A second "perfect 10" for B&B?
[16.09] Whipped cream
"battle" at Deva
The official reception of welcoming The Gold Team ended last
evening into a general whipped cream fight, with Belu's face
generously covered by a deep layer of whipped cream.
The Reception didn't have an official appearance at all. One
of the moments was a balloons contest, with guests trying
to break some ceiling-suspended balloons.Some of them have
had gold jewelries hidden inside. Catalina Ponor didn't succeed
to break, partly because some of the balloons weren't (deliberately)
inflated enough, which make the crashing even harder.Belu
came on scene helping her to crach baloons with his pocket
knife.
Girls were allowed (again) to eat (moderately) from anything
on table, Mrs.Bitang saying that "last three weeks we let
them do almost anything they want, eat what they like-and
this is already showing... (meaning they start get weight,
which is bad). Since tomorrow, we have to keep the nice memories
and go back to work..."
At one moment, girls started to splash whipped cream into
each other face, and all girls spreading whipped cream ...to
Belu face,too. After the last week moments on the Rex Hotel,
when girls have splashed a bucket of water into Belu's head,
(for the Report,
click here) this was another "memorable moment" (like
"Fuji moments for a life"-yeah, I know it's K. who use a slogan
like this, but Fuji films are better for gym).
Maybe this is also a good therapy for girls, after years of
frustration, with long hours into gym hall, training so hard.They
have had now some unique chances to throw out any "hard/bad
feelings" on Belu for making them working so hard, so long.
I am a (distance and closer, too), long time (since '80's)
observer of Mr.Belu and I can tell you, guys, this man have
changed a lot, especially past few years.He is ready to take
now any amount of water buckets into his head (last week moment),
to have his face and nice costume covered with whipped cream,
if this will make girls happy and...ready to return in the
gym hall to work, even harder.It seems that he understand,
at last, that he can get even better results with this strategy,
(only one which he can use these days, anyway) than the old
one, (being only the "bad guy") Russian-inspired and Karoly
"imported and improved" in Romanian during '70's .
Any Californian, top-paid, successful (have you ever seen
in movies theirs 7...8 $ figures properties?...) psychologist
will confirm you that Belu may get, in return for his last
two weeks "sacrifices", all the hard work he will need, and
he will need, from girls.
Of course, I...don't "buy it" -both scenes with the water
and whipped cream, the girls will never attempt to do such
things without Mrs.Bitang backing (supervising) them, even
inspiring them and knowing (in advance) that this is Ok for
Belu. I don't want to ruin your pleasure reading this, but
for me is still a big step, a giant one and most important
since Nadia, into how Romanian Olympic team is treated (at
Deva or in general) and girls physically comfort (which nobody
seems to care about, just few years ago).
The girls have a chance to throw out any adversities on Belu
(just kidding, now I know for sure they really like him from
the bottom of their hearts, after making them winners).
Also girls have had a chance to taste from the sweetest -chocolate-ice-cream-and-whipped
cream, too, "Victory-Stars-Cake". After you taste (even for
a short time, like the past three weeks) this life, I'm sure
(and Belu may hope or even planned this, too) most of girls
will get "addicted". If the former "bad guy" will see the
girls get "addicted" and are seriously motivated, he will
try again. Now that we have that (kitsch, stupid-my opinion)
Adidas commercial inspiring us, he will try an "almost
impossible" thing.
Yes, I think he may try to get the third Olympic Team title.
Why? very simple, he is now the best coach in the world, according
to any statistics, but if he will succeed (again) at Beijing,
he will land directly into the History of Gymnastics (and
almost no chances in future to have somebody else achieve
such results).
Oh, yeas, this will be the Real, definitely, the ULTIMATE
challenge for Belu (and, of course, he may heard about the
last week secret Romanian Government decision "support Belu,
give him anything he wants, have their exclusive new gym hall
build immediately and at any costs; pay him top salary").
Somebody may have told to Belu or girls they should be dressed
more appropriate for Reception and the girls were seen into
nice costumes. (At last week marriage reception, for Dan Grecu's
daughter marriage, girls made a short apparition into their
training suits, partly because they have had a tight schedule,
having a charity event to attend and play some aerobics into
their training costumes).But with all local officials surrounding,
this new apparition into proper costumes was much better (and
almost useless, since everybody left with clothes covered
by whipped cream...)
The Deva reception have ended into giant fireworks on the
city sky, with everybody applauding once again for the girls
and their coaches. ...Now that everybody has enjoyed the Gold
Team victory, is time that Belu may put again the cover on
his "boil water pot"-and start again the hard work with the
team. Yes, working at Deva may be, may be seen as a pot with
boiled water, but the final taste of victory is sooo ( biip-Damn)
good!Will see next months if girls have same opinion.If they
can go back (of course, lees than Dana) and work for one year,
we may (already) have a winner in Beijing.
I can't finish this without saying something about Mrs.Bitang.
Like many of you, I'm not her best fan, not at all.Some of
the press stories may be, and sure were exaggerated, but still...
...
But last week, I have heard from our (very good sources) that
she was the one which took, past few years, a battle for coaches
from Clubs, to receive a proper credit for their work (medals
or something) , a better sign of consideration (more money)
for their work with girls. She almost ended threaten, after
Athens, Romanian officials, with their (Belu and Bitang) denial
of any prizes, if the coaches from Clubs will not get their
prizes and consideration, too. Since the team B&B have had
everyone listening around these days, and doing their best
to please them, the Government decision regarding the money
prizes was changed last minute to include the special 15%
prizes (from what an athllet get, but not from his money)
for all Club coaches.
If the girls depend so much on thier scores
in competition, coaches should have their own scores, too.
I give them (B & B) two consecutive (first in their careers,
I think), two "perfect 10" , (one for water bucket,
second for whipped cream moments) for how they handled the
(difficult, sometime ven more than a contest itself) situation
of letting girls enjoy their victory. BRAVO!
Also, the Presidential Orders list was enlarged, for the first
time in Romanian Gymnastics history, to include ALL gymnastics
coaches from clubs, which have had discovered the Olympic
champions. For the first time since '80's, coaches from all
sport clubs around the country will have a better motivation
to work (since their salary are rarely more than $150, at
least those with top champions will have a reason -cash prizes
and medals- and to continue working so hard, many years).
At this point, all Romanian sports and coaches have benefited
from gymnastics success, since everybody will get the new,
better "consideration treatment".
It's a good sign that things can (finally) change into better,
in Romania, these days.As much, as faster-even better.
For
the "water bucket" story, click here.
Romanian
Gymnastics News Archive.
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