1994 US Nationals

[glamafonic]

A few weeks ago, I rewatched this comp. No big reason, I was just jumping around through the spreadsheet linked in resources.

And oh what a journey it was.

The constant fluff about these POOR TINY FRAGILE CHILDREN that managed to be both condescending and demonstrate no actual concern for their well-being!

The commentators and announcer going on and on about how all the current big seniors (16, 17) were ANCIENT CRONES who would NEVER make it to Atlanta and obviously the 12 and 13 year olds would be the team!

Tim being transparently salty about Dawes beating Miller (especially in EF)!

The excessive interviewing and focusing on the coaches talking about The Children! Tom Forster sitting in a chair like a Youth Pastor!

T H E L E O S ! ! !

I came out of it having enjoyed much of the gymnastics, enjoyed seeing gymnasts I'd completely forgotten about, but feeling so deeply relieved to think about 2023 Worlds and especially the podiums there, replete with grown women (many bipoc women) doing some of the best gymnastics in the world.

 

[crdubb17]

Man, those scrunchies! What a time. Jennie Thompson reminds me so much of Ragan Smith. It’s shocking how tiny these athletes were!

 

[RedBirdie]

Shannon Miller so clearly did not want to be there. Wow. And her interactions with Steve and Peggy......every time they touched her she recoiled.

Amanda Borden's floor choreo was some real third-rate Geza Pozar shit. It's so awful, but she's so committed to it.

 

[MaryClare]

Unless someone can show me a photo of Peggy Liddick and Angelika Hellmann in the same room, I remain unconvinced that they are separate people

 

[blake]

The vault landing mat... I would've quit gymnastics if you asked me to land a yurchenko 1/1 on a sting mat over what looks like the stiffest 4 incher I've ever seen. My utmost respect to any and everyone who did gymnastics before the 2000s. And to think I used to complain about our old gym equipment as a kid haha

Amy Chow's EF leo is my favorite.

 

[IratePanda]

Oh, man. This was the year Steve Nunno showed up with his little posse of Shannon clones and wanna-bes. The OG Shannon was so clearly over it--and yet, she was the only one of the bunch who made it to Atlanta.

 

[rlayt]

I cringed rewatching the competition and seeing Jenny Thompson made up to look like a clone. I don’t think the comparison did her any favorite when it came to expectations.

 

[MrSixkiller]

I know people like to pine for the good old days of the sport, but a lot of what is seen here shows that the sport has changed for the better in numerous ways.

 

[tsarinajen]

Shannon Miller so clearly did not want to be there. Wow. And her interactions with Steve and Peggy......every time they touched her she recoiled.

Amanda Borden's floor choreo was some real third-rate Geza Pozar shit. It's so awful, but she's so committed to it.

Was that her stalker year? I thought I read that in one of her or her mom’s books? I shouldn’t try a hard trivia while studying anatomy

 

[Sasha]

Jesus, this is painful to watch. The commentary, the splits, the handstands, Steve Nunno ... I don't pine for the 90s the way I used to.

 

[irichluck21]

Shannon Miller so clearly did not want to be there.

I think Shannon was exhausted, she had a busy year competing, doing the individual Worlds in spring, then Goodwill Games.
I believe there were only a few weeks between GWG and Nationals.
Plus she had lingering injuries she had been pushing through.

 

[RedBirdie]

Was that her stalker year? I thought I read that in one of her or her mom’s books? I shouldn’t try a hard trivia while studying anatomy

I don't remember when the stalker was, but very possible it was around that time. I do recall Steve absolutely running Shannon and all his gymnasts ragged that year. He had them competing non-stop, and it showed. Shannon did not look prepared for nationals. She withdrew from world team trials citing injury, then only did compulsories in Dortmund.

Meanwhile, I'm shaking my head because Dominique Dawes could somehow do a bars routine lacking a same bar release and still start from a 10! Insane. She did debut her hindorff in Dortmund, which was nice. Still looked so damn good that year, even without a release. Other than Atlanta team finals, she never again looked as locked in and amazing as she did in 1994.

 

[irichluck21]

I also remember that 1994 was the year of team worlds in the fall. Shannon/Nunno agreed to do compulsories only with USAG, who were trying to get her to do optional bars and beam for the team.
That format was 1. compulsories, 2. optionals, 3. team finals-optionals.
Being beat up was too much for her.

That said it was a dick move to withdraw her from Worlds and head home, I get not competing optionals, but also stay and support the team at the very least.
It came across as selfish. But maybe Nunno pulled that because USAG was hounding Shannon to do some part of the optionals. I don't know.

 

[irichluck21]

Didn't Dawes have a very injured 1995?

 

[crdubb17]

Yeah she was. Then the younger Dominique stepped in her place in 95. Like, literally lol. She won nationals that year and got silver at worlds on beam (like Dawes in 93)

 

[tempest]

IIRC Shannon's stalker was in the arena and Shannon thought she saw him just before she dismounted BB and that's why she fell

 

[rlayt]

There was a stalker after she retired too. Was the one after retirement the one who posted all the online stuff and they went to court?

ETA: ugh that opening…talented children racing against their bodies. GROSS

 

[RedBirdie]

I only watched the AA coverage so far, but can you imagine how many posts we'd have if we got so few routines in a tape-delayed broadcast? We'd be marching to 30 Rockefeller Center and threatening to burn the whole thing to the ground!

 

[irichluck21]

I liked when event finals were separate. IIRC we got to see gymnasts like Monica Flammer, Kellee Davis, Heather Brink, etc we didn't see in the all around coverage.

 

[rlayt]

I love the beam mounts and wild leotards.