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Simone Biles hugs Katelyn Ohashi after winning the 2015 American Cup.

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This week we are joined by very special guest and World Cup silver medalist, Mary-Anne Monkton of Australia. Uncle Tim, Evan and Jessica recap of the 2015 American Cup in Cowboy Stadium AKA Simone Biles new house:

• Marta was on the Nastia Cup broadcast doing commentary again and it was fantastic!
• Oleg gave Uncle Tim the best birthday present ever!
• MyKayla Skinner crashed her Cheng in podium training and completely missed her hand. (see photo gallery link below).
• Head Scratcher of the week: How does a gymnast get invited to a World Cup. Read all 16 pages of Rules here or this:
  • The top seven all-around placers at World Championships are invited. If that includes the host country already, the 8th placer is invited. If it doesn't include the host, the 8th spot is reserved for the host. The FIG Executive Committee can invited a 9th wildcard. If after inviting the top eight they don't have eight participants, they then invite placers nine through twelve from Worlds. If they still don't have eight, they then invite each federation in the order they finished in the team competition at World's (up to the eighth place team) to send a gymnast until they get eight. Then the wildcard gymnast is selected by FIG.
• Do we think it’s fair the way NBC characterizes Simone as unbeatable, as if the pressure doesn’t compound exponentially the more she wins?
• Debate our favorite moments and best saves of the meet: MyKayla Skinner on beam or perhaps Sam Mikulak on high bar.
• We give our thoughts on leveraging the host country's music and cultural dances in floor routines.
• We pretend we are Aimee Boorman and devise a strategy to keep Simone Biles happy, healthy and engaged.
• We pretend to be Sam Mikulak and devise a plan for him to convert the consistency he had for his NCAA team to his elite career.
• The High Bar tension controversy: are the men supposed to all use the same tension on the high bar? No, we are asking. We want to  know!
• Nastia Liukin gets her first grade from us as a commentator.
• Fashion: what did we think of the Nastia Cup leo, and could Nastia's Swarovski crystals on the nails work for the men
• Friday the 13th of NCAA Gymnastics. Every meet had a terrifying crash. The worst of which was Shelby Hilton from University of Kentucky. We have an update on her and opine that perhaps a little angel named Kylie had something to do with that crash.
• The Rage-o-Meter ; Trautwig needs to acknowledge that the majority of the gymnasts on the World Cup circuit are in their 20's and that's the new norm. And many women in their 20's make the US Olympic team and even win medals.
  • We launch a new campaign. Tweet to NBC #NoPolosForNastia

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• 139: Steve Butcher, President of the FIG Men's Technical Committee
• 138: Prince Emyre Cole
• 130: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton
• 80: 2014 American Cup: Recap & Photo Essay
• Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall & The American Cup
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men's NCAA Championships

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Podium Training Photo Gallery of the 2015 American Cup

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Whatch every routine from Youtube here. Thank you USAG!!!!

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This week it's an all-listener feedback show. An entire episode dedicated to you, our dear listeners. Uncle Tim, Spanny and Jessica chat about:

• Nastia giving good face on Dancing With The Stars
• Why Nastia said she has never taken a ballet class.
• Who are the best freshman in NCAA this year?
• American Cup judging discussion. 
• Why were Tory Wilson and Bridgette Caquatto given mathematically impossible scores last week?
• How many economically disadvantaged gymnasts have made it to the top in elite?
• Why do we have such crazy gymnastics dreams, and we share some of our own.
• Rule Change! When a gymnast has more than one eponymous skill, should she be able to give her subsequent skills the name of her choice?
• Cheerleading friend or foe?
• Jingoistic music, is it only advantageous to the home competitor?
• E-Score home judging for all?

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Someone please find overdubbed or English subtitled copies of Ginnaste - Vite Parallele on MTV Italy.

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• Photo Gallery: 2015 American Cup
• 140: The 2015 American Cup
• Podium Training Photo Gallery of the 2015 American Cup
• 139: Steve Butcher, President of the FIG Men's Technical Committee
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 136: Full Out Syndrome

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South Durham Gymnastics Club, home of English champion all-around champion, Amy Tinkler.

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English Nationals, NCAA Conference Championships and Jesolo are on the menu this week. Uncle Tim, Emma, Spencer, Spanny, Evan, and Jessica chat about:

• Princess Catherine leading her troops to battle to strike fear into the heart of the balance beam.
• Senior champ Amy Tinkler, is her pepto-pink gym at South Durham, the key to her success?
• Claudia Fragapane's improvement from her American Cup fall-a-thon.
• Lisa Mason's triumphant performance, pep talks to the baby gymnasts, Artistry award and practically leaping onto the judges table to dare them to deduct from her floor routine!
• The British Bars Revolution: Kelly Sim and Becky Downie are doing bars that make you wonder if their routines aren't actually YouTube edited pranks.
• Jingoistic floor routine musical advice for the Rio Olympics, from a self-proclaimed Brazilian cultural expert.
• Louis Smith competed well but raised some eyebrows with his post-meet exit.
• The reason for Max Whitlock's spectacular but  limited performance plus, injury updates on our favorite English gymnasts.

