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US NATIONALS

SENIOR WOMEN

• The saga of 6-time national champion Simone Biles
  • From GOAT leos to badass quotes to “piece of shit” routines to the triple double and the double double to winning…a bowl, we dissect all things Simone
• But also…this meet was weird you guys
  • What happened to Riley McCusker on day 2?
  • Was this whole Pan-Ams-right-into-nationals thing a bad idea?
  • Morgan Hurd’s floor routines—from day 1 bizarreness to day 2 triumph
  • Queen Sunisa rises above

LI LI LEUNG

• The media had a 45-minute session with Li Li Leung and Kensley tells us everything she learned about new positions, the Daniels Report, bankruptcy, decertification, the Legacy Elite investigation, the Edward Nyman debacle, and the future of USAG

SENIOR WOMEN CONTINUED

• Some CSI: Code of Points Unit with Leanne Wong’s floor, NCAA triumph for Trinity Thomas and MyKayla Skinner, Jordan Chiles winning the E score crown, Jade Carey Olympic qualification implications, and much more

MEN

• The MOST IMPORTANT stars of the meet, like Donnell Whittenburg’s sweatband and Gage Dyer’s full-twisting butterfly
• Sam Mikulak hit 12-for-12 you guys. Sam Mikulak. At nationals. Also, his pommel horse warmup is a penguin dance. FYI. 
• Updates on Colin Van Wicklen and Alec Yoder, our ideas for Akash Modi sponsorships, Shane Wiskus’s one-arm Cassina, why Brody Malone was left off the national team, and what the worlds team outlook is now. 
• Kensley talked to Brett McClure about how the Pan Ams performances were compared to nationals performances for the purposes of selection and which athletes want to go the individual world cup route
• Which MAG athletes want to do floor with music
• Asher Hong finally competed at nationals, and Colt Walker and Taylor Burkhart were junior champions

JUNIOR WOMEN

• Kayla Di Cello and Konnor McClain in an epic fight to the finish
• This meet was oddly consistent for juniors
• Highlights including the unintentional soundtrack to Konnor McClain’s beam, Ariel Posen’s sissone, Sydney Morris’s back full on beam, and the beam-coach reaction cam.
• Which juniors might be in the mix for Tokyo

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FURTHER READING

• Moving Forward: A Conversation with Li Li Leung
• Junior WAG and MAG Podium Training Interview
• Simone Sparkles With a GOAT on Her Leo & Expresses Frustration With USAG
• US Nationals: A GIFstory
• US Nationals – Senior Women Day 2 Live Blog
• Live Blog: 2019 U.S. National Championships – Women Finals, August 11th
• US Nationals – Junior Women Day 2 Live Blog
• Live Blog: 2019 U.S. National Championships – Men Finals, August 10th
• US Nationals – Senior Women Day 1 Live Blog
• US Nationals – Junior Women Day 1 Live Blog
• Live Blog: 2019 U.S. National Championships – Women Day 1, August 9th
• Live Blog: 2019 U.S. National Championships – Men Day 1, August 8th

RELATED EPISODES

• CSI: Code of Points with Chellsie Memmel
• 379: US Nationals Preview, Pan Am Games, Gymternet News
• 378: KONNOR MCCLAIN! US Classic Junior Review
• 377: CAPES! The US Classic Senior Review
• 376: US Classic Preview and Mag 7 Musical Review
• 375: Double Kovacs to Low Bar
• 374: GymCastic Podcast—Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Heading (Commissioned)
• 373: Nabieva Returns and Morgan Hurd Special Announcement
• 372: Junior Worlds and Gymternet News
• 371: European Games 2019

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

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GYMTERNET NEWS (7:46)

• Valeri Liukin opened his mouth and garbage popped out. Stefane is here with a special editorial comment. 
• Anna Li and Wu Jiani are being investigated by USA Gymnastics for alleged verbal and emotional abuse
• Jessica has an Aurora Games update
• What we learned from the Senate committee’s damning report and the proposed legislation
• The new Olympic Channel series All Around is out!!!!
• Universal Gymnastics is closing

PAN AMERICAN GAMES (45:51)

