By the way, on Christina's perfect 800 on her math SAT, less than 1 percent (0.8%) of students achieved that last year.
By the way, on Christina's perfect 800 on her math SAT, less than 1 percent (0.8%) of students achieved that last year.
...or a poll about who screeches the loudest....so annoying!!!Originally Posted by SkateFiguring
wow, i'm impressed, i wish I had that gene... rueful smile.
I think the muscular look comes from the fact she is wearing a sleeveless dress. I do not particularly like the look, and I remember even Sasha Cohen looked more muscular when wearing this type of dress.
If she is scored the way she has been in the past by international judges she has no shot even if she skates her best BUT now as U.S Champion they might pay her more respect and see her scores rise appropriately relative to how she skates. I think they saw her as a second tier American lost in the shuffle in the past. Still based on the GP scoring they see someone like Leonova well above her (a bad Leonova beat a good Ashley in their head to head meeting) so alot will have had to changed with the judges for her to have a podium shot.
I agree with everything you said.Well that was an all-around sucky event! Kudos to Ashley, Caroline and Christina...the rest were a hot mess!
Ashley: She put her boot where her mouth was and I'm very happy for her.Ashley has been very determined all year long and I'm glad to see it work out for her. I have a lot of respect for people who can put it out there when it counts and that's what she did. I hope she's able to have a similar program at worlds. If she can be strong there and Alissa doesn't implode, those three spots could actually be a possibility this year.
Alissa: Well, in terms of her down-years, this one isn't so bad. Usually she'd have ended up 9th or 11th, but 2nd is damn good considering what she put out. I don't disagree with the results though. She fought her way through the rest of that program and that's the difference in her placement. Alissa is the 2nd best person to send to worlds so I'm glad she's going, but she can't expect to make the podium or even make top 5 skating like that. I hate that freakin' dress! SPEW!! She usually has such good fashion sense. For the US's sake, I hope Alissa pulls herself together. She's been fragile all season long. She needs to rediscover some of that focus, confidence and strength she has last season...
Agnes: I was proud of her for her SP, but not for one minute did I think she was going to win this. Agnes is not a long program skater...I can't remember the last time I saw her give a solid LP. Still, I hope she realizes that if she ever gets her act together she will be tough to beat. Her jumps are gorgeous but her nerves will keep her out of that number one spot every time. It was very sweet to see Ashley comforting her after the competition...
Caroline: I AM SO PROUD OF HER!!I can't believe how far she's turned herself around! She was only about a point away from bronze! Other than the step out on the flip, she was wonderful. Obviously, she still needs work: her lutz is as flutzy as ever and she doesn't have a salchow, also her spins (except her kick-@$$ layback) looked very slow...but she's a work in progress. She wasn't as good in this program in terms of really feeling the music and selling it. Undoubtedly she was concentrating on the jumps and good on her b/c it paid off. I hope she continues to work and improve. What a comeback story! I'm so proud!!
Christina: Very proud of her too. I think this might be the third year in a row she's been 5th but it's not a terrible place to be. Her jumps were very lovely and I'm happy she was able to settle herself and skate her program relatively cleanly. Her 3f-3t was gorgeous and the only 3-3 in the last group. Christina's still a little awkward looking on her feet but with a little more refinement, she'd be a lovely skater. I'm happy for her for having such a good skate.
Rachael: Naturally, she wasn't going to be anywhere near that podium and rightly so, but congrats to her for pulling off a mostly clean skate. I don't think she'll gain anything from continuing to compete. Her podium days are pretty much over but she's got a bright academic future ahead of her and I think that is what she should focus on. I don't know how good her chances are of getting a GP next year and, in the future, I seriously doubt she'll be in contention for an Olympic spot. She's had a successful figure skating career but IMO her time has passed.
Mirai: I'm officially done with Mirai at this point.The crappy programs, the lifeless skating...I can't do it anymore with her. I give up. I'm sick of her bullsh*t excuses. Did anyone hear what she said when she came off the ice? Right before they went on commercial break, you can hear Mirai say, "I don't know what happened. I think I was focusing too much on my facial expressions..." and then it cut off. What facial expressions?! I saw the same dead-in-the-face look she always has. I'm sick of Mirai at this point. She's not the skater I thought she'd be when I saw her at nationals in 2010. She's obviously missing something and it appears to be something that Frank cannot give her.
I'm happy with the results. Congrats to Ashley, the new US champ...she deserves it. I think Alissa has a lot of work to do before nationals but I really hope she does it...we need her to do well. So who is going to 4CC? Ashley, Alissa and Agnes? (triple A!)
Yes, completely agree. I hope that they continue to challenge each other to become better skaters. I think that's what's happening and why we've seen Ashley fight back to a National title and Caroline working so hard to fix her jumps and get back on the podium. Really great to see. Perhaps Alissa has inspired them that hard work will pay off, even if it takes a few seasons.
Just a few random notes...
