I've seen Olympians leave early and then come back. So I hope Paul goes back to enjoy the closing ceremonies and not feel that the world hates him. (Terry, I want to send him a card too and tell him that I don't hate him!)

I think the controversy at this point is being stoked by the media.

Saw Paul Hamm on Letterman last night... have to say he seemed a bit nervous. I was just hoping he'd smile more because he looks so much better when he's smiling. The audience was supportive and gave him a lot of cheers and Letterman was great as usual.

I find it really interesting Hamm's comments in the press right before he left Athens about how he felt he didn't get much support from the US Gymnastics Committee, and how they suggested he share the gold. Turns out, Paul and his brother are joining a competing gymnastics tour, called the Rock N' Roll Gymnastics tour of champions, or something like that, instead of the US Gymnastics backed Tour of Champions. Ahh, no wonder Paul's getting the shaft.

The Hamm Brothers in New York promoting \"their\" gymnastics tour.

Batboy, thanks for digging that up. I wish there was a little less focus on how much cereal Paul Hamm can help sell, but that's the way it goes; they have to earn what they can when they can.

I think Morgan is cuter though!

Actually, it's a pretty impressive line-up--I don't know if I'd call it "their" tour when it also includes Svetlana Khorkhina, Blaine Wilson and some huge older American stars (Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu)

Sorry Jim Allen, I disagree! I think Paul is much cuter! I just remembered who Paul reminds me of: Christian Campbell from the movie Trick. Don't you think? especially during the medal ceremonies, the resemblance was uncanny!

If the producers of this Rock and Roll Tour are smart, they'll immediately sign up the South Korean and add a Synchronized Parellel Bar number to the show for Hamm and Young to swing to (to the tune of "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better", sung by The Merm of course)...that should pack 'em in...

UN-FREAK'IN BELIEVABLE...


Gymnastics officials want Hamm to give up gold


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olym...ex.html?cnn=yes

I wouldn't sweat it. They've sent a letter via the USOC(I think) and are asking that Hamm return the gold for the sake of good sportsmanship. The USOC blasted them saying that should be the ones taking responsibility for the fiasco. If you ask me, I think this whole thing now is dying down. It really got worked over earlier this week but I think people have already read enough. I think the bigger issues have been the doping and whether Marion Jones should even be in the relays(which I think she should).

More on the controversy here

As far as the FIG action, it's absurd. I'm not aware of any precedent for an athlete being asked to return a medal because of an error made by the governing body.

One more comment: I've been watching the diving and have really been struck by the startling accuracy with which the analyst is able to predict the scoring. While I realize that a gymnastic routine contains many more elements than a dive (except maybe on the vault), it still seems like they could be doing a better job of coming up with reasonably objective criteria.

And yet another judging controversy in gymnastics:

From the Associated Press:

"Upset with marks given to American Mary Sanders in qualifying Thursday, the U.S. team filed an inquiry with the International Gymnastics Federation seeking a review of her hoop routine. Sanders finished 18th out of 24 gymnasts in the first of two qualifying rounds. The top ten gymnasts after today's second round advance to the finals. Sanders received a technical score--the measure of difficulty--of 4.6 in hoop. The 4.6 was lower than anyone in the field except for competitors from Australia, South Africa, and Cape Verde."

My first reaction: Cape Verde has rhythmic gymnastics???

~Adam

For once I say "Good for you USOC"! I'm glad they had the guts to stand up to what has to be the most offensive suggestion ever - "we screwed up, please fix it for us." As Hamm and his coach have repeatedly pointed out, the 1/10th deduction was NOT the only mistake the judges made when scoring the program, and therefore there is no basis for returning the medal.

Even if he did, would the S. Korean get to keep the bronze, or would he be expected to give it to his teammate and his teammate give the silver to Hamm? Or would they have the option of not doing the "right thing" and then the S. Korean gymnast could be the first person to "earn" gold and bronze for the same event in the same year?

Please God this will all die down, because it gets more ridiculous every second.

CPT Doom, I agree with you about the USOC finally showing some support for Hamm. I think Peter Ueberroth is great (and would have been a great governor of California! but I digress). I also thought it was such a fitting comment by another USOC member who said he wished they had come out full force and supported Paul from the beginning, then they wouldn't have opened the box of awful suggestions.


From AP:
Earlier in the week, the USOC said it was willing to consider supporting the South Koreans' bid for a second gold medal. Jim Scherr said that was no longer possible because of FIG's latest request.

