Mirai Nagasu interview received criticism

[lappo]

Hmm...I think it's not only their words...after all their words reflect their beliefs and attitudes.

Hate on Eteri all you want but NOT ONCE did any of her girls make an inappropriate comment or bragged out loud....even as they are bagging medals left right and center.

This is also about teaching an attitude of humility and respect, for yourself, for your team mates, for the hard work and tears, for the sport.

I don't like Eteri at all but I totally agree that her skaters have the best attitude around. Never heard a controversial word from them and they are so much younger than Mirai. Maybe some people find Mirai/Adam/Ashley attitude and comments funny, refreshing and so on...I simply find all of them classless most of the time.
ETA: they do some media training at Champs camp but you wouldn't say...

 

[anyanka]

Hmm...I think it's not only their words...after all their words reflect their beliefs and attitudes.

Hate on Eteri all you want but NOT ONCE did any of her girls make an inappropriate comment or bragged out loud....even as they are bagging medals left right and center.

This is also about teaching an attitude of humility and respect, for yourself, for your team mates, for the hard work and tears, for the sport.

It's a decidedly American mindset, at least among the skaters. You know which phrase drives me absolutely crazy when I heard interviews from Mirai or Ashley?

"I'm so happy for me ..."
"I'm so proud of myself ..."

UGH. No thanks to coaches, family, etc. No collective acknowledgement. They haven't been coached or given proper PR skills on this. Satoko refers to coaches as "Ms. Hamada". Eteri's girls are all poised and don't swagger. The Canadian skaters are quick to thank their "team" (that's our word, apparently).

I don't think there's much controversy in what Mirai said but that just bugs me. It was one perfect jump, and then she proceeded to flop the rest of the competition. I like her but girl, get a grip.

 

[qwertyskates]

I feel it's a whole package. Teaching the right life attitude, always pushing yourself to do better, never put yourself on a pedestal even when you are on the pedestal, there will always be someone better than you so don't rest on your laurels, accept blame, don't feel entitled, etc. gives an edge to her girls on and off the ice.

 

[chuckm]

The US ladies didn't handle the pressure. It's a fact, not an aggressive assertion. The US ladies are responsible for that and should be prepared for questions about it.

Mirai, the oldest of the ladies with the most experience, handled the pressure least well. Her mistakes (popping the two highest-point jumps) were more costly than the falls and step-outs of her teammates.

Mirai was handled with kid gloves by commentators and from responses on this thread, fans excuse her flippant remarks which seemed pointedly critical of her teammates.

I'm just wondering whether Mirai is committed to "rescuing" the 3 spots for US ladies at 2019 Worlds or if she doesn't care because she will be busy rehearsing next year for DWTS.

 

[andromache]

It's a decidedly American mindset, at least among the skaters. You know which phrase drives me absolutely crazy when I heard interviews from Mirai or Ashley?

"I'm so happy for me ..."
"I'm so proud of myself ..."

UGH. No thanks to coaches, family, etc. No collective acknowledgement. They haven't been coached or given proper PR skills on this. Satoko refers to coaches as "Ms. Hamada". Eteri's girls are all poised and don't swagger. The Canadian skaters are quick to thank their "team" (that's our word, apparently).

I don't think there's much controversy in what Mirai said but that just bugs me. It was one perfect jump, and then she proceeded to flop the rest of the competition. I like her but girl, get a grip.

Sport in the US is all about what is perceived as individual achievement (other than duh team sports). I'm not going to blame the ladies for that - just cultural differences in terms of how athletes are taught to talk about themselves.

 

[imisscohen]

The US ladies didn't handle the pressure. It's a fact, not an aggressive assertion. The US ladies are responsible for that and should be prepared for questions about it.

Can you back up your factual assertion with demonstrative evidence?

Didn't think so. Saying an athlete didn't handle the pressure b/c they fell or made a mistake is nothing more than an assertion. There's nothing tangible to prove otherwise. Mirai's "I popped my axel b/c I hit a rut." is more factual than the assertion that she missed the axel because she couldn't handle the pressure.

 

[qwertyskates]

Poor girl is getting the backlash splashed on newspapers all over. Hope she lives and learns and goes to World with new humility and a more grown-up attitude.

 

[andromache]

Can you back up your factual assertion with demonstrative evidence?

Didn't think so. Saying an athlete didn't handle the pressure b/c they fell or made a mistake is nothing more than an assertion. There's nothing tangible to prove otherwise. Mirai's "I popped my axel b/c I hit a rut." is more factual than the assertion that she missed the axel because she couldn't handle the pressure.

The skaters who handled the pressure didn't make mistakes or hit ruts in the ice. The skaters who didn't made mistakes. No excuses.

 

[frida80]

Poor girl is getting the backlash splashed on newspapers all over. Hope she lives and learns and goes to World with new humility and a more grown-up attitude.

Mirai has always been pretty sensitive. I worry that all of this negative media will hurt her growing confidence before Worlds.

American media is looking for a scakaegost for not doing better at the Olympics. I’m sad Mirai gave them this ammo.

 

[imisscohen]

The skaters who handled the pressure didn't make mistakes or hit ruts in the ice. The skaters who didn't made mistakes. No excuses.