• Queen Ellie Black was unfazed by the nonsense that was this meet and won FIVE medals
• Deconstructing the US performance – successful and full of drama? Sounds about right.
  • We discuss the team competition lineup, the AA final performances, Kara Eaker’s emergence as a four-event gymnast, the Aleah Finnegan concussion situation, do some serious CSI: Code of Points Unit work, and break down the “Riley McCusker is inconsistent” narrative
• Arthur Nory broke the high bar and got to go again—but should he have? Plus, an impressive competition for the Canadian men and a mixed bag for the US that nonetheless ended with three event medals

US NATIONALS PREVIEW (1:20:14)

• It’s the national championship, people! We have your schedule and watching assignments covered
• Senior women
  • What do we expect from the Pan Am Games athletes? How does one reconcile the apparent allowance to take it easy at nationals with this intense race to make the worlds team and the national team?
  • It’s a battle for second place, and we delve into the top contenders and what we need to see from them at nationals
  • The big questions: What was up with Leanne Wong not doing AA at Pan Ams, is Sunisa Lee ready to do four events, and how have Skinner and Chiles progressed since Classic?
  • Also a scrappy little nobody named Simone Biles
  • The race for the national team spots is going to be SERIOUS.
• Senior men (1:45:18)
  • Kensley gives us an update on the US men if, for instance, perhaps, maybe you haven’t been following them since worlds last year
  • Is Yul Moldauer repaired enough to reclaim his rightful second place position?
  • Does Colin Van Wicklen’s vault make him a lock for worlds?
  • Is this the moment Allan Bower’s consistency will pay off?
  • Donnell Whittenburg is returning to the AA. How will that work out?
  • Alec Yoder’s Hugo Boss commercial. Also pommel horse.
  • The return of Eddie Penev
• Junior women (2:05:01)
  • We should (actually!) have a tight race for the title in the junior women. Spencer breaks down the top six contenders and what each has going for her.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DUTCH

• Announcing the return of the So You Think You Can Dutch contest (with PRIZES!) at nationals, hosted by Like a Champ! and Precision Choreo & Camps. 
  • When: August 10, 2019
  • Where: Percheron Hotel Rooftop, 2101 Central Street, 4:00-5:30 
    • Get the opportunity to hang out with Alicia Sacramone, Jason Gatson, and more of the “Like a Champ!” and Precision Choreo & Camps crew in a casual setting. This is a rare opportunity to chat, joke, high five, and let your Sac-flag fly.  
  • ALSO!!!!!! There is an online contest to win VIP seating at this meetup as well as FOUR TICKETS TO SENIOR WAG FINALS!!
    • Post a pic of your most creative arabesque and tag @likeachampcamps and @precisionchoreo with the hashtag: #precisionposetix. The winner will be announced at the meetup!
  • 5:15 pm  Individual and Team Registration for “So You Think You Can Dutch!” We will only be accepting the first 20 registrants!
  • 5:30pm Nicole Langevin from Precision will be leading the WORLD FAMOUS Precision Warm Up (with LIVE video) so learn it because it will be recorded live!
    • The best “Warm-Uppers” will receive actual “Like a Champ!” Medals that are reserved for standout athletes at Like a Champ! camps!
  • 5:45 pm SYTYCD Competition Begins!!!!
  • 6:15 pm Award Ceremony
  • We all go watch senior men! HOORAY!

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

RELATED EPISODES

• 378: KONNOR MCCLAIN! US Classic Junior Review
• 377: CAPES! The US Classic Senior Review
• 376: US Classic Preview and Mag 7 Musical Review
• 375: Double Kovacs to Low Bar
• 374: GymCastic Podcast—Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Heading (Commissioned)
• 373: Nabieva Returns and Morgan Hurd Special Announcement
• 372: Junior Worlds and Gymternet News
• 371: European Games 2019

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

LISTEN HERE

 

