Gymnastics

[scarynikki12]

The annoying thing about NBC's coverage of the men's All-Around is that I remember 1996 when it was Li Xiaoshuang vs Sexy Alexei and they showed 5 out of the six rotations. Blaine Wilson was second after the first round but quickly dropped out of contention so it wasn't like there was an American in the hunt for a medal (though he and John Rothlisberger finished in the top 10 which isn't bad all things considered). But NBC knew that Li winning was a first for China and Sexy Alexei was going to be a gold mine for viewers and they let us see the competition. Yes, they cut around to show other things that were going on but we still saw the bulk of the competition. We saw routines from all three medalists, got a piece about Scherbo's 92 triumph and attempt at a comeback, got a piece about Li making some serious mistakes in the team competition, and then celebrated Li's win by showing the full medal ceremony. It was great coverage so we know they can do it but whoever is in charge of putting together the primetime coverage has been increasingly terrible. 

[ShellsandCheese]

1 hour ago, Lady Whistleup said:

I know! Everyone I know including people in "middle America" are saying that they hate NBC's coverage. For one, the Olys is an INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. I remember learning about the different gymnastics coverage with the old-school coverage. My best memory was the hyping of Kim Zmeskal. But when they showed gymnasts from all over the world, I started to realize that Kim Zmeskal wasn't strong enough to win AA. 

ETA: just found this awesome bars set from Lu Li in Barcelona. What a gorgeous double layout dismount.

 

For what it's worth, I think the women's competition in Barcelona was one of the last great women's gymnastics competitions. :) I found this gem and man, I really miss the gymnastics routines from the early aughts. Things went downhill quick. This floor exercise was so wonderful! I mean what is this? No wolf turns. Actual attempts at choreography, dance, and musicality? 

 

[aradia22]

Quote

Peacock is atrocious in every single way possible. It crashes; freezes; graphics overlap; trying to go back in the search box exits out the app entirely (at least on Roku)

The only reason I have Peacock is because of Eurovision. It did fine for that whole broadcast (I x-ed out once during the scoring and it took a bit to get it running again but afterwards, it was fine). Maybe they just can't handle the viewership numbers when it comes to the Olympics. I've been catching what I can on TV. It's usually swimming and I ignore it.

[Sarahsmile416]

10 minutes ago, ShellsandCheese said:

For what it's worth, I think the women's competition in Barcelona was one of the last great women's gymnastics competitions. :) I found this gem and man, I really miss the gymnastics routines from the early aughts. Things went downhill quick. This floor exercise was so wonderful! I mean what is this? No wolf turns. Actual attempts at choreography, dance, and musicality? 

 

No Wolf turns?!? The humanity!!🤣

[HartofDixie]

AA Start List:https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/GAR/OG2020-_GAR_C51F_GARW1AA---------------FNL---------.pdf

AA live results: https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/artistic-gymnastics/results-women-s-all-around-fnl-000001-.htm

Main feed: https://stream.nbcolympics.com/gymnastics-womens-individual-all-around-main-coverage

Apparatus feed: https://stream.nbcolympics.com/gymnastics-womens-individual-all-around-final-apparatus-feed

[cmahorror]

Hey Peacock - want to explain the constant breaks for a static screen of 5 minutes during the replays? You already have the footage and it has been edited, you are not showing any commercials, so why make us wait longer for the content? This makes no sense and only makes me certain that I will be dropping this channel as soon as the Olympics are over. I watched Boss Baby 2 and Dr. Death (highly recommend everyone see this) so I got my $4.99's worth for it but the Olympics coverage is simply atrocious. You had an extra year to figure this out - why didn't you?

Seriously, the site is difficult to navigate and the coverage is spotty at best. I want to see athletes from other teams compete, not just hear their scores or what place they got. The only place this hasn't been an issue with so far is in the diving competitions. We see each competitor and the announcers really know their stuff. I love watching the diving but everything else just sucks.

