Jennifer, thanks for a substantive and informative article that really makes the most of your insider knowledge of the sport. I much prefer this type of article to "The Beast".

After all, we're fans and you've admitted you hate us.

By writing this article, you're encouraging the behavior you claim to despise.

I didn't bother to read it, nor will I read any of your writings, not after your admissions. Did you simply find that writing pays better than flipping burgers? After all, that's what a failed "athlete" like you is probably best suited for. No education, no real skills other than the ability to gyrate elaborately and prostitution is illegal outside Nevada and that leaves you suited for menial labor or posting crap on the internet for people gullible enough to buy your crappy writing.

As the high-level training of small children in a sport that tosses them out at a very young age is borderline child abuse, perhaps the US getting good at girls gymnastics is a bad sign for the nation. I honestly prefer the Canadian model, they win no meaningless medals but they do have a good health care system.

Most of the eastern block Communist countries and a few others had very aggressive steroid and doping programs that were just as important to their Olympic teams as the "non chemical" training programs.

These doping programs were not carried out by rouge athletes injecting themselves with what they hoped was a drug that would help them and not kill them. They were state run by some of the best doctors in those closed societies.

How many of medals from the Soviets glory days were produced by prodigious amounts of steroids... half, most all!!!! I don't think anyone, including the Olympic committee really want to open that dark box of secrets and gaze inside.

about athletes that apparently have so little regard for the "fans".....any parent that subjects their child to this "life" just to have them turn into world-class misanthropes should be waterboarded

Walmart

big oil

Bush

Israel

neocons

consumerism

And bronze is ok too. I rather like democracy even though it doesn't produce gold.

is a MUCH better use of your "insider" status.

Very interesting stuff.

(although I still prefer the Simpsons' version where the coach threatens to kill their cats if they make a mistake :)

This article was interesting and informative. Sey should stick to reporting and skip the bitter opinion pieces about her childhood.

While I definitely criticize the Chinese and their underage "athletes", it's important to remember what some Americans have to put up with as well. But I can't help but notice that the Americans have a choice in the matter.

After reading Sey's last two articles I'm convinced she is the gymnastics equivalent to Walter Sobchack (the fans of course are Donny):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjYJ7zZ9BRw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyFpOp8Ft0Q

One of the USA's greatest strengths is learning from the rest of the world, and adopting/adapting. For example, we rercently have learned torture and dungeons from other successful countries. And now I welcome the addition of child abuse as developed and perfected in Romania.

America is the greatest country in the world. USA! Number One!

Can we get the Karolyis to run Amtrak?

"...not that I'm a big fan of what it means to be an American these days."

Do these article not go through an editor before being posted? What are you trying to say with a statement like this? You're reporting on an Olympics in which one of the greatest athletic performances of all time is being played out by an American, and you write out a statement like that as if your entire audience surely agrees with you? First you hate the fans because we just couldn't possibly understand what you went trying to reach a goal, because we're all lazy slobs who took the easy route to becoming whatever we've become. You hate yourself because you can't stop acting like a jerk about it. And now you hate what it means to be an American, for no stated reason at all? Get over yourself. I read these articles for some insight into the Olympics, and yet I can't get through any of your articles without learning yet another reason why I would hate to watch them with you.

They pushed aside all the bitterness at having lost their childhood to non-stop training. Watch & learn, Jennifer, and just let go of it yourself.

W.

Having raised four children who were heavily involved in sports (and music, and dance, and academics, and the outdoors, and being kids), I can attest to the value of discipline, structure, goals, and all that. If a child has a rare talent in, say, mathematics, do you expect that child to be chained to grade level American public school mind numbing mediocrity? Of course not. IF a child has an athletic gift, I see no problem having that gift developed- not exploited, not for the parent's benefit (or the society's)- in a similar way. All of our kids were competitive swimmers, but one of them lived for it- he swam back and forth across the American River in Sacramento when he was four. We didn't force him to do anything- in fact, we had to forbid him from swimming two a day workouts when he was eight. Way too young. but he got a full ride college scholarship, made Olympic qualifying times (but not the team), and is a happy, well ordered young person, as are the other three. So having your child compete, even at high levels, doesn't make you a child abuser. Letting your kids sit on their fattening asses playing video games or spending hours wandering mindlessly around a freaking mall- now that's child abuse. jeff

Miss Sey, did you ever win an Olympic gold medal?

Did you ever win ANY medal at the Olympics?

Ok - but you did qualify for and go to the Olympics, right?

Right?

No? So what exactly qualifies you to write about / comment on the US OLYMPIC gymnastics team?

I could understand Mary Lou Retton blogging on this topic - you see, she's a true "elite" athlete who attended the Olympics and won medals.

But you? Who cares what Miss Broken Femur has to say?

Just sayin'...you writing about Olympic teams & competitors is like Tara Reid writing about Judi Dench's or Katharine Hepburn's acting.