Gabby Douglas Comeback Thread (New goal: LA 2028)

[Laura722]

I certainly agree that Biles has been catty and not friendly to Gabby at all. Gabby made a post on IG (before she disappeared) about having been through so much, and I think it’s a lot of the criticism from the public and the unfriendliness from others she has encountered (IMO). Here are people again saying everything is Gabby’s fault.

Simone hasn’t been welcoming, to say the least. Simone wasn’t a child in Rio either.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

This is so boring. At least the bullying of Dementyeva was exciting

 

[Passion]

This is so boring. At least the bullying of Dementyeva was exciting

Dug this up just for you

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

HAHAHA I searched so hard for that!! Thank you. Yes, I was very much being sarcastic, no bullying is exciting. But this chapter was funny. I too wouldn’t want a neck on my shoulder. They seem chummy after her neck is brushed off. I attribute any drama to the coaches

 

[GymBeauty]

This last point is just ridiculous re: team experience. The only person on the team with less experience than Skinner was Jordan Chiles. Grace had been to two World Championships and had team final experience at both; Lee had competed at the previous Worlds and had competed in all-around finals and two event finals, where she won medals.

Grace and Suni absolutely did not have more experience, this thread is so crazy (YIKES at people downplaying the things Gabby went through). Skinner had actually been to the Olympics and was competing at senior level for a decade; Grace/Suni were only on the scene since 2018. Skinner was a proven tough competitor who consistently delivered under pressure, in any environment.

I’m shocked people are thinking Skinner would’ve been more viable. McCallum had been somewhat of a question mark because of injury but then she proved herself at the domestic selection meets. She didn’t have the best competition in Tokyo, but obviously she was better for a 4 person team because of her UB and BB strength

Once again, the 4th person on the team was supposed to be doing Vault and Floor. Besides that, Grace had no special “UB and BB” strength. She had a lower top AA score at trials than Skinner, and then again at the Olympics - when given TWO tries! The only thing Grace proved, both domestically and at the Olympics, was having zero individual medal chance and offering less to the team.

 

[irichluck21]

Skinner was a proven tough competitor who consistently delivered under pressure, in any environment.

 

[MaryClare]

Gabby’s religious beliefs and her expression of those beliefs are a major, major barrier for just about everyone.

 

[irichluck21]

Gabby’s religious beliefs and her expression of those beliefs are a major, major barrier for just about everyone.

Not to mention her mother Natalie…

 

[MaryClare]

In 2012 perhaps, but by 2015 she was an adult and her family weren’t really in the picture.

 

[irichluck21]

but by 2015 she was an adult and her family weren’t really in the picture.

Nope.

Natalie was heavily involved in 2016, and was a major reason for the coaching change.

Natalie was still running the Gabby show up to and past the Olympics.

 

[MaryClare]

Really? I didn’t know that, they certainly seemed less visible in 2016. What was Natalie’s reason for the coaching change?

 

[irichluck21]

What was Natalie’s reason for the coaching change?

Essentially, she didn’t get to control Kittia like she wanted to.

 

[GymBeauty]

Why are you posting a video of Skinner falling on a more difficult mount and dismount than McCallum has ever attempted? You just wanted to show us your logical dissonance?

 

[irichluck21]

Why are you posting a video of Skinner falling on a more difficult mount and dismount than McCallum has ever attempted? You just wanted to show us your logical dissonance?

No, to point out your absurdity.

 

[GymBeauty]

You’re not pointing out anything except your own bias. Everyone has had a bad performance on an event at some point in their life - especially when trying to upgrade.

 

[irichluck21]

You’re not pointing out anything except your own bias.

 

[GymBeauty]

Posting memes while ignoring every point that’s been made is never going to make you correct.

 

[irichluck21]

Posting memes while ignoring every “point” that’s been made is never going to make you correct.

Fixed it for you.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Once again, the 4th person on the team was supposed to be doing Vault and Floor. Besides that, Grace had no special “UB and BB” strength.

This is revisionist history. No one was planning on having Chiles do BB in TF. It was always going to be McCallum.

And it was a four person team. No one in the USA would be taken for just two events. The person had to be a solid AAer. Using their highest scores from the Games:

McCallum 14.533 14.100 13.666 13.500 55.799
Skinner 15.033 13.666 13.233 13.566 55.498

You really believe Skinner is a more solid, reliable, well-rounded AAer than McCallum? Come on.

 

[irichluck21]

Skinner bested McCallum in team qualifications by .233 and placed ahead of her due to her good luck.
Skinner got lucky that McCallum missed her leap requirement on beam and incurred .5 off her D score for missing CR.

Skinner has always had the best of luck when it came to her gymnastics and major meets. She often relied on others’ mistakes, errors, and injury misfortunes.

I am still super shocked that she got the +1 and not alternate. But Eaker didn’t deliver and McCusker fell on night 2.

Had McCusker hit night 2 bars, Skinner would have been in the alternate zone again.

ETA: Speaking of more Skinner luck, it took Simone Biles withdrawing for Skinner to make it into event finals. That is the true definition of luck.