Gymnastics

[HartofDixie]

4 hours ago, hendersonrocks said:

I assume the drive to win trumps all, but if I were running Team USA (from the couch in my sweatpants eating cookies, obvi) I'd kick Skinner to the curb right quick. For an alternate to be running her mouth/twitter like that, on multiple occasions, is just not worth it. It's toxic to the team and Gabby needs to be part of the team, which already seemed to be an issue at the trials when it looked like she was pretty isolated from the other girls.

Bump up Nichols and call it a day.

Too late.  Maggie has announced her retirement from elite.  http://www.twincities.com/2016/07/12/maggie-nichols-wont-be-going-to-rio-but-shes-grateful-for-her-journey/

[Minneapple]

1 hour ago, PoshSprinkles said:

Gabby was replaced in the picture because she's the one who most feel didn't deserve her spot, YMMV. 

No excuse for the monkey emoji? Or how this all relates to her past actions on social media?

[selkie]

5 hours ago, greendog78 said:

But we do do this to male athletes. Even if he wins the AA again, people will still go on and on about why doesn't Kohei Uchimura shave his armpits.

 

Cyclist Marcel Kittel's love of hair gel is kind of a thing, but he's actually in on the joke with it. He had a good 'oh the humanity!' tweet a few years back about it being confiscated by airport security at London Heathrow in a travel day between Tour de France stages.

[choclatechip45]

I think MyKayla was always going to have a hard time making this team because her best events are Simone's best events.

The funny thing is Gabby got herself in this position because she became a senior at a time when the US didn't have any good bar workers who weren't specialists besides Jordyn.  She made that worlds team in 2011 after a disastrous Nationals because she could do bars. She Did the AA in qualifying because Alicia was injured and Anna Li could only do bars. Finished fifth in qualifying for the All-around which set her up for 2012. I understand it has to do with your body type. If you really want to make the Olympic team the best shot upping your start value on bars. Besides Laurie's coach it shocks me these coaches who girls are on the bubble don't do it more.

Edited July 13, 2016 by choclatechip45

[topanga]

Do you think the controversy about the 2016 women's team is because a) activity on social media is higher now than it was in earlier years, so when fans and people like MyKayla Skinner are vocal, the world hears about it? Or is it because b) Of the two women who made the 2016 team whose final scores were not in the top 5, one of them is black, and she also happens to be the one taking the brunt of the criticism? Or could it be c) Gabby doesn't deserve to be on the team? -- which I don't agree with at all.  The answer probably includes all of these factors, plus others, but I don't think we should ignore the influence of race on people's opinions. (If you haven't read comments on the Internet,please don't. But trust me that there are more racist comments about Gabby Douglas--and Simone Biles--than I ever could have imagined). According to Marta Karolyi, the Women's Gymnastics teams have never (not in the past 20 years, anyway) been selected solely based on the gymnasts' final scores at the Olympic Trials. 

I was very curious about this issue, so I did some research:

• In 2012, McKayla Maroney was not among the top 5 scores, but she made the Olympic team. However, she did score high on the vault at Trials.
• In 2008, a gymnast on the team named Alicia Sacramone wasn't even in the top 10 at Trials (she was 13th), and another gymnast (Bridget Sloan) was 15th.
• In 2004, three of the six members of the Olympic team weren't in the top 5
• In 2000, 1 member of the 6 member team (Dominique Dawes) made the team even though her final score put her in 7th place. 
• In 1996, the year of the Magnificent Seven, Shannon Miller and Dominique Moceanu didn't even compete at the Olympic Trials due to injury. Their scores from Nationals were carried over, and those scores qualified them for the team. (The rules have since been rewritten--all athletes have to compete in the Trials to be considered for the Olympic Team). 

