Well I always have an opinion, and it is here where I will share it
with you. I'd like to talk a little about R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Michelle is
pretty much set with that word (with the exception of her being
totally overlooked for the ESPY awards this year) Michelle is known
as the best skater of her generation. The announcers know it, the Media
knows it, the fans know it and the so called experts know it.
Michelle was at least In My Opinion, robbed of the Gold medal in
Nagano but still till this day she is still considered a better
skater then other's also of her generation.
Now that brings us to
Shannon Miller. Still till this day Shannon is not given credit for
being the best gymnast of her generation, she is not even given
credit as being the best gymnast of her Country. Many un educated
fans, announcers and so called experts still give that title to Mary
Lou Retton. The Media is supposed to at least know something about the
sport of Gymnastics but they don't and they all think Mary Lou Retton
is America's best.
Going into the 92 Olympics all expectations and R-E-S-P-E-C-T was
given to a very deserving Kim Zmeskal after all she was World All
Around Champion. I don't be grudge anything she got back then.
After the Olympics the media virtually ignored Shannon because her 5
medals (The most of any American women at that Olympics games) were
not Gold. Despite the fact that Shannon was robbed of the Gold Medal
in the All Around. If the media was doing there job back then,
someone would of broke the story of how the Russian coach (who now
lives and coaches in the USA. I consider this as being a reason for
treason. Who let this man in MY COUNTRY!!! Over the top:) Good that's
why this is called In My Opinion!) Leonard Arkiev (Sorry the name is
not spelled correctly but I don't R-E-S-P-E-C-T the guy enough to
look up how his name is really spelled) lied and said Roza Galiyeva
was hurt so he could put in a gymnast who did not qualify to the All
Around finals. A gymnast who was then very blatantly overscored. All
this stuff is known by gymnastic fans, but is it ever mentioned
anywhere else. Nooooooooooo.
Going into the 96 Olympics, Shannon having 2 World All Around Titles
to her credentials was totally overlooked by the fan's (well not all
of us), she also was totally overlooked by the Media,(People magazine
ran two stories on Dominique Dawes for her accomplishments at the 94
Nationals but never even mentioned Shannon's 2nd WORLD All Around
title) and so called experts. Experts who were supposed to know better.
They over hyped a gymnast who did not deserve hardly any of the
attention she got. All because she was cute and personable. Now that
brings us to 1999. Will Shannon go down as the gymnast of the
Century, probably not. While I would put her in any top 5 list, many
other gymnasts accomplished more things then Shannon and deservedly
so, belong ahead of her in that top whatever list's. Would I consider
Shannon the top gymnast of the decade. You bet ya. She won a medal at
every World or Olympic competition she entered and has a total of 16
right now. Other's have more medals, with more times at the World
competition. But IMO Shannon deserves that title. Will she get it.
Probably not.
Will Shannon be considered the best USA Gymnast of this Century.
Probably not. Some dense gymnastics coaches of other Countries, and of my
own Country, and people who are supposed to be in the know, will all of
course still say Dominique Dawes is a better gymnast, because they
feel sorry for her miss haps. Or some will say Kerri Strug because of
one vault, which she has already been given much more credit then she
actually deserved .(She did it to make the All Around people, not for
any other reason).
I realize while writing this IMO, I have not given some R-E-S-P-E-C-T
to some people but I am not asking you to R-E-S-P-E-C-T me. I am
asking you to give some R-E-S-P-E-C-T to Shannon Miller the gymnast.
For her accomplishments of the last 9 years. To Shannon Miller the
person. The person with a good heart. Who treat's everyone with the
same R-E-S-P-E-C-T. The same R-E-S-P-E-C-T I believe she
deserves!!!!!!
Sorry that I can't spell and that I have terrible puncuation error's in this. I will have someone fix my mistakes as soon
as I can.
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