Who will be the next sweet heart of American figure skating? | Page 5 | Golden Skate

Who will be the next sweet heart of American figure skating?

princess9

On the Ice
Joined
May 1, 2010
I'm rewatching old tapes of Grand Prix seasons right now... I actually like watching the progression of the programs throughout the weeks/months... then you get to Nationals and Worlds and it's the cream on top... mmmmmm good.

I've been watching far too many ESPN broadcasts, I'm starting to use Dick Button's mixed analogies.



I watched a video where someone mentioned a Buttonism..."frivelous frumpery..." Anyone have a clue what exactly that meant? In the video there was no context nor was any skater mentioned, sort of an aside from Gannon I think...What the heck??:scratch:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Without reading any of these 5 pages, the first name that came to my mind was Mirai Nagasu. She has the persona, the fire, and the skill. Whether she will continue on her Olympic success or dwell on her Worlds setback (I was going to say failure but you know how it is) remains to be seen.

Can't see anyone else on the radar just yet.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
[/B]

I watched a video where someone mentioned a Buttonism..."frivelous frumpery..." Anyone have a clue what exactly that meant? In the video there was no context nor was any skater mentioned, sort of an aside from Gannon I think...What the heck??:scratch:


I don't even think DICK knows what it means as when he was asked in 2006 what a 'rusty hoot' was he said he had no clue, and that is also a buttonism. Man is weird.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I suppose there could be a Grand Prix, AND a pro circuit running at about the same time.

It was a big problem for $peedy. Many times in the 90's the pro skating broadcasts beat the ISU broadcasts in the ratings. The World Professional championship got higher ratings than ISU's World championships a couple of times.

But today it is no longer a problem for $peedy. There is no Professional championship on TV - but come to think of it the ISU world championship is no longer on TV either. :think:
 

fairly4

Medalist
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
sorry i thought i put this with the GP Assignments. , i don't know how to move it,
i apologize.
anyway to me the American sweetharts, went like this
theresa, maribel, tenley, carol, peggy, janet , dorothy, linda, kristi, michelle .
sasha was artisitic , not a sweethart, tara was the jumper and child.
for now for american it is to be continued. filled by caroline zhang, rachel flatt, mirai, agnes, ashley wagner, alissa czisny, kimber meissner (if skates) any women who can medal at their jevents and keep 3 women in for worlds and olympics . has a shot.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
^ Copy the text from your post, delete this one, then paste as a reply in the appropriate thread.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
You might be right. The 2 girls who win back our 3rd spot will be heros. ( heroines? )

Who will they be heros to? The American public will barely notice or care about such a triviality.

Posters at skating boards will notice and most of them would rather have one or two very good skaters than three mediocre skaters.

Most USA fans would settle for a Natl champion who shows some grace and competitive fire.
We haven't seen that for a few years now.
 

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
Who will they be heros to? The American public will barely notice or care about such a triviality.

That depends on the news media. If they grab the ball and run with it, the girls will be in every living room.

Posters at skating boards will notice and most of them would rather have one or two very good skaters than three mediocre skaters.

Yes, that's true. Maybe one lady will break out this season.

Most USA fans would settle for a Natl champion who shows some grace and competitive fire.
We haven't seen that for a few years now.

Rather harsh. We see grace and competitive fire at Nationals, then less of it in the following months. Remember last season? All 5 champion skaters / teams ( including synchronized ) who won their Nationals were beaten at their World championships by other Americans.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I don't think our national champions have lacked grace. Rachael Flatt, Alissa Czisny, Mirai Nagasu, Kimmie Meissner, Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan = a six-pack or charm and grace, if you ask me. :yes:

As for competitive fire, I don't think it is fire or spirit that was lacking. Other people internationally just skated better. That's sports. Sometimes the U.S. gal comes out on top, sometimes other countries have a more talented group that year.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think MM has a point. Two things: 1) there is more talent in other countries and 2) the US ladies have been a rather mediocre group ever since Kwan and Cohen left. Of the current US skaters, IMO only Nagasu has serious potential. I think everyone else will remain second-rate unless there is a mass wave of retirement among the top skaters. No offense to anyone.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I don't think our national champions have lacked grace. Rachael Flatt, Alissa Czisny, Mirai Nagasu, Kimmie Meissner, Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan = a six-pack or charm and grace, if you ask me. :yes:

As for competitive fire, I don't think it is fire or spirit that was lacking. Other people internationally just skated better. That's sports. Sometimes the U.S. gal comes out on top, sometimes other countries have a more talented group that year.

It's nice to put such a positive spin on this. Getting back a third spot for Ladies would barely create a ripple with the American public and perhaps it will change - but for now that's the way it is.

American's are not in love with CoP and anonymous judges and don't trust ISU to play fair after SLC. Skating is out of the public eye which is why NBC chose to broadcast other sports during the Olympics and cut skating back.

Midori Ito was a great jumper and an athletic type of skater. Midori herself said she was not graceful and admitted she could only win by outjumping her top rivals.

Frank Carroll said Rachael is an athletic skater and a reliable jumper. He said her artistry can't be compared to the graceful skating we see from Mirai. I will add it can't be compared with Alissa or Sasha either.

Cop fans may love her - and that's fine. But no need to distort reality about who is graceful and who isn't because we are not blind. ;).

Maybe this season we will see improved artistry and better ice coverage from Rachael. I think that would help her alot at Intl events.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
And what do you expect Mirai's coach to say :laugh: ?

That Rachael skates better than Mirai? Would that be even slightly a likely thing for Frank Carroll to say?

Or even that the Rachael and Mirai are equally good?

No way is Frank going to say any of those things.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
And what do you expect Mirai's coach to say :laugh: ?

That Rachael skates better than Mirai? Would that be even slightly a likely thing for Frank Carroll to say?

Or even that the Rachael and Mirai are equally good?

No way is Frank going to say any of those things.

Frank said the same things about Michelle and Irina. So did many posters here express that opinion over the years.

Maybe some like to think being called an athletic skater and good jumper is somehow an insult.
If I were to say say Mirai, Sasha and Alissa are as reliable at jumps as Rachael is I would be guilty of fibbing.
Those who suggest Rachael is as graceful as Sasha, Alissa and Mirai would either be fibbing or just guilty of lacking taste. :yes: :)
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
It's nice to put such a positive spin on this....

But no need to distort reality about who is graceful and who isn't because we are not blind. ;).

Oh, sorry -- I thought you meant "grace" in the sense of inner beauty, full of the milk of human kindness, especially favored by Providence, that sort of thing. If you meant graceful as opposed to merely athletic skating -- well, I still think I have to disagree.

"For a few years now" our national champioons have included Alissa (graceful as all get-out but can't jump), a young Mirai (more graceful now than then, to be sure), and Miss Grace-on-Ice herself, Sasha.

As for Rachael, i don't think it's fair constantly to rag on the girl just because no one more artistic has come along to beat her. We should instead blame all those graceful girls waiting in the wings who just aren't getting their America's Sweetheart act together and who keep finishing off the podium.
 
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