• Russian Olympian Nikita Nagornyy has been sanctioned by the European Union
• Aimee Boorman will become Stuttgart's elite coach
  • Boorman's move to Stuttgart comes after allegations of abuse from former gymnasts
• Shannon Welker of Mizzu gave us the details on the piercing controversy

• Move over basic two-pass floor routines, Brie Clark (Clemson) just became the first person to compete a Biles in NCAA!
• Watanabe's opinions on transgender athletes, artificial intelligence, and judging
• How Kyen Mayhew just leveled-up the hair game for everyone
• In an exclusive, Air Force Gymnastics told us why, they were forced to take down an Instagram post
• To make us all feel better, watch this video of a full-twisting split leg double layout
• USA Gymnastics announced international assignments
• Jessica Gadirova made her beam comeback at English Championships without a dismount
• Injury updates:
  • Viktoria Listunova tore her achilles
  • Jennifer Gadirova suffered another ACL injury
• Ansel Meadows-Rader competed with blades and won floor!

NCAA

• Say it louder for the people in the back! Greg Marsden on viewership growth in NCAA women's gymnastics
• Elimination season is approaching! What are the biggest surprises of the 2025 season?
• CORRUPT OR CORRECT?
  • Audrey Davis vs Cienna Alipio's beam
  • Selena Harris is the first gymnast to earn a vault 10 this season
  • The judges-with-guts award goes to: the Maryland beam judges

• Nola Matthew's new floor routine as a critique of artificial intelligence and data privacy concerns
• Regionals questions: how are host team regionals placements decided?
• How does Brooklyn Moors' side pass fulfill compositional requirements?
• BEAM SABOTAGE AT SPRINGFIELD?

• Spencer is doing a watch-along live blog here before the podcast.
• College & Cocktails: Friday at 7pm Pacific after Michigan vs. Oklahoma
• Fantasy Lineups Lock: Wednesday at 8:30 am Pacific
• Add exclusive Club Content like College & Cocktails to your favorite podcast player (instructions here).
• Never miss a live episode! Import the entire College & Cocktails schedule into your Google and iCal calendar here

Join Our Fantasy League

• • • Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!) for access to weekly Behind the Scenes episodes.
    • Club Gym Nerd members can watch the podcast being recorded and get access to all of our exclusive extended interviews, Behind The Scenes and College & Cocktails.
    • Not sure about joining the club?  College & Cocktails: The Friday Night NCAA Gymnastics Post-Meet Show is available to sample (even if you aren't a Club Gym Nerd member yet). Watch or listen here.
    • 2025 College & (M)Cocktails menu (including mocktails of course)

• GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters 

• • GymCastic 2025 College Fantasy Game now open. Never too late to join!

• Fantasy News: 2025 NCAA Season, Week 9
• College & Cocktails: Alabama at Arkansas
• Spencer’s Live Blog – Friday, February 28, 2025
• Fantasy News: 2025 NCAA Season, Week 8
• The 5th Rotation: February 25, 2025
• Winter Cottbus Pajama Revolution
• Preview: 2025 Winter Cup
• College & Cocktails: Florida at Oklahoma

• Spencer's essential website The Balance Beam Situation 
• Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim

RESISTANCE  Submitted by our listeners.

• ACTION
  • Indivisible
    • Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus
  • 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you
    • • Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices)
        • State your name and zip code or district
        • Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ)
        • Wait for answer
        • Ask for action items -  tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of...etc.)
  • ResistBot
    • Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes
  • ACLU Mobile Justice App
    • Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks.
• LAWSUITS
  • Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions
    • ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project
• STAY INFORMED
  • Suggested podcasts:  Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America, Strict Scrutiny
• Immigrant Rights
  • Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video

IMPORTANT - Week 10 Lineups lock at noon on Wednesday, March 05 at 08:30am PT

Your fantasy gymnastics update as you enter week 10 of the 2025 NCAA season: who’s a steal, who’s on a bye, who's competing twice, who's a bargain and much more.  IMPORTANT - Salaries have been updated and lineups have been reset. If you did not change your lineup last week, you will need to draft a new team with the new salaries.  00:00 Intro

