Not a fan of Simone‘s new floor routine at all. There is not a lot of choreography in this routine and what there is , is not very good but no one tumbles like this kid and as always Simone has great presentation so I am sure it will score well. The music is okay but USA Gymnastics is sucking big time on the floor routines of 2016. They all seem the same.
Is the double Memmel turn in Aly ‘s floor routine new or do I usually just day dream through this routine and not remember it? She really needs to upgrade the double pike at the end and get a higher started value if she wants to make this team. That an hitting the Amanar.
I really enjoyed Laurie Hernandez‘s floor routine for the first time during this podium training. She sold it but she didn’t over sell it like she does during competition and it made the floor routine a hella lot less annoying than the past. She is a beautiful dancer and she danced through this routine unlike competition when she IMO doesn’t relax her arms enough to make it seem like dance. Like most of these routines there is not a lot of fluidity in the dancing. It’s straighten an arm to a movement then abruptly end. I don’t know if I explained this well enough but just go watch something from the 80’s or 90’s and you will understand what I mean.
Vaults
Simone’s Cheng looks great. A little piked at the end. Laurie’s DTY needs way more height and distance and better form. oh Aly the Amanar is a mess. That did not look good at all but you stood it up. Ragan really flies off the horse for her DTY but she still landed short. Give her an inch in height and she should be fine.
Aly looked very good on beam. Only one connection was iffy but , DEAR ALY, Don’t leave it on the training floor this time.
Marta seems to be giving Aly a lot of comments during her routine. Talk about nerve wracking BS no one else has to deal with.
Okay now I am pretty much bored. What did you think?
Started watching this and found it more fun to watch then the entire set of videos. First the US’s warm up at the beginning. Everyone knows what to do and when to do it. All in unison. The damn Canadians were in the way half the time doing their own warm up in unison. Ashton didn’t do the back bends when everyone else did.
Then later on in the video you can see Rhonda and Kristie Phillips talking up a storm while the girls are training. Is Kristie judging this meet because to me that seems like a conflict of interest.
Regan fell on her first floor pass. Explains why i didn’t see the video on USA-Gymnastics individual routines. As much as I dislike this music at least her choreography is different from everyone elses. At least in part.
~~~~~
This is why I can’t stand Gracie Gold. Everyone else is dressed nicely and she is dressed like she’s the princess of the ball. Girl needs to get over herself.lol
Gymtruthteller's Blog 
April 8, 2016 at 5:18 AM |
I didn’t think that anyone on floor looked especially inspired/energetic today, which is not shocking (did they come directly from camp?). But I agree, the choreo is lacking.
Vault is okay. Simone looks PHENOMENAL. She’ll definitely be in the hunt for gold in Rio. It looked like Aly had a few scary (one leg locked landings) on her Amanar but nothing under-rotated. Laurie and Ragan… not big fans of their DTYs. Laurie can stick it but she doesn’t get much distance.
Bars was good. I had a feeling that Brenna was going to come in with a different routine than the one that has been causing her so much grief the last few years. You can tell that that old bar routine has really fucked her up mentally bc I’m pretty sure she had the only fall. Aly looked super consistent. Laurie didn’t make any visible errors but missed connecting one of her releases to her pak a couple of times (I think she only hit it when she did the skill outside of the full routine). Ashton’s form is lightyears beyond anyone else but I find her routine to be so boring.
Beam is looking okay, aside from some questionable connections. Ashton definitely pleasantly surprised me. I assumed she was going to be useless on all the other events but she actually seemed pretty composed. Her difficulty isn’t as high as the rest of the girls but I fully expected her to be wobbling/falling all over the place.
April 8, 2016 at 5:32 AM |
If Ashton can put up a presentable and potentially usable beam she might be on this team over Kocian.
April 8, 2016 at 5:43 AM |
She can’t. Kocian has a better shot at a decent beam than Ashton.
April 8, 2016 at 5:45 AM
So then for Ashton to be on the team Kocian needs to be injured.
April 8, 2016 at 5:45 AM
Yes,big time. I haven’t seen her do floor in years but her beam is garbage.
April 8, 2016 at 5:50 AM |
I’d say in terms of the chances of “bar workers,” Madison > Ashton > Brenna. Madison may not be as flawless on bars but she has a more difficult beam set and can actually DO the other two events (do we even know if Ashton is physically able to put together any kind of vault or FX if absolutely needed). If Madison ends up injured and out, I think Ashton will be the next in line, even though we know that there is no way in hell that Marta would ever put her on beam in a team comp. like the Olympics. She has proven that she can score several tenths higher on bars than any other member of team USA and be consistent with her routines, despite her relative uselessness on the other events. At this point I think that Brenna is MAYBE fighting for an alternate spot. IF she hits bars she might be one of the better scorers on team US but she has proven that she can’t be counted on. The other three events are good, but no better than Aly, Ragan, Laurie, Maggie, etc.
April 8, 2016 at 6:06 AM
Agreed but oh man if Brenna makes this team. I guess you have to stick it out til the end to know
April 8, 2016 at 5:40 AM |
Has Aly has upgraded her bar routine with an x-stra “360 handstand turn” on low bar after her … from 5.8 to 5.9/6.0? Anyone know her d-score?
Aly looked good on beam, better layout, better pir. connections.
Seems like Marta is showing her good support during this podium training and still really want her on the team.
