Selection process for 2006 US Olympic Team changed!

[R.D.]

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=32300

There is a PDF document attached. Some interesting notes:

- Only the champions are guaranteed a spot on the OLY team (some of us already may know that)

- The US can send three skaters from Ladies, Mens and Dance to the OLYs this year, and two in Pairs.

- The remaining nominations will be decided by the federation after the event, taking into consideration basic criteria (citizen rule, age rule, etc.)

- Here's the one that I didn't know: Athletes who are unable to compete at Nationals can appeal to the decision committee!

- The federation can only "nominate" athletes. The final team is decided by the USOC.

- The USFS will take into consideration placement in other competitions when deciding the team (in order to send the most competitive team). Some of these comps include the GPF, 2005 Worlds, 2005 Four Continents, and the Junior competitions.

- The deadline for naming the team is January 30. Therefore, it looks like the USFS will NOT get to use 2006 4CC's in deciding the team (it's cutting it too close).

Read the PDF- there's some interesting info that I never knew before...

 

[CDMM1991]

Very interesting RD- Thanks for the link. So it looks like this form of decision-making definitely favors Michelle, because she could make an appeal to the committee if she can't make Nats. It also seems to me like it favors Alissa over Kimmie though, because if it's a tough choice between those two for the third spot, the nod would most definitely go to Alissa when looking at the year's previous competitions.

 

[chuckm]

Michelle will be at Nationals, per her interview today at the pre-Marshall's press conference.

What this change does is to extend the date for having a valid US passport to January 28th, which makes Tanith and Ben's participation much more likely.

Take that, Mrs. Mitchell!

 

[CzarinaAnya]

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=32300

- The federation can only "nominate" athletes. The final team is decided by the USOC.

- The USFS will take into consideration placement in other competitions when deciding the team (in order to send the most competitive team). Some of these comps include the GPF, 2005 Worlds, 2005 Four Continents, and the Junior competitions.

Does this mean that say, if matt Savoie earns a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd spot at nationals, and maybe Evan got fourth, that they could vote Matt out of his rightful spot at the Oly's, to give it to Evan?(Hypothetically)
I think it should be the way it's always been. You win the spot, you keep it.

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

I do not believe the first rule is new. It's always been that the only the gold medalist is given a ticket to Olympics, worlds, etc. But traditionally, whoever medals gets to go (assuming USA has 3 spots, then the top 2 would go is it's 2 spots). Notable exeptions were Nancy going to 1994 Olympics having to seat out the Nationals due to her wacked knee. She was selected based on her status as 1993 National champion and GP placements from 1993-94 season.

Anya - if Savoie places 1st, then he will go to Italy. If it's silver or bronze, then he could get shafted. However, let's not forget that he could outsakte Evan and still get a pewter medal (haw about 2002 Nationals, when Weiss got the bronze and the ticket to SLC instead of Matt?). Cheating still happens.

Yana

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

It also seems to me like it favors Alissa over Kimmie though, because if it's a tough choice between those two for the third spot, the nod would most definitely go to Alissa when looking at the year's previous competitions.

Tough to put Alissa over Kimmie at the moment. Alissa had easier competitors in her GPs where Kimmie had the top skaters in hers. However, Alissa will meet the tops at the GPF. If she makes the podium, watch out Kimmie. If she wins, watch out Sasha. The Nats are after that.

Joe

 

[heyang]

None of the rules summarized in the original post are new. It's been this way for several years where only the gold medalist is guaranteed a spot, assuming she/he meets all other requirements for the World/Olympic competition.

Sending Todd Eldredge to Alberville in 1992, instead of Mark Mitchell, is another example of these rules. Todd aws the reigning US Champion and couldn't compete in Nationals that year. He requested a medical by, which was granted. I think the compromise was that Paul Wylie would to to Oly's and Mark was sent to World's. Ironically, of course, Paul unexpectedly won the Silver and Todd and Bowman didn't make it to the podium. If I recollect correctly, Mark did well for himself at World's, but did not medal.

