Anyway, AS IT STANDS NOW, I think Wagner/Gold/Nagasu would be the team with highest potential. Wagner/Gold/Gao would be OK too but Gao's probably the weak link there, competitive for bottom top 10 at best
To be honest i'd like to see that 3rd spot go to someone like Hicks or Angela Wang. With Gracie and Ashley plus Wang or Hicks you would have a good balance of youth and experience.
Is Edmunds old enough to go to Sochi? Will she skate as a Senior at Nationals?
Polina Edmunds was born on May 18, 1998, so she will be old enough (barely).
But given the girl has no international experience whatsoever (though she probably should have gotten some JGPs last falls), I think she would have to have the SOHL to make the Olympic team.
Here's something to chew on:
With the exception of the 2008 team, which had Meissner, Liang and Wagner, every team since then up to this year has had either Flatt, Czisny or both of them on it. The first year without either Flatt or Czisny on the team, the US regains the 3rd spot.
Moral of story? Keep Flatt and/or Czisny off the World team at all costs and odds are we'll be fine
If either of them is 3rd next year, go ahead and send them to Sochi, but for the love of God substitute someone else in for the World team...
"At this point, I'm obviously very busy with school and everything," she said. "At the same time, skating is near and dear to my heart, and I'd like to be involved as long as I possibly can. If I'm able to train without pain, that would be incredible. If I can do that, I would definitely consider competing through next year, but my health and academics come first; I wouldn't be at Stanford if that weren't the case."
I think Flatt is done too but you never know - perhaps the news of a 3rd spot opening up might have her reconsidering. Still, even if she made the effort I think she'd fall short. We have new contenders now and the one thing Flatt used to have going for her is consistency, but even that's gone now so there's nothing left for her to offer (sorry if that sounds harsh).
As for Czisny, I take it from the message she sent me that she will go for it next season. I think she was going to try regardless, but now with a 3rd spot I think she will almost certainly continue unless she physically can't. She is capable of top 3 but again, she needs to control her nerves. Not convinced she can do that, especially since she had decent shots in 2006 and 2010 and squandered both opportunities. And she (like Wagner) will need more difficult content to keep up with Gold, Hicks and Zawadzki.
A message she sent you? Didn't know you guys were BFFs!
nevermind, forget it. post has been edited.
Aw, I really thought you had an inside on Miss Czisny. .