Caroline Zhang's final spin may be one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. And the comeback trail sure is a prettier place to be than being put out to pasture.
Rachel Flatt...uhm. Pretty dress. And when your pasture is Stanford University, that's not a bad thing. Is it?
I actually thought Alissa Czissny's dress was quite beautiful, as is the program. Quiet sophistication is a difficult thing to pull off.
Agnes...dear, Gershwin is so not the music for you. You may be a big jumper, but that music is too big for you. Find yourself a nice soundtrack that hasn't been done to death. Big, but not bombastic (or, unlike the Gershwin, too familiar, which can create unreasonable expectations). You'll be glad you did. ETA: And for those who read Tom & Lorenzo, I can just hear them say, you need to get yourself some good gays. You're a pretty woman, but you're being styled as a tacky nightmare. Quiet sophistication may be a difficult thing to pull off, but I think it could do wonders for you..
Ashley Wagner. Well yes, all things considered, she did earn that title, but am I the only one who finds some of the choreography a bit strange? I think it may be those periodic staccato arm movements. Softer, dear, softer. And I wish she would hold the endings of her jumps just a tad longer. It would give the program a far more "finished" look.
Mirai...oh dear. I think the first thing someone needs to do is have Frank write 1000 times on a blackboard, Mirai is not Michelle Kwan. Mirai is not Michelle Kwan. That music just screamed Michelle Kwan to me. And it simply doesn't fit Mirai's personality. In fact, as much as I think Frank is a wonderful coach, I think Mirai should seriously consider asking Mr Nicks if there is room for her. It's the Bela Karoli trick: pit two top prospects (in this case, Mirai and Ashley) in practice on a daily basis, and let their competitive spirit take over, so that they push each other on a daily basis. It's certainly done wonders for Jeremy Abbot and Adam Rippon this season...
As always, YMMV!
Last edited by WeakAnkles; 01-29-2012 at 12:48 AM.
^ Skateluvr, I actually disagreed with you on this one above.
I guess it does seem like an insult to call a woman skater masculine. That could be questioned, but for now I just beg to differ about Agnes.
For some reason she's been going in for big, brassy, jazzy music. She does it well because she skates big. I'd like to see that big style in a romantic warhorse with softer packaging. She could look grand instead of hard.
Look at the pictures on her website. She's a beauty! It's just not coming through in her costumes and makeup.
http://www.figureskatersonline.com/agneszawadzki/
ETA: Weakankles, I agree about Caroline's spin. Her Biellmann was jawdropping!
Last edited by Spun Silver; 01-29-2012 at 12:42 AM.
Just realized- Ashley is the same age that Sasha was when she won her first title. Their careers may not have been at the same stages, but I just thought it was interesting to think about.
So happy for her-was a bit disappointed that NBC didn't air the medal ceremony!
Just a thought that popped up when I took a shower, there is still the world team trophy. if the world team trophy picks skaters by season's best ranking, most likely it will be Alissa and Ashley (will the points she'll get from 4CC and worlds). If the world team trophy picks skaters by world ranking, it will be Alissa and Mirai because Ashley won't garner enough points from 4CC and worlds to catch up to Mirai (even if she wins the events). And the next closest skater is Rachael and Agnes. Rachael can't get anymore points and Agnes would have to win Worlds to catch up, 4CC doesn't give enough points.
so do we know if they choose by world or seasons ranking?
I don't see this win making a difference. I doubt the judges really care where skaters finish at their respective National Championships (except, maybe, in ice dance). What holds Ashley back internationally is that she flutzes, tends to 2-ft jumps, doesn't have great flexibility/spins (getting better though), doesn't have a reliable 3-3, and just doesn't stand out artistically (getting better though). Her best qualities are selling her programs and skating solidly. If others skate well, someone like Ashley would have trouble making a World podium, absolutely. But she has definitely held her own internationally. She has several strong finishes in GP events. And if she just skates well at Worlds, regardless of finish, it would be a great success. The last time she was there, she was a wreck.
I think she was trying to be Natalie Portman sprouting feathers after going off her rocker and stabbing her imagined rival?
Ashley won ? that was indeed a surprise, anyways congrats to her.
I think Alissa and Ashley for Worlds would be solid enough.
Wow - can't believe it's the same girl! While watching the LP tonight I thought, "Agnes...you need a better hairstyle; this one's too harsh". If she cut her hair, had a softer style, and then invested in some modern, soft costumes, she'd have a whole new look. Her SP and LP costumes remind me of the Jill Trenary days (too much sparkle, brash colors, etc).
snip
I guess it does seem like an insult to call a woman skater masculine. That could be questioned, but for now I just beg to differ about Agnes.
For some reason she's been going in for big, brassy, jazzy music. She does it well because she skates big. I'd like to see that big style in a romantic warhorse with softer packaging. She could look grand instead of hard.
Look at the pictures on her website. She's a beauty! It's just not coming through in her costumes and makeup.
http://www.figureskatersonline.com/agneszawadzki/
snip
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks