Who is on your USA women's team now?

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wandrewsjr

Coach
Proud Parent
Ok, here is the team I think could come away with the most medals and the highest team score. Biles, Raisman and Hernandez all do AA in qualifying, then Locklear(or Kocian, it's going to be close) does UB/BB and Skinner does VT/FX. This team could easily lead to two finalists on every event. Here would be the team final lineup:
VT - Raisman,Skinner,Biles
UB - Biles,Hernandez,Locklear
BB - Hernandez,Raisman,Biles
FX - Hernandez,Raisman,Biles

At this point I still think Douglas likely has that 5th spot over Skinner, but looking less like a lock. Whose on your team?
 
My team would be:
  1. Simone Biles
  2. Laurie Hernandez
  3. Aly Raisman
  4. Gabby Douglas
  5. Madison Kocian
Gabby, because she has the potential for very high bars and beam scores. She can bolster the team in these areas, although tonight was not the best indicator of that. She just has to be consistent.

Madison, because she can compete all-around if necessary. Also, her and Ashton literally scored the exact same on bars tonight, and really they have both proven they are more than qualified to be in charge of that event at Rio, so it comes down to other factors. I think Ashton's beam is slightly better, but Madison's ability to compete every event is what makes her my choice.
 
Can Ashton really not compete floor or vault? Assuming she can actually do those events, is she really that far behind Kocian on them? Doesn't Kocian do a much lower SV vault than everyone else - can Ashton not do that vault?
 
My team would be:
  1. Simone Biles
  2. Laurie Hernandez
  3. Aly Raisman
  4. Gabby Douglas
  5. Madison Kocian
Gabby, because she has the potential for very high bars and beam scores. She can bolster the team in these areas, although tonight was not the best indicator of that. She just has to be consistent.

Madison, because she can compete all-around if necessary. Also, her and Ashton literally scored the exact same on bars tonight, and really they have both proven they are more than qualified to be in charge of that event at Rio, so it comes down to other factors. I think Ashton's beam is slightly better, but Madison's ability to compete every event is what makes her my choice.
That's probably the most likely team right now. So you would put Gabby up on beam in team final...over Laurie or Aly?
 
That's a hard one! Gabby has the most difficulty I think (especially with that standing full), but I think Aly is the most consistent, albeit with a lower maximum score. It's consistency versus difficulty. Definitely a hard choice.
 
My team would be:
  1. Simone Biles
  2. Laurie Hernandez
  3. Aly Raisman
  4. Gabby Douglas
  5. Madison Kocian
Gabby, because she has the potential for very high bars and beam scores. She can bolster the team in these areas, although tonight was not the best indicator of that. She just has to be consistent.

Madison, because she can compete all-around if necessary. Also, her and Ashton literally scored the exact same on bars tonight, and really they have both proven they are more than qualified to be in charge of that event at Rio, so it comes down to other factors. I think Ashton's beam is slightly better, but Madison's ability to compete every event is what makes her my choice.
I agree. :)
 
My team would be:
  1. Simone Biles
  2. Laurie Hernandez
  3. Aly Raisman
  4. Gabby Douglas
  5. Madison Kocian

This has nothing to do with the thread (I have no opinion past Simone, Aly, and Laurie), but why do the numbers count higher every time this thread is quoted? Curious!
 
My team would be:
  1. Simone Biles
  2. Laurie Hernandez
  3. Aly Raisman
  4. Gabby Douglas
  5. Ashton Locklear
Amazing that there could even be any talk about Gabby not going, but she needs to get her head fully back in the game. Clearly something seemed a little off at this meet. I still give the edge to Ashton over Madison because of consistency. I think these 2 will come down to the ranch and trials. I feel really bad about leaving Madison off because she is the next best all arounder, but I have some question on her mental strength. I definitely wouldn't use her on beam, floor or vault with the rest of the line up, so she's a bars girl just like Ashton. If they need her in the all around, doesn't that mean someone is injured? She obviously would be the alternate.

