Wakeup Call: Alicia Sacramone makes U.S. World Gymnastics team, Shawn Johnson out

So approximately 70 miles north of Houston Intercontinental Airport, in Huntsville, Texas, is the USA Gymnastics Selection Camp. This is where our finest gymnasts go to fight to the death vie for the top spots on the U.S. team. What exactly goes on there? I don’t know, but in this release they tell gymnasts to bring a flashlight, alarm clock, hair dryer, and to “Remember, we are in the middle of the Sam Houston National Forest, bring bug spray.”

What kind of twisted Hunger Games survival exercise is USA Gymnastics running out in the woods? Anyway, this year’s selection process — whatever it was –  is over, and your favorite women’s gymnast and mine, Alicia Sacramone, has been chosen to be on the team that will compete in Tokyo at the 2011 World Championships, Oct. 8-16. Not on the team? Shawn Johnson.

Three 2008 Olympians — Shawn Johnson, Chellsie Memmel and Bridget Sloan– were picked for the Pan Am Games team rather than the team that will aim to earn the U.S. a 2012 Olympic spot.

A fourth 2008 Olympian, Alicia Sacramone, will travel to Tokyo along with two gymnasts with Southern California ties. McKayla Maroney, a 15-year-old from Laguna Niguel who trains at All Olympia Gymnastics Center in Los Angeles and Anna Li, an All-American when she was at UCLA from 2007-2010, will be on the Tokyo team.

Also on the world team are Gabrielle Douglas, who trains with Johnson at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in Iowa; Alexandra Raisman, who is a training partner with Sacramone at Brestyan’s American Gymnastics in Massachusetts; Sabrina Vega of Carmel, N.Y., and new U.S. all-around champion Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich.

It’s a significant upset that Johnson, who won a gold and three silvers at the 2008 Olympics, isn’t on the A Team. But she was hurt going into selection camp so maybe that’s why. Anyway, it’s an excuse for me to run more Sacramone photos for, hopefully, another solid year at least. Someone has to do it.

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ABOUT LAST NIGHT

What you missed while honoring the memory of snowball, the hero rabbit …

• Insane high school Hail Mary pass in Maryland wins game.

• Female goalkeeper has no idea where goalpost is. Ow.

• Marlins misspell Logan Morrison’s name on their JumoTron.

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TODAY IN MARK TRAIL …

Or, you could call police headquarters and ask. But that would make too much sense.