Gymnastic experts, can someone tell me how Simon Biles made 3 major errors but yet had top score in qualifying?

So explain it like we're talking to a 5 year old?

always need to dumb it down wrote:

Imagine Kipchoge running a marathon at 2:02 pace against a bunch of 2:08 marathoners, but decides to walk for 1min a few times in the middle of the race. He still finished in 2:05 and beats all the 2:08 guys.

Should he not be allowed to race because he walked while they ran the whole time? Welcome to sports.

It's more like Kipchoge goes out at a 1:58 pace, blows up at mile 20, and steps off the course to jog back to the podium for a medal.

rojo wrote:

Let's say everyone did a not super hard routine, would she still be the #1 gymnast in the world? Or is her success the result of the new scoring?

Actually a very good question, Rojo. Her dominant success is indeed the result of the current scoring system (I wouldn’t call it ‘new’ as it’s been 15 years now.)

If she were to perform a mediocre routine with a scoring system that favored technique instead, she would likely still be near the top. She’s got fantastic technique when it comes to the more basic moves.

2600 bro wrote:

6403 wrote:

"I don't think some of you understand how much better Simone Biles is than everyone else. If her skillset were graded fairly, she would be even further ahead than her competitors."

How is her "skillset" not graded "fairly"? They account for degree of difficulty, so what else are the supposed to do, just hand over the gold medal when she enters the arena?

Nadia Comaneci hardly ever even had a "bobble" in her routines, and Biles had three major screwups just in the preliminaries. But even suggest that Comaneci or some of the other all time greats are just as good, and watch heads explode all over the woke world.

Like what?

https://images.app.goo.gl/G1UvnnBx26xA8GhS7

He is talking about Comaneci.

By the way, she was the "Biles" of her era. She had more difficult routines than anyone else ( at least on bars and beam), and that's why she outscored every one. (Nellie Kim had the hardest routines on vault and floor.) She was doing skills that are still rated as "E" under the current code (when FIG had only ABC in their code.) I am old enough to remember how she was criticized as just an "acrobat" compared to graceful Caslafska (who was, of course, the "Biles" of her era.)

In other words, the media and the sport have elevated a black woman to the top and you are suspicious that she's being given her points despite a lack of ability, right? Try watching the sport. If you look at a video of Biles vs. the great 1970s and 1980s champions, the Biles routines make Korbut and Comaneci and even Retton work look like child's play.

I. Rex wrote:

6403 wrote:

I also believe there is some "woke" intimidation for the judges. Biles has been universally acclaimed as the "GOAT",

and anybody that even suggests that she's not gets flamed as a racist at this point. Giving her a bad score, even after obvious mistakes, opens the judging up to heavy criticism and controversy.

Nonsense. The judges dont just wing a score based on their mood at the time. Each element has a particular score and each mistake has a particular deduction. Thats why the best gymnasts are less concerned with minor infractions, even stepping out of bounds here are there because they know they can more than make up for it based on the routine they are performing. But you go ahead and be upset that they wont let the judges judge based on racism.

Thank you. People really are determined to turn everything into a racism or leftist/rightist debate. It's an established sport with a standardized judging rubric. Whether you agree with the criteria or not, she is judged on the same basis as everyone else. It's the same scoring system that Nastia, Shawn, Gabby etc were scored on.

I like the new scoring system, degree of difficulty/execution, which places more emphasis on athleticism instead of artistry. High risk/high reward. No one better personifies this than Simone.

The drawback I've always had with women's gymnastics was too much focus on faux cheeriness while the men could grunt their way through a routine with a scowl on their face upon completion.

Now if we could just get rid of the makeup.

Hey Kitty Girl wrote:

6403 wrote:

Nadia Comaneci hardly ever even had a "bobble" in her routines, and Biles had three major screwups just in the preliminaries. But even suggest that Comaneci or some of the other all time greats are just as good, and watch heads explode all over the woke world.

