WAG/MAG Podium Training Notes/ Quick Hits/ Reports (Wed. July 21- Thurs. July 22)

[Doug1233]

It really is all to play for. Jade isn’t out of the AA at all. I had only 5 tenths between Suni, Grace, Jordan and Jade in the AA (based on a guess on Jade’s beam - if anyone finds it can they let me know?)

You all know I’m a huge Suni fan. I want her to make AA and BB finals, as well as UB. So I was surprised with my scores today but her vault brings her down a bit, and that Double L really fucked up her floor score. You nix that, and she’s right back up there with Grace in the AA.

Jordan lost some tenths on beam. All 4 of them really could get a 57 - and I think it will take a 57 to clinch the second AA spot.

Even Skinner, with a 55.5, might even make top 10 AA. On any other team (except maybe RUS and CHN) she would make it.

 

[ucrgirl]

Based on today, IMO Suni would only be in the bars final. No other finals. And only used on bars and beam in TF - Grace would be pulled up in the line up for floor.

She had a mediocre day. And “mediocre” on the US team knocks you out of a lot of finals and TF line ups.

I had Simone making all 4 finals - with Skinner (VT), Suni (UB), Grace (AA, BB) and Jade (FX) joining her. Nothing for Jordan - but 3 events in TF (not beam)

For TF I have:

Grace, Jordan, Simone
Jordan, Simone, Suni
Suni, Grace, Simone
Grace, Jordan, Simone

I saw your podium training scores but I think Suni might improve in qualifications, but even if she doesn’t improve her better line up positions may have an impact on the scores she gets. Suni has been pushed as the US #2 and that knowledge may impact the judges.
Not all the judges are as accurate as you.

 

[Doug1233]

I hope she improves!!!

 

[Doug1233]

I agreed with you I just didn’t know it yet! Haha

 

[Doug1233]

Yes. Like Cheng herself, towards the end of her career.

I think it’s fine, it might just get a tenth on the table for staggered hands.

 

[lovegymnasts]

I have the feeling I’m the only one who doesn’t get this. What is it referring to and why is it funny?

 

[glamafonic]

John Cheng is the photographer who usually works all the US gymnastics events.

 

[lovegymnasts]

Thank you!

 

[Doug1233]

I don’t think they’re gonna change the line ups based on today. The line ups in prelims don’t really matter that much anyway as they’re all doing AA.

Tom has such a fucking easy job. Does anyone know how much he gets paid?

Like, what does he even do? Any one of us could do his job. He doesn’t need to coach. He doesn’t even need to know the code or how to judge as I’m sure he’s got Perskaia and Cheryl on speed dial.

What does he even do?!? It is quite frankly the easiest fucking job in the whole USAG delegation. The massage therapist has a tougher job. Even the fucking photographer.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

You can’t deduct .1 for staggered hands for a front entry vault with LA turn. But sure, you could take alignment or pre-twist

“Staggered hand placement Gr.1, 2 & 5 (not applicable for Salto fwd stretched w/LA turn)”

 

[Doug1233]

Nice!! Thanks

What about shoulder angle? If you have staggered hand placement then by definition you must have a shoulder angle, right?

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Yeah, I would need to revisit Jade’s vault but I would agree that that logically follows^.

It seems most of today’s best Chengs really only block off of one arm, despite all the hoopla we made about Skinner’s very obvious one-arm blocking. Simone’s is disguised well, but she only uses one shoulder for true repulsion. I think Vanessa Zamarripa was the first to use this one-arm technique–Hong sisters and Cheng use both arms. Melnikova and Andrade use both arms to block, too. Do other people see what I’m seeing?

And Idk if it has been discussed, but this is really Chuso’s last Games. She is retiring after Tokyo. Sad to think she might not make it out of prelims, for a proper final bow in the VT EF

 

[rue_des_plantes]

This is so asinine and I’m still upset about it, along with the removal of failure to complete LA turn onto the table for Gr. 5.

 

[blake]

Simone’s is disguised well, but she only uses one shoulder for true repulsion

Yeah, I see it. Her 1/2 on technique is not quite as strong as her regular yurchenko. She seems slightly slow in the turn, so she doesn’t get a fully open shoulder angle. She blocks slightly past vertical, so her cheng goes out more than it goes up as a result.

 

[Jack]

According to their tax returns, he is not one of the 5 highest paid employees at USAG, so he makes at most 110K, which is about what Brett McClure is paid. Martha was only paid around $120k, which I thought was surprisingly low.

Also, apparently Kerry Perry was paid $750k the one year she was CEO. WTF.

 

[Jack]

Podium training proved how ridiculous of a choice Mykayla was for the +1, but really vindicated Grace as the #4.

 

[Doug1233]

Jack - agreed - but who else?

Riley would have knocked out Simone on bars if she hit. I’m sure USAG don’t care so much for that.

Kara might have come top 2 on beam. But Suni can easily outscore her if only she hits.

Who else? If only to satisfy the outrage over not picking Skinner, I think it’s justified.

I’m really interested to see Jade’s beam. Some of Gymnaverse judges have given her low 8s for a hit set. If that gives her a high 13 I really won’t be shocked if Jade gets right up there in the AA. She really needs to hit all her bars connections though.

What’s certain is that the second AA spot is by no means certain for anyone. It’s gonna be a matter of tenths. Suni or Jordan can’t have an ish day and still make it.

VT prelims will also be very exciting. I think Jade has the edge if her landings are similar to Skinner’s - but today the Amanar was not Jade’s best.

 

[Jack]

100% it should have been Riley. Knocking Simone out of an UB final where she will have very little chance of medaling just isn’t enough justification for me.

 

[RedBirdie]

Tom has such a fucking easy job. Does anyone know how much he gets paid?

Tom doesn’t show up on the 2019 USAG 990, which means it was less than $100,000 that year. Other than that, I can’t say. Maybe it’s in the bankruptcy documents, but I haven’t the time to look through those.

 

[cats]

It’s delightful that nine years on from London, Jordyn is (presumably) making more running a gymnastics program than the NTC is.