Gymnastics

[Lady Whistleup]

17 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

NBC is part of the problem, but so was Simone's team. She was wearing the GOAT leotard which I have no problem with, but maybe in hindsight that wasn't the greatest idea. It's not a popular opinion, but I think her team completely mismanaged her. 

Simone's team fell into the same trap NBC and USAG fell into -- they forgot that it was a competition. Everyone treated it like a coronation.

I hope Simone can come back strong in the beam.

[choclatechip45]

Just now, Lady Whistleup said:

Simone's team fell into the same trap NBC and USAG fell into -- they forgot that it was a competition. Everyone treated it like a coronation.

I hope Simone can come back strong in the beam.

Exactly and me too. 

[Jeddah]

I appreciate artistry, but I do want to see the big skills. I think there’s a middle ground. The Olympics are supposed to be about higher, faster, stronger. If the focus was on easier skills with artistry, Jade wouldn’t be Olympic Champion right now. I’m not sure Simone would have 4 gold medals. Some people can do the big skills safely, and they push the sport forward. I think the culture needs to change so gymnasts aren’t forced into doing skills they aren’t prepared for, and mental and physical health are valued. And judges need to give bad execution scores to big skills done with bad technique. But I’d hate for there to be a cap on what these athletes can do.

[Quilt Fairy]

Finally, last night Tim Daggett mentioned that the UB structure didn't look stable. 

[Lady Whistleup]

This is awful.

 

[Minneapple]

49 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Simone's team fell into the same trap NBC and USAG fell into -- they forgot that it was a competition. Everyone treated it like a coronation.

Her upcoming tour is called the Gold Over America Tour.

1 hour ago, Frisky Wig said:

You're completely 100% right about the role the media has to play. When NBC was interviewing Laurie and Aly and others over the last week, I was wishing one of them would say “I think an important thing the media can do is stay out of Simone’s face, and yes that includes you, NBC!”

Well, I believe Laurie is being paid by NBC so...I don't think she's going to tell NBC to fuck off. Aly has done all kinds of interviews and segments for television and presumably she wants to continue doing those kinds of interviews, so being rude to some reporter just trying to get in an interview would kind of be detrimental to that.

[NUguy514]

I am THRIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLED for Jade!!!  I wanted her and Rebeca to split the floor and vault golds, so this is wonderful!  I'm also so happy for Ferrari, and Murakami and Melnikova were both fabulous.  It was a great podium and a MUCH better final than vault and bars.

Jade should take her gold and shove it in Tom Forster's face with a "How do you like THEM apples, asshole?"

Rebeca's leo was my EEEEEEEEVERYTHING!😻

Oh, and every time the cameras panned to Artur Dalaloyan sitting there completely unmasked, I got angrier and angrier at him.

Edited August 2, 2021 by NUguy514

[emmawoodhouse]

Congrats to the floor podium. Love them all. 🎉

[Minneapple]

I watched the FX final and...(whispers) I actually liked Vanessa's floor routine more than Jade's. But yay, Murica!

[Lady Whistleup]

11 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

I watched the FX final and...(whispers) I actually liked Vanessa's floor routine more than Jade's. But yay, Murica!

Jade's tumbling is good. But I've watched all her routines and can't really remember anything she did with distinction. She's a bit basic. 

[DawnDavenport]

2 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

Jade should take her gold and shove it in Tom Forster's face with a "How do you like THEM apples, asshole?"

While I have several gripes with Forster and his decisions, Carey not being on the team is not his fault. It's the fault of both Jade and her dad.

The Carey's decided early on to qualify via the world cup individual route. Had Carey been named to the team, the US would have given up her individual spot and the US would only have been able to send one individual, not two.

Edited August 2, 2021 by DawnDavenport

[Lady Whistleup]

Has anyone noticed that Jade seems very disconnected from the rest of the team? Like I dont think anyone dislikes her or anything but it's like she's rarely in team photos or anyone's social media.

[Raachel2008]

6 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Has anyone noticed that Jade seems very disconnected from the rest of the team? Like I dont think anyone dislikes her or anything but it's like she's rarely in team photos or anyone's social media.

Maybe she is just shy?

Loved the floor podium; tbh I don't think Jade has the spark, if you know what I mean, but she is consistent. I'm extremely happy Vanessa Ferrari got her medal, and IMO she was better than Jade (yes, I know Jade's start value was higher). I'm just glad she finally got her medal  - and at 30 it was not a small feat.