I wonder if the IOC has ever objected at any team member submitted by any country?

It's not always fair to the silver and bronze medalists, but if the best in the field were unable to compete at Nationals and prove themselves to be fit before the deadline, it's smarter for the federation to send the more experience competitors. Imagine if Michelle had skated at 94 Oly's - there's no way she would have won a medal, but then she would be competing for her 4th Olympic team spot. As it was, she had the sole responsibility for keeping 2 spot for the ladies at the 95 World's.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

ITA. I didn't read anything new.

Joe

 

[R.D.]

I think the main difference (significance) is that the deadline for needing a US passport has been extended to the 28th of January, like another poster said. Other than that it's basically the same.

 

[Panther2000]

Michelle will be at Nationals, per her interview today at the pre-Marshall's press conference.

What this change does is to extend the date for having a valid US passport to January 28th, which makes Tanith and Ben's participation much more likely.

Take that, Mrs. Mitchell!

That is the way I see it. Michelle is pretty much a given to make the team. She was in 2 olympics & medaled at both. Yes, she failed to medal at worlds last year. But, just barley.

I agree about Kimmie though. Frankly, I think that she was hyped up to quickly & has failed to live up to that hype. & will probably fold under real pressure of the olympics.

Yeah, this was for the pairs you betcha

 

[mzheng]

I agree about Kimmie though. Frankly, I think that she was hyped up to quickly & has failed to live up to that hype. & will probably fold under real pressure of the olympics.

The way I see it whoever USFSA was determined to hype. Whoever was jixed.....Kimmie was much hyped after Bronz at 2005 Nationals. She was out skated by Emily Hugh at 2005 JWC.....Then Emily was much hyped after her medal in JWC. She was out skatered by Alissa this season so far......Now watch out for Alissa......don't get me wrong, among the three, I love Alissa's skating the most.

Now they left Sasha alone, Sasha did good for herself.

The only young skaters who ever lived up to USFSA's hype were good old Tara and Michelle.

 

[CzarinaAnya]

I do not believe the first rule is new. It's always been that the only the gold medalist is given a ticket to Olympics, worlds, etc. But traditionally, whoever medals gets to go (assuming USA has 3 spots, then the top 2 would go is it's 2 spots). Notable exeptions were Nancy going to 1994 Olympics having to seat out the Nationals due to her wacked knee. She was selected based on her status as 1993 National champion and GP placements from 1993-94 season.

Anya - if Savoie places 1st, then he will go to Italy. If it's silver or bronze, then he could get shafted. However, let's not forget that he could outsakte Evan and still get a pewter medal (haw about 2002 Nationals, when Weiss got the bronze and the ticket to SLC instead of Matt?). Cheating still happens.

Yana

I know it..I just don't want to see something like that happen, again. :frown2:

 

[tripletriple]

Whoever said the US can send three in each discipline is wrong. If you read the whole paragraph, it says the number of slots depends on results of 2005 Worlds...and those results dictated that the US can send only TWO pairs to Olympics.

 

[R.D.]

My bad. I will edit the original post.

 

[CDMM1991]

Tough to put Alissa over Kimmie at the moment. Alissa had easier competitors in her GPs where Kimmie had the top skaters in hers. However, Alissa will meet the tops at the GPF. If she makes the podium, watch out Kimmie. If she wins, watch out Sasha. The Nats are after that.

Joe

I'm not necessarily looking at placements and participation in GPF, I'm more looking in scores. Alissa's combined GPF score was 327.62, and Kimmie's was 307.9, so at this point Alissa has the edge.

 

[chuckm]

Tough to put Alissa over Kimmie at the moment. Alissa had easier competitors in her GPs where Kimmie had the top skaters in hers. However, Alissa will meet the tops at the GPF. If she makes the podium, watch out Kimmie. If she wins, watch out Sasha. The Nats are after that.

