Sunday Live Blog — February 20, 2022

Today, we have the scrambled-together Missouri tri-meet with Arkansas and LSU, which serves as a makeup for the dual meets against both Missouri and Arkansas that LSU had to cancel at the beginning of the season, and then later, UCLA’s visit to Arizona State, which is already UCLA’s second-to-last road meet of the season and has some score significance as a result.

Schedule and links

My NQS spreadsheet is also updated after yesterday’s meets in case you want to follow along at home. Oklahoma did enough yesterday to move ahead of Florida, and with a mid-196 road score still to drop, will be looking to close down Michigan’s lead next weekend.

LSU is giving Kiya Johnson a floor break for the second meet of this two-meet weekend. Kai Rivers is also off for this meet, with Aleah Finnegan in the bars lineup for the first time. Shchennikova remains out for this one.

Rotation 1

LSU UB 1 – Johnson – good first hs – maloney to bail, little bit of legs in maloney, good bail, solid cast hs on high – toe on – DLO, little bounce back. Solid. 9.850

Missouri VT 1 – McCrary – short landing on her yfull with a step forward. 9.625

Pennese pulls around a 2/1 first up for Arkansas on floor but lands somewhat short with a crossover step backward. 9.725

LSU UB 2 – Finnegan – good first hs – piked deltchev is lovely – toe on to bail, small leg break – arch in final cast hs – clear hip to high double tuck, little rebound. Beautiful routine but that dismount should get a UTL deduction. If you dismount with C, you have to do it in bonus combination and clear hip to double tuck is C+C, which doesn’t get bonus if one of the elements is from giant swing.

9.850?

Missouri gets 9.750 from Shaffer 2nd on vault.

Missouri VT 3 – Davis – goes with the yfull, large rebound back. 9.775

LSU UB 3 – Dunne – tkatchev to pak, smooth combination – 1/2 turn a little late on low bar – borderline final cast hs (though to tell from our angle) – DLO, some leg position, bounce back. 9.825

Schreiber gets 9.875 in the 4th position on vault for Missouri to bring them back on track.

Missouri VT 5 – Celestine – hits her Y1.5 well, medium hop forward. Still goes 9.900

LSU UB 4 – Bryant – blind to jaeger, hit – shortish hs – bail is nice – very crisp final cast hs – blind to double front 1/2 out, little hop. Good. 9.900

Missouri VT 6 – Moore – nearly finds the stick on her Y1.5, just a small slide back, good one. 9.925

Hambirck back in for Arknasas, good double tuck to start, chest up – final double pike was a little crunched down, leans on step to make sure sure doesn’t go OOB.

LSU UB 5 – Arenas – hits tkatchev – pak, some leg break – 1/2 turn on low, a little late – arch on final cast hs, pulls it back – DLO, flung with legs but finds the stick. Better one from her but some form things. 9.850

49.225 vault for Missouri.

LSU UB 6 – Durante – blind is a hair crooked into her jaeger today – pak, leg break – 1/2 turn on low bar is solid – strong final cast hs – FTDT, nearly finds the stick but showed a little lack of control into salute. 9.925

LSU through a solid-not-your-best bars rotation with 49.375.

Arkansas FX 4 – Sedlacek – controls landing on FTDT – 1.5 to front lay, a little low but fine, also controls the landing – double tuck with a huge stumble backward, multiple steps and OOB, so they’ll need to drop that.

Though she got a 9.700 apparently and I have no idea how that happened. Scoreboard mistake?

Kamryn Ryan did exhibition on bars for LSU, a hit but enough handstand deductions and a landing lunge that I don’t imagine she’ll crack the lineup.

Arkansas FX 5 – Lovett – DLO, very high, only a small rebound – double tuck, nailed the landing, chest up – switch 1/2 to popa, shows her positions, got the slightest bit out of control – front lay to front full, dances out. Nice one. 9.900

Arkansas FX 6 – Smith – piked full in with a short landing, lunge forward – front tuck through to double tuck, controls her step back – switch side to popa, switch side looked short but we also have a very high angle here – double tuck, small slide back. 9.800

That takes Arkansas to 49.075 on floor, which is their floor low for the year. More pressure on bars to be hit this week to make up for it.

