- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
And I just laugh at your post. Too funny, you should do comedy.
You have this soft spot for Chan and take every comment so seriously. Just can't get over it, can you?
And I just laugh at your post. Too funny, you should do comedy.
I don't know that Kostner has the edge on Czisny in terms of jump consitency. She SHOULD, given her better jumping technique and power and easier content but Carolina somehow is just as prone to stumbles. Still, she does outskate Alissa in terms of speed and power, easily. Plus, so far, she has shown more joy in her LP than Alissa. you can see alissa thinking more than Carolina. it goes without saying that Alissa has the edge over Caro when it comes to lines and spins. In the end, I think a clean Alissa edges a clean Caro this season because of her higher tech content and the extra tech points she should get for her spins.
I don't see Akiko as the dark horse. It is tempting to think of Akiko and Alena as dark horses because Alissa and Carolina are the defending gold and silver medalists but Akiko and Alena have done so well this season. I don't think there is really a dark horse. I wouldn't be shocked at any outcome. (Well, okay, I will be surprised if Mao and Liza don't medal but it'll come down to the performance. There is no Yuna-type overwhelming favorite in this competition but there are six ladies who have all made a case for themselves this series.)
1. Chan trains in Colorado, but your point still stands
2. Takahashi's consistently hit with multiple urs, which eats away at his TES. I wouldn't assert he could do a one quad, 7 (8?) triple program in his sleep.
You think Akiko would win if they all skated cleanly? Interesting.
Okay, I know this is not going to be a popular opinion, but it is just the way I see it.
I respect Mao and likes some of her early work (as well as her Olympic season program performed at WC2011), but can't help notice the blatant biases strongly favouring her over the other competitors supported by her strong (&rich) federation and ISU who seems determined to prop her up contrary to what is delivered. Although I still enjoy her exhibition like Jupiter which is free from these politicking. Having analysed all the scores from the top ladies, it seems this year ISU is determined to push her through to as some sort of entitled leading lady: 2 times world champion (though neither times won SP or LP on her both competitions).
Her program is overmarked based on neither deliver the technical content or performance. Mao artistry has always been questionable (artistry is not one type of static beauty, though beauty certainly is one of the vocabularies of artistry). I think Mao has always been great when she is skating as herself. She is somewhat an innocent sheltered girl without much life experience who has always been put on a pedal stall, well protected, revered and adored by her country. When she does ethereal or charming, her performance resembles those little sweet darling girls performing to their loving parents who probably never said one critical thing to them except full of love, praises and support. Materials outside these narrow realms I am not yet convinced. Until recent Jupiter indicate she can do stuff outside her comfort zone, but she need to experience it to really get it. Lack of creativity and imagination could make her artistically stagnant unless a firm hand in guiding her to explore and experience things outside her comfort space.
If you look her technical content for LP for example, it consist of only 4 triples, 2 in combinations, No 3A or 3:3 you'd expect from a leading lady of her calibre, yet during both of her competitions, only 3 clean triples counted for both.
@ NHK she had the 3lutz edge call, 1 combo was under rotated. No 3:3 or 3A yet attempts. She scored 125.85 then, the HIGHEST LP score this year!
@ CoR she again were only able to completed 3 triples, this time the failed 3lutz was downgraded. She scored 118.96 then!
http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2011-12/sbtslfs.htm
Yes she is suppose to have level4 for her non jump elements (though I am not expert in these, but i find then questionable when her 2nd LP performance was visibly slower and tentative with less flows as well. Akiko and Carolina Kostner for me is more worthy of level 4 as they showed more attack, pace, flow and speed as well as coverage. I often hear praise for Mao being so light on ice..but physically she is the skinniest ladies skaters right now, so no wonder she is light on ice (?!) Surely had she been more attacking and more powerful, it would be more praise worthy or convincing?
Take her 3 triples scores from the lesser LP score, with 3lutz downgrade 118.96 (without a 3A or 3:3) relative to other ladies contenders in the field:
- Liza (Skate Canada 117.71 with 6 triples include 3:3, 2 in combination, clean, no negative GOE.) (TEB 120.85, 6 triples include 3:3, 2 in combinations, no negative GOE)
- Alena (CoR, 117.54 with 6 triples, 1 under rotation)
- Akiko (NHK 119.43, 6 triples, 1 edge on flip, 1 < on combo. Skate Canada 6 triples, 1 e on the combo, 1 combo was <)
- Carolina Kostner (Another one propped up imho) (CoC 120.26, 5 triple program, 2 in combination, -GOE in 3F, 3S Combo)
The highest total score for the ladies so far this year are
1. Akiko NHK 185.98 (1x 3:3 in SP)
2. MAO NHK 184.19 (no 3:3 or 3A in either LP or SP, mistakes and -GOE)
3. MAO COR 183.25 (no 3:3 or 3A in either LP or SP, mistakes and -GOE)
4. Liza 182.89 (2 x 3:3 in SP and LP. Clean, no negative GOE)
5. Carolina COC 182.14 (1 x 3:3 in SP)
6. Alena 180.83 (2 x 3:3 in SP and LP)
7. Alissa Czisny, USA: 179.15 (Trophee Eric Bompard. no 3:3 But at Skate Amercia with a 3:3 was attempted but failed)
While I agree Mao is a superior skater, I don't think the judge is marking her correctly based on what she is delivering now but what she ought to be.