US CLASSIC

• Overall impressions
  • This meet was goooooooood. It’s Classic. It’s not supposed to be this good. 
  • Jessica talks about happiness and feelings and a kinder, gentler gymnastics
  • The broadcast: Tim said “dickmount,” the Tim Daggett/Tom Forster passive-aggressive showdown about over-competing that we wanted to last forever, and much more
• Listen. The WCC gymnasts walked out in capes. Simone had BILES on her back. All of our dreams are coming true. Obviously this has given us other signature leo ideas. 
• Simone’s floor upgrades. I mean. Guys. We need to talk about this. For a while. 
• Event Queens of E: Simone’s vault, McCusker’s bars, Simone’s beam and McCusker’s beam, and McCusker’s floor
  • Honorable mention to Hurd’s bars, Trinity’s bars, and Gilstrap’s next-level floor leaps 
• Scoring records and our problems with the execution evaluation
• The Pan Ams team has been named. Spencer has some concerns about the selection approach, and we need to commune about the absence of Sunisa on the team despite this.  
• Our pre-meet mysteries: How MyKayla Skinner, Jordan Chiles, Faith Torrez, and Gabby Perea answered the questions we had going in, and our theories about Skinner’s floor
• You heard right: We’re gushing about something Jade Carey did choreographically
• Plus, the GAGEs did GAGE things, Morgan is right on track, and TRINITY TRINITY TRINITY
• Emma Malabuyo pulled out with a broken tibia. We discuss the Texas Dreams injury situation.
• We invented a new term “MenCAA” please adjust your phrasing accordingly from now on.

GYMTERNET NEWS

• OK, there’s not that much time for gymternet news this week, but we just had to discuss the Maria Caire/UCLA story. 

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

FURTHER READING

 

• Did You Mean Mariah Carey?
• US Classic – Senior Live Blog
• US Classic – Junior Notes
• US Classic – Junior Live Blog

 

RELATED EPISODES

• 376: US Classic Preview and Mag 7 Musical Review
• 375: Double Kovacs to Low Bar
• 374: GymCastic Podcast—Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Heading (Commissioned)
• 373: Nabieva Returns and Morgan Hurd Special Announcement
• 372: Junior Worlds and Gymternet News
• 371: European Games 2019

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

LISTEN HERE

The Magnificent Seven: The Musical (51:26)

There’s a musical about the Magnificent Seven. It’s real. It exists. Your dreams have come true. Lindsey Green was there, and it was…good, you guys. She and Spencer fangirl about it for a while as Lindsey tells us all about her favorite moments, the fluff piece realness, what needs to be improved, and the part when Tim, Elfi, and Tesh get drunk in Atlanta (!!). 

US Classic Preview

Everything you need to know: When it’s happening, who’s competing, and what’s on the line here—not a lot, but more than usual.

• Your annual reminder not to take the results of Classic seriously, complete with historical (i.e., from 2018) examples
• How the Pan Am Games team will be decided, who’s in the running for it (not Trinity, Jessica), and what the approach to team selection should be
• How gymnasts can qualify from Classic to nationals and all of the problems we have with that
• What we’re most excited to see from the seniors:
  • Potential UPGRADES
  • Unknown factors like MyKayla Skinner, Jordan Chiles, and Gabby Perea
  • Jessica’s Official Superstars of Dance and Form
• What we’re most excited to see from the juniors:
  • The #JusticeforKonnorMcClain moment of truth
  • Jessica’s obsession named Sienna Robinson
  • The Sydney Barros floor routine we DIDN’T GET TO SEE at junior worlds (not over it)
  • Olivia Greaves’ ridiculous bars routine and much more
• The deets 
  • July 19-20th, Louisville Kentucky – KFC Yum Center (which is the name of a place)
    • Hopes Championship – July 19th, 2:30pm ET, streaming on USAG Youtube
    • Junior session – July 20, 1:00pm ET, streaming on USAG Youtube
    • Senior session- July 20, 6:30pm ET, on Olympic Channel and streaming on olympicchannel.com

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

RELATED EPISODES

• 375: Double Kovacs to Low Bar
• 374: GymCastic Podcast—Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Heading (Commissioned)
• 373: Nabieva Returns and Morgan Hurd Special Announcement
• 372: Junior Worlds and Gymternet News
• 371: European Games 2019
• 370: #FreeMai
• 369: 2019 American Classic

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

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In the second episode commissioned by the Participation Sisters, we talk about…ourselves? They’ve commissioned an episode called The GymCastic Podcast: Where We’ve been and Where We’re Heading, saying very nice things like: “GymCastic has given gym fans everything we always knew we always wanted but weren’t getting from major news outlets: Weekly in-depth updates, impassioned and informed stances on both serious and trivial topics, interviews with past and former athletes and coaches, Rage-O-Meters, and more. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, GymCastic is ushering in a new paradigm for gymnastics reportage — authentic, humorous, and hard-hitting. Many of us are curious about the evolution of the podcast. We’d love you to give us a “behind the scenes” look into how you got started, and where you hope to be in the future.”

