I didn't either. NBC even specifically aired positive specials on Russian culture and athletes. I think some people just want to think the worst of the U.S w/o any facts. No surprise though. We are a hated country around the world.
Ashley Wagner disappointed with Sochi support
- Thread starter Taan
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- Feb 24, 2012
I actually appreciated Wagner's honesty. she is not too princessy or plasticky. she is real. I know how dare I say anything negative about Davis and white but they're skating and their personalities (and in fairness this is quite popular in skating) is very Disney, big smile, all positive but the truth is they are competitors and they want to win and while you can be nice they never showed to the world off the ice what they were really thinking. I kind of hate Scott Moir and Patrick Chan's attitudes but they are real. Katrina Witt also spoke her mind and these people are real - they want to win and admit - that kind of honesty is PR'ed to death - you say the right things. Wagner will skate programs with attitude sometimes whereas some skating teams and skaters will play it safe - some sadly can only skate the Miss America type style.
Word. (However, Wagner has played it safe herself PLENTY of times...)
America likes its ice princesses, apparently!
Still, Wagner has been competing under this same system for almost 7 years...I find the timing a bit odd- that she would choose to talk now. She must have REALLY thought something was off in Sochi...
She appears to be milking her 15 min BTW. She's been on, like, 3 or 4 shows now plus she's getting to attend a couple of events. Haven't heard too much from Gold (who did better) except with that boy who asked her to prom
America likes its ice princesses, apparently!
Still, Wagner has been competing under this same system for almost 7 years...I find the timing a bit odd- that she would choose to talk now. She must have REALLY thought something was off in Sochi...
She appears to be milking her 15 min BTW. She's been on, like, 3 or 4 shows now plus she's getting to attend a couple of events. Haven't heard too much from Gold (who did better) except with that boy who asked her to prom
Certainly hasn't made a lot of friends, that's for sure. She came into the Olympics hated by many already and her actions certainly haven't won over many of those folks, even if she may have proven them wrong. And she is known more for that face she made and her comments (or complaints, depending on who you ask) on the judging than anything she did on the ice. But she seems to be enjoying her 15 minutes so I guess she doesn't mind.
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I've been a skating fan for many years and never have I seen a crowd at an international competition, let alone the Olympic Games, so unsupportive of skaters from other countries. The Russian crowd pretty much sat on their hands for the American skaters which I found downright rude.
Never does this happen in Japan. I'm looking forward to Worlds and the support ALL skaters will recieve there.
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- Feb 27, 2012
Depends on whom you ask. The media by their own choice have given Wagner post-Sochi attention ... because they believe that their audiences want to see her. You make it sound as if the media have been forced against their will to put her on their air -- not true, of course.
And Wagner's appearances have not been all about herself.
- One of the first things Wagner did after arriving back in the U.S. from Russia was to record a public service announcement with Attorney General Eric Holder and some state AGs. The PSA is for a campaign against underage drinking. Wagner has supported this cause in the past.
- Wagner gave a big plug to the upcoming Stars on Ice tour during her appearance on Arsenio. And I imagine that her other post-Sochi appearances (which I have not seen) have had the same -- as will her future appearances.
.- Wagner gave a big plug to the upcoming Stars on Ice tour during her appearance on Arsenio. And I imagine that her other post-Sochi appearances (which I have not seen) have had the same -- as will her future appearances.
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- Feb 26, 2014
Having the attention of the media doesn't mean it's necessary positive (Tonya Harding comes to my mind), and it certainly doesn't mean that you get their attention because you're better than the rest.
The media wants a story, possibly gossip and controversy, especially when figure skating is concerned.
However, I see nothing wrong with her complaining about the crowd if she feels that way.
What I don't like it's her talking about the judging. She is the last person that should complain about them.
The judges thought that she was not better than Yulia, Mao, Gold etc., despite the falls. Just as the USFSA officials thought she was better than Mirai despite Wagner's fall and placement in the US Nationals.
