Ok, this thread is kind of getting ackward and is reminding me of the ONLY thing that frustrates me about this forum and why it took me awhile to post here, the fact that people are in team group-think mode, like they are personally being harmed by anyone offering constructive criticism about a team or a gymnast that they like.  This is most irritating because this board is full of very informed fans with interesting opinions, many of whom are terrified to say anything that might inflame fans. 

Given this statement, I offer the following thoughts:

 “That was a beautiful vault but it was not deserving of a 10” does NOT mean any of the following:

1.       We hate Alabama.

2.       We hate Miliner.

3.       We think Alabama paid off the judges.

4.       We think Alabama is the worst team in the NCAA.

5.       We think it’s Alabama’s fault.

6.       We think it’s Miliner’s fault.

7.       We think Alabama and Miliner like to trip old people, take candy from babies, and kick puppies.

Here’s what it does mean:

1.        “Perfect” means “flawless.”  This was not a flawless vault, albeit a very very good one – easily one of the best of the season - and more than deserving of many accolades.

2.       When one says “that did not deserve a 10” you cannot dispute that statement while still agreeing that there were flaws.  The word “deserve” means “earned” or “meets the requirement for.”  Meeting the requirement for a PERFECT 10 means that the vault was PERFECT.  If would you like to say “that vault did not deserve a perfect 10 but it was appropriate for the horrible scoring we’ve seen across the entire NCAA,” that would be a fair statement.  “It deserved a 10” would not.
  

3.       The fact that it got a 10 highlights a serious issue with scoring, one that is becoming worse and worse.  (AGAIN, not by of any fault of Alabama’s or Miliner’s.)  I realize judges aren’t perfect and if it was an occasional thing, I wouldn’t bat an eyelash.  Instead, it’s gotten to the point where it’s every meet and if a judge gives anything below a 9.9 (assuming the athlete didn’t fall on their rear end), deserved or not, everyone cries foul.  Like I said, there’s a problem and no one is doing these athletes any favors by making it impossible to prepare for NCAAs and have an accurate picture of how they stack up against the rest of the country.