Shawn Johnson Hype - Justified Or Overblown?

**Jeremy** · 06-20-2008, 07:55 AM

I thought I would throw a good discussion topic out there for a Friday... Is all of the local media attention surrounding Shawn Johnson's Olympics possibilities warranted or are they overblown?

There are thousands of athletes from all around the world that participate in the Olympics, but typically there aren't any from Iowa. Is the constant attention to one athlete's possible invite a little much or is it well justified?

**cycloneworld** · 06-20-2008, 08:00 AM

I think its justified. The Olympics are a huge world wide thing and gymnastics are a big part of that. Having someone from WDM as the #1 person in the world deserves coverage.

Now, should the DM Register have an entire section on their website for her...that may be going overboard.

**Jeremy** · 06-20-2008, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I think its justified. The Olympics are a huge world wide thing and gymnastics are a big part of that. Having someone from WDM as the #1 person in the world deserves coverage.

Now, should the DM Register have an entire section on their website for her...that may be going overboard.

That sums up my feelings exactly. Justified due to the world-wide nature of the games - but there are certain aspects of the coverage that might be a little over the top, although that's very much debatable.

Either way, it's good to see that she should be well situated to medal at the games.

**BryceC** · 06-20-2008, 08:02 AM

Women's gymnastics is one of the top events in the Olympics every summer, she's local, and she's a gold medal contender. Plus she's just nice and everything. Completely justified. She's a national story in a state that doesn't generate many.

**l2alphmacchio** · 06-20-2008, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I think its justified. The Olympics are a huge world wide thing and gymnastics are a big part of that. Having someone from WDM as the #1 person in the world deserves coverage.

Now, should the DM Register have an entire section on their website for her...that may be going overboard.

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100% Agree

**dmclone** · 06-20-2008, 08:04 AM

I have to admit that I'm already sick of the coverage. I'm fine with covering the story when she gets to the olympics but do I really care that she got a free SUV, her workout place is flooded, etc?

**cycloneryan** · 06-20-2008, 08:04 AM

I think the attention is more than justified. How often does someone from iowa become the best person in their sport in the entire world.

**mj4cy** · 06-20-2008, 08:09 AM

Anytime an Iowan gets huge national exposure, the Iowa media just goes nuts on it....that being said, I think SJ is for real.

**Cy Heavy** · 06-20-2008, 08:12 AM

I think it's justified. I also think it's a lot of pressure on a 16 year old. ******, when I was 16...

**Clonehomer** · 06-20-2008, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneryan

I think the attention is more than justified. How often does someone from iowa become the best person in their sport in the entire world.

I know Cael was originally from Utah, but he didn't get near the attention that Johnson is getting. I guess I just get tired of the way the Des Moines media overblows anything from Des Moines and doesn't give a rip to anything else in the state. The Drake basketball thing was ridiculous and now this is getting to be the same.

**BryceC** · 06-20-2008, 08:15 AM

Or Zach Johnson.

**cycloneworld** · 06-20-2008, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by Clonehomer

I know Cael was originally from Utah, but he didn't get near the attention that Johnson is getting. I guess I just get tired of the way the Des Moines media overblows anything from Des Moines and doesn't give a rip to anything else in the state. The Drake basketball thing was ridiculous and now this is getting to be the same.

What else outside of DM deserves more coverage? Like Bryce said, news/TV/radio still follow Zach Johnson to the majors more than a year after he won.

Drake got overblown because they were the story of college basketball. Give us a couple of examples of things the media could "give a rip" about outside of DM.

**EggMcClone** · 06-20-2008, 08:23 AM

Midwesterners are never afraid to jump on a local bandwagon.

The same thing happened in KC with that dude that won American Idol.

**Cy Heavy** · 06-20-2008, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Clonehomer

I know Cael was originally from Utah, but he didn't get near the attention that Johnson is getting. I guess I just get tired of the way the Des Moines media overblows anything from Des Moines and doesn't give a rip to anything else in the state. The Drake basketball thing was ridiculous and now this is getting to be the same.

That's because DSM is their market - why wouldn't they? I lived in eastern Iowa most of my life and the media over there also 'overblows' stories from the QC, CR, EIU all the time...because it's in their market.

**Cyclonesrule91** · 06-20-2008, 08:26 AM

Have we forgotten that she just gone done winning her second consecutive National Championship and is the world champion???? With a resume like that, how can you even consider it hype?

I haven't followed it much, but what I have read about her shows her nothing more then a classy person who was raised right so I say she would be an easy feel good story for any media outlet to follow. Although my attention span on gymnastics faded quickly after my crush on Mary Lou Retton started to fade so what do I know???