01:20 Roster Bargains

01:36 Roster Bargains - Vault

04:35 Roster Bargains - Bars

07:14 Roster Bargains - Beam

10:06 Roster Bargains - Floor

12:56 League Leaders

14:18 League Stats

15:19 Byes & Injuries

Link to the College & Cocktails Schedule: https://gymcastic.com/community/postid/4336/

Your fantasy gymnastics update as you enter week 9 of the 2025 NCAA season: who’s a steal, who’s on a bye, who's competing twice, who's a bargain and much more. I

MPORTANT - Salaries have been updated and lineups have been reset. You need to draft a new team with the new salaries. Lineups WILL NOT carry over from last week.

Week 09 Lineups lock at noon on Friday, February 28 at 2:15pm PT

00:00 Intro

01:50 Roster Bargains

02:10 Roster Bargains - Vault

05:34 Roster Bargains - Bars

09:24 Roster Bargains - Beam

12:21 Roster Bargains - Floor

16:25 League Leaders 17:11 League Stats

18:11 Byes & Injuries

Link to the College & Cocktails Schedule: https://gymcastic.com/community/postid/4336/

Elite season is back with the Cottbus World Cup and Winter Cup, where Frederick Richard debuted his genius marketing campaign uniform revolution, impossible scores, and the Oklahoma mini-documentary!

Support independent journalistism. Join Club Gym Nerd here. 

• The Most Winter Cup Award
  • Zoey Molomo's unintentional dismount
  • Runner up: Claire Pease getting a full point of OOB deductions on floor
• The Best Way to Get People Talking About Men's Gymnastics Award
  • Frederick Richards' revolutionary basketball pajamas at Winter Cup
• Best Reason to Cancel NCAA Gymnastics as a Sport
  • One judge gave Kayli Boozer a 9.550 WITH A FALL.

• Injury updates
  • Anya Pilgrim (Florida), Sloane Blakely (Florida), Charlotte Booth and Jennifer Gadirova (GB), Brianna Taurek (Cal)

• Ashlee Sullivan is your 2025 Winter Cup Champion! Jayla Hang came in second despite a fall on beam, and Simone Rose came in third
• Wait a second... did the U.S. get the memo about beam choreography?
• Why NASA needs to hire Kelise Woolford because have you seen her Jaeger?
• Why everyone and their mother is suddenly doing a second vault
• Event Champions
  • Zoey Molomo is looking ready for college
  • Alicia Zhou won bars with her amazing E-score
  • Tatum Drusch and Claire Pease shared the beam title
  • How we know Nola Matthews actually read the new Code
• The skill that Vivi Crain did that made us all swoon

• Serenity gardens, chandeliers and “We can say that’s better but better is still a deduction, right? And better is less than you are capable of.” - what learned from the SEC Networks's "Inside Oklahoma Gymnastics" mini-documentary.
• We have another all-Black podium! This time at Elite Canada
• Eythora will be competing at Gymnix

• Why we have problems with the award ceremonies
• The vaulting is for grown-ass women club: all vault medalists were 30+
• The German audience applauded the men who could actually hold a scale
• Noah Kuavita understands the assignment and threw all the big-D skills
• Thoughts on the new 0.2 women's post-flight bonus
• Why Artur Davtyan's vaulting could lead to a potential Doordash sponsorship

• What are the ranking shakeups after week 8?
  • LSU, UCLA, Cal, Georgia, and Florida
• Florida had an injury apocalypse at Oklahoma and had to count a fall on beam
• Cal scored a season-high 197.775 against Pittsburgh
• We have problems with BTN's coverage of gymnastics
• Pride meet alert: Cal hosted a pride meet with very prominent pride flags
• Ondine finally made her beam lineup debut!
• We hand Clemson the "Gaslighting the Judges" award
• Mika Webster-Longin and her Yurchenko 1.5 wins the "Figuring it Out" award

• • College & Cocktails: The Live NCAA Gymnastics Post-Meet Show
    • after Arkansas v Alabama on Friday, Feb 24th at 6:30pm Pacific
    • Spencer is doing a watch-along watch along live blog at 3:00pm Pacific before College & Cocktails
    •  Not sure if you are ready to join? Watch College & Cocktails sample free here.
    • Can’t make it live? Add College & Cocktails to your favorite podcast player (instructions here).
    • Never miss a live episode! Import the entire College & Cocktails schedule into your Google and iCal calendar here

