lavender said:
When Sarah has expectations she skates extra bad.
I know you don't like Sarah and so you're generalizing. Specifics IYO please.
She had a subpar year last year and IMO was struggling with a body that had matured even more. But even so, she did finish 2nd ahead of Sasha at Nats, for instance. (When the "expectation" would have been that she'd finish lower.)
And I always luuurve the comment that Sarah skated "without pressure" in the Oly freeskate. As if anyone in the world could not feel pressure at the Ladies Final, with umpty gazillion people watching. And she was in *fourth* when many people had expected her to medal. That is it's own kind of pressure.
As I'm the one whose comment inspired the thread, I'll post my .02
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RECENT US LADIES
Tough: Michelle, Sarah, Jenny
Vulnerable: Angela, AP
Question Mark (vulnerable in big events or while skating with Kwan
): Sasha
Then you had Nicole, who could be tough when she wanted to be - but would rather perform than compete.
RSN LADIES
I'm not sure if I'd put Irina in the tough category. I feel she's gotten a lot of breaks from judges when her skates have been subpar.
I think of Maria and VV as vulnerable.
Not certain about Sokolova, but probably somewhat vulnerable.
US MEN
I think Todd E. was vulnerable to a certain extent at big events. (Like Kurt, Olympic-cursed, eh?)
To this point, Tim's been tough. As is Matt, I think, when not injured. Not sure where I'd put Mikey. And to this point, Weir's seemed vulnerable.
CDN MEN
Eman def belongs in the vulnerable category. I think all the Canadian guys (except perhaps Buttle) are a little psyched out by the Next One expectations.
I'll think about the Japanese ladies and other disciplines later. (Brings up another question - are there often cases in pairs/dance where one partner is much tougher than the other?)
