The state of U.S. Figure Skating | Page 15 | Golden Skate

The state of U.S. Figure Skating

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Her comment is a bit tacky but she's a kid by today's standards (at least in the US) and she's grown up in the age of Twitter where people broadcast their stream of consciousness. I hate the way people pick apart every little thing skaters say. Just let them be without constantly judging them.

We're not talking some run-of-the-mill teenager here. We are talking someone that has been in the public eye for several years and has been an elite skater for several years. She is looked-up to by many younger skaters. She should know the consequences of what she says.

I'm sure she wouldn't have enjoyed it if a fellow elite skater watched her Nationals program and said "Oh Mirai, was lifeless again and scored well below her potential. #smh" In fact we know that she reads these boards sometimes and does get bothered by all the comments. So therefore, I find it disappointing that she thought it was OK to do it to other skaters, especially low-ranking skaters dealing with tough conditions.

Do the comments make her a bad person worthy of eternal judgement? No, of course not. But my stance is that I wished she knew better and hopes that she will be more mindful of what she says next time.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Because you think people should show some restraint, RD?

Well don't get me wrong, she should have been more careful, keeping in mind she had over 17k followers and odds were at least someone was going to be offended by the comment- but............. I don't think the way some people tore her up afterward was any better. In many cases, I thought a couple of responses were worse than the original.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Well don't get me wrong, she should have been more careful, keeping in mind she had over 17k followers and odds were at least someone was going to be offended by the comment- but............. I don't think the way some people tore her up afterward was any better. In many cases, I thought a couple of responses were worse than the original.

Oh yeah, I agree with this too. I would have never said some of the stuff people tweeted, namely "the Rachael Flatt beat you mwahhahah" comment.

I thought Peter Murray's (of the Blazing Blades blog) comments were the most classy and pointed:

Kindly remember, Every elite skater was once a 90 pt total skater. Try to live up to your potential for yourself first! #4CC

@mirai_nagasu Please know we all love you. This 68 yr-old cranky dude loves all skaters from beginner to elites, so pls 4give my crankiness!
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Anyway, back to the topic on hand....

Anyone want to talk about Ice Dancing? ;)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ OK, but first... :)

Do grown people really care what kids twit on their tweeters?

I would be more interested in knowing if Mirai has picked her short progrsam music for next year yet.
 

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
^ OK, but first... :)

Do grown people really care what kids twit on their tweeters?

I would be more interested in knowing if Mirai has picked her short progrsam music for next year yet.

Kid as in a 18-19 year old? At that age, they should start becoming more responsible for what they post especially if the person is a public figure.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ Well...yes...but...I am not Mirai's father, coach, or public relations guy. It is not my place to sit in judgment.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
^ OK, but first... :)

Do grown people really care what kids twit on their tweeters?

I would be more interested in knowing if Mirai has picked her short progrsam music for next year yet.

That would be "tweet" MM. ;)

Mirai's twitter is usually upbeat, positive and funny, which is why I enjoy reading her tweets. So such a tweet, for me, is disappointing to hear about. And Becki is right, she's not a kid anymore. She's an adult now.

And yes, I'd rather hear about HER skating and what she's up to, rather than her criticism of other skaters.

Okay...Ice Dancing now?
 

brightphoton

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Aww, lay off. The pearl-clutching was silly with Nancy Kerrigan and her Disneyland comment and it's silly with Mirai and her tweets. Besides, it was very rude of that other Twitter person to poke her and rub in that she didn't place well at Nationals.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Ice dancing? :laugh:

You know, who would have thought that of all the disciplines, the only one where USA would have 3 entries in is...ice dance?

Shows how far we've fallen in singles...at least in the men's division, sounds like the comebacks of Lysacek and Weir will juice things up a bit. But how about the women? And don't tell me Gracie Gold because she doesn't have anywhere NEAR the accolades that either guy mentioned above has.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Ice dancing? :laugh:

You know, who would have thought that of all the disciplines, the only one where USA would have 3 entries in is...ice dance?

Shows how far we've fallen in singles...at least in the men's division, sounds like the comebacks of Lysacek and Weir will juice things up a bit. But how about the women? And don't tell me Gracie Gold because she doesn't have anywhere NEAR the accolades that either guy mentioned above has.

I know you are not an ice dance fan, RD, but this thread is about the state of U.S. Figure Skating...not just singles skating in the U.S.

Of course, the weird thing about Ice Dance is basically its strength lies in 3 coaching teams in the Detroit area. I don't think we've seen a similar coaching concentration in the other disciplines.
 

skfan

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
what most intrigues me about ice dance is hubbell and donahue's success in nice. does this mean they've definitively passed K & G-S, chock & bates, couples on that tier, and are now neck and neck with the shibutanis?

of course just the season before the shibutanis were bronze medalists at worlds.

was it here, or did i read elsewhere that alex and maia ought to split up and skate with other people, just so they'll be able to access a greater range of artistic interpretations, and really make way in ice dance. that idea surprised me, as i thought it was a bit pre-mature. they've only started--it's too soon to conclude they'll never achieve davis-white level success...

as far as pairs, i am sorry but i cannot get past my fondness for proper stretch and toe points in lift positions, so... both exuberant and charming mary beth and improved but still not refined caydee have yet to win me over. i'm rooting for donlan and speroff (or maybe evora and ladwig) to have their own takahashi & tran moment. i suppose this means despite saying 'pairs, schmerrs' on FSU (because i was irked that cain-reagan had split up)... i'm still watching u.s. pairs with curiosity. :)


to brightphoton, i love your term 'pearl-clutching', even though i don't think it was rude of that person to snark back to mirai. and though blazingblades' comment as quoted by Mrs P was indeed gracious, to put it all into perspective you'd also have to read his comment that mirai needed a spanking, or something along that line. LOL. don't you love sports in the age of twitter?
 
