2025 Week 5: January 27, 2025-February 2, 2025

[MaryClare]

Michigan State was absolutely the better team yesterday.
Oh yeah that UCLA floor line up was DEFINITELY 49.800.
Likely will cost Michigan State the regular season conference championship.
Shameful.

I had high hopes the judging wouldn't be as bad as previous years, but clearly the system is still very much broken.

I don’t think the system is broken, I think the culture is broken

 

[Nobody]

I've been seeing discourse that Alabama's coaches need to be replaced. Thoughts?

I think that losing the routines from Luisa, Ella, Makarri, and now Cam was actually along the lines of Michigan losing Sierra, Gabby, and Naomi. It just wasn't framed the same way as for Michigan this season. Clearly, they need to rebuild and maybe the expectation should be that their ceiling is in the low 197's this season. I'm not sure the new 9.9+ routines are there just waiting to be coached into existence.

It’s interesting anyone would think Alabama’s coaches need to be replaced in their 3rd season but what season is Arkansas’ head coach in? They aren’t doing any better. Alabama should move ahead of them this week.

Alabama didn’t give very many gymnasts the opportunity to gain experience the past 2 years and relied heavily on 5th years. It’s an interesting dynamic for those athletes entering NCAA the last few years with so many 5th years. Prior to Covid they would likely have had more opportunities to compete.

 

[irichluck21]

Yes. Alabama will move ahead of Arkansas on average. 196.500 to 196.395. Arkansas has 5 meets and Alabama 4 meets.

That said, comparing Arkansas to Alabama isn't really a comparison. Not with the history that Alabama has. Arkansas making it to Nationals last year was a major accomplishment for the entire team, gymnasts and coaches.

 

[Regionals]

Today’s scoring in the two marquis meets has been unhinged. 3 Impossible floor scores for Florida. And now, just bonkers home scoring for NC State on uneven bars. It seemed like the bars judges just switched to a completely different deduction list between rotations.

 

[BB12]

Bama is an interesting one. They could easily be the team to miss SEC's if they don't quickly get it together but they are hosting a regionals and I'm fully expect them to make nationals because of that.

With Arkansas, I have only watched 2 of their meets but I was not impressed by what I saw this weekend. So many of the small details were missing and quickly added up to explain their score. I've seen some places have an 'underscored' narrative about Arkansas but I dont buy into that.

 

[Beamer]

So how are Cecile and Ryan doing at Georgia?

On Week 5 of last year, UGA was ranked 19th. On Week 5 of this year, UGA is ranked 11th.

I’d say that’s quite impressive given it’s only their first year.

 

[Beamer]

I’m impressed with Jade Carey learning a floaty double layout UB dismount. She’s a Senior this year and unveils a new dismount.

Also, a new Yurchenko 1.5 on vault. Maybe not as impressive since it’s a downgrade from the DTY and she’s familiar with blind landings from the Amanar. Yet still a new skill in her 4th year.

Yes, she’s still getting the Olympic gold medalist overscores, but still.

 

[cuuf]

So how are Cecile and Ryan doing at Georgia?

On Week 5 of last year, UGA was ranked 19th. On Week 5 of this year, UGA is ranked 11th.

I’d say that’s quite impressive given it’s only their first year.

Honestly I would give them a solid B/B- right now. Sure, their ranking has improved from this time last year, but I'm not sure CKC would have done worse. Remember, last year they were trending up with a strong finish at the end of the season. They retained all their routines with some good additions this year. The normal trend line would see improvement even without a coaching change, I would not call that impressive. They are still lingering in the bottom 1/3 of the SEC. I think Cecile and Ryan are solid. Not ready to proclaim them disrupters that will break Georgia out of their funk.