Why I Can't Watch Gymnastics

This story is NOT for the weak hearted. Actually, its not for the mild hearted either. While attempting to lift 248kilograms, using a lifting technique called the "Snatch,"Hungarian Olympian Janos Baranyai suffered a dislocated elbow, and that's putting it mildly.

Injuries occur in sports competition and athletes know it. But they can never prepare for the agony and pain of such injuries. The agony of defeat is probably as painful as physical injury to the body. Then again, one look at the dislocated elbow of Janos makes that old theory sound like hogwash. Warning, some of the pics at this link are horrific, but not bloody. Click Here

I once heard Oakland Raiders wide-receiver Tim Brown describe a medical procedure involving a torn leg ligament. After informing the radio listeners of how the inner thigh ligament tore away from the femur bone, he described how the surgeon cut down to the bone then stapled the ligament back onto the bone before closing the incision with more staples. Doctor Brown then calmly assessed that the stapled ligament would take blank amount of weeks to adhere back to the bone sufficiently.

I mention this snippet from "Mornings with Doctor Tim Brown" because It was one of the few times I recall wincing at someone's description of an injury and the surgical procedure to fix it.

We've all seen horrific injuries in sports; Joe Theisman's leg break, A boxer's swollen eyelid, a basketball player's knee cap turned sideways after a collision. But seeing this Gymnast's elbow popping out and witnessing the expression of agony on his face might just top all others. The fact that it happened on a world-wide stage makes it a memorable moment in sports. I personally can't watch young girls vaulting, uneven bars or rings. I feel every miss of theres too painfully. I think the last one I watched was Nadia Comaneci, 1976. She nailed them all.

My heart and prayers go out to Janos Baranyai. May his competitive psyche mend along with his physical rehabilitation so that he may compete in future Olympic games.

In the meantime, may the 2008 Summer Olympics resume safely and may the Americans Win it All!