U.S. 2014 Olympic Team announcement (A) Press conferences & (B) Google+ Hangout

[auga]

Oh, Mirai. Please don't appeal. It won't change anything. Please keep your dignity.

 

[cptnhastings]

Just for the record this past season:
C/S 177.12 (SA) 168.89
Z/B 168.42 (SA) 155.52
C/D 182.43 (SA) 184.02 (won the bronze) They got *higher* scores at their second comp even past the ridiculous score inflation of SA.
But no since they can't medal, let's send me and the guy next door and not worry about what may or may not build a future program. Whatev!

Your initial post said that D/C had a greater argument for being bumped up than Ashley did. I said it was the opposite. I'm all for consistency but it definitely makes more sense for Ashley to go than D/C if it's only one because she can possibly medal. No US pair will be in the top 5. And "building a program" makes more sense for Z/B if only because Coughlin's older than them. (Though sure he can stick around for longer potentially. Male pairs skaters have long shelf lives.)

Incidentally if you and some random guy beat D/C at nationals, I'd say you should go to the Olympics. I'd've preferred Ashley stayed home just for the sake of making figure skating look more like a real sport where politics are irrelevant. Or have a set criteria involving other competitions without any discretion. This really does look like a sham.

 

[Orange Cat]

Oh, Mirai. Please don't appeal. It won't change anything. Please keep your dignity.

It all depends how she appeals; if she appeals on the basis of "but I came 3rd, this isn't fair", then I really don't expect it will do much. What irks me is the hypocrisy that the USFS has shown in selecting its Olympics Team. If they were consistent with their selection criteria, they ought to have bumped Felicia and Nate as well (who I like v. much, much more than I like C/D), because they were outperformed by C/D on the GP circuit. But they kept Felicia and Nate, and then used a different criteria for selecting their ladies team.

It's mostly the fact that the USFS kept to their traditional "Nationals is the qualifier" for selecting the pairs team and then decided to use their previously unused "but we also look at these competitions" criterion for the ladies that irks me. If Mirai appeals on that basis, then even if she is unsuccessful, I hope her letter shakes the USFS and makes them reconsider how (non)transparent their selection processes really are.

ETA: I don't think this nebulous concept of "medal potential" should be counted in the selection of teams, and I don't think it should allow for the USFS to pick and choose their favourites. Do I think Ashley has a better chance of performing well in Sochi than Mirai? Well, I prefer Ashley's programs, though I'm partial to Mirai. Do I think any of the US pairs teams have a chance to medal? Nope. Should that affect the team selection? I really don't think it should, at least not in a subjective way.

If "medal potential" is defined by a particular criteria - placements in the GP, in the previous Worlds championship, in 4CC etc, then yes, it can count - but it should be applied consistently. If the criteria calls for the federation to look at a skater(s)'s body of work, then they ought to do that; at least in Japan and China they are very clear about the fact that Nationals is only one competition, and international results speak louder than one competition. In the US such a process has not been clear. On this grounds, I think Mirai has a right to write a letter, even if it doesn't change the present ladies Olympics team.

 

[exNyer]

ashley
-has a better international record than her competitors
-has been heavily featured in NBC's Olympic press--They have a lot invested in her already. Those personal features that are shown during competition probably have
already been filmed and edited. Her going to the Olympic is the next Ice Princess was a done deal long before this competition.
-Cover Girl and ashley's other $ponsers assumed/assured that she will be highly visible
-Frank Carroll's students are rewarded more than others.
The Olympics is mainly about politics and money

 

[ice coverage]

Olympic presser now scheduled for 7:30 pm, per tweet from IN.

https://twitter.com/icenetwork/status/422520564683513856​

Link for the live presser:

http://www.icenetwork.com/video/v31294675​

Google+ Hangout hasn't gotten into full swing yet either.
The Olympic men will not be part of the Hangout.

 

[aftertherain]

I have absolutely no problem with the USFS choosing Ashley to be on the Olympic Team. They made clearly their criteria public, on the internet, as golden411 has kindly linked us to it. The criteria pdf was put together prior to Nationals and not during the ladies' short program, it really doesn't matter if you don't agree with the rules. They are not something to be discard simply because you want to follow the tradition of 1-2-3 or some crap like that.

It does, however, get tricky with the problem of Mirai versus Polina. Who would you choose to send based on the criteria listed? Why? Mirai clearly is more decorated, but Polina did better in the standings of her assigned events (even if they were junior-level) this year.

(Personally, I'd still choose Mirai.)

 

[Chemistry66]

Olympic presser now scheduled for 7:30 pm, per tweet from IN.

https://twitter.com/icenetwork/status/422520564683513856​

Link for the live presser:

http://www.icenetwork.com/video/v31294675​

Google+ Hangout hasn't gotten into full swing yet either.
The Olympic men will not be part of the Hangout.

