US Classic Senior Session 2

[RedBirdie]

McCallum can also competently do her wolf turns. I hate that she has 2 of them, but at least she’s not (usually) flailing around on the beam and struggling to make it around. So many gymnasts look like absolute shit doing wolf turns.

 

[Doug1233]

If you can competently do them, then they’re the most overvalued skill in the code and they should be exploited to their maximum.

To think that Suni, out of 16 elements on beam and floor in 2019 - 4 were wolf turns.

 

[ucrgirl]

Doug, who is on your team (tentatively as of Classics) and who do you think is in the running?

Just terribly curious.

 

[Concorde]

Morgan Hurd - Balance Beam

Acro:

1 x F (tucked full / Shishova)
1 x E (double pike dismount)
2 x D (side aerial, aerial)
1 x C (layout stepout)

Total Acro DV - 2.2

Dance:

1 x E (switch ring leap)
1 x D (split ring jump)
1 x C (switch leap)

Total Dance DV - 1.2

CV / Series Bonus

side aerial + layout stepout (D + C acro) = 0.2 CV

aerial + split jump + split ring jump (D + B + D, D + B mixed only) = 0.1 CV + 0.1 SB

Total CV / SB = 0.4

CR

Dance Series - switch leap + straddle jump
Turn - full turn
Acro Series with Salto - side aerial + layout stepout
Acro Elements in Different Directions - tucked full, aerial

Total D - 3.4 + 0.4+ 2.0 = 5.8

Downgrades

aerial + split jump + split ring jump

• Connection broken by adjustment of the foot on the aerial and slight pause in the plie before going into the split jump

Total D - 3.4 + 0.2+ 2.0 = 5.6

Deductions

tucked full

• (flexed feet) 0.1
• (low chest on landing, but above knees) 0.1
• (balance adjustment) 0.1

layout stepout

• (landing posture) 0.1
• (large balance adjustment) 0.5

aerial

• (bent knees) 0.1
• (adjustment) 0.1

split ring jump

• (small balance adjustment) 0.1

switch ring leap

• (adjustment / excessive preparation) 0.1
• (large balance adjustment) 0.5^ (the leg coming off along with the movement of the torso is why I went 0.5 vs. 0.3, but I don’t have an issue with only taking off 0.3)

round off

• (adjustment / excessive preparation) 0.1

double pike

• (landing posture) 0.1
• (hop on landing) 0.1

Total - 2.1

Artistry / Overall

• (Insufficient variation in rhythm and tempo) 0.1
• (Insufficient complexity or creativity in the movements) 0.1

Total E - 7.7 - 7.9 / (-2.1 -2.3)

 

[rue_des_plantes]

USAG would never put her on the team unless Trials or an injury forced them to, but I don’t think fans would mind too much if Jade made the main team or even advanced to AA finals once some key injuries piled up. We’re materially a far cry from the “what if McCusker, Hurd, McCallum, and Eaker all hit everything?!?!” fantasies of 2019-2020.

Eaker looks pretty useless right now in terms of AA (vault and floor scores), and combined with scoring another 14.1 on her key piece that the US can get elsewhere, she’s not too compelling as a +1, either. Hurd says she needs the extra time, and she’s 100% correct. McCusker, alas. I suppose it’s not a proper season unless she’s having an injury or health arc. McClain looked ill and devastated even before her first routine.

Who knows, we still have a month and change to go until Trials. Lots can change, but we are dealing with a shortened window and utterly unprecedented times.

 

[blake]

Laurent/Cecile’s elites at WOGA had the same style. Old habits die hard.

 

[Doug1233]

Simone Suni Grace/Morgan and Jordan

I’m not a Jordan fan but she’s pulling the numbers out that make it difficult to ignore.

 

[Kittentoes]

I wonder why Sydney Barros doesn’t have any twisting tumbling?

