And what of Mirai Nagasu? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

And what of Mirai Nagasu?

Selene

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
I think Mirai is done. She isn’t competitive with the top ladies, because of her tendency to underrotate jumps. Even “clean” performances from her will suffer multiple deductions.

As for Gracie, she is all hype and no substance. Several American girls are better than her, but for some reason, the media doesn’t focus on them.

Practically every US girl is better than her from an artistic/PCS standpoint. Her programs are horrible (musically and choreographically), and she has no musicality. I don’t think she’ll ever interpret music well, because she is so stiff and her movement is so unrefined.

Several American girls have better technical content than she does, too. Courtney Hicks and Polina Edmunds have more difficult jump layouts, and Angela Wang has a comparable one. Gracie has not improved her technical content in over three seasons, despite repeated statements that she was fixing the edge on her 3F or moving the 2A-3T to the second half of her program. And she cannot execute her recycled jump layout in competition, because she is a headcase who cannot control her nerves.

Both are non-factors at Nationals, if the competition is scored fairly.
 

Icey

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
She will skate at Finlandia tomorrow 10/05. I understand there will be live streaming and it will not be geo blocked. Hope that is right.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I think Mirai is done. She isn’t competitive with the top ladies, because of her tendency to underrotate jumps. Even “clean” performances from her will suffer multiple deductions.

As for Gracie, she is all hype and no substance. Several American girls are better than her, but for some reason, the media doesn’t focus on them.

Practically every US girl is better than her from an artistic/PCS standpoint. Her programs are horrible (musically and choreographically), and she has no musicality. I don’t think she’ll ever interpret music well, because she is so stiff and her movement is so unrefined.

Several American girls have better technical content than she does, too. Courtney Hicks and Polina Edmunds have more difficult jump layouts, and Angela Wang has a comparable one. Gracie has not improved her technical content in over three seasons, despite repeated statements that she was fixing the edge on her 3F or moving the 2A-3T to the second half of her program. And she cannot execute her recycled jump layout in competition, because she is a headcase who cannot control her nerves.

Both are non-factors at Nationals, if the competition is scored fairly.

You really think a clean Gold will be a non-factor at Nationals? That's insane.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
You really think a clean Gold will be a non-factor at Nationals? That's insane.

Agreed. It isn't about the jump layout as much as executing your elements well. Yuna doesn't even have a top 10 BV but gets so much GOE that she gets among the highest TES anyway.
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
I feel badly for Mirai because she peaked four years ago, and she has just been muddling through the last few years. The caller seems to watch her jumps like a hawk, so no benefits there. And she just hasn't looked happy. I hope when she retires this year that she can look back and see how successful her career was. US Jr.Champ, US Sr.Champ at 14, Olympian, top ten at Worlds and Olys. It's just ashame she didn't raise her skating to the highest level. I do not see her as a factor at all this year sad to say.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
Mirai is and has always been a wildcard skater. She's that skater who, if she fires on all cylinders, you can't help but notice. When she skates with speed, attack and personality, she's amazing. It's just very rare that she does that nowadays.

I think Mirai is in contention for that 3rd spot but it will require a very good season followed by a fabulous showing at nationals. She has two tough assignments this season: NHK and COR. NHK is by far the most stacked competition of the season: Mao, Akiko, Elena, Zijun, Gracie, Satoko and Alena. I will probably need a defibrillator if Mirai manages to medal at this event; top 5 will be an achievement. Cup of Russia is going to be tough too but top 5 is a possibility there. Medaling will be a long shot for Mirai this season but if she skates well and posts good scores, that will help her when nationals rolls around.

The field is pretty deep for that 3rd spot: Courtney, Agnes and Christina are favorites but then you also have newer skaters like Polina, Samantha or Angela who could make a splash and upset for that 3rd spot. Mirai will have to fight like crazy if she wants on that team this year. I'm not sure about her chances right now but I do want to see her have a solid season. She did very well last year; it was just rotten luck that she was sick at nationals. It was like her bad FS basically erased all of the good she'd done the season before.
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
This is my favorite Mirai Nagasu program. She absolutely deserved this title, but I guess USFS wanted to send "Reliable Rachael" into the Olympics as their star, yarrite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rJX0_QqCTE

Just a horribly judged event. I so hope that the politiK doesn't get the better of the event. Rachael was second or third at best. Too bad Ashley bombed her SP. Then again it seemed the USFS wanted Reliable Rock Rachael as their number one even though she had no presentation, no personality (oh I'm sorry, she's BUBBLY!!) and no PCS. Uggh. Olympic years are always bad with politik.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
This is my favorite Mirai Nagasu program. She absolutely deserved this title, but I guess USFS wanted to send "Reliable Rachael" into the Olympics as their star, yarrite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rJX0_QqCTE

Just a horribly judged event. I so hope that the politiK doesn't get the better of the event. Rachael was second or third at best. Too bad Ashley bombed her SP. Then again it seemed the USFS wanted Reliable Rock Rachael as their number one even though she had no presentation, no personality (oh I'm sorry, she's BUBBLY!!) and no PCS. Uggh. Olympic years are always bad with politik.

I am kind of happy Ashley didn't make it that year because it lit a fire under her and made her the champion she is today. She isn't the best skater in the world but I feel like she is making the most of her gifts now.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
It is amazing how changed bodies affect skating-see Rachel Flatt, C Zhang and Mirai. I really feel a slight difference in heaviness slows someone down, Courtney gets slammed for her stocky little frame. Diversity is good.t not in skating bodies I guess.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
I am kind of happy Ashley didn't make it that year because it lit a fire under her and made her the champion she is today. She isn't the best skater in the world but I feel like she is making the most of her gifts now.

