2024 US Nationals pre-competition discussion

[lovegymnasts]

I just do not understand the zeal with which so many are attributing Gabby's recent poor performances at two competitions to anything and everything beyond her current abilities and readiness to compete.

I've been holdng my tongue through all the excuses, rationals, and calls for her to receive/compete more than she has earned.

 

[JaJa]

I've been holdng my tongue through all the excuses, rationals, and calls for her to receive/compete more than she has earned.

Bracing myself for the backlash . . . . .

 

[lovegymnasts]

Bracing myself for the backlash . . . . .

You know it!

 

[makam]

Here you go: If you'll note, it is generally the same people rooting for Gabby and the same people pooh-poohing her. It is fine if you aren't a fan or want her to fail in her comeback but clearly others aren't of the same mind so maybe just don't engage if you are that aggrieved by it? I know I can count on the same people going into each thread where Gabby is mentioned and saying her comeback is a fake (until it turned out it wasn't) or she doesn't deserve X consideration and the same other people wanting to give the benefit to the gymnast or just see more gymnastics or whatever. So fine, we all disagree. Can we climb down off our crosses and stop complaining about it?

I'm fine with whatever Chellsie and Alicia decide. If Gabby tries to petition to do AA and is turned down, fine. But it doesn't hurt to ask. The only thing I wasn't fine with was them making that last camp so limited at the last second with no good explanation. Otherwise, their decisions on how to run the program have seemed reasonably logical and if they want to not extend any leeway, cool; it is their call.

 

[lovegymnasts]

Here you go: If you'll note, it is generally the same people rooting for Gabby and the same people pooh-poohing her. It is fine if you aren't a fan or want her to fail in her comeback but clearly others aren't of the same mind so maybe just don't engage if you are that aggrieved by it? I know I can count on the same people going into each thread where Gabby is mentioned and saying her comeback is a fake (until it turned out it wasn't) or she doesn't deserve X consideration and the same other people wanting to give the benefit to the gymnast or just see more gymnastics or whatever. So fine, we all disagree. Can we climb down off our crosses and stop complaining about it?

I'm fine with whatever Chellsie and Alicia decide. If Gabby tries to petition to do AA and is turned down, fine. But it doesn't hurt to ask. The only thing I wasn't fine with was them making that last camp so limited at the last second with no good explanation. Otherwise, their decisions on how to run the program have seemed reasonably logical and if they want to not extend any leeway, cool; it is their call.

Here you go; loosening my tongue for a brief moment:
Its people being realistic vs not being realistic
People expecting special treatment for their favorite while others have to play by the rules
People making excuses when their favorite doesn't meet their realistic and unrealistic expectations
People having the same right to question as those have to articulate (blind? maybe not right word) faith
~ Back to holding my tongue

 

[JaJa]

I know I can count on the same people going into each thread where Gabby is mentioned and saying her comeback is a fake (until it turned out it wasn't)

I can only speak for myself for certain but I do not think anyone meant it was a fake in the sense that Gabby would never actually compete (although admittedly we did mostly acknowledge not being surprised when she failed to show at the Winter Cup due to covid). But I never thought Gabby would compete successfully and so far in that regard we were right. And just for the record I personally would be fine if they allowed her to do AA at Nationals. An exception for former Olympic AA Champions makes sense to me.

 

[JaJa]

Its people being realistic vs not being realistic

People making excuses when their favorite doesn't meet their realistic and unrealistic expectations
People having the same right to question
~ Back to holding my tongue

Agreed with the above

 

[tempest]

An exception for former Olympic AA Champions makes sense to me.

I would Extend to any former national champion, world or Olympic champion if Mary Lou wanted to compete at nationals, I would let her in a heartbeat, it would be good publicity while denying someone would be bad

 

[Big_rock_show]

I am also fine with Gabby, but I’m still waiting for her to compete like a veteran who remembers what it takes to compete at a high level. I’m definitely not rooting for her to fail, she’s had so much success in the sport, but this isn’t her first rodeo and I guess I expected the hype to become more of a reality than it has been.

 

[rlayt]

I can only speak for myself in that I want to give Gabby the benefit of doubt and as far as being okay with people giving her excuses too . I’m fine if she petitions and is allowed. I’m fine if it’s turned down. I’m all for comebacks so I hope she does continue even though Paris looks out of reach.

In the end none of us really knows what happened inside another person’s head. Giving out possible reasons or talking about possible causes is just part of the conversation.

 

[BB12]

I think it's great Gabby has attempted to return to the sport and gymnasts continuing to do it at an older age is something that should be encouraged. Making a comeback isnt easy to do so even attempting it should be applauded.

I just think some of the commentary around her has been ridiculous with her being discussed as a legit contender for the team before a routine was even competed. I don't care who are or what you did 8-10 years ago, the only thing relevant in the sport is what you are doing right now. I just wish the limited media/podcasts discussing gymnastics spent as much time analysing the routines that are legitimately contending for the last few spots on the team as they do discussing the 'drama' around Gabby. And none of this is Gabby fault, I want to make it clear I'm not blaming her for anything - it's the commentary around her which I find annoying.

