What We’re Talking About
I was going to write about the U.S. Men’s hockey team and their response to Trump’s “joke” that if not for a literal act of Congress to remove him from office, that he wouldn’t bother offering an invitation to the gold-medal-winning women’s U.S. hockey team. I also thought about digging into how after the adrenaline had worn off only five patriotic players chose not to embrace, and therefore empower, his caustic and misogynistic assault on our culture. But I don’t want to waste time unwrapping our current landscape of bearded men who think masculinity is taking a puck to the teeth while keeping their mouth shut when an entitled old man belittles their betters.
Instead, I’d rather focus on Alysa Liu, figure skating gold medalist. One of the first thoughts I had watching her final performance was pure joy. You watch her compete and you smile. It’s a rare, but special occurrence in sports. It reminded me of Katelyn Ohashi and her viral floor routine (now over a quarter billion views!). As I watched Alysa and heard her story of leaving the sport to then coming back on her own terms–competing for herself and for the personal challenge and enjoyment she received–again I thought about Ohashi’s journey. Alysa has shattered the mold. She has shown there’s another way to do it. In her return Alysa picked her schedule, her diet, her music and her outfits. She dictated the terms in which she would compete. She needed to find the joy. She did… and she has shared that gift with the world on the biggest stage. That personal freedom helped propel her to reach the pinnacle. Ironically, rather than falling in line and keeping her mouth shut, it was her courage to embrace her individual expression that brought us all together. We need more of that. Or as Alysa would say, “That’s what I’m f—ing talking about!”
Feelings
- We were pleased to see the Mike Tomlin cam and Harley Tomlin on the floor
- So happy to see Skye Blakely back on vault
- Wishing Sabrina Voinea a speedy recovery from her emergency appendectomy
- It’s always a blessing when we get to see Oksana Chusovitina compete
- She has now competed in Cottbus 21 times!
- Good to see veteran names on the national team, including: Leanne Wong, Skye Blakely and Joscelyn Roberson
- Kaylia Nemour counting a fall on bars is a good reminder that she is, in fact, human
- Reigning world floor champion, Sugihara Aiko, is also good on beam–winning at Cottbus
- We are celebrating Black Excellence–Morgan Price scored the first perfect 10s in program history for Fisk (2025) and Arkansas (2026) during Black History Month
- We anticipate Jordan Chiles will start a new perfect 10 streak soon
- So you’re telling us there’s a chance Suni?
- Bonus: You should definitely get your Live Show Season Pass and/or your Cecile Landi Live Show Replay Ticket
Facts
- 10,234: Oklahoma set an attendance record
- Their largest home attendance since 2019
- Fred Richard won Winter Cup
- Hezly Rivera also won Winter Cup
- We a WAG American Cup team: Hezly Rivera, Charleigh Bullock, Claire Pease
- We have a MAG American Cup team: Asher Hong, Danila Leykin, Yul Moldauer
- Oklahoma has gone 198 five times, same as the the rest of the NCAA combined
- Kailin Chio score two perfect 10s: vault and beam
- Avery Neff scored her second 10 on vault and third perfect 10 this season
- There are now 16 perfect 10s on the season
- Elisa Iorio won bars in Cottbus
- Bonus: Get – The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles for under $5!
Award(s)
- Award for Elegance: Lea Marie Quaas
- Artist – Nina Ballou
What’s On the Socials?
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Quotes
“It’s what I do every single day in the gym, and it shows up.”
~ Kailin Chio, Pefect Gymnast
LSU superstar Kailin Chio scored not one, but two perfect 10s in her team’s highly anticipated showdown with No. 1 Oklahoma.
♦
“I feel really lucky that I have found this next path.”
~ Laurie Hernandez, Thespian
Olympic Champion Laurie Hernandez sat down with the great Scott Bregman to discuss her Broadway debut.
♦
“I love making history.”
~ Morgan Price, Trailblazer
Morgan Price became the first person in Arkansas program history to score a perfect 10. Repeating a feat she accomplished last year at Fisk.
♦♦♦
What? You want even more? Join Club Gym Nerd and you get a bonus episode, College & Cocktails, every weekend after our meet of the week. Once the NCAA season is over you continue to get a weekly bonus episode every Friday afternoon. Plus you get access to all of our archives, exclusive content and more. Then we give the sober analysis on Monday (or Tuesday) after we’ve allowed the data to penetrate our feelings.
This column was composed and compiled by Steve Cooper, Editor at GymCastic and co-author of “The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles“; some thoughts culled from hosts Jessica O’Beirne and Spencer Barnes.
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