After 1: LSU 49.375, Missouri 49.225, Arkansas 49.075

Rotation 2

Arkansas VT 1 – Kelley – yfull, solid stick, leans to hold it, some amplitude and body position deductions

Missouri UB 1 – Marshall – hits jaeger to overshoot, good amplitude – FTDT, big, only small movement, some feet things but good one. 9.875

Desiderio on beam has a larger wobble on her bhs loso series with a leg up. 9.750

Pennese follows on vault with a little rebound on her yfull, better distance and amplitude. 9.825

Schreiber holds the stick on her DLO second up on bars. 9.850

Arkansas VT 3 – Smith – wonderful lift on her yfull, bounce back. 9.850

LSU BB 2 – Durante – aerial works through with a little lean into bhs bhs – switch, check before straddle 1/4, I’d say it’s a broken connection but we typically know how that translates into actually judging – side aerial to full, stuck. 9.725.

Shaffer with a larger hop forward on her Y1/2 today. 9.725

Patrick got 9.950 on bars for Missouri, though her bail looked pretty short from our angle.

Sedlacek holds the stick on her Y1.5 for Arkansas with a little lean forward to control. 9.900

Sheremeta with a hop forward on her rudi dismount on bars. 9.875

LSU BB 3 – Dean – side aerial to bhs is secure – switch to split, solid – aerial to beat jump, smooth – side aerial to full, some knees, stuck. LSU needed that one, back on track. 9.850

Hambrick lands short on her Y1.5 with two lunges back.

Celestine goes over on a handstand for Missouri on bars, doesn’t come off but will be equivalent to a fall.

LSU BB 4 – Bryant – aerial through to bhs, clean – switch to straddle 1/4, keeps the connection moving – front tuck, hit – finishes with small slide on her rudi. 9.900

Missouri UB 6 – Gatzendorfer – toe on, small hesitation to maloney to pak, legs apart – 1/2 turn on low, a little late – stalder to double tuck, hop back. Through it and they can count it, but a number of deductions in there. 9.725

49.050 for Arkansas on vault. Missouri 49.275 on bars.

LSU BB 5 – Finnegan – looks like we had an initial SV disagreement on Bryant’s beam – bhs loso loso series wayyy off line, you could see that one on the first loso, no chance by the end of the combination, falls – switch to split, good – aerial, check – side aerial to tuck full, little rebound.

LSU now counting two 9.7s.

LSU BB 6 – Johnson – bhs loso series, solid – switch to switch, good – looked like more attack on the split jump following it this time than we saw on Friday, she was like you will NOT say I didn’t hit that split – kickover, nailed – bhs 1.5 dismount with a step. 9.925

The Johnson score gets LSU up to 49.150 on beam to retain a .025 lead on Missouri.

Arenas in exhibition on beam for LSU with a couple near falls.

Did someone on the PA just say “I used to have a pet rat and I’m obsessed with gay energy.”

After 2: LSU 98.525, Missouri 98.500, Arkansas 98.125

Rotation 3

Missouri BB 1 – Gatzendorfer – bhs bhs loso with a small check – split to split ring jump – gainer pike, hit. 9.750

LSU FX 1 – Desiderio – DLO, minor rebound, good finish position – 1.5 to layout, solid – split leap full to split jump full, good positions, a little travel – double tuck, strong landing. 9.875

Leah Smith misses a hand on her bail on bars, doesn’t come off but large deduction.

LSU FX 2 – Dunne – front tuck through to double tuck, pretty solid landing, chest a bit forward – switch to switch ring 1/2, small stumble on landing – double pike, slide. 9.850

Scalzo clean in the second spot for Arkansas on bars, McCracy with one check on beam for Missouri, tucked 1.5 dismount with hop forward.

9.900 for Scalzo.

Arkansas UB 3 – Jones – blind to piked jaeger, close but caught, short next hs – pak, high and clean – better final cast hs – DLO, holds the landing, little slide back.

I don’t know how we’re doing 9.925 here.