 

[JDB]

Bracing myself for the backlash . . . . .

I agree with you. I've been paying attention to how messy Gabby Douglas' comeback has been. I'm still gonna acknowledge bad luck with the canceled flight. And maybe Winter Cup if that Covid rumor is true.

 

[Laura722]

As a fan of Gabby, I just want her to come to Nationals and compete, whether it's the 3 events she qualified for or somehow the AA. I'm not even thinking about Trials. She's just not ready right now, and I don't think it's realistic. I didn't expect her to have a great competition at the Core Classic but was hopeful she could get the AA score needed.

I don't think the weather/flight situation had anything to do with her performance. Others dealt with it and she also looked fine in PT.

 

[makam]

I just think some of the commentary around her has been ridiculous with her being discussed as a legit contender for the team before a routine was even competed.

There were also reports of her routines from a camp last fall being super solid. It isn't a huge jump to think that what she was able to do/show in training would translate to competition and with Suni at the time looking very iffy, hoping that Gabby's UB and general gymnastics talent would manifest itself at just the right time was maybe optimistic but not completely out of left field. She looked like shit in spring of 2016 and ended up the 3rd best gymnast at those olympics (if you agree with Aly Raisman's UB scores...). People here have commented that her vaulting technique looks improved and if her rings are still crummy, well, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[Denn]

I'm actually sort of sympathetic to her.

A) She is under WAY more pressure — both internal and external — than other competitors both because of her past success but also because of the 8 year gap. Those two differences should be acknowledged with more leniency.

B) Some people are talking like she hasn't shown any potential, but she DID qualify a 3-apparatus score. She's shown the best vault technique she has ever done. She's done most of a bars in competition and the whole thing with light spotting in training, including multiple new elements / combinations. She also did floor in training that shows promise that could be realized in a month or so. That's not a huge success, but it's also not "unsuccessful".

C) She has a history of getting better close to the Olympics — it happened in 2016. Remember how she looked earlier in the spring?

ETA: @makam beat me to some of this. LOL

 

[BB12]

There were also reports of her routines from a camp last fall being super solid. It isn't a huge jump to think that what she was able to do/show in training would translate to competition and with Suni at the time looking very iffy, hoping that Gabby's UB and general gymnastics talent would manifest itself at just the right time was maybe optimistic but not completely out of left field. She looked like shit in spring of 2016 and ended up the 3rd best gymnast at those olympics (if you agree with Aly Raisman's UB scores...). People here have commented that her vaulting technique looks improved and if her rings are still crummy, well, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Vauge reports from 1 attended camp doesn't equate to or warrant the same standing as gymnasts consistently hitting high scoring routines in real meets. But there is no point arguing because we clearly have very different views on it.

 

[Aeris]

gymnasts consistently hitting high scoring routines in real meets

Very few people are doing this. That's a large reason why Gabby's comeback is exciting - because she has the potential for greatness. Many of the people in the conversation for the Olympic team do not. They can do solid routines that will put up good scores, but they don't have the talent to go 15 on UB like she does.

 

[makam]

I hope Skye Blakely can hit 4/4 (or 8/8) to justify the spot people have assigned her on their team. ;-) I also hope Hezley Rivera can put together a solid meet--it is easy to see her potential but right now she looks like she is going to be written off as a headcase. I also hope Kayla DiCello regains her early season form. I know the way she was looking at the previous events had me considering her for the team (even with her usually terrible switch half on beam). And I hope Trinity really shakes things up and makes everyone really think about the team makeup. I know it would probably be hard on her to keep training for another year since I don't think she has the wealth of some of the other gymnasts, but I'd love to see her continue on her journey.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

What has been really strange is the evidence presented in training and its complete disconnect from what we see in competition. It’s provided a certain level in intrigue in way we haven’t really ever seen.

That being said, I think it’s stupid to be overly negative about this comeback. This isn’t Nastia or Shawn. Sometimes I wonder if some people even like this sport given how negative they are about every single gymnast and competition. It’s as if every gymnast is Mykayla Skinner.

 

[RichardL]

What has been really strange is the evidence presented in training and its complete disconnect from what we see in competition. It’s provided a certain level in intrigue in way we haven’t really ever seen.

That being said, I think it’s stupid to be overly negative about this comeback. This isn’t Nastia or Shawn. Sometimes I wonder if some people even like this sport given how negative they are about every single gymnast and competition. It’s as if every gymnast is Mykayla Skinner.

Shawn Johnson was named an alternate to the 2011 Worlds team and won two medals at the Pan Am Games that year. Her comeback was successful and she was able to hit routines. However, of course Douglas's first comeback was wildly more successful than Johnson's.