I actually prefer Aly’s beam routine over Lauries and Ragans etc.
April 8, 2016 at 6:28 AM |
Is it new for sure? It’s only plus 0.1 for the connection but plus another 0.1 if it replaces a skill.
April 8, 2016 at 6:49 AM
its new, she didn’t do it in Jesolo. what did you mean by: … 0.1 if it replaces a skill .. ? Replaces how?
April 8, 2016 at 7:41 PM
If she added the skill it might replace a c element like the toe on half.
April 8, 2016 at 8:11 PM
I watched some old videos to know for sure, at worlds there was no stalder full so she counted six d elements and 2 c elements to build her score, for 5.8. So yes now she has 6.0 for adding a d element in combination, O.1 for connection bonus and 0.1 for counting a d element instead of a c element
April 9, 2016 at 3:41 AM
Thanks 🙂
April 8, 2016 at 5:44 AM |
Floor: is boring anymore and I blame the code. All choreography is done with the goal of trying to find a means of getting the gymnast enough “rest” between the crazy tumbling and leap sequences/jumps they are now supposed to do. The elimination of layout landings (one foot going back) and deductions for any “pauses” in the corner (so now the gymnast does the flamingo stance before every floor run) makes it even worse so that floor program is just jam-packed with the mandatory stuff; the “fluff” parts in between are just bizarre arm waving or rolling around on the floor or something like that. All I’m guessing to give the gymnast a chance to catch some breath.
Aly’s tumbling form seems to have gotten worse – on floor and on beam. Yet her leaps and dancing are better.
Her amanar is a disgrace but she needs it to stay relevant. If she can do that in Rio Marta will take her (over Maggie). Especially if Marta is planning on taking a bars/beam specialist.
April 8, 2016 at 5:46 AM |
Ashton has some nice qualities on beam, but why can’t they fix the form on back handspring etc? I dont understand why/how that is difficult. Help? And she is only practising ub+beam
April 8, 2016 at 6:08 AM |
I don’t think she’s capable of double salto in a floor routine
April 8, 2016 at 6:10 AM |
I just cannot agree with you on Ashton. Her handspring layout is so bent it makes it look like Kerri Strug has good form. She’s slow on every connection. Her leaps are always questionable and don’t get me started on that wolf jump. The only thing she does remotely well is she has nice lines when she stands around waving her arms.
April 8, 2016 at 6:26 AM |
Brenna dowels podiums training beam is 1 hour 46 minutes on that video. She kinda wobbles through the it so I Agree with gtt and also find it hard to believe that she beat Aly with a dty.
I think this should be a good routine, hopefully they all hit so we can see how they would be sorted after Simone. Fingers crossed that Aly and dowell hit, especially
April 8, 2016 at 6:27 AM |
Did they put up her bars fall? Honestly what is the point of her without her super bar routine HIT? I don’t get it?
April 8, 2016 at 6:42 AM
No they put up her polished pt routine. Even in that she had some form issue on the church to pak and a stall in the hop to change grip before the jaeger. The difficulty is still high, maybe 6.5
April 8, 2016 at 6:40 AM |
Just watched it. she is not getting credit for a single leap or jump in that routine. Everyone is short of the correct degree. That was pretty bad.
April 8, 2016 at 6:48 AM
Probably why it didn’t make the cut. Maybe she’ll anchor beam so they don’t worry about counting the score or have her lead to let everyone build
April 8, 2016 at 6:34 AM |
everyone looked like gabby did on floor at jesolo. Like the walking dead through the motions. Exhausted. Over it. I heard Ragan told everyone in the press conference that she fell on beam at camp and so wasnt named and was really mad at herself., and that she thinks Maggie injured her meniscus on her knee. Good job with saying all the stuff no one else will talk about. Simone looks bored. Aly looks fierce. Brenna looks tired and like she just needs to go back to Oklahoma and keep being a mediocre NCAA gymnast. The leg separations and the form issues of 2012 are all back. Its almost like in the last year shes lost all the form correction that NCAA was helping her with. Yuck. Laurie did look good. Vault was crap though. Better DTYs in NCAA. bars is okay floor was nice, beam was okay. Aly vaults look horrible, idk what her issue is. Bars better, beam betterfloor watered down. Simone floor and Beam: bored tired and going through the motions no intensity or enthusiasm. Beam looked watered down for her. vault was great. Bars was okay not amazing. I don’t get ashton. She does a lot of low to high bar releases. She is like the Alex McMurtry of elite. I think half the reason she uncommitted to florida is her bars wouldn’t be theat great relative to other people. her beam wouldn’t really hold up in NcAA. Ragan has a bent leg on the wolf turn does no one see this? Ragan has bent knees and leg separations through out everything. Today she looked like she had no need for form. her vault was almost as scary as aly’s. On the whole Aly and Laurie impressed me. Simone is obviously looking at this as a tune up. I’m afraid if Aly loses her amanar we only have skinner and simone. Amanar nation is no more and we lose nearly a one point advantage out of vault. Whare are the amanars? Its a good question.
April 8, 2016 at 6:46 AM |
I hate ragan’s wolf turn on beam
April 8, 2016 at 6:55 AM |
To me this is the biggest news to come out of elite gymnastics in a long time….. Brittany Rogers and Shae Zamardi getting engaged and Talia Chiareli asking when the wedding is going to be. Now. Is it serious? They both are calling it the perfect engagement……
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD0qzrvov28/?taken-by=shaezamardi&hl=en
April 8, 2016 at 7:02 AM |
I think they are kidding. A Rubber band engagement ring? no girl would except that. Where is the diamond?