LSU FX 3 – Ballard – DLO, not the very highest but gets her chest up pretty well – 1.5 to layout to almost a jump out of it – switch ring to switch 1/2, solid switch 1/2 position – double back final pass is shorter with a lunge forward. 9.775

Schaffer has a break at the hips in the third spot for Missouri on beam. 9.800

Gianfagna hits bars, great tkatchev work, bounce back on FTDT dismount. 9.825

Arkansas UB 5 – Shaffer – toe on to maloney, legs together into bail, perhaps a little shy of hs – good final hs – DLO, step back. 9.900

LSU FX 4 – KJ Johnson – huge FTDT, small bounce – 1.5 to front layout, clean, more of a slide forward today – switch side to popa, good split positions, comes up a bit short of rotation – double tuck, solid. 9.875

Arkansas UB 6 – O’Hara – good first hs – toe 1/2 is hit today into jaeger – bail, very nice, good vertical, legs together – rushes final cast hs – DLO, lunge forward. A couple things in there which will mean she can’t get appropriately rewarded for things like handstands and toes and that bail, which were stronger here than in the 9.9s that have been thrown out in this rotation.

9.800 for O’Hara gets Arkansas to a much-needed 49.350 on bars.

Missouri BB 5 – Hu – y spin, pretty style, I’d like to see a higher leg, but it’s pretty so not complaining too much – aerial to bhs, smooth – aerial to scale, connected in one movement – beat to split jump 3/4, strong – gainer full, holds the stick, lean forward. 9.950

Finnegan has fallen on her final pass on floor.

Missouri BB 6 – Schreiber – bhs loso loso series, on – switch 1/2, pretty high – small hesitation into split jump – gainer full, lean to the side and a step. 9.900, a bit of a home anchor score for that dismount.

Missouri goes 49.325 on beam.

LSU FX 6 – Bryant – double front, a bit of a slide forward – switch ring to switch 1/2 – front lay to rudi, a bit short on that rudi but pulled it out, chest forward and a step

9.900 for Braynt gets LSU to 49.275 but will trail Missouri by .025 after 3.

After 3: Missouri 147.825, LSU 147.800, Arkansas 147.475

Rotation 4

Gamiao and O’Hara in the beam lineup for Arkansas today.

LSU VT 1 – Durante – yfull, small bounce back, some piking. 9.750

Arkansas BB 1 – Gamiao – hit series – nice side somi – switch and split, a little low but solid – 1.5, small hop – 9.875

Schreiber goes through cleanly on floor so watch those scores. it’s 9.900 to start.

LSU VT 2 – Edwards – lunge forward on her 1.5 again, but looked solid in the air. 9.850

Arkansas BB 2 – O’Hara – large break at the hips on her side aerial + bhs but pulls it back – split to stag ring, very nice – ro 1.5 dismount, deep but pulls it out with a shiver and a step. 9.675

LSU VT 3 – Arenas – Yfull is basically/nearly stuck. Good one. 9.850

LSU VT 4 – KJ Johnson – nearly awesome but tried to stick despite being a little short and ended up with a step forward

Missouri goes 9.850 from Schaffer in the 2nd spot on floor.

Arkansas BB 3 – Smith – candle mount, a little past vertical – switch to straddle 1/4, good – hits series, some knees, secure – full turn, small adjustment – double tuck, hop back.

LSU VT 5 – Johnson – strong DTY as usual, hop back, good direction, some knees – 9.900

I think the scoreboard made a mistake as they have KJ Johnson on 9.900 (no way) and not Kiya Johnson, who actually got a 9.900 that makes sense.

LSU VT 6 – Bryant – handspring pike 1/2 and sticks it. Wondrous.

And there’s your 10.000.

So there’s some discrepancy on the final for LSU depending on what you think the KJ Johnson score was. Scoreboard has them on 197.300, broadcast has 197.200 (which I think it right).

Arkansas BB 4 – Lovett – small check getting up onto the beam – pretty but slight hesitation before loso – switch to split to beam, good positions – side aerial to full, stuck. Nice. 9.825

McCrary finishes floor with a controlled step on her back 2.5, good one. On track to beat LSU if Moore and Celestine come through. 9.875 for McCrary. It’s getting close in here.

