Random Thoughts on Men’s Gymnastics 09/17/09
Posted on 17 September 2009 by admin
NCAA head honcho, Myles Brand, sadly succumbed to that cruel killer, pancreatic cancer. Brand was probably most famous for firing Bobby Knight back in 2000 when he was the president of Indiana University. He established most of his legacy at Indiana, where he helped transform the university with his leadership and fundraising skills. His tenure as president of the NCAA was productive as he promoted an "academics first" environment. However, the politically correct teeth of the Title IX monster grew longer, as more and more men’s athletic programs went by the wayside. Prominent among them… men’s gymnastics.
David Durante is leaving this week for Rome, where he will live near relatives and travel throughout the continent. Not surprising is his plan to attend next month’s World Championships. Good luck, David. It sure would be nice to have you return to the states soon and to stay involved in the sport.
The World Championships are less than a month away, but next week’s Junior Japan International Competition will be a great appetizer. World Team member Jake Dalton and U.S. Junior champ John Orozco will represent the U.S. September 22-23 in Yokohama, Japan.
Former Illinois gymnasts Justin Spring and Wes Haagensen recently weighed in on Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics. Illini Head Coach Spring commented that "we are going to need to build some new venues, so that’s going to create jobs… but the Olympics are expensive." 2009 U.S.A. World Team member Haagensen added that "it’s time for our home court to basically show the world that we are the best athletic country in the world, and what better place to do it than in Chicago." Sounds good, but let’s hope that if Chicago’s bid is successful, that they are able to pull it all off with private money, just like the ’84 Peter Ueberroth-led Los Angeles games. The ’84 games ended with a substantial surplus. The winning bid will be announced on October 2 in Copenhagen. Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo are vying to host the 2016 games.
Anne Phillips posted a nice interview with Michigan’s Thomas Kelley previewing the 2010 season for the Wolverines. Michigan hopes to improve on their impressive second-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships. The Wolverines have a solid nucleus of returning gymnasts led by Kelley and Senior National Team member Chris Cameron.