• • GymCastic 2025 College Fantasy Game now open. Never too late to join!
  • ALL TEAMS MUST REDRAFT THIS WEEK before Friday at 2:15pm Pacific

Play the Fantasy Gymnastics League

• • • Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!) for access to weekly Behind the Scenes episodes.
    • Club Gym Nerd members can watch the podcast being recorded and get access to all of our exclusive extended interviews, Behind The Scenes and College & Cocktails.
    • Not sure about joining the club?  College & Cocktails: The Friday Night NCAA Gymnastics Post-Meet Show is available to sample (even if you aren't a Club Gym Nerd member yet). Watch or listen here.
    • 2025 College & (M)Cocktails menu (including mocktails of course)

• GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters 

• College & Cocktails: Florida at Oklahoma
• Spencer’s Live Blog – Friday, February 21, 2025
• Fantasy News: 2025 NCAA Season, Week 7
• The 5th Rotation: February 18, 2025
• Rhys “The Prodigy” McClenaghan Interview
• College & Cocktails: Oklahoma at LSU
• Spencer’s Live Blog – Friday, February 14, 2025

• Spencer's essential website The Balance Beam Situation 
• Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim
• Kensley’s all things men’s gymnastics: Neutral Deductions

RESISTANCE  : Submitted by you, our listeners.

• ACTION
  • Indivisible
    • Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus
  • 5Calls App will call your Congress people by issue with a script to guide your call.
    • • Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices)
        • State your name and zip code or district
        • Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ)
        • Wait for answer
        • Ask for action items -  tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of...etc.)
  • ResistBot
    • Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes
  • ACLU Mobile Justice App
    • Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks.
• LAWSUITS
  • Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions
    • ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project
• STAY INFORMED
  • Suggested podcasts:  Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America, Strict Scrutiny
• Immigrant Rights
  • Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video

Your fantasy gymnastics update as you enter week 7 of the 2025 NCAA season: who’s a steal, who’s on a bye, who's competing twice, who's a bargain and much more. Week 07 Lineups lock at noon on Friday, February 21 at 2:30pm PT 00:00 Intro 00:00:35 Roster Bargains 00:00:50 Roster Bargains - Vault 03:09 Roster Bargains - Bars 06:13 Roster Bargains - Beam 08:32 Roster Bargains - Floor  11:22 League Leaders 14:09 League Stats 15:09 Byes & Injuries Link to the College & Cocktails Schedule: https://gymcastic.com/community/postid/4336/

What happens when there is a fire smoking out an arena? Apparently the meet goes on. Irish World and Olympic Champion Rhys is here with all the stories and NQS has begun.

Extended interview for Club Gym Nerd members here.  Not a member? Support independent journalism join here.

• The Georgia vs. Arkansas meet was literally on fire
• NQS kicked in this week. New NQS ranking shakeups have UCLA in second, Florida to fifth and Missouri into eighth.
• No. 2 LSU defeated no. 1 Oklahoma in Baton Rouge. How did the Tigers drop a spot in the rankings?

• Our total amount of 10s for the 2025 NCAA season doubled in week 7
  • Grace McCallum (UB), Kennedy Griffin (FX), Leanne Wong (BB), Sloane Blakely (FX), Lilly Hudson (FX)
• What are the NQS Ranking Shakeups?

• USAG's FlipNow streaming schedule has been released for the 2025 season
• Frida Esparza played the national anthem on electric guitar at UCLA's Pride meet
• Irina Viner, former head coach of Russia's national rhythmic gymnastics team, stepped down from her position, marking the end of a long standing fued between her and rumored Putin mistress, Alina Kabaeva
  • Here is the documentary, Over the Limit, of Viner's abusive coaching

• The Irish double World Pommel Horse Champion and reigning Olympic Champion talks about judging, speaking up, taking advice from other gymnasts, what he really thinks about the lack of artistry in MAG, the broken PH at 2018 Worlds, most difficult meet experiences and of course an anti-sex bed update.

