Olympics- Any other ex/current Trampolinists out there?

[MemphisVol]

Since the sport finally got in the Olympics in 2000- 32 years late thanks to the political b.s. over Afghanistan- the U.S. has only managed to qualify a single woman for the games. This year 1 woman and 2 men qualified.

Considering the crappy/ miniscule U.S. t.v. coverage we got in the past 2 Olympics, does anybody know of any alternative online sources for film of the events?

I really, really want to catch as much as possible of the events this year.



For y'all who don't know, tramp involves 10 trick routines, the landing of the first is the take-off of the second and so on through the 10th. Back in my day, minimum ceiling height was 8 meters, but they were raising it for safety reasons. In the late 70's, I only had two triples in my routine. One of the hardest tricks in the world was a triple twisting triple back, invented by a Memphian (Stuart Ransom) called a Back Ransom.

Today, the Olympic women regularly do several twisting triples in their routines, and a Back Ransom is cool but not nearly that special.

[kev20]

2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games | TV & Online Listings | Viewing Schedule | NBC Olympics

[kev20]

ITSGAMETIME! live sports - Watch the 2008 Olympics Live

[BigPapaVol]

I've seen Rodney Dangerfield do the Triple Lindy.

[MemphisVol]

Originally Posted by kev20

ITSGAMETIME! live sports - Watch the 2008 Olympics Live

Thanks!!

I knew about the official tv coverage, but in 2000 & 04, even when the guide mentioned tramp, they showed a single 20 second outtake of part of our woman's optional routine- that was it. I mean, geez, they show entire badminton matches and synchronized swimming routines. You'd think at least the circus/ cheating death factors would get us more airplay. I had to hit the web to find a vid of the whole routine, and it wasn't the same as watching the event unfold.

Maybe we'll get more this year since our two best men qualified- though the fact that NBC doesn't even show the official sport-symbol in their tv guide & just lumps them under gymnastics ( ) isn't a good sign.

What I wanted an internet backup and was having trouble- thanks again!!!

[MemphisVol]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

I've seen Rodney Dangerfield do the Triple Lindy.

I still can't believe how much I liked that goofy movie.

At the time I remember wondering if he could even stand on a tramp without hitting the floor.

[MemphisVol]

Women's finals just over- anybody else watch them?

So freaking unbelievable. In my day, only guys did more than two triples, and they lost height trying it. Tonight, there were girls doing twisting triples in the middle of their routines!

[GAVol]

I saw a few routines. That was just crazy.

[allvol123]

It wasn't anything like the trampolines at the end of The Man Show.

[The Dude]

Thinking about what you said Memphis Vol, I wonder when we see the first sub 4 second forty at the NFL combine or sub 20 second 50 meter freestyle in swimming. Its insane how the impossible now could be commonplace in a few decades.

[MemphisVol]

Originally Posted by allvol123

It wasn't anything like the trampolines at the end of The Man Show.

That's just relativity and sports bras talking.

At the international level you get less gross "sympathetic movement", but the chances that the woman in question will consider you a perv are much greater and more stable, so, in the end, there's a greater amount of predictability in your life....

[dan4vols]

I can find little or no reason why trampolines should'nt be as accepted as hobble horses, or uneven bars. On a personal note the man show stumbled on this as entertainment...bouncy,bouncy

[MemphisVol]

Originally Posted by The Dude

Thinking about what you said Memphis Vol, I wonder when we see the first sub 4 second forty at the NFL combine or sub 20 second 50 meter freestyle in swimming. Its insane how the impossible now could be commonplace in a few decades.

For me, this is the big question that Phelps has (rightfully) forced us to think and play with.

It's not as good for competitive trampoline, which is only about 50 years old, as it is for older sports... yet only because older sports have a longer tradition of atheletes and improvements in training & equipment.

I don't want to say this topic/ discussion ought to be moved to somewhere else just because you put it in terms of something you noticed in common with other sports (NFL and swimming). At the same time, even when I was a young jock, back when I was doing it rather than just talking about it, I was really interested in the question you're asking-

Basically, we now know that Nature and Nurture are equally necessary.

The greatest potential physical case won't ever be Michael Jordan unless it is developed.

Likewise, no matter great the genius of the coach and the acculturation of the parents, you can't make a Jordan out of a kid who's just really dedicated to hoops.

So- how do we compare past and present heros, given all the improvements in equipment, coaching, and "the social acceptability of being a full-time jock"?

Being a former jock, personally I love this kind've crap- but I don't think we should get as serious about it as we tend to do.

Unless you have a time machine, it's unanswerable.

All I can say for sure is that if I was forced to bet who would produce more, all things being equal, I would go with the ye olde athelete who didn't enjoy all the equipment and training advantages over the modern jock who just barely beat them.

After all, by definition, the ye olde hero never had his or her potential developed as fully as the modern hero; You can't compare their Nature, because they were so unequally Nurtured.