US WAG Olympic trials Night 2 (LIVE DISCUSSION)

[Doug1233]

Spreadsheet has now been updated to include all USAG individual judges scores:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Na4VJ_GfPgNNsYf8u_f4jPFscKysZbxKenKjBEWLrSo/edit#gid=1872011659

If anyone wants to judge after the event, please do so!

Interestingly, we have Chiles also beating Simone in the Night 2 AA, by one tenth (57.4 to 57.3), based on 4 WWGym judges inputs.

 

[ucrgirl]

He could’ve also just said this is the top 4 AAers, which we felt was essential in a 4-3-3 format and with Sunisa’s ankle needing to be protected. That would’ve been convincing enough for most of the general public. I honestly thought if he did end up with the top 4 he’d go for that as an explanation.

This is a very convincing argument. Protect Sunisa’s ankles.

 

[Doug1233]

Also, we now have the individual judges scores for Nationals and Classics. I will be inputting these also into the spreadsheets between now and Tokyo.

Very interesting to note - remember how we were all perplexed at Skinner’s Cheng at Classics, and how it got an 8,7 E. An insight into the judges scores:

J1 - 9.2; J2 - 9.2, J3 - 8.5, J4 - 8.4

WTF. I’ve never seen a spread like that on vault.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

If there’s a possibility of an individual having to be subbed in ahead of a reserve should one of the main team go down, perhaps that’s what was the death knell to Riley’s chances. There’s Suni’s ankle and possibly achilles. Jade is carrying something and also you’d ideally not want to bring her in because that means losing a spot whereas I don’t think using the other individual does. So it’s really helpful if the other person in the running is someone pretty much guaranteed to be all in one piece and capable of four routines by TFs, whatever happens.

Though TBH I wonder if this might not be like 2015 worlds, where we all tie ourselves into knots trying to work out elaborate rationales, but perhaps the answer is actually that the decision maker wasn’t that bothered so just went with what felt easiest.

 

[glamafonic]

However I’d argue a bigger lowlight was Tom saying the FIG was unresponsive in trying to figure out what Jade needed to do.

That was definitely a highlight because it made me laugh so hard. The lengths he’ll go through to avoid doing his job or making any decisions at all ever are amazing. It what universe would the FIG have anything to do with what domestic competitions a gymnast attends?!?!? Tom World is a wild place.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Just imagine being the person on the other end of the phone/email for that one. Mummy FIG, mummy FIG, how should we resolve this internal situation that’s entirely of our own making, nobody else seems to be struggling with and that stands to be our biggest PR fiasco since we decided to partner with a media company that linked to sexual images of a child.

I’m actually not sure I’d be able to contain myself. Would just let rip and embrace getting sacked.

 

[cats]

I didn’t see the conference. Was he talking about getting clarity on that notion that Jade might be able to decline the WC spot while still allowing the US to pick up a different +1 via PanAms?

 

[irichluck21]

LOL at the hypocrisy of the Skinner stans.

2016: Skinner placed 4th and earned a spot on the team because she was top 5! She was robbed! Gabby shouldn’t go because she placed lower!

2021: Skinner placed 5th, but she should still be on the 4 person team because she earned it! She was robbed! She’s better than Grace!

I can’t with these people!!!

 

[arabiandoublefront]

That’s what irks me the most about Gymcastic after their latest podcast. Like even if they had taken the top 5 in 2016, Nichols still wouldn’t be on the team. It would be MyKayla and Ragan.

 

[glamafonic]

I’m actually not sure I’d be able to contain myself. Would just let rip and embrace getting sacked.

I would literally just laugh in face. Wouldn’t care if it was email. I’d just send back a giant string of HAHAHAHAHHAA.

 

[glamafonic]

Was he talking about getting clarity on that notion that Jade might be able to decline the WC spot while still allowing the US to pick up a different +1 via PanAms?

Nope. That would actually be reasonable.

Believe it or not it was in response to someone asking about the impetus behind Jade competing at Trials even though she’s already qualified and has an injury. He said that since the FIG “wasn’t responsive” when he asked for guidance on whether…a US gymnast should compete in a domestic US competition…he just let Brian Carey and Jade do whatever.