Edited July 14, 2016 by topanga

[choclatechip45]

Quote

Do you think the controversy about the 2016 women's team is because a) activity on social media is higher now than it was in earlier years, so when fans and people like MyKayla Skinner are vocal, the world hears about it? Or is it because b) Of the two women who made the 2016 team whose final scores were not in the top 5, one of them is black, and she also happens to be the one taking the brunt of the criticism? Or could it be c) Gabby doesn't deserve to be on the team? -- which I don't agree with at all.  The answer probably includes all of these factors, plus others, but I don't think we should ignore the influence of race on people's opinions. (If you haven't read comments on the Internet,please don't. But trust me that there are more racist comments about Gabby Douglas--and Simone Biles--than I ever could have imagined). According to Marta Karolyi, the Women's Gymnastics teams have never (not in the past 20 years, anyway) been selected solely based on the gymnasts' final scores at the Olympic Trials. 

I think it is a few factors. Gabby was pretty much an overnight sensation to the people who tune in every 4 years. I remember Tim Dagett saying somewhere Gabby had something like 32 million unique searches right after she won the all-around. I think the biggest reason why Gabby is getting more attention for coming in seventh is because she is a "name". NBC Olympics have put her in every commercial  I have seen since January and it is always a big story when someone who is a "big name" almost does not make it. No one outside gymnastic fans knew who McKayla Maroney was in 2012 or Alicia Sacramone or Bridget Sloan in 2008.

I do feel like the online Gymnastic fans has always been negative towards Gabby I remember a lot of things that were said in 2012. Gymnastics has never been a fair sport. I don't understand why people are just realizing this now. I'm surprised about the racist comments about Simone because I haven't seen them, but I also don't read comments.

[Shangrilala]

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Yesterday morning the Today show had a "Where Are They Now?" segment with the "Magnificent Seven" gymnasts from the 1996 Women's Olympic team. 

I'll have to look for this clip. There was just so much awesomeness around that team - everything from the trials to the games, it was amazing.  Back then if I recall, it was just the scores that counted you onto the team.  The top 7 went.  I remember clearly when both Amanda Borden and Jaycee Phelps both realized they were going and the excitement and the tears and Mary Lee Tracy (I think?) hugging them.  Those entire trials are on youtube, I might have to watch because it was just pure excitement.  

I think if there's one thing that bothers me about the Trials and Olympics this year is that there's very little excitement.  Strategy?  Yes.  Politics?  Absolutely.  Confidence? Without a doubt.  But barring any catastrophe, you could basically put the team together before trials.  And yes, the US team is the predicted to win gold, so therefore again, I feel like there's no suspense or excitement.   I watched the 96 Olympic games jumping up and down in my living room, holding my breath, and yes, part of that was that the falls, Kerry's ankle and one-legged landing is the stuff lifetime tv movies are made of, but there was also the actual competition.  There's no competition.  I mean, there wasn't even mention of another team in all of the strategy talk.  Nothing like "if the US wants to win gold, they have to have somebody to answer to the Chinese talent on beam and that's where Gabby fits in" or some such thing.  As much as I love gymnastics, I'm also a little bored.  Maybe part of the excitement is gone because of social media and the internet and our level of access, but...I'm a little bored.  

[Shangrilala]

The Jaycee, Amanda, Mary Lee Tracy moment starts at minute 6:12.  You can see Mary Lee start jumping up and down in the background when Jaycee finishes her final tumbling pass.  It's still awesome.  And that arena was going berserk as things were winding down and the top seven were falling into place.  

[Minneapple]

Aw. I remember Amanda being left off the 1992 team, so it must have been extra sweet for her in '96. She got all teary in that documentary they did a few years ago about the '96 team when she talked about the other girls making her the captain.