• What are the skill differences between DI and DIII programs?
• Why are people upset about groin injuries being mentioned

UP NEXT

• College & Cocktails: The Live NCAA Gymnastics Post-Meet Show
  • after Florida at Oklahoma on Friday, Feb 21st at 7:30 Pacific
  •  Not sure if you are ready to join? Watch College & Cocktails sample free here.
  • Can’t make it live? Add College & Cocktails to your favorite podcast player (instructions here).
  • Never miss a live episode! Import the entire College & Cocktails schedule into your Google and iCal calendar here
• Spencer is doing a watch-along live blog at 4:30pm Pacific before College & Cocktails.

• McKayla Maroney interview
• Three World Champion coaches get candid
• NCAA Gymnastics with Vanessa Atler
• Steve Butcher on what happened in Tokyo when Simone pulled out of finals
• Things you only know if you are a gymnast, with Bram
• Cecile Landi and Elvire Teza 
• Judging The Judges: How Judges Are Chosen For the Olympic Games

• Spencer's essential website The Balance Beam Situation 
• Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim

RESISTANCE  Submitted by our listeners.

• ACTION
  • Indivisible
    • Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus
  • 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you
    • • Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices)
        • State your name and zip code or district
        • Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ)
        • Wait for answer
        • Ask for action items -  tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of...etc.)
  • ResistBot
    • Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes
  • ACLU Mobile Justice App
    • Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks.
• LAWSUITS
  • Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions
    • ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project
• STAY INFORMED
  • Suggested podcasts:  Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America,  Professor Heather Cox Richardson, Strict Scrutiny
• Immigrant Rights
  • Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video

Your fantasy gymnastics update as you enter week 7 of the 2025 NCAA season: who’s a steal, who’s on a bye, who's competing twice, who's a bargain and much more. Week 07 Lineups lock at noon on Friday, February 14, at 3:30pm PT 00:00 Intro 00:00:35 Roster Bargains 00:00:45 Roster Bargains - Vault 03:21 Roster Bargains - Bars 06:08 Roster Bargains - Beam 09:16 Roster Bargains - Floor 11:55 League Leaders 12:45 League Stats 13:32 Byes & Injuries Link to the College & Cocktails Schedule: https://gymcastic.com/community/postid/4336/

0:01:15: Morgan Price's Historic Ten for an HBCU 0:02:46: The suspension of a rhythmic gymnastics judge 0:06:24: The NCAA Bans Transgender Women from Women's Sports 0:10:40: We applaud these teams who continue to stand up for their communities 0:11:27: An exclusive College and Cocktails tidbit 0:13:25: An update on Spencer’s live blogs 0:14:51: Shirtless Boys at gymnastics meets 0:23:19: College and Cocktails update: Oklahoma vs LSU 0:24:04: Jordan Chiles stuns in a Nike Ad 0:27:29: What happened at the Serie A competition? 0:28:30: How do we feel about Listunova’s Michael Jackson floor routine? 0:30:00: Upset alert: Nemour got outscored by Giulia Perotti 0:31:09: Ellie Black is doing a campaign for period underwear 0:32:04: Sam Oldham's Documentaries on Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse 0:32:27: Where is the 2025 US Classic location going to be? 0:33:57: Coach Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Minors 0:34:13: Trinity Thomas and Bart Conner's Adorable Moment 0:35:38: Simone Biles to be on the MET Gala Host Committee 0:36:09: Spencer tells the class about his DIII gymnastics weekend 0:36:59: Types of Routines at D3 Gymnastics Meet 0:39:28: We have to gush over Madison Zimmermann at Ursinus 0:40:48: Daria Gregory needs to teach other gymnasts how to do “fun” correctly 0:42:14: Ursinus's Charm Offensive 0:43:23: Why you need to watch Brockport on Beam 0:45:20: Why DIII routines will cure your Shaposh fatigue 0:50:45: Jessica’s relatable gymnastics moment of the week 0:51:54: Morgan Price's amazing FTY 0:55:56: Could you win the NCAA Vault title with a non-10.0 SV vault? 0:56:20: Ten tracking this season

