What We’re Talking About
We’re heading to Winter Cup… now with women! But before we land in the Lone Star State and start reporting from inside the arena (the live show for Club Gym Nerd members is moving from Friday to Saturday after the women’s competition has concluded—stay tuned on the time) we have lots to talk about from this past week.
The good news is no new Achilles tears in the last seven days, but it wasn’t a week without injury. We found out that UCLA’s Sara Ulias has torn her ACL and is out for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, that’s not the only problem plaguing the star-studded UCLA roster. The Bruins fell to Arizona State University—their first win over UCLA in 21 years. This was also the seventh-highest team score in program history for the Sun Devils. There were some bright spots for UCLA. They posted their highest vault score of the season (49.300) and Brooklyn Moors debuted her new floor composition resulting in a season/career-high score of 9.900.
Since we last gathered LSU competed twice. In their first meet they cracked 198 for the first time this season, then they fell to Missouri in a tri-meet with Arkansas after posting a respectable 197.350. This gave Auburn an opportunity to move into the top 5 national rankings for the first time in program history. Oh yeah, Sunisa Lee also debuted the Flying Banana Jesus, a first in NCAA history.
Feelings
- Gymnastics becomes bigger in college with a team and program legacy. The sport gets smaller in elite where it’s individual, isolating and focused on winning… and the gymnasts recognize this difference.
- The Pac-12 is trying to be better—we can do graphics!
- The University of Pittsburgh is raising the bar for Pride meets with their new leo.
- University of California Berkeley: Hold my rainbows.
- Reunions are the best.
- West Virginia’s “Shorter than Anna Leigh, get in for free” giveaway is genius.
- Simone Biles asking her future husband if he first asked her dad for permission is the best part of the proposal video.
Facts
- Oh yeah, Simone is engaged!
- LSU topped 198 for the first time this season.
- Utah also joined the 198+ club, making it five teams so far this season.
- Cristal Isa received the first 10.0 of her career.
- MyKayla Skinner is training again—to compete on the newest season of Ninja Warrior with her husband.
- Andreea Raducan has thoughts.
- Cal is still undefeated.
- The University of Michigan has won the Big 10.
- The University of Florida collected the SEC title.
- Ohio State gave a peak behind the NIL curtain and *surprise* women’s gymnastics is the top female sport makin’ that money.
- Interestingly, the team earns less per social media post compared to the national average for other gymnasts: $30 for Instagram post ($253 national average); $84 for an Instagram story ($202 national average); and $30 per Twitter post ($36 national average).
- Overall, the average a Buckeye gymnast makes is $961, whereas the national average is $677.
Award(s)
- Best gymnast commentary pair: Kyla Bryant and Casey Magnesium.
What’s On the Socials?
Kaitlyn Yanish (Oregon State) – Oregon State vs. Washington 2022
Split Double Layout pic.twitter.com/xACPKZ8F1X
— ncaa gymnastics gifs (@ncaagymgifs) February 13, 2022
https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1494853106726748160?s=20&t=xoZnR2rRUBs9zpxufPMWfw
To everyone who thinks I’m crazy when I say, I’d never trade my college experience for an Olympic experience. It’s the greatest experience an athlete can have, in my opinion. https://t.co/hCLORbqOeY
— John Roethlisberger (@jrflipfest) February 19, 2022
It's a 9.80 for @_ameliaknight !#Illini pic.twitter.com/CutAbCwWy2
— Illinois W Gym (@IlliniWGym) February 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/OhioStateMGYM/status/1495099193442013185?s=20&t=Mg5VC3ESgeDOAYo5K-gVDA
https://twitter.com/jordansgienger/status/1494840806787543041?s=20&t=ikuUtMNr3CZ1Kv5K2pj01g
Quotes
“Every case has its particularities
and has to be treated accordingly… The International Olympic Committee does not want to admit that it can make mistakes. Yet, it is never too late to correct an error, as long as it is in your power to do it.” ~ Andreea Raducan, 2000 Olympic All-Around Champion
In response to the circumstances surrounding ice skating’s Kamila Valieva, Raducan put out a statement.
♦
“Can’t wait to steal your last name.” ~ Simone
BilesOwens
Simone getting bored of writing Biles all over the code of points has accepted her love’s offer to use his name going forward.
♦
“I used to have a pet rat.”
~ Unkown
Overheard during the broadcast of the Missouri meet.
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What? You want even more? Be sure to check out our new College & Cocktails episodes for Club Gym Nerd members on Friday nights right after the competition. Then we give the sober analysis on Monday after we’ve allowed the data to penetrate our feelings.
This column was composed and compiled by Steve Cooper, Editor, GymCastic; as performed by hosts Jessica O’Beirne and Spencer Barnes.