Paul Hamm - Gold Medal

[stoic-one 1,547]

Just watched this guy come back to win a gold after literally falling on his butt on the vault (A judge kept him from falling off the platform).

That was one of the most unbelievable things I think I have ever seen.

[woods1110 0]

Agreed!!

I could not believe it when I heard the annoucers say "HE DID IT, HE HAS WON THE GOLD MEDAL"...

Absolutely amazing... I saw him fall and thought to myself, why does this have to happen to us now? After the P-Bar routine, I knew something was going to happen.

The great thing about it was, when his coach told him he was the olympic champion, he said no way, no way...Truly one of the greatest moments I have ever seen!

[Guest AuNuma1]

Wow! When I turned it off, that guy was in 12th place. I missed the part where he fell off the horse but other than that he looked solid. So just the one fall knocked him all the way down to 12th or something?

[stoic-one 1,547]

Actually, he fell on his landing for the vault.....

But yes, it was a pretty impressive comeback.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

After he hit his high bar routine so cleanly, I knew it was going to be close, but I thought he'd probably end up just short. It was amazing. I'm not sure an untrained eye could have picked out the deductions even watching it in slow motion. He just absolutely nailed it. I know the Korean kid was crushed...but if you had asked him before the all-around if he'd take silver right now and go home, he'd have done it. He was a long shot to even medal with Hamm, the Chinese guy, and those two Romanians all duking it out for the medals. But I'm sure it sucks to think you've got gold all but sealed up only to see Hamm hit the high bar routine of his life.

[Guest AuNuma1]

What's the high bar? Is that the same as the parallel bars?

The rings and the tumbling are fun to watch.

[stoic-one 1,547]

I think the high bar is the equivalent of the womens uneven parallel bars, minus the lower bar.....

[TitanTiger 20,499]

I think the high bar is the equivalent of the womens uneven parallel bars, minus the lower bar.....

This is correct.

[Tigermike 3,037]

That was one of the greatest comebacks I have ever witnessed. That is what the Olympics are all about!

[Streyeder 0]

I couldn't believe it!!! I just watched in awe...

[autigger 0]

Well i knew he had won the gold before i watched b/c i caught a clip of a press conference after he had won, but as i was watching last night and saw him fall on his butt on the vault i was like how in the hell did he win.....being a former gymnast myself i know how tough it is to make up those lost points especially with only 2 rotations left. I began thinking to myself " i must have read that headline wrong" or maybe " he was talking about the guy who had won the gold" I was in awe.

[CCTAU 3,327]

He still sounds like one of the "Lollypop Guild".

[autigger 0]

And now the Koreans are protesting b/c he took the gold away from them. Big time controversy but i cant really figure out why. If you do the math he won..... Merely a sign of childishness on the part of the Koreans b/c they didnt win...

[stoic-one 1,547]

Actually....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5784651/

[MDM4AU 332]

The International Gymnastics Federation said a judging mistake cost South Korea's Yang Tae Young the gold medal. It suspended three judges but said the results would remain unchanged under its rules, with Hamm first, South Korea's Kim Dae Eun second and Yang third.

LINK

If they had started the Korean out at the correct degree of difficulty, he would have beaten Hamm. They have a good case, just they waited to long to file a complaint. Rules are rules. Sucks for them, but "thems the breaks."

[Guest AuNuma1]

The malnourished looking chick from Russia is now bitchin, saying the whole thing was rigged from the beginning.

Go eat a steak or something

Asked if the American was a worthy opponent, she said: "I've seen a much tougher opposition than her. Let's see how long she can remain on top. Can she keep going and compete in two more Olympics like myself."

"No, well, you better write that Patterson is a great champion and she has a great future," she added sarcastically.

Beeeoootch!

[TitanTiger 20,499]

The malnourished looking chick from Russia is now bitchin, saying the whole thing was rigged from the beginning.

Go eat a steak or something

Asked if the American was a worthy opponent, she said: "I've seen a much tougher opposition than her. Let's see how long she can remain on top. Can she keep going and compete in two more Olympics like myself."

"No, well, you better write that Patterson is a great champion and she has a great future," she added sarcastically.

This from the girl who got an 8.8 something on her uneven bar routine last night because she messed up her own skill move (she has a move named after her...it's called a Khorkina). She's just bitter because she's dreamed of getting the gold medal all her life but has choked at critical moments when she had a shot at it. Grow up, whiner.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

This is a telling quote from that link you posted, AuNuma:

She said she was hoping Sydney's experience would cause the judges to be more sympathetic to her plight in Athens -- her third and last Olympics.

She basically expected some special treatment because of the disaster in Sydney where the vault table was set too low and she fell. No, honey, I'm sorry. That was a terrible thing in Sydney, but you don't get sympathy points in Athens for that. You go out and hit your routines, shut up and show a little class.

[tiger88 934]

The korean guy had one event judged from a starting score of 9.9 instead of 10. Therefor he received .1 less than he should have and would have beaten hamm's score.

Sounds to me like duplicate gold medals should be awarded.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

If you watched the gymanastics event tonight, they replayed the Korean guy's routine and as it turns out, the judges actually missed a two tenths deduction for performing too many "holds". Tim Daggett pointed them out. So as it turns out, it probably ended like it was supposed to anyway.

[autigger 0]

exactly!!!!!!

[tiger88 934]

Thats good news! The guy didn't seem to have the skills hamm had.

[CCTAU 3,327]

The korean guy had one event judged from a starting score of 9.9 instead of 10. Therefor he received .1 less than he should have and would have beaten hamm's score.

Sounds to me like duplicate gold medals should be awarded.

Actually not. That would be like the coach of a football game trowing the red flag AFTER the game and expecting an endzone call to be reversed so his team would win.

They had a set amount of time to protest and missed it. It's the coach and participant's responsibility. Always has been. Seems to be an unfortunate happening, but is really a non-issue from a meadal stand-point. The IOC probably needs to have better training and maybe even a backup checke making sure everthing is set up correctly.