Post Olympic-trials without the tribulations

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PHILADELPHIA -- The lobby scene at a hotel full of gymnasts is different. It is shorter and the noise level is more high-pitched. That’s not a bad thing.

On Sunday night it was fun to see the men’s and women’s Olympic (and still Olympic hopeful) gymnasts let their hair down.

Really. Jana Bieger’s whole face was softened when she loosened her tightly pulled ponytail.

Samantha Peszek, who hasn’t officially been named to the women’s team but who almost certainly will be, got a big hug from men’s team member Jonathan Horton. And later she got another. Peszek got to wear heels which made her just the eensiest bit taller than Horton.

Rings man Kevin Tan wears glasses when he’s not hanging upside down. Who knew? I’ve never seen a gymnast compete in glasses. Can it be done?

Justin Spring was all cleaned up in a spring-green collared shirt and a circle of female admirers. His teammate Joseph Hagerty was happy to just stand in that circle. Hagerty wore a gray T-shirt and just listened and smiled while Spring told his Olympic story over and over.

There were several fans looking for Nastia Liukin but she went to bed early. She had to be up and ready Monday morning for a photo shoot for a clothing company called Vanilla Star Jeans. ‘Live The Dream’ is the slogan on its home page. Liukin is doing exactly that. Emily Osment who is in the wildly popular Hannah Montana show, is the cover model now. Watch out Emily. Nastia is coming.

-- Diane Pucin