April 8, 2016 at 8:34 AM
she said shes a poor college student and is replacing it with a real one after graduation. Talia asked on Instagram when the wedding is
April 8, 2016 at 8:35 AM
Was it April 1st?
April 8, 2016 at 8:50 AM
No it was the 5th of April. Why are you so doubtful that there are lesbians in WAG? And that a Canadian would be one of the first ones besides SamPeszeck to go public?
April 8, 2016 at 2:18 PM
peszeck?? when did that happen?
April 9, 2016 at 6:42 AM
for two years peszeck had on her facebook that she was in a relationship with another girl. Before she started going after commentator jobs and her facebook went private
April 9, 2016 at 8:04 AM
1- If Sam Peszek is a lesbian it is HER business and if she wishes to keep it quiet that is also her business. No one has the right to out anyone. I don’t care what her sexual preference is. That is no ones business but hers.
2- Half the 08 team had their facebooks in a relationship with another girl back in the day because it was the the “thing” to do. It doesn’t mean anything and even if it does I don’t care.
3rd- Don’t make me play the it’s my blog card. I don’t want to do it but I will especially for the sake of someones personal decision to keep their sexual preference private. I remember back in the day where a certain message board thought anyone that wanted to keep their sexual preference private deserved to be outed because it was wrong to not be out if you were gay and I feel the exact opposite way. It’s none of my business or anyone’s business.
From now on any and all comments trying to out someone will be un approved. Everyone deserves to live their life as they like.
April 8, 2016 at 9:43 PM |
I don’t think people doubt gay relationships exist, but that really seemed like a fun friend thing to me, not a serious engagement… I don’t think anyone was taking that instagram post literally. And a bit nonplussed about Sam P, that is the most random personal rumour I have ever seen thrown out there especially on this blog!
April 8, 2016 at 7:36 AM |
I thought Aly looked okay- better than Jesolo but I am praying her robot knees can hold out just a few more months. At least there is only one more camp to endure so that’s in her favour.
Laurie looks way more marketable to me than Ragan. Solid beam and gleaming smile- $$. Ragan will probably hang around next quad. She just looks so young and was quite sloppy today. Laurie is a really pretty gymnast and I agree, she has toned down the overselling on floor.
Brenna. I love an underdog. It’s my favourite thing to see someone prove them all wrong. Please don’t fuck it up on the day.
Ashton only gets it if Madison goes down. It’s too risky if something catastrophic happens. I actually could see Brenna getting a spot quicker than Ashton if she does okay here.
Simone was good- Cheng was pretty solid. You can tell she’s giving it more focus than amanar. I really hope she is secretly TTYing it in secret.
https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=18329&prog=
Based on that article and so far this year incl today my Rio team:
Biles: obviously- barring she gets kidnapped or something unspeakable/- she wins all except bars, though in hoping she’ll sneakily get a bronze there too.
Douglas: sorry but they are bringing her. Her Bars are serviceable and DTY would score same as a raismanar. Plus it kind of seemed in that article like Gabby is the top senior with biles. Ah media spinning.
Raisman: Marta likes her- is constantly working with her and is trying the hardest of everyone. I really hope she doesn’t get sacramone X.
Laurie: Her beam is gold medal potential, her floor is useable. I’d take her over Maggie, especially if maggies amanar is gone for good now with her knee. She also seems pretty unfazed by the big stage. Her bars were messy today but I think Steve Penny would like her to be the new Kyla this Olympic year.
Kocian/Last ankle standing: obvious reasons. I prefer Ashton: I hate all Woga gymnasts on principle,
Alternate: Dowell, Nichols
April 8, 2016 at 7:46 AM |
I agree with your team right now at least but I don’t agree Dowell will be an alternate. Most likely a bars worker (Anna meet Ashton) An AA that can fill anywhere ( Maggie or Ragan) and a surprise. Someone we never expected like Corrie Lothrop who hit, hit and hit and earned her way into the position.
Who else is in contention? I forget.
April 8, 2016 at 7:48 AM
Oh and I feel like Bailie Key is being hidden either that or she is injured . I refuse to count her out yet. Marta needs someone to carry on to the next generation like Kyla.
April 8, 2016 at 7:59 AM
MyKayla hasn’t really messed up yet- mind you it would have been funny if they’d let Gabby do the fake vault final in Jesolo and she’d beaten her with a DTY. The one time I think a Gabby win would have been hilariously awesome.
I’d love if Ebee rocked up like Memmel and blew everyone out of the park. I mean if Dowell can come out of NCAA to nationals and get on a worlds team…. GO EBEE.
Seriously though, I don’t think there is anyone else. Amelia Hundley is out. Alyssa Baumann is not really a contender. Dominique Dawes will get a spot quicker than Emily Gaskins.
Nichols is really dodgy without her vault, I think she got very lucky at worlds with her floor medal.
Last but not least Bailie: I think she could be off to college with Kyla in the fall.