If that were true Ashley would have come alive in the 2010-2011 season, which she didnt in the least. In fact after 2011 season many were counting her out as even being a contender at the U.S level anymore (I admit I was one of those). I dont think Ashley's surge was borne out of her dissapointment of missing the Olympic team. It came from determination to finally step up to the next level before it was too late, and newfound confidence and momentum of some good early season performances in fall 2011; and also a look around at Czisny and Flatt (the perceived U.S leaders at the time) struggling, and realizing she had a golden opportunity to take charge of U.S womens skating for the first time in her career.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
This is my favorite Mirai Nagasu program. She absolutely deserved this title, but I guess USFS wanted to send "Reliable Rachael" into the Olympics as their star, yarrite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rJX0_QqCTE

Just a horribly judged event. I so hope that the politiK doesn't get the better of the event. Rachael was second or third at best. Too bad Ashley bombed her SP. Then again it seemed the USFS wanted Reliable Rock Rachael as their number one even though she had no presentation, no personality (oh I'm sorry, she's BUBBLY!!) and no PCS. Uggh. Olympic years are always bad with politik.

Sending Flatt to the Olympics as #1 was always a waste. It is fine to send Rachael to major events as your #2 or #3 (although by 2011 she shouldnt have even been sent as that, and again the USFsA overrated and sent her to Worlds, a big mistake like I predicted at the time), but never as your #1. I read that the USFSA was even promoting her a gold contender for the Games. LOL how was that going to happen, atleast 5 falls from Yu Na Kim, and probably atleast 2 falls from both Asada and Rochette, atleast 1 fall from Ando, Lepisto, and Kostner even, while Flatt had the skates of a lifetime? She had NO potential as a possible medal winner at the World level even at her best. International judges rated her as strictly 2nd tier, and no amount of over the top USFSA pushing would ever change that. She was consistent a solid, a good skater to help get 3 U.S spots back (which the U.S would have had Czisny and Nagasu done their jobs at the 09 and 2010 Worlds, although ironically Nagasu still was the top American at the 2010 Worlds despite the blown opportunity), but no more than that.

Imagine had Nagasu gone to the Olympics as U.S #1. She might have medaled after her skates of a lifetime, and Joannie (and Asada) making mistakes in the LP. Instead she barely took 4th, a long way off 3rd place, while reliable Rachael came 7th even with 2 clean skates.
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
After Mirai's Nationals skate, that I posted, she apparently got three or four downgrades. !!!! That last 3toe where she missed her pick was questionable, but all her other jumps looked sound, or as sound as the heavyset Reliable Rachael at that point. You knew something was up. Reliable Rachael was BARELY getting her growing body around, which at least the Olympic judges recognized when they trashed her at the Olympics, but no at Nats she's the queen and Nagasu just has to wait her turn I suppose. I think most skating audiences are people like me who go out of my way to attend. We aren't bumpkins. And when Nagasu started getting applause and ovation 30 seconds to the end of her program, we all saw the WINNER. Nope, it was Reliable Rachael and her polite and somewhat embarrassed applause. And poor Mirai seemed to have mental issues about competing, gee I wonder wonder why?
 

mirai4life

1Lo <
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
I'm the biggest Mirai fan. At this point, i will just wish her luck and hope for the best. I want her on the podium, 3rd or whatever. Making the Olympic team again would be a huge accomplishment, although making it once is an accomplishment as well. :laugh:
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
I have always always been a Mirai fan, since she beat Zhang at Jrs. So much there, so much potential. Sometimes people are afraid of reaching their potential. I just wish to her this year she chooses music that makes her happy, and that she skates to her heart's content. She has everything. Except the heart. Oh god that sounds like "Center Stage" where the queen tells her mom "You didn't have the feet, I don't have the heart...". Let's hope she gets her heart into it this year.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Mirai just skated the SP at Finlandia. She scored 54.01, with a technical score of 25.81 which is quite low. I watched it on Finnish TV, and her jumps looked UR to me. I guess they looked that way to the tech team as well. Mirai looked happy after she'd skated, but disappointed after she heard her score.

Still to skate: Lipnitskaia, Tuktamysheva, Suzuki, Shoji, and Lam.
 

lcd

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Mirai just skated the SP at Finlandia. She scored 54.01, with a technical score of 25.81 which is quite low. I watched it on Finnish TV, and her jumps looked UR to me. I guess they looked that way to the tech team as well. Mirai looked happy after she'd skated, but disappointed after she heard her score.

Another instance where having instant access to protocols would be so helpful. Hearing they are doing 'open' or at least available protocols at Cup of Nice. Hope this becomes a trend.
 

Nadia01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
It is amazing how changed bodies affect skating-see Rachel Flatt, C Zhang and Mirai. I really feel a slight difference in heaviness slows someone down, Courtney gets slammed for her stocky little frame. Diversity is good.t not in skating bodies I guess.

I think FS is even less forgiving than ballet at times. The laws of physics don't play favorites w/ anybody.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
I was reading an old book by Gelsey Kirland, tiny prima ballereina with NYCB and then ABT. SScathing about Balanchine. He told her not to eat. She was introduced to cocaine and retired in 1983. She eventually came back to teach in NYC and opened a ballet school in NYC in 2010 with her husband. Her students are the skinniest people. It seems so hypocritical after how she exposed the ballet world eating disorders and people like Balanchine, her "Misha" and decried the unhealthy aesthetic that was becoming the norm. Gelsey was way to thin. She looked like a child. She really did surgery, the whole bit when it was not even the norm in Hollywood.

Ballet, FS and gymnastics have many victims.
 
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