2013 NCAA Gymnastics - 'Cause it's Always a Good Time!

[mikemba]

I just saw my first televised men's event of the season -- Minnesota at Oklahoma.

The following are some highlights for me. There may be a few errors since I am going from memory and didn't know any of these men prior to today:

FX: White (OK) twists very fast and with beautiful form.

PH: Congrats to both teams -- I think they went 12 for 12 between them. The final 3 OK men were especially strong, and I think it was the 4th man up who had outrageously good form on his flairs.

PB - Berardini (OK) did some really cool combination that might have been a Diamadov(sp) into one of the flipping moves: very smooth transition from a twisting move to a flipping move.

HB - Dibenedetto (Minn) Highlights included a laid out Hecht, Stradlle Hecht with mixed grip regrasp, straddle Hect.
Jaciuk (?) (Can't remember at all how his name is spelled). (Minn) Yamawaki/Geinger combination, one armed giant, double/double layout dismount. Very interesting, varied routine.
Berardini (OK) Laid out Hect with mixed grip regrasp, Laid out Hecht, straddle Hecht. I think he also did the double/double layout dismount.

Overall, great fun to watch. OK won, but cheers to both teams for some pretty terrific gymnastics!

[BigB08822]

I mainly love her form. And the fact that she ends with something other than a DLO!

It's certainly not the most difficult routine Minnesota has (I didn't say it was), but it's one of the prettiest.

I will give you that, it certainly is pretty. It makes me wonder why she doesn't have more difficulty. To make your gymnastics looks that clean and easy means you have great technique (especially on an event like bars) and great technique should mean she can learn more skills. Maybe she had an injury or something? I would love to see her with a full set because she really could make UB finals with just a little more in there.

[BigB08822]

Here is video of Karin Lichey's perfect 40 in the AA. UGA posted the video to celebrate the anniversary. What an amazing accomplishment. I love that the video not only caught the routines but also the scores, crowd reactions and of course her and Suzanne's reactions. You can debate the scores but from what I recall, those were all worthy 10's at the time. I can even forgive the slight short of handstand positions because she goes into them from an uprise instead of a much easier kip cast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO4MP...layer_embedded

[mikemba]

Here is video of Karin Lichey's perfect 40 in the AA. UGA posted the video to celebrate the anniversary. What an amazing accomplishment. I love that the video not only caught the routines but also the scores, crowd reactions and of course her and Suzanne's reactions. You can debate the scores but from what I recall, those were all worthy 10's at the time. I can even forgive the slight short of handstand positions because she goes into them from an uprise instead of a much easier kip cast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO4MP...layer_embedded

First, the good news -- that was wonderful! That had some awesome difficulty. I haven't followed college gymnastics for that long so I had never seen her before. Excellent!

Now the bad news -- unfortunately, 17 years later, women are doing routines with 10.0 start values that aren't nearly as difficult as what Lichey did in 1996. For example, Lichey did a true flight skill to move from low bar back to high bar, yet today, women can score a 10.0 if they simply stand on the low bar and reach for the high. Similarly, she did a double tuck dismount on beam, and a full-twisting double pike to open floor. Again, today's start values are too high: women can score 10.0s on beam with much easier dismounts, and on floor without doing any double flips. And, I think that the start value for the full twisting Yurchenko should have dropped below a 10.0 about 10 years ago.

I'm not saying that what today's women are doing is easy -- it certainly is not -- but too many routines that are not 10.0-worthy nonetheless have a start value of 10.0. Perhaps if those in charge of the judging system are reminded of what Lichey did to earn her 10.0s 17 years ago, they will finally update the scores to better reflect what truly is 10.0-worthy in 2013.

[Fridge_Break]

I'm at the Florida meet right now... I have to rant a bit. Firstly, they've fallen to shambles on beam. Sloan fell. M. Caquatto fell. Hunter nearly fell twice, once on her mount and again on her series, also had a tenth step on her dismount. Both wobbles were large and should have been 2 tenths apiece. They both broke the rhythm of the routine. One judge scored it as a 9.6 and the other a 9.7. I am sitting here shaking my head. If a girl from Kentucky had done the exact same routine she would have scored a 9.3 or so probably. Lots and lots of home cooking going on for UF tonight. Sloan also got a 9.975 on bars even with a tiny step on the dismount. I got the routine on video, I'll try to upload it later.

[BigB08822]

LSU lost at Auburn but still scored a nice 196.975. Not a bad road score. They managed that with a 48.900 on beam. If they get beam under control they will be in the hunt every meet, including post season.

[Fridge_Break]

Michigan State just scored a 196.000! Freshman Lisa Burt with a 9.9 on bars and a 9.925 on beam! 49+ on three events! I think this team FINALLY has it together! I hope it's not too late to make a run at regionals....

ETA: Highest score for this team since 2008!!

[BigB08822]

Not sure if I posted this before. Anyone who likes to keep track of LSU can catch their weekly show. I absolutely love it because you practically see every routine. Most of them are not in full but you get to see all the big skills and get an idea of why some gymnasts scored the way they did. Here is this weeks meet, you can find the other ones easily from there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyD2srKHJLU

[BigB08822]

Anyone attending any meets tonight? I will be at the LSU vs. UGA meet. I am expecting a great meet. This should be really intense as Jay Clark was the head coach of UGA last season and is now the Associate Head Coach of LSU. I never did quite figure out that title, I suppose it means he is the head coach in training, D.D. Breaux can't be coaching for much longer. LSU has already beaten UGA once this year on neutral ground so let's see what kind of attitude UGA brings into the arena. I am also looking for LSU to put together a decent beam rotation. I don't care if it scores 49 or 49.5, I just want to see hit sets, the judges scoring can tight or not, who cares. LSU has given away far too many tenths on beam the last few weeks.

