Hersh's View On What 2011 Worlds Means For US

[Bluebonnet]

I'm not rooting for her, nor against her (lol, though last week I was! ), I just don't like her skating, period.

Oh, shocking! But understandable, given that you don't like YuNa Kim's skating.

And as an American, I have to say I love how the Team for Worlds is selected via placement at U.S. Nationals, as it should be. :thumbsup: If you didn't earn your place on the team by placing 1, 2, 3 at Nationals, tough luck, you knew the deal, so stop whining like a crybaby, boo hoo, though I have to admit I haven't heard one peep out of those that didn't make it, rather it's the fans that are bawling, not all, just the poor sports.

The way of selecting world team in US is debatable. We've had thread on it.

 

[Nadine]

Lol, Bluebonnet, I actually do like Yuna Kim's skating, though I resisted for quite a while because Mao is my favorite, and therefore I couldn't stand the thought of anybody being better than her.

But I'm a fan of this sport first & foremost and I recognize & acknowledge those that are better than my faves when it comes to skating, and Yuna Kim is better than them ALL. I've always acknowledged this fact, even when she first debuted her "James Bond 007" program last year, I immediately said *live* that there's no way in you-know-what that Mao could beat her, even with two triple axels.

Yuna simply has it all, fact, she can only be beaten by herself. Geeze, she's even better than the men, her scores would've beaten them all as well! Not ONE weakness, it just boggles my mind ~ speed, fully rotated triples & 3/3 combos., beauty as an added bonus, tall/lithe/balletic, natural performer/extrovert, and on & on & on. There are honestly not enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe her attributes. So I'll leave it at that.

I'm still rooting in my heart & soul for Mao to do well, also Rachael, etc. But the best competitions are when everybody skates their best & you win. I wouldn't want any of my faves to win any other way. Therefore, if the aforementioned scenario happened, as it stands now Yuna Kim would win, as it should be...

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

^ Quite so. The thinking of the USFSA goes like this.

At U.S. Nationals, three spots on the world team were up for grabs. Abbott got fourth.

And we must presume that the strongest team as it is with other Feds, is the onetime comp at US Nats. If anyone was going to select the strongest team, would they leave out Abbott? What the US is sending as its strongest team is ok with everyone?

 

[mskater93]

And we must presume that the strongest team as it is with other Feds, is the onetime comp at US Nats. If anyone was going to select the strongest team, would they leave out Abbott? What the US is sending as its strongest team is ok with everyone?

It is full of the skaters who skated their best at Nationals, which is as it should be. This is the only time that all the top skaters in the country are at the same event.

I am sad that Jeremy missed the team, but you have to skate for it and not fall on your most consistent jump (3Lz).

I am sad that Mirai missed the team, but you have to rotate your jumps and get credit for all your spins! You can't go out there like you've already lost when you hear the previous skater's marks.

 

[Violet Bliss]

I say the US should make a special criteria for Jeremy Abbott: keep him home when he wins the Nationals and send him to WC when he bombs at home.

Jeremy has done quite well internationally this year and I expect him to possibly medal at the 3CC.

 

[Mathman]

People can debate the selection procedure all they want, but the athletes know it's skate or go home.

 

[Penny]

worlds are a joke

It is a competition that should include the best in the world but does not. The top 20 in each discipline should be at worlds no matter what their nationality (sorry Tugba). I attended Worlds Los Angelos, and was so bored by the lower flights that, like most people, I only came for the top 2 flights. So, ladies of the world breathe a sigh of relief, no Mirai (fourth in Olympics).

 

[Bluebonnet]

I say the US should make a special criteria for Jeremy Abbott: keep him home when he wins the Nationals and send him to WC when he bombs at home.

Jeremy has done quite well internationally this year and I expect him to possibly medal at the 3CC.

Great strategy! That's the way! ...But please don't say that Czisny should stay at home this time.

3CC?! (I know it was an honest mistake.)

 

[Violet Bliss]

3CC?! (I know it was an honest mistake.)

An honest typo but probably also a Freudian slip as I've been wondering why Africa should participate in 4CC. It makes more sense for African skaters to compete with the Europeans than to travel to Asia or (N) America.

 

[Binthere]

An honest typo but probably also a Freudian slip as I've been wondering why Africa should participate in 4CC. It makes more sense for African skaters to compete with the Europeans than to travel to Asia or (N) America.

Wondered the same... and so, it might as well be called 6CC Six continents, right? North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and I guess in absentia (but it's the thought that counts) Africa and Antarctica!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

People can debate the selection procedure all they want, but the athletes know it's skate or go home.

It's not a question of debating the selection procedure. It's accepting it! The selected skaters, two of them green for Senior Worlds Championship and the leader of the pack has folded at Worlds before. This is the strongest team the US has in Men's Division. Why oh why do other countries not follow this system and feel as secure as the US does?

The top Field will be: Daisuke, Nobunari, Takahiko, Patrick, Florent, Brian, Tomas, and Artur. That's quite a barrier for the US Men to get on the podium. NO? Of course if one thinks with their heart, then hope is there, but one Quad Toe wont do it. 5 of those 8 will cover the first 5 slots almost assuredly. So for 3 spots next season 2 of the US Men need to place 6 and 7, but they have to face, v.d.Perren, Michal Brezina, was Preaubert selected?