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blancanieves

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 3, 2012
what most intrigues me about ice dance is hubbell and donahue's success in nice. does this mean they've definitively passed K & G-S, chock & bates, couples on that tier, and are now neck and neck with the shibutanis?

It intrigues me too. What I find interesting is not just the fact that H/D achieved a great placing at Worlds, but the fact that they're a 1 year old team. It's the rate of improvement that's impressive. Also their TES at the SD showed that they've got the goods to compete with the elite teams. Next season will answer a lot, as their next target is to improve PCS. If they achieve this too, then yes I'm going to believe that they can rightfully fight for second best in the U.S.

BTW I loved those World Championships new outfits. A lot of black, but they looked great.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
what most intrigues me about ice dance is hubbell and donahue's success in nice. does this mean they've definitively passed K & G-S, chock & bates, couples on that tier, and are now neck and neck with the shibutanis?

of course just the season before the shibutanis were bronze medalists at worlds.

was it here, or did i read elsewhere that alex and maia ought to split up and skate with other people, just so they'll be able to access a greater range of artistic interpretations, and really make way in ice dance. that idea surprised me, as i thought it was a bit pre-mature. they've only started--it's too soon to conclude they'll never achieve davis-white level success...

as far as pairs, i am sorry but i cannot get past my fondness for proper stretch and toe points in lift positions, so... both exuberant and charming mary beth and improved but still not refined caydee have yet to win me over. i'm rooting for donlan and speroff (or maybe evora and ladwig) to have their own takahashi & tran moment. i suppose this means despite saying 'pairs, schmerrs' on FSU (because i was irked that cain-reagan had split up)... i'm still watching u.s. pairs with curiosity. :)


to brightphoton, i love your term 'pearl-clutching', even though i don't think it was rude of that person to snark back to mirai. and though blazingblades' comment as quoted by Mrs P was indeed gracious, to put it all into perspective you'd also have to read his comment that mirai needed a spanking, or something along that line. LOL. don't you love sports in the age of twitter?

Definitely think all the Shib-split talk is a bit pre-mature. They did not have as great a season as their debut, obviously, but it was hardly failure. They got two GP medals (including gold), made the GPF and got another silver at Nationals. And despite their meltdown, they still had enough to stay in the top 10...Consider that they got 82 for a botched skate...which would be a PB for some other pairs. I expect them to be in good form next season.

Yes there's a lot of work to do in pairs — but I'm optimistic about them now then I've been in a long time ...since the ina/zimmerman years, really...
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
It's worth remembering Aldridge & Eaton, the World Junior Bronze Medallists, also from the Detroit area these days. I think they may be staying junior, since they are eligible?

It will be interesting to see this summer how the teams that desire to pass Hubbell Donohue do at Lake Placid IDC.

Likewise, key to success in dance in the US next year will be the ability of the partners to do the Yankee Polka in the SD. The new rules are out, and the YP is to be skated as one pattern, marked in two segments (no splitting up the pattern, as was done this year). H&D don't have the quickest feet, and this might not be their forte. I'll be interested to see how Chock/Bates do with it.

I wonder if the reason the US has so many dancers these days is that the dancers look mostly like they are having a good time when they compete. There just isn't as much falling in dancing, even though there can be severe injuries. That and the availability of great coaching here.

There are other schools besides Detroit though:

Linichuk in Astin, PA
Ludington at UDel
Klimova in CA
and Wheaton Academy in the Eastern regions that have the Parsons & McNamara & Carpenter.
and others, of course.

But Detroit is the big leagues these days, no doubt.
Shpilband/Zoueva
Krylova/Camerlengo
Netchaeva
 

blancanieves

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 3, 2012
Likewise, key to success in dance in the US next year will be the ability of the partners to do the Yankee Polka in the SD. The new rules are out, and the YP is to be skated as one pattern, marked in two segments (no splitting up the pattern, as was done this year). H&D don't have the quickest feet, and this might not be their forte. I'll be interested to see how Chock/Bates do with it.

I can't wait to see the YP. I know some of the music is going to get grating, but I love dancing in closed hold.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
It intrigues me too. What I find interesting is not just the fact that H/D achieved a great placing at Worlds, but the fact that they're a 1 year old team. It's the rate of improvement that's impressive. Also their TES at the SD showed that they've got the goods to compete with the elite teams. Next season will answer a lot, as their next target is to improve PCS. If they achieve this too, then yes I'm going to believe that they can rightfully fight for second best in the U.S.

BTW I loved those
World Championships new outfits. A lot of black, but they looked great.

next season I am positive H/D will already surpass the lame Sibutanis
just as I/K have now passed B/S
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I would be very surprised if that happens. The Shibs are insanely hard workers, and have wonderful timing.

Alex had a respiratory ailment at 4CC's, and his face turned blue after skating the FD, and he was unable to skate the EX. I expect that as with Fabian in the fall, that affected their training between 4CC's and Worlds. It's unfortunate that you can't take much of anything to alleviate your respiratory symptoms if you are an athlete.
 
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