VISAs: The Live Blog Women's Prelims

Here we go.  Tonight is the night we have been waiting for: night one of the national championships.  Today, the toughest gymnasts will rise to the top.  At this point, the training is done.  The routines are all but set for the majority of the gymnasts competing.  Tonight is about pressure and rising above it.  Tonight is also about being unable to breath until Nastia gets through the bar routine that seemed impossible this February.  For Gabby Douglas, it is about realizing her potential.  For Alicia, it is about pushing as hard as she possibly can to keep herself a gymnast with relevance.

The bitch faces are on.  The leotards are full of rhinestone-studded vinyl.  The chalk has been rubbed all over Aly Raisman's knees.  These are the VISA Championships, bitches.

There is some confusing whether we need to sit through Behind The Gym or not.  I've had enough of John R. to fill a lifetime.  I'll pass.

Has anyone else had enough of refreshing the USAG feed and watching that damn IGC commercial?  I'm. Not. Going.


Live Coverage




Nastia's Bar Warm Up





Gabby's Warm Up

Maroney Bars Warm Up

Anna Li   Bars  Beam




I was just doing the tags for tonight's blog and forgot to add Kyla Ross.  Is that a sign or that a sign?!

Kyla Ross is struggling with her Amanar and will not be doing it tonight.  Point Maroney.  Point Nastia.

Moves that are causing my knuckles to lose blood flow: Nastia's Pak, Nastia's Dismounts, Gabby's Amanar, Gabby's Beam, Anna Li's bars, etc. etc.

I would be much calmer right now, but I've dealt with work all week and Amazon's free shipping is taking FOR-E-VER to bring my Shiva Rea Yoga Shakti DVD.  I'm over Rodney Yee and his booty shorts.

My girl Martha told Kyla to stick to a DTY in warm ups after a scary ass Amanar.  At least Martha doesn't purposely have girls injure themselves at meets.  (Though you know she wants to.)

Gymnastike reported Nastia got the loudest applause during the march in.  At least the crowd has some taste.

There is Al's voice.  The WOGA bitches are in pink.  Kyla Ross looks like an Aussie.  Gabby has her fake hair in. Martha has her bitch face on.  Is she eating?!

It is hard to go back to the Olympic Games.  Does anyone remember Martha's screech to Kerri Strug: SAYGUND TIIIIME OLYMPIANNNN!   Dude, I didn't even know she knew her name!

Gabby's fake hair needs its own twitter.  It is growing on me.

Al is trying to cause Atler bar problems for Wieber,  Brilliant.  Solid Amanar in warm ups for her.

Nastia is assuming a Khorkina pose as she keeps warm and focuses before her routine.

Jef Billings needs to start designing leotards.  These girls really need some glamour to detract attention from their man shoulders.

Jenny Kirk is not living for the gymnasts' hair.  Prom hair for everyone!

Finnergan's GAGE leo is a bit too understated for my liking.  I want a total acid drip from Armine.  And my feed freeezes.  Gorgeous Dos Santos--slight knee bend and hop.  Stupid Humphrey turn.  This music needs to go into Groshkova's music edit, not up tempo bullshit.  Stumbled out of the Memmel turn.  Oh GAGE girls, sucking up the dance as usual.  OOB on the double arabian.  Time for Skitch to start a new message board.  Freeezing.  2 1/2..ok.  Not great.  The Fongs will not be pleased.

Armine's hair is wonderful as always.

And here we go.  At times like this, I'd be fine with what if.  Breathe.  Split leg like in warm ups.  Geinger good.  Tkatchev caught.  Pak issue and it was overly spotted all week long.  No dismount.  This is bad.  Very bad.  No bueno.  She needs the beam routine of her life.

Jordyn...almost a knee injury from Jordyn,  Her block was lower than usual.  Her position on the table was a bit higher than usual.  These are an iffy few minutes.

Finnegan- 14.8 on floor.  Maroney- 14.55 on beam (about as good as she can hope for.)

Let's not watch Nastia again.  Same form break as the warm up.  The pak has been so funky all week.

Nastia being a foul bitch may get those beam connections.