• History! Morgan Price just became the first gymnast to ever score a perfect 10 from an HBCU
• A FIG Judge was stripped of their brevet status for interfering with Olympic qualification results. Can you guess the discipline?
  • Boxing lost it's IOC accreditation in 2023
• NCAA banned transgender women from women's NCAA sports.
  • Nancy Armour said, "it's a solution in search of a problem", especially after the NCAA President Baker testified that there are less than10 trans athletes in all of college sports, in other words, 0.00173%. Baker further testified that an NCAA study found that abuse and harassment of female athletes is a massive issue.
  • the White House reversed Title IX rule from the Biden administration that offered more protections for the abused and instead now offers more protections for the accused and lessens the liability for the colleges.
• PRIDE MEETS: We applaud Pitt and Maryland for staying true to their communities despite a hostile political climate

• If you're into the sportsballs, you may have noticed Jordan Chiles' Nike commercial
• Elite season is warming up again with Series A in Italy
  • Nemour said naps are for losers and competed all-around
  • Listunova competed internationally again for the first time in forever
  • Why AA winner Giulia Perotti needs to give everyone a workshop on how to transition into a wolf turn like a spider detective trying to solve an underwater mystery
• Ellie Black did a Hanes period underpants campaign
• Sam Oldham made a short YouTube feature on Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse
• 2025 US Classic is going to be in not "Chicago" again
• Utah gymnastics coach pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting minors
• Dreams do come true! Trinity Thomas made her ESPN debut as a commentator
•  Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens will be members of the 2025 Met Gala host committee
• Frederick Richard was named as a finalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award

• Spencer watched a few DIII meets and has some things to share with the class
  • We need time to gush over Madison Zimmerman's smooth like buttah beam (Ursinus)
  • Erin Roe (Ursinus) has some big skills
  • Daria Gregory needs to teach some of these gymnasts how to do "fun" choreography correctly
  • Charm offensives aimed at Jessica
    • Sidney Schreiber's butterfly
    • Coaches who take their shoes off to walk on mats <3
  • Brockport beam triumphs, UW-Oshkosh saving us from cookie cutter bar routine fatigue, and justice for DIII scores where the math isn't matching

NCAA Week 5 Highlights

• Morgan Price is killing the FTY game
• Morgan Price and Mya Lauzon join the 10 club
  • Honorary mention for Jaye Mack (Illinois State) who almost got a perfect score for her FTY

BONUS CONTENT 

• • • • • Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!) for access to weekly Behind the Scenes episodes.
        • Club Gym Nerd members can watch the podcast being recorded and see some of the gymnastics we discuss, plus get access to all of our exclusive extended interviews and Behind The Scenes episodes.
        • Not sure about joining the club?  College & Cocktails: The Friday Night NCAA Gymnastics Post-Meet Show is available to sample (even if you aren’t a Club Gym Nerd member yet). Watch or listen here.
        • 2025 College & (M)Cocktails menu (including mocktails of course)

• GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters 

• • GymCastic 2025 College Fantasy Game now open. Never too late to join!

• College & Cocktails: LSU at Alabama
• Spencer’s Live Blog – Friday, February 07, 2025
• Fantasy News: 2025 NCAA Season, Week 5
• The Gymnastics East Conference Opts Out of The SCORE Board Judging Pilot Program
• The 5th Rotation: February 04, 2025

• • • Spencer’s essential website The Balance Beam Situation 
    • Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim

Your fantasy gymnastics update as you enter week 6 of the 2025 NCAA season: who’s a steal, who’s on a bye, who's competing twice, who's a bargain and much more.

Week 06 Lineups lock at noon on Friday, February 7, at 3:30pm PT 

00:00 Intro

00:00:33 Roster Bargains

00:01:33 Roster Bargains - Vault

04:12 Roster Bargains - Bars

07:16 Roster Bargains - Beam

10:18 Roster Bargains - Floor

13:12 League Leaders

13:30 League Stats

14:01 Byes & Injuries

Jordan Chiles gets another 10, judging oversight updates, and Jay Clark had a lot of tired old feeling about judging oversight and he's not alone.

