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Sunday, July 02, 2000 By Lori Shontz, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Is it really possible that Shannon Miller could help the U.S. national women's gymnastics team?
"She is our major asset going into this particular Games," said U.S. Coach Bela Karolyi, who has come out of retirement to help fix the gymnastics program. "She's such a famous, great athlete. What she's representing is the sturdiness of the sport. The ability and, also, the dignity of the sport."
New rules enhance the possibility that Miller can contribute to the team. Because only five gymnasts will compete on each apparatus and four scores will count, not all six team members need to be exceptional all-arounders.
"Now you can have three or four very strong all-arounders, but you also have to have to introduce a couple of people who will not necessarily do all four events, which brings a tremendous plus to the team result," Karolyi said. "If you introduce two powerful event specialists, you bring into the team four or five 10ths [of a point] addition to the even score."
So while it's doubtful that Miller is still good enough at the all-around, it's more likely that her prowess on beam (she's the 1996 Olympic gold medalist) could make a difference for the Americans.
The controversial new selection procedure works in Miller's favor, too. No longer will the top scorers from the Olympic trials automatically make the team. The process has been divided into two parts, the national championships at the end of July (40 percent) and the Olympic trials in Boston (60 percent). But only the gymnast with the top combined score is guaranteed a spot; the rest will be chosen by a selection committee led -- and most likely dominated -- by Karolyi.
Miller's reputation and vast international experience will likely be part of the equation, no matter how she performs.
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