NCAA Conference Championships (28:00)

• Shawn Johnson tweeted that she wants to coach a college team. Where do we think she'd fit in and what are the most important traits of a great coach?
• Bedazzling Beelzebub sparkle-tards -The leotard debate.
• New vocabulary word "pusillanimous: showing a lack of courage or determination; timid." as in, wimp.
• Would Minnesota's Linday Mable get better scores if she was a member of one of the six schools that have won an NCAA Championship.
• Regional seeding and our picks for biggest upsets.
• Coolest vault in college, Alex Marasco -  Yurchenko ½ on or a Yurchenko full-on Cuervo.
• Most robbed vaulter last weekend, Jaida Lawrence of West Virginia.
• Rage-o-Meter regarding the Pac 12 Networks decision to zoom in on every inopportune moment of every routine. Dear Director's of  Television Gymnastics, here are the rules:
  • We do not use stick and ball sports analogies to explain artistic gymnastics.
  • Never, ever, zoom in during a routine, ever. That's what secondary camera playbacks are for.
  • We do not zoom in between the hip bones and thighs, ever. If that accidentally happens, the director will immediately switch to a different camera.

Jesolo Competition Preview! (1:35:00)

• How did this meet become the debutant ball of US Gymnastics?
• Gabby, Aly, Simone, Skaggs, Hernandez, Flatley -  gymnasts we are most excited to see in Italy!

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WATCH JESOLO LIVE! Watch the defending World Champion, Simone Biles compete against the defending Olympic champion, Gabby Douglas, for the first time since the 1980 Olympic Games!  The Italian Gymnastics Federation will carry a live webstream of the Jesolo competition on its YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/user/FGIfederginnastica.

Schedule: March 25, junior team qualification; March 26, senior team qualification; March 28, junior and senior team and all-around finals; and March 29, individual event finals.The defending champion (US) and host country automatically participate in the finals on March 28, and the top eight athletes, with a maximum of two per team, advance to the event finals on March 29.

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• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama's Sarah Patterson
• 84: Meet Recaps! Jesolo & NCAA Conference Championships
• 88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• 135: The Duchess of Stalderland
• 134: 409 Wins Restored, Lives Still Ruined
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 136: Full Out Syndrome
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price

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Reigning all-around Olympic Champion, Gabrielle Douglas returned to competition for the first time in three years at the Trophe Jesolo in Italy. © Filippo Tomasi

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In the news, Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton, Emma and Jessica chat about Jesolo:

• The Italian crowds reaction to the triumphant return of the reigning Olympic all-around Champion, Gabby Douglas and the reigning Olympic floor champion, Aly Raisman.
• Which gymnasts made a case for themselves  not to be ignored at Jesolo: Erika Fasana, Alysssa Bauman, and Laurie "Baby Sharkira" Hernandez.
• How to tell how Marta feels; The Marta's head-squash vs. the scruff of the neck kitten-grab.
• Was the mood between Gabby and Chow strained?
• The XL Center Bat, The Antwerp Moth, The Nanning Bee and now, The Jesolo Dog.
• Mez tells us what it's like to compete on the infamous Janssen-Fritzen floor which put half of the competitors on their butts
• Jesolo Judges: Why were the judges 100 miles away from the apparatus and did it effect the scores? Plus, how the judges broke protocol; they just couldn't' help themselves.
• Why Carlotta Ferlito quit Mtv Italy's Ginnaste - Vite Parallele reality show.

The British Championships:

• Flame cannons; juniors beating seniors; special awards; and Amy Tinkler, the smiliest winner of all time.
• Ellie Downie's successful but strange competition, walking off of the beam rather than dismounting.
• Kelly Sim did a full-in dismount off of beam!
• Why we love British Disability Champion, Tasha Coates who is allergic to exercise.

The Gymternet News:

• Douglas Family Gold: Oxygen is working on a series about Gabby Douglas and her family. Can it be done tastefully or will it make her out to be a train wreck?
• SB101: Indiana has legalized discrimination against LGBT citizens. How this would impact gymnastics and why we are cheering on Steve Penny, Josh Dixon and Danell Leyva in their fight against Indiana's Governor Pence.

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The world rankings from The All Around here.

Beyond The Routine: WOGA watch here.

Find out what it's like to be allergic to exercise. An essay by British Disability Champion, Tasha Coates here.

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• 140: The 2015 American Cup
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 130: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton
• Episode 129: Why Gabby Left Chow (or Chow left Gabby?) & Glasgow World Cup
• 128: Aly is Back
• 113: Junior & Senior Women’s Finals from the 2014 US Championships in Pittsburgh, plus an Interview with Kim Zmeskal Burdette
• 112: Junior & Senior Women's Prelims from the 2014 US Championships in Pittsburgh
• 99: Princess Catherine Lyons and Coach Rochelle Douglas
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 77: Aly Raisman
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• Episode 55: Worlds Wrap Up & Ferlito-Gate
• Episode 54: Event Finals Recap from 2013 World Championships
• Episode 53: All Around Finals Recap from Antwerp World Championships
• Episode 41: Laurie Hernandez & Coach Maggie Haney
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches

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USA Gymnastics has a photo gallery from training through finals of Jesolo here.

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The Hard Way To Success 17, Sanne and Lieke Wevers (NED) here. 

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Blythe and Jessica talk to Emma Bailey direct from the hallway of her hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria at the Women's European Championships about:

• The great Soviet Pink Panther routine by  Elena Shevchenko (USSR) vs. the new Pink Panther performed by Marta Pihan-Kulesza (POL).
• The red carpet, the banquet dances, and other cool stuff the organizers did.
• Could Sandra Izbasa return for Rio?
• Diana Bulimar, the unsung hero and backbone of the Romanian team.
• Teams on the rise and lesser known fan-favorites; Noemi Makra (HUN), Claire Martin (FRA), Emma Larson (SWE), Gaelle Mys (BEL), Lisa Top (NED)
• Emma gives her impression of the once great Ukrainian women's program.
• Are there too many World Cups schedule, without sufficient time to rest before the European Championships?
• And finally, high bar Olympic medalist Krasimir Dunev proves he is freakin' cool as hell.

