Jordyn Wieber Gymnastics Controversy Prevents Aly Raisman from Getting Her Due

It's only natural that how Jordyn Wieber missed the all-around finals is getting overwhelming publicized. I've been a part of that publicity and Wieber deserves it, just like she deserves a spot in the all-around finals.

It's equally unjust, though, that Aly Raisman is getting skipped over once again. 

Raisman had the meet of her life. Raisman was the top American in the all-around during qualifications and finished second overall. She deserves more credit than she's getting.

Raisman is probably used to getting the short end of the stick by now. She had to sit back and watch all of the Douglas and Wieber frenzy enough. She listened to all the proclamations—how they were going to finish one-two, how huge their rivalry was, how they were the anchors behind team USA.

She stood forgotten through all of this, but the world was still depending on her to be the consistent performer she always is.

As Will Graves of the Associated Press wrote:

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Douglas did the cover of Time magazine. Wieber graced the front of US Weekly. When the entire team got together for a Sports Illustrated photo shoot, it featured Douglas in the middle flanked by Wieber and a seemingly "thrilled to be here" Raisman.

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Raisman was named team captain, not necessarily for her skill but for her reliability and her faithfulness, how she was a good friend to everybody on he team—especially her best pal Wieber.

It had to get to her a little bit that she has been a significant part of Team USA's success for the last few years and is never in the spotlight.

"It bothers you sometimes," said Mihai Brestayn, Raisman's coach in an interview with Graves. "I tried to avoid that. I tried to protect her. But they have feelings like everybody else."

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Graves wrote: Raisman insists she had no problem being out of the limelight. Wieber's a champion. Douglas is a natural who is perhaps the most talented gymnast of her generation.

"I was OK with being under the radar because I just felt more calm going into this," Raisman said. "I didn't feel the pressure. I just wanted to do it more for myself and my coaches because we've been working so hard together. I really felt real confident that I could get my goal."

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She finally had her big moment on Sunday and she deserves to bask in the glory instead of feeling a little bad that she stole her best friend's spot.

There are even slight suggestions that Rasiman should step down and let Wieber compete. That is just absurd. Rasiman should never and would never do that and Wieber should never and would never accept the offer.

It was such a stunning image on television after the qualifications when two Americans were sobbing their eyes out: Raisman because she was stunned and excited that she made it to the finals and Wieber because she was stunned and heartbroken that she didn't.

Raisman was always behind Wieber and Douglas. It's not like one-two-three discussions were even necessary. While Wieber and Douglas played ping pong with the No. 1 spot, Raisman was consistently in third—at Visa Championships in June and at trials in July when it even looked like Kyla Ross and Elizabeth Price were going to pass her.

Raisman has no major all-around titles from the last few years, as the only meets she won were when Douglas and Wieber sat out or didn't compete in all four events.

She kept consistently working, though, and proved herself on Sunday.

"This is what we've been working toward," Brestayn said to Graves. "This is what she deserves."

At first, you didn't even realize she was having the best meet ever. Raisman's vault and bars were the lowest scores of the four Americans, but still good for her. She then had a strong beam and notched a 15.1 and then she nailed her floor routine, which has always been her best.

Nevertheless, her parents were still on edge for every move of her floor routine as shown in this video.

Then after she hit her floor routine was an amazing moment to watch. She didn't even realize she made it to the finals and she covered her face in disbelief.

It is finally Raisman's time to shine. She's waited patiently long enough for this. Let's all take a break from the Wieber madness and give Raisman some credit.

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