[jewel21]

2 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

The annoying thing about NBC's coverage of the men's All-Around is that I remember 1996 when it was Li Xiaoshuang vs Sexy Alexei and they showed 5 out of the six rotations. Blaine Wilson was second after the first round but quickly dropped out of contention so it wasn't like there was an American in the hunt for a medal (though he and John Rothlisberger finished in the top 10 which isn't bad all things considered). But NBC knew that Li winning was a first for China and Sexy Alexei was going to be a gold mine for viewers and they let us see the competition. Yes, they cut around to show other things that were going on but we still saw the bulk of the competition. We saw routines from all three medalists, got a piece about Scherbo's 92 triumph and attempt at a comeback, got a piece about Li making some serious mistakes in the team competition, and then celebrated Li's win by showing the full medal ceremony. It was great coverage so we know they can do it but whoever is in charge of putting together the primetime coverage has been increasingly terrible. 

Oh man, I remember that. I actually started watching the Olympics/Gymnastics for Sexy Alexei. I think I was 14 the first time I saw him while at a friend's house and that was it, heh. I was hooked and would tune in every 4 years to see him compete. 

The coverage this year is terrible and so much has changed since those days. It's kind of disappointing. 

[Daisy]

2 hours ago, ShellsandCheese said:

Things went downhill quick. This floor exercise was so wonderful! I mean what is this? No wolf turns. Actual attempts at choreography, dance, and musicality? 

it was amazing. honestly gymnastics to me for most most part now just feels like checking the boxes. "this tech point, this tech point, this tech point." it's so sad. I don't mind the high awesome tricks, but it doesn't mean you have to kill the artistry. 

[Quilt Fairy]

3 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

I remember 1996 when it was Li Xiaoshuang vs Sexy Alexei and they showed 5 out of the six rotations.

Good memory.  I usually can't remember what I came into the room for. 

I think there was a lot more musicality when they just had one pianist performing all the music. 

[Cherpumple]

4 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

Li Xiaoshuang vs Sexy Alexei

 

2 hours ago, jewel21 said:

I actually started watching the Olympics/Gymnastics for Sexy Alexei.

I just wanted to say how funny it is that 25 years later we all still collectively refer to him as Sexy Alexei (I used the term myself while watching the men's AA earlier today). I love this community! : )

[pennben]

2 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Good memory.  I usually can't remember what I came into the room for. 

I think there was a lot more musicality when they just had one pianist performing all the music. 

Lord, tinkling piano music and a memory of John Tesh reminds me how infantilized these extraordinary athletes have been presented in the past—-and all that damage done behind the scenes that we now know about. Sickening. 

ETA: this was just a flashback memory to me from reference to piano, it was a trigger to how uneasy this sport makes me. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by pennben

[EllenB]

I may be in a tiny minority, but I HAAAATE the format of the women's floor exercise. Why do they need music? Why do they have to use dance-type filler? Why do some of them (not as many as previous years, but still too many) wiggle their asses and attempt to look flirty? I would love to see it more in line with what the men do, along with the uniforms being more sensible for an athletic competition.

[Harry24]

Probably no new info here, but a good article still:

Simone Biles was abandoned by American Olympic officials, and the torment hasn’t stopped

 

[choclatechip45]

Great vault by Suni!

[seasons]

I wonder if part of the pressure on these athletes must be worrying about the disappointment you think those around you might be feeling - parents, coaches etc who have sacrficed so much time and money on your training.So much for so long.  Competitors that you beat previously that you worry actually might do a better job than you at this level. In other words, the blood, sweat and tears of those that have supported you for years. The expectations and such of your support team. Your actual teammates. 

I'm a big time worrier and used to be a big time people pleaser so this is what goes through my head. And it is wrong probably to think that way, your support team just wants you to do your best, but the self blame must be awful for some top competitors. Hope this makes sense.

Edited July 29, 2021 by seasons

[Minneapple]

Jade starts out with a nice Cheng on vault. 15.2. Suni with a 14.6. 

There's been an "inquiry" filed for the Canadian gymnast's beam routine. I always remember Aly's beam routine in 2012 when I thought Bela Karolyi was going to come out of the audience to file the inquiry himself.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Minneapple

[choclatechip45]

7 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

Jade starts out with a nice Cheng on vault. 15.2. Suni with a 14.6. 

There's been an "inquiry" filed for the Canadian gymnast's beam routine. I always remember Aly's beam routine in 2012 when I thought Bela Karolyi was going to come out of the audience to file the inquiry himself.

