The Olympics in Beijing are now a thing of the past. One of its most popular events is now a thing of the future, and will be showcased right here in Sacramento.

The 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars will make a stop at Arco Arena on Sept. 24, and it’ll be bringing a group of gymnasts – including 2008 Olympic stars Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson and Jonathan Horton – ready to put on a show fans have to see.

“It’s a great time for us to promote the sport with a post-Olympic tour,” said gymnast Shannon Miller, who will be performing with several Team USA members. “This is an experience. It’s very much a show. Get ready to have a great time.”

The 31-year-old Miller – America’s most decorated gymnast, male or female – sat down with me on Aug. 29 to promote the event, which will be headlined by her younger counterparts who stole the show in the Summer Olympics just weeks ago. But Miller’s ready to steal the show, too, and with an arena of fans to please instead of judges, it could turn out to be a pretty fun night.

“Watching gymnastics live is so much more exciting than watching it on TV,” Miller said. “You actually get to see how high the athletes go when they tumble. You get to see how small the beam really is.”

Miller boasts more than just an impressive floor routine, which she’ll showcase to the sound of a live musical performance by Jordan Pruitt during the show. The winner of 16 World Championship and Olympic medals between 1991-1996, Miller won individual gold on the balance beam and team gold in Atlanta in ’96.

“This is the last real performance I plan on doing, as I’m hoping to start a family,” Miller said. “It’s a chance for me to live today, a chance for me to continue doing what I love. Gymnastics is such a big part of what I do.”

What we’ll see in Sacramento, that we couldn’t catch on NBC’s late-night rebroadcasts, is our athletes having fun. Free from controversial judging and questionable point deductions, American gymnasts will let loose their most entertaining routines.

“On tour you don’t have strict rules, you don’t have to salute judges,” Miller said. “If you don’t stick the landing, you might tumble out of it. The choreography might be more exciting. I’ve been doing a tour since 1992. It’s a great time to go out and show that the sport is not just about the Olympics and what score you get. It’s about having fun.”

While the Olympics only make the sport popular once every four years, those training nearly full time were looking for a new avenue to promote gymnastics to enthusiastic Americans still with an itch. The 37-city tour is a solution to that, and hopefully, gives America’s best of the past and present an opportunity to keep the sport alive and kicking.

“The tour is a celebration of the success of the Olympic athletes,” Miller said. “It’s their time to shine back on home soil, to give appreciation to the fans for their support. It’s a chance for all of us to say thank you and get fans excited and involved with this sport.”

The NBA players get to come home to million-dollar contracts after they win gold. Gymnasts have got to make a living, too, right? Spend the few bucks to get into the arena before you have to wait another four years to catch a glimpse at some of America’s best athletes.