Which ladies -USA -deserve Sochi?

pangtongfan · Nov 22, 2013

Tonichelle said:
Kwan, Lipinski, and Bobek were pushed as being the next big three in 98 as I recall.

Which was pure delusion. Bobek had done absolutely nothing (and even if I am prone to hyperbole on occasion, this is no hyperbole) internationally since her World bronze in 95. I could barely contain my laughing at the crazy over the top U.S sweep predictions and hype at the time. They were based on pure fantasy. Bobek ultimately finished 17th, about as expected considering she was only 13th at the 97 Worlds, and did not even qualify for the U.S Worlds (beaten out by 15th place finisher at those Worlds Tara Lipinski). In the 3 years of grand prix competition which began the season after the 95 Worlds (and as today had on average 30% of the Worlds top skaters per event), Bobek had managed 1 bronze medal. From every standpoint she wasn't even a top 10 World skater anymore, and Kwiatkowski who she beat out to make the team produced better international results by then.

Mrs. P · Nov 22, 2013

drivingmissdaisy said:
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.

Mirai did get a level 1 spin that she can easily get level 4 on. That was 1.5 points right there. Still that only puts her around 62 something for a clean program when Gracie scored the same for a program lacking a 3-3.

pangtongfan · Nov 22, 2013

Mrs. P said:
Mirai did get a level 1 spin that she can easily get level 4 on. That was 1.5 points right there. Still that only puts her around 62 something for a clean program when Gracie scored the same for a program lacking a 3-3.

Didn't Gold have a mistake too. Either way Mirai doesn't need to worry about Wagner or Gold, we know she is never beating them at this point. She needs to worry about all the U.S girls behind those two.

Mrs. P · Nov 22, 2013

pangtongfan said:
Didn't Gold have a mistake too. Either way Mirai doesn't need to worry about Wagner or Gold, we know she is never beating them at this point. She needs to worry about all the U.S girls behind those two.

That's my point, they scored the same despite Mirai having much more clean program.

Anyway, I still think she's in it for No. 3. Christina, Anges and Mirai all have a 62+ SP under their belt, which neither Hicks or Cesario have at this point. Anyway, we'll have a better idea tomorrow.

drivingmissdaisy · Nov 22, 2013

Tonichelle said:
Kwan, Lipinski, and Bobek were pushed as being the next big three in 98 as I recall.

I think that was the result of Campbell's trying to sell some soup :laugh:

(Wasn't Nicole picked for the commercials with the other two even before Nationals?)

yyyskate · Nov 22, 2013

Sam is really amazing at selling her programs. her performance is very very impressive. people got goosebumps watching her! but she is slow at skate america. I adore Mirai! Gracie is such a beauty and improved a lot, presentation wise this season, Ashley is also very impressive, great performer, but she is also kinda slow...
I love Christina Gao too, understated elegance with inner strength, very rare quality among US ladies! I love them all, so hard to choose....

tulosai · Nov 22, 2013

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
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.

I would be happy if she proves me wrong, but if Agnes manages to pull off anything resembling a clean LP, I'll eat my pillow.

drivingmissdaisy said:
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.

Yeah. I think maybe partly they have 'lost faith' as someone else said, but she also just does NOT skate with enthusiasm and passion anymore, and it IS impacting her PCS significantly IMO.

pangtongfan · Nov 22, 2013

tulosai said:
Yeah. I think maybe partly they have 'lost faith' as someone else said, but she also just does NOT skate with enthusiasm and passion anymore, and it IS impacting her PCS significantly IMO.

Agreed. Skating with blank face + going through motions + being seen as a skater past their prime who isnt supported highly by their federation anymore = mediocre PCS.

ivy · Nov 23, 2013

The crazy thing is that veteran Mirai is the same age as fresh faced Cesario, only a year older then Gao and Zawadzki and almost 3 years younger then Kim and Asada, 6 years younger then Kostner and 8 years younger then Suzuki. I think she's got a 3rd act due soon

, though she has to want it!

pangtongfan · Nov 23, 2013

ivy said:
The crazy thing is that veteran Mirai is the same age as fresh faced Cesario, only a year older then Gao and Zawadzki and almost 3 years younger then Kim and Asada, 6 years younger then Kostner and 8 years younger then Suzuki. I think she's got a 3rd act due soon , though she has to want it!

