Men’s gymnastics!

At nationals—which explicitly counts in the men’s selection process for determining the highest-scoring team—we saw Malone, Richard, Young, and Moldauer establish themselves as a compelling four, sort of the default group as we stand now until things inevitably go to pieces. (Although maybe the women’s team has the whole “going to pieces” thing covered this year.)

Post-nationals, Nedoroscik also found himself on the highest-scoring team because he averaged 15.000 on horse while most of the other contenders scored 4 raisins. If everyone continues being a mess on horse at trials, Nedoroscik hitting could really help give Brett an aneurysm. But the general sentiment seems to be that the fifth spot is shrug emoji pending what happens at trials. There are 8 other gymnasts who are all within three tenths of each other when joining the four current frontrunners.

The US men establish two different sets of highest-scoring teams, one using all four scores from nationals and trials, and the other using the best 3 of 4 scores. That’s significant for Asher Hong in particular, who will be eyeing that 3 of 4 formulation because, after a rough nationals, he’s off the pace. But if he hits a big trials, he could drop some of those scores from nationals and look more compelling.

We’ve begun, Terry and Tim generally proposing marriage to Brody Malone. Tim giving Brody the Prettiest Eyes merit badge.

Peacock is just like…all the commercials will be for Hobby Lobby and September 11th for some reason?

Long closeup of Brett really struggling with today’s wordle, I think. 

Rotation 1

Smooth rings from Hong to open the competition, hop back on double double layout. 14.450 down slightly from nationals but within range.

Phillips on vault, hits a Manmanar with a pretty large bound forward. 14.400

Malone follows Phillips on vault, Kas 1.5 with a nice stick, little lean forward. 14.6 is his high of the year on vault so far.

We didn’t see Bock on horse live, but a 14.000 for him, useful hit.

PHEW WE’RE STILL DOING THE TRIANGLES. Otherwise how would I know.

Wiskus vaults Kas 1.5, good distance, little hop forward, some knee position. 14.400

Young on rings, does a fine Aly Raisman bars get-through. Juda breaks 14 on horse for his top horse score of the process so far.

Young 13 on rings, so down a little bit for him.

Whittenburg with an important rings, a pretty big handstand adjustment at the end and a lunge forward on his double double lay will hurt.

Richard was getting through horse until getting into dismount-trouble, big pause going up to handstand, comes out at horizontal, but the hips don’t drop. Still 13.450, which is not ideal. 

Now a look back at Moldauer on horse, who also had a trouble-burger with a fall for 13.100.

GREAT first rotation for Stephen Nedoroscik on the little couch. The final pommel totals for Richard and Malone just aren’t going to be good, increasing the chance for Nedoroscik to add a ton to the team score if he stays on.

14.150 for Whittenburg on rings is down for him.

Rotation 2

Walker on vault – Kas 1.5, another solid one, medium hop forward and some knee position. 14.200

Phillips on PBars, needing to get that big mid-15 – diam and makuts work is excellent throughout – high front straddle to arms – only struggle is double front 1/2 dismount, chest well down, large lunge. Still gets 15.600

Young – VT – nearly finds the stick on his hs randi, arm wave and then a hop back. 14.950 is a big one for his position in the highest-scoring team.

Malone on Pbars with no trouble, good vertical positions, has the amplitude, double pike dismount, hop back. 14.750

We haven’t yet seen Whittenburg’s vault but we heard the audience reaction during Malone’s PBars. 13.700 which is a rough development for him.

And now we see him, can’t get his vault around, sits it down. Hong follows him with his Ri Se Gwang and…stays upright? Chest down and a stumble to the side, off the mat to control it. 14.350, lower than would be helpful, not devastating, but his vault average is now just on track with the hit Kas 1.5s, which is not enough.

Moldauer and Richards both down on rings with 13.8s compared to 14s from nationals.

In other commercial news, Nellie and Simone really want you to take Mounjaro, and CORE water helps Zoe Miller hit the beam routine that will get her on the Olympic team.

Rotation 3

Malone – HB – tak 1/2 to liukin, hit – Cassina, hit – Kolman, solid – layout tkatchev – tak 1/1 later – finishes double double layout with a step, solid. 14.3

Richard vaults kas 1.5, medium hop forward

Young on PBars – big arch after a peach but pulls it back – smooth swing on bhavsar – tippelt, solid amplitude, keeps handstand together – double pike, bounce back. 14.4 is half a point down on nationals.

We see Juda’s vault, Kas 1.5, just barely keeps it to his feet with a large bounce back. Surprised that one is also 14.2,

Wiskus – HB – Kolman, hit – Kovacs – layout tkatchev – tkatchev – tak 1/1 OK – tak 1/2 – stalder – DLO 2/1, pike throughout, step back. 13.550

Hong on pbars – small hesitation early – hits bhavsar – tippelt, good height – short of vertical on makuts but through it – nice diam and stutz – double front 1/2, chest forward, hop

A look back at Moldauer getting 14.500 on vault, a good number.

Walker on pbars – lovely long swing diam, like it’s in slow motion – high bhavsar but does a formy in the air – hits tippelt – double front dismount, near stick, small step back. 14.850

We didn’t see Curran Phillips on HB but just a 12.4, which will keeps him in one-event zone. The problem with that is that the US team is already good on PBars, compared to Stephen Nedoroscik whose one event is something everyone is struggling on.

