Konnor McClain at LSU

[Laura722]

I don’t understand why they felt the need to bring Simone into their post. Maybe they wanted to this to blow up the way it has.



So Konnor is planning to resume elite after the NCAA season? That will not work well, IMO.

 

[RedBirdie]

Maybe this is a Shawn Johnson play on Konnor’s part. Keep saying you’re going for the Olympics even though you know it’s absolutely not going to happen to keep those sweet sweet endorsement dollars rolling in.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Not gonna lie, this whole time I thought he was a random business man. You’re telling me he was a coach in the 90s??? For shame…

 

[RedBirdie]

You were unaware of Tom’s infamous meltdown at 1996 Trials?!?!

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

please I need more information!! I beg of thee

 

[RedBirdie]

 

[rlayt]

oooo gym nostalgia!

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Tom’s theme song



thank you, RedBirdie. Wow

 

[Hatsumomo]

And they hired somebody who acts like that as a coach to be the National Team Coordinator. Also, that beam routine was interesting in that there were no aerial skills and the only acrobatic skills was a cartwheel and a Valdez.

 

[Kittentoes]

Well, it was compulsories.

 

[onodian]

He was right to be distraught, cause he knew it would come down to tenths

 

[RedBirdie]

He can be distraught in private, after the competition is over. Not on the middle of the floor when his gymnasts are still competing.

Spencer posted this (including the video I posted above) back when Tom was named NTC: Tom Forster – Team Coordinator

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Tenths!

 

[Hatsumomo]

Ooh, okay. I was waiting for Tom’s meltdown and not paying much attention to everything else. Kind of forgot compulsories were a thing. Completely unrelated question aside, when did compulsories start? At this point it feels like gymnastics has been without compulsories longer than it had them.

 

[MaryClare]

I want to say 1965

 

[RedBirdie]

This whole article is a thing. A Coach's Olympic Dreams Fade

 

[RedBirdie]

Okay, back to Konnor. This “plan” is insane. Or total bullshit. She last competed elite at 2022 nationals, and has not competed internationally since Jesolo 2022. She intends to compete NCAA and then return to elite in hopes of making Paris.

At best, she could perhaps compete at Pan Ams in May. But that seems extremely unlikely, as NCAA season will have just finished. Plus, there’s absolutely no down time between NCAAs and elite in 2024, which is probably why so many Olympic hopefuls opted against NCAA for 2024 (and Jade Carey will only to UB and BB to save herself for elite): NCAAs finish April 18, American Classic in April 25.

So I’m supposed to believe someone who has made it quite clear she doesn’t want to be doing elite gymnastics and has been riddled with injuries is somehow going to be able to handle the demands of a full NCAA season then immediately turn around and have elite-level routines to go through the grinder of Classics-Nationals-Trials?

 

[irichluck21]

I don’t think McClain plans to actually come back.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Lee said she was at the best she has ever been this winter. Maybe the same can happen for McClain this upcoming winter and she can finesse her elite skills while at school

 

[RedBirdie]

I don’t think McClain plans to actually come back

Sorry if I didn’t make my skepticism clear. Every day I’m more convinced this “I’m still aiming for Paris!” story is utter bullshit, driven primarily to cash in on endorsement money and media attention.