Gabby Douglas Comeback Thread (5/29/24 Withdrawn from Nationals)

[navyblue]

12 seems like way too low given the number of genuine contenders. Even 16 would be too small

Yeah, I guess it depends how you treat Olympic trials -- like a milestone for the best elites at a given time, or an actual selection meet. Cuz I don't see any problem with taking just 12 gymnasts, let alone 16.

Right now my A group would be:
- Biles, Jones, Lee, Blakely, Douglas, Chiles

B group (#7-12):
- Wong, Lincoln, Roberson, Carey, Dicello, Sumanesekera

Others (#13-18): Jong, Miller, Thomas, Matthews, Fatta, Rivera... IMO no one in this group has a chance of leaping past the B-group onto the team, so IDK if their inclusion in Olympic trials is all that needed. (Perhaps Thomas could edge into the B group, but obviously I have no idea at the moment).

The status of injuries come June could shake up the group, but still...

 

[makam]

Yeah, I guess it depends how you treat Olympic trials -- like a milestone for the best elites at a given time, or an actual selection meet. Cuz I don't see any problem with taking just 12 gymnasts, let alone 16.

As a person who bought a really expensive ticket, I gots no problem getting more gymnastics for my money.

 

[BB12]

Yeah, I guess it depends how you treat Olympic trials -- like a milestone for the best elites at a given time, or an actual selection meet. Cuz I don't see any problem with taking just 12 gymnasts, let alone 16.

Right now my A group would be:
- Biles, Jones, Lee, Blakely, Douglas, Chiles

B group (#7-12):
- Wong, Lincoln, Roberson, Carey, Dicello, Sumanesekera

Others (#13-18): Jong, Miller, Thomas, Matthews, Fatta, Rivera... IMO no one in this group has a chance of leaping past the B-group onto the team, so IDK if their inclusion in Olympic trials is all that needed. (Perhaps Thomas could edge into the B group, but obviously I have no idea at the moment).

The status of injuries come June could shake up the group, but still...

How can Gabby be group A when no one has been a competitive routine from her yet?

 

[makam]

How can Gabby be group A when no one has been a competitive routine from her yet?

cuz you gotta have faith, faith, faith! (I would have put Chellsie Memmel on my 202One team at this point in the year because I love an underdog and a comeback)

 

[rlayt]

“As a person who bought a really expensive ticket, I gots no problem getting more gymnastics for my money.”

Same!

 

[JaJa]

cuz you gotta have faith, faith, faith! (I would have put Chellsie Memmel on my 202One team at this point in the year because I love an underdog and a comeback)

I think that is kind of BB12's point though

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

If I have to suffer with that thought in my head, the rest of you have to suffer with me!

on a team of Simone, Suni, Gabby, and Shilese, Roberson would definitely be the Dooneese.

 

[RedBirdie]

I'm not ready to declare Gabby a top tier Olympic threat until we see some actual routines. And quite honestly, same with Suni.

 

[Doug1233]

I'm not ready to declare Gabby a top tier Olympic threat until we see some actual routines. And quite honestly, same with Suni.

100%

And training videos do not always translate into routines.

I also desperately want Trinity to make Trials.

 

[BB12]

cuz you gotta have faith, faith, faith! (I would have put Chellsie Memmel on my 202One team at this point in the year because I love an underdog and a comeback)

All good to believe in her ability to make the comeback. But it’s just jarring to have her in the same category as gymnasts who won medals/made finals at the last worlds before any routine has been competed.

 

[makam]

All good to believe in her ability to make the comeback. But it’s just jarring to have her in the same category as gymnasts who won medals/made finals at the last worlds before any routine has been competed.

But she has a history of being a big competition athlete. Sure, not recent history but it feels unlikely that she would be doing all this just to come in 15th. Maybe it is just for her sense of closure but she wasn't such amazingly good friends with anyone still competing or had such a great relationship with any coach or any super-lucrative sponsor deals anymore (right?) and she got so much social media shit the last time, that it feels like it can't just be for shits and giggles. She must think she has a chance even with the current depth of the US team, and she knows how hard it is to make an Olympic team that I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt until she shows otherwise.

(I mean, I've basically written Suni off but I am willing to change my mind there too because she is also putting herself through a lot of shit for a chance so she must still have faith so I guess I can too, and I am always going to root for "Trinity for the fifth!" even if the scores don't support it because that is how I roll.)

 

[BB12]

But she has a history of being a big competition athlete. Sure, not recent history but it feels unlikely that she would be doing all this just to come in 15th. Maybe it is just for her sense of closure but she wasn't such amazingly good friends with anyone still competing or had such a great relationship with any coach or any super-lucrative sponsor deals anymore (right?) and she got so much social media shit the last time, that it feels like it can't just be for shits and giggles. She must think she has a chance even with the current depth of the US team, and she knows how hard it is to make an Olympic team that I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt until she shows otherwise.