Brett: “They are definitely keeping it…interesting.”
There’s some real “these buttheads need to get their shit together” subtext as we discuss pommel horse.

Rotation 4

Young – Yam, good amplitude – front stalder – tak 1/1 goes absolutely crazy, lots of arm form, loses body position, muscling to keep himself off the bar, continues – layout tkatchev hit – tkatchev – double double layout, hop back. 12.100 yeesh.

Who is having the best day and why is it Cameron Bock?

Wiskus – FX – double front pike, hop – double double tuck, bounce back – front 2/1 to frotn lay, a little short, slide back – 2/1, stuck – back 2.5 to front full, stuck – 3/1, stuck. Really nice one. 14.35

Moldauer on PB gets a good hit for 15, which is the goal, sticks dismount with chest down and a lean forward/swim.

Hong – HB – kolman, gets his hands around – layout tkatchev, hit – tkatchev – stalder – double double layout, stuck. What he can do on HB. 13.000

LIVING for John blowing up an NBC lie about Asher’s dad’s coffee mug or some such.

Richard also comes up with a strong PB hit – hop back on double front. Matches Moldauer on 15.050, much better than nationals.

Malone – FX – double front pike, stuck – double double tuck, well short, large bound forward – front 2/1 to layout, hop – 2/1, hop – back 2.5 to front full, solid – 3/1, bounce back. OK, hoppy. 13.750

Just 11.950 for Walker on HB.

Juda onto PB, lots of form on a giant in there but does stick his double front. 14.050. He has some big events still coming up but is having an actual hit day so far.

Rotation 5

Now we have a little “and the rest” moment to mention the other gymnasts that are here.

The frontrunning four have lost tenths from their scores at nationals. The Malone, Richard, Young, Moldauer group was on 258.550 after nationals and now is on 257.783. But no one else makes up a better number…yet.

Some…important routines in this rotation.

Richard – HB – cassina, hit – kolman, good height – layout tkatchev – tkatchev to tkatchev piked, hit – tak 1/1, gets it with some body position – tak 1/2 – double double lay, hop back. Good. 14.4

Whittenburg – FX – front 2/1 to double front, pitches himself forward, hands down- double double lay is nice – little hop on double front pike – 2.5 to front lay, secure – double double tuck, good, little hop – double arabian 1/2 out, hop. Didn’t have the day he needed today.

Nedoroscik now with his must-hit horse routine, no glasses, has a leg break on a travel but gets through with a hit. Not all his D, seems like he’s doing his D score in his head now. 5.6 D with a  14.450 total. Like a fall for him, but still so much better than what everyone is doing, keeping his 3-day average at 14.817.

Lots of form breaks for Malone on PH, clips the horse, but through without coming off. 13.45, dips his PH average two tenths.

13.45 for Juda on high bar, which is not the 14 that would have helped there.

Moldauer – HB – tak 1/1, very late – also late on tak 1/2 – kolman is hit – giant full – triple double layout dismount, step back. 12.900

A look back at Hong’s floor – front 2/1 to double front, bound forward, keeps it in – front full to double front pike, right into corner, hop back – double double lay, boucne back OOB – highhhhh front lay in combination, holds onto it – 3/1, sticks. 14.350 is better than nationals, not huge, but better. If nationals hadn’t happened…

Young – FX – struggles immediately with a short double front, stumble back – back 2.5 to just a front tuck, short, step back – DLO is solid, stuck – 2/1, holds stick with arm wave – 2/1, stuck -also holds onto dismount stick with a lean, but lots of trouble at the beginning. 13.500

That’s it, nobody is going to the Olympics except Fuzzy Benas.

Rotation 6

We’re looking in on Hoopes doing horse because he can also 14 there – nearly had it but got crazy on the dismount.

The Stephen Nedoroscik Face Cam should just be the coverage of men’s gymnastics.

14.450 for Hoopes is level with Nedoroscik today, behind on average.

Hong has to tuck around a circle in there on horse but does get through. For 12.800. 

Malone hits rings, bounce back on double double tuck.

Hoopes gets just a 6.250 E score on putting his shirt on.

Moldauer – FX – DLO 1/1, short landing with a hop forward – frotn randi, hop to the side – front 2/1 to front full is better, hop to the side – 2/1, little shuffle arm wave – 2.5 to lay, good stick – 3/1, hop back. 14.200

Young needs a horse hit now, and he didn’t get it. Off on a handstand circle. And now a second fall. Oh dear. 11.650

Brett’s just over there typing FML FML FML FML FML.

Richard – FX – 2.5 double tuck, good, little hop – front 2/1 to layout, hop – double double, stuck, nice – 2/1, hop back – back 2.5 to front full, holds onto a stick – FTDT dismount, hit. Even though pommel horse, he had the day he needed.

14.700 for Richard. So he’ll lead in the AA and is top 3 on three events.

So, it’s Richard, Malone, Wiskus, Juda, and Hong in the AA for the first day of Trials. Helpfully.

Averaging nationals and trials so far, Khoi Young is dropped off the highest-scoring team, replaced by Wiskus or Juda in a tie. Nedoroscik is still in there because no one else has horse scores.