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

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Apparently people in the arena were booing when Stephen was announced as a member of the team.

 

[rlayt]

From my center spot in the third row I heard absolutely no booing.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

Apparently people in the arena were booing when Stephen was announced as a member of the team.

I didn't hear any of that.
I hope it didn't happen, because he's not responsible for the selection criteria.

 

[rlayt]

If someone reported that it must have been a very isolated thing. In one small area because I heard zero negative noise.

 

[makam]

Nedoroscik was 1st on 1 event only.

You're including nationals in your numbers right? Cuz the scoresheet says Hoopes was 1st. Not by much, but still.

I didn't hear any booing. Some cheers were a little louder/longer than others--Frederick got a longer one than Brody for once.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

If someone reported that it must have been a very isolated thing. In one small area because I heard zero negative noise.

I hope so, I didn’t hear anything either. A couple of people mentioned it though.

 

[irichluck21]

You're including nationals in your numbers right? Cuz the scoresheet says Hoopes was 1st. Not by much, but still.

YES! Sorry I didn't make that clear.

 

[Passion]

I think there is an issue weighing nationals and trials equally. If wonder if trials had been weighed more if Shane would be on the team. He did not have a good nationals.

They should weigh it 40% Nationals, 60% Trials. More emphasis on who is doing well closer to the Games.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

There is an epic amount of bitching. I'm glad I'm not Brett McClure.
Unless you have a 15 person team, someone's favorite is not going.
Every selection system has issues.
It seems like yesterday that people were complaining the US men weren't consistent, and now they are mad Khoi Young isn't going despite falling on 50 % of his PH routines.

The potential numerical score probably comes from a team with Khoi on it, because of his 5.6 vault and PH when he hits.

There is no perfect way to do this.

Would I have put a one event gymnast for an unstable event like PH who can't even touch the other five? No way. I would have written the rules to preclude that.

It's risky. It's high risk, high reward. Steve can get close to 15 with a watered-down routine.

It's like putting all your money in one stock. If the company tanks, you are through.

On the other hand, people who put all their money in index funds and don't take any risks don't get rich.

 

[Aeris]

Somebody who does only one event out of six doesn't get to water down on their sole event at Olympic Trials and be taken seriously, even if they were still first on the event.

They do get to, since they are still that much better. Numbers are numbers. It's not Stephen's fault that the field of AA'ers are bad on Pommel and/or having no super high scoring event of their own, leading to him helping the team the most.

Young unfortunately didn't produce. If he had two trials routines like he had at Worlds last year he would have made the team over Nedoroscik

Khoi Young performing up to potential would have knocked Paul Juda off the team, since they shared the same strongest events. Stephen would still be there. Really the only way Stephen was going to be off the team in this field is if Khoi Young AND Yul Moldauer AND Curran Phillips had all performed up to their potential during the selection process. At that point the deficit on Pommel would have been manageable enough to allow Curran to come in with Pbar+High Bar and add more to the team.

 

[arabiandoublefront]

It's 2022 all over again, where Shane won day 2 of the selection camp and wasn't named to the World team. Wasn't even brought as the alternate.

That is really messed up. They don't factor in if your trending upwards at all.

 

[Regionals]

There is an epic amount of bitching. I'm glad I'm not Brett McClure.
Unless you have a 15 person team, someone's favorite is not going.
Every selection system has issues.
It seems like yesterday that people were complaining the US men weren't consistent, and now they are mad Khoi Young isn't going despite falling on 50 % of his PH routines.

Exactly this. No one forced Khoi, Fred, and Brody to muck up PH enough so that even in the “top 3 of 4 scores” scenario, Stephen was still needed to make the highest scoring team. If 2 out of the 3 of those AAers could have just hit PH, Stephen would not have been in contention. Brett basically said this in the day 1 interview.

 

[arabiandoublefront]

Exactly this. No one forced Khoi, Fred, and Brody to muck up PH enough so that even in the “top 3 of 4 scores” scenario, Stephen was still needed to make the highest scoring team. If 2 out of the 3 of those AAers could have just hit PH, Stephen would not have been in contention. Brett basically said this in the day 1 interview.

I dealt with the selections in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021. I'm just mad and frustrated because it never should have been an option to use a one-event gymnast in the first place. It rubs me the wrong way. Like there is just something I value in my very core. It's hard to put into words. I don't think you should be forced into using the top 5 all-arounders either.

Anyways, it looks like prelims will be Fred, Brody, and Paul for AA, Asher for everything but PH, and Stephen for PH.

 

[Rebel]

I hope so - but I can see them giving Asher a shot at all-around in prelims too. Please no - Paul’s PH is one of his strengths.

 

[irichluck21]

Juda and Nedoroscik have to do PH in TQ because they will be doing TF.
Hong will have to be sacrificed, he is weakest on PH and one of Malone or Richard has to do TF PH.

 

[irichluck21]

ETA if you look at nationals and trials, Hong was the worst AA. So Richard, Malone, Juda =AA

 

[cats]

There is never going to be a procedure that allows athletes to plan and accounts for every reality of an actual competition.

The selection committee decided that they wanted to win a team medal and wrote a procedure that let athletes know how they planned to accomplish that. Steve prepared and did what was asked of him and earned his spot. He’s a world champion, and the USA men aren’t going to take a conservative strategy and win a team medal.

I personally am very sad that Khoi and Shane didn’t make the cut. I find them both very exciting (and others too, the USA men’s program is not short on charisma and excitement even if they aren’t winning everything in sight).

 

[arabiandoublefront]

There is never going to be a procedure that allows athletes to plan and accounts for every reality of an actual competition.

The selection committee decided that they wanted to win a team medal and wrote a procedure that let athletes know how they planned to accomplish that. Steve prepared and did what was asked of him and earned his spot. He’s a world champion, and the USA men aren’t going to take a conservative strategy and win a team medal.

I personally am very sad that Khoi and Shane didn’t make the cut. I find them both very exciting (and others too, the USA men’s program is not short on charisma and excitement even if they aren’t winning everything in sight).

And how do they explain when this strategy doesn't work out? It didn't in 2022. What if they go home without a team medal like in 2012, 2016, and 2021? I can't help but be a pessimist. Is trying good enough? I wish I could say I have good vibes, but I don't.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

And how do they explain when this strategy doesn't work out? It didn't in 2022.

No one knows it won't. If Nedoroscik can give us a score around 14.5 to 15 he will have done what he was selected to do.

2022 was about the worst he could have done. Another day he might throw the routine of his life.

 

[arabiandoublefront]

No one knows it won't. If Nedoroscik can give us a score around 14.5 to 15 he will have done what he was selected to do.

2022 was about the worst he could have done. Another day he might throw the routine of his life.

Well, I don't trust him. Nothing is going to convince me otherwise. I do recognize that he isn't the only one who didn't hit in 2022, but as I said I'm trying to process this. I'm in a mood right now, but I will be ready to cheer on our men's team by the time July 27th comes around.