them by the wayside as she chucks another ugly ass skill.
These are the things that make gymnastics such a magical experience for me as a viewer. Sometimes, it's all in the details.
1.) Thoroughly, and consistently, pointed toes. Especially during release moves.
There is nothing that kills a great bars routine for me - other than an ugly fall - like flexed feet. But even if the gymnast does a decent job most of the time but flexes in a release move, the spell is broken for me. The aesthetics have been marred. If I were a judge, I would probably kill routines on lousy toe point.
I'm supposed to be listing the things I love, and I've veered off into annoyances. That's another post for another day. Anywho...I love pointy toes.
2.) A few months ago on IG, someone mentioned that they hated squeaky uneven bars. I kind of love them.
I love the satisfying creak as a gymnast builds up power or transitions. I love the slap of their hands grabbing the bar after a transition from low to high. I love the "thud" on the beam during a full-length tumbling pass. I love landings that look light but sound finished. I want to see a cloud of chalk dust billow up in a slow-mo replay of a great pass on floor or a vault that's stuck cold.
I just get so much satisfaction from the sensation of the equipment doing its part. It's gritty. It has texture. It lets the blood, sweat and tears of training trickle into the aesthetic perfection of a finished product.
I can't find a good example of the creaky bars, but if someone has one, please let me know!
3.) Beam passes with four connected elements.
I get that these might not be especially valuable anymore, or might post more risk than they're worth, but I really love a tumbling pass on beam that has the viewer wondering if the gymnast has enough room. It gets me every time.
4.) Floor routines that are choreographed to the music - not just the code.
I hate how the music on floor has really become just background noise. Routines rarely seem to have been designed with the music in mind, and that's a real shame. Dancers could never get away with this, and I hate that, as long as they can throw a few big skills, gymnasts can. It should be a true performance, not a labored instance of going through the motions. A floor routine should ALWAYS be very "Look at me!" And if the music is treated as a simple accessory, that idea is really lost.
I was never a massive Moceanu fan, but her floor routine in '96 was perfect for her. It suited her personality, her skill level and it all WORKED. Everything about it was a performance. Even for those who prefer a more classical floor set, it's hard to argue that her routine didn't match the music.
Khorkina is another one who really, genuinely knew how to perform, and every routine was a chance to play to the crowd. Her floor routines were always carefully crafted. Lilia, too. She was magical on floor, partly because her routines respected the music.
Wow. I could keep going on this one, because I think if we get back into the eighties and seventies, I'll just keep naming people with great floor routines.
5.) Beam shoes.
Like most gymnasts, I probably wouldn't use them, either, but I loved how they looked when they were common.
6.) Big old heavily secured grips.
I love it. It's such a contrast to the sleek, refined look of gymnastics. It reminds us that this is, in fact, a SPORT, and there is necessary equipment. They make it seem like the gymnast is READY. Like she's prepared her mind and body and she's GOT this. I just love it.
7.) Chalk and spray bottles.
When I see gymnasts chalking up, I always want to, too. I love the smell of chalk, and the way it bursts into the air and fills the space. Chalk is amazing.
8.) Effortlessly stuck landings.
There's nothing more satisfying than a dismount that flies followed by an easy, (mostly) chest-up landing. Even a mediocre routine seems somewhat sensational when the landing owns. But a stellar routine loses something when the landing is not perfect.
9.) Oversplits and hyper-extended knees.
I love Nastia Liukin's legs (mind out of the gutter, folks), and I know it bothers a lot of people how they almost look like they bow forward, but I LOVE it. I love the tension in a slight hyperextension. And I love a split that goes above and beyond the call of duty. It looks like true commitment to me. This is likely why I've always liked Nastia so much - she has the aesthetic qualities I love.
10.) Elegant hands.
I love balletic hand positions. I hate awkward monster fingers. Hands should look soft on beam and floor, and always in saluting the judges. Basically I appreciate it when a gymnast remembers that she HAS hands and feet and opts to do something with them rather than leave them by the wayside as she chucks another ugly ass skill.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Shannon Miller has her baby
Well, folks, it finally happened. The most Tweeted about kid in history (this family loves their records) has made his appearance, and Shannon waited less than four hours to make sure it was announced to the world.
So my favorite gymnast in the history of gymnasts is a bit of an attention whore. It's her thing, and I love her for her minor form of crazy. She probably had Inside Gymnastics on speed dial. Hell, she probably had one of their crack reporters in the room, holding up a leg and asking her about the evils of carbohydrates.
And I'll bet when Shawn Johnson has a baby some day, it'll be an even quicker announcement. I actually see a pre-choreographed dance number, jazz hands, top hat and Mark Ballas included.
Back to Shannon. Little John Rocco ('s Modern Life)* Falconetti was born at 6:46pm on Wednesday, October 28th, weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs., 11oz.
Congratulations!
*If you get that reference, you get a gold star.
So my favorite gymnast in the history of gymnasts is a bit of an attention whore. It's her thing, and I love her for her minor form of crazy. She probably had Inside Gymnastics on speed dial. Hell, she probably had one of their crack reporters in the room, holding up a leg and asking her about the evils of carbohydrates.
And I'll bet when Shawn Johnson has a baby some day, it'll be an even quicker announcement. I actually see a pre-choreographed dance number, jazz hands, top hat and Mark Ballas included.
Back to Shannon. Little John Rocco ('s Modern Life)* Falconetti was born at 6:46pm on Wednesday, October 28th, weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs., 11oz.
Congratulations!
*If you get that reference, you get a gold star.
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