Alissa Czisny plans to compete next season

[SkateFiguring]

The comparable epic meltdown to Czisny's that I can think of is Oda's at Worlds 2010, each preceded by a foretelling event. Here are their career competition results: Oda, and Czisny. No matter how one looks at it, the numbers 28 and 22 stand out like huge purple sore thumbs in their respective fact sheets. As the cause of Oda's disastrous skate later revealed, there is most likely an out of the ordinary reason for Czisny's 2012 fiasco as well whether or not it will ever be made known to us. Oda's meltdown was complete at the SP when he popped every jump, saving himself possibly even bigger embarrassment at the LP like Czisny. Give her credit for attempting all her jumps instead of aborting them to avoid the falls.

A sore thumb is a sore thumb, however painful. It's not terminal cancer. Oda returned to his normal form, a top tier skater succumbing frequently to his usual weakness, a COP math deficiency in his DNA. Czisny should return to form as well, seeing her even/odd number season of good fortune is coming up. It will be her usual weakness(es) she needs to overcome, so the fight (I hate to use the word struggle) continues.

As always, I don't write anybody off or judge them to be finished or to be the future legend before any real international achievement. The system is there for each athlete to qualify for events, based on the performances on the qualifying events. It is really up to Alissa to continue and to bring it on the ice if she so wishes, not internet fans who have not contributed to any significant extent financially or physically to her years of hard work and sacrifices. It is not our asses that falls hard on the ice on the daily basis in training nor at competitions for the world to see.

[Trewyn]

Not to mention 2010 is also the year Sarah Meier failed to qualify for the long program as well! She came back to win Euros

[drivingmissdaisy]

Yes but Alissa regularly bombs, not as bad as Worlds but 2 falls in a program is never surprising. It was pretty much a forgone conclusion that she wouldn't finish in the top 10 after her performance in the Challenge Cup. I think she can still skate a clean program, but as far as a "come-back" to where she regularly performs well, I don't see that happening because she was never very consistent in the first place.

[R.D.]

Exactly. As I said before, her career is a roller-coaster- a surge back to the top won't be a shocker- but then it comes crashing down again! (hint: this has happened THREE times at Worlds. Some of you guys seriously want to take a chance on her AGAIN for Sochi spots? Unbelievable)

[Trewyn]

Exactly. As I said before, her career is a roller-coaster- a surge back to the top won't be a shocker- but then it comes crashing down again! (hint: this has happened THREE times at Worlds. Some of you guys seriously want to take a chance on her AGAIN for Sochi spots? Unbelievable)

I don't think Alissa placing in the top 2 at Nats is going to happen. (And I agree that I wouldn't like that kind of risk either when Olympic spots are on the line!) But I do think it's possible for her to win another GP.

[Tinymavy15]

I think the US ladies will always remain second tier as long as skaters like Czisny are promoted internationally.

when was the last time a US lady won the Grand Prix Final? Alissa 2010. before that (correct me if I am wrong) we have to go all the way back to Sasha Cohen in 2002-3.

[R.D.]

when was the last time a US lady won the Grand Prix Final? Alissa 2010. before that (correct me if I am wrong) we have to go all the way back to Sasha Cohen in 2002-3.

Playing DA, when was the last time a US lady had a World finish as poor as 22nd? We'd have to go back to the 90s, right?

_______________________________

isn't Wagner's 4CC win the first ISU championship victory since Meissner in 2007? If we have to pick skaters to "promote", I'd say Wagner has earned it this season...and we'll have to see about any others (including Gold, no matter how badly many want to anoint her)

[Mathman]

Playing DA, when was the last time a US lady had a World finish as poor as 22nd? We'd have to go back to the 90s, right?

All that's true. But will I ever turn my back on Alissa? Will I ever abandon hope of happier days ahead?

Many a new day will dawn... ♫

Many a red sun will set... ♪

♪ Many a blue moon will shine
before I do! ♫♪

[SkateFiguring]

If Alissa qualifies to go again, she goes. If she doesn't, she doesn't. Why do fans think it's up to whatever they say? Maybe a foolproof selection protocol to prevent her should be concocted to lobby the USFSA with.

