Olys: Will USA medal at all? | Golden Skate

Olys: Will USA medal at all?

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Men: Will the USA place anyone in the top six? Or could it be...

Pluhenko
Joubert
Lambiel
Buttle
Sandhu
Li

Ladies: Between Sasha and Michelle, we should be able to squeak out a silver or a bronze. But Irina is the favorite, Carolina will be looking to improve on her third-place result in front of a home crowd audience and home town judges, and you can't count out Rochette or Poykio.

Could a resurgent Japan could knock the Americans off the podium altogether.?

Irina
Carolina
Shizuka
Fumie
Joannie
Miki

Pairs: We'll be lucky with a top 10. (But even so, go Katie and Garrett! :love: )

Dance: If Belbin and Agosto can't go, no medal prospect there, either.

How is our speed skating team looking this year?

Mathman
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
It is certainly possible that the US won't medal at all -- and I agree that the pairs don't have a chance (and that ice dance depends on whether or not Belbin & Agosto go). However, in the singles events, it is equally possible that Lysacek, Weir, Sasha, and Michelle will all medal. After all, health of critcial competitors can change overnight. Kostner may hold it together as did Sarah; she may fall apart before the home town crowd as at Europeans. Shizuka can come back; she may also be a Butyrskaya with one magical night at Worlds that is not equalled again. Can Joubert come back? Can E-man skate clean? IMO, this is the widest-open men's and ladies events in years.
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Agree ... pairs, absolutely not!
Dance ... maybe, if B&A compete.

Men ... Plushy is the only guaranteed spot on the podium, IMO. Evan has a great chance of making it, maybe Johnny. I love Timmy, but I doubt he can do it.

Ladies ... if Irina is healthy, she is a lock. The other 2 spots are wide open, IMO.
The best prospects would be Sasha, MK, Shizuka, Carolina, Fumie and Miki.
Rochette has an outside chance.
I don't understand the Poykio choice. She's a delightful young lady, but I see nothing in her skating thus far to indicate she can challenge these other ladies.

I seriously doubt the USA would leave without at least one medal.
 

waxel

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
It is entirely feasible that Sasha and/or Michelle could medal.

For the men, I have high hopes for Evan and Johnny... and for perhaps a great dark horse who emerges at Nats.
 

ks777

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
I am certain that either Michellle or Sasha will medal. Sasha should medal if she doesn't have a disastrous night. As for men, as much as I like Evan, I don't see him medaling again. Weir has a better chance.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
The men's results at Worlds 2005 aren't a great indicator of who will medal at Torino. Plushenko withdrew due to injury, and not one of the medalwinners had a clean skate. Lambiel won gold with two quads but landed no 3A, 3Z or 3F. Buttle had no quad and fell on both 3A attempts. Lysacek had no quad, no solo 3A and no 3L. Weir was injured and didn't make the podium, edged out by Lysacek.

I think a healthy Weir can easily beat Lysacek, and has a good shot of beating Buttle, and a healthy Weir with a quad can challenge Lambiel.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Ladies ... if Irina is healthy, she is a lock. The other 2 spots are wide open, IMO.
The best prospects would be Sasha, MK, Shizuka, Carolina, Fumie and Miki.

ITA.



however- Cohen was able to keep 2nd place even with all the mistakes she made- somehow (assuming she makes about 3-4 mistakes) it's likely that she'd be at least 3rd.
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
I don't see a medal for Weir. I think Evan has more of a shot than Weir for a medal because it seems that he has the USFS support plus Evan seems mentally tough. I do hope for Timmy to break through and win the OGM and I like his chances more than the other guys because he's brought it before to big competition.

I don't see 2 American ladies on the podium (thank goodness) this time. Sasha will definitely make the podium and if there is a second American, it will be Emily Hughes on the Olympic podium. It would be something if Emily pulled an upset like her sister and won the whole thing and I think she can.

1. Emily Hughes
2. Sasha Cohen
3. Irina Slutskaya
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
Soogar, I hope your predictions don't come true. :scratch: If Weir is healthy and in good shape, both mentally and physically, I think he has a very good chance. :clap:

As for the ladies, what experience does Emily have to go on? At Michelle or Sasha's worse skate, I don't see Emily beating either.

Dee
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
It terms of dance (w/o an act of congress for B&A) & pairs its a foregone conclusion that the US won't have a chance in hades of medals.

However, I disagree about the men. I think Johnny has as a decent chance of standing on the podium. Evan ~ not so sure mainly because Worlds reminded me too much of that strange '03(is this correct??) Nationals where all the men skated so poorly...

In terms of Ladies ~ I think the podium spots & OGM are wide open with the top five more jockeying for position... Irina is the favorite but that's not a good prediciton on olympic gold (kwan fans understand this better than anyone...) Also, there's always the health issues, injuries & head cases amongst the ladies in this crop. Having said that, I would be MORE surprised if the Americans didn't have their usual two spots....

The top contenders as I see it ~ including their "issues" in no particular order...

Irina - health
MK - olympics seem to break her focus & fire. (this is more a factor than CoP IMHO)
Diva - possibly a one hit wonder
Sasha - her nerves & concentration are always an issue
Fumie - she goes up & down worse than the stock market
Carolina - was worlds a fluke? can she handle the pressure?
Miki - technical seems to be there, but not. Artisty always an issue
Joanine (sorry for the sp.) - proof that GP success doesn't always translate into big, international competitions
Jenny K. - she'll be on tv talking about the honor to represent the US, not about the podium.
Emily - ???
BeBe - ???

Lots of questions, not a lot of answers... how long till the season starts?
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
soogar said:
I don't see a medal for Weir. I think Evan has more of a shot than Weir for a medal because it seems that he has the USFS support plus Evan seems mentally tough. I do hope for Timmy to break through and win the OGM and I like his chances more than the other guys because he's brought it before to big competition.