Gabby- here we go.  Awesome Dawesome the second.  Better distance on piked tkatchev.  Gorgeos connection that she had to fight for by her finger tips.  Good job Gabby!

The height on Gabby's releases may be even better than Dawes.

Gymnastics 101: Mute Tim Dagget.

13.05 for Nastia.  She needs a great meet on Sunday.

Rebecca Bross- two-time world medalist.  Even when her form is on, Becca looks a mess.  She is fighting for every skill.  She has always been aggressive, but this is will and desperation.  Stuck dismount with her chest down.  The thud hurt my knees.  Nastia didn't even watch Bross.  She was unaware Bross fell on beam at Classics.  Nastia is bringing the drama with this comeback.  We've lived through Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir and Kwan at the Olympics.  Eff our lives.

Aly Raisman- The girl is so solid.  Even the form breaks are routine.  It is like watching Memmel where you expect the disgusting moves in advance so much that they become tolerable. Let your fug flag fly.  Hava.  Hava.  Jews Forever.  That is such a sad leap out of the double pike.  Just don't.  Martha applauds.

Vega is ready for Florida.  Teodora has succeeded in taking the joy out of her gymnastics.  She lacks the spark she had three years ago.  I love that Tim outwardly calls her the sixth gymnast.  That is harsh given the number of falls Gabby has during the selection process last year.  This routine isn't even bad and they are just harping on her lack of a chance the entire time.  It is as thought they aren't even watching.  Woahhh on the dismount.  That was almost a 1.5 to her face.

15.200 for Bross.  15.450 for Raisman.

I love that Universal has a random video of warm ups from prior to the meet showing during commercial breaks.  We keep seeing Nastia's bar warm up.

15.650 for Wieber's vault.  First overscore of the meet.

Nastia looks so determined on beam.  Can Gabby hit beam?

Jordyn should not be beating Gabby Douglas right now.

Chellsie is there and frankly, it must be rough for her to time the beam warm ups.

Can Gabby even understand her coaches?  Ever have a foreign coach and only able to understand fifty percent of what they are saying when you're stressed?  It's comforting, I guess.  Keep talking, just keep talking and I'll nod.

Nastia being shown on bars again during the commercial break.  And she is breaking form again during that rough warm up.

Anna Li got a 6.350 execution score on beam.  A college mentality isn't good when your team sucks on beam.


Nastia on beam.  Frankly, bars was better in training.  Good series.  Best the connection has been all week.  Fought on that second turn.  Good side somi.  Fought for the side aerial.  Much improved switch ring.  Needs a bit more extension and release.  Good 2 1/2 twist, but a bit low.  She just needs a bit more energy.  Good job.  This is why she is still in the mix.

First smile of the day from Nastia.

Jordyn on bars.  Bad mojo?  It is called muscling and a lack of swing.  Jordyn makes me miss Carly Patterson.  Hit routine.  No upgraded dismount.

15.100 for Nastia on beam.  That dismount needs work and it will be better.  No moving the foot on the switch 1/2.

Gabby on beam.  Hitting thus far.  Hop on the back full.  Wobble on the switch leap and missed connection.  Low piked front, bent legs and wobble.  Iffy switch ring.  Low double pike with a step.  Too many wobbles.

Price did a 15.80 Amanar on vault.

15.05 on bars for Wieber.

Raisman on vault...gross form in the air.  Worst form we've seen from her on the vault.  It was low and tucked.  Big step to the right.

Ross went 15.100 on her DTY.  She is hitting bars.  Little form on the high bar.  She just lacks dynamics.  She is a mezzoforte girl.

Bross on beam.  Death wish?  Elfi admits it is tough to watch her.  LOW arabian.  Missed series connection.  BENT legs.  Not just the deformity.  Wobble after back tuck.  Good sheep jump.  This girl has no fluidity on beam.  Iffy switch ring.  It looked very tentative.  Good side somi and punch front.  Over time and I don't believe she landed with her feet before her ass.  Bross walked away from Valeri.  She doesn't need to hear it.  That routine looks like a death wish.

15.500 on bars for Ross.  Higher than Gabby.  WTF.

