A. The Cimpian affair

Romania, I can’t even begin. At least you’re spicing up the slow-news season. That’s something.

Because of internet and Nicolae Forminte being on Faceplace, we’ve recently learned that Romania’s Olivia Cimpian—of “she’s one of their gymnasts now” fame—has left Deva for Hungary with the intention of competing for Hungary in the future. I’m sure that will go fine and there won’t be any drama. Everyone just wants what’s best for the gymnasts, he said choking.

For now, Cimpian is in limbo, not competing for Romania but not yet eligible to represent Hungary.

In terms of future team prospects, Cimpian was not necessarily lined up to be the big, big star for Romania this quad, but she does have a useful DTY and her departure is another blow to Romania’s already extra-limited depth. Theoretically, if Romania has Ponor, Iordache, Jurca, Crisan, Golgota, and…uh….Ocolisan? Angela Lansbury? going this quad, they can put together a reasonable team on three events, but not having Cimpian puts them one step closer to a 2015-2016 situation where everyone has to be healthy at the right moment otherwise the tower tumbles. And quickly.

If Cimpian’s nationality change actually works out at some point, she’d certainly be in line to make teams for a Hungary squad that has Kovacs, Devai on vault, and Makra (we hope) but gets into the lower 12s pretty quickly on most events. Cimpian would provide a more competitive core of routines. In fact, if you go into the national team rankings and take Cimpian away from Romania and give her to Hungary, Hungary would be less than a point behind Romania.

B. MAG national qualifier

The US men are gathering at the training center tomorrow to compete in a national qualifier (much like the US women did last weekend), the last chance to qualify to nationals for those who did not make the national team after Winter Cup or qualify to nationals based on NCAA finishes. So, people like Whittenburg, Penev, and (of note) Mikulak are competing but don’t actually need the results because they’re already qualified to nationals. It is a much more important competition for someone like Marvin Kimble, who didn’t so much with the good at Winter Cup, isn’t on the current national team, and might just be living in the woods now?

Mikulak is planning to show PH here, exactly five months after he tore his Achilles at Winter Cup. Did no one tell him that it’s not an Olympic year?

Unlike the women’s squad, which has a score cutoff to qualify to nationals, the men’s program uses its point system (1 pt for 10th place AA/event, 2 points for 9th place, etc.) to determine which competitors from the qualifier will advance to nationals.

C. NCAA

LSU is always months ahead of the schedule game and has already released its 2018 slate, most notably revealing that UCLA and Stanford will join LSU at Metroplex next year, which should be a treat. The Pac-12 is ready to get in on those big, fat Texas scores. This will be the Elizabeth Price “if I don’t get a 10 on bars at Metroplex, I’m walking” meet.

Also note that the SEC Championship next year will be at the same venue as nationals. Look how that worked out. What a fun coincidence.

Oh. One more thing.

.@renelyst & @amysmith314 are finalists for @USUGymnastics HC job. #NCAAGym Read more ➡️ https://t.co/pSJmcH6jlV

— Greg Marsden (@UtahMarz) July 12, 2017

D. NABZZZZZZ

December. The return. We hope.

#cantstopwontstop

It’s a really important Hanukkah present. The career that was supposed to last for one quad lasted eight whole quads.

The dream for this year is that she hasn’t actually choreographed a floor routine so just puts on music and wings it. PLEASE SO MUCH.

E. Patience, patience

T-minus 15 days to Classic

T-minus 14 days to Classic podium training videos (which, let’s be honest, is the more important part)

F. Beam routine of the week

There will never be another.

There will never be another because you would have to be effing insane.