I think you misunderstood what I was saying or you deliberately trampled through it to repeat your same baseless assertion. Either way, I don't care. We're both just two people posting on an internet forum about things that don't matter.

 

[Mathman]

I have a question, what exactly is an amateur anymore? I remember when back in the day doing something like dancing with the stars would possibly compromise your amateur status. obviously she’s not a shoe in but if she were to be on the show.

I think it was way, way, way back in the day that going on a dancing show would compromise your amateur status. Nowadays I think that the whole concept of amateurism has disappeared. Professional basketball players and hockey players compete in the Olympics, as well as people like snowboarder Shawn White, who has made millions from his sport (estimated net worth, US$ 40 million).

I believe that the original concept of amateur sports is that the nobility did not want to rub shoulders with people who - ugh, yuck -- have to earn a living. So you held "amateur" competitions and tried to protend that there was something noble in competing just for the pure love of gentlemanly athletic competition, but keep the low-class "professionals" out.

In figure skating, I think the only vestige remaining is that the ISU won't let an Olympic eligible athlete compete in pro skating competitions that are not held under ISU rules and with ISU approved judges.

 

[skylark]

savage their skaters. Ugly! Support your skaters! Don't tear them down!

Wow. Where have you been on this board when Ashley Wagner was being savaged with ugly remarks and torn down.

 

[temadd]

What are they criticizing? None of those comments were controversial. Methinks the media are reaching at this point.

Smiling in the middle of the program: Would people prefer she be crying instead? She decided to make the most of the moment. She didn't hit the axel so why not just enjoy yourself? Show that you can perform and have a moment even when things aren't perfect. Not controversial...
. :

I appreciate that Mirai finally showed some emotion but her music is Miss Saigon - a tragic love story.

 

[qwertyskates]

The skaters who handled the pressure didn't make mistakes or hit ruts in the ice. The skaters who didn't made mistakes. No excuses.

They all skated on the same ice, the last flight on worse ice than Mirai did. So indeed no excuses.

Neither Daleman nor Karen Chen blame anything else for their poor performances.

I thought NA sports figures earn bragging rights by getting to the top of their game. You shouldn't when you're 10th/11th/12th.....

It's better for Mirai to get frank feedback from the FS community than getting burned by national media....too late now it seems

I never noticed this side of her. :dumb:

 

[lyndichee]

When skaters give PC answers they get criticized, when they give their genuine thoughts, they get criticized. They win some they lose some.

Something that I watched in the warm up was when Gabby and Mirai skated past each other Mirai was facing the camera and Gabby was not but Mirai smiled in Gabby's direction so I don't think Mirai's comment was meant to have any negative connotations.

 

[imisscohen]

When skaters give PC answers they get criticized, when they give their genuine thoughts, they get criticized. They win some they lose some.

Something that I watched in the warm up was when Gabby and Mirai skated past each other Mirai was facing the camera and Gabby was not but Mirai smiled in Gabby's direction so I don't think Mirai's comment was meant to have any negative connotations.

It wasn't. She even consoled Gabby after her epic meltdown on the ice.

 

[andromache]

When skaters give PC answers they get criticized, when they give their genuine thoughts, they get criticized. They win some they lose some.

Something that I watched in the warm up was when Gabby and Mirai skated past each other Mirai was facing the camera and Gabby was not but Mirai smiled in Gabby's direction so I don't think Mirai's comment was meant to have any negative connotations.

I do not think that Mirai deliberately wanted to bash Gabby. But bringing up someone else's poor performance when asked about your own is....not a good look.

 

[andromache]

I think you misunderstood what I was saying or you deliberately trampled through it to repeat your same baseless assertion. Either way, I don't care. We're both just two people posting on an internet forum about things that don't matter.

Whether directly or indirectly due to pressure or not, when skaters make mistakes it is the skater's fault and no one else's. There might be good or bad reasons for making those mistakes (like feeling under pressure, or having the flu, or having to take cold showers). You either stand up to the pressure of a bunch of different circumstances like Kaetlyn, Evgenia, Alina, and Satoko did last night, or you make mistakes.

 

[qwertyskates]

It's not PC or PR even....it needs to go deeper. With this attitude you don't grow champions. Champions are made of inner steel - part zen, part training maniac, part endurance machine, part true gratitude, big spirit, small ego, etc...lots of other stuff that are not *this* stuff....

 

[ice coverage]

It wasn't. She even consoled Gabby after her epic meltdown on the ice.

Yes. :agree:

McCarvel's tweet and photo showing that Mirai was supportive of Daleman in the mixed zone:

... Lovely embrace between Nagasu and Gabby Daleman backstage. "Don't cry girl," Mirai says. Reminds Daleman of her team gold ...

https://twitter.com/NickMcCarvel/status/966889691021627392​

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Wow. Where have you been on this board when Ashley Wagner was being savaged with ugly remarks and torn down.

It is true that Mirai is not the only U.S. lady on the receiving end on GS of being savaged with ugly remarks and being torn down.

But I wish that we all were hoping for less of that for everyone (instead of more).