Ladies' SP

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Miki also tried to save a young boy's life. His name was Sotaro Kakumu and he had an incurable intestinal disorder. Miki did a fund-raising campaign and asked for help and fortunately she managed to get money to pay for the surgery. But unfortunately, the boy passed away about two years ago.

[bethissoawesome]

Both Mao and Yu-Na are wonderful skaters who have both been inspirations to their countries. Both are active in charity work and don't run around like little entitled celebrities... Mao is even enrolled in University. For whoever said that I was trying to comfort myself by looking at my non-favorite skater's accomplishments, that is completely wrong. I love Yu-Na, and as long as Yu-Na, Miki, or Mao take gold (I would say Mirai as well, but I rather see her top the podium in 2014 than this early), I will be a very happy camper. All I was doing is stating facts... you read the news and you see "Yu-Na is unstoppable/the favorite"... heck, there is even an article where Brian Orser says that Yu-Na is like Princess Di (a bit of an exaggeration in my opinion... lol). Has Yu-Na won every competition she has entered since Worlds? Yes. That seems all to be the media is harping on, but she hasn't won all of them in "top form" (ie. her LP at Skate America only had 3 clean triples as opposed to Miki winning Worlds with 7, including her 3Lz+3Lo combination back in 2007). All I like to do is dig a little bit deeper, see what the odds are (no different than my post that has all the top ladies base scores given they land all their jumps and achieve the highest level in an element they have all season).

At the end of the day, it's the Olympics: the ice is slippery, the pressure is tremendous, the field is talented, and the medal to be won isn't like anything else you can get in your entire career. I'd say let the best skater win, but that isn't always the case, so I'd rather see the most deserving win hehe.. for me, this year, that would be either Yu-Na, Mao, Joannie or Miki.

Edit: As for the personality discussions, they are a bit irrelevant to the skating aspect . But it is difficult to tell, top athletes are just like any other celebrity... they have people managing their personal image, so we only see what they want us to see. Look at all the articles about Yu-Na, how many quotes are actually by HER and NOT by Brian Orser? With other quotes, many are lost in translation. Mao's 80% quote (when I first heard the interview) implied 80% improvement on her 3A and chances of landing it. Many things are lost in translation as well. You can't judge anyone's character unless you actually know them (in real life) as a person.

[Marrymeyunakim]

Both Mao and Yu-Na are wonderful skaters who have both been inspirations to their countries. Both are active in charity work and don't run around like little entitled celebrities... Mao is even enrolled in University. For whoever said that I was trying to comfort myself by looking at my non-favorite skater's accomplishments, that is completely wrong. I love Yu-Na, and as long as Yu-Na, Miki, or Mao take gold (I would say Mirai as well, but I rather see her top the podium in 2014 than this early), I will be a very happy camper. All I was doing is stating facts... you read the news and you see "Yu-Na is unstoppable/the favorite"... heck, there is even an article where Brian Orser says that Yu-Na is like Princess Di (a bit of an exaggeration in my opinion... lol). Has Yu-Na won every competition she has entered since Worlds? Yes. That seems all to be the media is harping on, but she hasn't won all of them in "top form" (ie. her LP at Skate America only had 3 clean triples as opposed to Miki winning Worlds with 7, including her 3Lz+3Lo combination back in 2007). All I like to do is dig a little bit deeper, see what the odds are (no different than my post that has all the top ladies base scores given they land all their jumps and achieve the highest level in an element they have all season).

At the end of the day, it's the Olympics: the ice is slippery, the pressure is tremendous, the field is talented, and the medal to be won isn't like anything else you can get in your entire career. I'd say let the best skater win, but that isn't always the case, so I'd rather see the most deserving win hehe.. for me, this year, that would be either Yu-Na, Mao, Joannie or Miki.

[HCOSurfer]

I don't know if it's been posted yet, but according to Icenetwork Mirai is planning a 3-3 in her SP:
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

ETA - yep, it's been posted already in the practice thread.

[miki88]

Both Mao and Yu-Na are wonderful skaters who have both been inspirations to their countries. Both are active in charity work and don't run around like little entitled celebrities... Mao is even enrolled in University. For whoever said that I was trying to comfort myself by looking at my non-favorite skater's accomplishments, that is completely wrong. I love Yu-Na, and as long as Yu-Na, Miki, or Mao take gold (I would say Mirai as well, but I rather see her top the podium in 2014 than this early), I will be a very happy camper. All I was doing is stating facts... you read the news and you see "Yu-Na is unstoppable/the favorite"... heck, there is even an article where Brian Orser says that Yu-Na is like Princess Di (a bit of an exaggeration in my opinion... lol). Has Yu-Na won every competition she has entered since Worlds? Yes. That seems all to be the media is harping on, but she hasn't won all of them in "top form" (ie. her LP at Skate America only had 3 clean triples as opposed to Miki winning Worlds with 7, including her 3Lz+3Lo combination back in 2007). All I like to do is dig a little bit deeper, see what the odds are (no different than my post that has all the top ladies base scores given they land all their jumps and achieve the highest level in an element they have all season).

