Which ladies -USA -deserve Sochi? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Which ladies -USA -deserve Sochi?

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Her question was trying to push towards exploring that possibility, I think, and also towards assessing overall most deserving candidates regardless of judging.

From that perspective, only Ashley has results strong enough to merit an Olympic berth regardless of the outcome at Nationals. She "deserves" to go based on three seasons of excellence (relative to other US ladies). She doesn't lose any head-to-heads against other Americans, is by far our most reliable skater ,and can score well enough to medal if things go right. No others, not even Gracie, "deserve" to go unless they medal at Nationals. However, if the judges insist on inflating scores for their favorites, I'd prefer Gracie to get that treatment rather than Agnes because Gracie actually gets good marks from international judges. It's ridiculous for someone like Agnes to fall and beat her international PB score by 5+ points.
 

AlexaD

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
It is kind of frustrating that we don't have a really strong 3rd prospect to send to the Olympics. Especially with actually having the three spots available this year!

That said, maybe things will turn around for some of our ladies.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
Ashley is the only one who is skating like she wants to go to Sochi. Gracie has been mediocre at best, Agnes and Mirai tanked their first outing, Christina started strongly but fell to pieces at TEB...Samantha is the only skater other than Ashley who put forth two strong performances at both of her events and she's a newbie...

Ashley and Samantha aside, the US ladies vying for these spots have been a giant disappointment so far this season. The US has a bunch of 4+ year veterans who are skating like it's their first time on the GP. Meanwhile the Russians have a bunch of first, second and third year seniors who are skating and competing like the seasoned vets are supposed to. It's a little embarrassing to be honest. What happen to this crop of US skaters? Why are there so few real competitors among them? Ashley seems to be the only skater who actually wants to win anything...it's like everyone else says they want to win yet they skate like they're afraid to. I think they want the medals and notoriety that comes with winning but they are terrified of the pressure and expectation winning brings.

I truly hope Polina, Angela, Karen and the other junior girls have more drive, competitiveness and focus than this current crop...
 

daphna

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 6, 2004
Ashley and Gracie are locks, IMO, both with an outside chance of a medal. I'd like to see Gao making it as well - she's nice to watch, quite consistent, and has the best look on the ice out of all of the other contenders - Agnes, Sam, and whoever else is in the run.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
So far I am also going with Ashley, Gracie and Cesario. Maybe Cesario will have better scoring potential with the 3 loop/ 3 toe. I have GAO in 4th, hicks 5th.

The third place skater is going to be very important. It has to be someone who can back up Ashley or Gracie if for some reason they can't skate in the team competition. One of them may not be able to skate and may need to rest for a few days. I feel like Sam or maybe GAO could do that. Courtney could to but she is just not going to score well. I would not trust Agnes to skate and Mirai will get called for UR if she does skate well. I have felt for years that Mirai was burnt out. She should have taken a year off after the Olympics.

I don't think they will give Polina a chance. She will be sent to world juniors for sure.

Actually the third place lady isn't very important. First ladies and the team event are furthest a part scheduling wise. And it is not like one lady couldn't skate both events (sp and lp). Several countries they don't have a choice.
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
It is kind of frustrating that we don't have a really strong 3rd prospect to send to the Olympics. Especially with actually having the three spots available this year!

Maybe three US ladies don't "deserve" Sochi after all :laugh:
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
I am rooting for Samantha Cesario. She has been so unlucky with injuries the last few years, and she shouldn't be a 'newbie'. She skates with flair, and has ambitious content. I was Team Gao, but she has done nothing this season to justify it if Samantha outskates her. My list: (and this does not include the up and comers this year whom I have never seen....)

1. Wagner
2. Gold (like someone said, these two earned the spots, they deserve to go)
3. Cesario
4. Gao/Nagasu
6. Hicks
7. Zwadska
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
There is no way Wagner and Gold arent going. Yes Gold isnt skating great now, but it doesnt matter. She will be PCSed onto the team if need be. Unless she lands only 2 triples and atleast 2 out of Nagasu, Gao, Zawadzki, etc...skate lights out and perfect 7 triple LPs and clean short programs she is being placed top 3 and on the team.