Scoreboard has fixed itself to LSU on a 197.200 final score.

Missouri FX 5 – Moore – good chest up on DLO, slide back – big amplitude on leap combination gets her positions – front through to double tuck, holds the landing, chest a bit forward.

And it’s 9.950 for Moore (oh hello) which will clinch the win for Missouri.

Arkansas BB 5 – Hambrick – bhs loso, good amplitude – switch to switch 1/2 – beat to straddle 3/4, a hair shy – stuck gainer full.

9.900 for Hambrick.

Missouri FX 6 – Celestine – full in, solid, chest a bit forward – good split positions – 1/5 to layout, good straight position – double tuck, bounce back.

Arkansas BB 6 – Elswick – loso series, holds it well, small lean – split 3/4, lean forward -0 front aerial, clean – bhs 1.5, step back. Good finish. 9.925

9.900 for Celestine gets Missouri to a 197.350 final to LSU’s 197.200 and Arkansas’s 196.800.

Hm. Eye test said LSU was the strongest team out there today and obviously would have won with like 197.8 if this had been at home, but they made a number of errors they couldn’t afford in a fraught road environment while Missouri didn’t.

The score of 197.350 will get Missouri ahead of Michigan State and Denver in next week’s rankings, behind Minnesota.

LSU will not be able to pass Auburn this week, though does still have two 196s hanging around.

Meet back here for UCLA/ASU


OK gang.

Chiles and Malabuyo in the AA. Wright and McNamara on VT/FX. Flatley on UB/BB. Campbell only UB. Moors on VT/BB/FX. Sakti on FX and not on BB. Taubman in the UB lineup. Let the adventure begin.

“Malabuyo? How about boo-yah.” So anyway I just turned to ash, sorry about the rest of the live blog.

ASU VT 1 – Jaslow – hits a yfull, bounce back, pike throughout. 9.800 is a high place to start.

UCLA UB 1 – Campbell – hits first hs – maloney to bail, good bail vertical, some legs on maloney – a bit tight on final hs – 1/2 turn to double front, cowboy, stuck. Good finish. 9.850

ASU VT 2 – Reeves – lands a tucked Y1.5 but is short, deep landing and lunge back. 9.650

UCLA UB 2 – Padurariu – good first hs – toe on to maloney, fairly flat and falls, couldn’t reach up to the high bar – resumes with bail, good – giant full pretty solid on top of high bar – double tuck, collapses for a second fall. Oh dear. 8.375

ASU VT 3 – White – really good Yfull, clean layout position, holds landing. 9.925. Got a perfect from one judge.

“Any time there’s a major mistake, they have to really figure out the start values.” Otherwise, they don’t. Which we learned on bars earlier today.

UCLA UB 3 – Malabuyo – nice maloney to pak, good height, little leg break on pak – 1/2 turn on low is somewhat late – strong final cast hs – struggles to land her DLO, nearly had the stick but then leans way forward to try to hold it and hops. 9.850

ASU VT 4 – Mangahas – solid amplitude again on a yfull, bounce back. 9.850, so only took for bounce.

UCLA UB 4 – Chiles – overbalances her first hs and has to correct and add a giant – tries to go into her piked tkatchev and takes it too far and falls. Oh. Oh UCLA. This is not good. resumes with her pak – maloney to gienger is nice – FTDT, bounce back. Good after resuming. 9.350.

Didn’t redo the piked tkatchev combo but didn’t need to because she has so much difficulty.

ASU VT 5 – Scharf – nearly finds the stick on her yfull, almost held it but was leaning forward and then hopped. 9.800

UCLA UB 5 – Flatley – good first hs – giant to higgins to jaeger, pretty – toe on to bail, good vertical – DLO, good form, small slide back. Someone showed up for work today. 9.925

ASU VT 6 – Theodorou – ro 1/2 on tuck 1/2, hit, medium bounce back, good toe point and shape in the air. 9.925

UCLA UB 6 – Taubman – they’re like, hi Sara Taubman could you come into the lineup and get a 12 please and thank you – jaeger and falls – THE WATER BOTTLE IS NOT IN THE CHALK BUCKET – toe on to bail, big arch, pulls it back – DLO attempt, possible pike credit, large bounce back.