At the end of the day, it's the Olympics: the ice is slippery, the pressure is tremendous, the field is talented, and the medal to be won isn't like anything else you can get in your entire career. I'd say let the best skater win, but that isn't always the case, so I'd rather see the most deserving win hehe.. for me, this year, that would be either Yu-Na, Mao, Joannie or Miki.

Edit: As for the personality discussions, they are a bit irrelevant to the skating aspect . But it is difficult to tell, top athletes are just like any other celebrity... they have people managing their personal image, so we only see what they want us to see. Look at all the articles about Yu-Na, how many quotes are actually by HER and NOT by Brian Orser? With other quotes, many are lost in translation. Mao's 80% quote (when I first heard the interview) implied 80% improvement on her 3A and chances of landing it. Many things are lost in translation as well. You can't judge anyone's character unless you actually know them (in real life) as a person.

I hope every girl does well tomorrow because I know they all worked very hard for this day and are all shouldering the pressures of their nations.

[yangjie]

Well she IS good so all the people who complain about her arrogance is probably just jealous or just don't like the fact that she is the best. I would call person like Plushenko arrogant (although he earned the status to be like that)

everybody knows she is the best. i agree with you sayng Japanese funs are jealous of her.
but, i dont like her EXTREME fans who insist koreans ladies are interfered by ELENA GLEBOVA and are writing DIRTY and BAD words on her HOMEPAGE.

i just tell you, NOBODY DISTURBS and DISTURBED YUNA AND KOREANS.

if you think elena disturbed korean ladies like yuna's EXTREME fans, i think you are.... should i say?

anyway I really hope ELENA isnt influenced by this.

[CassieH]

Woah. Chil-lax! You both need to stop. I heard it wasn't even Yuna's fans who started this whole issue. Min-jung Kwak's coach saw Glebova shouting things in her language to kwak, so she told both kwak and kim to be careful. Most yuna fans on fanpages are not even taking this seriously. In fact, most of the comments I saw on korean websites were saying that they feel sorry for glebova to be attacked like that by some extremists. I think you are making this a bigger issue than it is. It's odd that you decided to share all these details with us when nobody even asked. what is your intention?

see yangjie's other posts. you will see his/her intention clearly.

[Phoenix347]

As I said, when I first learned Elena interfered with Yu-Na, I thought it was a confirmed thing. And I do love Yu-Na's skating, but I don't love her personality that much.

I lost some respect for you. What would you know about her personality? Do you know her personally? Do you even understand Korean? Don't judge people that you don't really know.

[yangjie]

Woah. Chil-lax! You both need to stop. I heard it wasn't even Yuna's fans who started this whole issue. Min-jung Kwak's coach saw Glebova shouting things in her language to kwak, so she told both kwak and kim to be careful. Most yuna fans on fanpages are not even taking this seriously. In fact, most of the comments I saw on korean websites were saying that they feel sorry for glebova to be attacked like that by some extremists. I think you are making this a bigger issue than it is. It's odd that you decided to share all these details with us when nobody even asked. what is your intention?

I told you. just I am talking about her EXTREME fans and elena, not her general fans. I know koreans are generally nice guys.

i just thought that Johannn is one of EXTREME fans.

[Ren]

bethissoawesome, you hit the nail on the head. It really is hard to see the real person if you don't know them personally.

As for Orser's "Princess Di" comment, I think he meant 'in Korea'. Yu-Na's country is in love with her (some would say obsessed with her) and she's hardly left alone there, isn't she? I remember reading an article in which Adam Rippon related how he called Yu-Na from Korea during Four Continents and told her how much easier it was being there without her. In the sense that less people mobbed him by association with Kim, I suppose.

[chiocciola]

I think Mao is the most gifted layskater! I wish her the very best of luck!!! If it wasn't for age, she would have become Olychamp back in 2006...

[chiocciola]

I would say Mirai as well, but I rather see her top the podium in 2014 than this early), I will be a very happy camper.

2014 champ will be either Tuktamysheva or Sotnikova...

[ehdtkqorl123]

I think Mao is the most gifted layskater! I wish her the very best of luck!!! If it wasn't for age, she would have become Olychamp back in 2006...

Just out of curiority.. was Mao in 2006 strong enough to beat Sasha and Arakawa?

[mylastduchess]

Just out of curiority.. was Mao in 2006 strong enough to beat Sasha and Arakawa?

YES... she already beat them earlier that year, and it was easier to beat them at the Olympics when they both made mistakes. remember Mao had a consistent 3A, and a 3/3 back then and her flutz wasn't penalized. Actually Yu-na with her 3/3 could have probably medal as well

[chiocciola]

Just out of curiority.. was Mao in 2006 strong enough to beat Sasha and Arakawa?

I don't like Arakawa...nothing to be remembered... what's for Sasha, she was a good skater but fell very often...she did beat them back than and that makes me think why not!