The hair Olympics! And also gymnastics. But mostly hair! This week, we have a commissioned episode from Club Gym Nerd member Billy, who asked for an episode all about the team competition at the 1988 Olympics saying, "have fun with all the 80s styles and music." We don't need to be told twice.

• Setting the scene
  • Check out last week's 80s FIGHT episode for all the Romanian/Soviet lead-up drama to the 1988 Olympics
  • Updates on the age falsification discussion from last week, featuring Soviets who were underage too
  • Jessica finds an excuse to talk about another HBO show she's obsessed with
  • Here is a video of then-FIG President Yuri Titov lying about Elena Mukhina being paralyzed (Thank you, Boris for sending us this video)
• Compulsories - perfection and politics
  • We gush about the wonders of compulsories and pick out the skills from the 1988 compulsory routines that we would put in our dream 2019 compulsories
  • Because of being an insufferable form queen, Spencer freaks out about people's leg positions and fake 10s for gymnasts from famous countries
  • A fluff piece about acid wash jorts. Also Chelle Stack and Bela and weight and EVERYTHING'S FINE HERE.
• The 0.5 deduction for the US team
  • What was the actual rule? Was the deduction for the US an appropriate reading of that rule?
  • How did the Bela/Ellen Berger feud play into the deduction?
  • Whose fault was it really? (Spoiler: it's Bela's)
• Team optionals
  • Do the Bulgarians have the biggest gripe?
  • A mild divorce over whether a tucked tkatchev would be hard
  • EAST GERMANY WAS OVERSCORED
  • Mullets. A deep controversy about the proper physics of a mullet.
  • The imperfect 10. Is it acceptable or not?
  • Which floor routine best encapsulates the 1980s—Silivas or Kersten?
  • Interpreting Romania's intended wiggles on beam, here and here
  • East German leos - pleather or rubber or substance not of this earth?
  • The Strazheva Moment
  • Why didn't Silivas save the double double for finals?
  • Spencer says something very controversial about the US beam rotation
  • The Soviet Cowboy: An Analysis
  • Creepy things that happened after the competition

FURTHER READING

• Osijek World Challenge Cup
• Things Are Happening – May 24, 2019
• The Kims
• Zhaoqing World Challenge Cup
• Interview with Kathy Johnson Clarke

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

RELATED EPISODES

• 364: 80s Fight! (Commissioned)
• 344: Shushunova vs. Silivas 1988 (Commissioned)
• 342: A Quitter's Try – The CNN Parkettes Documentary (Commissioned)
• 341: The Call Is Coming from Inside the House
• 340: USAG and The Case of the Missing Documents
• 327: 1993 NCAA Nationals (Commissioned)
• 325: Olympics of Difference Makers (Commissioned)
• 313: Best Floor Routines EVAH! (Commissioned)
• 312: 4th Is the New 1st (Commissioned)
• 309: Perfect Form – The O'Beirne Code (Commissioned)
• 308: 2004 Olympic All-Around Final (Commissioned)
• 306: Gymnastics Fails (Commissioned)
• 304: The GymCastic Olympics (Commissioned)
• 281: Myths, Legends, and Unexpected Moments PART 2 (Commissioned)
• 279: A Diva Is Magical: The Svetlana Khorkina Episode (Commissioned)
• 278: 2000 Sydney All-Around Final (Commissioned)
• 262: 1996 Olympic Event Finals (Commissioned)
• 258: The Fluff Cast (Commissioned)
• 256: 1996 Olympic All-Around Final (Commissioned)
• 255: 1996 Olympic Team Final (Commissioned)
• 252: Myths, Legends and Unexpected Moments in Gymnastics History (Commissioned)
• 228: Leotards (Commissioned)
• 225: 1992 Olympics Recap with Wendy Bruce (Commissioned)
• 185: 2008 Olympic All-Around Finals (Commissioned)