Shawn Johnson announces her comeback to gymnastics!

[BigB08822]

Figured this could warrant its own thread.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LiM3eiNyYsQ

That is just video from a local news channel near her gym. I am still trying to find video or something of her making this announcement. Not sure if she did a press conference or this was a twitter/facebook thing or what.

[LuckyCharm]

How exciting! I really hope it works out. She was my fave in Beijing, and I was slightly bummed when she didn't win all-around gold. It will be interesting to see how all her new dance experience influences her gymnastics. That was her only real weakness before IMO.

[judgejudy27]

She is the most talented gymnast I have seen this whole decade. I hope she wins the AA in London. I was dissapointed she didnt win the AA in Beijing too. She is a much better and more overall talented gymnast than Nastia IMO with much better form, technique, execution, amplitude, power, difficulty, originality, and variety. Nastia's only edge is nicer dance on floor and more difficulty (but much weaker execution) on bars. Nastia did deserve the AA gold in Beijing, but I hope Shawn gets the AA gold in London.

[oleada]

at judgejudy's post.

good luck to her, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[BigB08822]

I preferred Nastia's gymnastics to Shawn's but that doesn't mean I didn't really like Shawn so I can definitely root for her to win the AA in London. However, I would be surprised if she can come back to that kind of form. That video said she tore her ACL while skiing. I did not know that. That is one of those injuries that is so hard to keep from reoccurring. I will be surprised if she can do the level of difficulty she was known for and keep her ACL from going. I guess we shall see. I would love for her and Nastia to be on the 2012 team in some way. It would be great for the other girls to have some leadership from someone who has been there before. There was no one on the 2008 team who had been to an Olympics.

If I had to make a guess, I think Shawn could be a great contributor on beam and vault. Her ACL would suffer the most from floor so I don't know if she will get back to a high difficulty score or not. Bars was never her strength although she did what she could do very well. The U.S. better have stronger bars workers or we are in trouble again.

[judgejudy27]

In addition to being such a great gymnast Shawn seemed like the nicest person out there. She was so easy to root for. Sorry if my previous post was a bit over the top, Nastia is a great gymnast, but I just always found Shawn cleaner, technically superior, more powerful and precise, kept better form in general on nearly every event, and apart from bars had more difficulty. Nastia nailed her routines in the AA in Beijing and deservedly one, but one can see why Shawn was such a great gymnast and dominated each AA event except Beijing when she didnt fall. She was overall clearly the best gymnast in the World in both 2007 and 2008, someone else just had a great night in the Olympic AA. There is a reason Shawn was the clear favorite to win every AA event she entered in 2007 and 2008.

[BigB08822]

I actually think Shawn sometimes got unwarranted flack for her form. Her form was actually really good. Legs always stuck together, toes pointed, didn't cross her legs in her twists. She really only suffered from her body type. People didn't like her lack of extension, especially compared to Nastia. However, she couldn't help that. No amount of training would ever give Shawn long arms and legs nor would any training allow her legs to look more locked out, she had knees that just didn't work like that. None of that was her fault and I didn't think it was fair to hold it against her. She worked her routines around what worked for her.

[chipso1]

The U.S. better have stronger bars workers or we are in trouble again.

I wonder if Marta will try and get Nastia to seriously think about London. We only really need her on bars, anyway. Without her, the U.S. team will likely start at a huge disadvantage to the Chinese. If Mackenzie Caquatto and/or Cassie Whitcomb can get their stuff together, they could find themselves in the bars lineup soon, too.

Bross and Sloan are capable of decent bars scores, but we definitely need a big scorer (high 15s, at least).

As for Shawn, I'm glad she's coming back! She will definitely be useful on vault and beam if she sticks it out, and her mental toughness would be nice to have as well.

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

I actually think Shawn sometimes got unwarranted flack for her form. Her form was actually really good. Legs always stuck together, toes pointed, didn't cross her legs in her twists. She really only suffered from her body type. People didn't like her lack of extension, especially compared to Nastia. However, she couldn't help that. No amount of training would ever give Shawn long arms and legs nor would any training allow her legs to look more locked out, she had knees that just didn't work like that. None of that was her fault and I didn't think it was fair to hold it against her. She worked her routines around what worked for her.

I agree.

And, it's not like Nastia had great form herself. Crossed legs in the twists, one of the biggest cowboys ever on her tucks, various form problems on bars...

Anyway, I hope Shawn actually does make a comeback. It'll be nice to see what she can do.

The US really is at a disadvantage on bars. I don't know why Marta just doesn't get it. I guess she's just got that old Romanian mentality of doing stock gymnastics and hoping for the other teams to make mistakes.

[judgejudy27]

I would like to see Nastia come back for just bars or maybe beam as well. I dont see her ever returning as an AAer, but she could really help the team as an event specialist. Nastia I am sure if she was serious about a comeback could get a big score on bars and with Bross and Sloan joining her on bars that would be a really good bars lineup for sure.