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Emma's YouTube Channel has some videos of fan favorites not captured on the broadcasts. Leotard series postcards (leocards) and prints by Meg. Buy them here. 2014 European Gymnastics Championships site.

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• 94: Women's European Championships Part One!
• 89: Everybody Loves Raymond! Pacific Rim, Men’s NCAA Championships, plus a Russian Championships/Tokyo World Cup recap DO OVER!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 80: 2014 American Cup: Recap & Photo Essay
• 64: Glasgow World Cup & NCAA 2014 Previews
• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• Episode 19: Andreea Raducan

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Insert YouTube play list here.

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M'rcy Matsunami (Univ. of Alaska) has a toe-on Counter Kim shorthand tattoo (as seen above-left). She is our Game of Regions Champion.

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In the news, Uncle Tim, Emma, Evan Heiter, Spencer and Jessica chat about NCAA Women's Regional Championships (AKA GAME OF REGIONS) and the Ljubljana World Cup:

• 2:05 Our reactions to McKalya Maroney’s heartfelt and funny video about her struggle with Adrenal Fatigue and its devastating symptoms.
• 11: 45 Game of Regions round-up; we created special headlines to describe the drama, tears and triumphs at each Regional and let you know which individuals, competing without the benefit of a team to boost their scores, stole our hearts.
  • Should individuals have a separate regional qualification meet for NCAA Championships? Would it be more fair? We discuss.
  • We declare M'rcy Matsunami the most exciting thing to happen to NCAA gymnastics since Kennedy Baker's Dos Santos and Danusia Francis's "Nush" beam dismount. She competed a toe-on Counter Kim at the Cal Regional! See petition below.
  •  Risa Perez’s faces vs. Laurie Hernandez’s faces, a short dissertation.
  • Minnesota Unleash Shock and Awe Campaign to Destroy Auburns dreams of NCAA Berth… j/k everyone fell on bars.
  • Nina McGee of Denver could still be the 2015 NCAA floor champion.
  • Find out which host-school won the Game of Regions Webcast Award for Excellence in GymTernet Broadcasting 2015.
• 1:20:30 Ljubljana World Cup
  • Why did the gymnasts refuse to warm-up in the practice gym, and what Nellie Kim allegedly had to say about that.
  • Eythora Thorsdottir (NED), Sasa Golob (SLO) and Jonna Adlerteg (SWE); why you should sit your baby gymnasts down in front of the YouTubes and make them watch these performers!
  • Spider web leotards, Alexander Shatilov's beard (uber hipster or switching to Amish?), Slovenian training conditions, Oksana Chusovitina without Boguinskaya, and the next generation of Braziian gymnasts look like WOGA-Chow-Soviet stars.
• Would Marta Karolyi ever allow the Romanian team to workout with the Americans at the Ranch?
• An update on SB101, Indiana's gay discrimination bill. Spoiler alert, it was amended!

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Let's get M'rcy Matsunami to Texas! Petition to NCAA, host school Texas Women's University and TMU coach, Courtney McCool to have M'cry Matsunami exhibition bars for pre-meet entertainment in Fort Worth at the NCAA Championships! Texas Women's University on Twitter,  Courtney McCool on Twitter, the NCAA.

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• 90: The 2014 Women's NCAA Championships! Plus details from the Ljubljana World Cup, Korean Meet and Romania takes on Belgium and France
• 87: NCAA Regionals, Russian Nationals & Miss Lloimincia Hall is discovered
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama’s Sarah Patterson
• 84: Meet Recaps! Jesolo & NCAA Conference Championships88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• 135: The Duchess of Stalderland
• 134: 409 Wins Restored, Lives Still Ruined
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 136: Full Out Syndrome
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price

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The Counter Kim shorthand tattoo on M'rcy Matsunami

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LSU's Rheagan Courville, The Tigress of the Bayou.

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Rheagan Courville, The Tigress of the Bayou joins us this week. The former US Classic champion, Patterson beam-dismounter, two-time NCAA vault champion, fashion icon and owner of the highest standing Arabian in the game is here! We discuss:

• The secret to the height and consistency of her standing Arabian on beam.
• How University of Georgia emigre, coach Jay Clark, has improve her bars about a billion percent from her elite days.
• Cardio secrets of the indefatigable LSU floor lineup.
• How her positive and negative experiences in the sport fuel her gymnastics now.
• Future plans, skills she's hiding up her sleeve and her love for Louisiana.
• Fashion: What did Miley Cyrus tell Rheagan about her style and will she be able to up Jay Clark's shoe game?

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Jessica, Spencer from The Balance Beam Situation, Scott Bregman of USA Gymnastics and Kristen Watkins from College Fantasy Gymnastics chat about:

• Beyond The Routine: Oklahoma Gymnastics
  • Brenna Dowell: her perspective college vs. elite gymnastics, skill strategy, transition of normal human life and her crib tour!
  • We were shocked to find out they consider themselves the underdogs and see K.J. so intimately involved in the technical aspects of coaching.
• Predicting NCAA Women's NCAA Championships preview by the numbers
  • How important are the rankings, does seeding really matter?
  • Which team historically kicks ass in the post-season, and which teams do worse during championship season
  • Do teams switch ranking order in the post-season or have training plans been mastered to keep injuries at bay?

• Men's NCAA Championships
  • Vault Gate -- when the injury substitution rule can be too easily manipulated.
  • Oklahoma are concurrent champions in both men's and women's gymnastics right now.
  • The men's stick bonus allows each team to carry around a gigantic eraser and get rid of mistakes.
  • Stanford's Sean Senters did the TRIPLE TWISTING YURCHENKO!

