2024 US Olympic Trials MAG Day 2 (6/29)

[OnoNoKomachi]

Yes and Gymcastic was really shady about him leaving.

I thought GymCastic stopped covering MAG. Jessica just loves to complain about other people being "unprofessional". Should USAG have forced him to show up? What happened to protecting the mental health of the athletes?

Khoi was at the WAG, but he took himself out of the race with his own performance. That actually might be a little easier to swallow than having the best meet of your life but not having the math work out in your favor.

 

[rlayt]

Shane’s post does show how things are changing. It’s brave of him to talk about his feelings and self-care. In the past in our culture he would have been told to man-up and do what is expected then shamed for needing to leave.

Another reason I’m not a Gymcastic subscriber or listener. We need other podcasts.

 

[Hatsumomo]

What Shane describes is remniscent of what Michael Phelps spoke about athletes being treated as products and not people. USAG/USOC isn't even giving these gymnasts time to rest after a high-pressure competition and process making/not making the Olympic team. Just throwing them in front of cameras and morning shows and press conferences and meet-and-greets, etc. A schedule from from 10am - 9pm right after the end of Trials is ridiculous and unnecessary. Let them have a lie-in at least, good grief.

 

[irichluck21]

Especially for the alternates and those that did not make the team. I get wanting to recognize the alternates, but it does put them in a tough position.

 

[Passion]

I think the tight schedule is because they’re trying to get everything done and out of the way in one day while everyone is still all together in one location. They can’t keep them extra days for media/promos because they all need to get back home to train.

I don’t have a problem with it as long as people are allowed to opt out if they don’t want to participate, which Shane was allowed to do.

 

[ewdot2480]

So I just crunched my own numbers and, I actually think a Team comprising Malone, Richards, Juda, Nedoroscik and Moldauer (over Hong) could've actually scored higher. Hear me out. And by the way, any combo of these athletes would potentially put up big scores and similar range of results. As NBC said, the scenarios were SO close with Moldauer/Young, in particular. Sad to say, no matter how I sliced it, having Whiskus on the team wouldn't be as beneficial as some combo of Juda/Hong/Moldauer/Young with Nedoroscik.

So here, Team Finals:

Moldauer, Juda, Richards on FX is potentially higher than having Hong there.

Juda contributes on PH way over Hong and some others.

Moldauer brings a decent score to SR, though, he would be a good .5 lower than Hong.

Moldauer & Juda bring good scores to Vault. Khoi Young would've been best here but, alas. Hong has the potential to be quite a bit better than Moldauer/Juda, but also the potential to bomb (a risk).

Moldauer over Hong on PB brings is a good .6 added to the Team score.

And Juda on HB brings in a good .6-7 over Hong there, as well.

It almost equals out, but my own scoring has Moldauer over Hong (in important categories) for an overall better score potential.

Now, obviously I'm "wrong" according to exacting specifics of scores from Nationals/Trials. But taking into account score "potentials" (good and bad), experience, etc ...
I see Malone (adding greatly to his events)
Richards (adding greatly to his events)
Juda (adding to FX, PH(!), V, HB)
Moldauer (FX, security in Rings and Vault, huge PB score)
Nedoroscik for his high PH score.

Thoughts? Khoi Young is right in there, too. But I now wonder if it wasn't Juda, but Hong that was on the bubble for the 5th slot (if Nedoroscik was always a given).

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Hong’s vault is equally as risky as, if not more, than Stephen’s pommel horse.

 

[Aeris]

Brody, Fred, Khoi, Asher, Stephen is the highest scoring team if looking just at top scores.

Brody/Fred/Stephen are locked spots when looking at average apparatus score, and then there are two separate categories for the other two spots:

1.) "Rings + Pbars + Vault + Floor" - These contenders were Asher Hong, Yul Moldauer, Donnell Whittenburg. They are weak on Pommel + High Bar and trying to bring the best score they can across the other 4 events. Asher's vault on Day 2 at Trials catapults him into the lead across every calculation. Yul actually has the lowest top score across the 4 events, .1 behind Donnell, but an argument for him could be that his Rings score holds up internationally, while the other guys' haven't (Asher's especially).

2.) "Pommel + High Bar + Vault + Floor" - These contenders were Khoi Young, Paul Juda, Shane Wiskus, Cameron Bock. None of them are better on Rings or Pbars than the 3 scores already on the team, so those events are meaningless (unfortunately for Shane, since he's easily the best of this group on those two events combined). Khoi blows the field away when looking at top scores, but his inconsistency on Pommel is what gave Paul the lead.

 

[rlayt]

I think it’s hard for anyone to be consistent on pommel horse. It’s inherently a risky event.

 

[Rich]

This may have been discussed elsewhere but how would you rate GB vs USA chances of winning the bronze. It would be nice if the US could capitalize on a non Russian olympics.

 

[irichluck21]

GBR seems to have gone more for individuals route instead of team medal, but they still have a chance.
I would be leery of Ukraine.
I think Ukraine is more of a challenge to the US for a team medal than GBR is at the moment.

 

[ewdot2480]

Agreed ^

 

[RedBirdie]

Mag selection report: https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Men/Committee Minutes/ssc_062924.pdf

Nothing terribly exciting, as MAG write their criteria based on scores and they were locked into who they could select for the competing team. The only subjective decision was Wiskus vs. Moldauer for second travelling alt.

 

[rlayt]

Wiskus made himself undeniable.

 

[cftmoonlight79]

Does anyone think Yul is done now? Or will he continue on to 28? I think his stuff is great, but he never really does anything new and is always behind in difficulty so I'm not sure he will make teams with the younger guys coming up.

 

[KristyJ]

He did a lot new on high bar this quad. I imagine he'll need some down time to sort his thoughts after Paris is done, though, since he does still need to train as an alternate for another several weeks.

 

[rlayt]

He seems to be taking some time off, getting a portfolio of modelling shots, and visiting in Florida.

 

[irichluck21]

At this point, he can probably relax, since he is Non-traveling.

 

[rlayt]

He’s worked hard the last 3 years. Right now is a great time for a vacation.