I also think overall Shawn most times had better form than Nastia. She doesnt have the long lines since her limbs arent as long but her execution, precision, and form are all better. Nastia I believe had combined A scores just as high as Shawn in 2007 and 2008 adding all 4 events yet an American Cup where Shawn fell and the Olympic AA are the only times she was able to beat Shawn for an AA title, which shows Shawn was getting the higher B scores overall even when Nastia wasnt falling.

[LKR]

I wonder if Marta will try and get Nastia to seriously think about London. We only really need her on bars, anyway. Without her, the U.S. team will likely start at a huge disadvantage to the Chinese.

Agreed about China but don't forget about Russia. Their gymnasts have some killer bar sets, and having Alexandrov and Ostapenko back coaching is clearly doing wonders for Russia's overall team.

[chipso1]

Agreed about China but don't forget about Russia. Their gymnasts have some killer bar sets, and having Alexandrov and Ostapenko back coaching is clearly doing wonders for Russia's overall team.

That's true: Russia certainly is coming on strong again. They too could contend for gold in 2012, but I worry about the transition that their gymnasts make from junior to senior...it never seems to pan out accordingly.

[Rob]

I actually think Shawn sometimes got unwarranted flack for her form. Her form was actually really good. Legs always stuck together, toes pointed, didn't cross her legs in her twists. She really only suffered from her body type.

I did too. I think she put on more thigh/calf muscle in 2008 (from 2007) and it gave her legs the appearance of looking a little bent when they really weren't. Before that, I think her form was underrated.

[bek]

I'm rooting for Komova or Grishina to win the AA. Komova is working on Amanar, and also has a great bars set. She has Nastia's long lines, but does incredibly acrobatic things on beam that Nastia was never ralely able to do. Grishina still has only a Y1.5 but I have a feeling that will be upgraded by the time the Olympics comes around.

That's true: Russia certainly is coming on strong again. They too could contend for gold in 2012, but I worry about the transition that their gymnasts make from junior to senior...it never seems to pan out accordingly.

Well that's why they fired the old top coaches and hired Alexandrov and Ostanpenko so that history wouldn't be repeating itself.

And as for Shawn's return, I believe it when I see it. While Shawn had good form, a lot of people felt that some of her technique wasn't the best and I wonder if she's going to really be able to throw all of those things after puberty.

[judgejudy27]

The AA in London will be interesting. I have a feeling alot more interesting than Beijing where there were only 2 or 3 real contenders. There will probably be multiple gymnasts from Russia, China, and the U.S with a real shot. It is just a shame only 2 per country will get to compete in it.

[bek]

The AA in London will be interesting. I have a feeling alot more interesting than Beijing where there were only 2 or 3 real contenders. There will probably be multiple gymnasts from Russia, China, and the U.S with a real shot. It is just a shame only 2 per country will get to compete in it.

If Komova (knock on wood) cleans up her Amanar and gets her bars A score up to around 7.0 and does the upgrades on beam and floor that she can do. It may not be much of a competition at all if she hits. Unless someone like Grishina also improves on vault.

As I said before these two little Russian girls are showing Nastia like artistry on beam, combined with Shawn like acrobatic moves.

People have been pointed out that the basic bars routine that Alexandrov is having the Russian girls do is capable of adding things on it to get up to 7.3, without L Grips etc..

I personally adore Grishina, but I'm just saying some of the skills Komova is showing on every event right is just mind blowing. I don't think Shawn will ever be at that level on bars for example, And Vitoria is a better vaulter than Liukin.

[chipso1]

If Komova (knock on wood) cleans up her Amanar and gets her bars A score up to around 7.0 and does the upgrades on beam and floor that she can do. It may not be much of a competition at all if she hits. Unless someone like Grishina also improves on vault.

If if if if if if if.

[bek]

If if if if if if if.

Shawn getting back to 2008 shape after and an ACL tear AND puberty changes is a way bigger IF. Wieber may have something to say about it too because she seems to be making an effort to improve her bars as well.
.

But with Komova most of the stuff is there. The Amanar is there and each time she competes it, it gets better. She's already done the connected Patterson on beam in competition. As I believe some of her harder tumbling in competition, I'm glad she had some watered down routines in Euros.

These things are there with Komova its a matter right now of pacing her. Which I do worry about. And not only does Komova have all of this stuff. But she has artistry and style. She actually does choregraphy on floor, choregraphy on beam, along with the difficult tricks.
Some of said she reminds people of Nastia (with some of her form issue) but also the lines. Although Komova can actually vault, and can do way harder tumbling and acrobatic tricks.

I truly love Grishina's gymanstics. She has beautful form/clean technique. She needs harder vault/floor elements but she's also two years away from being eligible, so I have a feeling they are just pacing her. She and Komova will upgrade bars. That's just a given. Alexandrov knows that is the key to winning.

[oleada]

Am I the only cynical asshole who thinks it's all publicity?

[BigB08822]

I'm a huge fan of Komova but I can't stand her beam choreography. It seems very stop and go to me but I hope that as she matures and grows into her routines she will incorporate more flow between the tricks and choreo.