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- Sep 26, 2010
Will Mirai Appeal Decision for Olympic Team?
- Thread starter Snapper
- Start date
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- Mar 3, 2012
But Ashley didn't, or couldn't, deliver when it counted. Yet she was rewarded.
I'm such a baby I was crying so hard
it's truly heartbreaking, It breaks my heart seeing her like this.
Please read the selecrtion criteria, which were published well before the season even started. Ashley has delivered all season long--this is the first competition in which any of the other US ladies have placed above her--and the GPs count in the selection criteria. Had she placed lower than 5th in the Nationals, she would have been out of contention, but she was 4th. Case closed.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2010
She was rewarded because she did deliver in other events that also count in the selection of the Olympic team (See link in my post above yours)
ETA: Matilda beat me to it.
There is a huge difference between Ashley and C/D, a team of only 2 years w no hopes at all for a medal. Ashley could win a medal and came third in the GPF, w many GP medals and qualifications in the GPF over the years. She is a twice natioanl champion, and won last year. She was 4th or 5th at worlds.
And C/D in their two years did what? They were not the reigning national champions, and have not done much internationally except for some GP. They did not earn the US third spot back. IMO, if they did not give it to Rochne and McLaughlin in 2010 ahead of E&L, there is no basis to bend the rules now for C&D. In the team, the Russian and Chinese and Canadian pairs will all score higher no matter who is sent probably so it does not matter who they send in pairs.
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- Jun 27, 2003
this is not the first time something like this has happened: Kimmie Meissner over Katrina Hacker for World Team. Everyone knew going into nationals that it was a possibility that the USFSA might not go for 1, 2, 3 in the ladies. As heartbreaking as it is for Mirai, she did herself no favors in the last four years... and she's not gotten any glowing recommendations from several top USFSA coaches - include Mr. Frank Carrol. That holds a lot of weight and is not sneaky or underhanded. They want to make the best team for the Olympics/Worlds as possible. IMO it was between Mirai and Polina - and they want to encourage the future of skating (Gracie & Polina).
But I am admittedly biased in favor of Ashley.
But I am admittedly biased in favor of Ashley.
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- Mar 3, 2012
It would take away from the excitement of a singular competition, I guess, if one competitor were to be given three places as a cushion in said competition. It would only be fair to warn the audience ahead of time, if that were the case. That is, if the audience should be expected to care.
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- Mar 7, 2011
You act as if none of us have seen the criteria.
The fact is, this criteria has never been applied to an uninjured athlete until 2014 (and only to ladies.) It might as well have not existed until now. Why are people denying this? It shows a huge lack of credibility for USFS.
On the one hand, the USFS seems to indicate national results do matter bc I think if Mirai got second and not third, then Polina would have been left off. Yet on the other hand, they are acting like it is one of many factors to consider in picking Ashley.
If you are going to go by that standard, what is the basis for sending Polina? By sending Polina you are placing alot of weight on nationals results. Polina won JGP events and was 4th at the final behind ladies not even going to Sochi and 3 Russians that are not their best. We have absolutely no idea how Polina will fare in a senior intl competition. Will she shine? Will she be another Caroline Zhang or Lip who fail to do well internationally at the senior level? Will she fill out and lose her jumps? We just don't know. Of course her body will stay the same for Sochi but I don't see how the future argument has any merit. Given many ladies are skating later and about half fall off once they are done puberty, Mirai or some of the other ladies many now at the novice level is as much a factor for 2018 as Polina. We have no idea who will be the future bc every skater touted as the future often never delivered (Kimmie after 2006, Mirai, etc).
Mirai on the other hand is somewhat of a known quantity. She is inconsistent but somewhat consistent in her inconsistency. She starts out the season poor and usually improves. She does well on her second GP event usually. And she can often bring it at nationals. Last year does not count bc she was sick but in prior years in recent times she usually did pretty good just missing the world team with the flatt situation. And it is a toss up on how she will do at a major event - she could shine like the Olympics and the short at the 2010 worlds or she could be like she was in 2010 worlds long. If she is not the front runner, she probably would feel less pressure and do pretty good, given her past when she has been in that situation.
If you are going to go by that standard, what is the basis for sending Polina? By sending Polina you are placing alot of weight on nationals results. Polina won JGP events and was 4th at the final behind ladies not even going to Sochi and 3 Russians that are not their best. We have absolutely no idea how Polina will fare in a senior intl competition. Will she shine? Will she be another Caroline Zhang or Lip who fail to do well internationally at the senior level? Will she fill out and lose her jumps? We just don't know. Of course her body will stay the same for Sochi but I don't see how the future argument has any merit. Given many ladies are skating later and about half fall off once they are done puberty, Mirai or some of the other ladies many now at the novice level is as much a factor for 2018 as Polina. We have no idea who will be the future bc every skater touted as the future often never delivered (Kimmie after 2006, Mirai, etc).