So apparently we’re not seeing Esparza on bars today—she was supposed to come back today—because she had a maybe injury in warmup again.

So Arizona Sate 49.300 on vault, good job, fairly loose scoring, but definitely not the headline here because UCLA is not only counting a fall from Chiles but a fall and low-SV routine from Taubman.

8.950 for Taubman and will count for a 47.825 for UCLA. Their lowest bars score in 17 years.

After 1: Arizona State 49.300, UCLA 47.825

They’re like, let’s just watch Norah Flatley’s routine again and pretend nothing else ever happened.

UCLA has moved Flatley into the vault lineup instead of McNamara.

Rotation 2

UCLA VT 1 – Wright – hits a solid yfull, good amplitude, small bounce, not the most distance. Strong. 9.87weresorryaboutbars.

ASU UB 1 – Mangahas – blind, small leg break into a high piked jaeger to overshoot – FTDT, good landing – a couple handstands here, not much else. 9.875

UCLA VT 2 – Poston – got really high on the table on her handspring pike 1/2 and barely pulls it around – chest well down, lunge back and another step. 9.650

ASU UB 2 – Reeves – short first hs – blind to a high jaeger to overshoot, a little close on overshoot with some elbows – also not quite collegeing out the handstands – another good dismount stick on her DLO, legs apart. 9.900 is a lot.

UCLA VT 3 – Flatley – yfull hits it – fairly large bounce back, good layout shape – chest up. 9.850, so also only took for bounce.

ASU UB 3 – Theodorou – toe 1/2 to jaeger, good – hits hs – toe on to bail, a little short of vertical – sole circle up to high – she has better casts than the others – DLO, full straddle in first salto, finds the stick. 9.850

UCLA VT 4 – Moors – handspring pike 1/2 – medium bounce back, chest down but not too too bad. 9.825

ASU UB 4 – White – good first hs – can leeuwen, legs together – shows solid toe point – orphan 1/2 turn but it’s not too bad – bail, clean position – DLO, small bounce back. Best form of the bunch so far. 9.900

UCLA VT 5 – Malabuyo – yfull, good, bounce back, solid form – 9.875. I don’t know how you take less than a tenth for that?

ASU UB 5 – Scharf – maloney to pak, good legs on pak – 1/2 turn on low, a bit late – FTDT, chest a little forward, hop. 9.900

UCLA VT 6 – Chiles – Tsuk 1/1 is solid, smaller bounce back, chest down. 9.900

UCLA 49.325 on vault, a solid rotation, the same light scoring that ASU got. Need more high-quality 10.0s because won’t be able to rely on getting 9.875 for those non-stuck fulls in normal circumstances.

ASU UB 6 – Clark – blind to jaeger, good toes – pak, solid, small leg break – 1/2 turn on low – short final cast hs – DLO, holds the stick with an arm wave for control. 9.950 for her takes Arizona State to a 49.525 on bars. On pace for well into the 197s.

UCLA will especially be ruing that bars rotation now because this judging would have been ready to give them a huge 197 road score.

After 2: Arizona State 98.825, UCLA 97.150

Oh look it’s Winter Inclusion Week! “Schools are holding various events and taking various actions.” Sounds specific.

ASU BB 1 – Thompson – bhs bhs loso, huge break at the hips, past horizontal, stays on – cat leap to switch side, holds it – side aerial to full, a little forward but controls it. 9.725

UCLA FX 1 – McNamara – trying to knock on the door in a mosquito swamp themed routine? – rudi to straddle jump, gets a bit low on that straddle jump – switch ring 1/2, back leg – switch ring to switch 1/2, better positions – 1.5 to front layout, has to whip around that layout some, slide forward. Through with a hit. 9.775

ASU BB 2 – Reeves – bhs bhs loso, secure landing, some knees – switch to split, solid back leg in switch, lower in split – aerial, smallest lean to hold it – 1.5, stuck. 9.875

UCLA FX 2 – Sakti – open double tuck, chest up, bounce back – switch 1/2 to split jump full, good switch 1/2, not quite parallel to ground on the split jump full – front full to layout, lowish but solid – double pike, pulls it out, bounce back. That works. 9.850 is high for me though.

