I was not a fan of Aliya Mustafina. In fact I had never even heard her name before the 2012 Olympics. I was fully prepared like always to root for team USA during women's gymnastics. After all isn't it my patriotic duty to root for the USA? At least that's what I've always been told. That was all about to change.
As usual NBC television tried their hardest to build up the USA women as America's sweethearts. They had the girl next door looks, picture perfect smiles, scripted media responses, and bubbly personalities ready to go. It just seemed too perfect and fake. I needed something different. I was looking for a breathe of fresh air.
Thanks to NBC's horrible commentators I got just what I was looking for. Towards the very end of team qualifications NBC aired a spot on Aliya that lasted just over one minute. During that one minute segment they tried their hardest to give the USA someone to root against. They tried to create the perfect enemy for us. They said that she was hard to coach and that she was a diva. Their plan backfired on me.
What I saw was a fierce competitor. I could just see the complete and total focus in her eyes. I could tell she was determined to take gold. She was daring with her look. She really stood out in the crowd, in a good way. I had finally found my person to cheer for.
After qualifications were over I quickly went online to find out what I could. I was shocked to find out that in April 2011 she had a horrible knee injury. It's truly inspiring to see any athlete come back from that kind of injury when it would have been so easy just to give up. The strength she showed to get back to the top is simply amazing. I also found out that Aliya was the 2010 World Champion and that she had qualified for all four event finals, taking three silver medals. Her credentials just go on and on.
I went on Youtube to watch some videos and NBC was at it again. They were in shock that Aliya had no idols in gymnastics. I think it is wonderful that she strives to be her own unique person. She even has her own unique skills named after her in gymnastics. I'm sure things would be much easier for her to just idolize someone else and copy their style.
Throughout the rest of the Olympics I got to hear more and more of NBC's ridiculous commentary. If the Russian team cried it was that they were ungrateful for their medals and that they were overly emotional. If team USA cried it was that everything that they had worked so hard for had slipped away. Russia was made to look like they had bad sportsmanship if they celebrated or cracked a smile during someone else's routine. When the USA did the same exact thing nothing was said about it. When Aliya pushed her coaches hand away after falling off the balance beam it suddenly became she "shoved" him. They were constantly asking if anyone had witnessed any diva like attitude from Aliya. If someone from Russia fell on any events it was that they just gave up and didn't fight hard enough. If the USA fell it was that they were exhausted.
Of course NBC never had anything nice to say when Aliya went up to Aly Raisman and HE Kexin and congratulated them and gave them a thumbs up. I saw great sportsmanship from Aliya throughout the Olympics. I saw her consoling her teammates and cheering them on through all the events. I thought that she really showed great leadership. When Aliya was on the podium at the end of the team finals I watched her congratulate every women on the USA with a smile on her face. I thought that she showed a lot of class.
Do we really need to vilify another countries athletes? Are we not above such things? I for one was thrilled to see Aliya win four medals during the Olympics. She was the most decorated gymnast(man or women) in the Olympics. I wish to congratulate her and her team for doing such a wonderful job.
Kenny
Anyone that has a story they would like to share could always do so in the newly added message board.
As usual NBC television tried their hardest to build up the USA women as America's sweethearts. They had the girl next door looks, picture perfect smiles, scripted media responses, and bubbly personalities ready to go. It just seemed too perfect and fake. I needed something different. I was looking for a breathe of fresh air.
Thanks to NBC's horrible commentators I got just what I was looking for. Towards the very end of team qualifications NBC aired a spot on Aliya that lasted just over one minute. During that one minute segment they tried their hardest to give the USA someone to root against. They tried to create the perfect enemy for us. They said that she was hard to coach and that she was a diva. Their plan backfired on me.
What I saw was a fierce competitor. I could just see the complete and total focus in her eyes. I could tell she was determined to take gold. She was daring with her look. She really stood out in the crowd, in a good way. I had finally found my person to cheer for.
After qualifications were over I quickly went online to find out what I could. I was shocked to find out that in April 2011 she had a horrible knee injury. It's truly inspiring to see any athlete come back from that kind of injury when it would have been so easy just to give up. The strength she showed to get back to the top is simply amazing. I also found out that Aliya was the 2010 World Champion and that she had qualified for all four event finals, taking three silver medals. Her credentials just go on and on.
I went on Youtube to watch some videos and NBC was at it again. They were in shock that Aliya had no idols in gymnastics. I think it is wonderful that she strives to be her own unique person. She even has her own unique skills named after her in gymnastics. I'm sure things would be much easier for her to just idolize someone else and copy their style.
Throughout the rest of the Olympics I got to hear more and more of NBC's ridiculous commentary. If the Russian team cried it was that they were ungrateful for their medals and that they were overly emotional. If team USA cried it was that everything that they had worked so hard for had slipped away. Russia was made to look like they had bad sportsmanship if they celebrated or cracked a smile during someone else's routine. When the USA did the same exact thing nothing was said about it. When Aliya pushed her coaches hand away after falling off the balance beam it suddenly became she "shoved" him. They were constantly asking if anyone had witnessed any diva like attitude from Aliya. If someone from Russia fell on any events it was that they just gave up and didn't fight hard enough. If the USA fell it was that they were exhausted.
Of course NBC never had anything nice to say when Aliya went up to Aly Raisman and HE Kexin and congratulated them and gave them a thumbs up. I saw great sportsmanship from Aliya throughout the Olympics. I saw her consoling her teammates and cheering them on through all the events. I thought that she really showed great leadership. When Aliya was on the podium at the end of the team finals I watched her congratulate every women on the USA with a smile on her face. I thought that she showed a lot of class.
Do we really need to vilify another countries athletes? Are we not above such things? I for one was thrilled to see Aliya win four medals during the Olympics. She was the most decorated gymnast(man or women) in the Olympics. I wish to congratulate her and her team for doing such a wonderful job.
Kenny
Anyone that has a story they would like to share could always do so in the newly added message board.
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