 

[RedBirdie]

McCallum’s selection was 100% down to beam, and significantly down to those two really strong beams she had at Nationals. It’s the only reason she was the top AA athlete out of the four vying for that spot. Skinner was #1 on vault and bars, Grace was #1 on beam by a mile, and Leanne was #1 on floor and the combined floor and vault rank across Nationals and Trials.

iirc, Tom said they were weighing Trails more heavily than nationals. Grace beat MyKayla on bars, beam and vault, while she beat Leanne on bars and beam, and was the slightest bit behind on vault.

Maybe we can run all sorts of crazy scenarios weighing nats/trials 40/60 and 30/70 and see what happens. Just for fun.

I remain just thrilled than Grace made the team. Had Leanne hit, I think she likely and deservedly would have gotten the spot. I would have been sad for Grace, but she wouldn’t have been robbed.

Meanwhile, the decision to take Skinner remains utterly stupid. Should have taken McCusker.

 

[cats]

WTF. I’m glad the FIG ignored him.

 

[arabiandoublefront]

Bars, beam, and floor? Not vault.

 

[Passion]

She wasn’t top 3 on vault or floor which are ostensibly her best events.

She was 2nd on vault.

 

[Puffin]

Hatsumomo:

She wasn’t top 3 on vault or floor which are ostensibly her best events.

She was 2nd on vault.

2nd overall - but 3rd highests on day 1 when Jade was vaulting and outscored her (talking about vt1 only)

 

[Hatsumomo]

Agreed. Doug pointed out that now the two +1 are in direct competition with each other. When you know Simone is guaranteed one of the two EF spots for VT/FX and the +1 who already has her confirmed Olympic berth is also for VT/FX, why would you take a VT/FX specialist for the other +1 spot? It should have gone to Riley or another UB/BB gymnast.

 

[Puffin]

The thing is I think that Riley could have legitimately made UB finals and then with likely 2 Russians and 2 Chinese gymnasts … anything could happen

But instead we have 3 Americans competing for 2 vt final places

 

[arabiandoublefront]

Really the only two options for UB and BB specialists were Riley for UB and Kara for BB, but I don’t think any of their cases are undeniable.

 

[JJS_5056]

Not sure how anyone can say Grace’s BB is “smartly” constructed / support her selection based on that event. I can let subjective appreciation of her “artistry” (horrible upper body carriage and posture, embarrassing choreography on floor, lacks extension, etc.) slide, but if not for a rule-book that allows a Biles to carry a team to gold, 50% (or more) of Grace’s BB sets this year could have been Larson-level disasters. Her Dance CR Day 1 of Nats + Day 2 of Trials should not have been given. (I wouldn’t have given it last night regardless, but what’s the official rule on awarding CR if hands grasp the beam?)

The COP is the COP, but use it consistently / as instructed; Leanne was not judged with the same pen as those 2. Grace had MAJOR errors last night on BB and FX, and looked like crap at Nationals. Mykayla scored above the 13s on 1 event last night (with ~1.0 overscore on UB, BB, FX). Meanwhile, Wong competed EF-worthy BB/FX, gorgeous DTY, and usable UB. Classics > Trials, she’s shown to be the best alternative to Sunisa on the 2 leg events. Only Skinner’s VTs in Tokyo will come close to Leanne’s efforts on FX. Grace will 13 her way to maybe 1 event (VT) in finals (Team).

The fact Mykayla Skinner will compete AA at the OG + win an individual medal is repulsive. That she even made the elite level in the deepest country shows how broken this sport is. Why perfect basics if you can just load your routine with chucked double back variations? Ugh; I’m done, but this is a new low for the sport. RUS / CHN may end up 2+ points behind, but their work is Olympic-level, and it’s too bad McCusker, Hurd, Wong, Eaker, etc., will be watching as Skinner and Carey compete in Tokyo.

Chiles (and even Biles as her execution slides toward the Shawn spectrum on UB/BB) aren’t my cup of tea, but there is a level of refinement / competence in 99% of what they do. There’s 0 of that in MacCallum, Carey (sans individual VT/FX skills), or Skinner. Yuck.