ASU BB 3 – Gutierrez – bhs loso series, check, chest a bit down – rulfova, hit solidly – front handspring, actually fairly handspringish – switch side, slightly crooked – 1.5, holds the stick with a little left leg hesitation. 9.900

UCLA FX 3 – Moors – goes for front 2/1 to front tuck first pass today, nice option, clean position in front 2/1 – LOLLLL almost tripped her with pulling the mat out – switch ring to switch 1/2 to wolf full, solid, she can stand up to a three dance element pass – rudi, little rebound. I miss the double front, but this is hittable composition. 9.900

ASU BB 4 – White – bhs loso, secure – aerial, check – split jump to stag ring, clean – side aeiral to layout full, bounce back. 9.900

UCLA FX 4 – Wright – back 2.5 to front tuck, overcooked that 2.5 and couldn’t do much with the front tuck, sits it down – front full to 1/2 is solid – split leap full to popa, rises well into the popa to hit the full straddle position, a little short in split leap – 1.5 to front layout, also gets a bit low on that but pulls it out

ASU BB 5 – Clark – bhs loso series, small check, loose knees – split jump to stag ring, solid – aerial is well done – 1.5 twist, holds the landing, leg crossing. 9.875

Long wait for Sekai’s score. It’s 9.225.

UCLA FX 5 – Malabuyo – double tuck, very clean, chest up – 1.5 to layout, good amplitude, slight twisting form – switch ring to switch 1/2, hits her 180 positions very well – double pike, chest slightly forward, step. 9.900

ASU BB 6 – Scharf – wolf double, solid – bhs loso series, better amplitude and position – side somi, smooth – switch to split, short back leg on switch, little hesitation on landing – 1.5, step forward. Good. 9.900

UCLA FX 6 – Chiles – DLO, chest up, controls step – front tuck through to double tuck, keeps front foot down there as well – split leap full to wolf jump 1.5, like the attack on that wolf jump, not an afterthought – double pike, slide back. Strong work.

ASU 49.450 on beam. This thing is not going to be that far from a 198, like it’s 2004 or something.

9.975 for Chiles. Not for me with that last pass.

That gets UCLA to 49.400 on floor. There’s not much salvaging the score that can be done after bars, but a 196 is still possible with a big beam rotation.

After 3: ASU 198.275, UCLA 146.550

We know at this point that this total for UCLA won’t pass the 196.300 they already have, which means they’ll have to count a 196.300 road score for NQS, which is not competitive this season. If I were UCLA, after this meet I would be like, “Ring ring San Jose State, can we come up and do a road meet on like a Wednesday?”

“Emma Malabuyo is the only good thing remaining in the world” – mys summary of this broadcast. And same.

Rotation 4

UCLA BB 1 – Flatley – aerial through to bhs loso, pretty work, small adjustment working out of it – L turn to split jump, excellent split jump – switch ring, hits it – bhs 1.5, small slide back. Good. 9.875

ASU FX 1 – Jaslow – double pike, secure landing, chest down – front lay to front full – look at this knee brace isn’t it fun choreography – gets crooked on her straddle positions in combination – double tuck. Solid. 9.875

UCLA BB 2 – Chiles – does the side aerial loso series, hit, some knees – switch to wolf jump – full turn with a hesitation – aerial, strong – double pike, hop back. 9.875

She’s been struggling with her acro series so we made it harder, the Jordan Chiles story.

ASU FX 2 – White – front 2/1, a bit under, crossover steps it around – switch – loso – switch ring and switch ring 1/2, low front leg so risking deduction on both (allegedly) – front full to front pike, controls. 9.875

Now it’s 9.875s for all!

