I think whoever goes to the Olympics we will see fewer underrotation calls. In Vancouver, the priority will be not so much holding skaters to an exacting standard as showcasing the sport to the world. (JMO.)
I think whoever goes to the Olympics we will see fewer underrotation calls. In Vancouver, the priority will be not so much holding skaters to an exacting standard as showcasing the sport to the world. (JMO.)
Plus, I'm sick of skaters that hang around for just a year or two and then fade away...ala Kimmie & Emily. Doesn't it seem like just yesterday these two young women were being touted as the US's best chance of medals against Mao? But like my hubby always says - that's why we play the game...
Personally, I think there will be a controversy in Vancouver........
The nature of CoP makes it vulnerable and there are enough geopolitical rivalries to make nationalism a factor.
Speaking of Wagner- new Hersh article:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-ashley-wagner1-2009dec01,0,2152419.story
Interesting stuff. Definitely slipping under the radar.
I think she has the abilty to come 1st or 2nd at Natls - but not sure if the mental toughness is there.
My ideal scenario would be (keeping in mind that I know this is a fairytale) Alissa and Sasha, and (still ideally) they peak right at the Olympics.
2006 Nats was poorly skated overall, likely due to the pressure of what was at stake.
I think US Nats is there for any lady to win. It just depends on who brings it that day. All these ladies should be psyched thinking about that. It really is there for the taking.
Am I the only one who wonders whether a poor showing at US Nats will make Caroline hang it up? It would be too bad, there are so many things to like about her. It just seems she doesn't have the mental toughness to compete. I want to give her a sports psychologist. Her in the K&C at Skate Canada after the LP was just heartbreaking.
I would be stunned if Caroline retired after a bad natioanals. She is still very young, it woud be foolish to hang it up when she is still too young to go to college. I would not be at all surprised if she left Mingzhu Li again though, for a drastic move across country or something (imagine if she went to Russian and worked with Tat?)
As for menal toughness I don't see her problems as being in that area, many of her programs were visibly clean last yeara but it is the bad technique that is hurting her in edge calls, downgrades big time. She has no speed, and no attempt to connect to the music.
I honestly don't remember the implosion... but then I have so much fun at nationals that the bad is basically erased from memory (for the most part)
Par for the course, even then, for her.I do! Alissa fell like 5 times after having the best international season of her life,
again nothing new, even then.Bebe fell a lot too,
only the die hards held onto the hope she'd make it.Michelle didn't compete because of her back,
matter of opinion, I thought it was a crock she was left off the team so that a very injured/pained Kwan could have another shot. She had me at the edge of her seat and I wasn't in her corner until that night.Emily was ok but nothing special,
Kimmie and Sasha were good, but besides that it was pretty disappointing.