We answer questions like

• How did you get started?
• How did Jess meet Spencer?
• How do/did you juggle your day job with your podcast?
• What was your first interview like, and how has your interview style evolved based on lessons learned?
• How did you fall in LOVE with gymnastics?
• What has been the most challenging interview?
• If you had an unlimited budget, what would GymCastic evolve into?
• What does your “realistic” road map look like for the future?

If you like this episode you will also enjoy, Episode 100. This is the shamelessly vainglorious episode where we answer all of your questions about our irrelevant personal lives, and the origins of show, includes hosts Dr. Uncle Tim, Blythe, Evan and Jessica.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

RELATED EPISODES

• 368: No-No-Nunnoisms (Commissioned)
• 367: Shawn and Nastia: From Feud to Friendship (Commissioned)
• 365: 1988 Olympics Team Competition (Commissioned)
• 364: 80s Fight! (Commissioned)
• 344: Shushunova vs. Silivas 1988 (Commissioned)
• 342: A Quitter’s Try – The CNN Parkettes Documentary (Commissioned)
• 341: The Call Is Coming from Inside the House
• 340: USAG and The Case of the Missing Documents
• 327: 1993 NCAA Nationals (Commissioned)
• 325: Olympics of Difference Makers (Commissioned)
• 313: Best Floor Routines EVAH! (Commissioned)
• 312: 4th Is the New 1st (Commissioned)
• 309: Perfect Form – The O’Beirne Code (Commissioned)
• 308: 2004 Olympic All-Around Final (Commissioned)
• 306: Gymnastics Fails (Commissioned)
• 304: The GymCastic Olympics (Commissioned)
• 281: Myths, Legends, and Unexpected Moments PART 2 (Commissioned)
• 279: A Diva Is Magical: The Svetlana Khorkina Episode (Commissioned)
• 278: 2000 Sydney All-Around Final (Commissioned)
• 262: 1996 Olympic Event Finals (Commissioned)
• 258: The Fluff Cast (Commissioned)
• 256: 1996 Olympic All-Around Final (Commissioned)
• 255: 1996 Olympic Team Final (Commissioned)
• 252: Myths, Legends and Unexpected Moments in Gymnastics History (Commissioned)
• 228: Leotards (Commissioned)
• 225: 1992 Olympics Recap with Wendy Bruce (Commissioned)
• 185: 2008 Olympic All-Around Finals (Commissioned)

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

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BUM-BUM-BUMMMMMMMM

To start things off this week, we are joined by a little someone you might have heard of named Morgan Hurd, who has a special announcement about an exciting new project she’s been working on. The sound you hear from coast-to-coast is Jessica screaming (literally). Then Scott Bregman chats with us about how this project came to be and all the deets you need to know.

What is it?

“All Around” launches on Tuesday, 6 August with new episodes each month for the next year. 

Where can I watch?

“All Around” can be watched on the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Channel which is available worldwide at olympicchannel.com, its mobile apps and on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon and Android TV. It is subscription-free so you do not need a television subscription.

In addition to the online episodes, we will be creating and posting exclusive content such as diaries and personal photos on social media in between episodes.

What about TV?

In the United States, episodes will be available on the cable network “Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA” in 2020.

UNIVERSITY GAMES

• NAAABBBBSS. Nabs Nabs Nabs. Nabs.
• Did we mention Nabieva is back?
• Spencer breaks down her every move like a stalker, including the amazing (medaling on everything she did), the neutral deduction on bars because Nabieva, the slow-motion replay of her beam scratch, the muttering magical spells for 7 hours, and the high-five she intercepted because it was probably for her
• Do we celebrate when other athletes make mistakes? A gymnastics etiquette controversy
• Cause of death: Lilia Akhaimova
• Plus, UNACCEPTABLE shushing and springboard use and PBars inquiry drama

MEN’S NATIONAL QUALIFIER

• News on who qualified, what happened to Donnell Whittenburg, the dumb-ass points system, and Sam Mikulak’s high bar upgrade
• A special vicarious rage-0-meter from Kensley about coverage of US men’s gymnastics
• Should the national governing body have to give equal time to all its disciplines, or should it follow the audience size? 