[andromeda331]

The London win was great, it was nice to see the team could still win again. After Sydney Bronze, silver at Athens and Beijing it was looking like they'd never get there again.  Or that the USA team fell back into their old pattern of silver and bronze. I'll be just as happy if we win Rio. But for me the 96 win will always be my favorite. For me none come close to that one. After decades of watching and hoping at each Olympics only to be disappointed.  Sometimes were so close. Barcelona was bronze, Seoul was 4th and LA was silver. Three of the girls on the 96 team had been on the Barcelona team Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes and Kerri Strug. I remember being so excited when during the team final they showed the standings and for the first time US was in first place the team was doing so well. I was on the edge of my seat would they be able to keep that lead against Russia and Romania? They had their falls and so did our team on the vault. Kerri who was injured and still had one more vault to go. There was still a good chance she could fall during the second vault.  But nope she landed it and they won. It was so awesome and so exciting.

[choclatechip45]

I was looking up world/olympic scores earlier.  I noticed Aly has competed in the all-around in qualification  in 3 worlds and one Olympics. Out of those 4 times she has made the all around 3 times and has never medaled. Gabby has competed the all around three times. Twice at worlds and once at the Olympics. Out of those three times she made the all around twice and medaled  both times. 

 

Also, Cordelia Price posted this on Facebook  (click on the corner to see the whole post). It combines everyones score from P&G and trials. For those who don't know Cordelia is Elizabeth Price's aunt (2012 alternate).

Edited July 14, 2016 by choclatechip45

[EVS]

Here is a link to the Today Show interview as well as an interview (with clips) from 1996 after the girls won gold. (Kerri's vault still brings tears to my eyes, as does Bella carrying her out with the team.). Also there is an interview with the girls just chosen for the current Olympic team. 

http://www.today.com/news/magnificent-seven-us-gymnastics-team-revisits-1996-olympic-triumph-t100730

[Minneapple]

The 1996 women's team final! With bonus Svetlana Khorkina! And Bela Karolyi freaking out at everything. I'll never forget when they had him doing commentary in the Athens studio and he mauled Bob Costas. Also in London when he nearly came out of the audience himself to file the appeal on Aly's beam routine. Aly's coach was like, "WTF," and Bela's all "NO, YOU MUST APPEAL."

[choclatechip45]

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Also in London when he nearly came out of the audience himself to file the appeal on Aly's beam routine. Aly's coach was like, "WTF," and Bela's all "NO, YOU MUST APPEAL."

Mihai goes "For What?" Poor Mihai. You have Martha all animated explaining it to McKayla and Kyla in the stand who both looked confused.

MyKayla apologized I guess USA Gymnastics had a fun talk with her.

 

Edited July 15, 2016 by choclatechip45

[Rear Window]

Way to be sorry "if" you offended anyone. Stay classy there, MyKayla! What a snot!

[COESpiral]

The person she needs to apologize to is Gabby.  And possibly Simone and Laurie considering some of her previous tweets.  I still think she should stay home.

[topanga]

22 hours ago, Shangrilala said:

I'll have to look for this clip. There was just so much awesomeness around that team - everything from the trials to the games, it was amazing.  Back then if I recall, it was just the scores that counted you onto the team.  The top 7 went.  I remember clearly when both Amanda Borden and Jaycee Phelps both realized they were going and the excitement and the tears and Mary Lee Tracy (I think?) hugging them.  Those entire trials are on youtube, I might have to watch because it was just pure excitement.  

I think if there's one thing that bothers me about the Trials and Olympics this year is that there's very little excitement.  Strategy?  Yes.  Politics?  Absolutely.  Confidence? Without a doubt.  But barring any catastrophe, you could basically put the team together before trials.  And yes, the US team is the predicted to win gold, so therefore again, I feel like there's no suspense or excitement.   I watched the 96 Olympic games jumping up and down in my living room, holding my breath, and yes, part of that was that the falls, Kerry's ankle and one-legged landing is the stuff lifetime tv movies are made of, but there was also the actual competition.  There's no competition.  I mean, there wasn't even mention of another team in all of the strategy talk.  Nothing like "if the US wants to win gold, they have to have somebody to answer to the Chinese talent on beam and that's where Gabby fits in" or some such thing.  As much as I love gymnastics, I'm also a little bored.  Maybe part of the excitement is gone because of social media and the internet and our level of access, but...I'm a little bored.  