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What the Number Say About NCAA Nationals - sexy data by Kristen Watkins

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• 90: The 2014 Women’s NCAA Championships! Plus details from the Ljubljana World Cup, Korean Meet and Romania takes on Belgium and France
• 87: NCAA Regionals, Russian Nationals & Miss Lloimincia Hall is discovered
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama’s Sarah Patterson
• 84: Meet Recaps! Jesolo & NCAA Conference Championships88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• 135: The Duchess of Stalderland
• 134: 409 Wins Restored, Lives Still Ruined
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 136: Full Out Syndrome
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price

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Taylor Rice (Stanford) makin' it rain during event finals at the 2015 NCAA Championships. Photo by Christy Linder.

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Who: Shannon freaking Miller will be our May Book Club guest.

Deadline: Send in questions by May 6th.

How: Order the book here, read it, treasure it forever, then send your questions for Shannon to us at gymcastic@gmail.com or by voicemail at (415) 800-3191/Skype "GymCastic Podcast"

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Stanford junior, Taylor Rice, joins us to discuss the 2015 NCAA Championships. Taylor is known for having a different hair color at every meet, being more trouble than Tasha Schwikert for her coach/mother Cassie Rice during her youth at GymCasts and having been the first woman in NCAA history to compete a man wipe. We discuss:

• Where did the inspiration for her back-dat-twerk-tastic floor choreography come from? That's So Raven.
• How early is too early to commit to a college?
• What did Stanford do to change their results so drastically from the last few years.
• Why didn't she ever go the elite route and what she learned from Tasha Schwikert
• Will Stanford be able to work a tree pose into their floor routines next year?
• The changes would she like to see to the NCAA.

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 Uncle Tim, Evan Heiter, Spencer, Spanny Tampson, and Jessica chat about everything that happened at the NCAA Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas:

• The heartbreak:
  • What does UCLA need to do differently in order to gain their former team glory?
  • The Beam-tastrophy that was the LSU prelim session and how many times are hearts broke.
  • Was Lindsay "Precision" Mabel Khorkina'd after starting on vault and getting a lowely 9.85.
• Gym-Myth Busters: It was true that the fiberglass was falling off of the bars?!
• We revel in the joy of two fantastic all-around champions, Kytra Hunter and Sam Peszek; fair and well deserved!
• The haters,  the disadvantage of being the defending champions.
• Are judges afraid to be the first to give a 10?
• The floor curse. Beam isn't the difficult event to start on anymore--floor took Oklahoma out of the Super Six finals.
• The exciting finish between Utah and Floirda coming down to the very last routine and half a tenth.
• Our favorite moments from Championships:
  • Ivana Hong getting her gymnastics on and scoring well!
  • Gymnasts who have improved in college.
  • Auburn qualifying for Super Six for the first time in 22 years.
  • Taylor Rice's all-comedy floor routine.
  • Sam Peszek's standing full on beam!
• Rules changes we need for 2016:
  • Allow judges to take the quarter tenth deduction.
  • Make the regular season matter more.
  • Top 5 finishers receive All-American honors. It's not enough to just qualify.
  • Required single bar release.
  • Teams must perform at least one vault from each of the  three vault entries: tsukahara/kazamatsu, front handspring and yurchenko.
  • Make the post-season matter: you should have to win something before Super Six.
  • Four on the floor final, get rid of the Super Six.
• Event Finals:
  • No upgrades in vault finals that we hadn't seen during season.
  • We overwhelmingly agree on the floor finals.
  • NINA McGEE!

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Read the official blog of Taylor Rice here or follow her on the twitters.

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• 90: The 2014 Women’s NCAA Championships! Plus details from the Ljubljana World Cup, Korean Meet and Romania takes on Belgium and France
• 87: NCAA Regionals, Russian Nationals & Miss Lloimincia Hall is discovered
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama’s Sarah Patterson
• 84: Meet Recaps! Jesolo & NCAA Conference Championships88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• 135: The Duchess of Stalderland
• 134: 409 Wins Restored, Lives Still Ruined
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 136: Full Out Syndrome
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price
• 145: Rheagan Courville
• 144: Counter Kim at Game of Regions 2015

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Taylor Rice (Stanford) makes it rain on beam.

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UCLA gymnastics team does Taylor Rice's making it rain choreography as they watch from the stands during floor finals at the 2015 NCAA championships.

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Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

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Double Downie tears at in Montpelier where Ellie won the first all-around medal for a British gymnast, ever. Copyright Sport to Sport Visuals.

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Who: Shannon freaking Miller!!!! will be our Book Club guest in May.

Deadline: Send in questions by May 6th.

How: Order the book here, read it, treasure it forever, then send your questions for Shannon to us at gymcastic@gmail.com or by voicemail at (415) 800-3191/Skype "GymCastic Podcast"

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Current Australian national team member and World Cup medalist, Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton joins Emma to give us all the details on the 2015 European Championships in Montpellier, France:

