Thus, this paragraph doesn't quite follow.It appears that Mao's entire season was configured for Tarasova's convenience. Mao was assigned to the first two Grand Prix events, which clearly were done so the 62-year-old coach would only have to travel to France and then be at home in Russia the following week.
This quote seems to suggest that Arakawa's success lay in her leaving Tarasova for Morozov. But not only does it not quantify how much Tarasova may have helped her...personally I feel that it was a combination of Arakawa doing well and her opponents falling apart. So that is a really bad argument Gallagher is making for his case.Shizuka Arakawa left Tarasova for Nikolai Morozov during the Olympic campaign (in November 2005) and was rewarded for her gutsy decision with a gold medal.
Is there a public petition one can sign to urge Mao to find another coach? I have a feeling that it would be quite popular.
I'm just going to go ahead and plagiarize myself...
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Something seems amiss in Jack Gallagher's article. The one posted by summervie in another thread ( http://maoasada.logu2.com/mao-chat-f5/tatiana-tarasova-s-interview-t528.htm ) seems far more insightful into the decision-making factors Tarasova and Mao considered.
For example, Tat stated in the interview that it was the JSF's decision to schedule Mao consecutively in TEB and CoR. Russia was probably a must, leaving the TEB choice as questionable (although I am guessing that the JSF wanted Mao to have an early head-to-head with YuNa.)
Thus, this paragraph doesn't quite follow.
Also, what may have seemed like an "over-reliance on Mao's triple axel" makes a lot more sense when Tat confirms that Mao was able to do them in her practices. Tat's interview states that she is considering substituting the second 3axel in the FP with a 3-3, which could handily yield higher marks anyway, so I feel that Tarasova is not the problem (although I had my doubts, too, and which I now feel bad for.)
I think it would be unwise to scapegoat Tarasova. Some of the more unfortunate aspects of her working with Mao (the Japan-Russia travelling arrangements, the Grand Prix dates) were clearly out of her control. MikiAndoFans#1's suggestion of having someone possibly come in and help out may work, and wouldn't require dumping Tat completely, as bringing on someone totally different and forcing a drastic change might make things worse for Mao.
...for me.....better music.And a petiton for her to get some better costumes
With the Cup of Russia (Oct. 22-25) being held the very next weekend, Mao, in a highly unusual move, will skate in Moscow where coach Tatiana Tarasova can monitor the fruits of their offseason work.
While that maybe convenient, one has to wonder about the wisdom of the nearly six-week layoff that will follow. Barring a change to the schedule, Mao won't compete again until the GP Final in early December.
Skaters usually have at least one week off between events, but Mao is one of only two female skaters (along with Sweden's Joshi Helgesson) in the upcoming GP series who will take the ice in consecutive weeks.
The Japan Skating Federation's Tatsuro Matsumura told Ice Time that the decision was made by Mao's camp.
"We asked whether she minded to take on Kim and she was brave enough to say, 'I'm not reluctant to compete with anyone.' "
Matsumura said Mao wanted to skate in the Cup of Russia and that "in talks with her people, they said it would be easier for her to move from France to Russia, and it would also give her time to tune up for the GP Final."
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sp20090607it.html
This article from June says that it was Mao's camp who decided to take part in Grand Prix events in Paris and Moscow.
And now Tarasova says that she Moao's camp didn't ask for Paris and Moscow. I don't know who I should believe.
Possible scenario:
Team Mao asked for Russia and Japan (I think I actually heard it somewhere that Mao herself wanted COR and NHK), but when JSF was on the negotiation table, France was very insistant that they want Mao since they want to hold a dream women's competition with Kim and Asada against each other, and of course, they said they will offer something good in return (for ex: Hey, we will let Oda come here. He will very possibly medal! How about that?....With hindsight, simply bad bargain. ) So JSF asked Mao if she minds competing at TEB (and if the article above is reliable, when JSF asked Mao, they already knew Kim will be at TEB), and Mao said "well, let's do it! I'm not afraid of anyone!"
I think we might be off on the wrong track, trying to overanalyze what is going wrong with Mao's skating. Kimmie Meissner landed a triple Axel at U.S. Nationals at age 15, came fifth at the 2006 Olympics at age 16, and won the World championship the same year. Four years later she was out of the sport.
Tara Lipinski won the U.S. and World championships at age 14 and the Olympic gold medal at 15. By age 19 she was done, even as a show skater.
Nothing lasts forever. At age 15 Asada was perhaps the best skater in the world, beating the entire Olympic podium (Arakawa, Cohen and Slutskaya) in the 2006 Grand Prix. Now she is 19. Nothing is forever.
Mathman, I hope you're wrong about Asada being past her prime. Certainly the examples you chose give me the shivers, but something in me rebels in thinking of 15-year-olds as the peak of skating achievement. From what I know, the end of Lipinski's skating career was caused largely by a serious hip injury, and that is certainly one of the increased risks in this era of jump skating. I don't know what Meissner's combination of obstacles is, but injuries are in the mix for her. So I will venture to disagree with you on this point, though I generally agree with everything you post.
Although I regretted that Asada didn't get the chance to compete in 2006, I was deeply pleased when all three of the ladies on the podium at Torino turned out to be skaters in their twenties. Shizuka's victory was especially satisfying to witness, because she was on about her third life, skatingwise.
Though Kwan didn't make it to these Olympics, she had not only longevity but artistic growth after her mid-teens--just think of that magnificent period from about 1999 to 2002! Likewise, Kim seems to be on an upward track still, and she's Asada's age almost exactly.
As for Asada herself, she has maintained her physical abilities--soft knees and strength--in a way that allows me to hope she can recoup her skating skills. Whatever demons are haunting her (including imperfect technique that no longer works after her growth spurt), I don't think she's lost her mojo forever. She may not get it back this year, but I can't believe that this remarkable talent has just evaporated. While I love and admire YuNa, Asada has a unique musicality, and recent skating has been at its best when both these ladies are at their peak.
IMO, a more possible scenario was:
Mao wanted COR and NHK as you said. But, Miki also wanted the two. It wouldn't be good they meet twice in GP. But, Miki is the obvious choice for NHK, so Mao had to change. And then, French fed wanted Mao as you said.