ALISSA CZISNY Official Thread | Page 8 | Golden Skate

ALISSA CZISNY Official Thread

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I don't think any reasonable person "blames" a skater for a bad performance.

Trust me, skaters do not deliberately mess up just perversely to annoy us.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
You'd think posters have some kind of financial stake in the third spot or something. I can understand being disappointed that U.S. ladies skating is not what it once was. But being "mad" at a skater and wondering whether it's okay to "forgive" them?

Every lady to have gone to worlds since 2008 has been disappointing, except Rachael in 2009. In 2010, nerves and post-Olympic tiredness got to both her and Mirai. Sure I'm disappointed but I just don't get being personally mad at them. Or Alissa, Bebe, Kimmie and Ashley.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm not "mad" at anyone. Was just asking a question, a question that, given the animosity of many posts on the forums a while back, IMO is worth asking.

Honestly, though- there are times that I'm forced to think that a few posters may not be real SPORTS fans in the traditional sense. Happy at the thrill of victory, disappointed at the agony of defeat, upset when a perfectly winnable game is blown. All perfectly normal (and common) reactions. These skaters aren't delicate flowers or princesses, man.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Trust me, skaters do not deliberately mess up just perversely to annoy us.

Well, obviously not. Does a team blow a home game to upset its fans? of course not. But still, the fact remains that they were unable to rise to the occasion. The TRUE fans will forgive and forget...stick around even when times are bad and send those messages of support that mean so much. Again, though- not all fans are "true" fans in the sense of the word. Most tend to be of the "bandwagon" or "fair-weather" type.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Even in other sports there's a difference between being disappointed in a team or player's performance and taking it like some kind of personal affront. There are some soccer fans who get that way. But they give me the begeebees. And some fans do go too far in actions, not just words.

Maybe you're not mad but there are other posters who have expressed that exact sentiment about Alissa.

It strikes me as a bit much but maybe I'm overreacting. I won't say anything more.

Well, maybe I'll say this just to add a new thought: Even though figure skating sends "teams" to worlds and the Olympics, it is actually not a "team sport." There isn't even a team medal like in gymnastics or a relay like in track.

Maybe that's why I just can't get as worked up about the third spot.

As for whether I'm a "real" sports fan, i don't really care. I enjoy watching baseball and soccer. i enjoy watching figure skating more and I enjoy the competitive aspect of it a lot. But I also enjoy it because it's beautiful and artistic and, to me, more than just a sport.

To me, not having a third spot for the last three years is just a reflection of the overall quality of U.S. ladies skating today compared to the rest of the world. I don't see it as a reflection on just one skater.
 

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
That's all water under the dam now.

Actually, it's water over the bridge. :p

Well, Mirai still finished ahead of Rachael last year, and she at least had one good program at worlds, whereas Rachael had 2 shaky programs there, so it wouldn't really make sense to blame Mirai because she wasn't the lowest finishing American lady at worlds last year, whereas Alissa was in 2009.

This is a tough one. I consider it a success if a skater finishes 6th or higher. Why 6th? Because a skater can finish 6th and achieve 3 spots for next year with another skater finishing below her. So when Rachael finished 5th, that was a success. When Mirai finished 7th, that was failure because nobody could finish below her and achieve 3 spots.

Again, though- not all fans are "true" fans in the sense of the word. Most tend to be of the "bandwagon" or "fair-weather" type.

That's one accusation I have not have had to contend with. :)
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
This is a tough one. I consider it a success if a skater finishes 6th or higher. Why 6th? Because a skater can finish 6th and achieve 3 spots for next year with another skater finishing below her. So when Rachael finished 5th, that was a success. When Mirai finished 7th, that was failure because nobody could finish below her and achieve 3 spots.

:think: But Silverlake was talking about Rachael's 9th place finish in 2010.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
In that case, both Rachael and Mirai failed. It will be very interesting to see what happens next month.