• Preliminary Problems:
  • Before the meet even started Kristina Pravdina (AZB) and Anna Pavlova (AZB), along with Alla  Sosnitkaya (RUS) were all out with injuries.
  • Epke fell on high bar and failed to make finals. What world is this?!
• Women's All-Around:
  • Historic Firsts: Giulia Steingruber all-around gold was the first ever win for Switzerland, Ellie Downie's bronze was the first ever medal for Great Britain, Poland's fifth place all-around for Marta Pihan-Kulesza was the highest ever finish for Poland--from a 27 year-old!
  • Can the Russian women challenge the US now that they have two Amanar's in the lineup?
• Men's All-Around
  • Sam Oldham returned after his awful ankle injury at Commonwealth Games.
  • The Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) vs. Oleg Stepko (AZE, formerly UKR) show down.
  • David Belyavskiy (RUS) and Verniaiev showed the world why sports and peace go hand in hand.
• Event Finals
  • Rayderley Zapata (ESP) was allowed to repeat his floor routine after a timing error.
  • Maria Paseka (RUS) flew in last minute and won gold where difficulty won over execution.
  • The bars nail biter coming down to two-tenths for Daria Spiridonova (RUS) where perfect form came in third from Sanne Wevers (NED).
  • Champion,  Eleftherios Petrounias (GRC) actually made Emma and Mez want to watch Rings, RINGS!
  • Andreea Munteanu (ROU) won beam, but Vasiliki Millousi (GRE) stole our hearts and broke them again when she fell at the very very end of her routines.
  • Claire Martin (FRA) brought back some well deserved glory to French gymnastics after a long drought.
  • Marijo Moznik (CRO) vs. Sam Oldham (GBR) high bar debate, justified or not?
• Fragapan's ridiculous, unbelievable, not pretty but amazing save on beam - video.
• We reanact Carlotta Ferlito's tweet as she, once again, blames everyone but herself for not making beam finals.

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• 96: Australian Nationals & Men’s European Championships
• 95: WAG European Championships Part Two -- Lesser Known Stars and a Behind The Scenes Report
• 94: Women's European Championships Part One!
• Episode 30: Women's NCAA & European Championships
• 130: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton
• 102: Classic Episode with Louis Smith
• 101: Olivia Vivian
• 108: The Commonwealth Games
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason

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World pace through gymnastics: Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) David Belyavskiy (RUS) went one two a respectively at the 2015 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Montpellier.

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Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

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Want to know who see's everything at The Ranch? Who runs the room where Kyla Ross said cameras should follow the team if they really want to see where the action is at camp. Who we would pick if we were going to pick a doctor to take care of our kids while they traveled around the world flipping at speeds that would make an astronaut jealous? It's USA Gymnastics Team Physician, Larry Nassar, A.T.C.  He's a professor, a certified athletic trainer, an osteopath and one of the most caring human beings you could ever hope to meet. A blunt, honest, experienced professional who tells it like it is. He can do that because he's so compassionate. We discuss:

• What Marta calls him about the most. (This will make you happy gymternet)
• What it was like to be part of the 2000 Olympic "hell"
• Dealing with parents who will not accept responsibility for their child's health
• The one change he would make in order to prevent injuries
• What injustice the International Olympic Committee commits against gymnasts
• Why The Ranch is no longer- as the fans formerly called it- "Death Camp"
• Changing the camp culture to prevent athletes and coaches from hiding injuries
• Gym Myth Busters injury edition: ACLs, Achilles, & Shawn Johnson's knee injury

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• Intsagram with lots of photos from camp and meets!
• The super helpful videos on The Gymnastics Doctor YouTube Channel
• His official website 
• MSU biography
• Region 5 Hall of Fame biography with bibliography

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Kristin Maloney interview

Elise Ray interview

Simone Biles interview

Kyla Ross interview

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Shannon Miller in 1991 at her first World Championships. Copyright Mike Proebsting.

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The GymCastic Book Club had the most gym nerd-tastic celebration of all time this week when Shannon Miller, thé Shannon Miller, joined us to talk about her new memoire, "It's Not About Perfect: Competing for My Country and Fighting for My Life."  She has more combined Olympic and World medals than any American gymnast male or female. She won the World Championship all-around two times in a row. She had multiple eponymous skills in the Code of Points. She was diagnosed with one of the deadliest forms of cancer and it ran away from her like a Level 5 who hears, "It's time for conditioning!"  Her male coach, Steve Nunno, acted like the love child of Bela Karolyi and Donald Trump, yet he complimented her perfectly.  She did two back extension rolls in a row on beam just because the crowd loved it! She did her full difficutly on the post-Olympic tours because she wanted to give the fans what they paid for.  She is so bad ass, that when a reporter said Olga, Nadia, Mary Lou...why isn't it just Shannon? She replied, "Who says it's not?" SHE IS SHANNON FREAKING MILLER, the greatest American gymnast of all time. Shannon answered your book club questions and we discussed:

• Her infamous wrists and unique salute. Yes, she talks about her wrists! We died!
• The time she thought she was over scored.
• If there's anything she would do differently in order to prepare herself for a social and romantic life after gymnastics; to avoid her troubled first marriage; and what will she tell her son and daughter about finding love?
• She competed so much more than elites do today, does she wish she competed less?
• The strong female role models in her life: her mother and Peggy Liddick.
• The very first training camps at the Ranch when Bela was National Team Coordinator.
• Training as an adult and how her coaches helped her stay in the sport as she grew older.
• Skills she worked on that the world never got to see.
• Does she plan on running for FIG President?
• Should we bring back compulsories and the 10? Which team would she compete for if she had done gymnastics in college?
• When can we expect to see her back in the commentator's chair.
• What women should do to screen for ovarian cancer.
• Most importantly, if Alexi Nemov is as hot in person as he is on TV.

