Gymnastics News #21 - Tumbling on to Tokyo

[ilovepaydays]

I’m kinda worried about Morgan Hurd. I don’t think she was top four on anything today.

Ragan Smith looked a bit better than I thought she would.

 

[FiveRinger]

I’m kinda worried about Morgan Hurd. I don’t think she was top four on anything today.

Ragan Smith looked a bit better than I thought she would.

I didn't expect Ragan to be there. She should be getting some therapy for that ankle. I don't want her to do more damage. I haven't seen her today, but at Nationals she looked like she was in serious pain.

Simone is just from another stratosphere. Every time I see her I think, "She can't get any better than that." And of course she tops herself. I watch her on floor and/or vault with my jaw on the floor.

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

And Biles did the 1/2 on front double full off on vault and basically stuck it.

https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1050509866882744322

Fabulous

 

[ilovepaydays]

The U.S. women’s team for worlds has been named. Alternate will be decided in Doha.

 

[FiveRinger]

The U.S. women’s team for worlds has been named. Alternate will be decided in Doha.

I don't know how I'd feel about that if I were on that team. The person who traveled and then gets told that she isn't competing until after arriving? Sucks majorly.

 

[ilovepaydays]

I don't know how I'd feel about that if I were on that team. The person who traveled and then gets told that she isn't competing until after arriving? Sucks majorly.

I think the alternate is either Kara or Ragan.

There might be people here who might at me for this opinion, but they should go with Kara. 1) Great chance at a beam medal, and 2) Not that much different in scores in other events but she’s HEALTHY!

 

[Dobre]

I really like Riley McCusker but her scores in all events today have been way higher than I expected, even with national scoring inflation. Everyone else seems to be scored more or less as expected.

Riley gives me Vanessa Atler/Courtney McCool/Jaycie Phelps/Alyssa Czisny vibes. I can just see her doing fine all the way up until it matters and then off the beam she goes.

Jade is out, WTH? (I am now going to have to go back and read more than two pages of this thread. Sigh.)

 

[dramagrrl]

I agree that they should go with Kara over Ragan. I know Ragan improved a lot between Nationals and Trials, but they should have left her at home just to force her to get her ankle surgery done or at least spend a lot more time in rehab for the injury instead of constantly pounding it with more hard landings. (I don't like Ragan's gymnastics at all, personally, so I have no great interest in her longevity as an elite gymnast, but USAG or whatever is left of it should.)

 

[mattiecat13]

US Gymnastics announces new interim president/CEO

https://www.indystar.com/story/news...ry-bono-new-interim-president-ceo/1618521002/

 

[Aceon6]

US Gymnastics announces new interim president/CEO

https://www.indystar.com/story/news...ry-bono-new-interim-president-ceo/1618521002/

WTF! The bozos are still more worried about lawsuits and Congress than they are about their athletes.

 

[danafan]

The new CEO tweeted about boycotting Nike. A team USA sponsor and a sponsor of Simone Biles. Good one USAG....

https://twitter.com/robertdobbs2018/status/1038252059630264322?s=21

 

[allezfred]

Watching the fartistic gymnastics at the Youth Olympics and it's so weird seeing an Irish gymnast among all the Americans and Russians.

 

[danafan]

Simone is not impressed with the new USAG CEO: https://twitter.com/Simone_Biles/status/1051209065844609024

 

[skatfan]

Simone is not impressed with the new USAG CEO: https://twitter.com/Simone_Biles/status/1051209065844609024

Love seeing Simone use her power for good!

 

[bardtoob]

Love seeing Simone use her power for good!

Indeed. Simone is the single most high status individual in gymnastics right now, being both the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist and still the best in the world.

And clearly it is goofy for somebody with any sense of professionalism, let alone a sports federation president, to engage in goofy divisive politics over an advertisement campaign.

 

[bardtoob]

I think Shannon Miller, a respected gymnast with a law degree and degree in marketing, would be the best option as USA Gymnastics President. She is both commercially and ethically in line with the needs of USA Gymnastics and not overly in love with the legacy of the Karolyi's or a centralized system. However, she might not want it because it seem like more a liability and burden than a good career move.

Yeah, I know. We still hear too much about Shannon Miller, but the only other people with the right profiles, by my own estimation, are probably Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, and Amanda Borden.