UCLA BB 3 – Malabuyo – wolf single, fine – bhs loso, small lean working out of it, good extended leg positions – aerial to beat jump, very pretty – split ring jump is VERY good – bhs bhs layout full, bounce back. 9.900

ASU FX 3 – Clark – double pike, controls step back, chest down – 1.5 to layout, high 1.5, soft knees – switch ring to switch 1/2, not quite showing 180 in those positions – double tuck, short, step forward. 9.750

UCLA BB 4 – Moors – switch to split, shows her 180 positions – aerial and goes full Mustafina on this attempted series – sort of grabs the beam like it was going to be a front handspring and then just sort of pauses and hops off – side aerial, large break at the hips – rudi dismount, slide back. brb sad nap now. 8.900

ASU FX 4 – Theodorou – full in, hit, slide back, chest down – split leap full to wolf full to wolf full, good height on those wolf positions, a bit shy on the split – 1.5 to layout, a bit flat on the layout – 9.900

UCLA BB 5 – Poston – beat to split jump 3/4, around and secure, some feet – bhs bhs loso, also secure, soft knees – 1.5 dismount, stuck, good hit. 9.900

ASU FX 5 – Mangahas – full in, secure landing, chest down – front tuck through to double tuck, same, secure, chest position – switch 1/2 to wolf full to wolf full, clearly around well. Solid. 9.950

We’re going to need to have a talk with this scoring.

UCLA BB 6 – Sakti – switch to bhs loso, so high but off line and falls. Counting a fall on beam now as well. I mean, if it’s a throwaway score, might as well put all your falls into it – finishes side aerial to layout full, stuck. 9.325

ASU FX 6 – Scharf – front tuck through to double tuck, good chest up position – front full to front tuck, high, some knees in twist – LOVVEEE the shot of jackets during her leap series, SO PRETTY – double pike, bounce back.

9.925 for her gives ASU 49.525 on FX and a 197.800 total, which is really some early 2000s business.

UCLA with 195.425. The end. (of gymnastics)

34 thoughts on “Sunday Live Blog — February 20, 2022”

  1. My GOD UCLA pull it the fuck together!!! Little less dancing, a LOT more training and focus on the gymnastics…

    1. The dancing actually seems to help the gymnasts relax and have fun in an atmosphere that’s been very difficult for the team. It’s also called artistic gymnastics, dancing is part of it.

    2. Almost half the UCLA roster is injured, so have those going up had the necessary conditioning and training time in the gym and competition experience needed? It all looks so scrappy. Does it all come back to coaching? Both in that the training environment is one in which injuries are so common for some, whilst others just don’t look ready?

      You do get the strong impression that UCLA just isn’t a team. I don’t mean that in the ra-ra-ra sense (they’ve got the PR down), but in the sense that there isn’t any impression of a firm sense of direction and focus on their goals. There are so many viewpoints publicly fighting for leadership, so what must it be like in private? There are obviously cliques amongst the gymnasts, so some will get a lot more attention than others and I do wonder what that does to coaching focus.

      I also wonder about the effect of UCLA’s recruitment strategy. I’m not American, so I don’t really understand how the US collegiate system works. Can someone explain how UCLA’s recruitment strategy works?

      Looking at their roster, they pick a whole load of US and international elites, whose bodies will be beat up (just because of the nature and intensity of elite training), so they run the risk of more injuries, but they could also be stars with beautiful gymnastics because they’re super-talented and experienced, with amazing work ethics. They presumably get the scholarships.

      Then they have a couple of people who made JO Nationals, but who weren’t the consistent stars of the JO world. Some make the team, some don’t. Presumably those who look likely to make the team may get the left-over scholarships.

      Then there’s a whole stack of people who almost never make the team, but almost all of whom have scholastic honours. (I don’t understand what each honour is as we don’t have those terms in my country, but presume that they wouldn’t be mentioned if they didn’t matter). Do they keep the latter set of people on the roster as walk-ons to lift the scholastic achievements of the team as a whole? Or is being named as a walk-on a nice thing to do for someone you like, but they never really expect to use them? Because if you discount them, the actual roster (most of which is currently injured) is not that big. If so, it’s a risky recruitment strategy, isn’t it? If everything comes together, you win big, and if not, at worst, teams that are worse on paper – like ASU – but who can actually deliver (ignoring for a moment the jacked-up scoring) will beat you, even if you could do the bare minimum and get everyone to stay on the apparatus, which of course at present UCLA cannot.

      It all looks like a right mess.

