Great post except for mentioning Mary Wise negatively. I am and always have been a HUGE Mary Wise fan. And while I acknowledge that is was probably good for the program that she retire, let's not forget that she basically brought high quality volleyball to the SEC. In 34 years she won 25 SEC titles, 13X SEC coach of the year, 3X national coach of the year, 8 Final 4's, 2X national runner-up, and winningest female volleyball coach in history. Class act and highly respected among her peers. Her teams were consistently in the Top 20, usually the Top 10, and until Kentucky overtook them a few years ago they pretty much dominated the SEC for a long, long time. I really like Coach Rowland as well and hope that one day her tenure will be as successful as Coach Wise's. She's already accomplished a lot at Florida and is moving up as far as great Gator coaches. And I still think, in spite of the 3 SEC losses, that we have the overall gymnastics talent to win the national title. Let's see how the injuries to Pilgrim & Blakely play out and if the team can regroup for a stretch run. It seems their psyche is a little bit shaken right now. Mental toughness and confidence are so much a part of all sports, but especially gymnastics, and how the deal with those issues will be key. I'm still hoping for the best.
You know I have supported Mary Wise so hope you didn't feel the need to set me straight on records. Since I referenced Rowland having the 2nd best program over the last 5 years, I invite you to show any 5 year period when Wise coached UF to the 2nd best program in the nation. Good luck with that.
I think the questions regarding toughness and leadership are valid...and will be tested even more as we wrap this season. I'm not overly optimistic at this juncture. Firm believer that you have that or you don't, unfortunately we may be on the wrong side of that equation. I wouldn't consider Nguyen homegrown since she spent years at UGA, and I'm not sure she has regressed at all...just remains inconsistent Lazzari posted all her collegiate bests in the 24 season, so she was progressing thru her years at UF....hasn't continued this year for whatever reason We all know the McCusker story....physically she's clearly running on fumes and we aren't going to get much out of her. That's nobody's fault, just the reality of gymnastics. And every team has had a couple of non factors, always going to get a kid or two that don't work out. Ultimately the roster has the talent to compete at a high level. They aren't doing so at present....toughness, consistency, coaching, and yes injury are all factors.
Your sensitivities go into overdrive again, my friend. I wasn't trying to "set you straight". I was just lauding Coach Wise. Calm down, please. No pissing contest intended.
Not a chance as it is not negative. You need to look in the mirror to see the overly sensitive person as it is not me.
UCLA at Michigan has to play out this afternoon at 4 PM ET, but I can already reveal that UF will be #5 this week again after not being able to drop its lowest road score of the season. The last road meet remaining is at Alabama. UF has one last opportunity to obtain a higher road score so as to not count either of the 196.625 scores, at Arkansas and at Oklahoma. Speculation Alert: I have seen no reports on Sloane Blakely's and Anya Pilgrim's injuries. However, judging by the reactions on the floor, I'm thinking Sloane is lost for the season while we'll see Anya back in the lineups again. Anya after being down did get back up to finish her routine. I'm not sure we'll get official word on Sloane or Anya. We didn't know Sloane had been out with a concussion until she revealed it after she came back in her after meet TV interview.
Week 8 NQS from Road to Nationals - California had a Sunday meet that I had overlooked - Cal moved above UF into 5th place while UF dropped to 6th place: 1. Oklahoma - 197.865 - Back-to-back 198s in week 8. 2. LSU - 197.540 3. UCLA - 197.525 4. Utah - 197.465 5. California 197.200 6. Florida - 197.190 7. Michigan State - 197.135 8. Missouri - 197.095 9. Georgia - 196.990 10. Kentucky - 196.955 11. Auburn - 196.925 12. Oregon State - 196.890 13. Minnesota - 196.880 14. Stanford - 196.830 15. Michigan - 196.770 16. Arkansas - 196.715 17. Alabama - 196.690 North Carolina State is a distant #18 at 196.270. The Gators last chance to drop its lowest road score, 196.625 scored at Arkansas and at Oklahoma, will come in week 10 at Alabama.
It’s the last chance to drop a low road score before seeding for sec champs, but sec champs counts as a road score for regionals pairings.
Have you heard if Skye is going to add beam this season? Skye is training beam, but is she healed enough to add beam and will UF let her add beam?
None, silence so far. I'm sure they have known since yesterday or before on Sloane. It looked like a torn Achilles heel to me. It was sad watching Skye cry for her sister. On Anya, it looked like it knocked the breath out of her. The fall plus being down for so long to recover enough to finish her routine was enough of a shock to take her out of the remainder of the meet. Unless she has a concussion, I wouldn't be surprised to see her back against Missouri on Friday night. If Anya had gotten up sooner, that would have started 45 seconds to finish the routine. CJR was standing right there motioning for Anya to stay down until she could finish.
Just a tough luck season for the Gators with the injuries. Started with Kayla DiCello & Sloane Blakely getting hurting trying to make the Olympic team and then what's happened since the season started. I know injuries are part of sports, but this team has really been snakebit this year. Too bad because the potential was there to win it all.