 

[Choupette]

I disagree. I don't think Shannon Miller would be the worst choice, but some of the things she said about how gymnastics was in her time in the past year left me wondering if she saw what was going on around her, in her own country's team. I would like to know first how she reflects back on her time. The book her mother wrote left me with a weird impression. It felt like it was Nunno who enployed the Millers and not the other way around - they feared angering him. I'd like to know what Shannon thinks if all that now. I don't think her health has always been well managed either. You have a wrist that hurts in January, you keep training on it - well it's not exactly bad luck when the Olympic Trials come around and you can't compete...

As I said in the other topic, my choice would be Moceanu. I think she has it right.

 

[bardtoob]

As I said in the other topic, my choice would be Moceanu. I think she has it right.

I think Moceanu and Raisman are currently too injured by the abuse to "manage" the sport, although I completely support their activism and think there is room for them to act as consultants in an official capacity.

 

[Choupette]

Moceanu is 37. From everything I've read or heard from her, I find her well balanced in her opinions about the sport. If she had been in her twenties, then she probably would have lacked perspective but I don't think she's too fragile anymore. In fact, she has displayed a lot of strenght for a while already in how she brought sensitive issues. There must be a reason why other ex-gymnasts chose her to confide about Nassar as well - I think it says a lot.

It's ironic to think back to 1995 or 1996. Those stupid Nadia comparisons, her manipulative coach, pushy father and the ridiculous expectations around her got so much on my nerves, it all just felt completely wrong and as a result it made it hard for me to appreciate her work. Little did I know that I still couldn't suspect how bad it really was for her. Never thought then that I would be saying what I just said, ever.

 

[bardtoob]

Moceanu is 37. From everything I've read or heard from her, I find her well balanced in her opinions about the sport. If she had been in her twenties, then she probably would have lacked perspective but I don't think she's too fragile anymore. In fact, she has displayed a lot of strenght for a while already in how she brought sensitive issues. There must be a reason why other ex-gymnasts chose her to confide about Nassar as well - I think it says a lot.

It's ironic to think back to 1995 or 1996. Those stupid Nadia comparisons, her manipulative coach, pushy father and the ridiculous expectations around her got so much on my nerves, it all just felt completely wrong and as a result it made it hard for me to appreciate her work. Little did I know that I still couldn't suspect how bad it really was for her. Never thought then that I would be saying what I just said, ever.

I have no doubt this is all true, but I still do not agree. I am also concerned about a potential conflict of interest because of Moceanu's book, Off Balance, which allows her to profit off her reports of abuse. Of course, this does not rule her out from contributing at a high level in a capacities other than President, who must oversee athletes wellbeing plus sponsors, media, etc.

 

[Winnipeg]

Doha seems an odd place to host world gymnastics?

 

[Aceon6]

Doha seems an odd place to host world gymnastics?

$$$ and more $$$

 

[bardtoob]

Mary Bono resigns as USA Gymnastics interim president, CEO after 4 days on the job

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mary-b...terim-president-ceo-4-days-job-200632487.html

 

[dramagrrl]

Oh, God. Like I said earlier in the thread, it's like every time you think it can't get worse, it does.

 

[Rob]

What a $h!t show. Fire the law firm next.

 

[bardtoob]

I am guessing Mary Bono is probably now happy she quit, given that one of her predecessor was just hunted down.

 

[Erin]

I am guessing Mary Bono is probably now happy she quit, given that one of her predecessor was just hunted down.

Penny has long deserved to be in jail and I suspect this won’t be the only charge against him. Are you assuming Mary Bono was also going to (allegedly) cover up evidence, destroy medical records, fail to report child abuse to the police, etc. had she stayed on? That seems like a stretch.

 

[Frau Muller]

Doha seems an odd place to host world gymnastics?

Will the women have to cover up their legs...wear black unitards, like we see on the beaches of Egypt?

 

[skatfan]

The question is whether this latest gaffe is enough for US Olympic Committee to de-certify. I'm guessing that it wouldn't happen until after Worlds.

 

[bardtoob]

Penny has long deserved to be in jail and I suspect this won’t be the only charge against him. Are you assuming Mary Bono was also going to (allegedly) cover up evidence, destroy medical records, fail to report child abuse to the police, etc. had she stayed on? That seems like a stretch.

No, I only mean who the hell would want to inherit that! She would have had to have answered questions about it in a public way regardless of any past involvement.