My conclusion. Given the political climate with ISU that clearly seems to favour 'certain' skaters.
Their ideal is likely to be
1. Mao (Japan has always favoured Mao above everyone else anyway, certainly Miki and Akiko.)
2. Carolina
3. Akiko/Liza
If it is up to me based on merit of what I see, appeal and performance.
I'd consider more likely to be
1. Liza (I understand about the criticisms, but they are things she can't control, by default of her physical size, age, ice coverage are fault of the choreography. The things she can control, she always did well. Some might say she lack in maturity but I'd say actually she is maturer than her age AND maturer than other skaters ought to be at their age.)
2. Akiko (Under marked for years, she deserve this, and for her gumption landing her 3:3 at age 26! Let alone her gorgeous musicality and generous performer spirit! She is simply charming, although I still prefer her old programs. )
3. Mao/Carolina/Alissa (All following their strategically safe 'complementary' route that are supported by their strong federations, their RP, instead go out there and earn their rightful place which I know they are fully capable of based on their previous work.)
--------
Mens... had they all gone clean, my ideal would be
1. Daisuke
2. Hanyu/Patrick (only because they have the technical content to support it)
3. Jeremy
But what is more likely
1. Patrick.
2. Daisuke.
3. Jeremy / Javier
4. Hanyu/Javier
Just further evidence of how ridiculously overscored Chan is. Probably the most overscored skater in figure skating history. I dont even get bothered by his marks anymore, I just laugh at them. No skater in history, including many with better technical abilities and artistry than Chan, have been allowed 20% the mistakes he does and still winning everything.
Anyway for this one event I and some others just happen to be predicting enough problems for him and a strong enough skate by someone else to overcome this excessive bias from the Chan orgasm groupies (aka judges). Will it turn out that way? We will just have to wait and see.
and you seriously seem to be jealous of Mao's succes, I seriously wouldn't wonder if you are a yuna fan, cause you're jealousy and biased oppnion is soo clear even after the first sentence you wrote!
Ladies competition is really exciting because all of them can win and there is no someone like Chan or Kim. Liza will score hugely in TES but I don't think she'll win. With her difficult content she gets a bit over 120. The other ladies would get over 130 with it if they went clean (maybe except Leonova who will be devoid of her hometown bonus). And I think all of them clean will EASILY beat clean Liza. There's a huge difference in PCS. But none of this ladies has been clean in the FS this year so far so if they all err Liza might win. And there's still possibility that pressure will reach Liza and she'll be the one with errors. It's so unpredictable. Not like in dance when first two places are sure.
If Kostner makes a stumble, she usually still fully rotates her jumps. She's got cat's feet in that way, though she is just as prone to doubling a jump (usually one) in a program. The judges usually look at transitions more than lines and, as it stands, Alissa's transitions into the jumps are long setups. Carolina can execute a 2A+3T and strong, high jumps when she lands them. That said, they're quite neck and neck.
I see Akiko Suzuki as a dark horse outside of Japan. Her interpretation and expressiveness are her tickets, but the judges look for transitions, line, and power more than exuberance. Not that I think that's particularly fair or correct - just the way it is. I feel that Leonova is in the same boat (I actually think her SP is overmarked because she stands around so much in the footwork sequence). Both, though, have a seemingly solid 3T+3T that will serve them well compared to the other skaters (except for Tuktamisheva).
your opinion is one of the most biased I have heard for a long time!
you most be seriously BLIND if you don't see her beautiful artistry, and Mao hasn't done anything that could be called a comfortable zone for so long, since bells of moscow, masquerade (3 3A in the samecompetition, all the tripples in the same program this year).... and many other programs where not something Mao herself would have chosen, and your talk about federation is TOTALLY RUBISH. because any federation that had a elite athelte with Mao ability and accomblishment would support such an athlete! and ISU has done nothing to support her, Mao has been undermarked for soo LONG time, the only thing that kept Mao at the top was her technical ability! cause she was never rewarded and I think still doesn't get what she deserves in PCS, cause her skating is one of the most beautiful I have seen, and anyone with eyes would be able to see that.
and you seriously seem to be jealous of Mao's succes, I seriously wouldn't wonder if you are a yuna fan, cause you're jealousy and biased oppnion is soo clear even after the first sentence you wrote!