When did Romanian gymnasts start sucking?

Like everyone else, I've been watching the Olympics non-stop. Unlike everyone else, except fellow former gymnasts, I've been paying extra special attention to gymnastics, including the technicalities, team reputations, scoring, leotards, who's a righty/lefty, who's still suck in scrunchie hell, etc.

I just have one question: When did Romania start sucking?

The day before women's gymnastics started, Dave asked in passing who the US had to watch out for. I answered immediately.

"China and Romania."

Those two teams have always been on our asses. Always.

Yet when I watched Romania on beam, good ol' Elfi and Tim said exactly what I was thinking... Romania SUCKS. What the heck happened over there? The first girl actually fell! Romanians don't fall off beam. She bobbled and wobbled like she was a compulsory-level newbie at her first meet.

And when she fell? Crazytrain Bela Karolyi wouldn't have even acknowledged one of his gymnasts after a performance like that. (Okay, so he's a dick.) But perhaps that's why Elfi, Tim and I were all shocked when the Romanian coach hugged his wobbly gymnast. A firm-but-reassuring back pat, maybe. But a warm hug? Not to be a complete hard ass, but these girls might need a coach who will light a fire under their butts and whip them back into shape.

I bet at this point, you're all thinking that if I do ever have children, it would be reeeallly bad if I had girl and put her in gymnastics. You'd be right.

By the way, I was by no means an elite gymnast, and I certainly battled with beam in particular. But this is the Olympics. PULL IT TOGETHER. Freakin' Nadia Comaneci is watching!

Blah. It's totally disappointing to see such a once-revered and even feared team slip so much. Gone is the inspiration, drive, legacy. Peace out, Romania. It was fun while it lasted.