April 8, 2016 at 8:41 AM
Norah Norah Norah!!! Dont forget Norah LOL
April 8, 2016 at 8:50 AM
I hate to break it to you but I feel like anyone that hasn’t competed yet this year might as well stay home. Though that didn’t stop me from naming Bailie alternate:)
April 8, 2016 at 8:54 AM
This is a gymnastics blog you want to talk lesbians I am sure GGMB will welcome you. I don’t care what they are I just think any person dumb enough to propose with a fucking rubber band can’t be serious and I don’t know what they said after the fact, before or during I am going by your comments. I didn’t click on the picture.
April 8, 2016 at 1:25 PM
Even though I think Ebee made a great life decision doing NCAA, I would LOVE if she had given Rio a shot. I think she would have been more likely to make this team than the London team.
April 8, 2016 at 8:33 AM |
I agree with your team. I think Ragan and Laurie are fighting for a spot, but penny would rather take Laurie.
I disagree with alternates maybe. I’m not entirely sure Brenna gets a spot. It might make sense but I just don’t see it happening. The again I didn’t think she’d get another shot for this team… So you never know. Last quad’s alternates were pretty diverse though. Anna on bars, Sarah finnegan on beam, and Ebee on vault and floor. For what it’s worth Sarah finnegan was super beautiful to watch. And of course Kyla too. Not so much anybody this time. I appreciate laurie’s fluidity and Ragans spark, but other than that, we’ve lost some style.
April 8, 2016 at 8:35 AM
Oh and I think skinner will be an alternate for sure. Like I think she’s a lock for an alternate spot as much as Simone can be a lock for the team.
April 8, 2016 at 8:37 AM
I forgot Skinner. I agree I think she will be alternate too. I knew I forgot someone.
April 8, 2016 at 8:39 AM
The second AA gymnasts are all basically tied. No one is better than anyone even if Gabby is scored like that. Whoever hits and Marta likes.
April 8, 2016 at 9:07 AM |
Hate to say it, but I’m not counting too many people in that are injured or out right now. Bailie, Maggie, Nora, et al. Not that I don’t like all of them, maybe more than ones at pac rims right now, but no news IMO isn’t good news this close to the Olympics.
I think penny’s (marketing) dream team would be Simone, Aly, Gabby, Laurie, and Kocian or Skinner or some other blonde. Plenty of pros, good mix of new and returners (aka stars and stars to be), super ethnically diverse, all pretty but different body types, lots of nbc story material, potential for medals, etc. Ragan is cute but I don’t think she’s a money maker. Laurie could be all over ads. She’s confident and sells a routine, seems to be good in interviews, and I hate to go there, but there aren’t a whole of Hispanic gymnasts on the U.S. Team (she’s the only one?).
I think Marta’s dream team would be Simone, Aly (if she’s consistent from here on out), Kocian, Ragan, and Maggie. But who knows what shape Kocian and Maggie are in. Marta wants medals and consistent, hard working (non complaining) gymnasts that she doesn’t have to worry about. I actually think she likes Brenna or she wouldn’t be at pac rims, but I don’t think it will happen.
April 8, 2016 at 9:09 AM
Some blond.lol Yes. I agree. You need the pretty face.If Marta wants a pretty face than Baumann is beautiful.
April 8, 2016 at 11:16 AM
Brenna is blond too, haha.
April 8, 2016 at 11:18 AM
Yes she is and she’s cute but if we need a star Baumann is the pretty one. For years I confused her and Kocian but after 4 years I now can tell them apart. Kocian, homely and the bar specialist. Baumann pretty and the beam specialist though I don’t think I could pick her out of a line up of pretty blondes.
I don’t dislike Brenna the person it’s the gymnast that needs to go away.
April 8, 2016 at 10:24 AM
Norah’s pretty too! Right Ilanchik?? 😀
April 8, 2016 at 11:01 AM
That’s right! Lol. And Norah also shares a name with my daughter so she has to go LOL
April 9, 2016 at 1:59 AM
haha! obviously they are all pretty girls, but I think marketing will want someone flashy (maroney-esque) for ads, unless they’re too busy throwing GD on everything. Skinner is flashy. you’re right GTT, baumann is very pretty. I had to look her up because I keep getting her and schild and gaskins mixed up.
April 8, 2016 at 8:53 AM |
I think you are all wrong. I think Marta is hiding Aly Baumann. But seriously. I think Maggie is on the team. Rumor has her the third ranked AA at camp and thanks to Chellsie Memmels dad we all know that they rank every camp regardless of what they say. I think its likely Biles, Douglas, Nichols, Raisman, and bars person. I think Marta wants Laurie and Ragan for the next quad. Ragan has horrible form though. I can see ALy getting replaced with Laurie. Or I can actually see no bars person on this team. Aly has to work her behind off.
April 8, 2016 at 8:56 AM |
Thank you Nostradamaus.truth is no one knows what will happen but Marta.
April 8, 2016 at 9:02 AM |
You could have a successful team w/ Biles, Douglas, Nichols, Raisman, and Laurie. With Laurie, Maggie, and Douglas doing bars..guess we will see what Laurie can get this weekend on bars. Does anyone know her D score?
April 8, 2016 at 9:03 AM
You could very well be right. We are all just assuming there will be an UB specialist.
April 8, 2016 at 10:02 AM
That’s true. Bars specialist could be redundant to a degree, and I think she would have gone with a vaulter a la maroney, but there isn’t one really. Odd as it is to have more bars specialists than vaulters in the U.S. But I do think there will be a specialist and I don’t think it’ll be anything but bars or vault. The code still favors those; no ones gaining points ahead in team by putting up a beam specialist IMO. I also haven’t ever seen Marta favor a Beamer. Baumann, finnegan, nora, etc. none have gotten any special treatment or favoritism. At least I haven’t seen it. Next quad? Who knows. But not this one.
