State of US Ladies in skating III: 2014-15 Season

[flying camel]

I'm going with Cesario. She has the nerves to compete. If your not a good competitor what is the point of competing. I know she has some weaknesses, but maybe she can improve on them by the time the Olympics come around. I wish she could take some lessons from Frank, or that some former Olympian would take an interest in her and offer some help. But for now I'm pulling for her to make the World Team!

Other then Cesario and maybe Polina I don't see anyone who has the potential to be a World or Olympic champion. Gracie is good, but her nerves just won't let her get the job done. Maybe there is a great skater coming up in juniors. :disapp:

 

[kwanatic]

" SA wasn't her best competition, but it wasn't horrible either."

This is the problem with most of the US Ladies. It seems we've lowered our expectations over the years but, I certainly remember a time when all the US ladies could deliver programs that were at the very least, entertaining. I expect more than "Not Horrible" from our National Champions. In fact, I expect more than not horrible, from all the medalists at nationals.

+3

Really, that's what it comes down to. The US contingent of ladies is so, for lack of a better word, weak (in relation to the Russians) that we have to resolve ourselves to be content with "not horrible" skating. It's unfortunate but that's the reality of the matter.

I could totally see the Russians sweeping both the GPF and worlds this year. Hell, I'm almost expecting it.

 

[louisa05]

I didn't really like Gracie's "Shake It Off" exhibition program either, but at least you could tell that Gracie picked and liked the music she was skating to.

As someone who has spent my entire professional career working with teens, I can tell you that the fact that a 19 year old girl relates more to the latest pop diva's new song than she does to Phantom of the Opera is not proof that Frank or Lori or anyone else has done anything wrong. It is merely proof that she is pretty much like very other teenage girl in the country. Roughly 90% of them prefer pop divas to musicals. The other 10% are evenly divided between being devoted to indie or alternative music or their school's theatre and music departments.

And on the other side of that coin, it is highly likely that the majority of international figure skating judges relate more to Phantom of the Opera than to the latest release by a pop diva. That is the motivation of her free skate music. In this article, Gracie is quoted as saying that once she started working on the choreo, she fell in love with her FS music, too.

http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/20...figure-skating-skate-america-winter-olympics/

 

[supsu]

He laughed that Gracie was able to hug Elena from a floor level, almost like they were standing next to each other.

Ohh, lol. Thanks!


About Gracie's exhibition.. i think it was okay and cute. But not really that much music interpretation in it either, just bunch of i like this song, yea, i'm a girl/fan who likes this and dances to it with friends and sings along. I don't know if she knows she sings along with it, just like with Frozen, but to me that's not something i'd pay to go see and it's not really interpreting the music.

But about her actual competition, I wish her the best and hope she nails her jumps and the rest next time. I don't think she'll ever become a really great performer, exciting yes, but not too emotional, but that doesn't mean she can't do well in competitions. I do like the beginning of her free program. She's not smiling and she looks to be paying attention to her music.

 

[R.D.]

+3

Really, that's what it comes down to. The US contingent of ladies is so, for lack of a better word, weak (in relation to the Russians) that we have to resolve ourselves to be content with "not horrible" skating. It's unfortunate but that's the reality of the matter.

I could totally see the Russians sweeping both the GPF and worlds this year. Hell, I'm almost expecting it.

This, pretty much.

I think the answer to the question is Gracie Gold, because she has scored the highest of the Americans in recent competitions. And of course I know that's not saying much.

Gold is inconsistent, Wagner lacks the tech and Edmunds is too "green" so to speak. No one wins...

 

[mrrice]

"I could totally see the Russians sweeping both the GPF and worlds this year. Hell, I'm almost expecting it."

And they deserve to. Other than Samantha, I have been disappointed with the current state of the US Ladies. Yes it's early but, lots of our Ladies have won Skate America in the past and I just can't figure out why they can't deliver when the chips are down.

I'm still hopeful and was very happy to see Samantha step up to the plate and deliver a great LP. IMO, She doesn't have to win as she's not a current medalist but she sure did skate like one.

 

[Pasdedeux]

I know predictions in figure skating are iffy, but I am pretty sure Polina is going to China ready to kill. I hope her nerves hold and she delivers.

 

[Barb]

I know predictions in figure skating are iffy, but I am pretty sure Polina is going to China ready to kill. I hope her nerves hold and she delivers.

:yes:

 

[flutzy13]

I know predictions in figure skating are iffy, but I am pretty sure Polina is going to China ready to kill. I hope her nerves hold and she delivers.

Agree with this. While I won't anoint anyone as top US lady for the season until we've seen all of Gracie, Ashley and Polina on the GP, Polina is Definitrly my guess.

 

[merrywidow]

I'll stick with Gracie. I don't think her nerves are a problem, more loss of concentration at times. She's 19. Remember how long it took Kostner to pull it all together & become a consistent, beautiful skater? Polina has the potential & Gracie has the goods.

 

[merrywidow]

I'll stick with Gracie. I don't think she has a problem with her nerves anymore than any other girl. Loss of concentration perhaps but she will repeat as our national champion IMO. Polina has potential but her time has yet to come.

 

[papa]

Gracie is quoted as saying that once she started working on the choreo, she fell in love with her FS music, too.

She doesn't look like she is in love with her music, coach or packaging. Not during her skate nor after. That's my distant personal observation and that's my point.

 

[SimplyAFan]

She doesn't look like she is in love with her music, coach or packaging. Not during her skate nor after. That's my distant personal observation and that's my point.

I agree. From what she said in past interviews, her team picked this music for her and talked her into skating to it. I wonder if she had been part of the decision process if she could have something that suits her style more and something she truly wants to skate to. I'd love to see the difference.