Yes I agree. With Mirai's 7th place finish Rachael could have sealed the third spot if she had repeated her 5th place finish or been 6th. And with Rachael's ninth Mirai could have done it if she had hung on to her 1st place ranking from the SP or been 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.

I think Mirai and Rachael could have easily won back the third spot if they had skated well -not even perfectly but well. I think the same thing about Alissa and Rachael so that's really the bottom line for next month.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
With Mirai's 7th place finish Rachael could have sealed the third spot if she had repeated her 5th place finish or been 6th. And with Rachael's ninth Mirai could have done it if she had hung on to her 1st place ranking from the SP or been 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.

Yup. There we go.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
That's one accusation I have not have had to contend with. :)

:) Go Caroline!

Actually, about fans taking personal affront at skater's performances, I think the one who has taken the most flack is Lysacek. How dare he have the nerve to win something when I like Johnny Weir and Evgeny Plushenko better!

Now me, I will never forgive Tara for not having the common decency to throw herself under a bus on the way to the arena in Nagano. :cool:
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
:) Go Caroline!

Actually, about fans taking personal affront at skater's performances, I think the one who has taken the most flack is Lysacek. How dare he have the nerve to win something when I like Johnny Weir and Evgeny Plushenko better!

Now me, I will never forgive Tara for not having the common decency to throw herself under a bus on the way to the arena in Nagano. :cool:

About Lysacek, definitely! I was amazed at how angry at Lysacek personally some people were getting. And all he did was skate his best. After that, the verdict was out of his hands.

And I hear you about Tara.

Seriously, it took a long time before I could get over the fact that they gave the gold to her and not to Michelle. I couldn't even watch any performance of Lyra Angelica for years. It was only after watching half a decade's worth of additional skating performances by Michelle when I realized that that tenth of a point was one of the greatest gifts to ladies' skating in the modern era. It's highly possible that a girl with dreams of college and career would have packed up her skates and left the sport almost right away if she'd won the OGM. Think of what we'd have all missed out on, including Michelle herself! So Tara has the gold and a place in history, and Kwan has a place in American skating that's like no one else's. And Lyra is one of my favorite Kwan programs of all.

I hope the Plushenko/Weir fans will be able to recover similarly in the future. I disagree with them in this case, but I certainly understand the strength of their emotions.
 

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
:) Go Caroline!

Actually, about fans taking personal affront at skater's performances, I think the one who has taken the most flack is Lysacek. How dare he have the nerve to win something when I like Johnny Weir and Evgeny Plushenko better!

Now me, I will never forgive Tara for not having the common decency to throw herself under a bus on the way to the arena in Nagano. :cool:

Don't forget--how dare Sarah re-choreograph her program and skate it like that on the biggest night of Michelle's life!
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Don't forget--how dare Sarah re-choreograph her program and skate it like that on the biggest night of Michelle's life!

and how dare teh ice makers make the ice slippery where it threw the kween off and she nearly splatted.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Haha I don't think I've ever seen "kween" and "splatted" in same sentence...well played
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Haha I don't think I've ever seen "kween" and "splatted" in same sentence...well played

I'm feeling incredibly snarky and awesome today, so thanks... sometimes my brilliance plays through! :)

(the fact that a good friend just won the biggest race of his life/career has also added to my game... he wasn't even supposed to be in the hunt for the top five!)
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
:) Go Caroline!

Actually, about fans taking personal affront at skater's performances, I think the one who has taken the most flack is Lysacek. How dare he have the nerve to win something when I like Johnny Weir and Evgeny Plushenko better!
Ha! Weir and Plu were not at Worlds 2009 and I was not amused for tHe result either. Just an example to point out that there is one case that one doesnt enjoy much(=at all)a skater reardless of if they beat a fav or queen of england:biggrin: If a fav is to be beaten , better be beaten by someone you like:cool:
In case of Sara who I didnt like anyway AND she beated TWO favorites.. yeap she is doomed;)
 
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