[BigB08822]

LSU wins 197.075 to 196.875 for UGA! Again LSU has a sub 49 on beam with a 48.875. Get that under control and they are on cruise control.

[chipso1]

Minnesota lost at Florida tonight, as expected, but scored a team-best 197.175! They had their best UB score of the season, went well over 49 on VT, BB and FX, and freshman Lindsay Mable scored 39.525 for the All-Around.

Florida scored 198.425. The judges have to make sure they're keeping pace with Oklahoma.

[BigB08822]

I can't say anything about the entire meet but I saw King's FX and the judge who gave it a 10 was either being really nice since it was senior night or it was a huge clue as to how Florida is scoring 198s. It was a great routine but not worthy of a 10.

[BigB08822]

Shayla Worley continue to be a real class act. She did an interview where she said of last week's loss to LSU that "everyone in the arena knows who really won that meet.."

LSU soundly beat UGA on 3 out of the 4 events and had to score a sub 49 on beam to even get the UGA squad to within about .200 points. A good beam rotation from LSU would have meant a win by more than a falls margin. Not even really close. The best part is that this was a home meet for LSU so the idea that "everyone in the arena" though UGA should have won is just hilarious. Even the UGA fans online can't figure this one out because LSU was just better and this is the 2nd time LSU has beaten UGA this year.

Why doesn't UGA stop allowing her to interview or tweet? She has to be one of the biggest disappointments to come out of the NCAA in a VERY long time.

[Fridge_Break]

Minnesota lost at Florida tonight, as expected, but scored a team-best 197.175! They had their best UB score of the season, went well over 49 on VT, BB and FX, and freshman Lindsay Mable scored 39.525 for the All-Around.

I was at the meet, Minnesota looked great

Florida scored 198.425. The judges have to make sure they're keeping pace with Oklahoma.

Although I do have to say that the scoring was, for the most part, correct. There were a few routines that scored higher than they should have, particularly King on FX and Hunter on BB (I'm sorry, but two small wobbles and a step on the landing does not warrant a 9.925 no matter who you are). All of the other scores were quite accurate, IMO.

I can't say anything about the entire meet but I saw King's FX and the judge who gave it a 10 was either being really nice since it was senior night or it was a huge clue as to how Florida is scoring 198s. It was a great routine but not worthy of a 10.

They were being nice because it was senior night.

Shayla Worley continue to be a real class act. She did an interview where she said of last week's loss to LSU that "everyone in the arena knows who really won that meet.."

LSU soundly beat UGA on 3 out of the 4 events and had to score a sub 49 on beam to even get the UGA squad to within about .200 points. A good beam rotation from LSU would have meant a win by more than a falls margin. Not even really close. The best part is that this was a home meet for LSU so the idea that "everyone in the arena" though UGA should have won is just hilarious. Even the UGA fans online can't figure this one out because LSU was just better and this is the 2nd time LSU has beaten UGA this year.

Why doesn't UGA stop allowing her to interview or tweet? She has to be one of the biggest disappointments to come out of the NCAA in a VERY long time.

Oh dear. I guess they should have known something like this could have spilled out, all they would have had to have done was read her Beijing blog.

[Allen]

You can watch the UCLA, Michigan, Cal, and Iowa State meet for free at this link: http://pac-12.com/live/uclabruins.aspx

[Allen]

There have been some good skills in this first rotation. There is no commentary, so I'm not really sure who is who outside of UCLA (and a few people I know on MI), but a Cal gymnast did a very fine Bhardwaj on bars and a MI gymnast did a really great double pike dismount on beam that was stuck cold!

[Fridge_Break]

Michigan State has jumped from 44th to 38th in the rankings this past week Top 36 go to regionals... they're still counting a low 193 which should be replaced this week. Crossing my fingers and toes...

[BigB08822]

LSU closes out their regular season tonight against NC State. I hope they get a nice road score. The teams ranked 3 through 7 or so are all so close that anyone could drop or improve rankings this week. Next week will be SECs and that won't be as much of a worry because LSU will be head to head with Bama and UGA so scoring differences at different meets won't factor in.

[Fridge_Break]

I know everybody is watching Worlds at the moment, but Michigan State just hit 6 routines on FX at Denver and scored a.... 48.075. Give me a break, judges Half the lineup scored a season-low in that rotation. Another has had one missed routine earlier in the season, otherwise she'd have a season low as well. The first two girls up did hit routines for 9.4's. One gymnast who hasn't been below 9.75 all season long scored in the 9.6's. Their anchor who's been getting 9.8+'s scored a 9.65. This is a team that has a 48.7+ average on FX, and has scored 49+ in their last 3 outings. I'm rather furious, that's probably going to keep them out of regionals for good, now. They're right there in 38th with a good opportunity to move up, but they won't now. One more meet left and it's Big Ten's where they are going to get crushed.

Oh, and Denver scored a 10 on a vault that had a foot adjustment on the landing.

Sorry. I'm cranky and bitter and upset at the moment.

ETA: Floor scores wouldn't have mattered too much, they just imploded on the beam. Oh well. Next year should be much better. I'm still excited to be going to East Lansing next weekend to cheer them on as they host Big Tens.

[chipso1]

Minnesota scored a 197.225 to beat Ohio State and tie Michigan for the (regular season) Big 10 title!! AND they scored over a 49 on bars (finally )!