"I think we were at fault for not more strongly, more directly, showing our support for Paul," Scherr said. "I wish we would have done that more strongly and earlier."


Duh?@! At least he finally realizes it! And I can't stand how the media continues to focus on the tenth-point deduction in the starting routine but never talks about the other deductions that weren't given to the South Korean athlete. The only person given that perspective is Hamm when he goes around "defending" his medal. Ugh, the poor guy. I feel so bad for him. I want to hunt him down and give him a big hug. (Ok, I want to do more than hug him, but we start with the hug. wink )

Well, expect for the tree-trunk arms, 6 pack and pecs of death on Paul, yeah. I saw Christian Campbell *SWOON* in Reefer Madness and he's cute as hell. It's the freckles, I think, that brings up a resemblence.

On to non-lust news: Media whore politicians get involved shock:
Jeebus. Of all the problems facing this country, Paul Hamm's plight ranks about 1,837,492nd in my book in terms of importance. This is just like that idiot Joe Biden posturing up a storm during the drugs-in-baseball hearings. f**kwits.

I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Christian Campbell (get this) in the steamroom of my gym in downtown Mpls. Very lean, very nice body. And to go with it he was just a really nice person. Really open to conversation. We chatted about Tori Spelling and I had the audacity to sing " enter you. . . ." He said he never needed to hear that song again. He was in town doing "Tick, Tick, Boom" with Wilson Cruz who I also saw at the gym one day.

I was watching the late night interview Bob Costas had with Hamm. Remember when he said that he would abide by whatever decision the FIG would have? At first it seemed like that Hamm was taking back what he said but then after I thought about it, the FIG wasn't ordering him to do anything he didn't want to do, only requesting. That way it makes them look good to the public because it makes it seem like they made some effort. If they ordered him, they would make Hamm out to be a martyr and make themselves look like tyrants. This is all such garbage! And now the fact a Congressman has gotten involved has become ridiculous.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find the Hamm twins a touch creepy. I can't exactly put my finger on what it is... but there's something a bit creepy about them. Maybe it has something to do with the twin thing. Of all the sets of twins I've met in my life, about half seem normal... the other half seem weird. Is it just me that thinks so?

I think the Hamm twins are originally from Roswell, New Mexico. (Cue in Twilight Zone theme music)
eek!

I don't get the impression they're creepy! I do get the impression, just an impression mind you, that Morgan seems to be the more dominant twin and very protective toward his brother. Just look at that one picture when Paul is talking to reporters. Morgan has that look on his face that's almost confrontational as if he's challenging anyone to say anything inappropriate to Paul. Paul doesn't give me the impression of someone who would want to get into a confrontation. Morgan, on the other hand, looks like he could get into a fight with the looks he gives.

'brotherly love'... eeek.

It's their haircut that makes them look creepy. I think Paul's haircut is the same one Jim Carrey had in Dumb and Dumber and Matt Damon had in Stuck On You! "We're not Siamese. We're American"

[ September 02, 2004, 06:59 AM: Message edited by: Mariner Duck Boy ]

I've always thought Christian Campbell was hot, what a cute smile. BTW, he does not look at all like Paul Hamm.

And back to gymnastics, I don't think the Hamm brothers are all that creepy. I think Terry from Oaktown gave the best assessment of the two brothers' characteristics.

The hair isn't all that great, but it's not stupid looking like Jim Carrey. Maybe the Hamm brothers could do the Olympics special on Queer Eye for the new season. They'd definitely be more hotter than the wrestling twins they had a few months back.

This is a current shot of Christian Campbell, who is currently on All My Children. I think he is more handsome clean shaven.

C. Campbell on All My Children

Totally getting off subject, but I never realized Christian Campbell was on Degrassi Junior High. Interesting...

On All My Children, he is clean shaven... don't know what's up with the pic...

I'm sorry but that's probably the worst pic I've ever seen of him. That hair has to change and I absolutely hate the color. Maybe the picture taken at the time didn't do him justice .

Or that he's Neve Campbell's older brother.

But then his Degrassi character (Todd) never made much of an impression on me. Unlike, say, Joey.