Who is likely to score higher internationally on bars - Ashton or Madison? Both have done well at Worlds.
 
My team would be:
  1. Simone Biles
  2. Laurie Hernandez
  3. Aly Raisman
  4. Gabby Douglas
  5. Madison Kocian
Gabby, because she has the potential for very high bars and beam scores. She can bolster the team in these areas, although tonight was not the best indicator of that. She just has to be consistent.

Madison, because she can compete all-around if necessary. Also, her and Ashton literally scored the exact same on bars tonight, and really they have both proven they are more than qualified to be in charge of that event at Rio, so it comes down to other factors. I think Ashton's beam is slightly better, but Madison's ability to compete every event is what makes her my choice.


This is my team too, and for the same reasons.
 
Didn't Marta say she'd take 3 AAers and two specialists - bars and beam? I swear I read that this weekend somewhere. I'll peek around. Update: http://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-womens-gymnastics-advance-20160624-snap-story.html

If so, then I feel like it's more complicated in a way because of Laurie's performance. Is she good for AA? Beam specialist? And I LOVE Maggie, I've seriously been rooting for her to make this team for ages, but realistically, feeling like she's down to like a 10% chance.

So, obviously Simone for AA. Then two of Gabby/Aly/Laurie/Maggie for other two AA spots. Then either Aly or Laurie for a 'specialist' beam spot. I could maybe see Aly/Laurie both getting named to team, and battling out which does AA and which is specialist up until qualifying, since both could fulfill either role.

So that would leave Gabby/Maggie for that 3rd AA spot. Unless Gabby continues like this weekend and Maggie seriously kills it right out of the box at trials, it's going to easily be Gabby.

Then Ashton/Kocian for bars, TBD.

So, I'm thinking probably:

Simone AA
Gabby AA
Aly/Laurie AA
Aly/Laurie BB
Ashton UB*

*Mostly because Marta specifically said she didn't need more than 3 AAers, though maybe it'll go to Kocian since she can claim a recent world gold and could theoretically do AA if needed.
 
So I like Simone, Aly, Laurie for your all arounders and Madison for the bars, beam specialist and Maggie for the vault, floor specialist (assuming she can show it at trials)... That way you have 5 all arounders if necessary.

Re: bars specialist, I think Ashton will have to really beat Maddy to get the spot because Maddy is the defending world champion... Not likely she will be left home if it's truly a toss up.
 
I think pretty much any of the top 6 girls last night could win the AA at Rio, they are that good. SO why bother with specialists? Madisons bars is almost as good as Ashtons, and she can step in for vault and floor and beam too. Tough for Ashton, but when you have such strong all rounders it is really hard to leave home the world bars champ for a specialist who scores .3 higher in the US. Ashton has yet to be scored internationally, she may not do as well.

Also this weekend Laurie beat Gabby, so she might be in the AA spot instead of Gabby, it will be interesting to see how that plays out at trials. I also think that Laurie will be a real crowd pleaser like Simone, that always leaves a good impression on the judges. Unless Gabby turns her spark back on I do not see the crowd loving her the way they did.
 
My team: Simone, Aly, Hernandez, Kocian and if Maggie Nichols can get it together, her...if not , Douglas....Marta has commented that Douglas has "done worse with every meet she has competed AA and needs to have less distractions"...not a rousing endorsement, and in most team make ups, she is listed as only doing bars , and we have Hernandez, Kocian and Simone who can fill that hole ( as Gaby's consistency hasn't been there...)

There's no way I put Skinner on any Olympic team ever...I don't care how many vaults she has, Simone can compete in the vault finals so the "need" for her is zip.

I put in Kocian over Locklear because they score in the same range for bars ( 15.6-7) and beam and Kocian has the added benefit of competing in the AA just recently and finished less than a point behind Douglas on both days!! Marta has said that although they name "alternates" after the experience USAG had when Morgan White had to be replaced way back when ( the injured athlete has to be removed from the village ASAP before the new one can come in) , that she would never have the athletes go through that again and strives to have girls on the team who can fill in....hence Kocian..
 