April 8, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Skinner’s Chang isn’t that bad. Her Amanar is suspect but her Cheng looks better each time i see it and she’s blond 🙂
April 8, 2016 at 10:19 AM
And they’ve already used skinner in a bunch in promos, so maybe not that far fetched? She’s pretty and I bet she’d go pro in a heartbeat. I’m not sure Kocian, Maggie, Nora, Ragan, bailie or others have any intention of doing so.
I wouldn’t have called skinner actually making the team for anything a year or so ago, but you never know! Haha! She might be the last “specialist” left standing.
I’m sure they could pretend that they’re interested in using her floor too. no go on beam or bars though lol.
I’m sure 4/5 we’ll all basically predict correctly and then that last person will be more of a dark horse. Skinner, dowell, Baumann, Sydney Johnson-scharp??
April 8, 2016 at 10:33 AM |
I don’t knowing it’s safe to go without a bar person. With vault so dodgy at the moment- the US would be pretty level with Russia after the first rotation. I mean if Maggie is back to DTY, that only leaves Simone and Raismanar so far & even GD can do an almost equal value DTY to Aly. Paseka has a 2.5 so going into bars- Russia’s best event could be uncomfortably close.
Russia wins bars- the best the US can do is try and level it a bit… Ie Kocian or Locklear.
Then beam- US have the edge D wise but I feel like the Judges will be awarding artistry at these games. Look how Aly got scored in Glasgow and Jesolo. The Russians could do well if they don’t head case.
Floor: All the glory goes to queen Simone and the blessings fall down on the team. Hopefully Aly does good and then maybe Laurie. Hopefully that’d do it. But I really do think it could be a fight to the last rotation.
I know the US I has been finishing a few points ahead but I doubt Marta will take that for granted. Any mistakes on beam or floor could be really costly.
I’d just bring a bars specialist to lessen any chances of the scores getting too close in the first two rotations. Cleanly executed beam and then whallop with D on floor!!
April 8, 2016 at 10:37 AM
Your point about Russia and the US being close after vault and bars is what I thought at worlds. Then Russia tanked. Russia has two decent scores on floor and they don’t compare to what Simone and Aly score so I guess that makes beam the key.
April 8, 2016 at 11:07 AM
I think it’s unwise to not bring a bars specialist. If Gabby misses a connection, her bars won’t go over 15 and then we’d be screwed with not having any scores significantly over 15.
That said, if the other 4 have usable bars, I dont think its that bad if Locklear goes. Unless there are 2 gymnasts with major injuries, Kocian’s other events won’t be needed. Id rather take someone for a bars medal which Lcklear can get than a very distant maybe that Kocian’s floor or beam will be needed.
Maggie will be Ebbied unless she has a consistent amanar.
If Ebbie was still around, she’d be perfect cause really Marta needs s vault/bars person and no such person (aside from Brenna) exists lol.
April 8, 2016 at 11:16 AM
I just find Laurie so overscored even with a consistent 6.4 beam she does nothing for me. The US will win no matter what so why not bring some specialists for individual medals. It makes Marta look better. I won’t admit I said this again but I would almost rather have Gabby than Laurie on this team.
April 8, 2016 at 11:24 AM
I’m with you. I don’t like Laurie’s gymnastics at all. But she is relatively clean and she doesn’t seem bothered by big competitions.
It makes no sense to take 4 true AA’ers and a bars person. Marta needs 3 AA’ers and 2 complimentary specialists.
Marta will take one new senior so they can be the experienced one in 2017 and it’s starting to look like it could be Laurie.
April 8, 2016 at 11:52 AM
Oh I agree Marta wants to take her I just wouldn’t be sad if she didn’t make the team.
April 8, 2016 at 12:07 PM
It gets tricky because who is the vault/floor specialist? I almost feel as though one of the all-arounders could be used as a specialist (ie Aly – vault and floor). Skinner can vault, but her floor isn’t useable. I guess it depends on who is left standing and how the puzzle fits because if Maggie can’t do her amanar and Aly continues to have terrible form on hers…we need Skinner. If Aly and Maggie can out score Skinner, she becomes an alternate. I feel like there are many options, but I’m also worried that we legitimately only have a pool of 9 girls (simone, gabby, aly, maggie, madison, ashton, skinner, laurie, smith) so whomever doesn’t get injured, I suppose.
April 8, 2016 at 10:36 AM |
I found Nastia seems to act “so nice” to Shawn via commenting in her IG just a week before Shawn’s wedding. Does anyone think would Nastia finally attend her wedding on 16th?
April 8, 2016 at 10:43 AM |
Nastia wanted an invite she started being nice weeks months ago.lol
April 8, 2016 at 1:44 PM |
It is weird to think that even though they are hugely talented, the upcoming team really lacks the pizazz (for want of a better word) of the 2012 team, alternates included. I’m sure the Rio team, whoever will be on it, will slay and be amazing, but for whatever reason it is hard to get excited about it. Not sure why I feel like such a negative nancy about it, but GTT is the place to be honest given the rest of the gymternet is sunshine, puppies and rainbows (which is lovely and all but unrealistic 100% of the time!).