Mirai on the other hand is somewhat of a known quantity. She is inconsistent but somewhat consistent in her inconsistency. She starts out the season poor and usually improves. She does well on her second GP event usually. And she can often bring it at nationals. Last year does not count bc she was sick but in prior years in recent times she usually did pretty good just missing the world team with the flatt situation. And it is a toss up on how she will do at a major event - she could shine like the Olympics and the short at the 2010 worlds or she could be like she was in 2010 worlds long. If she is not the front runner, she probably would feel less pressure and do pretty good, given her past when she has been in that situation.
Can you recall in the last few years, when it would have been really in the USFSA's best interest to put someone else on a team? I mean previously they had figures. But lets look foreward.
Kristi-
Tonya
Nancy-three world medalists they wanted this team.
Nancy
Tonya-well Tonya was National Champion
Michelle
Tara
Nicole-All three had all the endorsements, world medals..
Michelle
Sasha-Angela may have had a good worlds result but they were thrilled about Sasha!
Sarah
Sasha
Kimmie
Emily (they wanted this one too with Michelle out)
Mirai
Flatt-since Sasha wasn't up to snuff might as well.
This is the first year where the USA's top lady has not qualified outright. In a long time. So to say there's precedent, well there was never a reason for them to invoke such a right
I do recall Tara saying that she was told after US Nationals that if she had finished out of the top three, they told her after they event, that they'd still take her.
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- Jun 27, 2003
Tonya also sued the USFSA to keep her on the team - and she won. Because the only reason they had to keep her off was the "whack" and she was pretty much given a free pass for that by the judge.
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- Jun 27, 2003
2008 World Team Selection. Kimmie Meissner wasn't even 4th at that US Nationals, but Katrina Hacker didn't go to Worlds because of Kim's previous record.
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- Feb 24, 2012
ITA Remember Witt won gold in 1984 so should she represent Germany now?
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- Sep 26, 2010
It exists since September 19, 2012. I don't get your point.
Of course the USFSA doesn't know what will happen with Polina. But I think this point they feel why not give her some opportunities and see. I mean Mirai has had basically five years to reach the top level of this sport and hasn't done so. She hasn't improved and frankly digressed. Now they are watching young Russians come up with huge jumps, and already bypass Mirai. And the US federation is thinking about the long term future. Mirai can't jump with them, but Polina can, so why not get her out there.
Of course they don't know how Polina will react but they figure what do we have to lose by giving her some opportunities and investing in her. If Polina doesn't improve, they will move on to someone else.
I don't think they are thinking either Polina or Mirai is going to really win a medal and at least Polina has the jumps. And they probably figure the best the young Russians will get is bronze. But why the heck do they want the young Russians to get more exposure than their young talent.
The message they are sending, bring the jumps, bring it we will consider you.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
I feel like they should send Mirai, because to send 3 white girls and passing over an Asian girl looks really really really racist. Considering figure skating's past, it's a reasonable argument.
And don't give me the "but but but what about Michelle Kwa-a-a-a-an?????" Sure, they loved the Kween. Though all else being equal, don't you think that the powers that be prefer a Michelle Kerr over a Michelle Kwan?
And don't give me the "but but but what about Michelle Kwa-a-a-a-an?????" Sure, they loved the Kween. Though all else being equal, don't you think that the powers that be prefer a Michelle Kerr over a Michelle Kwan?
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2012
Ashley, too, has been inconsistent, although she is the "bankable star "of U.S figure skating. But it makes it less a sports competition when you chose a winner beforehand.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
As nice as it is to see Mirai fight for her position, she really should have been doing that the past two years. The criteria was out in 2012 so all athletes should have been aware that they need to make every result count in the years leading up to Sochi.
She could stand to appeal if those rules weren't in place and the USFS was reneging on their own rules, but the reality is they are not, so Mirai really doesn't have much of a case.
She practically said herself "at least I have Olympic experience going for me"... she knows her results until Nationals have been relatively poor... Certainly compared to Wagner.
She could stand to appeal if those rules weren't in place and the USFS was reneging on their own rules, but the reality is they are not, so Mirai really doesn't have much of a case.
She practically said herself "at least I have Olympic experience going for me"... she knows her results until Nationals have been relatively poor... Certainly compared to Wagner.