Czisny and Flatt have it easier. The Field is much weaker except we all expect the top two placements to be filled. I believe Murikami will win over the judges (not me) and there is a new lyrical Carolina So, if the US skaters can garner any where in the top 5 places, the other should be able to get in the top 8 places. 6 and 7 will do it also.

OOps. I forgot there is Ando too?

 

[Tonichelle]

It is a competition that should include the best in the world but does not. The top 20 in each discipline should be at worlds no matter what their nationality (sorry Tugba). I attended Worlds Los Angelos, and was so bored by the lower flights that, like most people, I only came for the top 2 flights. So, ladies of the world breathe a sigh of relief, no Mirai (fourth in Olympics).

your loss. I enjoy watching everyone compete...

 

[BackStage Barbie]

It's not a question of debating the selection procedure. It's accepting it! The selected skaters, two of them green for Senior Worlds Championship and the leader of the pack has folded at Worlds before. This is the strongest team the US has in Men's Division. Why oh why do other countries not follow this system and feel as secure as the US does?

The top Field will be: Daisuke, Nobunari, Takahiko, Patrick, Florent, Brian, Tomas, and Artur. That's quite a barrier for the US Men to get on the podium. NO? Of course if one thinks with their heart, then hope is there, but one Quad Toe wont do it. 5 of those 8 will cover the first 5 slots almost assuredly. So for 3 spots next season 2 of the US Men need to place 6 and 7, but they have to face, v.d.Perren, Michal Brezina, was Preaubert selected?

Czisny and Flatt have it easier. The Field is much weaker except we all expect the top two placements to be filled. I believe Murikami will win over the judges (not me) and there is a new lyrical Carolina So, if the US skaters can garner any where in the top 5 places, the other should be able to get in the top 8 places. 6 and 7 will do it also.

OOps. I forgot there is Ando too?

Your reasoning seems very sensible to me. I think the men guaranteed to finish ahead of the US men are Kozuka, Takahashi, Chan, and Oda. Then the others that have done well this season and are highly likely to place ahead are Verner, Joubert, and Amodio. That is seven men right there so two men from the US need to take down two of those seven in order to secure the 3rd slot. Joubert had a terrible Grand Prix season and Verner and Amodio had mini-meltdowns at the final, and let's not forget Oda's epic disaster at last year's worlds, so it is possible, especially if Miner and Dornbush can go clean while others make mistakes, or of Bradley hits all of his planned quads. I'm always a cockeyed optimist about these things, but one can never truly predict what will happen and anything is possible.

You are correct in saying the ladies have it easier. Rachael and Alissa were two of the top six ladies in the Grand Prix series and I consider Alissa a podium favorite. If Kim does compete at worlds and if Mao is back to her usual form, they should take gold and silver. Then I think its a toss-up between Czisny, Murakami, and Ando for the bronze. I always try to count out Kostner because of her inconsistency, but with those high PCS she gets, she could land on the podium as well. And if Flatt's new short program is as well received as it was at US nationals and her free skate is clean, she could even make the podium if other ladies make mistakes. These are the top 7 ladies contenders in my opinion and even if our ladies finish at the bottom of that group in 6th and 7th they'll get the 3rd spot back.

 

[Mathman]

I agree that the U.S. men face a stern challenge.

Do I wish that Abbott and Rippon had skated better at U.S. Nationals and made the team? Well, that's water over the bridge now.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Is it over the bridge or under the bridge? Like, are you saying that it's under the bridge (ergo past and cannot be brought back) or over the bridge (the water made the bridge wet and slippery, as in "ice is slippery?")

 

[BackStage Barbie]

Is it over the bridge or under the bridge? Like, are you saying that it's under the bridge (ergo past and cannot be brought back) or over the bridge (the water made the bridge wet and slippery, as in "ice is slippery?")

Both are appropriate for the situation. I'm reminded of the post-Olympic interview in 2002 between Jane Pauly and Michelle Kwan where Michelle said "my dad always reminds me, ice is very slippery, be careful."

 

[pangtongfan]

Just curious what do the U.S men have to do in order to retain 2 spots atleast. Personally I dont think they have a prayer of retaining 3. Even with a team of Abbott, Rippon, someone else they would have had their work cut out to retain 3, which the team they are sending not a chance.

 

[dorispulaski]

The sum of the placings of the top two of the three skaters has to be 28 or less. This should not be all that hard for them to do (Rule 378 on Entries). To get 3 spots, the top two placings must add to 13 or less-not that easy.

There was no guarantee of 3 spots this year, given that Evan & Johnny both retired. In any scenario, this was going to be a rebuilding year. No USA man made the GPF. That includes Jeremy Abbott and Adam Rippon. Jeremy was the first alternate.

 

[pangtongfan]

Weir wouldnt have gauranteed 3 spots either. He would probably have been in a similar boat to Abbott at best, needing to skate his best to maybe come 5th or 6th and potentially dropping well below that if he didnt. Abbott actually would have been a bigger threat for a medal at his very best than Weir at this point, but Weir is alot more consistent.

The only one who would have almost gauranteed 3 spots is Evan. Evan would have been a gauranteed medal at miminum meaning they would need only 1 other top 10 finish.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I agree that the U.S. men face a stern challenge.

Do I wish that Abbott and Rippon had skated better at U.S. Nationals and made the team? Well, that's water over the bridge now.

No one has denied that, and in my post, Abbott and Rippon were not mentioned.