Alicia on vault.  Lacking the usual explosion, but it was around and impressive.  I could see her sticking around.  That was a piked rudi.  Al just asked Tim a question he didn't want to answer about Alicia's lack of a shot.  Good Yurchenko full.  She never was one to stick a landing.  Small hop.

Bridget Sloan hitting bars exceptionally well.  She is the queen of procrastination.  I joked about two-a-days working miracles given her lack of effort for years.  With a few more weeks of two-a-days, she may be World Champion.  I'm convinced the only reason she is World Champion is because she spent an entire month training with Martha during the European tour in 2009.

15.45 for Raisman on vault.  That is a joke.

Maroney on floor.  Love the eyes. Stuck 3 1/2 twist.  Stuck second pass.  Her fight is why she will make the Olympics.  She knew she needed to stick floor at Worlds and did.  She knows she needs to be great here and is bringing it on another level.  Kept the third pass in bounds, but a bit of an error.  The first two passes were so impressive.  Solid double pike with her usual small step back.  She never goes for the stick on the last pass.  Floor looks better, but they need to figure out the third pass.  Tim must have a crush on Artur because he has done jack shit in the US besides watching Kerri Strug nearly break her neck on compulsory bars at the US Classic.

Sloan- 15.1 on bars and a 13.85 on VT.

Wofford hits bars.  I love how Alexa Ainsworth's tweets are ahead of my stream.

14.600 for Maroney on floor.  That is a bit better than she scored at Worlds.  Definite improvement, but she needs to shorten her run on the third pass or change it.  Frankly, she already has a two salto pass.  Do a double arabian and call it a day.

The London Board.  Ay dios mio.  This reminds me of Tim Russert during the 2000 election and that didn't turn out well.

Did Martha call Aly Raisman a sturdy German?  I'd let her pull my wagon on the Oregon Trail.

After 2 events: Raisman 30.900, Wieber 30.700, Ross 30.600.  I love USAG scoring.

Jordyn Wiebs on beam.  Steady series.  Shitty front walkover, no connection to back tuck, wobble and no connection before the layout stepout,  Jordyn is nervy tonight.  Every skill has a wobble.  Her bad leaps were whatever.  I love that Jordyn is saying these will be her Olympic routines.  We've known it forever.  Small hop on the dismount.  Good twisting form.  Not her best effort, but good enough.  These girls have to hit these routines to build their confidence for the Olympic Games.

Gabby on floor.  Why couldn't she use music that makes us want to take drugs and rave?  Poor stag jump out of a decent double arabian.  Was her second leap a bit cheated?  This event is good enough, but it keeps me a bit on edge like Kupets' from Athens Team Finals.  Huge full in.  Hop back on the landing (at least .3)  Good double tuck to leap.  Ho hum routine.  She needs some Bela-Geza flash.

Aly on bars.  Falling over a bit on the low bar.  Slight form deductions?  Um, more than slight.  Shitty pirouette and tkatchev like on the American Cup.  That was gross.  God Bless her for doing a short routine.  Mihai really can't talk because he has never coached a better bar worker.

Kyla Ross- Took the heel pad off.  Interesting.  Arm wobble on the side aerial.  She is solid today.  Frankly, she is earning her spot.  Good leap series.  Lacking personality.  So solid.  The form is nice.  It just lacks panache.  Two hops forward on the dismount.

Raisman- 14.100 on bars.  Um, the judges gave her a bigger gift than at Worlds.  I want to see her dad's bank statements.  Did she go to summer camp with the judges?

Gorgeous Amanar from Maroney.  It isn't quite as good as last year.  She likely doesn't have the reps yet as they try to protect her back.  She didn't do much of anything at the World Selection Camp last year and still did well.  McKayla really doesn't need the flowers on the leotard.  She isn't five.   16.150 on the Amanar.  The second vault is MUCH improved.  Take her to London!

15.100 for Ross on beam.

Alicia touches bars.  Cleanest routine of her life.

14.950 for Price on bars...not that they showed it.  She is rumored to be in line for the third alternate position.

Finnegan- I didn't realize she was part Asian before tonight.  If only they ever showed us Terin's parents...still guessing that race.  Finnegan will be the bomb in college, but this routine is not going to help her cause.  LOW full in dismount (it was a bit at Classics too), but she only has a small hop forward.