Back to Paul Hamm ... my mom was commenting last night (in a typically long-winded phone call ... now you know where I get it from) about how she thought gymnastics was more entertainment and sport because of "all the glitter and makeup" the gymnasts wear. She was mainly talking about the women (and, where the U.S. women's team is concerned, she had a point), but then she said Paul Hamm looked to her as if was wearing eye makeup (I forget whether she said liner or mascara, having forgotten as much as possible about the subject since high school theater).

OK, was Paulie wearing eye makeup ... or does Mom need an eye checkup? :confused:

[ September 03, 2004, 04:31 PM: Message edited by: danimal ]

I think if you look at the photo of him facing the camera looking up he might look like he's wearing something. I think, however, it's just the photo itself.

The South Korean Athletic Commission has given the gymnast whose scores were impacted by the judges' mistakes the same monetary reward ($20,000) as other gold medal winners, in addition to presenting him with their own medal.

~Adam

OK, that makes sense.

For those of you keeping score, here's the latest about Paul's gold medal flap:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/at...amm-cover_x.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/at...arguments_x.htm

Poor guy.

Great pic in the local paper of Hamm performing here in Loveland this week.

Spread 'um eek!

The International body for sports is scheduled to announce its finding regarding Hamm's gold medal at 9 a.m. EDT. Thursday (10/21) I'm hoping this will finally be settled.

Hey, anyone know how this played out in South Korea? Does the athlete feel cheated or is he just going along because his country's sports federation is kicking up a stink?

The decision stands--Hamm keeps his gold.

Good for him. Glad to see all's well that ends well.

I'm happy for Paul Hamm but I also feel sorry for Young. It just feels like a final kick in the face. All I know is that I'm looking forward to the 2005 World Championships! I think everyone here can agree that the competition will have a lot more coverage this time. I think the only benefit to this whole fiasco is that mens gymnastics has finally gotten the recognition its deserved.

I think you mean Yang. But like I asked earlier, how does this guy feel? Nobody knows. Maybe he never felt he deserved the gold (although I'm guessing he probably did). Maybe he didn't want to make a big fuss over it. Or maybe he was a poor sport about it and punch his left hand into a wall and broke a bone and couldn't pitch really well in game 7 of the ALCS and... oh wait. Thinking of someone else. My bad.

Agreed, TIO. I'm hopeful the quality of judging will improve in ALL sports as a result of this mess.

Some interesting comments from Hamm since the CAS ruling posted on International Gymnast's website:

---
Hamm said his love for the sport had not changed, but other perceptions had. "Maybe it's soured my outlook on the FIG and how they've handled this matter," he said.

Hamm also expressed his disappointment with USA Gymnastics: "I definitely think that there could have been more done on their part to help make this situation a little bit easier for me. There was very little communication, in general, when I was at the Olympic Games, and I haven't even spoken really with anyone with USA Gymnastics since the Games, but a couple times. And they're not here [in New York] today with us, and it would have been nice if they were just a little bit more supportive."

On the upside, Hamm's agent Sheryl Shade said that certain doors that had been closed before might open now. Hamm had been considered for the Wheaties box cover until the controversy emerged. "We obviously would like to reinvestigate that and see if it's a possibility," Shade said. There was also talk of a book deal.
---

Also, I think the FIG is definitely imposing some stricter rules for judging mistakes, possibly some higher sanctions and penalties. They're meeting this week for policy review and elections n' stuff.

Interesting that Jackie Fie will be retiring as head of the women's technical committee. I'd be interested in seeing who takes her place and if that will have any impact on the Americans for future competitions.

Paul and Morgan are featured in this week's Washington Post Magazine -- 20/20 is using them in an upcoming "Biggest Loser"-type story where they're competing to help two obese Columbus-area families lose weight -- but the worse part for them is the ordeal of being interviewed by Martin Bashir.

There are a bunch of great pics of them in the print edition -- but unfortunately only one on line. :mad:

i have the vid but it's in my uni computer now. email me for it after a week. it's 8mins.

I can identify most of them.

Not totally sure about the first pic (wide arm handstand) because his face isn't visible. Second pic is Razhvan Selariu, Romania. Third pic is Marian Dragalescu, Romania. Fourth pic, from left to right, is Yang Wei, China, Paul Hamm, USA, and Hiroyuki Tomita, Japan. The only person from the fifth pic I recognize is the guy on the far right, and I don't know his name. I believe he's from Kazhakstan. Not sure about the last pic.



Actually, they're not padded. At all. They're made out of fiberglass. And trust me, until you build up a VERY strong callous, you bleed. A lot.