LOLLLLLLLLLLL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tell me you don't understand gymnastics without telling me you don't understand gymnastics

Right!!! As great as Nadia was her difficulty level was no where near to Simone's. If Simone does Nadia's routine she wouldn't "bobble" either. They just don't get it.

I'm not reading this whole thread, but Biles seems to mess up more than anyone else. And somehow get higher scores. I'm sure this has something to do something with the "difficulty factor" or whatever to explain this.

Which is why subjective sports are not sports.

6403 wrote:

I think there are a few elements to this somewhat mystifying result.

Yes, the scoring now does favor "harder" routines, but that gives a significant, built in advantage

to the better gymnasts, as they are the ones that most likely will attempt these

more technically difficult moves.

I also believe there is some "woke" intimidation for the judges. Biles has been universally acclaimed as the "GOAT",

and anybody that even suggests that she's not gets flamed as a racist at this point. Giving her a bad score, even after obvious mistakes, opens the judging up to heavy criticism and controversy.

At this point, she could probably fall out of the building after every routine and still win multiple golds.

It's bigots like you that get my goat. You discount the fact that she is the best -because she is simply the best. Why is this? Because of the color of her skin? Why should someone who is no where as good as her win - because of the color of their skin? When are black people going to have to stop paying the black tax? When are people like you going to stop being racist?

Moran alert wrote:

I barely know anything about gymnastics, didn't watch the competition, and I didn't look at any of the other's responses but I'm going to venture a guess that her great score in spite of her mistakes has everything to do with the level of difficulty of her routine, judge bias, or both.

Good take.

And anyone watching and isn’t blind can clearly see the level of difficulty is very substantial.

streak wrote:

the difficulty ratings of her routines are very high, so she can afford a few errors.

....

EXACTLY when she is doing routines no other female can attempt, her

2-3 mistakes isn't enough to cost her an overall victory. Her DIFFICULTY rating is so much higher then all her competition.

VIPAM wrote:

streak wrote:

the difficulty ratings of her routines are very high, so she can afford a few errors.

....

EXACTLY when she is doing routines no other female can attempt, her

2-3 mistakes isn't enough to cost her an overall victory. Her DIFFICULTY rating is so much higher then all her competition.

I think people on this thread are exaggerating this.

On vault, Biles, Carey and Skinner had identical D scores. (6.0 and 5.8).

On beam. Biles had 6.5, Guan had 6.9

On bars, Biles had 6.2. Derwael had 6.7 and Lee had 6.6.

She has the highest total D scores in four events. But it's not like she is on a different planet.

Dwightarm wrote:

6403 wrote:

I also believe there is some "woke" intimidation for the judges. Biles has been universally acclaimed as the "GOAT",

and anybody that even suggests that she's not gets flamed as a racist at this point. Giving her a bad score, even after obvious mistakes, opens the judging up to heavy criticism and controversy.

No offense meant but this is just a REALLY really stupid comment by someone who clearly does not follow gymnastics.

+1

The reality is that FIG is trying for her to NOT dominate. She has a double/double dismount on beam that is not given the extra credit it should be based on the current scoring system. The claim is that "it's too dangerous so we don't want to encourage it".

Can someone explain to me why conservative Americans dislike Simon Biles and in many cases are actively rooting against her?

Using a basketball analogy,Biles is launching treys while all others

are shooting 2's,she may miss more but every make scores more points.

Ain't 1857 wrote:

Using a basketball analogy,Biles is launching treys while all others

are shooting 2's,she may miss more but every make scores more points.

That is pretty good.

Biles is by far the best even if she isn't nailing her landings.

Since there are so many gymnastics experts on this board, I have an important question.

Which three gymnasts should the US use for the team final? Based on their form in the prelim, I think we should bench Lee on vault and floor, and Chiles on bars and beam. But does that mean using McCallum on all four apparatuses?

What are your thoughts?

half tights wrote:

Can someone explain to me why conservative Americans dislike Simon Biles and in many cases are actively rooting against her?

You know the answer. We know the answer. No need to say it out loud.