 

[Guest]

20 hours ago, DawnDavenport said:

Please tell me they aren't justifying not have warm ups right before on the actual competition equipment!

 

They weren’t. They were just explaining the set-up. 

[Frisky Wig]

1 hour ago, Minneapple said:

Her upcoming tour is called the Gold Over America Tour.

Well, I believe Laurie is being paid by NBC so...I don't think she's going to tell NBC to fuck off. Aly has done all kinds of interviews and segments for television and presumably she wants to continue doing those kinds of interviews, so being rude to some reporter just trying to get in an interview would kind of be detrimental to that.

Thanks for pointing this out, I hadn’t considered it. Telling NBC to fuck off would not have been wise for anyone giving an interview. I would’ve liked to hear something along the lines of “I also think it’s important for the media and camerapeople to respect Simone’s space and privacy and give her breathing room both now and if she returns to competition.” Maybe someone said something like that but I missed it. That being said, everyone being interviewed about Simone has been great. Really compassionate, educational and supportive of what she’s going through. 

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Has anyone noticed that Jade seems very disconnected from the rest of the team? Like I dont think anyone dislikes her or anything but it's like she's rarely in team photos or anyone's social media.

All the ones I follow have posted things with Jade or in support of her. One reason for the disconnect may be that Jade is the only one there with family since her father is her coach. 

[choclatechip45]

53 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Has anyone noticed that Jade seems very disconnected from the rest of the team? Like I dont think anyone dislikes her or anything but it's like she's rarely in team photos or anyone's social media.

Jade and Grace are friends I remember Grace telling the press she was hoping they would be roommates. 

It wouldn't surprise me if she was disconnected I don't think the Olympics were a long time dream for her like others. She was basically recruited from Level 10 in 2017 by Valeri and that is how she become elite. She also strikes me as an introvert while most of the others seem very extroverted. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by choclatechip45

[proserpina65]

On 7/30/2021 at 5:03 PM, CeeBeeGee said:

Just admit you hate Black women already, Piers. What a POS.

To be fair to Piers Morgan (and yes, saying that does make me want to spew), he hates all women.

[proserpina65]

On 8/1/2021 at 5:46 AM, Harry24 said:

ETA: WTF with the Brazilian national anthem?  It sounds like ersatz Mozart crossed with ersatz early Verdi.  I was expecting something a lot, well, sexier.

A lot of South American anthems sound rather Verdi-esque because they were written in that time period.

 

[Lady Whistleup]

In retrospect I think the US made a mistake putting so much faith in Jordan Chiles. She was sort of the "it" elite gymnast this year but she didn't have much international experience and also didn't have the difficulty in routines that the other girls had. Also there was so much stuff going on with her mom. 

[ombelico]

12 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

In retrospect I think the US made a mistake putting so much faith in Jordan Chiles. She was sort of the "it" elite gymnast this year but she didn't have much international experience and also didn't have the difficulty in routines that the other girls had. Also there was so much stuff going on with her mom. 

I don't think there's any way they could have left Jordan Chiles off the team without a huge uproar. She was solidly third in AA at both nationals and Olympic Trials with no missed routines. Although some other options (e.g., Skinner, Wong, DiCello) might have had the capability to beat her AA score on a given day, they never did at any point in the lead up to naming the team, IIRC. 

Also, in the end I'm glad that Jordan was on the team since it meant that both Cecile and Laurent could go (if only Simone were on the team, I'm pretty sure only Laurent would have been able to travel) and Cecile's presence this week has probably been really critical for Simone.

[choclatechip45]

I always thought either Jordan or Trinity should have gone to Worlds in 2017 over Ashton Locklear. I think going forward they need to give more gymnasts international experience. We saw how much confidence Gabby had after going to Worlds in 2011. 

Tom wasn't around then so it is not his fault. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by choclatechip45

[scarynikki12]

Jade was sweet with Suni and Simone proudly congratulated her for her floor win so I think she gets along with everyone but not being part of the team itself probably made things weird in general.

[Lady Whistleup]

2 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

Jade was sweet with Suni and Simone proudly congratulated her for her floor win so I think she gets along with everyone but not being part of the team itself probably made things weird in general.