Uncle Tim and Jessica give their recap of the book including:

• What coaches, parents and gymnasts can learn from this book.
• As a hardcore gym nerd, what was most satisfying to FINALLY have an answer?
• What part of the book made us go hmmm.
• What we wish she had talked about more.
• The top tips and tricks we learned from Shannon for life, gymnastics and cancer preventing pelvic exams. (1:06:32 time stamp)
• Shannon Miller’s Tips & Tricks for Life and Gymnastics According to Jessica:
  • Always use two pair of grips and switch off every few days. Have two pair ready at all times during meets.
  • Turn your feet in on beam especially if you were born with them that way.
  • Have a signature look!
  • Glue bedazzles to your scrunchie.
  • Use your parents as mediators for compromise between coach and athlete.
  • Coaches, plan time in your schedule for parent meetings, just like warmups and conditioning.
  • Go on vacation, condition a little bit while you relax on vacation.
  • Every gymnastics coach agrees, no gymnast should ever ski!
  • Do at least 20 minutes of cardio every day.
  • Don’t compensate for one injury, you’ll cause another.
  • Having the mindset of a perfectionist comes at a price. You don’t have to pay the price, it’s a choice.
  • Go sightseeing when you travel. Even if it’s only for an hour. Make trips special.
  • If all of your athletes quit at age 15, it's probably not them, it's you.
  • Teenagers and women cannot be coached physically or mentally the way children are trained. Adapt coaching to the age of your athlete.
  • If you have knobby knees, land in 4th position and then slide your feet together fast into first position to get that 10!
  • Use bacitracin and zinc oxcide (JUST LIKE I SAID!) to heal rips.
  • What’s good for the media isn’t necessarily good for the gymnast. Don’t fall into the sexist expectation of being expected to smile all the time. Being in the zone like Nastia and Shannon is fine.
  • If you go on tour, do full difficulty! Fans paid hard-earned money to watch you.
  • Rolls on beam are awesome. Always do them to stand out like Shannon!
  • Plan for rest, not just for competition.
  • Gymnasts have to feel comfortable talking to their coaches, gymnastics is too dangerous to for silence.

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Spanny Tampson made Steve Nunno motivation posters. Keep in mind, this is not a work of fiction, these are actual quotes.

Find out more about Shannon Miller's exercise videos, fight against cancer, books and foundation here.

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What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use  any of these Steve Nunno quote hashtags: #ItsMillerTime or #InterGalacticChampion or #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 1st

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

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• Episode 9: Chellsie Memmel, Swiss Cup & FIG Presidential Proposals
• Episode 12: Miss Val Part 2
• Episode 11: Miss Val
• Episode 15: Joan Ryan Author of Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
• Episode 17: Growing Up In The Soviet Gymnastics System And Training At Round Lake
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 28: Kristen Maloney
• Episode 31: Elise Ray
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• 61: Katelyn Ohashi Clears The Air
• 77: Aly Raisman
• 81: Jenny Hansen
• 99: Princess Catherine Lyons and Coach Rochelle Douglas
• 101: Olivia Vivian
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason

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Shannon Miller's Eponymous Skills: The Miller on beam. The Miller on bars.

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What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use  any of these Steve Nunno quote hashtags: #ItsMillerTime or #InterGalacticChampion or #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 1st

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

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Shannon Miller © Dave Black

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The FIG announced changes to the qualification rules for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Teams can only send four all-arounders, for a three-up three-count finals format. Qualifying teams can still also send two individual event specialists who qualify through several results from World Championships, World Cups and Continental Championships. For example, the US could still send six gymnasts to compete, four for the team medal, plus two event specialists. Uncle Tim, Spencer, and Jessica chat about the new rules and more:

• New Olympic qualification rules:
  • Our gut feelings about the rule: from horror to elation and mistrust.
  • How will the new rules effect non-dominant teams and individual World medalists?
  • A list of questions that need to be answered about implementation before we can decide if this is good or bad.
  • Do we trust the FIG to implement the qualification system fairly?
  • Individuals and countries who stand to be damaged the most by the new rules.
  • What past Olympics have looked like for athletes like, Hollie Vise, Alicia Sacramone, Anna Li or Elizabeth Price if these rules had been in place.
• Rhonda Faehn left University of Florida to be Senior Vice President of Women’s Program
  • Is Rhonda Faehn the House of Cards of gymnastics?
  • We discuss the reasons she was chosen specifically for the position.
  • Conspiracy theories about why a head college coach would leave...they never, ever leave.
  • We also think that
• The Varna World Cup
  • How soon is too soon to start fixing the equipment after a routine?
  • Does the FIG need to have an intervention on behalf of Ri Se Gwang's ankles?
  • Pinheiro Rodrigues won rings with an Olympic cross.
  • We got to see a Church from Dufournet.
• Sao Paolo World Cup
  • Brazil rolled out the soccer style enthusiasm for new senior, Flavia Saraiva.
  • Approve or Disapprove: Shang Chunsong's new back to back tumbling passes on beam.
  • Should elites use music on balance beam?
  • Enrique "Porn 'Stach" Gonzalez Sepulveda’s side roll!
• Gymternet News:
  • Brazilian Federation investigates racist video by Arthur Nory.
  • Nastia almost made it to the finale of Dancing With The Stars.
  • Shawn Johnson posts a cryptic message about tumbling again.
  • The ugliest leotard we've ever seen: The Bavarian-tard.
  • NCAA Nationals: new proposal for a four team final.

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Which Gymnast Does Your State Love the Most? Find out here.

Watch the Full Out movie trailer here. 

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• 77: Aly Raisman
• Episode 9: Chellsie Memmel, Swiss Cup & FIG Presidential Proposals
• 148: Shannon Miller
• 139: Steve Butcher, President of the FIG Men's Technical Committee
• 96: Australian Nationals & Men’s European Championships
• 88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• 74: Melanie Sinclair & A Review of Cirque's Amaluna
• Episode 58: Charlotte Drury, Fall Euro Series & NCAA De-commits
• Episode 55: Worlds Wrap Up & Ferlito-Gate
• Episode 25: Fan Ye
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• 30: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton

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Northern Irish stud and a man, literally filled with titanium, Luke Carson. 