Simone is magic of course but it’s nothing new. Aly and Gabby have been there, done that. Girls like Madison, Mykayla and Ashton aren’t McKayla Maroney levels of brilliant as specialists, even though they’re skilled. The other potentially great gymnasts are injured. Ragan seems too green. Brenna has guts but headcases. I like Laurie. I really hope some dark horse new senior, don’t care which, comes out of nowhere. Maybe Christina Desiderio or SJS will suddenly become unstoppable and amazing haha.
Honestly, I wish we could pull Kyla, Ebee and McKayla out of retirement and have a Simone, Aly, Kyla, Ebee, McKayla team.
April 8, 2016 at 8:19 PM |
I agree, there was way more going on in in the us squad but also around the world. This whole quad has been about Simone biles, deservedly, and the diminishing strength of China Romania and Russia. Sure, Great Britain and Canada now have stronger teams but not as strong as the big four last quad
April 8, 2016 at 9:43 PM
I’m worried about Romania 😦
April 8, 2016 at 10:18 PM |
I so agree. I had really high hopes for this quad, but it has all sort of tanked in the last year IMO.
Bailie didn’t upgrade and dominate like I thought she might. Kyla is out, and she was the last bit of elegance that USA gymnastics had this quad. Don’t get me wrong, some are fun, sassy, vibrant even, to watch, but not elegant.
and even aly and of course gabby, have been looking tired and faded.gabby mostly due to effort? aly seems a bit shaken.
It seems like eveyone has lost their amanar. And if they haven’t lost it, they’re hanging onto it by a thread.
2012’s team felt very fresh and full of energy. Maybe this is just my pessimistic outlook, but it just feels a bit stale this time.
April 8, 2016 at 11:18 PM |
Literally my entire train of thoughts these past two days..I’m scared that trials are going to be so boring
April 9, 2016 at 12:09 PM |
^This. Simone aside, everything about the lead up to Rio gymnastics has been underwhelming, especially compared to 2012. There’s just none of the excitement of the 2012 selection process/team.
April 10, 2016 at 12:43 AM |
I agree. I found last year’s World’s team boring and this Olympic’s team is shaping up to be boring too. It’s such a bummer. I’m hoping someone exciting sneaks on the team. I really hate Laurie’s floor, so I’m not necessarily rooting for her but at least it would shake it up. It will be so blah if it’s simone, gabby, aly, maggie and madison.
April 8, 2016 at 8:26 PM |
This video cracked me up for one main reason…USAG clearly trains these kids from when they are baby gymnast in this warm up. It’s exactly the same one my niece has done since since she was preteam at 4. How boring for them that some of them have been doing the same thing for 15 years lol
April 8, 2016 at 9:53 PM |
I dont understand why Laurie has a beam d-score of 6.4 (Jesolo) instead of 6.1/6.2.
Is it her dismount that bumps the d-score up?
Comparing it to Alys routine, for me it seems like Alys routine should have the highest d-score.
Anyone care to explain/point out one or two key elements in Lauries beam routine that makes it a 6.4 not a 6.2
April 9, 2016 at 2:01 AM |
Do you have a link to her jesolo beam or can you list the elements?
April 9, 2016 at 3:20 AM
Thanks!
Jesolo EF, Laurie beam:
Mount
Front handspring (no hands) direct sisone + split jump.
Serie: Back handspring, layout layout.
360 Single (low leg) turn.
Sheep jump.
Punch front direct < jump.
Side arial.
Switch split leap , direct switch split leap half turn.
Switch split ring leap.
Dismount: bhs (step out) , bhs landing both feet, double pike
April 9, 2016 at 3:43 AM
She does the same routine in podium training pacific. But her flight series has only one layout … (Maybe Martha is etc;-) , let Aly get the second best beam score.
April 9, 2016 at 5:43 AM
You solved your problem. The second layout step out adds two tenths bonus, 0.1 for c+c and 0.1 for the series bonus of three acro elements with minimum b+b+c
April 9, 2016 at 6:05 AM
Thanks!
April 9, 2016 at 12:46 AM |
Based on this article, it seems obvious both Marta and Penny want Aly on the Rio squad.
http://www.heraldnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20160407/SPORTS/160409234/1172/The-gymnasts-are-here&template=MobileArt
April 9, 2016 at 1:33 AM |
Good interview!
April 9, 2016 at 9:03 AM |
This is great to hear 🙂
April 9, 2016 at 1:00 AM |
Bellu and Bitang have announced their retirement (again) after the Test Event. Not after Rio, after the Test Event. It seems to me that even them don’t think that Romania will clasify and they are trying to escape. 😦
April 9, 2016 at 1:14 AM |
They probably don’t think Romania will qualify so they r not going to bother. Romania frustrates me so much–they still have so much talent but they r so inefficient at trainings. It’s like Rodienko multiplied by 5. Sigh.
April 9, 2016 at 1:25 AM
I would really like for them to qualify but I find so hard to mantain my hopes up about it right now… But it is a true statement for the coaches, who are still figures of the great times of Romania to announce a couple of weeks before the Test Event that they are going after it. It’s like: “There is no hope, so the rats are the first to leave the ship”. What a way to try to help the girls to mantain the optimism to compete as effectively as they possibly can!