 

[Jammers]

I agree. From what she said in past interviews, her team picked this music for her and talked her into skating to it. I wonder if she had been part of the decision process if she could have something that suits her style more and something she truly wants to skate to. I'd love to see the difference.

Well Gracie needs to be more assertive in picking the music. After all she is the one paying them.

 

[Jammers]

I'll stick with Gracie. I don't think she has a problem with her nerves anymore than any other girl. Loss of concentration perhaps but she will repeat as our national champion IMO. Polina has potential but her time has yet to come.

Right now Gracie doesn't have the mental toughness to make it on the World podium though she seemed to think her performance at SA was going to put her in the running. There are plenty of girls who don't cave in like Gracie does. I don't see as much fight in her as the Russian girls for instance. They take the ice like they own it and you know they will land their jumps or will fight like hell to land them.

 

[flying camel]

I don't think Gracie was well trained for this competition. She is a skater that needs to put in the time on the ice. I think she has had a ball since the Olympics. She had a lot of opportunities. Time to get back to training Gracie.

What about Hannah Miller? She does have some good qualities. But I fear she will be approaching her 25th birthday before she makes it to the GP events.

 

[kwanatic]

Gracie is receiving high PCS scores, but I think that has more to do with her currently being the US #1 than her actual skating/programs. The programs and persona Frank has given her do not work. Her image comes across as fake and forced. She has no emotional connection to the programs she is being given. Her interpretation of "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" is awful. It's a solemn song about loss, and Gracie portrays none of that. She skates the program expressionless or with a pageant smile that is inappropriate for the song's lyrical content plastered on her face. I didn't really like Gracie's "Shake It Off" exhibition program either, but at least you could tell that Gracie picked and liked the music she was skating to. There was an obvious connection to the music. I think that performance showcased the real Gracie, and her programs showcase Frank's outdated idea of what a female skater must be. And I'd rather see the real Gracie than this artificial image she is projecting.



The impression that I took away from Skate America was the opposite - that she was nowhere near close to competing with the Russians. Her programs and interpretation of them are awful. Her jumps are not consistent and are landed very hard. Honestly, she was lucky to place third at Skate America. I thought she deserved fifth place. Park and Cesario were way better than her.

ITA...with pretty much all of that. I don't see them changing the program at this point in the season b/c it is a solid program albeit a boring/generic one. What it comes down to is if she skates it well, she'll score well. In the end that's all that matters...however, the general consensus (from people on this forum to FSU to Dave & Jenny on The Skating Lesson to Johnny and Tara) is that the program isn't a good fit for her. Everyone seems to see it and, unless Frank is getting senile, he sees it too.


In terms of Miyahara at NHK, I do think she'll go in as a co-favorite (if not heavy favorite, depending on how she does this week) to win gold. Adelina can definitely win but no one knows what kind of shape she's in right now. Comparing what we've seen so far from Miyahara and Gracie, Miyahara is a clear threat. She routinely delivers clean programs and, now as Japan's #1, she'll likely get a small boost from skating at home. Gracie won in PCS at SA but her TES was so weak, she didn't have a shot. I don't expect her to make those same stupid mistakes she made so I do think she'll be better at NHK...but she'll need to be much better if she wants to get by Miyahara. Gracie will likely be in the top 2 in PCS (along with Adelina), but Miyahara could dust both of them in TES b/c of how consistent she is with her jumps.

Re: the Park/Miyahara comparison, people forget that despite how lovely Park is and the fact that she's been to the Olympics and worlds, she's a newbie newbie...this is her first year on the GP. I definitely think she deserved higher PCS than what she got but the fact of the matter is she's going to have to earn them. She's got enough content to be competitive but she has got to stop flubbing her SP. She rarely skates cleanly in the SP. Also, she was the only one who fell in the FS...personally I don't think it took anything away from her performance, but she did fall.

Park can (and most likely will) end up on a podium but, without the political backing, she's going to have to get herself there by skating cleanly and not giving the judges a reason to hold her back (i.e. mistakes). She's on the right track. With TES like she earned at SA, if she can keep that up, eventually the PCS will catch up as well.

 

[kwanatic]

My money (if I had any) would be on Polina too. But at this point I'm not putting anything past anyone. Polina appears to have those steely nerves and mental toughness but who knows how she'll hold up under the senior stage pressure. This is her first year senior and it's an entirely different ballgame. I will say I felt she did very well in Sochi and at worlds, which is why I'm hoping she can handle the pressure...but who knows?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm really happy I'm a big fan of so many of the Russian girls. If I was all "USA All the Way!!" I'd be hella depressed right now.

 

[R.D.]

I don't see [Team Gold] changing the program at this point in the season b/c it is a solid program albeit a boring/generic one. What it comes down to is if she skates it well, she'll score well. In the end that's all that matters...however, the general consensus (from people on this forum to FSU to Dave & Jenny on The Skating Lesson to Johnny and Tara) is that the program isn't a good fit for her.

They don't need to change anything about the music. She just needs to hit, that's all. The score will happen if the jumps are landed.

And in another thread that asked who the top American female skater was, I said Gold. This is why. In addition, unlike her American peers, she is capable of close to top scores when she is clean.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

And in another thread that asked who the top American female skater was, I said Gold. This is why. In addition, unlike her American peers, she is capable of close to top scores when she is clean.

Based on her best scores last year, she can do a 70+ short and very close to 140 in the long if she's perfect. You're right that no American woman can achieve that at the moment. Julia can have an off night under pressure, and Adelina is far more inconsistent than Julia, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for Gracie to win it all if she hits everything at Worlds.