Ok, I’ll admit it.

I didn’t think there was any way LSU could beat Florida.

Seriously, Florida has 2008 Olympian/2009 World Champion BRIDGET SLOAN for crying out loud.

They have KYTRA!!

MACKO and ALAINA are on their team!!

After last year’s close call, many believe this is finally the year the Gators will break through and win the NCAA championship.

Last Friday night (11-Jan-2013) at the Maravich Center, as the teams warmed up, I admit I almost exclusively focused on Florida. I couldn’t help it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the LSU Tigers, but man, it was FLORIDA!

I watched the Gators and everywhere I looked, I saw superstar elite gymnasts I’d actually heard of and seen on TV. It was like watching the 1927 Yankees without the beer bellies (and other stuff).

I expected the gym-meet to be over by halftime; a blow-out for Florida.

Wow, was I wrong.

LSU was confident. They trusted in their process. They fought for every tenth, and routine after routine, they pressured Florida to keep up.

Eventually, Florida cracked.

In the final rotation the Gators had falls on balance beam from both their rookie sensation Bridget Sloan and from veteran Marissa King. Time will tell if that was a fluke or the start of a trend.

Meanwhile the LSU Tigers, amidst ear-shattering high-pitched screams, ROCKED their final floor exercise routines with back-to-back homeruns from their number five and six hitters, Rheagan Courville and Lloimincia Hall.

Rheagan Courville banged out a 9.900 over the left field fence, showing beautiful extension and performing her choreography with such elegance and conviction.

Then POWWWW!!!

Lloimincia Hall slams it out of the park with a We-Win, You-Lose, No-Doubt-About-It, 9.950 walk-off homerun into the upper deck!!

SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR!!!

The LSU Tigers win: 196.875 to 196.575!!

Unbelievable!! I still can’t believe it.

In the post-game interview, D-D Breaux said, and I’m not making this up:

“Our motivation tonight was a lot like football, you know, smash-mouth; knuckles on the line; go straight at ‘em; and that’s what we did tonight!”

Wowww… I totally love this coach! Compared to other sports, the general public probably thinks of the gymnasts like they’re delicate flowers doing an arabesque, but here’s a gymnastics coach talking about football-like competitive grit; taking it to the competition and fighting to win! I love it!

It got me thinking that if gymnastics really was more like football that would be awesome. I can just see it now:

…and Macko takes a running start down the vaulting lane for Florida. She’s really picking up speed – WHAMMM!!! – OH MY!! Sarie Morrison with a GREAT open-field tackle!!

Hmmm... Gymnastics Football? Perhaps not.

Anyway, the LSU Tigers really showed me something: this team has heart.

I know it is only the second meet of their season, but like D-D Breaux has said, this team has the potential to score in the 197-range. They had three falls last week (two on bars) and still scored 196.075.

Maybe this year, LSU will be the team that surprises everyone.

I can’t wait to watch and find out.

You can check out my photo album of the Florida vs LSU gym meet at this link:http://www.gymnastike.org/coverage/250158/album/447980