A Sad End to the Hamm Saga

Paul Hamm's withdrawal — "resigning," as USA Gymnastics worded it in its official release — from the 2008 Olympic team stunned the sports world, but it really wasn't all that surprising. If you had heard Hamm speak to the media after being named to the Olympic team at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, you could sense the unease with which he had accepted that vote of confidence from the men's selection committee.

In hindsight, the U.S. Men's Program would have been better off following the lead of the women's program, which didn't finalize its team until mid-July. Then it wouldn't have been saddled with a team built largely around Hamm's all-around capabilities.

What is surprising is how easily Hamm passed his readiness test at a July training camp, even though he was far from ready. Was this wishful thinking on the part of the U.S. Men's Program, or a rationalization of naming Hamm, who had a broken hand, to the team in the first place? I think it would have made more sense to name him as an alternate at the trials. And U.S. champion David Sender, who had to withdraw from trials because of a sprained ankle, should have been added too.

"My hand, in general, has not gotten to the point where I felt comfortable doing all of my skills," said Hamm on Monday, adding that he had pushed himself to "perform skills during the camp that I had not done since my recent surgery."

Hamm also didn't show all of his difficulty at the camp, and I was also told that he was hardly ready on rings, an event on which he was desperately needed in Beijing.

Complaining of a sore left shoulder after the camp, Hamm said he felt worse upon returning home to Columbus, Ohio. "Unfortunately, the week after camp has been a disaster," he said. "I have not been able to do a single full routine since I competed [at U.S. Championships] in May."

Hamm's absence opens the door for Raj Bhavsar, who was named to the team hours after Hamm's announcement. "This is a tremendous honor, and the first feeling that comes to mind is that dreams can come true," said Bhavsar, who had felt slighted by his alternate status in 2004. "Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of a great athlete, Paul Hamm. My heart goes out to him."

Though U.S. aspirations might have deflated considerably, an Olympic team medal is not out of the question. At the 2007 World Championships, a Hamm-less U.S. finished fourth behind Germany — in Stuttgart. There is no reason why the team can't challenge for a medal in Beijing.

Hamm, a two-time Olympian, all-around world champion (2003) and Olympic champion, says he's through with competitive gymnastics. He plans to do the post-Olympic tour and eventually pursue an MBA.

"It was a big goal of mine to see if I could contend in the all-around again and defend my gold from the Athens Olympics," Hamm said. "This has been the hardest decision that I've ever had to make."

Knowing the high standard Hamm probably had set for himself, his decision to pull out didn't surprise me.