Joe

SA was an easier competition by far than TEB, which was one of the toughest of the GP. But Skate Canada was about the same as NHK in terms of the competition. However, scores are scores. Maybe Kimmie's tougher competitors (at TEB) were sure to outscore her, but that didn't mean she couldn't rack up some decent numbers herself. Kimmie DID have a shot at a medal at NHK, but she blew it.

Alissa outscored Kimmie in both events (159.30 and 168.32 to 155.72 and 152.18). Either of Alissa's scores would have won a gold medal at NHK, and her Skate Canada score would have placed her 4th at TEB.

The major difference between the two is how they skated in their events. Alissa had 3F problems in her two SA segments but otherwise skated very well, and she was completely clean at Skate Canada. Kimmie messed up her SP at TEB, and was in the top 3 after the SP at NHK, but she blew her FS.

IMO, it would be tough to put Kimmie over Alissa. Alissa seems better able to handle international competition than Kimmie. Alissa has a shot at a GPF medal, and if she skates well and scores decent numbers there, she will be in a good position even if she doesn't medal. Then, If Alissa can handle Nationals pressure ahd skate well there too, Kimmie is in trouble.

 

[mzheng]

I'm not necessarily looking at placements and participation in GPF, I'm more looking in scores. Alissa's combined GPF score was 327.62, and Kimmie's was 307.9, so at this point Alissa has the edge.

And the two events Alissa had were very early in season. Supposedly the programs should evolved better and better as the season goes.....but on the other side Alissa may be not able to keep the momentumn going to the Nationals. It is really a tough call.

 

[R.D.]

And the two events Alissa had were very early in season. Supposedly the programs should evolved better and better as the season goes.....but on the other side Alissa may be not able to keep the momentumn going to the Nationals. It is really a tough call.

Yeah, exactly.

It is too soon to tell who has "it" right now. Besides, either of them (or both, heaven forbid) could have an off-night in St. Louis. One can just never tell.

 

[Doggygirl]

While the USFSA clearly has the team selection rules in place so that extenuating circumstances can be addressed to send the best team to Oly's, here is my 2 cents.

These are the skaters/pairs that I think the USFSA would consider a medical bye for, if they are injured and have to withdraw from Nats.

Cohen
Kwan
I/B
Weir
Lysacek
Belbin/Agosto (and of course that is only if the citizenship thing gets resolved)

And of course that would only happen if they demonstrate (even privately) that they are in shape to skate better than the podium finishers (1&2 only for pairs).

I do not think a medical bye would be considered at all in the case of Kimmie, Allissa, or others.

IMO, the waters get murkier if one of the skaters/teams has a melt down at nats and fails to quality based on podium finish. Enter politikin'. As much as I hate to say it, if the competitors listed above compete at Nats, I suspect they will end up in the "right" podium places to make the Oly team. I hope it doesn't work that way....I hate to be that jaded.

I think the other spots (3rd ladies, 3rd mens, 2nd pairs and 2nd/3rd dance) will be left alone based on Nats results, even if there are a couple of surprises.

Other opinions?

DG

 

[SkateFan4Life]

I for one certainly hope we don't encounter situations at Nationals where skaters are injured, cannot compete, appeal for a place on the Olympic team, and then are granted that place, solely on the basis of past performance.

Sure, it's been done numerous times in the past - Todd Eldredge in 1992, Nancy Kerrigan in 1994, etc. -- with mixed success. Eldredge finished 10th, and Kerrigan won the silver medal. I did not agree with the decision to leave Mark Mitchell off the Olympic team in 1992, but I did agree with giving the spot to Kerrigan, as she could not skate due to being attacked.

IMHO, if a skater wins a medal at Nationals, he/she/they deserve to go to the Olympics. If a top-ranked skater cannot compete for medical reasons, that's a true shame, but it's also not fair to deny the medal-winning skater(s) the chance to skate at the Olympics - the change he/she/they earned by winning a medal at Nationals. Skaters get sick, injured (ugh), and the like. That's life, and sometimes life is tough to take.