Secret Classic: A Live Blog by AJ and Catty Comments

It's a been a while. I know I shouldn't have kept you waiting. But I'm here now...

If McKayla Maroney is going to compete, Catty and I are going to be live blogging. It just has to happen. We are tentatively excited for this evening. Though we have seen promising videos from podium training, we are still haunted by memories of the Beijing Olympians phoning it in during the 2009 edition of whatever USAG is calling the meet.





As I attempt to get Jenny Kirk to join in on the viewing party (she has a secret love for trashy NCAA gymnastics), marinate on this gem for a while.



A fame moment with Gabby Douglas, superstar!

Jenny Kirk is going to join for the experience from the new house she just built. Jenny managed to move in completely in 12 hours. I've never felt so laid back.

I am OVER this blurry feed. USAG has been amazing all year with social media and semi-transparency. This blurry feed is making me take back all of the positive vibes I've been sending their way.

The blurry feed is hindering our view of Maroney's facial expressions, Luckily she has taken 10,009,868,743 selfies to hold us over.

Big DTY for Kennedy Baker. Solid job.

A year ago, Armine barely knew Brenna Dowell's name. Now, she is a top contender. Went for the tkatchev 1/2 and took an extra swing. She stayed on and proved to be a fighter. It won't kill her, but obviously won't score what it could have. The improvement is startling. Will we ever see Finnegan again?

Grace McLaughlin on Vault (Future UF rotation)- FTY...practicing to not be used on vault at UF already. Anytime someone from WOGA doesn't bust a knee on vault, it is a good day.

Simone Biles-UB- Her strength is everything. Unfortunately, suffered a fall on her piked tkatchev. Consistency has been a bit of an issue for Simone. The talent is there. She casts with her legs together. It is better for her to get this out of the way now, as Martha will be less forgiving at Nationals. (13.650)

Ross-BB-Side Aerial. Switch leap+Back Tuck. BHS+Loso (slightly raised one foot), Full Turn, Split Leap+Sissone, Aerial+Sheep Jump, Side Somi, Switch Leap 1/2...balance check.  Front tuck. Solid Double Tuck dismount. The routine is solid, but the lack of flair makes it lose its level of impressiveness. The fact that Kyla can start on beam and makes her a sure threat for the National title. Kyla isn't going to have the highs and lows of Simone. (14.650)

Skinner-UB-Fall on her first transition. Extra swings. The routine is quite a mess at this point. Solid dismount, but this will not help her move up in the National Team rankings.

My ears bleed every time I hear 'triple series.'

Kocian-VT-DTY with a short landing. (14.450)

Lexie Preissman- I like her so much more now that we know she butts heads with MLT constantly. Note that the gymnastike Behind the Routine series became far more of a PR outing after that CGA realness. Solid routine from Lexie after some issues in the warm up.

This meet is LAGGING. Getting through the juniors was an accomplishment.

Rotation 1 is now over. The Olympians need to come back. We need some entertainment. My life has had a void ever since Aly Raisman left the ballroom.

Peyton Ernst leads with a 14.700. Kyla Ross is in second with a 14.650. Kennedy Baker is third with a 14.550. Madison Kocian is fourth with a 14.450. Abigail Millet is fifth with a 14.400.  Lexie Priessman is currently sixth with a 14.350.

Lexie told an interview that she has 'never felt more confident on beam.' We will have to wait and see if it was just another typical athlete interview.

Amanda and Sam are now interviewing Jordyn Wieber. She loved the tour. This is riveting. She can't wait to come back...

Grace McLaughlin just hit bars. The feed is too blurry to see if Valeri is in attendance.

Simone had a near fall on her Humphrey turn. Almost off on her bhs+bhs+2 foot layout. Settling into the routine. Break on the punch front. Big steps forward on bhs+bhs+full in.

Kyla Ross-FX-Double Arabian+Stag, Full In (steps back), This routine is better than Phantom of the Opera, but it is still underwhelming. Kyla does have one cute pose before the third pass. Nearly stuck third pass. Double Pike to her hands and knees. The last pass was somewhat of a shock.

The conversation with Jordyn is mind numbing. Ask something interesting!

Skinner-BB- BHS+Arabian with a big wobble. bhs+back full.

Meanwhile, Jordyn is saying that the team's bond is what won them the title. Their superior vaults and consistency were really just details...

Sam PC Peszek threw slight shade at Skinner's execution. God Bless.

McKayla Maroney- Double Layout OOB (ran way too long), 2 1/2+Front Layout, She is a gem of a performer, but this is seriously generic music. Double Arabian (stuck), Her added power is great to see. Double Pike. If Simone keeps missing bars and beam, Maroney will need to hit a good floor routine should it come down to a battle for the specialist spot.

Kocian-UB-Shaposh 1/2, Pak, Toe On+Shaposh 1/2, solid full twisting double back. Some execution, but an impressive routine.

13.550 for Skinner.

Amanda and Sam are discussing that beam is a difficult event to compete. It is also four inches wide. Earlier, they told us the podium is bouncy (about 27 times.)

14.350 for Maroney. (.3 OOB)

14.450 for Kocian.

Madi Desch-BB- Petition to Championships. Solid effort. She will be going to Connecticut. Madi wants to make Worlds this year. Don't we all...  14.150

Baker-UB-The blurry feed is killing the routine. Had to make a cover. Double front with two steps. She will be a good addition to UF.