Headlines

• Collegiate judges received an email from the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) that there will be no judging feedback shared for the first year of the SCORE Board pilot program
  • The target for this year is on data collection and analysis
• Jay Clark (LSU) had A LOT to say about the SCORE Board, we have thoughts (see full quote at bottom of notes page)

Gymternet News

• Everyone is rightfully obsessed with Isla Gie's musical theater floor routine
• Kyrstin Johnson (Temple) plays tribute to hip-hop culture in her badass floor routine
• Betty Okino was named the Developmental Lead for the U.S. women's artistic program
• A Tale of Three Cities: USAG narrows its options down to three cities for the USA Gymnastics facility of the future
• Injury updates: Tyler Turner, Trinity Brown, Sam Phillips, Sasha Fujisaka
• Because of Elon Musks' double nazi salute, going forward, GymCastic will no longer link  to Twitter. We encourage listeners to follow #Ncaagym and other gymnastics starter packs on Bluesky 
  • Opinion: Sports leagues, athletes put their reputations at risk by staying on toxic X by Nancy Armour

Corrupt or Correct

• Beam credit: Layouts for E  Keanna Abraham (UC Davis) vs. Layout Pike or back pike

NCAA Week 5 Highlights

• Jordan Chiles clenched her second 10.0 of the season, this time on FX
• Is Michigan State the best vault team in the country?
• Kara Eaker is back, this time at Georgia and she hasn't missed a beat
• Opportunity for comedy: friends don't let friends do squat-ons in NCAA

Feedback

• What does it mean to be a Brevet judge and what does each FIG judging category mean?
• What is the appropriate way to address gymnasts? Hint it's not by calling them "girls"
• Our British listeners are wondering what is the culture like at Oklahoma?

• College & Cocktails live Q&A podcast: Friday, February 7th
  • Immediately following the Meet of the Week: LSU at Alabama
  • Full NCAA schedule and links here
  • Never miss a live episode! Import the entire College & Cocktails schedule into your Google and iCal calendar here
• Fantasy Lineups Lock: Friday, Feb. 7 - 3:30pm PT

• • Weekly Q&A  Behind The Scenes podcast, dedications, mini-commissions , group commissions, exclusive extended interviews, and College & Cocktails episodes. Plus discounts and first dibs on Live Show tickets and merch.
  • Exclusive VIP section on the message board Forum
• Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF + a FREE Gift at https://huel.com/GymCastic

Join Our Fantasy League

• GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters 

• GymCastic 2025 College Fantasy Game now open. Never too late to join!

• College & Cocktails: MSU at UCLA
• Fantasy News: 2025 NCAA Season, Week 4
• The 5th Rotation: January 28, 2025
• Bronze Debacle: GymCastic Has Entered the Chat
• College & Cocktails: Oregon State. vs Auburn

• Opinion: Sports leagues, athletes put their reputations at risk by staying on toxic X by Nancy Armour
• GymCastic Interview: Three World Champion coaches share their experience 
• Sexism in Ski Jumping
• Spencer’s Clickable Code of Points
• Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim
• Men’s Gymnastics coverage from Kensley Neutral Deductions

Question “I hear there might be a mid-season change [re Scoreboard/judging oversight] in the way they do scoring is that is that possible do you want to see?”