And Mihai was like "Oh shucks" should we? 

[Harry24]

Does anyone have any idea what the huge delay was in dos Santos’s bar score was?

ETA: It looks as though the bars scores are slow coming in general, but MDJDS’s score was REALLY slow.  Still wondering what happened there.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Harry24

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

 I don't mind the high awesome tricks, but it doesn't mean you have to kill the artistry. 

Figure skating has had the same debate and has worked to give added value to the artistic moves and the choreographic sequences.  As a result, gorgeous skaters like Jason Brown can realistically compete at the top level and the Olympic champion has a decently choreographed program.  

As for gymnastics, I have no idea why the Olympic team DOESN'T HIRE SOME OF THE COLLEGE CHOREOGRAPHERS.  UCLA has always had some wonderful, fun programs that could easily be adapted for the Olympic scene.

[Jaded]

35 minutes ago, seasons said:

I'm a big time worrier and used to be a big time people pleaser so this is what goes through my head. And it is wrong probably to think that way, your support team just wants you to do your best, but the self blame must be awful for some top competitors. Hope this makes sense.

I used to be the same way in regards to being a people pleaser. After my Mom died and my caregiving responsibilities for her ended decompressing was really hard. It took some work but not having to worry about her anymore made it a bit easier to fight the need to please people as much. Now even though I can worry a bit too much at times about people I care about like my cat I just don't have the energy to worry about pleasing others anymore. 

It seems like a lot of gymnasts probably get into the people pleasing trap too which has sadly ended up in death. In addition to the two girls who ended up paralyzed which lead to their deaths who were mentioned in an article from last year on Barstool Sports of all places which started off as being about Elena Mukhina. I don't usually pay attention to that site at all but found it while searching and it mentioned Christy Henrich who ended up being told to loose weight at 90 pounds. She developed such serious eating disorders that they killed her. It sounded like she was a people pleaser. The coach that reportedly made one weight comment was Al Fong another mentioned was a judge. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Jaded

[Minneapple]

Jade with a "meh" bars routine. 13.5. Here's a tip: if you want your daughter to be a big-time gymnast, have her focus on bars. I don't know why bars became the epic fail when it used to be beam. Even Simone has said she dreads bars. Gabby Douglas and Madison Kocean were named to Olympic teams because they were strong on bars.

Rebecca Andrade is having a very nice meet.

Suni Lee and the uneven bars, name a more iconic duo. 15.3.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Minneapple

[AuntieDiane6]

8 hours ago, dovegrey said:

I'm going to work tomorrow by 7 AM, and will either need to wait 3-4 days for Peacock Free to let me "replay" the event, pay for Peacock (that's the definition of a rip off), or enjoy 40 minutes of limited, scripted coverage tomorrow night on NBC's primetime show. It feels like 2008. 

Can't you watch it on nbcolympics.com?  I'm watching it live now, and could see it later this morning if I chose.  The replays are available pretty quickly... 

[Minneapple]

Someone has unleashed the wrath of the beam gods today.

[Jaded]

1 minute ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

Can't you watch it on nbcolympics.com?  I'm watching it live now, and could see it later this morning if I chose.  The replays are available pretty quickly... 

If they don't have a cable service to sign into that site with only 30 minutes are free.

[Minneapple]

Yep. Jade just fell on beam. Ouch.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Minneapple

[Harry24]

I’m assuming Andrade has a high difficulty floor routine (don’t know for sure, though), so I suspect if she gets through beam okay she’s in prime position to win this thing.

[Lady Whistleup]

Oof beam has been a rough event for everyone. Jade off beam

[BlackberryJam]

I'd be thrilled to see Andrade take it! Also, I'm not in a position to watch, so give me updates?

[DawnDavenport]

10 minutes ago, Harry24 said:

I’m assuming Andrade has a high difficulty floor routine (don’t know for sure, though), so I suspect if she gets through beam okay she’s in prime position to win this thing.

Her qualifying D-score was 5.7 and Lee's was 5.6 so pretty close unless she adds difficulty. It's going to come down to execution.

Melnikova's qualifying D-score was 5.8 so she had the edge there.