April 9, 2016 at 1:57 AM
Rats are the first to leave. It probably doesn’t help that they couldn’t motivate their gymnasts to train. Munteanu and Stanila both had 15+ scores on beam and were building difficulty elsewhere, and then they disappeared from the routine. Worse is when they dismissed Chelaru and Haidu – they wanted to continue to compete and train at Diva but they didn’t reach a standard. Soon after, Romania barely had a team 2014 til now.
April 9, 2016 at 1:58 AM
Well said about the rats
April 9, 2016 at 2:15 AM
And I’m honestly gutted for Larisa Iordache. For awhile there I thought she would be a real contender for Simone, but she won’t even make it to the Olympics if Romania fails the test event. 😦
April 9, 2016 at 2:32 AM
KG, Iordache will probably go to the Olympics anyway if she is healthy. The countries that don’t classify can send one gymnast to the Olympics. They will probably send Larissa. Spain will send two gymnast to the Test Event even if we didn’t classify for said Test Event as a team and the best one will go to Rio. I remember reading somewhere that the organization have invitations or something of the sort for gymnast. Does anyone know anything about this?
April 9, 2016 at 2:38 AM
What about Ponor?
April 9, 2016 at 2:51 AM
If Romania doesn’t qualify team, their tip AA will likely earn an individual spot for Romania. Because Romania there as a team, they could give that spot to whoever they want, regardless who earned it–so it would prob go to Ponor or Larissa. That could get pretty ugly for the country though.
Now, with Spain, since they don’t have a team there, whichever gymnast earns that spot at the test event, it’s theirs so Dpain can’t later pick a diff gymnast to sent to Olympic, even if said gymnast gets injured.
Same goes that American gymnast that’s going to the test event for Belarus–if she wins a spot at the test event, she and only she can go to Olympics because Belarus dos and have a team at the test event.
April 9, 2016 at 8:52 AM
Thanks. I forgot they could send one! Still, Ponor vs iordache is a tough call.
April 9, 2016 at 9:12 AM
Not a tough call at all. Larisa has competed for the last 4 years and won medals. Ponor in the middle of a comeback. It should be Lsrisa who could win an AA, Beam or Floor medal. No contest at all.
April 9, 2016 at 9:20 AM
No I agree wholeheartedly, GTT! Just sort of hard IMO to turn away a former champion who is currently healthy for someone that is injured, but there’s time for larisa to get healthy. But it’s all hypothetical until after the test event
April 9, 2016 at 9:48 AM
Ponor looked good on beam but she only had a 6.0 start value and her floor scored in the 13’s at some meet recently. It’s not like she was competing for years and is just having an off year. I still think it would be a crime to leave Larisa at home even at 80%. She has been here for years proving herself. Ponor has not.
April 9, 2016 at 10:14 AM
I agree. Larissa should absolutely go over Ponor. It would be a crime if they give that spot to Ponor. But I also feel that if B&B r making the decision, it could go to Ponor. They seem to favor her over everyone else and she basically gets them to come out of retirement whenever she wants to unretire.
So I suppose it may be good for Larissa if they retire after the test event lol.
April 10, 2016 at 1:04 AM
Even if they don’t retire (they have been in&out of retirement several times by now…maybe if Romania classifies in the Test Event, they might reconsier they decision), I think they would send Iordache if Romania doesn’t classify. B&B might like Cata (I am not sure of how much love is lost between them…there was some rumours of strong words between them approximately in 2005-2006, when Cata retired for the first time, for example), they like to win even more and Iordache is their best bet for that, both in the AA and beam (floor I am not that sure after last worlds, but we will see). There is no way they could justify to send Cata over Larissa if she is healthy and I don’t think they would do that.
April 9, 2016 at 6:14 AM |
From life and gymnastics(tumblr):
IF EVERYONE DOES PLANNED DIFFICULTY, THESE ARE CURRENT D-SCORES.
Simone Biles:
VT: 6.3 and 6.4
UB: 6.1
BB: 6.8
FX: 6.9
Brenna Dowell:
VT: 5.8
UB: 6.5
BB: 5.8
FX: 6.1
Laurie Hernandez:
VT: 5.8
UB: 6.2
BB: 6.4
FX: 6.1 (doing an easier leap)
Ashton Locklear:
UB: 6.5
BB: 5.8
Aly Raisman:
VT: 6.3
UB: 6.0
BB: 6.5
FX: 6.6
Ragan Smith:
VT: 5.8
UB: 5.9 (6.1 if she’s planning on connecting Ricna + Pak)
BB: 6.4
FX: 6.3
April 9, 2016 at 6:22 AM |
If this is correct:
Simone: 26.1 (6.3 vault)
Aly: 25.4
Reagan: 24.6 (6.1 ub)
Laurie: 24.5
Brenna: 24.2
April 9, 2016 at 8:19 AM |
Thank you!! I am always too lazy to look this stuff up!!
April 9, 2016 at 9:13 AM |
Random, but I just watched an interview of Ragan and Laurie discussing camp, and I can’t help to think that Ragan’s interview bothered me in so many ways. Like she was saying things like “I fell at camp so that’s why I wasn’t on the team” and while discussing Maggie she was like “like i’m kinda sad for maggie and i’m glad to take her spot”. She also kinda rambles and says things that she probably shouldn’t say and abruptly stops and says “so, yeah” after every sentence as well. Laurie’s interview was really nice, and she’s a very mature interviewer. I can totally see Penny taking Laurie over Ragan simply because she’s great behind a camera even if Ragan ultimately contributes more to the team in the future.
