Nastia Liukin Is Not That Nasty
The uber-awesome Michael K at DListed points to a blind item run on Rush and Malloy, implicating two Olympians are bitter-rivals with one doing something nasty to the other. Michael implies it’s gymnastic champs Nastia Liukin and teammate Shawn Johnson. I say NO WAY. Here’s the blind item:
Which two perky Olympian teammates are really bitter rivals? One spiked the other’s protein shake with laxatives before a big competition, but her plan backfired when her nemesis not only powered through the competition but beat her so-called friend anyway.
In all fairness, we don’t even know what sport they are referring to or even what team, it could be those cheating Chinese gymnasts for all we know, but I highly doubt it’s Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin.
First of all, Nastia isn’t what you would call “perky”. Brooding, focused and serious, yes, but perky? Hell no. I watched virtually all of the coverage of the Olympic Gymnastic competition and Nastia is a no-nonsense kind of person, and her father Valeri Liukin, a former Russian Olympic gymnastic champion himself, would deeply frown on any kind of shenanigans of this nature.
While it’s true, the two girls, Nastia and Shawn stayed together during the Olympic competition, I doubt they are “bitter rivals.” Gymnastics is notorious for high drama, and we absolutely would have heard something by now if there were any issues related to these two young women. In a wonderful NYT article about the two gymnasts, the writer points out the obvious:
The two friends are now setting out on their post-Olympic adventures. The question is which one will capitalize the most on her Olympic success?
Johnson’s agent, Sheryl Shade, contended that there were no worries about one of them stealing sponsors from the other. She said that Liukin, 18, and Johnson, 16, appealed to different demographics. Liukin has the elegance of a ballerina. Johnson is perky.
In truth, they both performed admirably, despite having to deal with a blatant and unrepentant Chinese team of cheaters. If we removed the underage gymnasts from the Chinese team, Nastia would be up at least one gold medal, and in all fairness, the U.S. Women’s team would likely have won the team gold.
That said, I wouldn’t put this kind of thing past another U.S. gymnast, Alicia Sacramone – she’s both perky and has a ‘tude. Just kidding Alicia. Well, sort of. Please don’t punch me.
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It could be anyone. My money is on female wrestlers. Cutthroat, they are. And they’d be likely to drink protein shakes.
Of course, so do female weight lifters. Good heavens, that’d be messy.
Although, they usually compete in different weight classes. So that just leaves swimming and the equestrians. Horse laxatives?
(I kid, I kid!)
Comment by k — August 21, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
“Cheating”? Pony up the evidence or forever hold your peace. Oh wait. Too late. The IOC has said there is “no evidence” of cheating or wrong-doing. Stop with the sore losers talk already. It makes Americans look like a bunch of whiny, graceless brats.
Thankfully you have level-headed, well brought-up girls like Johnson representing you. What a generous and genuinely nice character who is friendly with and well-regarded by her rivals the Chinese gymnasts. How is it that a competitor who has staked so much in the competition can lose — and win! — gracefully and with dignity, but the legions of American couch potatoes sitting at home who have nothing personal riding on it can get so vituperative and bitter?
She has more character than all of you put together. Get over yourselves.
Comment by anon — August 22, 2008 @ 3:03 am
Nice try number 2 (Anon, yeah, I know who you are AGAIN), but the IOC and the FIG are now looking into this due to overwhelming evidence that can’t be ignored.
Of course some of the Chinese girls are underage and thus ineligible to compete. That’s hardly a dispute at this point, and it was accepted as fact BEFORE the Olympics, the problem is, how do get a totalitarian govt. which is responsible for issuing govt. documents, like the one’s used by the Chinese gymnasts, to admit it?
Oh, you can’t. Therefore it’s up to the world to put a cloud of suspicion on their “earned medals” and at the very least shame the Chinese government for pressuring innocent girls to cheat and lie all for the sake of winning medals.
Grace and dignity are earned by playing by the rules. What makes the Olympics so important and significant to the world is it the one place where all countries and their citizens can compete and perform on a level playing field and have a sense of national pride without force or bloodshed.
If you are that daft that you can’t see the difference between sore losers and wanting a competition to be fair for everyone, then WOW, you are truly stunted mentally and should seek help for that.
Comment by Dawn — August 22, 2008 @ 9:56 am
Really, who am I “again”? You paranoid imbecile. That was my first post on this site, which I clicked through from a news aggregator. The fact that you would invent paranoid conspiracy theories about who I am attests to your persecution complex. Oh, and did I say you were a sore loser?
All you have now are allegations. Unproven allegations. If the IOC inquiry turns up something, sure, penalize them for breaking the rules. BUT UNTIL THEY DO, the presumption of innocence is the fair position to take. Oh wait, I forget, the basic Anglo-American principle that is the presumption of innocence does not apply to non-Americans. Xenophobic much? Racist much?
People can tell.
Comment by anon — August 24, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
It is okay to want the competition to be fair for everyone, but for now at least, the FIG and IOC have determined that the girls are of the proper age. Therefore, it’s best that you not mention the underage allegations in a blog entry that does not directly relate to this controversy. Also, whether or not you are right about the gymnasts has nothing to do with how you state your opinion about them. Even if you are right, your tone and connotation imply that you are extremely bitter. In addition, you make overly generalizing statements about China and the athletes. For instance, you referred to all of the Chinese gymnasts as “unrepentant cheaters” despite the fact that the controversy only centers around a few of them. Secondly, I would suggest that you read up on America’s international problems before you start making statements about other countries and their governments.
Comment by Anonymous — August 24, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
#4 and # 2, it’s called an IP address, simple technology really, even an imbecile like you could figure it out. As for my opinion on this matter – this is not YOUR blog, therefore I am graciously allowing you to voice your opinion. I, however, am basing my opinion on evidence presented by the CHINESE govt about their own gymnasts. I can call them cheaters because they openly presented their age as one thing and many other sources show another.
Really, shut it already with your righteous indignation. Just because you hate the U.S. doesn’t make cheating right. I am concerned about the integrity of the Olympics, you just want to make political commentary. This is NOT the post for that.
I am proud of what the U.S. is built on, which is NOT a totalitarian communist government which has a rich history of oppressing its people in ways that are barbaric and cruel. Fact, not fiction folks.
Comment by Dawn — August 24, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
This blog was ok until I got to this bit: “In truth, they both performed admirably, despite having to deal with a blatant and unrepentant Chinese team of cheaters.”
You either back that crock of shit up with some solid evidence before you post such things on the internet. Grow up, and like poster number two said, “Stop with the sore losers talk already. It makes Americans look like a bunch of whiny, graceless brats.”
Comment by mellie — August 25, 2008 @ 12:54 am
If this isn’t the blog for political commentary, then don’t start making any with your comments and not expect a response. FYI, the United States does have a history of oppressing people whether or not it is Communist. Ever heard of slavery? How about the Native Americans? Those of us commenting don’t hate the United States. Just because we don’t see things your way, it does not make us like the US any less.
Also, the non-Communist Nationalist government of China oppressed its people; they basically let foreign powers take over China and trample over the masses. The Communists originally helped the people of China get their country back from foreigners in 1949. Try doing some history homework.
Comment by Anonymous — August 25, 2008 @ 1:37 am