- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
Mirai shouldn't be attacked for her statement because she has a lot of fans and they are very interested to hear her opinion of the situation. She was polite yet honest, which is all anyone can ask for.
A good, well reasoned analysis, as always on your part. I would just note, as has been drummed into my head countless times by proponents of the USFSA decision, that only 8 events, or categories of events, were to be considered by the selection committee. The JGP's that you cite as evidence of Edmund's consistency should not have been considered by the selection commitee, just as Nagasu's fine 2010 Olympic appearance was not considered, nor was her 2008 national championship, nor was her junior grand prix final gold medal considered, nor her silver medal at junior worlds, all accomplishments that Edmunds never achieved. And while the junior GP final and junior worlds from 2013 could be considered, they were supposed to be seventh and eighth in priority of those events considered. How they were actually considered by the selection committee behind closed doors is something we may never know, but I suspect they may have been given more weight than seventh and eighth on the list.Still, even at that competition, Mirai's TES at Rostelcom for her FS was 57.95 vs. 62.95 for Polina from JGPF. And that's with one less element, so if you add the BV of the SpSq (2.00) to that TES, you would be at 64.95, which is super competitive for a senior lady.
Polina's TES in her JGP as been: 61.82, 62.37, 62.95, so she's pretty consistent technically.
It's totally possible Mirai could score 65 at an international competition, but her international record this season doesn't indicate that: 38.18 (NHK), 57.95 (Rostelecom), 48.67 (4CC).
While Ashley hasn't been at all cylinders this season, her TES has seen that huge up and down as Mirai did this season: 58.54 (Skate America) , 61.81 (Trophee Eric Bompard), 56.06 (GPF)
Gracie's TES this season in the GP: 56.09 (Skate Canada), 55.58 (NHK). And that was with sub par performances.
For the record, I loved Mirai at nationals and gladly gave her a standing o at both her performances. However, if the committee were looking at these TES numbers, I can see a little better what went into their decision.
A good, well reasoned analysis, as always on your part. I would just note, as has been drummed into my head countless times by proponents of the USFSA decision, that only 8 events, or categories of events, were to be considered by the selection committee. The JGP's that you cite as evidence of Edmund's consistency should not have been considered by the selection commitee, just as Nagasu's fine 2010 Olympic appearance was not considered, nor was her 2008 national championship, nor was her junior grand prix final gold medal considered, nor her silver medal at junior worlds, all accomplishments that Edmunds never achieved. And while the junior GP final and junior worlds from 2013 could be considered, they were supposed to be seventh and eighth in priority of those events considered. How they were actually considered by the selection committee behind closed doors is something we may never know, but I suspect they may have been given more weight than seventh and eighth on the list.
Neither Edmunds or Nagasu were going to do well in Sochi. About 10th place is probably the best either could have hoped for. I dont think even the USFSA expect a great result from Edmunds in Sochi, their hopes are pinned entirely on Gold and Wagner (and even tehirs not great as far as medals go). They just want her to get her name out there and gain the much needed experience. Either way none of this would matter had Nagasu skated a bit better and beaten her for 2nd place at Nationals. If she had she would be going to the Olympics instead of Edmunds.
I find it difficult to believe an elite skater like Ashely and her team would plan so badly she would appear at Nationals wearing new boots? Where did you get this information?
Wagner's coach, Rafael Arutunian, blamed part of her troubles on boot problems, saying her previous pair broke down and her new ones left her with blisters on both her feet.
Where the frustration for me as a Mirai-neutral person is when her fans try to come up with so many excuses that try to make the decision seem more outrageous than it actually was. We've had to read the USFSA was racist, she was punished for not having a coach, corporate sponsors "bought" Ashley's place on the team, Mirai didn't know she had to skate well before Nationals, etc. Many of the excuses are speculative, but the reasons to leave her home are based in fact: she is inconsistent based on her scores this season, two people who would not have made the team under the "body of work" criteria beat Mirai, and one person who didn't beat Mirai was going regardless based on her "body of work".
Well, seems the wise thing to do is after your boots get a certain age on them, you start breaking down another set gradually while the other set is on its final leg. Still seems like bad planning in an olympic year imo and one that is avoidable. Hope Raphael doesn't repeat what he did to Michelle at Torino.Skaters don't "plan" for their boots to break down prematurely. It happens. Unfortunately, it happened to Ashley just before Nationals. The information came from her coach, Rafael Arutunian, replying to questions as to why Ashley was 4th after the SP.
Understand that Wagner's boots broke down - but even she did not use that as an excuse for her poor performance, so why should her fans? She said HERSELF that the pressure is what did her in, and given her competitive history I'm inclined to believe her fully. I can certainly admire the honesty because not every skater would have admitted that, especially if what her coach said was true.
And this "brouhaha" isn't dying any time soon...it's gonna be like a black cloud that hangs over Wagner the entire time she's in Sochi. In fact, it's one of the things I'm most looking forward to: how mentally tough is she? Can she TRULY handle big-time pressure? She may have choked at Nationals but she has another chance to show the world that she is not that type of skater. Will she take advantage?
