Dein erstes Forum » U.S. gymnast has ever done it before. So I aim

This story appears in ESPN The Magazines Dec. 12 issue. Subscribe today!The elation of the World Series is now behind us, and thus begins the season when every player joins the same team against an opponent that happens to pay them. Major League Baseball is on a tenuous 21-year streak of labor peace since the beginning of the last work stoppage, when the 1994 strike devastated the sport, destroyed the Montreal Expos and paved the way for the steroid era. Uncomfortable truths, all, but truths nevertheless.The truths of the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (the current one expires Dec. 1) arent necessarily heroic from the selfish eye of the fan, who couldnt care less about labor unless a lockout or a strike looms. Its players vs. owners, millions vs. billions. There dont appear to be any apocalyptic issues that would stop the game, but that doesnt mean a work stoppage wont occur.The issues that would radically shape baseball for the better-determining once and for all whether the game continues down its path of everyday interleague play and, if so, whether it adds the DH to the National League or abolishes it in the American-are likely not on the table. Nor is the nonstarter of shortening the season to accommodate the increase of playoff teams (which has reduced the necessity of a 162-game season) and to avoid bad postseason weather. What is on the table is, in a sense, climate change. Baseball has slowly been trying to turn its culture closer to footballs-look at how the commissioners office has pushed for more power (see: Alex Rodriguez being suspended for a full season in 2014 during the Biogenesis scandal without failing a drug test), and witness the primacy of baseballs odious qualifying offer, which, although it might survive the negotiations, shouldnt.On its face, the qualifying offer -- which can be extended to eligible free agents who have been with a team for the entire previous season -- seems to work for everyone. It mimics the NFLs franchise tag with one major exception: Unlike NFL players, MLB players can reject it -- and they have, roundly, over its four-year existence. In football, not one of the 27 quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame was ever a healthy, in-prime unrestricted free agent. In baseball, a player who has accepted the qualifying offer would earn $17.2?million for the 2017 season and would get to become an unrestricted free agent after. The player makes a lot of money and puts off free agency for a year. The team, meanwhile, doesnt have to compete for its own player but isnt tied to a long-term contract. A win-win, right?Wrong. Since the inception of the new system in 2012, 64 qualifying offers have been made by teams, with only five accepted. This year Neil Walker of the Mets and Jeremy Hellickson of the Phillies accepted. The other eight players offered this year did not, aware of their worth on the open market. Yoenis Cespedes, for example, rejected the Mets qualifying offer, knowing full well some team will likely commit to him for more than one year; in turn, the Mets will receive a draft pick from whatever team signs him.The qualifying offer isnt destroying baseball, but its not helping either because it continues to expose old wounds. The sport is a $10?billion industry and yet, 41 years and untold profits later, ownership still hasnt been willing to accept the concept of player movement without some form of compensation in return. The philosophy behind free agent compensation has always been specious: that if a team loses a player to free agency, it deserves compensation for having developed the talent. The counter is more sensible: Baseball controls a drafted player until he hits six years of service time. Then that player should be free to join the marketplace to shop his services, the debt to his club paid.The gap between MLB philosophy and reality is wide. The qualifying offer is really designed to dampen free agency and depress salaries, to give teams pause before signing free agents because they dont want to lose the draft picks attached to signing one. On the other side, it discourages teams from retaining their own players with long-term deals and encourages them to acquire draft picks. A team, for example, that needs Cespedes might not sign him because it doesnt want to give up compensation, which means not doing what it takes to win. Winning, in fact, often falls a distant second to making and saving money. The pursuit of the World Series is the summer game. That game is over, giving way to the winter game: owners vs. players battling over money and control. Jakob Silfverberg Ducks Jersey . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Hampus Lindholm Jersey . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. http://www.authenticduckspro.com/Ryan-getzlaf-ducks-jersey/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Paul Kariya Jersey . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Cam Fowler Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Gabby Douglas won the Olympic all-around title in 2012 as a 16-year-old, then took a two-year break from the sport after London to pursue endorsements and other opportunities. Now shes back -- with a reality TV show and a Barbie doll in her likeness -- and shes hoping for a chance to defend her all-around title at the Rio Olympics. But it wont be easy. U.S. teammate Simone Biles is the hands-down favorite for all-around gold after winning the last three straight world all-around titles, and Douglas path to the Olympic team was a tricky one, with inconsistent performances at U.S. nationals and Olympic trials. Shell have to make the U.S. team lineup on all four events in the qualifications on Sunday in order to have a chance to qualify into the all-around, and thats not a given.Douglas has never been afraid to voice her biggest dreams, though, and just getting to Rio has been one of them. She talked to us about her comeback, her goals for the Olympics and how she handles the enormous pressure of the spotlight.Im a different gymnast than I was in 2012. Maturing over the years and the competitive experience Ive had is going to help me in Rio. I know the process and what the journey is like. Im just more confident, more bold and more aggressive going into routines and skills. Im physically and mentally a little bit stronger this time than last time.But in some ways, it all kind of feels the same as it did before London. Competing feels the same, and I feel like I know what to expect.This U.S. team is the team to beat. We are experienced, we know what to do and we are going for gold. Even Laurie Hernandez?--?whos the youngest, and 16 like I was last time -- shes confident already. Im like, Girl, yes, youve got it. This is going to be so easy for you. I love pumping the younger girls up and filling them with energy because I used to be there when I was younger, looking for advice.I got advice from everybody in the lead-up to 2012: my siblings, my moms, my coaches, my friends, other gymnasts. Alicia Sacramone and Dominique Dawes helped me along the way too. Older gymnasts would tell me to go out there and enjoy the moment. I was so bouncy, and Id always go out of bounds, so they told me to calm down, take it one step at a time and dont let the pressure get to you. And, to have fun! Easier said than done.Competing on beam in the 2012 team finals was the most nerve-wracking time of my life. I was so nervous. My beam had been inconsistent, and I wasnt supposed to be on beam for finals, but Martha Karolyi, the head coordinator of the U.S. gymnastics team, switched the lineup. She put me in instead of Jordyn Wieber because I had done really well in prelims. After bars though, I thought, I dont know if I can do this. What if I fall? What if I cost USA the gold medal? Put Jordyn back in on beam!But at that point, even if she wanted to, Martha couldnt because the lineeup was already set, and you cant change it.dddddddddddd So I looked to Aly Raisman and was like, I cant do this. I dont know if I can. I was freaking out. She was like, Gabby, be quiet. Just... no. You got it. Youve been looking so good in training. Youve got this. So she calmed me down, and then I started to believe again.I felt so good when I hit that beam routine. And it was a good thing I didnt fall because that would have been really bad! I was glad I could deliver. Needless to say, its really special that Aly is on the team again with me. We shared a lot in London, and were ready to do it all over again in Rio.There have been tough days this time around, definitely. But thats with anything. Experiences like that one from London have made this comeback much easier. Yes, I had some mistakes at Olympic trials. But my confidence is really good. Its so amazing that everyone believes in me. I feel like I have a lot of people in my camp.I felt the pressure more this time at Olympic trials than last time in 2012. I didnt expect that. But I have a plan going into Rio. Im going to focus on how every turn counts and work on the mental game. I think physically Im good, but mentally I needed some more preparation. I need to not let anything get to me and to fight for every skill.The wait for the Olympic team to be named was extremely hard -- it was five minutes, but it felt like an hour. It was very emotional for everybody. The suspeeeeeeense! And then, I just was so happy when I was named to the team.I dont look at all of this as pressure; I look at it as a great opportunity. My mind feels right, my body feels good and this is an amazing opportunity I have to compete at another Games. At least thats what I try to say to myself! When the doubt starts to get to me, I like to meditate on Scripture, and when I see my teammates, it also helps me realize sometimes that I need to get my game up. I cant let them see me struggling.Before I do a routine in a meet, I give myself a little pep talk. I say, I can do this one, right now. Ive done so many before. Its the scariest time right then, because theres no turning back!My goal is still to repeat as Olympic champion. I want to defend my title in the all-around. No U.S. gymnast has ever done it before. So I aim to do the impossible.When I look back at my comeback, Im most proud of staying with it. Whatever happens in Rio, I already feel like this comeback has been a success. I went to another world championships after being out for two years, and came in second all-around. I got to do the American Cup earlier this year -- this competition that I always wanted to do since I was a little girl. Im already feeling successful. To have more titles under my belt would just be icing on the cake. ' ' '