The media definitely talks about the team as if they've already won the gold medal. Perhaps it's because the US women have dominated international gymnastics since 2011.  They're expected to win the gold this year, which does take away some of the excitement. 

I'm sure they'll mention other countries more in the near future. Because in 2014 and 2015, China wasn't far behind the US in terms of the Team final score. I'd love to see actual suspense at the Olympics.

 

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The 1996 women's team final! With bonus Svetlana Khorkina!

Great clip! Thanks. I always had a love/hate relationship with Svetlana, but it was nice to see her and her long legs. And her eyeliner! (Oh, the horror).

 

Quote

Also, Cordelia Price posted this on Facebook  (click on the corner to see the whole post). It combines everyones score from P&G and trials.

While I admittedly don't understand all of the gymnastics math, it was nice of Cordelia to explain to the public exactly what reasoning went into the decision-making. Not that the selection process is any of our fucking business, mind you. But enough people expressed anger about the "unfairness" of it, all that I'm glad she posted this. Maybe it'll shut some people up. Like MyKayla Skinner. And the thing is, I'm sure Marta gave some version of this explanation to the gymnasts on Sunday night. At the very least, MyKayla could've approached Marta individually and gotten this explanation. She didn't have to express her outrage on Twitter, knowing how people would take her reaction and run with it. 

Edited July 15, 2016 by topanga

[greendog78]

John has the worst luck ever. I was really hoping he could have a better Olympic experience than the one he had in London. Sigh...

Edited July 15, 2016 by greendog78
Media not displaying right

[catray]

Heartbroken for John after the news-- he really does have rotten luck. Poor guy; I can't imagine how he's feeling.

[Mittengirl]

An injury right before trials or between making the team and competing in the Olympics must be every athletes nightmare.

[choclatechip45]

Poor John. I wonder who they'll put up on Pommel Horse now since that has never been a great event for Danell Leyva.

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While I admittedly don't understand all of the gymnastics math, it was nice of Cordelia to explain to the public exactly what reasoning went into the decision-making. Not that the selection process is any of our fucking business, mind you. But enough people expressed anger about the "unfairness" of it, all that I'm glad she posted this. Maybe it'll shut some people up. Like MyKayla Skinner. And the thing is, I'm sure Marta gave some version of this explanation to the gymnasts on Sunday night. At the very least, MyKayla could've approached Marta individually and gotten this explanation. She didn't have to express her outrage on Twitter, knowing how people would take her reaction and run with it. 

I agree. I think the bottom line is that if Gabby is on you can put her up on any of the event and she will get a decent score. Which is what they did in 2012 when Jordyn didn't score well on beam and 2015 when Aly crashed her Amanar. I think it is funny how everyone was upset when Danell didn't make it was because of the potential. When Martha said they chose Gabby because of her potential it caused a huge outcry on how unfair it was.

[choclatechip45]

1 hour ago, PoshSprinkles said:

Danell's situation is different from Gabby's, though. He ended up doing really badly at Nationals because of leg wounds from breaking up a fight between his two dogs (the dogs were both euthanized). Since the men's team takes into account your national and trials scores to form the team, he couldn't afford to miss the national championship even being as laid up as he was and turned in a bad performance as a result. In his case, it wasn't so much his "potential" as it was "why-are-you-penalizing-him-for-one-bad-night-when-he's-usually-on-it?!" that caused the outcry. 

However, I don't think it was wrong of the committee to leave him off the team, initially. He's a very good AA contender, but he's not a huge asset for the team final, IMO. I love his gymnastics though, so I'm thrilled he gets to go, but still sad about John. :-( 

 

1 hour ago, PoshSprinkles said:

Danell's situation is different from Gabby's, though. He ended up doing really badly at Nationals because of leg wounds from breaking up a fight between his two dogs (the dogs were both euthanized). Since the men's team takes into account your national and trials scores to form the team, he couldn't afford to miss the national championship even being as laid up as he was and turned in a bad performance as a result. In his case, it wasn't so much his "potential" as it was "why-are-you-penalizing-him-for-one-bad-night-when-he's-usually-on-it?!" that caused the outcry. 