April 9, 2016 at 9:37 AM |
I agree. She def rambles on. But it’s kind of nice to hear something besides “I just want to hit 4 for 4.”
I also heard that Reagan said Maggie had a miniscus injury in a diff interview and Marta was pretty upset about that.
In Jesolo, Reagan said that she will be doing her Patterson dismount at Pac Rim’s assuming ahe would be on this team, which is prob why she wasn’t. Now, she said she will do it in the summer–I guess she doesn’t know Marta needs to approve it first, haha.
I like her but she def says more than Marta is okay with.
April 9, 2016 at 9:49 AM
I guess she hasn’t gone through Marta’s media training camp. I say , let her talk. Should be fun 🙂
April 9, 2016 at 10:45 AM |
I was just about to say, mg elite girls are notorious for saying “I hit 4 for 4” over and over again lol. And maybe this interview talking about Maggie’s injury is hidden somewhere cause I can’t find it lol
April 9, 2016 at 10:51 AM
They didn’t put that one up lol.
April 9, 2016 at 3:06 PM
Where did you hear the interview which was not uploaded, did they air it on NBC?
During the podium training I could hear in the background that Martha was interviewed by NBC. It seems she was talking in depth about the different gymnasts possibility to make the team. Anyone heard that interview?
April 10, 2016 at 1:44 AM
I think it was the NBC one but in not seeing it anywhere online, interesting lol.
Lauren on tumbler said that maggie injury is a torn miniscus and it happened on an amanar. Now, I highly doubt it’s ever coming back. Sigh. This, unfortunately, may be good for Skinner.
Marta!! There is nothing minor about a miniscus tear.
April 10, 2016 at 4:19 AM
I know 😦 that meniscus injury is significantly lowering Maggie’s chances of rio not even because she can’t train right now, but because that amanar may never be coming back….and she just made herself seem useful on floor, and that too seems it may never come back in time with full difficulty.
Rumor has it that apparently gabby didn’t do AA at camp because she didn’t bother to want to get named to pac rims to risk embarrassment of losing to Laurie and Aly of course. 😒 and she’s out shopping every day since camp and not training, typical.
And did you read what lauren said about ragan being taken off of pac rims after originally being on the list? Ouch. She indeed got replaced cause of a bad camp. She seems to be a bit out of it in training right now as well which I wonder may have to do with nerves being accumulated after Marta’s death camp.
April 10, 2016 at 5:14 AM
It really sucks for Maggie. Her two most useful events will be the two that she comes back on last. And I doubt the amanar will come back. Her DTY at American cup looked iffy–and that was before the injury.
Without an amanar, Maggie will prob be an alternate.
Gabby snap chatted her going to the mall, buying new loubotin shoes and eating a Cinnabon. Marta would prob have a heart attack, if she knew about the latter.
I think Reagan still gets a bit nervous on a senior stage–we’ll see what she looks like tonight.
April 10, 2016 at 4:02 AM |
The ikea jumbo tron thing has an ad for the Olympic Trails . GD is the gymnast represented.
April 10, 2016 at 4:13 AM |
Anyone else think Aly’s bars are better?
Also — LOL, Gold channels her inner Gwyneth Paltrow — they deserve each other.
April 10, 2016 at 5:15 AM |
They are getting better! I have been saying it for a year lol. If she can hit her new 6.0D on bars, it should be interesting.
You can tell she has been working on her bars form!
April 10, 2016 at 4:51 AM |
Nabieva placed second on vault in Russia’s nationals. How cool it would be for her to be on Rio’s team after all the shit Valentina has said about her? I sincerely doubt it, but she had a good championships and knowing how injuried several of her teammates are, I don’t rule it out!
April 10, 2016 at 5:35 AM |
It would be cool, But iv Valentina is RUS’s Marta, I don’t see it happening!!
April 10, 2016 at 5:53 AM
Valentina is a jerk, but they don’t have the same depht as the USA and if several of them get injuried, she could be forced to take Nabs because she was seventh in the AA and she doesn’t have a better option. I thought she would never take Kramarenko to an international meeting again after the vault that cost them the bronze in 2007’s world, but she took her to 2008’s Olympics and then she took her to the 2014 worlds, so anything could happen. It would be really, really cool! 🙂
April 10, 2016 at 5:42 AM |
Dude is ROM is watching AUS’s bars today, there feelin’ relief.
April 10, 2016 at 5:47 AM |
They r prob excited lol. But AUS normally hit bars so I’m not sure that’s necessarily indicative of how they will do at the test event, haha.
Also, I don’t think AUS is Romania’s main Competition for those top 4 spots anyways.
That said, I don’t know what Lyddick is doing lately as they seem to underperform a lot.
April 10, 2016 at 5:59 AM
I agree, even if Australia has a similar outing at the test event, Romania still have to beat at least one of: Belgium, Brazil, Germany, and France…which seems difficult with the injuries they have at the moment.
April 10, 2016 at 11:13 AM
Funding issues aside, I don’t know what the F Peggy is doing in Australia. Lack of innovation, lack of adapting to the code resulting in low D scores, girls who don’t compete enough internationally, the powers that be being stuck in the old ways, failure to seek new coaching talent and changing up coaching practices. I daresay there must also be issues in how gymnastics is divvied up into streams from a really young age. It kills me, the sport is dying here and it’s not because there is a lack of talent in the gymnasts.