I don't see 2 American ladies on the podium (thank goodness) this time. Sasha will definitely make the podium and if there is a second American, it will be Emily Hughes on the Olympic podium. It would be something if Emily pulled an upset like her sister and won the whole thing and I think she can ...

So far, it seems that the youngster in the ladies event with the USFSA support is Kimmie Meissner over Emily Hughes. Why do you think that USFSA support will be more important for the men (helping Evan over Johnny) than in the ladies?
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
We are all grasping for some clear signs. I don't think there are any yet, but come the GPs we will see who is competitive for the podium. Although the GPs are by no means a clear indicator but they will show who is motivated.

To make a bronze medal one has to go for gold.

If B&A get an ok to skate, and the rumor about them and the Ukrainians to be on the podium is true, then the Americans will definitely have a medal. I believe the rumor involves keeping the Bulgarians and French off the podium. I don't know how true the rumor can be since my interest in Skate Dance weakened after the Duschesnays left. That rumor was what was going around at the Moscow Worlds.

Given there is no hanky panky in the other disciplines, I still want to see the GPs. There are some really hot contests this Olys - not just who among two.

Joe
 

elingrace4eva

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
I would say, as far as men go, Johnny has a much better chance than Evan of being on the top 6 or on the podium. He's proven time and time again that with his artistry he has far surpassed Evan, and I can't see him placing below him without an injury or something equally unexpected.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Joe, while I certainly believe that Del&Sch have virtually no chance to medal, I wouldn't be so certain about Den&Sta. Especially now since they've changed coaches.
 

dancindiva03

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Dee4707 said:
Soogar, I hope your predictions don't come true. :scratch: If Weir is healthy and in good shape, both mentally and physically, I think he has a very good chance. :clap:

As for the ladies, what experience does Emily have to go on? At Michelle or Sasha's worse skate, I don't see Emily beating either.

Dee

Emily seems, from what little I've seen of her, to have an unshakable sense of confidence and nerves of steel, not to mention the fact that even with her sister's gold medal, she herself is so new to senior level compeition that there will be little pressure on her (assuming she even makes the team, which I certainly think is possible). Michelle, even if she goes in only as the sentimental favorite and not technically the best skater, will still have a lot of pressure on her. And we all know just how well Sasha handles pressure (that would be not well at all), so I certainly could see her beating either Michelle or Sasha, or both. I myself would not mind seeing her finish ahead of Sasha.
 

bdreampixie

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
I love Emily Hughes, but at this point she could give the skate of a lifetime and still come in behind a flawed Sasha and Michelle. Her jumps aren't really that great, she (as far as I know) has no 3/3. She has great speed and presence on ice but is still very sloppy. Plus, you have to consider that Emily would have to make the final 6 for the LP and Sasha, Irina and Michelle are great SP skaters along with Fumie, Carolina and Julia S. I really doubt she'd be able to get to the final 6.

My guess is that there will definitely be 1 medal for the US and it will most likely be in the ladies. I don't think both Michelle and Sasha will medal, but I haven't really decided which one has the better chance of medaling.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Joesitz said:
If B&A get an ok to skate, and the rumor about them and the Ukrainians to be on the podium is true, then the Americans will definitely have a medal. I believe the rumor involves keeping the Bulgarians and French off the podium.
Joe, I know these are just rumors, but do you have any insight as to exactly what it is the powers that be have against Bulgarians and Frenchmen? What would the sport of ice dancing gain by guarenteeing that Ukrainians and Americans medal instead?

Mathman
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I think we're jumping the gun on Emily Hughes. I still think Jenny Kirk has the best chance at the third U.S. ladies spot. If it goes instead to the next generation, I think both Kimmie Meissner and Beatrisa Liang are ahead of Emily at this point.

MM
 

dancindiva03

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Mathman said:
I think we're jumping the gun on Emily Hughes. I still think Jenny Kirk has the best chance at the third U.S. ladies spot. If it goes instead to the next generation, I think both Kimmie Meissner and Beatrisa Liang are ahead of Emily at this point.

MM

I'd rather see Kimmie, BeBe or Emily go to the Olys ahead of Jenny Kirk. (Actually I'd rather see any of them go to the Oly's instead of Cohen, also, but that's a whole other post). She's blown enough chances and really hasn't done anything for US Figure Skating. No doubt she's a pretty skater but she doesn't have anything really unique, or anything particularly difficult that would give her the edge over the top skaters such as Irina, Fumie, Shizuka, Carolina, etc. And she repeatedly falls apart at the biggest competitions. Besides, if she goes to the Olys we'll have to see more fluff on her dead mother, and I don't mean to be insensitive but I'm sick of hearing about it.

Kimmie, sure she's got that 3A and maybe a 3-3, but they aren't really clean, nor do they have much flow out of them. Without the 3A and a 3-3, she's not that great YET. Not that I don't think she'll improve, she certainly has the ability to become the next great American skater, but I don't think she'll be ready this year I love BeBe, but she just seems consistantly undermarked. Even if she skates clean at Nats, will the judges put her on the podium and send her to Torino? Emily, maybe she's not quite as polished as BeBe or have the big jumps of Kimmie, but like I said before, she has focus, and drive, and nerves of steel. And a better overall skater than her sister, IMHO, and look what sissy did!

The skater I'd really really really love to see at the Olys is Katy Taylor. I know this probably won't be her year, she still needs a little more time to develop her style, but she's still a lovely skater and a sweet girl and hopefully she'll get her chance in 2010. Despite her not-quite-solid jumps, I prefer her over Kimmie.
 
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