However, I don't think it was wrong of the committee to leave him off the team, initially. He's a very good AA contender, but he's not a huge asset for the team final, IMO. I love his gymnastics though, so I'm thrilled he gets to go, but still sad about John. :-( 

Good point I knew about the dogs. I don't really see how he fit the team either. I feel awful for John. I'm nervous about the men's team they all seemed at their peak at trials.

[kittykat]

Sigh.  Poor John.  I was really hoping he'd have a better go around.  It's bittersweet since Danell is on the team now but I still feel for John.

11 hours ago, topanga said:

Great clip! Thanks. I always had a love/hate relationship with Svetlana, but it was nice to see her and her long legs. And her eyeliner! (Oh, the horror).

I get the love/hate.  I felt for her in 2000 especially after Vaultgate, but she lost me in 2004 for her poor attitude in winning silver.  Carly beat her fair and square.

[choclatechip45]

Good article on Laurie. I have so much respect for her coach Maggie Haney.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_30132586/gymnast-laurie-hernandez-16-faces-olympic-spotlight?utm_content=bufferc62ed&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[cesstar]

On 16/07/2016 at 11:52 AM, choclatechip45 said:

Good article on Laurie. I have so much respect for her coach Maggie Haney.

 

Hehe... I love the blunt assertion at the end that they plan to avoid social media! Very smart.

I really sense that Laurie could be the breakout star of the Olympics - although it will be hard to top Simone! And the Brazil team have some stand-outs as well who no doubt will be well supported by the home crowd.

[Minneapple]

On 7/14/2016 at 9:36 PM, choclatechip45 said:

MyKayla apologized I guess USA Gymnastics had a fun talk with her.

It appears she'll be attending Utah, so perhaps the school had a chat with her as well.

[choclatechip45]

Quote

Hehe... I love the blunt assertion at the end that they plan to avoid social media! Very smart.

I really sense that Laurie could be the breakout star of the Olympics - although it will be hard to top Simone! And the Brazil team have some stand-outs as well who no doubt will be well supported by the home crowd.

Maggie was reminding me of a PR person in that article. The hype around Laurie the last week reminds me of all the hype Gabby received in 2012.  The only difference is Gabby was pro this time in 2012. Laurie has said she won't decide until after the Olympics.

[filmfan2480]

John Orozco seems like a great guy. Great gymnast. Him winning a spot on the team was very emotional to watch (after ALL he's been through). I'm sure he would have done the team proud. I wish him a speedy recovery and a great life ahead of him. Having said that, I'm ecstatic for Leyva. I think our chances for medal(s) just went up a bit. Hope the team does well! And I'm still sad for Whittenberg He could have contributed greatly in at least 3 events. Why can't they go back to 7-gymnast teams like the old days. I miss the old days.

Maggie Nichols. Another one. I wish there were 7-gymnast teams again for her (though, she may not have made it anyway, given she wasn't an alternate ... but I think that's more for TF/EF specialists). I thought her DTY was better than Gabby's and Laurie's. I thought her Bars was better than Aly's. I thought her beam was beauuuutiful (when she stayed on). And she is the current World Bronze medalist on FX (would've gotten the 4th highest score after Laurie). A true all-arounder that would've fit nicely on a team of 7. All wishful thinking.

Can't wait for the Olympics and hope to see Team USA do well. Thinking that Mikulak has a good shot in the AA or to make FX finals. Thinking Dalton can make FX and/or Vault finals. Naddour for Pommels. Brooks/Leyva for PB/HB. Maybe someone can squeak in on Rings. As for the Women, Biles is the obvious stand-out for many medals. Aly has a shot in the AA (if they let her do Bars in prelims). Laurie ditto, and/or Beam finals. Kocian on Bars. And guess what, if they let Gabby do AA in prelims ....... I honestly think that the International judges will reward her greatly for her routines comparatively to Aly/Laurie if they all hit. Gabby could possibly make the AA again and bars finals. Will be fascinating to watch unfold!