At this point Cesario, Gao (despite her one off LP), Zawadzki, and Hicks are the main contenders IMO. I dont see Nagasu making it, and I dont see them taking a chance on Wang or another younger skater.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Zawadski really impressed me (and Mirai surprised me) with her SP today. She's certainly fighting for that 3rd spot. A medal at CoR, particularly over Mirai would really help her cause.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
It would be very rare for the United States or any country to have three ladies all involved in the medal conversation. (Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, and Tonya Harding?) There is no reason not to hold a fair national championship competition and let the chips fall as they may.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
I am rooting for Samantha Cesario. She has been so unlucky with injuries the last few years, and she shouldn't be a 'newbie'. She skates with flair, and has ambitious content. I was Team Gao, but she has done nothing this season to justify it if Samantha outskates her. My list: (and this does not include the up and comers this year whom I have never seen....)

1. Wagner
2. Gold (like someone said, these two earned the spots, they deserve to go)
3. Cesario
4. Gao/Nagasu
6. Hicks
7. Zwadska

Allisa is done as we read...she might have been held up as in past. I wish her well, one of the most beautiful ladies ever, and great qualities. Hicks is a threat due to jumps but there is nothing there. Gracie is a far better presenter. I feel she is much more than just a jumper. Her canned sp, a mistake shows her skating skills. Her speed will be back with confidence. She is the future-only confidence-a good sports doc stands in her way. Bezic feels she'll be unbeatable. She will be held up if need be. She did great getting 3 spot with Ashley. Watch for Gracie-who wants number 1 spot to really let go this nationals. She could steal 1st with a mostly clean program in LP. I'm concerned about her SP but Frank is shrewd and conservative...he has a good plan, I am sure. He must feel she can score higher with diff SP to change it so late in Oly year. A mystery!!!! to figure out.

I truly hope Cesario is consistent. I'm counting on a great GP final showing, two fiery performances in Boston and onto the team. After Ashley, she is our most consistent senior. She's lost 2 crucial years so I send her my prayers/best wishes.
 

Poodlepal

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Well, who do the US judges like/will place 3rd in a close call?
They seem to like Agnes a lot. They don't seem to like Christina. I don't know about Samantha. I liked her a lot, but she's not a "pretty" skater. Agnes isn't either, but she's a good short-programmer and could do well in the team competition in that segment.
If Alissa is there and she skates pretty clean, she's got a good chance, unless they are still really, really mad over her meltdown two years ago.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
It would be very rare for the United States or any country to have three ladies all involved in the medal conversation. (Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, and Tonya Harding?) There is no reason not to hold a fair national championship competition and let the chips fall as they may.

Don't forget Hughes/Kwan/Cohen, ending up 1st, 3rd and 4th. ;)
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Alissa is already out of it. She WD from Sectionals and her season is done. Not that she ever was going to make the team anyway (and yes I bet they do hold her WD from Worlds 2 years ago against her, the same way they were done with their former pet Flatt after the 2011 Worlds debacle).

I agree in the past they havent liked Christina but they might just go for the solid and consistent skater this time around if she delivers at Nationals.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Miria isn't even getting love from international judges anymore. Her three triple SP barely topped 60 points today. I'd be surprised if she ends up making the team at this point.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Miria isn't even getting love from international judges anymore. Her three triple SP barely topped 60 points today. I'd be surprised if she ends up making the team at this point.

I believe, like Kostner, she was also a victim of the wacky judging. Her PCS used to be hovering around 30, but now it's been scaled back. Her PCS at NHK was 27.40 with errors on all her jumping passes, and here she skates as well as she can and doesn't even clear 28.
 

flying camel

Medalist
Joined
Nov 16, 2005
When you consistently don't perform well some of the judges as well as fans lose faith in you. I think that is what happen to Mirai.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Miria isn't even getting love from international judges anymore. Her three triple SP barely topped 60 points today. I'd be surprised if she ends up making the team at this point.

Add to that her chronic < problem in her jumps that she will never get past in a LP with 7 jumping passes, including atleast 6 triple passes planned, and I agree. No way she is getting on that team. Atleast someone else of the ones vying for the 3rd spot will skate well enough to shut out her best realistic skate (which would be a clean SP and a cleanish LP with 2 or 3 < or << calls).
 
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