Ah, why do I love thee? I sent you fan letters as a child (not to Nadia although I liked her too) with dreams of becoming your new protegee. The fact that I was already past the age where I needed to begin my training would not have been a problem for the most fabulous coach in the world. I remember your defection, I remember all the the special dispensations for you to get your citizenship. I remember all your successes at coaching here in the US despite the criticisms from people who didn't understand your drive to make your gymnasts succeed.Although we only get to see you at the Olympics now and not in the stands or in the coaches area you still are awesome. With your walrus moustache (reminiscent of Wilfred "testing Supplies" Brimley) and your emphatic opinions about the lack of skillful judges (they really did suck at times), I watched late into the night just to see you and your mismatched shoes and jacket combos go off on the scoring system and the lack of competent gymnastics judges. The wardrobe fail was somehow endearing combined with your still heavy Romanian/Hungarian accent.
I will always have that little dream of being your greatest champion ever and getting a big bear hug from the strict yet lovable Romanian coach. See you in 2012 Bela!
24 comments:
So true. Bela is the bomb. I love how emotional he gets..like when Alicia Sacremone was totally robbed in the vault competition.
Did I see you on an email from Blogiliscious? Are they re-designing your blog?
I remember him!
He's just a big ol teddy bear, isn't he?
Ohhhh, I love Bela too!
I think they should have shown him watching the gymnasts from the studio with Bob Costas immediatly following each event.....I thought he might blow a blood vessel :) but his passion is what I love about him!
My daughter and I love him. We get all choked up when he gets all jiggy about the American gymnasts!
i remember him! I watched the beam last night.
I haven't been watching the Olympics much...but I do remember him from Olympics past. And he reminds me of a major league baseball manager. Having it out with the refs. Scuffing dirt across home plate...
Aw...memories of Bela and Keri. But I cackled at the Wilford Brimley reference. You are insanely clever!
Nice post - he is one of the good guys for sure.
He's just so awesome. I got goosebumps when he got all choked up over the unfair tie breaker. He seems very loveable.
Bela's the big, lovable, foreign-accented, mustached grandpa we all wish we had. I think I get a bigger kick out of watching him watch the gymnasts when I do myself sometimes! What would the sport be without him...
Hi Miss America, this was indeed a strange post!
Hope you are happy and well and thanks for looking in today and leaving a comment at mine.
Catch you soon and here's hoping you continue to eclipse China in the *totals* on the Olympic medal table.
It's the total sweep that counts!
Wow... I used to have the SAME FANTASY! I have been trying to get Eva to sit still & watch... But she just isn't THAT into it.. Y E T, I'm not giving up on her!
Thanks for the memory!
I will eat a few candy corn for you. Thats what friends are for~ smile!!!
I LOVE that he was the only one with enough "nerve" to call the judges on the blatant favoritism that was being shown... It was sickening.
Bela rocks. And that young lady in his arms was amazing one leg!
Dude...you could totally rock London 2012!
By the way, why is Olympic trampolines a sport? Makes ZERO sense to me ...
If you are in for gymnastics in 2012 with Bela, maybe it's not too far of a stretch for me to be in with Michael Phelps. Want to be roommates?
uh...quoi? You're a dork, and I'm going back to drinking wine in Charentes...you might like Pineau de Charentes...near Cognac...smooth pre-dinner drink...Bela might like it too ...snicker snicker....hugs.
I love him too. He is one of the best coaches out there. I wish he was still coaching.
I love him. I signed the kids up for gymnastics...am I hoping for an olympian, well sort of. Ha!
That is one of my favorite photos... look at his face!
I was so with him on what he said! I love it that he had the balls to stand up and voice his opinion about such an obvious bad call by the judges.
He's my hero now...
Still trying to play catchup, so I've got some reading ahead of me, lol.
Hola Scar, You couldn't have said it better! He was the most passionate announcer in the studio and such a joy to watch and listen to. Ahhhh, I am so missing the Olympics now that they're over.
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