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- Dec 29, 2013
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this!!
Yeah that's what I'm thinking.
Again, Ashley never said, point blank, that she should have finished above anybody.
Here are her comments from her ESPN blog:
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2012
Agree that media attention is not always positive.
But based on your last sentence, one could extrapolate that Davis and White are getting media attention b/c they are reminiscent of Tonya Harding. (Mind you, I do not believe for one second that they are. Furthest thing from the truth.)
And for the record, I never said that Wagner was better than the rest. My post above was a response to someone else's opinion that Wagner "certainly hasn't made a lot of friends, that's for sure."
Ashley Wagner's performances this year have been a bit lackluster conmpared to the long tradition of U. S. Ladies. Perhaps she would have had a more receptive audience last year (2013) after winning her second, consecutive National Title. Based on her more recent fourth place finish at National's 2014 and the resultant controversy surrounding her selection for the Olympic team, she is not in the best position to wield a strong soapbox position. Her sub-par showing at this Olympics did not improve her situation in this matter. I have followed Ashely's career since she won the bronze junior National medal in 2007. She has had some impressive showings, but few in recent months. There may come a time when her voice will be heard, but I believe she will have to shorten that time by putting it out on the ice, first!
I don't think anyone wants a goody-two-shoes princess for a champion. For me, the "perfect" ladies champion is one who primarily catches our attention by what she puts on the ice. Comments and actions off the ice are merely icing on the cake. Right now, with Ashley, I'm skippin' dessert all together!
Let's be clear: NO ONE has even come close to matching the success of Cohen/SHughes/Lipinski let alone MK since 2006.
There have been flashes of hope but no one has had any staying power whatsoever. From Flatt to Czisny to Wagner, all have had decent careers but fall way short of traditional US women's success. No world or Olympic medals (individual)...limited GP success...and even their best efforts fall short of a podium finish.
Gold is probably showing the most promise of any US woman since Kwan/Cohen...she needs to take that next step and get onto that world podium. As for Wagner - her efforts are commendable but she's just not good enough to truly contend on the world scene unless it's meltdown day (which has yet to happen). She will forever be the "almost" girl.
There have been flashes of hope but no one has had any staying power whatsoever. From Flatt to Czisny to Wagner, all have had decent careers but fall way short of traditional US women's success. No world or Olympic medals (individual)...limited GP success...and even their best efforts fall short of a podium finish.
Gold is probably showing the most promise of any US woman since Kwan/Cohen...she needs to take that next step and get onto that world podium. As for Wagner - her efforts are commendable but she's just not good enough to truly contend on the world scene unless it's meltdown day (which has yet to happen). She will forever be the "almost" girl.
^ITA. Read some of her blog, too. I think she's a decent, thoughtful writer. Maybe journalism is in her future
Most of the time I like her outspokenness, but her comment about skaters with falls finishing ahead of her rang kind of hollow in light of the fact that she fell in her nationals lp and was still placed on the Olympic team instead of Mirai who skated clean (I agree with Ashley being selected for the team, incidentally).
...But that's why she's so interesting. It's so comic! This particular MEMEME attitude is not offensive but rather dramatic. Hair flipping atmosphere is embedded at the end of every sentence, lol.
Her blog comments seem to walk back her initial comments quite a bit. For example she originally said she felt gypped. Not everyone, but "she". And the USFSA was already out front on advocating for judging transparency. That's the appropriate level for addressing the issue.
It's not mutually exclusive to feel "gypped" (poor choice of words, but that's another matter) on how she, herself, was scored and to call for better transparency in the judging system. She is probably aware of the USFSA move and her comments only AFFIRM that USFSA is doing the right thing in addressing this issue.
Also I will go back an point out again that SHE probably did not bring up these things but rather was ASKED by the media about her thoughts regarding these matter. The way people were acting, you thought she was on a 20-date-tour to whine about the judging.