(I mean, I've basically written Suni off but I am willing to change my mind there too because she is also putting herself through a lot of shit for a chance so she must still have faith so I guess I can too, and I am always going to root for "Trinity for the fifth!" even if the scores don't support it because that is how I roll.)

I'm not saying she cant make it onto the Olympic team. But a few social media videos and form from 8 years ago doesn't stack up to those who made world finals last year.

Maybe she comes out at Winter Cup and shows routines that are of equal quality and difficulty to the top gymnasts of this quad. But until we see it, it's hard to justify her being put in the same level as the current top gymnasts in the world or above some who competed at worlds last year.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

As international gymnastics becomes something that athletes can do at a high level into their 30s, we could see a lot more Memmel and Douglas style comebacks after many years out, especially in an Olympic year. Might be a conversation we're having more often. Maybe there needs to be a general set of parameters for how previous world and Olympic champions are regarded when it comes to things like petitioning, Trials etc. How much weight to give to previous success but also commercial and even good PR factors. Chellsie's comeback was a good look for the US programme at a time when those were really needed, for example.

For me, you're not top tier until the routines show it, but equally I've always tended to take a broad view of who should be at Trials.

 

[flappergirl]

I hope to see Gabby pull off a miracle. People are correct that it isn’t likely she makes another Olympic team, but it’s wonderful that she is enjoying herself and allowing others to imagine her answering all those nasty Gabby bashers. At the very least she does beautiful gymnastics and we get to see her soon!

 

[Jerkin]

I'm not saying she cant make it onto the Olympic team. But a few social media videos and form from 8 years ago doesn't stack up to those who made world finals last year.

Maybe she comes out at Winter Cup and shows routines that are of equal quality and difficulty to the top gymnasts of this quad. But until we see it, it's hard to justify her being put in the same level as the current top gymnasts in the world or above some who competed at worlds last year.

I personally think that only Simone and Shi are favourites for the Olympic team and everything else is up in the air but I don't blame people for being so excited about Gabby's chances. It says a lot about her talent and historic career that people are already so big on her. We'll see if she can deliver.

 

[lovegymnasts]

How can Gabby be group A when no one has been a competitive routine from her yet?

Thank you!!!!!!!

 

[lovegymnasts]

But she has a history of being a big competition athlete. Sure, not recent history but it feels unlikely that she would be doing all this just to come in 15th. Maybe it is just for her sense of closure but she wasn't such amazingly good friends with anyone still competing or had such a great relationship with any coach or any super-lucrative sponsor deals anymore (right?) and she got so much social media shit the last time, that it feels like it can't just be for shits and giggles. She must think she has a chance even with the current depth of the US team, and she knows how hard it is to make an Olympic team that I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt until she shows otherwise.

(I mean, I've basically written Suni off but I am willing to change my mind there too because she is also putting herself through a lot of shit for a chance so she must still have faith so I guess I can too, and I am always going to root for "Trinity for the fifth!" even if the scores don't support it because that is how I roll.)

Chelsea did
She didn't make trials and she should not have been at nationals because she did not earn it

 

[RichardL]

As international gymnastics becomes something that athletes can do at a high level into their 30s, we could see a lot more Memmel and Douglas style comebacks after many years out, especially in an Olympic year. Might be a conversation we're having more often. Maybe there needs to be a general set of parameters for how previous world and Olympic champions are regarded when it comes to things like petitioning, Trials etc. How much weight to give to previous success but also commercial and even good PR factors. Chellsie's comeback was a good look for the US programme at a time when those were really needed, for example.

For me, you're not top tier until the routines show it, but equally I've always tended to take a broad view of who should be at Trials.

You can go back to 2000 to see

 

[RichardL]

Yikes, I deleted a whole post but looks like a few words made it onto the board lol. I was going to make a point about Shannon Miller ghosting the whole quad in before 2000 and then showing up in relatively competitive shape (obviously she got injured but her UB/BB were looking great) just for an Olympics bid. Very similar to what Nastia Liukin tried in 2012.

 

[irichluck21]

about Shannon Miller ghosting the whole quad in before 2000

This isn't really accurate though.
Shannon competed elite in 1997, she was at the International 3 on 3 with Amy Chow in March. She also competed (and won) at the University Games Trials in July. She then helped USA to team silver and won the all around gold at the University Games in August.
Additionally, she competed at various exhibitions (100 city tour) and "pro" meets in 1997.
She also competed in 1998 at various professional meets using an NCAA modified level 10 CoP, which she often won or was 2nd.
She didn't compete in 1999, but she did come back to elite right after 1999 Worlds.

Unlike Nastia who competed beam only in 2009, and then not seen until 2012.