The other thing is apparently after she qualified via the World Cup she decided to take a step back from training so hard (she had some injuries). So she wasn't a part of that feverish race towards the Olympic Trials that was documented on Golden.

[emmawoodhouse]

Where can one watch Golden? 

[choclatechip45]

1 minute ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Where can one watch Golden? 

Free on Peacock.

[emmawoodhouse]

4 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

Free on Peacock.

Thanks! Will watch later. 👍

[Lady Whistleup]

Golden by the way is well worth watching. When MyKayla described the way Marta used to grab her face, it was a really visceral feeling. You could feel her disgust and anger. 

The Karolyis really fucked up entire generations of gymnasts. It's awful.

[Steph619]

I found these pictures of Jade and her dad on the Olympics Twitter account. 💕 Jade is really lucky to have her dad by her side. They look like they have a wonderful relationship.
 

 

[Jeddah]

12 minutes ago, Steph619 said:

I found these pictures of Jade and her dad on the Olympics Twitter account. 💕 Jade is really lucky to have her dad by her side. They look like they have a wonderful relationship.
 

 

That’s so sweet! He must be so proud of her! 

After Trials Riley McCusker had a long post about how much better it was to train in a healthy environment. I wish she had switched to Jade’s dad earlier. I wonder how big a difference it would have made for her if she had been there for years instead of just months.

[Harry24]

Good article from Five Thirty Eight about the one-touch rule:

One-Touch Rule

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

The Karolyis really fucked up entire generations of gymnasts. It's awful.

It's sad for the gymnasts and for us fans too.  I think of all of those years I enjoyed watching the ladies gymnastics programs, but having no idea just how bad things were behind the scenes (up until a few years ago).  I feel kind of bad for supporting gymnastics all of those years.  :(

[CeeBeeGee]

So, so proud of Mykayla and Suni!!! (I know Jade won floor but I haven't seen that routine yet.) So happy for our US team and also thrilled for the non-Big Four countries (South Korea, Great Britain, Belgium) winning. I love seeing the sport grow!

Also, thanks to whoever is posting to NBC links to the full event finals, with every routine.

Praying for Simone tomorrow on beam.

[Guest]

I just watched the replay of women's floor/medal ceremony, and I would recommend focusing attention on Mai Murakami during the ceremony. She's a giddy delight and there are a lot of cute moments, including:

• Not being sure of when exactly to get up onto the podium as they were announcing her name
• Giving Angelina her bouquet (with Angelina of course returning the favor)
• Almost falling off the top of the podium as they crowd onto it for photos
• Waving and acknowledging pretty much everyone in the arena as they walk around the edge, while the rest are mostly just walking straight ahead
• Suddenly, randomly seeing something on her sleeve and trying to wipe it off
• As they are marching out of the arena in single file, with Jade and Vanessa walking stoically ahead, Mai starts chatting with Angelina in the back and they look like two friends just strolling casually down the street
• And finally, right before she disappears out of the arena, one final "arms raised in triumph" move

It's pretty adorable.

Edited August 2, 2021 by tracyscott76

[MaryMitch]

22 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

I just watched the replay of women's floor/medal ceremony, and I would recommend focusing attention on Mai Murakami during the ceremony. She's a giddy delight and there are a lot of cute moments, including:

• Not being sure of when exactly to get up onto the podium as they were announcing her name
• Giving Angelina her bouquet (with Angelina of course returning the favor)
• Almost falling off the top of the podium as they crowd onto it for photos
• Waving and acknowledging pretty much everyone in the arena as they walk around the edge, while the rest are mostly just walking straight ahead
• Suddenly, randomly seeing something on her sleeve and trying to wipe it off
• As they are marching out of the arena in single file, with Jade and Vanessa walking stoically ahead, Mai starts chatting with Angelina in the back and they look like two friends just strolling casually down the street
• And finally, right before she disappears out of the arena, one final "arms raised in triumph" move

It's pretty adorable.

Plus, she has great hair!

[Guest]

1 minute ago, MaryMitch said:

Plus, she has great hair!

True! A nice change from the ubiquitous pulled back bun/high ponytail.

[Lady Whistleup]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

It's sad for the gymnasts and for us fans too.  I think of all of those years I enjoyed watching the ladies gymnastics programs, but having no idea just how bad things were behind the scenes (up until a few years ago).  I feel kind of bad for supporting gymnastics all of those years.  :(

It's awful. Im glad the USA team got a big medal haul this time, and not because medals are really the reason one should go to the Olympics. Its just good that the Karolyis can't smirk that their methods were needed to "win." 