  2. The UCLA dumpster fire continues to burn. But hey, forget about the actual gymnastics; let’s go viral ya’ll!

    1. Yeah the scoring in this meet is ridiculous. But at least it’s equally ridiculous for both teams?

      1. TOTALLY!! NCAA really needs to actually deduct and also devalue the yurchenko full to 9.9. When they first allowed it is was a 9.9 max back in 1998.. they should’ve left it there

  3. UCLA doesn’t care about quality or winning. They only care about going viral. They are an embarrassment. They need to start recruiting talent not name.

    1. I don’t think you can argue that UCLA doesn’t have talent – their “name” athletes are famous for being at the top of the sport, ie Olympians and top elites. The problem as I see it is that those elites – who are tremendous gymnasts – are more likely to be carrying injuries from their more intense careers (or just to be exhausted and run into the ground from the same), and that it’s a bigger transition in terms of routine construction and scoring strategy (ie that you can’t really compensate for execution errors with difficulty in NCAA like you can in elite). They have tremendous talent that needs to be properly cultivated, directed, and managed. And without that, they’re just chucking talent in the garbage.

  4. UCLA doesn’t care about quality or winning. They only care about going viral. They are an embarrassment. It’s time to start recruiting quality and talent not name.

  5. I wish Chiles would abandon the sinking ship. transfer to Oregon State. She and Jade could do something really special there and make history.

    1. We are not talking about no deduction on grabbing the beam to avoid a fall, or stepping out of bounds, or lunge on landing, or deep squat, or giving 10 score with a hop back, are we? Because all of the above happened. Specifically for Pac 12, Short handstands, wobbles, foot off beam for balance checks, foot shuffles and bounce back on floor are often not taken, depending how big a name it is. Forget about deducting for flex feet and leg separation. Certain Pac 12 Olympian’s perfect 10 bar routine features unmistakable leg separation and another never points her toes. You are either on something or a fanATIC, put your blinders on for your favorites and go diarrhea mouth on others.

  6. The redeeming thing about this scoring is that ASU will have to drop this crack score in nqs

    1. What a terrible person you are to single out a team and shame the hard working student athletes. As the Michigan gymnast pointed out in social media, they have nothing to do with scoring. Don’t you have better things to do than to cyber bully kids? You should be ashamed of yourself.

    1. I mean, I don’t think ASU is significantly worse than the lower-tier SEC teams (Georgia and Arkansas certainly, but even Kentucky and Missouri based on what I’ve seen this season). Not that I like this scoring, for the record.

    2. Oh, and obligatory: “Utah and UCLA are always getting overscored; it’s not just SEC teams” 🙂

  7. Don’t even get me started on the non commentary from Borden and Watson on the PAC-10 channel. Not calling short handstands, or slides back on floor or anything remotely rewarding deductions.. why are they even there? Watson even had the audacity to say that he admired Waller for how he had been handling this seasons adversities.. WTF?!

    1. I actually think Borden is being a bit more realistic with the commentary than she usually is.. usually with them it’s “everything is perfect and I don’t see how the judges could find a deduction!!!”. It seems to me like she’s getting fed up with the ridiculous scoring this season, just like all of us 🙂

  8. When did I leg separation non toe point foot slides etc not count on floor. These are not 9.9 and more routines. Honestly worst judging ever. Niya Reed and trinity Thomas are dying about now. Routines were good but lets get real. Those judges should be fired. Along with the commentators. They need to be real not sweet and nice. Spencer. Take over the PAC12 commentary. PLEASE

    1. You are such a hateful person. Chill or you will pop a vein soon, from watching college gymnastics, which would actually be funny.

  9. …time for a UCLA coaching change? Injuries and inconsistency with the talent on this team could definitely be mismanagement?

  10. oof LSU got jobbed hard by scoring today. Not taking anything away from the girls at Mizzou, but they were easily the best team in the gym today

    1. I disagree. Missouri is an excellent team that does not get enough credit.
      Having watched the meet I can tell you that LSU was off. Durante and Desiderio had beam checks. Finnegan fell on beam and floor.
      No Shchennikova or Rivers at all and No Kiya Johnson on floor exercise.
      LSU was missing key routines and had some errors.
      Missouri was the rightful winner.

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