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Northern Ireland's Luke Carson has become a symbol of strength and perseverance around the world. A veteran of six World Championships, he was poised to send Ireland to their second-ever Olympics before an injury forced him to water down his routines. He came back from two potentially career-ending injuries to compete again.  Emma Bailey and Luke discussed:

• You thought his leg was bad, wait until you hear about his birth defect and the awful procedure he must endure every six months! (See example video on the playlist below to fulfill your creepy curiosity)
• The status of his injury almost one-year after the Commonwealth Games
• The problems with metal rods and hot tubs
• Coaching his pommel horse prodigy, Rhys Mcclenaghan and team at Rathgael Gymnastics Club
• How he proposed to his girlfriend
• How social media can fuel healthy competition between gymnasts
• The both frightening and gratifying truth about funding and sponsor relationships
• The future of gymnastics in Ireland

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• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• 63: Doctor Larry Nassar
• 138: Prince Emyre Cole
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 132: It's Never Too Late to Start Adult Gymnastics
• 130: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton
• 116: Louis Smith, Amelle Berrabah of Team Sexy & Tumble Episode 5 Recap
• 115: Kenzo Shirai
• 72: John Orozco
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men's NCAA Championships
• Episode 4: Louis Smith, Spanny's Athlete Oath, Making Men's Gymnastics More Popular

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Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

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Danell Leyva and his towel. © Christy Linder

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The artist, Danell Leyva joins us this week. Known for his flair on every event, he also stands out as a staunch nonconformist. Revealing photos of Danell were tweeted during the London Olympics. He was nonplused and casually took home bronze in the all-around. He was passionately opposed to the gay discrimination laws passed earlier this year in Indiana and supported his teammate, Josh Dixon in calling for an immediate change of venue for the national championships in Indianapolis. We talked on the day the FIG released the new qualification rules for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We discuss (please note that all time stamps in parentheses are "ish") :

• Danell's transformation from passive peacemaker to playground scrapper.
• Celebrities who smoked cigars in the arena during the Olympics.
• The financial importance of a national team spot (34:00).
• Which vaults hurt and which vaults make his body feel good.
• How he has stayed surgery and medication free all these years (26:00)
• Tim Daggett (16:00)
• Cuban defectors at the Pan Am Games (19:00)
• Gay marriage and moving the P&G Championships out of Indiana (21:00)
• The Cuban-Soviet system parents, Yin and Maria implement at his gym, Universal (31:00).
• Conspiracy theories and growing up Cuban (42:00)
• Photo scandal and why it wasn't a big deal (48:00)
• What he thinks of Oleg Vernaiev, Epke Wonderland and Paul Hamm as a coach (1:00:00).
• The back injury that almost took him out of the Nanning event finals (1:04:00)
• What made him instantly get over his infamous face smashing high bar routine that took an all-around world championship away from him in 2011 (1:10:00).
• His childhood as the kid a) who couldn't jump and b) was always walking directly in front of someone mid-flip (1:17:00)
• Why Yeessooo had to become a catchphrase before Yin's reputation was ruined forever (1:22:00).
• Why his mom, Maria, said he'd be fat or in jail if it wasn't for gymnastics.
• His brief history as a pacific turned playground street fighter (1:33:00).
• The real reason for the brief downfall of his gymnastics after the 2012 Olympics and his relationship status (1:37:00).
• The new FIG Rules allowing four member teams plus two individual event specialists from qualifying countries.
• How the new rules will change his strategy going into World Cup competition.

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• Follow Danell on  Twitter or Instagram
• Catching up with Danell Leyva at the Winter Cup
• Yeessooo Apparel

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• 138: Prince Emyre Cole
• 139: Steve Butcher, President of the FIG Men's Technical Committee
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• 132: It’s Never Too Late to Start Adult Gymnastics
• 116: Louis Smith, Amelle Berrabah of Team Sexy & Tumble Episode 5 Recap
• 115: Kenzo Shirai
• 72: John Orozco
• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men’s NCAA Championships
• Episode 4: Louis Smith, Spanny’s Athlete Oath, Making Men’s Gymnastics More Popular
• Episode 21: Kyle Shewfelt
• Episode 24: Sho Nakamori & Match-Play Meet Debrief with Justin Spring
• Episode 35: Jake Dalton
• Episode 40: Michigan’s Stacey Ervin

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Four Nations Cup all-around champion, Seda Tutkhalyan (RUS) 

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Jessica, Emma and Bea chat about:

• The rules for pre-floor routine walk out choreography; our dos and don'ts.
• Laura Jurica (ROM) has made progress on bars.
• If there were gymnastics-satyr made of Mustafin's arms and Shawn Johnson's power, it would be little Russian power house, Seda Tutkhalyan.
• The throwback Pozar-esque folk dance floor from new senior Anastasia Dimitrieva (RUS).
• The triple full from Zarzu (ROM) that looked as easy as a playground cartwheel.
• An update on training for comeback masters, Catalina Ponor and Dragulescu.
• Brazilian babies, Rebeca Andrade and Flavia Saraiva put the world on notice at the Flanders International.
• Nastia got engaged and announced the founding of The Shine Agency, but questions about what Shine will actually do still remain.
• Douglas Family Gold will air on Oprah's Oxygen channel later this year, and Emma has many concerns!
• A listeners discovers that Paul Ruggeri predicted the future of Olympic qualifying on this very show in 2012.
• Since Bea is Romanian, we got a little pronunciation tutorial--even Nadia would be impressed with.

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What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use hashtag #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 15th

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

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Shannon Miller © Dave Black

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The Couch Gymnast coverage ofFour Nations Cup.

