Simone is out of the AA, VT, UB and FX

[Puffin]

Is he really so stupid to think that the could have used anyone than the nominated reserve? Or did he think he could randomly add a 4th athlete?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

If it were anyone else I’d think no question they’re talking about using the nominated reserve. It being Tom, there’s that element of doubt creeping in!

 

[Puffin]

yeah this is true. Anything to get out of making a decision himself

 

[Puffin]

I bet Tom was hoping he could bring in Jade and have a do-over for Simone’s vt :roll_eyes:

 

[cats]

The whole thing where Simone has been having these issues but they didn’t have Suni warm up is actually crazy. I can understand not pulling Simone from the TF but if things were this serious, how do you not have your contingency plan activated???

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Initially I thought it made sense to minimise the number of hard landings that Suni was doing, so could see how that situation had come about, but that was when it seemed like the problems only began in vault warmup. With what we have heard about training that morning and the issues Simone had then, it does seem like everyone being prepared to do everything would have been wise.

 

[rlayt]

Piss poor planning when they knew there were problems. And horrible information management and messaging.

 

[gymskatefan]

Grace and Jordan have been in too many long TV interviews for me to keep track (Access, Today Show, TokyoLive), but Jordan did say she had warmed up bars in the warm up gym because Laurent told her to do so just in case.

 

[rlayt]

Jordan did say she had warmed up bars in the warm up gym because Laurent told her to do so just in case.

At least someone was keeping an eye out.

 

[Doug1233]

While I’m no Bieber fan for sure, I was glad he posted this because I remember during the Rio fluff how Simone was a huge fan and the Today Show hosts made sure they brought a cutout of her teenage crush to support her. Of course, everyone’s grown up, but I thought it was sweet so I’m glad she saw that

Wasn’t that Zac Efron?

 

[gymskatefan]

Yes, I’ve been corrected.

 

[choclatechip45]

Well since Laurent coaches Simone and Jordan he might have had more information. They all seem over Tom at this point lol.

 

[PeakePups]

They are similar to me

 

[JaJa]

I think the whole PR narrative has been mismanaged. While Aimee Boorman has pretty much stayed 100% neutral on social media in the lead up to the games, I’m glad she took the time to give this interview this morning:

Its a great interview but how many people will hear this? Very very few. They needed to get Aimee or someone with a comparable voice on mainstream media.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

He doesn’t seem like a man who’s long for the job!

 

[gymskatefan]

Sadly, while there are quite a few people who have comparable voices, it’s all been random one off TV interviews no one will ever bother to watch. It needed to be in the Primetime broadcast, and NBC flopped there. The safety aspect I felt was most important to highlight.

I don’t know how much people have been following here, but literally every single American Olympic champion gymnast from the last 25 years has been dug out of the woodworks for their 2 cents. Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Dominique Moceanu, Kim Zmeskal, Kerri Strug, Carly Patterson, and of course every member of the London and Rio teams (except Gabby).

On NBCOlympics.com, there are all sorts of long-form video interviews and explanations about it now with everyone from Laurie, Aly, Nastia, Adam Rippon (the skater) to Andrea Joyce. But the more casual fans will never bother to click on those after the fact.

 

[choclatechip45]

I’m so curious who will replace him!

 

[JaJa]

It needed to be in the Primetime broadcast, and NBC flopped there. The safety aspect I felt was most important to highlight.

Of course it did and it needed to come from some “official” voice. There should have been someone who could speak like Aimee with the Team at that press conference. What an utter mess this was.

 

[gymskatefan]

Actually, the USOPC has done more for Simone’s PR than USAG and their incompetent non-actions. I know she hasn’t done much visible to the athletes, but there is an interview with Sarah Hirshland on NBCOlympics.com and a statement along the lines of “the medals belong to the athletes, not to the USOPC, and their spots are earned by them and theirs to do what they want with.”

Aimee also posted that this Olympics, there have been signs all over the village that mental health is important:



I’ve also found Michael Phelps to be a very impressive commentator in both swimming and the larger picture when he was asked about Simone’s situation. And between his high profile in the Primetime broadcasts and Katie Ledecky, even USA Swimming is more publicly supportive of Simone than USAG’s empty words:

 

[arabiandoublefront]

I never would have guessed in 2004 that Michael Phelps would be a respectable commentator, and I had a huge crush on him (still kinda lowkey do).