(GYM) Gymnastics 2024 - 2025

Just a reminder that the NCAA Selection Show will be on ESPNU at 12:00 PM ET.

 

I went back and reviewed the last 2 beam scores after Leanne missed her connection and Leanne's floor score:

Selena Harris' beam score was correct at 9.825. She missed her landing under rotating taking a hop back which is worse than taking a hop forward with the judges, a .15 deduction.

Alyssa Arana had a balance check compounded by taking a step to keep balance on top of that, a .2 deduction. Alana also had loosey goosey arms which didn't show well.

Bottom line, UF lost a 3rd meet, at Arkansas/at Oklahoma/SEC tourney, because of inadequate beam team performance. The SECs weren't as devastating of a poor performance, but the effect was the same, a loss.

Leanne's floor performance cannot be reconciled with how the judges scored her at 9.85. The routine was identical to what she did last week receiving a 10. From the first pass which Leanne performed "exquisitely" according to the lady announcer Samantha to the end of the routine, Leanne was better than the score she received. Leanne has received 9.9+ on this routine when done properly all year long.

I do want to bring up the lady announcer Samantha's remarks that the judges want to see landings with sticks and are willing to deduct if not done so. This could be the only thing I can think of for a deduction for Leanne; however, from meet to meet, judge to judge, and gymnast to gymnast, there is no consistency on this issue.

Oklahoma has danced out of passes instead of doing sticks for years and have received 10s for doing so. I call it the Oklahoma Stick. If this is where we are for the post season, it should be made known to all teams and enforced equally for all which is not being done. Leanne could easily change her first pass to provide a stick instead of a dance out. Victoria likely could too. If this is what got Leanne a 9.85, shame on the judges. If I'm CJR, I would have already asked about this today.

 

UF's NCAA story on floridagators.com

Florida is 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships Third Seed - Florida Gators

Take a look at where UF starts to open regionals. If CJR chose to start floor in the SECs, it may be because that is where the Gators will start in the regional.

April 4 – Second Round at 8 p.m. ET
Vault Oregon State
Bars NC State
Beam Clemson/Rutgers
Floor Florida

 

Skye Blakely could be the answer for the UF Jeckyl and Hyde beam team performances. We already saw she has world class elite skills on the beam when she did her exhibition in the home UK meet. Her difficulty is off the charts. However, she could tone down the difficulty a bit which is prized by elite judges while collegiate judges want to see perfection. There is just no need to be that difficult when Skye can easily hit perfection to have high beam scores.

I'm hoping we see Skye moved onto the beam team and that she is doing a collegiate performance instead of perfecting her difficult elite skills. I hate to say it like this but dumb it down a bit for a higher collegiate score. Leanne did this with her elite mount. Skye can be the difference in winning or losing the national championship.

It would also help for the judges to know Skye is working with a 10-start value as the exhibition judges didn't agree on the start value with one judge using a 10 and the other 9.8.

On the bright side, LSU had Jeckyl and Hyde beam team performances in 2024. That season ended up outstanding for LSU.

 

SEC Gymnastics Awards:

Shannon Welker of Missouri is the SEC Coach of the Year. Congratulations to the Mizzou HC.

Selena Harris-Miranda SEC Newcomer of the Year; Trio of Gators Claim SEC Honors - Florida Gators

 

Told you so, College Gym News simulations have Oklahoma winning the national championship:

Data Deep Dive: Simulating the 2025 Postseason - College Gym News

Garbage in is garbage out. The CGN simulator picked OU to win at LSU, to win at the SEC tournament, and now picks an OU win at nationals to win the national championship. Even a broken clock is right twice a day:

Some may be surprised that Oklahoma is favored by the model to win the national title when LSU is the No. 1 overall seed, but keep in mind that LSU’s ranking is determined by NQS, which only factors in five team scores (after the season high is dropped from the calculation). The simulator, on the other hand, takes into account the entire season’s worth of scores, including scores from missed routines that were dropped. When ranked by average team score over the entire season, Oklahoma holds the top spot over LSU by almost two-tenths of a point, and its lowest team score is 197.550, almost a full point higher than LSU’s season low of 196.600. While we attempt to account for a team peaking late in the season by giving more weight to late-season scores compared to early season scores, the entire season still matters, and that’s why Oklahoma’s consistency performs better in our simulations.

 

You can only watch the NCAA regionals on ESPN+:

 

Can't believe you guys. For $13.61 including taxes/fees, you get one month of ESPN+. I've already watched several softball games that I would otherwise not have been able to watch plus there may be a few more games to come before I cancel.

I'm thinking if this were softball or volleyball regionals, you guys would spring for it. It's basically the price of one lunch nowadays.

Besides watching the Gators in Tuscaloosa, I plan to watch some of the other 3 regionals too. I know some of you guys are as old or older than me which means you are likely retired. What else more entertaining will you be doing instead of enjoying Gators gymnastics?

 

I get it. That is why I only have + for one month out of the year.