RIO DE JANEIRO -- In the midst of arguably their finest team performance in a quadrennium, a familiar nemesis provided the U.S. mens gymnastics team with a reminder that nothing comes easily.Especially on pommel horse. Especially at the Olympics.While having Chris Brooks and Sam Mikulak go spinning off pommels removed some of the sparkle of an occasionally spectacular Saturday during Olympic preliminaries, it also offered a reality check. As solid as the score of 270.405 points was -- second only to two-time defending champion China -- the Americans know it can be better during Mondays team finals.We just want to keep building momentum, Mikulak said. I think thats what today was, getting comfortable on the equipment and making a little bit of a statement. Hopefully that statement will carry over and we can carry that momentum to Monday.Four years ago in London, the Americans dominated qualifying only to slide to fifth with a medal on the line, a fall kickstarted by a forgettable set on pommels. China, which slogged to sixth in prelims, rebounded all the way to the top of the podium.Its a painful memory that remains fresh for the five men on Team USA, all of whom were involved on the 2012 team in some capacity. This group, they insist, is not that group. Theyre older. Wiser. And not so caught up in their own hype.We were just so pumped up about everything we might have just believed in ourselves that we might have already proven ourselves, Mikulak said. This time we all know thats not what were going to do. ... What happened today doesnt matter on Monday.Russia, Japan, Britain, Brazil, Ukraine and Germany all advanced to the eight-team final, though the sometimes giddy atmosphere -- punctuated by host Brazils euphoric breakthrough in front of a raucous home crowd during the opening session -- was tempered by sobering reminders of the sports ever present danger.French gymnast Samir Ait Said broke his left leg while trying to land a vault, the crack of the bone shattering upon impact with the mat echoing throughout the arena and the shocking images of Said holding it in his hands instantly going viral.It is catastrophic, French teammate Cyril Tommasone said.Andreas Tobas right knee buckled during his floor routine. While the German managed to compete on pommels, he watched the rest of qualifying in sweat pants with his right leg ramrod straight in a brace, his Olympics over.I cried like a little kid, Toba said. The injury on my knee is big, but the emotional injury is way bigger.Japans missteps were far less painful but nearly as startling. Nine months ago after ending Chinas long run at the top by surging to gold at the world championships, the Japanese looked a bit overcome by the stage at Rio Olympic Arena.Even typically poised and ever elegant defending Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura wasnt immune to the pressure.Looking for a gold medal to bookend the one he captured in London, he went sailing off the high bar -- an event where he is the reigning world champion -- and smacked onto the ground in shock. The miscue means hell miss the event final. It also cost him the top qualifying score in the all-around. Uchimuras score of 90.498 was second to Ukraines Oleg Verniaiev, one of the rare times Uchimura hasnt found himself looking down at the rest of the field.The scores will be reset in the individual all-around next Wednesday, though Uchimura is more concerned about getting his team mentally prepared for Monday night.We try to perform like the world championships, Uchimura said. But we know this is the Olympic Games and this makes us stressed out.The stress didnt get to China, which downplayed Japans rise at worlds and promised to be ready by Rio. The Chinese posted the top scores on parallel bars and still rings, their three near flawless sets on rings in the final rotation giving them just enough to edge the Americans.China delivering in the clutch is hardly new. It is new in Brazil, which made the team final for the first time, fueled by an arena that roared with every stuck landing.The highlight came during three-time Olympic veteran Diego Hypolitos floor exercise. After falling in the 2008 floor final and failing to make the event final in 2012 after a similar mistake, tears streamed down the 30-year-old Brazilians face after posting a 15.5, good enough for a spot in the floor final later in the games. Yet the tears were not for his score as much for his country.This was important for Brazil, it was about the team, Hypolito said. Ive been to three Olympics. This is something weve thought about for a long time. To perform like this, its a dream. NFL Jerseys Outlet . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. Cheap Football Jerseys China . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. 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