"Baker is a badass. And her illusion fabric seems to match better."-Catty Comments


Dowell-BB-Punch front mount w/1 small check. A few missed connections. Ambitious routine. Near fall on her Humphrey turn. Lots of combinations and skills. BHS=BHS+Double Pike with a step. Solid effort.

"Why does it seem like the more elites Al Fong has in a competition, the less crazy he seems?"- Catty Comments

USAG is smart and put Maroney's vault in the third rotation so we would have to stick around. It is taking quite a bit to make it through the meet with this feed and the drivel by the commentators.

Peyton Ernst leads with a 29.050, Kyla Ross is currently seventh with a 28.050.

McKayla Maroney-VT-HUGE Amanar with a slight hop. Simply unreal. I don't know if we will ever be prepared to see this second vault again. 15.600 for vault 1. (9.4 execution/.1 for OOB), Mustafina with steps forward. It doesn't look like she will be trying to stick that again for a while. (15.425 avg)

Skinner-FX-Double Double Layout (piked down and OOB), Double Arabian+Stag, Double Double with steps forward, 2 1/2 to her bum. The execution is simply not there and a huge issue. She can throw every trick in the book, but she lacks the 'international look.'

"She fell? She does a Silivas 3rd pass and can't get it up for a shit twisting combo pass? Why does she always mess with my emotions?"-Catty Comments

Kocian- Huge break on switch ring, fall, double back with one step.

Priessman-FX-Double Double with one step out, Full twisting double layout ("Layout"), Messy leaps...Isn't McCool there to fix this?!, 1 1/2 through to double tuck, full in with a step. Solid routine.

"Priessman's music - is it "stripper steelworker?"- Catty Comments

"Saving her upgrades"- Phrase of the day.

Ernst-BHS+BHS+2 ft layout (I never thought I would get sick of that pass...we aren't in China anymore.) Switch 1/2. Punch front. Wolf Jump. Kim needs to have her friend Boginskaya work with these girls on style and dance a few times a week. Solid dismount with a top. Solid.

Abigail M- Full In, 1/2 through to a double tuck, majorly messed up her leaps. This choreography is mind boggling. Front Layout+Front Double Full, WHO CHOREOGRAPHED THIS?!, Double Pike with a hop.  That mess is thankfully now over.

Ross-VT-DTY one small step back.

"Do you love that Amanda Bynes and Sam Peszek say "MillAY" and the announcer is all, MilleT'?"-Catty Comments

"Do you love how now that there's no Olympics, there's also no Amanar for Kyla?!"

Baker-BB-The feed and her leotard makes this a struggle to watch. No "triple series." Near stick on the double back dismount.

Kim's necklace and the gym coach attire are NOT working.

Dowell-Full twisting double layout...OOB, Double Arabian+Split Leap, It appears that Armine may actually pay attention to her choreography once a week now that she is ranked highly on the National Team. Front handspring double front. Double Pike.  She has learned how to get the job done.

McLaughlin-Arabian-big breal,  bhs+loso, switch ring, side aerial, 2 1/2 with steps to the side. Megan Dowlen is there with her.

Simone Biles-FX-Double Double, This routine is absurd. Her amplitude is ridiculous. Double Layout 1/2 out, 2 1/2+Punch Front (step to the side), full in to her hands and knees. This meet is just a mess. Simone Biles is ridiculously talented. Can we send her to Chow?

Ernst leads with a 43.750 over Kyla Ross (43.250).

Priessman-DTY with a huge hop back. Somewhat worrisome that she isn't doing the Amanar after a rough meet in Italy. 14.750

"why the heck is Priessman not doing her Amanar? Is she not always in good "shape" like Kyla? WHY CAN'T YOU ALL STARVE LIKE KYLA?"-Catty Comments

"Let's have a debate. Would Valeri still be coaching if he believed in Ohashi?"-Blunt Judge

Millet-VT-Off center DTY. 

Ernst-FX-Double Arabian+Stag, 1 1/2+Rudi, Double Pike, Double Back.  Clean. Was it enough to win?

"The Texas Dreams leos look infinitely better when the top doesn't match your skin, which makes it, oh, LOOK LIKE A LEOTARD."-Catty Comments

Dowell-Solid Amanar. Good execution. Great meet for Brenna other than the mishap on bars.

Kyla Ross-Maloney, Pak, Toe On Shaposh 1/2, Combi into Jaegar,Bail to ahndstand, Double Layout with one step.  Should be enough to win. 


Biles is scratching vault. Are they avoiding a low AA ranking?

"Why is Biles scratching vault? Was she tired of being too awesome?"-Catty Comments

Baker-ridiculous tumbler.  Ridiculous double piked arabian. Sam jinxed her going into a hot mess of a front double full to finish. There is a very 'Produnova-last-mess-hot mess' going on when she isn't doing a double arabian.

Skinner-Cheng, great landing. The blurry feed is helping to cover her form issues. She should be thanking USAG right now. DTY hop back.

"The Skinner afterschool special: Mother have you seen my Amanar?"-Catty Comments

How much does Sam get paid every time she says P+G Championships? She has a future in PR with her mother.

McLaughlin-FX-I hope she learns to look happier than Gina Gogean in college.FHS+Front Double Full, LOW double pike landing, 1 1/2+front layout, 2 1/2 to her bum. The routine matched her facial expression.

The crowd goes wild when Gabby Douglas is introduced.

Aly Raisman will be at the P+G Championships. We were so worried.

And Kyla wins a very boring blah meet. Martha is wishing she went out on top.

"Kyla went 58.65 with a fall and no Amanar. Because she starves. WHY ARE WE ALL NOT STARVING?"-Catty Comments