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

RELATED EPISODES

• 372: Junior Worlds and Gymternet News
• 371: European Games 2019
• 370: #FreeMai
• 369: 2019 American Classic
• 368: No-No-Nunnoisms (Commissioned)
• 367: Shawn and Nastia: From Feud to Friendship (Commissioned)
• 366: Virtuous Value Parts
• 362: Morgan Hurd & Heath Thorpe

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

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JUNIOR WORLDS

Athletes from around the world gathered in Hungary for the inaugural junior world championship. 

• Thoughts on the concept of this meet: Does it undermine the purpose of an age limit in women’s competition? Is it just a front for an elaborate conspiracy and other agendas (YES)?
• We didn’t get to watch the team/AA competition because the FIG is terrible at this
• Coronation of the Russian junior amazing brilliant amazingness: with apecial attention to Listunova’s floor and important facial expressions
• China’s surprise team silver medal, with love for Ou Yushan’s floor routine and China’s competitive floor scores. You heard that right.
• The US won bronze in the team competition and Jessica has a RAGE-O-METER for those of you who might have a problem with this. Spencer has a QUIETER-O-METER about pretending competitions were amazing even when they were OK
• Jennifer. Gadirova. End of lesson. 
• Romania…might survive?
• Words for that googly-eyed chicken and its focus-pulling chicken baby

GYMTERNET NEWS AND FEEDBACK

• Alyona Shchennikova’s Achilles
• The James Hall Body Hair Removal Service
• NCAA coaching hires
• US Olympic NGBs received a…you guessed it…F for self-governance
• University Games and Men’s National Qualifier this week
• Feedback on what you call a group of kids, body type and judging bias, toes definitely not hurting, and more

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

FURTHER READING

• European Games and Junior Worlds – Day 4
• European Games and Junior Worlds – Day 3
• Junior Worlds – Day 2
• European Games and Junior Worlds – Day 1

RELATED EPISODES

• 370: #FreeMai
• 369: 2019 American Classic
• 368: No-No-Nunnoisms (Commissioned)
• 367: Shawn and Nastia: From Feud to Friendship (Commissioned)
• 366: Virtuous Value Parts
• 365: 1988 Olympics Team Competition (Commissioned)
• 364: 80s Fight! (Commissioned)
• 363: Five Is the New Four (…Is the New Five)
• 362: Morgan Hurd & Heath Thorpe

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN 

LISTEN HERE

 

EUROPEAN GAMES

In our first episode of the week (look out for a junior worlds/gymternet news episode later in the week where we tell you all to GET A GRIP about the US performance), we take on the events of the second-ever European Games, which is definitely not the European Championships, you guys. Don’t even think that it is. Because it’s not. 

• Complaining about the format: 18 people in the AA final? Six in event finals?? One per country??? Top women’s AA qualifiers starting on bars???? This is not how it goes, European Games. Not how it goes. 
• Fangirling the queen: Angelina Melnikova edition. She had kind of an amazing meet and even hit beam all of the times. 
• Success for France, Ukraine being too Ukraine to function, and why the splatfest of an all-around final was definitely the fault of that damn personal-space-violating fox.
• The case of the last-minute allergic reaction
• Nina’s rollercoaster from bars fall to all-time ANGER BEAM
• Why 80-hour, mid-meet medal ceremonies are not OK
• Oh also Putin was there (???????)
• Kick-ass things to do with your medals
• Where does all-around champion Belyavskiy currently fit in the Russian hierarchy?
• Oleg is back…right…RIGHT?

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Join Club Gym Nerd here.
• Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here.

FURTHER READING

• European Games and Junior Worlds – Day 4
• European Games and Junior Worlds – Day 3
• Junior Worlds – Day 2
• European Games and Junior Worlds – Day 1

RELATED EPISODES

• 370: #FreeMai
• 369: 2019 American Classic
• 368: No-No-Nunnoisms (Commissioned)
• 367: Shawn and Nastia: From Feud to Friendship (Commissioned)
• 366: Virtuous Value Parts
• 365: 1988 Olympics Team Competition (Commissioned)
• 364: 80s Fight! (Commissioned)
• 363: Five Is the New Four (…Is the New Five)
• 362: Morgan Hurd & Heath Thorpe

MORE WAYS TO LISTEN