“It that just adds to the Ridiculousness right so what so the the the issue it is not that I think scores should remain unduly high the issue is that this thing we've put in place either intentionally or unintentionally has only attacked one part of scoring and it is tamped down the ceiling and done very little about anything else and so it's not Equitable across the board I'm all for credibility and scorting I'm all for uh you know increased um accuracy understanding that we are a subjective Sport and you will never remove the subjectivity I just don't think that this thing has been rolled out in a manner and it's supposed to be a pilot program and yet we're getting newsletters and we're getting we're getting told you know what the deductions are that are being missed most says who judging in venue is a different deal than sitting somewhere who knows where in a living room on a video screen and then that's that level of subjectivity is supposed to add more credibility and so I think what we have created is that with a with a targeted part of the scoring Spectrum we have judges looking over their shoulder and there's better ways to do this I I am not about like everything should get a 10 that's not it at all but there there has to be it's got to be whatever we do to increase uh credibility or or or Tamp down or whatever like no one has I've never had anyone present to me that on a consistent basis the wrong team wins or the wrong gymnast wins or whatever now you could say the score might have been too high but was it ranked correctly on that night that's the that's the real question right was it the best routine on that night and you know to the point where people SC scream and clamor enough that that you know at some point Trinity Thomas issued a public apology for getting a 10 for crying out loud here's the thing when you go to a sporting event Scott when you go to a baseball game what's one of the things you hope you see a home run what when you go to a when you go to a football game you you want to see an explosive play a long touchdown pass or things like that you hope to see those things that's sport controversy is also sport and there's nothing wrong with there's never going to be a time when we're when we're all happy with all the scores we see because all of us have biased all of us coaches fans everyone the point is is it ranked correctly is it consistent across the board and by any real objective measure we haven't created a more consistent situation this year we've created a more erratic situation here and and and I'm don't blame the judges one bit because they're doing the best they can to do the job that that that we've asked them to do there are easier ways to correct wrongs in venue and it should be in my opinion given the meat referee authority to convene a conference right now our meat referees have no authority to do much of anything um and and so in tennis the chair umpire can overrule the line judge in in uh the the home plate umpire in baseball can can walk out and call a conference if they thought something was missed at second base these are things that are common in other sports our meat refs are to sit on their hands they judge every routine and many most in almost every venue we we were required to have them but yet they really can't do anything except be a liason to deliver papers from a coach to to the panel to me if I'm if I'm an official I'm going to feel a whole lot better about somebody who's in venue with me as part of the official panel in the meet to be able if something egregious happens to be able to have the authority to walk over and say hey guys let's talk this over and and let's make sure we get this right um that's a simpler solution than than having to use technology from different angles not in venue it's a whole different ball game when you're not judging in venue and so I you know I don't want anything I say or anything live tweeted by the way I had nothing to do with that she just knows how I feel about it and and uh but she's right and and we're we're in a time where where Collegiate athletics's Olympic sports programs many are in Peril for funding and revenue share is is is coming in and scholarships are going to be moved from sport to sport all this everybody got an increase in scholarship no they didn't they got an increased limit and not every school is going to be able to do that and so at a time when when that uncertainty exists for at least 50 or 60% of our programs in our sport we drop this little poison pill into our scoring so that the fans sit there and wonder what the heck's going on so it's ill-timed it's incomplete it's illc conceived and and and it it just is and we keep having to make adjustments and now we're not going to put suggested uh deductions in the in the newsletter anymore I hear and we're not going to put those things out there we're just data collecting that's what we were supposed to be doing in the first place but and then but but there's all this information leaking about what's being looked for and what's not being taken and so it it's just been in my opinion an abject disaster and uh it was fairly predictable that it would be and I hope uh there's growing sentiment that we need to go about this a different way let's examine what we do in scoring let's try to create more accuracy yes but in a time like this we cannot be some kind of purist we can be marketable or we can be purist we're probably not going to be both and and and if we're going to be purist then let's look at the run the gamut let's look at the routine that goes 975 that should go 96 as well you know let's let's let's look at all of it not just the the the higher end scores because these kids work hard and then you see things like this you know where where kids they know they just did the best Vault their life it goes 9925 the next kid's like man what do you got to do to get a 995 I'm not even talking about a 10 Helen Hu should have got a 10 Helen that beam set is the best beam set in the country and she did it flawlessly I dare anybody to tell me where the real deduction was now I was standing I wasn't sitting where the judges were and I'm not questioning their credibility I'm questioning our judgment as a coaches group for for doing this thing that has just created some pendulum swing back and forth where the judges keep trying to find themselves and it's it's just unfortunate so thanks for putting me on my soap box I mean it's not affecting the rankings if you look year to year over the last several years I mean the rankings and the teams that are in the top 15 or what ever you know it's it's The Usual Suspects but if you look at where the uh at the at the higher end scores on each team and where they're capped there's where the change is and so the fans don't get to see their home run they see them and they clear the fence we just don't call them home runs anymore I said that on the air um but it's that was kind of what I meant anyway...” - Jay Clark