US Nationals - What are your thoughts?

[chuckm]

It's sad that Alyssa is being dissed and very unfair. It's true that Kimmie is a much better jumper, but she can't match Alyssa for spinning or line. Alyssa is a gorgeous skater. If Alyssa just had better jump technique, Kimmie wouldn't have a hope.

Coulda woulda shoulda. Alyssa is lacking not only good jump technique, but she can't seem to control her nerves. I like her skating and think it is a shame that she hasn't been able to put it all together. She is 19 now and I'm afraid if she hasn't found her consistency by now, it's probably never going to happen.

What keeps Kimmie firmly in the top ranks of competitors is that she knows what she has to do to improve, she works HARD on improving, and when it comes to the important events, she is well prepared and she can land those jumps in the clutch. Sure, Alyssa has qualities in her skating that Kimmie may never achieve, but consistency and steady competition nerves are just as huge an asset. If Sasha Cohen had Kimmie's qualities added to her own talents, she would be a multiple World Champion and OGM winner.

 

[Fossi]

It was always my thought that Alyssa couldve beaten Cohen if she had skated clean. Alyssa is such a doll and a great skater. She lacks the nerves that Kimmie has, so in that way Cohen and Alyssa are very similar.

 

[R.D.]

I wonder what will happen to the "steady nerves" rep that Kimmie has should she have a not-so-good Nationals freeskate. Not intending to start anything but just something to think about.

 

[SusanBeth]

Maybe, but truth is she doesn't.

I know. It's a shame. She has so much going for her.

 

[flying camel]

It's sad that Alyssa is being dissed and very unfair. It's true that Kimmie is a much better jumper, but she can't match Alyssa for spinning or line. Alyssa is a gorgeous skater. If Alyssa just had better jump technique, Kimmie wouldn't have a hope.

I am not dissing Alissa. I love Alissa's skating. But wasn't it said last year that she arrived too late and never got use to the arena.

 

[Fossi]

I wonder what will happen to the "steady nerves" rep that Kimmie has should she have a not-so-good Nationals freeskate. Not intending to start anything but just something to think about.

Well, let's worry about that if/when it happens. Right now Kimmie has shown that she has the most potential of all the skaters after Kwan with mental toughness. Sasha didn't have it, Alyssa didn't have it. Kimmie seems to. I just hope she does somehting good with it.

 

[SusanBeth]

I am not dissing Alissa. I love Alissa's skating. But wasn't it said last year that she arrived too late and never got use to the arena.

I hadn't heard that. Sorry for misunderstanding. I doubt that Alyssa's problems really had to do with that. I wish they had been. It would be a lot easier to fix.

 

[R.D.]

Right now Kimmie has shown that she has the most potential of all the skaters after Kwan with mental toughness...I just hope she does somehting good with it.

Yeah, I agree.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I wonder what will happen to the "steady nerves" rep that Kimmie has should she have a not-so-good Nationals freeskate. Not intending to start anything but just something to think about.

That's very hypothetical and with the Nats only hours away, why not wait for the real thing? What does a negative scenario mean?

Joe

 

[R.D.]

Just something I posed. But I think she'll be fine. She can mess up and still win.

 

[Fossi]

well you never know. THey all said Sasha could mess up at Worlds and still win. And guess what? Mess up she did, and someone was there to pass her by. You never know what might happen.

 

[R.D.]

Good point, but that was then and this is now. Tell me another skater competing at Nats who is in Kimmie's league or even one below (aside from Emily).

 

[Cal Girl]

No matter how Alyssa skates she is a Class Act. I will never forget how she smiled after such a disappointing LP. It is so important to always hold it together as she did. It spoke volumes!

 

[chuckm]

Alissa is a lovely, charming girl and her skating skills (other than jumps) are unsurpassed. The sad fact is even if she did get it together this year at Nationals and finish on the podium, the chances are she might have an extremely disappointing Worlds. While I'd llike her to at least once have that opportunity, at the same time I would dread it if it meant that the US would have only 2 places for 2008 Worlds.

Consider what could happen if the podium was Kimmie / Alissa / BeBe or Christine, and the last 3 skated the way they did at CoR / NHK. Scores like theirs, in the 120-130 total range, barely made the FS at Worlds 2006 and finished in the 20s. A 10-point improvement would still leave them in the upper teens.

I am hardly an Emily Hughes fan, but Emily's worst FS score would put her about 12th, and her best, in the top 10. A little improvement, and we'd have a good chance to hold onto 3 places for 2008.

If Kimmie and Emily held onto two spots, then I would love Alissa to fill #3.

 

[slutskayafan21]

It is too bad Alissa could not carry through her improved consistency on jumps from the early part of the season last year. The way the judges scored the short program at Nationals for what the skaters did made it clear they were willing to put her on the Olympic team last year, even over Meissner potentialy but she couldnt keep it together in the short or free skate. Now she has slid back to her old type of jump consistency. I dont think she will ever fulfill her potential and it is unfortunate since her spins, speed, edges, spirals, are all top notch IMO.

I really would love to see Weir have his best free skate in a long time and beat Lysacek, not only because I dislike Lysacek a bit more then I dislike Weir but I am feeling sympathetic towards Weir since it seems everyone is coming down on him right now. It must be frusterating and I hope he has his best free skate in a long time, maximizes the jump windows which he hasnt done in forever, and defends his title. More realisticaly I would not be surprised at all if Weir won the short program over Lysacek, one since Lysacek is inconsistent in the short but even if he werent Weir is very solid and can score very well in the short, but I would be surprised if Lysacek did not pass him by in the free skate.

I hope Belbin/Agosto can show some improvements in their free dance, if they have any World medal shot this year they will need it.

 

[chuckm]

Belbin/Agosto have a new FD, based on music from the movie "Amelie". They have all new elements and lifts, nothing recycled from other programs. It should be a major improvement over "That's Entertainment".

 

[slutskayafan21]

I definitely look forward to seeing Belbin/Agosto's new program. The music selection sounds like it is more suited to their style. It is pretty impressive they could come up with not only new music, but new elements and choreography in such a short time span, it has only been 8 weeks since their last competition. I am not sure when they made the decision to start working on the new free dance, but even if it was right after Cup of Russia, that is still late enough in the year that is a brave decision.

 

[chuckm]

I believe they started work on the new FD right after Cup of China.

 

[Tonichelle]

well, Evan came up with Carmen pretty quickly and it did well for him... so I have no doubt they can also have a great go with the new free dance

but if not Melissa and Denis are more than capable of taking gold!