I don't think there's a chance Laurie stays home. Not only is she performing, but she's being promoted on TV. I also think that the top 3 this weekend should probably be the AAers.

The reason I personally have Gabby ahead and doing AA is she doesn't have any consistent 'specialist' events. If beam/bars are hits, then there's potential there, but she's not a Kocian or a Biles... I don't see a realistic event medal opportunity for her. I'd be surprised if they really withhold Gabby from the team and AA consideration if she can rally at trials.

Honestly, if I had my way it would be Simone, Aly, Laurie, Maggie, Locklear/Kocian. :)
 
All Around - Biles, Aly & Hernandez. All three with consecutive meets over 60. If they repeat that at trials, they are your 3 strongest AA chances and take gold/silver or gold/bronze.

That means though that all three compete all events in qualifying leaving only ONE spot on each event in my hypothetical lineup for qualifying purposes.

If my next concern is medals here is how I think.

I know Biles/Aly are easily 1-2 on floor. I think Biles/Hernandez can both medal on beam. I think Biles wins vault.

I want to give my team as many medals as possible so I take Kocian for bars. She can score equal to Ashton and helps in qualifying as my 4th on beam.

So what other medal can I win? I don't need another bar worker. I can't give three kids a shot at the AA and qualify 2 bar workers. That means Gabby has no spot on my fantasy team. No Amanar, not capable of scoring 15+ on floor, hit beam only scoring low 15.

I need a 5th person who will be my 4th in qualifying on vault and floor. Yup, I go crazy mad nuts and, beam disaster aside, give my team a shot at the only other medal I see a way to grab for (vault) and take Skinner.
 
My team is
1. Biles AA
2. Hernandez AA
3. Raisman AA
4. Kocian
5. one of Gabby/Maggie/ Amelia

I think that Kocian gives the team more flexibility in the case of injury - I believe that Ashton does not even train VT/FX so cannot step into these events in the case of an injury

I didn't think that Gabby would be in danger of not making the team but at P&Gs she was not top 3 on any event whereas others have really improved for this event - only 6th on UB and BB and 5th on FX so I am not sure based on these champs what she contributes to the team.

I think Ragan is a big hope for the future but clearly struggling to cope with the pressure here and made too many mistakes to be a contender for Rio.
 
1. That means Gabby has no spot on my fantasy team. No Amanar, not capable of scoring 15+ on floor, hit beam only scoring low 15.

2. Yup, I go crazy mad nuts and, beam disaster aside, give my team a shot at the only other medal I see a way to grab for (vault) and take Skinner.

Point 1 : Gabby really screwed herself here...not sure why she isn't capable of the Amanar anymore but minus that, a "meh" floor and as you say, hit beam that doesn't beat out others on the team, and her bars haven't been much lately (finished behind Gowey at P & Gs) so she's not really needed...and she's been inconsistent and has even said she's "not mentally ready yet"....uh it's an Olympic year so you need to be ready when Marta is ready , meaning, always.....

Point 2: No, just no....I would be begging someone else to start training a second vault before I took her...
 
Point 2: No, just no....I would be begging someone else to start training a second vault before I took her...

LOL - I'm not a fan of Skinner, just playing odds. Would like to see Maggie throwing the Amanar and 4th up on floor, additional medal be damned. My point is just that I see the last hole being floor/vault ironically. All the talk of has been of bars, but with three strong AA ladies and one specialist I see bars as full in qualifying.

And as annoying Tim's graphic showed 47 times over the weekend, that was Gabby's best fit. The idea at the end though when he said her stock was "up" was comical. Back to back 58.9 is nothing to write home about. Only 1.35 ahead of Kocian who only vaulted a full? That's disappointing.
 

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