[topanga]

21 hours ago, PoshSprinkles said:

My greatest fear for the women's team is the relative lack of competition they have. I'm stoked that our team rocks, but I kinda wish they had some team/individual nipping at their heels. I'm already hearing the "this women's team wouldn't beat the Chinese in 2008 or the Romanians in 2000" from some fellow gymnastic enthusiasts. It would be awful to win and then have your accomplishments degraded because the year you succeeded is the year most nations were not good/rebuilding their teams. It gives me flashbacks to the Paul Hamm AA debacle. So many fights and years of friendship tossed aside on that one...

I'm dubious about the men's team. I've been rewatching the worlds from the past few years and our men's team has had the same problem at every single world championship: they perform AMAZINGLY in the preliminaries, but then completely flake out during the finals. It is absolutely insane and mind-boggling. The Chinese and Japanese tend to have the reverse problem. They perform poorly during the preliminaries, but then ace the finals. 

I'm not getting invested in the USA men's team because I just can't take another heartbreak like in London. It was too brutal. If they can pull something out, I'll be ecstatic, but I'm keeping my expectations low. 

But the Chinese team wasn't far behind the US women in the last two World competitions. Hopefully, the Olympics will be competitive. 

[topanga]

1 hour ago, PoshSprinkles said:

There was a five-point gap between Team USA and China at the 2015 Worlds. A gymnastics team winning by five points at that level is absolutely insane. It says that that team is either perfect (or nearly) or the other teams are just really, really, bad and/or lacking the difficulty on their routines. Team USA could literally take a fall on every apparatus and still walk away the with the team gold medal if that gap still exists at the Olympics. 

Oh.  I stand corrected

[Minneapple]

I don't understand why the rest of the world has fallen off so badly in women's gymnastics. Can anyone explain? I mean Romania, which has a rich gymnastics tradition, isn't even sending a full team to the Olympics! Are there up-and-coming countries in the sport? 

Edited July 20, 2016 by Minneapple

[CeeBeeGee]

Team Great Britain has been moving up in the ranks. Beth Tweddle put them on the map with her World golds in floor and bars (and of course her bars bronze in London, the first ever Olympic medal for the British women). After that the GB girls started putting together some really creative bars routines. Helped by the Russians' atrocious team final in Glasgow last year, the Brits took the team bronze--I am hoping they will stand on the podium one way or another in Rio.

[choclatechip45]

So Martha took the team out to the mall and dinner tonight. Simone and Ashton posted photos on snapchat. Martha has really softened.

[scarynikki12]

3 hours ago, Minneapple said:

I don't understand why the rest of the world has fallen off so badly in women's gymnastics. Can anyone explain? I mean Romania, which has a rich gymnastics tradition, isn't even sending a full team to the Olympics! Are there up-and-coming countries in the sport? 

Romania isn't even sending an all-around gymnast to compete for the women since Ponor doesn't compete bars. It's crazy. 

I don't know details but I've read that it all boils down to money. In the US the gymnasts' families pay for their training whole other countries have historically had the government be the sponsor. If the government is hurting for money then they divert funds away from the athletic programs. I think that's what happened with Romania but I'm not sure about anyone else.

[OSM Mom]

I feel bad for John Orozco.   I hope he has a speedy recovery.  

And is it bad that my first thought after that was "Crap.. Now I've got to put up with Leyva, his towel and his fruitcake father!"  

[kalystia1983]

In regards to Romania, I highly recommend gymcastic's episode on it called the Romanian situation.  They had a Bea from the Couch Gymnast on who is Romanian, and it seems to definitely be a money situation and also just team mismanagement and reliance on gymnasts coming out of retirement to help out if the situation called for it.  What's sad is at one point this end of last quad/beginning of this one they had some really promising juniors who had one bad competition and that was pretty much it. 