I do think it's going to come down to beam (doesn't it always)?

Edited July 29, 2021 by DawnDavenport

[Harry24]

Ugh, why the long wait before Suni does beam.  She looks as nervous as I feel.

ETA: Way to go, Suni!  It looked clean and lovely.

ETA2: Hmm.  Suni got nailed on execution.  Did anyone spot what the issues were?

Edited July 29, 2021 by Harry24

[Minneapple]

Suni stayed on the beam! Solid dismount but she had to save her wolf turn, and I think she took out one of her wolf turns.

NBC's Sports app has some really underrated coverage, they slow down the moves and show them from all angles. 

Eta 13.833 for Suni.

Here comes Rebeca on beam. I wouldn't mind seeing her win gold at all.

Nice beam from Rebeca! I think she's got the gold barring total disaster on floor.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Minneapple

[Jess14]

Suni is really showing that she has nerves of skill. She saved both her bars and beam routine. Could have easily been a disaster on both rotations for her, but she pulled both out without major issue. 

[Jaded]

If wolves knew what gymnastics was and that such an ugly move was named after them I'd imagine they'd be as annoyed by wolf turns as most of us are.

[Minneapple]

What the fuck! A 13.56 for Rebeca on beam? THE FIX IS IN.

[Conotocarious]

I noticed immediately Lee took out the second wolf turn after that save. 

[Mellowyellow]

I was so stressed before Suni started beam. She had the look that some figure skaters have before they go out and fall! But she stayed on!!!! Wooooohoooooo

Can she win this thing? I don't know anything about anyone. Does she have enough base value to win after floor?

[Conotocarious]

What was that beam score? Seemed kinda low. 
 

Beam in general has been a bit of a cluster.

[choclatechip45]

I think Rebecca missed her opening combination because her D scored was lower than what John said. 

[Harry24]

Andrade’s beam score seems very low considering the confidence she performed with.  It seemed to be a case of her difficulty score.  It was lower than both Urazova and Suni (even with the wolf turn issue).  I wonder why.

I mean, I’m happy Suni is leading and totally want her to win, but ... seems weird.

ETA: Just read your comment, choclatechip45.  Thanks.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Harry24

[Jillibean]

3 minutes ago, Conotocarious said:

What was that beam score? Seemed kinda low. 
 

Beam in general has been a bit of a cluster.

Seems like the beam judging has been very strict today.  I did see what looked like a balance check from Andrade at the beginning of the routine on a leap, though, so if they took a tenth on that she's about commensurate with Suni accounting for Suni's higher difficulty, I think. Did I do that math correctly? Melnikova's score seemed low to me also but she had a waver as well. 

Man, I'm sweating over here. 

ETA: Perhaps that balance check is what led tom her taking out that combination?

Edited July 29, 2021 by Jillibean

[Jess14]

The beam scoring has been bizarre all Olympics. I don't know the composition of Andrade's typical beam well enough to know if she missed connections, but her score definitely seems low. 

[Minneapple]

I like the long leggings/unitards on the gymnasts. The gymnast from the German team is wearing one today. It's nice when they have a choice of what to wear.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Minneapple

[Conotocarious]

I can see that. Andrade is amazing on floor so she could still pull it out.  

[choclatechip45]

Andrade put an inquiry in and they changed her score per twitter. 

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by choclatechip45

[Lady Whistleup]

Suni doesn't have the difficulty for floor. 

[Conotocarious]

1 minute ago, choclatechip45 said:

Andrade put an inquiry in and they changed her score per twitter. 

 

Oh that’s good! 

[Harry24]

2 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

Andrade put an inquiry in and they changed her score per twitter. 

 

Did it change her placement vis a vis Suni?

ETA: Awesome to hear Vivaldi, but Derwael’s choreography had precious little to do with it, save a couple of hand gestures.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Harry24

[choclatechip45]

Just now, Harry24 said:

Did it change her placement vis a vis Suni?

Moved her into second. 

[Mellowyellow]

1 minute ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Suni doesn't have the difficulty for floor. 

Oh bummer so she can't get the gold?

[Conotocarious]

If Andrade hits, she should win. She significantly stronger on floor than Suni.