[tulosai]

If Alissa qualifies to go again, she goes. If she doesn't, she doesn't. Why do fans think it's up to whatever they say? Maybe a foolproof selection protocol to prevent her should be concocted to lobby the USFSA with.

This is kind of how I feel about the whole thing. It's no secret that I am an Alissa fan, but if she competes or does not is her choice. I am boggled by the people here who seem to think it depends on them what she decides, or who think she should have made a different decision because THEY think/say so. I had prepared myself for her retirement after worlds even though it was/is my preference that she keep skating. I don't think she owes it to me or anyone to keep skating OR to stop skating.

The question of whether she should be 'allowed' to go to Worlds again is similarly ridiculous to me. I DO strongly agree that neither she nor anyone else should be held up, next year or ever. However, I think it is equally unfair to keep anyone down purposefully. In my mind next year she will show up to Nationals, and either she will do well or she will do poorly. Hopefully she will be marked according to how she does, and if she manages to EARN a spot on the world team, then so be it. If not, that is actually quite fine by me as well... I am a fan of lots of US skaters not just Alissa.

I would like to know what happened at worlds, but whether she keeps skating or not, and whether she likes competing or not (while I will admit it doesn't look to me like she does, my mind is actually also blown at the number of people who seem convinced she is lying and hates competing- how would you know what is in her mind) is none of our business in my mind. That doesn't mean you can't be happy or upset by her decision- of course you can- but viciously telling her she has to retire and let others shine is IMO not right. If the others want to step up and shine, they have only to do it- just look at Ashley

[R.D.]

The question of whether she should be 'allowed' to go to Worlds again is similarly ridiculous to me. I DO strongly agree that neither she nor anyone else should be held up, next year or ever. However, I think it is equally unfair to keep anyone down purposefully. In my mind next year she will show up to Nationals, and either she will do well or she will do poorly. Hopefully she will be marked according to how she does

We will have to see how the other skaters do next year, as well as Czisny. The big thing for USFS is NOT to hold Czisny up next year to inflate her to top 2 status. I felt they did this in 2009, which was a BIG mistake. Historically, with the exception of 2011, Czisny hasn't really wowed at Nationals- she's been either OK (2007, 2009), mediocre (2012) or just plain awful (2006, 2008, 2010).

[tulosai]

We will have to see how the other skaters do next year, as well as Czisny. The big thing for USFS is NOT to hold Czisny up next year to inflate her to top 2 status. I felt they did this in 2009, which was a BIG mistake. Historically, with the exception of 2011, Czisny hasn't really wowed at Nationals- she's been either OK (2007, 2009), mediocre (2012) or just plain awful (2006, 2008, 2010).

No argument there.

[drivingmissdaisy]

If Alissa qualifies to go again, she goes. If she doesn't, she doesn't. Why do fans think it's up to whatever they say? Maybe a foolproof selection protocol to prevent her should be concocted to lobby the USFSA with.

At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter who goes if they can't finish in the top 8. Assuming Ashley can finish in the top 5 at next year's Worlds (not a safe assumption at this point) the 2nd skater is still going to have to skate really well because she will have to place ahead at least a few of the 3 solid Russians, 3 solid Japanese, Carolina, Ashley, Elene, or (maybe) Yuna. Perhaps the USFSA decided to promote Alissa because she has a small chance of a top 8 finish, whereas no one else has a remote chance.

[pangtongfan]

The comparable epic meltdown to Czisny's that I can think of is Oda's at Worlds 2010

and now Oda is no longer a member of Japan's World team and is already written off as having a chance at Sochi. Czisny seems set to follow suit.

[pangtongfan]

At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter who goes if they can't finish in the top 8. Assuming Ashley can finish in the top 5 at next year's Worlds (not a safe assumption at this point) the 2nd skater is still going to have to skate really well because she will have to place ahead at least a few of the 3 solid Russians, 3 solid Japanese, Carolina, Ashley, Elene, or (maybe) Yuna. Perhaps the USFSA decided to promote Alissa because she has a small chance of a top 8 finish, whereas no one else has a remote chance.

I think your latter point was the case. However next season with Gold competing Senior Nationals and Senior events most likely, and Zhang possibly improving futher (or maybe Nagasu getting her act together) they will have an abundance of options for the U.S #2 lady behind Wagner for Worlds.