But...and forgive me for playing DA for a sec - do we KNOW 100% that sponsors DIDN'T "buy Wagner's place" on the team...or even apply just a tiny bit of pressure to the committee to send her? (Remember that the USFS and Miss Wagner share more than one sponsor...) Or that Nagasu lacking a coach did not work against her? Of course we don't.
Not suggesting that they did, but there is no way for us to prove that they didn't. That gets to the heart of this controversy actually, and why so many were up in arms about this.
Understand that Wagner's boots broke down - but even she did not use that as an excuse for her poor performance, so why should her fans? She said HERSELF that the pressure is what did her in, and given her competitive history I'm inclined to believe her fully. I can certainly admire the honesty because not every skater would have admitted that, especially if what her coach said was true.
And this "brouhaha" isn't dying any time soon...it's gonna be like a black cloud that hangs over Wagner the entire time she's in Sochi. In fact, it's one of the things I'm most looking forward to: how mentally tough is she? Can she TRULY handle big-time pressure? She may have choked at Nationals but she has another chance to show the world that she is not that type of skater. Will she take advantage?
But...and forgive me for playing DA for a sec - do we KNOW 100% that sponsors DIDN'T "buy Wagner's place" on the team...or even apply just a tiny bit of pressure to the committee to send her? (Remember that the USFS and Miss Wagner share more than one sponsor...) Or that Nagasu lacking a coach did not work against her? Of course we don't.
Not suggesting that they did, but there is no way for us to prove that they didn't. That gets to the heart of this controversy actually, and why so many were up in arms about this.
But...and forgive me for playing DA for a sec - do we KNOW 100% that sponsors DIDN'T "buy Wagner's place" on the team...or even apply just a tiny bit of pressure to the committee to send her? (Remember that the USFS and Miss Wagner share more than one sponsor...) Or that Nagasu lacking a coach did not work against her? Of course we don't.
Well, seems the wise thing to do is after your boots get a certain age on them, you start breaking down another set gradually while the other set is on its final leg. Still seems like bad planning in an olympic year imo and one that is avoidable. Hope Raphael doesn't repeat what he did to Michelle at Torino.
Max Aaron - proudly sponsored by Nike and Liberty Mutual.
Jason Brown - no sponsors (yet).
End of argument.
I in general agree with this post, I think Edmunds or Nagasu would likely end up 9th to 12th. But if the USFSA isn't counting on Edmunds, then there was no reason not to give Nagasu worlds, and send Edmunds to junior worlds. Some have suggested there is a rule prohibiting a skater going to junior worlds after being in the Olympics, if so, either Edmunds could have had the Olympics and skipped junior worlds, or Nagasu could have gotten Sochi and Edmunds senior Worlds. Any of these solutions would have been more palatable to a lot of people. As far as getting you name out, I don't think the Olympics is the place for a first senior assignment if the purpose is to just get your name out. There are plenty of other competitions, including worlds or junior worlds, where that could be done.
Here's what confuses me - and maybe Mirai. Polina is new to the senior level. She has no body of work at the senior level. So, did the committee look at Polina's placement with other junior competitors and compare them to Mirai's at the senior? That doesn't seem like a fair comparison. True that Polina outscored Mirai by about 3-4 pointsat the Nationals. One of those points was Mirai's one second time infraction. Polina has excellent technical elements that will serve her well now and in the future.
This is exactly what my non-skating husband observed and I agree. With so much at risk, why not have 2 pairs of working skates?
^ for people who have an inside view into elite skating, it would be great to learn more about this whole boot breaking in/breaking down conundrum. Do the blades factor into this equation - do skaters tend to have only one set of 'good' blades and does this factor into the process at all?
I think Mirai's response was real and honest. For the most part, I like Mirai and her skating, but I think the USFSA made the right call by leaving her off the Olympic team. She placed 10th at an event that is (for most competitors there) a consolation competition with a rather weak ladies field. This proves why the USFSA did not want her on the Olympic team.
I know Mirai says she was sick at 4CC (and since I'm not her doctor), I believe her. Though it seems like the last few seasons that Mirai has skated poorly, she says it was because she was sick. At the same time, there have been other skaters that have competed (and got better results) while having something more serious than a cold. Evan Lysacek going from 10th to 4th at the 2006 Olympics after having been in the hospital, Hongbo Zhao coming back to top form after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon or Maxim Shabalin competing the last three or so years of his career with severe osteoarthritis in his knees. Just a few examples that come to mind.
Someone mentioned Shizuka earlier. She competed in Nagano, missed Salt Lake City and won Torino. Coming back to the top after some dismal seasons can be done. I believe if Mirai can get a coach (someone like Frank Carroll), start training seriously, fix her UR issues, get consistently decent/good results for a few seasons, she can likely rebuild her reputation with the USFSA and judges. It would be very difficult, but I don't think it's an impossibility.