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• 77: Aly Raisman
• Episode 9: Chellsie Memmel, Swiss Cup & FIG Presidential Proposals
• 148: Shannon Miller
• 139: Steve Butcher, President of the FIG Men’s Technical Committee
• 96: Australian Nationals & Men’s European Championships
• 88: Rhonda Faehn & Mackenzie Caquatto
• 74: Melanie Sinclair & A Review of Cirque’s Amaluna
• Episode 58: Charlotte Drury, Fall Euro Series & NCAA De-commits
• Episode 55: Worlds Wrap Up & Ferlito-Gate
• Episode 25: Fan Ye
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• 30: Mary-Anne “Mez” Monckton

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See the Must Watch Routines from the Four Nations Cup over on The Couch Gymnast.

Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

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This week we talk about our favorite routines from the Swiss Cup and discuss the platforms Grandi, Stoica and Titov ran on in their FIG presidential campaigns.  We talk to Chellsie Memmel who gave us very honest and frank answers about her experience being eliminated from the 2012 Olympic trials process; how Steve Penny suggested her retirement after Classics, being announced as an alternate live on television in 2004, finding love while being an elite athlete, making the team but competing with a severe injury in Beijing and how she made the decision to move on from her longtime coach Jim Chudy at Salto.

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Louis Smith Calendar Blythe's Notes from the 2012 Swiss CupRybacki is the new Kathy KellyKarolyi confirmed as U.S. National Team Coordinator; Liukin, Rybacki get new jobVisa no longer the title sponsor for US NationalsPlatforms of the FIG presidents from the fantastic blog / FIG Watchdog,  The All Around  Dvora for Deadspin U.S. Gymnastics Turns Its Back On Chellsie Memmel, Genuine Badass

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• Episode 9: Chellsie Memmel, Swiss Cup & FIG Presidential Proposals
• Episode 12: Miss Val Part 2
• Episode 11: Miss Val
• Episode 15: Joan Ryan Author of Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
• Episode 17: Growing Up In The Soviet Gymnastics System And Training At Round Lake
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 28: Kristen Maloney
• Episode 31: Elise Ray
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• 61: Katelyn Ohashi Clears The Air
• 77: Aly Raisman
• 81: Jenny Hansen
• 99: Princess Catherine Lyons and Coach Rochelle Douglas
• 101: Olivia Vivian
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason

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In June, 2013 the Belarusian Swan graced us with her presence. Svetlana Boginskaya (Boguinskaia) is a 14-time Olympic and World medalist and is as elegant as she is fierce. This is a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind! Bogi gives us the scoop on: Alexander Alexandrov and why he left Russia, what happened at Round Lake when the USSR collapsed, the real story behind her snub of Kim Zmeskal at the 1991 World Championships, the politics behind Natalia Kalinina being left off of the Barcelona Olympic team, what makes her gymnastics camp different, why she thinks she isn’t artistic, dating as a teen gymnast in Moscow, her Bolshoi choreography, her favorite routines, coaching Oksana Chusovitina in 2013, and why raising kids is harder than doing a sixth Olympics or trying to understand Bela Karolyi's english. 

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Follow her on Instagram under the username "Svetlanaboguinskaia", check out the schedule for her camp here or email her for choreography at info@ogccamp.com. If you are ever in the Houston area, make sure to visit her resturant, Mazzei's Gourmet Pizzeria in Katy, Texas.

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• Episode 9: Chellsie Memmel, Swiss Cup & FIG Presidential Proposals
• 148: Shannon Miller
• Episode 12: Miss Val Part 2
• Episode 11: Miss Val
• Episode 15: Joan Ryan Author of Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
• Episode 17: Growing Up In The Soviet Gymnastics System And Training At Round Lake
• Episode 28: Kristen Maloney
• Episode 31: Elise Ray
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• 61: Katelyn Ohashi Clears The Air
• 77: Aly Raisman
• 81: Jenny Hansen
• 99: Princess Catherine Lyons and Coach Rochelle Douglas
• 101: Olivia Vivian
• 137: Lady Lisa Mason
• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 39: Victoria Moors
• 99: Princess Catherine Lyons and Coach Rochelle Douglas
• 101: Olivia Vivian

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Seda Tutkhalyan (RUS), Giulia Steingruber (SUI), Lisa Top (NED) on the vault podium at the inaugural European Games in Baku.

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Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton, Emma and Jessica chat about:

• The unusual format of 3 up 2 count over two days for team, and men and women on the floor at once.
• One per country rule for finals - spoiler alert, we hated it!
• The level of difficulty might have been lower than usual (12.8 for bronze on bars) but the performances were gorgeous! We choose our favorite routines and skills
• The return of Komova! Rejoice!
• Showdown of the Olegs, plus the big payout for medals given to Oleg Stepko by Azerbeijan. He made bank!
• The Russian Dream Team: Seda, Aliya and Komova
• Giulia Steingruber, is she the new Sacramone of vault and floor?
• Concussions in context: Brinn Bevin high bar fall and why concussions are always serious.
• Fabian Hambüchen's dinasour roars and new floor skill.
• Miguel Rayderley Zapata from Spain won floor just like Jessica told you guys he would! If you don't love him,  you are not paying attention!

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Results, video, photos and news from the first European Games here.  

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• 152: Four Nations Cup Italy, Russia, Romania and Colombia
• 148: Shannon Miller
• 147: The 2015 European Championships
• 143: The Return of Gabby Douglas
• 140: The 2015 American Cup
• 139: Steve Butcher, President of the FIG Men's Technical Committee
• 138: Prince Emyre Cole
• 130: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton
• 128: Aly is Back
• 124: Event Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 123: All Around Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 122: Team Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 121: Qualifications Recap from the 2014 World Championships
• 120: The World Championships Preview Show
• Episode 17: Growing Up In The Soviet Gymnastics System And Training At Round Lake

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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.