Her < problem is chronic and not easily fixed. The quality of her skating has declined a lot from her peak in 2009-2011 too for whatever reason, and her rep value is way down. Julia making a ton of mistakes beat one of her best efforts in years in the LP, and crushed her on PCS.

Then again who knows. After Sochi will be a clean slate for a lot of people. I think a lot will depend on finances if it is even feasible for her to keep going or not.

Ziggy · Nov 23, 2013

I would like the US Olympic Team to be Ashley Wagner, Polina Edmunds and Samantha Cesario.

Ashley Wagner's skating is now at such level, she seems to be head and shoulders over other US Ladies, overall. Hard to imagine her not winning US Nats, unless she bombs.

Polina Edmunds has skated extremely well at both of her JGPs and she has the best jumping content of any US lady at the moment. Not selecting her for JGP last season was one of the most stupid USFS decisions ever. Time for atonement!

Samantha Cesario seems to have addressed her underrotation issues, is in great shape and she's a skater with presence and character, who stands out from the crowd. I haven't been this excited about a US lady ever. She does need to work on developing more speed though.

I think that Gracie Gold and Courtney Hicks are both capable of getting on the team. Gold hasn't been very consistent this season, though. If she lands her jumps, she's definitely in. But will she? Hicks is an excellent jumper but the PCS aspects of her skating are very poor at this stage.

Clean Nagasu and Gao could probably sneak in but will need mistakes from others.

bump · Nov 23, 2013

Probably only Ashley Wagner...although it seems unlikely that she will medal in Sochi considering how weak her long program is. Gracie Gold is clearly a head-case skater...it would be a miracle if she skated two somewhat clean programs in a row. The rest of the American ladies are pretty meh...none of them are glaringly awful, but none of them have something special, either.

nam57 · Nov 24, 2013

After watching Pacific Coast Sr...no way for any of them! I know video looks slow, but WOW! No Triple-Triples, not even Lam's trademark 2 double Axels. Keiser used to pop of triple triples. Sad when the winner barely cracks 100!

AlexRus · Nov 26, 2013

skateluvr said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PzAhGwBBz8

Polina in Minsk, Junior Grand Prix in Sept. She's lovely but Sam could better handle Oly, I think, Polina is too too green.

Yes, Polina is too green.
She looks like Pogorilaya past season - ready to Junior, not ready to Senior Internationals.

But ... Past season was the situation - Gosviani and Leonova had ISU Championships spots, as the best age eligible Ladies for 3rd spot.
Probably Pogorilaya (she was ahead them at Russian Nats and had higher Season Best Score) would have better results than Gosviani at Euro and than Leonova at Worlds, only because her jumps and stability.
Pogorilaya was not age eligible past season.

Situation like this may be in US female skating this season. But Polina Edmunds is age eligible. So she may fill the spot.

AlexRus · Nov 26, 2013

dorispulaski said:
USFS should send the 3rd place girl from Nationals.

3rd of age eligible.
3rd place of US Nats may be Karen Chen, who is not.

drivingmissdaisy · Nov 26, 2013

bump said:
Probably only Ashley Wagner...although it seems unlikely that she will medal in Sochi considering how weak her long program is.

I'm not sure why people keep criticizing her LP. It obviously has the scoring potential to keep her in the medal hunt. What other program of her's can earn above ~135?

Mrs. P · Nov 26, 2013

AlexRus said:
3rd of age eligible.
3rd place of US Nats may be Karen Chen, who is not.

Karen is competing in juniors nationally.

NYscorp6 · Nov 26, 2013

I would choose Gracie representing our future, Ashley deserves a Olympic experience and Samantha a NY/Long Island girl.

AlexRus · Nov 26, 2013

drivingmissdaisy said:
If they score Agnes like they did last year the other ladies have no chance for that third spot. She almost won the SP with a fall.

Gracie bombed with UR and had 1A.
Courtney URed.
GOE of Mirai were even higher than Agnes'.
Agnes had highest BV of all competitors.

But I believe that GOE of her jumps are a bit too high. And she was slow as usually.

AlexRus · Nov 26, 2013

Mrs. P said:
Karen is competing in juniors nationally.

Thank you, I didn't know.

But why? As for me Karen's skating is more "seniorish" than Polina's.

Which ladies -USA -deserve Sochi?

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

drivingmissdaisy

yyyskate

tulosai

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

ivy

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

Ziggy

bump

Match Penalty

nam57

AlexRus

AlexRus

drivingmissdaisy

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

NYscorp6

AlexRus

AlexRus

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