I'm looking forward to seeing some of teams who are doing interesting and beautiful gymnastics.  I know NBC will never shoe the women from the Netherlands, but their beam and floor routines are so pretty! I'm hoping at least one of them will make the beam final.

Edited July 24, 2016 by kalystia1983
Because Romania is spelled Romania...sigh spelling

[filmfan2480]

Supposedly, they are putting Biles, Raisman and Hernandez up for AA in Prelims.  That means Aly with do Bars in Prelims and Gabby would do Bars in Team Finals (no shot for an individual Bars medal).

So ... I see the American girls going up like this:

Prelims: V. U. B. F.
Biles 4th 3rd 4th 4th
Raisman 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
Hernandez 2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd
Douglas 1st -- 1st 1st
Kocian -- 4th -- --

Finals: V. U. B. F.
Biles 3rd -- 3rd 3rd
Raisman 2nd -- 1st 2nd
Hernandez -- 1st 2nd 1st
Douglas 1st 2nd -- --
Kocian -- 3rd -- --

[robroy]

The odd thing about this scenario is that if Biles and Hernandez where truly hitting on bars there is a possibility they could outscore Douglas with international judges. But if Douglas was truly lax in the build up to the games the month with Marta controlling training could really clean up a couple of things that were questionable. I'm also not sure about Henrnadez 2/Biles 3 in bars lineup if Hernandez can clean get everything a little tighter as well. Kocian can do beam if Douglas is missing there like she was at trials but at this moment I'm not sure which is truly the better bet. I do like that this team seems to let everyone rest an event. But it will feel odd to have the weakest vault lineup since 2004 in team finals.

And if the team as a whole is bonding that will be a nice contrast to some other recent teams that just remained a group of (sometimes clashing) individuals.

[IdleBrook]

Earlier today, Martha held a conference call with press.  She talked training, Olympic leotards, what goes into lineup decisions, and USA gymnastics buying part of the ranch.  The full live blog is available here on the gymternet's website, but I made note of some the interesting tidbits below.  

• On the lineup, Martha indicated that there is a "tentative lineup," and that "at a much later date we finalize the lineup based on the actual situation closer to the start of the competition."
• USA Gymnastics is buying a part of the Karolyi ranch as a part of the official Olympic training site.
• On what she looks for in training camp, “At the training camps we always want to perfect things. At trials, we see the routines, and we see where we can become better. We’re working on details, to come closer to perfection, and based on coming closer to perfecting the routines, we’ll become more consistent. 
• With respect to the alternates, she stated: "The three alternates are training under Steve Rybacki’s control because I’m focusing 100% on the five team members. We train all together and they do the very same training plan I developed for the team, and if something happened to the team members, based on where we would need reinforcements, we would choose one of the alternates."
• The Olympic leotards will all be in patriotic colors.  She compared them to prom dresses.
•  On Gabby's progress, “Gabby is doing very very good. Her attitude is extremely positive, very open to any suggestions and corrections in her training, and actually I don’t even know if she missed any beam routines in our last four or five days. I’m pleased. It certainly is a work in progress and every day we’re doing improvements, so I’m pretty confident that she will be able to function well.”
• There will be no amanar from Gabby.
• With regard to Gabby and the all around, she said “I foresee that she will do the all-around but we’re not making these decisions yet. But it’s a strong possibility that she will be one of the all-around gymnasts.”  

[choclatechip45]

I think the all-around will be Simone, Laurie and Gabby. I don't see Martha putting up Laurie and Gabby on bars in Team Finals for the first time. Since Laurie has never been to a worlds before and Martha knows she can't play mental games with Gabby if she wants a solid routine. I like Aly a lot however I don't feel that bad for her. She has done the all-around in 4 World/Olympic qualifications. Plus she knows her bars are weak.