[choclatechip45]

3 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

It's awful. Im glad the USA team got a big medal haul this time, and not because medals are really the reason one should go to the Olympics. Its just good that the Karolyis can't smirk that their methods were needed to "win." 

I feel the same way. 

[Frisky Wig]

I have zero sympathy for the people on pg 29 complaining about having to wake up at 4:53 to watch beam finals when I’m in California, where it’s live at 1:53 AM. 😆 J/k, j/k! Seriously, though, being awake in the wee hours is going to be tough on all of us so good luck to everyone in keeping our eyes open! And, of course, GO GO GO Simone and Suni! 

[CeeBeeGee]

At my semi-advanced age, I have to stick to a bedtime or I'm exhausted for days. So I can't watch it live but I also want to stay unspoiled so tomorrow I'm like must--not--open--phone--for--fear--of--spoilers.

[Frisky Wig]

28 minutes ago, CeeBeeGee said:

At my semi-advanced age, I have to stick to a bedtime or I'm exhausted for days. So I can't watch it live but I also want to stay unspoiled so tomorrow I'm like must--not--open--phone--for--fear--of--spoilers.

Yeah, I hear you. I set my alarm to watch floor finals at 1:50 AM this morning but slept through it, woke up around 7 and got spoiled about the results. This day in age, it’s not just about don’t open your phone. Don’t turn the TV on, don’t log on to the internet on a desk or laptop. Don’t turn on the radio. Better not talk to anyone either. In fact, just hermit yourself under the covers in bed with some potato chips or something until the replay! 😂 

 

That actually sounds like a great, relaxing idea! Too bad I have to work tomorrow. Damn adult responsibilities! 

[scarynikki12]

I wish they’d show all the gymnasts in the competition. Love watching Jade but the others deserve our attention as well.

Tim will never not annoy me.

[PepSinger]

9 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

9 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

NBC is part of the problem, but so was Simone's team. She was wearing the GOAT leotard which I have no problem with, but maybe in hindsight that wasn't the greatest idea. It's not a popular opinion, but I think her team completely mismanaged her. 

Simone's team fell into the same trap NBC and USAG fell into -- they forgot that it was a competition. Everyone treated it like a coronation.

I hope Simone can come back strong in the beam.

I don't understand how Simone was mismanaged. No one could've foreseen what happened in Tokyo. 

Also, to be fair and blunt, if Simone had been at the strength she showed at U.S. Classic this year, or the 2019 Worlds, team USA would've had a team gold, and Simone would've had gold on floor, beam, vault, and the AA. I can't be convinced otherwise. It's not just that her difficulty is high; her execution is high, too.

[irisheyes]

Rewatching the floor final (all two athletes they showed), and I realized Jade won WITHOUT a wolf turn!  Is it even possible???? 🤣🤣

[scarynikki12]

So we don’t get to see Murakami compete. NBC sucks. I have Peacock but still.

[scarynikki12]

So were both Gadirova twins in the floor final?

[emmawoodhouse]

2 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

So we don’t get to see Murakami compete. NBC sucks. I have Peacock but still.

Or Angelina. They just show the last two to have the "Jade is assured a _______ medal" narrative.

[choclatechip45]

10 minutes ago, PepSinger said:

I don't understand how Simone was mismanaged. No one could've foreseen what happened in Tokyo. 

Also, to be fair and blunt, if Simone had been at the strength she showed at U.S. Classic this year, or the 2019 Worlds, team USA would've had a team gold, and Simone would've had gold on floor, beam, vault, and the AA. I can't be convinced otherwise. It's not just that her difficulty is high; her execution is high, too.

As someone else said her team has been treating this like a coronation and not a competition. They put a GOAT on her leotard which I have no problem with, but Simone doesn't strike me as cocky or arrogant her tour is called Gold Over America Tour.  I think the problem is the media isn't asking the right questions, but there is something off about this whole thing. 

 

[Snow Apple]

To my untrained eye and as someone who don't know about difficult levels, I preferred Vanessa from Italy's floor routine more than Jade's. She has more dance moves and I miss those.

[Quiet1ne]

Why is NBC showing the 5th & 7th place finishers but not the 3rd place routines?  Wouldn't the tie make for better TV???