Sloan hit beam apparently, but only a 13.850.

Wofford has a miss on beam.

14.000 for Finnegan on bars.

Kyla Ross leads.

The Strausses...I love that Tim always brags about what he saw in the past.  How many times did we hear about him seeing Ling Jie at the '97 ITC?!  I saw this girl as a little girl and she was phenomenal.  I said...there, there is the Olympic Bars Champion!

It is good that NBC showed us Price on vault because she is terrrrible on beam.

Nastia is hopping up and down to burn more calories by Sunday.

Food for thought:  Nastia bombed Night 1 of Nationals in 2005 and 2007 to come back strong on Night 2.  She needs to do that this weekend.

Aly...too sloppy to win a National Title.  This truck driver form kills me.  Mihai views beam as a leg event and I hate him for it.  Aly...balance break on the second turn.  Small hop on the flexed foot double arabian.  Solid.  The judges should deduct for form and bobbles but won't.

"I don't think I've ever heard anything more offensive than Tim calling Kyla's floor routine 'beautiful.'- Tarasova's Mink

.3 OOB for Kyla on an already mediocre routine.  Floor is a hell hole, as was that double L turn.  Stutter steps back and OOB on a double tuck.  No flag, but she is on the team as of now.  I think Kyla started falling asleep during her own boring-as-fuck routine and forgot to execute the floor routine.

The judges gifted Aly with another 60+ AA total.  This is why that girl thinks she deserves to be an Olympic AA medalist.  Gross.

Gabby on vault.  Time to rock an Amanar and move the fuck up the standings.  Low Amanar and off to the side.  That wasn't excellent.  At least she hit it, but we saw better ones in training.  It doesn't erase the vault issues.  Good for her for fighting for that landing.

14.050 for Ross on floor.  No bueno.   15.35 for Gabby on vault (gift)

Sloan on floor.  Martha is going to take her.   Underrotated that Triple Full.  Shin Amano would have a field day in skating.  Low piked full in.  Procrastination is not good for the double L turn.  Nice triple turn.  (Well, by gymnast standards...still god awful)  Falling forward out of the front double full and catches herself.  This looks like a last ditch effort.  Low and lands with her chest forward and steps forward on the double pike.  I expected a better job than that.  Girl can usually land.  That is what happens when you're known for being lazy as fuck.

Maroney on bars.  This won't be pretty.  Muscling on the high bar.  Enormous piked geinger.  Struggle on the high bar again.  Smacks her heel on the low bar but still catches the geinger.  It was a mess and impressive at the same time.

Let's bring up Alicia's joke of a 10th world medal...  We've seen this routine a million times from Alicia.  Odd pause after the full turn.  Sadly, she is lacking that slutty bitch quality we usually see on beam.  Missed connection on the switch leap+back pike.  The new religious Alicia bores me.  Brady has dimmed her light.  Her trajectory on the double pike was a bit downward, but she landed it with only a small hop.  Alicia is ecstatic.  "I landed on my feet!"

Anna Li hit bars.  David Michaels shows us 15 replays of Alicia's reaction instead.

15.200 for Alicia on beam.  Nastia won't like that.  #Motivation.

Finnegan- Much better Humphrey turn than Terin who squeaked it around.  Little pike in the hips on her layout, but nice.  Solid, solid routine.  "Finally, awesome!"-Armine.

15.150 for Anna Li on bars.  She'll need much higher for a chance at the team.

Finnegan has the best beam of the night.

Maroney- 13.400 on bars.  They are never that mean to Raisman.

Jordyn needs a 15.25 for the lead.  Thud on the double double, but good landing.  Solid second pass.  I hate this stupid fucking routine.  It is so sad that other bloggers acted like this was some sort of amazing routine.  I will be nice and not mention names.  Strong.

Price hits beam.

Wieber and Douglas tie for the lead.  60.650.  Raisman third with 60.200.  USAG is so good with always getting those ties.  Why do they even bother having judges?


Andrea with Nastia...Only started doing bar routines a week ago.  Obviously disappointed.

Dull interviews with Jordyn and Gabby.  Snooze.

Time for Moceanu on 20/20!