Also, international judges really like Gabby in the 2015 World all-around competition her difficulty was only the fourth highest. Gabby's e-scores were pretty good.

Edited July 26, 2016 by choclatechip45

[Minneapple]

Thanks for the writeup, IdleBrook! I also saw today that Aly was officially named team captain (probably mostly a formality). And Chris Brooks is the captain of the men's team.

[greendog78]

Oh Sam...

[cesstar]

6 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

I think the all-around will be Simone, Laurie and Gabby. I don't see Martha putting up Laurie and Gabby on bars in Team Finals for the first time. Since Laurie has never been to a worlds before and Martha knows she can't play mental games with Gabby if she wants a solid routine. I like Aly a lot however I don't feel that bad for her. She has done the all-around in 4 World/Olympic qualifications. Plus she has known her bars are weak.

I agree. While Aly is so good in her other 3 events that she can still bring in an excellent AA score even with her bars, it doesn't make sense from a team point of view to have her do bars in qualifying and make either Gabby or Laurie go up cold in finals. On the upside, Aly has a really good shot at floor and beam event finals and if she makes no big mistakes should walk away with a silver medal in floor and potentially a medal on beam. I think relieving her of the pressure of AA qualifying may also be a good thing based on Worlds last year - although having said that, her confidence now seems a lot higher.

[topanga]

It'll be tough for either Gabby or Aly not to compete for the All-Around metal. But I trust Martha's final decision, based on whatever she sees at camp. 

 

ETA: Not that Martha cares whether I trust her or not. 

Edited July 26, 2016 by topanga

[Indy]

On 7/21/2016 at 9:42 AM, PoshSprinkles said:

Leyva's towel <3. One of the only consistent things on the USA Men's Gymnastics Team <3 <3 <3. 

Unfortunately you can't even count on the towel anymore - the lucky towel got stolen out of the trunk of Danel's car earlier this year, along with a bunch of his medals. The medals were recovered but the towel was not. He had a different  towel at Nationals and Trials.  RIP Leyva's Lucky Towel. 

[HartofDixie]

Gymnastics schedule https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HlqlaH11Kx6GjQGcf-M6T6pduavEhjzHYTDzN_x-B9U/edit?pref=2&pli=1

[AuntieDiane6]

Well, I took one for the team and actually watched the live stream of the men's podium training.  Pretty boring ... The camera focused on the US team and so... viewers ended up watching 2 hours and 35 minutes of the guys JUST SITTING THERE.  The one thing I learned was that Sam has a ... spray tan.  The other 25 minutes showed them doing half-hearted swings etc.  

That may be the way everybody approaches podium training -- take a couple of swings and then sit down -- but I can't wait to see how the women tackle podium training.  Somehow I suspect they work harder.  

[Lovecat]

15 hours ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

That may be the way everybody approaches podium training -- take a couple of swings and then sit down -- but I can't wait to see how the women tackle podium training.  Somehow I suspect they work harder.  

Could that be because their equipment slightly more fiddly than the guys?  I mean, rings, horse, high bar, p-bar, floor--I'm sure there are some variations in tension/bounciness from gym to gym, but generally they don't adjust anything per athlete, right?  IIRC, the women can adjust the distance between the uneven bars, and of course the beam is so fraught with peril I can see where they'd like to spend some time up there, feeling it out with their feet, like dancers do on a new stage.  They're so tiny, I imagine the slightest difference in the responsiveness of the floor could throw them off, too.  We've all seen competitions where the floor was said to be extra-springy, and the girls bounce all over the place!

[topanga]

I've always wondered about this, and now my fears have been confirmed: How USA Gymnastics protected coaches over kids

[choclatechip45]

39 minutes ago, topanga said:

I've always wondered about this, and now my fears have been confirmed: How USA Gymnastics protected coaches over kids

Interesting timing. Horrible for USA gymnastics I wonder what the consequences will be for the program. I do wonder if coaches report each other to get a competitive edge and how many. Without that information it's BS.