THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 21, 1996 TAG: 9607210200
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
LENGTH: 80 lines
Over in a cozy corner by the parallel bars, the crowd was on its feet, filling the gymnastics half of the Georgia Dome with chants of ``USA, USA, USA.''
For a few moments Saturday afternoon it was 1984 again.
Members of the American men's team responded to their fans with joyous smiles. They waved happily and hopped up and down on their toes.
Still, they couldn't help but wonder what took the crowd so long. The chants didn't begin, after all, until the team compulsories were complete and the scores in.
At a time when U.S. men's gymnastics needs all the help it can get, the home-dome crowd might have influenced the judging.
If you're scoring at home, give the 30,100 in attendance a 9.4 for enthusiasm, but a 6.0 for timing.
``We need the crowd to come back hard the next time,'' said U.S. stalwart John Roethlisberger, looking forward to Monday's team optionals. ``If the crowd had been doing that after every routine, it would have been worth another half point to us.''
Which still would have left them in second place behind Belarus at the end of the midday session.
It was a good position to be in. Too early to celebrate, though. The Chinese, Russians and Ukraines were competing later. By day's end, the U.S. men would still be in contention for a medal, but, as expected, only as a longshot.
``We're underdogs,'' said Roethlisberger. ``People don't expect us to go out and win a medal.''
He's right about that. But on the first day of Olympic competition, the U.S. men made a big splash, not always a sure thing.
Of course, the real competition facing the Americans won't appear until today. That's when the female gymnasts hit their marks and seize the spotlight.
The women, the girls, the pixies, they are far too cute and telegenic. Roethlisberger and the other male gymnasts, hunky as they may be, just can't compete with that.
In America, if not worldwide, all the household gymnasts names belong to women. Olga. Nadia. Mary Lou. And for these Olympics, there might be another: Dominique.
Then there is Vitaly Scherbo, best of the Belarus men. No international first-name recognition for him, even though he won six golds in Barcelona.
As for Roethlisberger, he is the first gymnast in more than a generation to win four national all-around titles. Despite this, the fourth best U.S. women's gymnast gets more recognition.
Women own gymnastics. They've left the men in their chalk dust.
Too bad about that, for the men's sport is more difficult to perfect. The men must compete in six events, to only four for the women.
Also, the men are not exploited children. They are robust young adults with the arms of weightlifters and the backs of middleweight fighters.
Male gymnasts combine the brute strength it takes to perform on the rings, and the quickness needed to whirl around the pommel horse, with a trapeze artist's flair for the horizontal bar.
Roethlisberger acknowledges that nothing would enhance the image of men's gymnastics in America more than an Olympic medal.
But in Barcelona, American Trent Dimas was the improbable gold-medalist on the high bar. Does that name ring a bell? Didn't think so.
The last American men to make a ripple was the '84 team that took advantage of the Soviet Union's absence from L.A. One member of that team, Mitch Gaylord, tried acting, but found greater success as the stunt double for Robin in the Batman movies.
After all these years, Bart Conner remains recognizable, though now he is more famous for being Mr. Nadia Comaneci.
The '96 men's team is given little chance of duplicating the excitement created in '84.
``If we get 40,000 people here and they tear the roof down Monday, I don't know if the foreign guys will be able to handle it,'' Roethlisberger said. ``Maybe it will put a little fear in them.''
It might. But it wouldn't change the landscape of gymnastics, or make the American men anymore than an opening act for the little ladies. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Even Belarus' Vitaly Scherbo, who won six golds in '92, has had
trouble getting name recognition.
KEYWORDS: OLYMPIC GAMES 1996 by CNB