I was wondering why it wasn't working at 7:10. Thanks.

 

[ice coverage]

Google+ Hangout hasn't gotten into full swing yet either.
The Olympic men will not be part of the Hangout.

New link for the Google+ Hangout:

https://plus.google.com/events/cnfnofh4knasni8nhgc70l5ia00​

 

[tulosai]

I think Ashley knew she was going to Sochi Saturday night. After she skated she cried in the K&C, then she sat on the couch watching the other skaters and looked totally happy and confident. Someone must have re-assured her she was going.

I think people are making way too much of how she looked on the couch. I think she was anxious for it not to be a repeat of 2010 when people also said she looked 'bad' but in a much different way when Mirai and Rachael were skating. If you walso watched the medal ceremony it was obvious she was devastated by her placement.

It's really sad for Mirai. It would have been sad for Ashley, too, had she been left off the team. And for Polina. Maybe Polina has the future ahead of her. But that's not an argument to not send her. A lot can happen in four years time. If we would know for sure that Polina can continue to be around and improve til 2018, then there might be argument to leave her off the team now. But we can't. She skated great and she finished second, it would not be fair to take this chance away from her. Her being so young makes her more likely to get another chance at making the Olympics, but it's far from a guarantee.

Yeah, Polina has not hit puberty or a real growth spurt yet. Her only chance may well be now before her body changes.

Extremely upset with how the USFS has handled the situation. And I feel so bad for Mirai, I was so happy for her when she stood up not one, but both of her programs. She wanted this so badly and she was axed with such a unclear method for selecting the Olympic team.

In my honest opinion though, and I probably shouldn't say it at all, but I really wish that the judges at the Olympics give Polina the PCS that she deserves... Those scores were way too inflated, and that made a pretty big difference especially scoring higher than Mirai whose butt, surprisingly, did not hit the ground.

Yeah, I do think Polina's PCS were inflated relative to Mirai's, especially in the short. I would most definitely have had Nagasu in 2nd after the short.

 

[Chemistry66]

Well there's no sound on this press conference.

And JEREMY AND JASON just as sound comes on. Yes!

Jeremy talks about being calm and then Jason says "I'm sorry, but I'm not as calm as Jeremy." He's so excited.

 

[Jammers]

I think Polina has been in a mist of a growth spurt for the last couple years. She obviously will fill out but i think she will be more of the build of someone like Carolina Kostner.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Apparently Mirai's appealing the decision?

I could not help but think…if Mirai was still working with Frank would she have been left off the team?
the NBC announcers said Mirai was skating without any coach right now. . . could the right coach have made the difference here?

 

[dardar1126]

Congrats to J & J...good job, guys! :thumbsup:

But I'm sad for my favorite Max Aaron. He had a tough season, and finished it so strong...I can't wait to see what he brings next season.

 

[aftertherain]

Congratulations to Jeremy and Jason!

golden411, I'm sorry that Max can't go to the Olympics. I was really rooting for him to be on the team, but it wasn't meant to be. I really, really wish we had that third spot. Max deserves it.

 

[aviva_dawn]

The Olympic Teams have been announced, but not a word about 4CC's or Worlds or Jr. Worlds?
I wonder why USFSA is waiting on announcing the remainder?

 

[dardar1126]

The Olympic Teams have been announced, but not a word about 4CC's or Worlds or Jr. Worlds?
I wonder why USFSA is waiting on announcing the remainder?

I hope that if Jeremy decides to retire after the Olympics, that Max Aaron will get to go to Worlds. :yay:

 

[aviva_dawn]

You think that they will delay announcing Worlds team until after the Olympics? I guess that makes sense.
Still, 4CC's starts on the 20th and its in Taipei, right? They'll probably just make a quiet announcement, sans press conference sometime later for all of them.

 

[tulosai]

I think it's very weird they have not announced 4CC's. While one can guess, one wold probably guess wrong, and the athletes who are going deserve to be told so they can get ready... it is literally just a week away.

 

[aviva_dawn]

I think it's very weird they have not announced 4CC's. While one can guess, one wold probably guess wrong, and the athletes who are going deserve to be told so they can get ready... it is literally just a week away.

Ditto. Usually this is announced quickly. Dragging it out makes me wonder......

 

[dardar1126]

I think it's very weird they have not announced 4CC's. While one can guess, one wold probably guess wrong, and the athletes who are going deserve to be told so they can get ready... it is literally just a week away.

Maybe Mirai will go to 4CC? Maybe Max, too?

The federation better announce the roster SOON! :think: