Ten things gymnastics fans should be thankful for

'Tis the season where those in the U.S. give thanks in all aspects of life and sport. In the sports vein, here are 10 things gymnastics fans can be thankful for this year. 

1. The Olympic Games -- a.k.a. Christmas for gymnastics fans -- are almost around the corner. The run-up to London, a wonderful time of speculation and anticipation, is almost as good.

2. 2012 is going to be a great battle. Isn't it boring when one gymnast is so much better than the rest that you might as well not hold the competition? That's not going to be the case going into this next year. Olympic frontrunners Jordyn Wieber, Viktoria Komova, Yao Jinnan, Larisa Iordache, Ana Porgras and Aliya Mustafina all have a shot at the biggest prizes in London, and it's going to be very, very close.

3. In this era where difficulty beats execution, execution still matters, even if it's not given as much weight as it should be.

4. Olympic gymnastics teams are still made up of five people. (Keep the glass half full, people, it's the holidays.)

5. Aliya Mustafina's torn ACL does not appear to be a career ender. In fact, she plans to be back to her 2010 self -- Amanar vault and all -- by July.

6. That the rumor is the International Gymnastics Federation will devalue roll out skills on floor exercise, meaning fewer gymnasts will take the risk of doing them during the next quad.

7. In these times you can be 5'4" and 24 years old and still be considered one of the best in the world. Nineteen is no longer seen as over the hill in women's gymnastics.

8. The diffusion of coaches around the world has spread the gymnastics wealth from Jordan to Jamaica. Gymnasts from previously weak gymnastics countries are winning medals at big international competitions left and right.

9. Techno music and side tumbling passes are now unpopular for floor exercise.

10. There are so many different ways to follow gymnastics these days. When I was a kid I had to walk three miles back and forth in the snow to the local library to read a three-paragraph report of what happened at the World Championships. And there were no photo galleries.

Read more of Blythe Lawrence's blogs on Examiner.com.