 

[blake]

Simone has given him so much room to suck at selection this quad that I hate the circumstances this year justifying his approach. I wish USAG would look for a new coordinator after Tokyo to save the rest of what I can picture being the weakest quad for USAG since post-Atlanta, or after Paris at least.

 

[blake]

Team USAG is literally limping towards tokyo

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

The main contenders for the team are Biles, Chiles, McCallum, DiCello, and–call me crazy–McClain. McCusker, Hurd, and Lee are wildcards right now in my mind. Wong obviously has a chance if she finishes top 5 at Trials, but I find that much more unlikely for Wong than McClain.

 

[ucrgirl]

That makes sense.

I hope Suni’s achilles make this team possible. It would be great to see her in the bars final.

 

[Doug1233]

I would note that it’s become clear that Tom considers the second +1 (i.e. the non-Jade +1) to be the built in alternate for the main team. Probably with a need for proficiency on bars and/or beam, as Suni seems to be the most likely to break, and Jade can be pulled in if Simone or Jordan goes down, for the leg events.

So I’m more mindful to have a team of Simone, Suni, Jordan and Grace, with Jade and Morgan as my +1s.

I still have faith in Morgan.

It would be a toss up between Morgan and Riley for that spot but it seems like Riley might have just ended her elite career yesterday and, even if she hasn’t, "is it even a season if Riley doesn’t get injured? just sadly keeps ringing true.

In my ideal world, where injuries weren’t a thing, I’d have Simone, Suni, Morgan and Riley.

 

[ucrgirl]

regarding that alternate (the +1) spots and subbing someone on to the main team . . .

Do you think Tom would actually do that? I know the four person team doesn’t really have room to carry a Chellsie (2008) type injury, but it has been a long time since someone has been removed from the team after being named and Tom doesn’t seem mean enough/tough enough to do it.

 

[makam]

So I’m more mindful to have a team of Simone, Suni, Jordan and Grace, with Jade and Morgan as my +1s.

Yeah, that’s where I am too. If Suni’s ankle holds up enough that she can do UB and BB dismounts, they don’t really need her on VT or FX and can be like what we want team GB doing and have her go up last and scratch if the others have hit scores to preserve her health that much longer.

I think if Emily Lee can figure out UB (I don’t know if she has form issues or fell, I’ve never seen her compete), she looks like a really steady AA gymnast (I’ll also admit I’d love a team of Biles, Chiles, Lee and Lee). Skye Blakely too has great potential if she can hit. I’d also say Aleah Finnegan but she has GAGE probably trying to ruin her knees, so not putting any money on that.

 

[Doug1233]

I guess it depends on when the injury happens and on what events it impacts.

For example, if Suni breaks a toe, or even an ankle (as we say with Chellsie) that’s one thing. They might keep her in the line up. A broken hand (or even finger), is another.

 

[Doug1233]

I really enjoyed Alipo on both beam and floor. Probably the best presentation of any gymnast at Classics.

Just waaaaay too many errors.

 

[RedBirdie]

The main contenders for the team are Biles, Chiles, McCallum, DiCello, and–call me crazy–McClain. McCusker, Hurd, and Lee are wildcard right now in my mind. Wong obviously has a chance if she finishes top 5 at Trials, but I find that much more unlikely for Wong than McClain.

The same McClain who has been underwhelming this year?

I would love to know what is going on with her, though. Her transition to senior has been quite rough so far.

 

[Jack]

Simone Suni Grace/Morgan and Jordan

I’m really curious as to how you see Morgan in contention? She’s an absolute sentimental favorite of mine and I desperately want her on the team, but she needs to massively upgrade FX and have have a consistent DTY is she is going to be on the same 4 person team as Suni, who I have my own doubts about. I don’t see how she even outscores Jade at this point.

 

[Doug1233]

I’m probably clouded by my hope that she will improve between now and Trials. You’re right, I’m probably seeing her through a lens which is no longer there due to injuries hampering her progress.

At her current state, no, she shouldn’t be going to Tokyo. But I have faith…!