State of US Ladies in skating III: 2014-15 Season

[Mrs. P]

Zaccardi wrote a story about the friendship here, which I think generated the banter http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/13/gracie-gold-taylor-swift-figure-skating-olympics/

 

[flying camel]

I'm not picking on Polina, but I do think her component scores would go up some with a few changes in her appearance. Courtney Hicks also needs a makeover. When I watch her free skate all I think about is Cinderella and she's not skating to Cinderella.

 

[jenaj]

Yes, because the musical artist whose newest album has gone Platinum and has tons of fans needs to steal the limelight of someone who placed 4th in the Olympics.

She doesn't need to. That's the point. She's doing it because she can.

 

[shiroKJ]

 

[TwinnerA]

I love Polina's FS. It's one of my favorite programs of this season. ITA that Polina needs to change her hair and FS costume. That pink, fluffy concoction screams "My Mom made this for my dance recital". Polina is tall and willowy and could look very elegant. I'd love to see her with simpler, more contemporary hair and costumes.

Exactly. She needs simpler, less fussy costumes and hair styles for her programs.

As to whether Gracie is best buds with Taylor Swift, I think TS has a lot of best buds and must like Gracie quite a bit to hang out with her on more than one occasion. Hey, I wouldn't mind hanging with Taylor Swift!

 

[chuckm]

Polina's SP costume and hair are fine. But not her FS getup and hairstyle. OK, so she's skating to music about a fairy, but she doesn't have to dress like one. A simple, sparkly tutu and ballerina updo would be fine.

Courtney Hicks is a tougher problem. She is short, short-waisted and muscular, and the frilly, flouncy costumes she chooses are all wrong for her. But it is hard to think what would work for her.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Is Gracie really "best bud" of Taylor Swift? I hope not. It's just another celebrity trying to insert herself somewhere to steal a little bit of the limelight.

Are you for real? :scratch:

Yes, because the musical artist whose newest album has gone Platinum and has tons of fans needs to steal the limelight of someone who placed 4th in the Olympics.

I know right?

 

[jenaj]

Are you for real? :scratch:



I know right?

Well, I certainly didn't intend to stir up the wrath of all the Taylor Swift fans! But let me ask this: would they still be friends if Gracie quit skating tomorrow and enrolled in college? I don't think so.

 

[Mrs. P]

I'm hardly a Taylor Swift fan, but from what I could see, she doesn't strike me to be the Kim Kardashian type. She's a busy person, so I can't imagine why she waste precious hours pursuing a sham friendship for the sake of her career or to get extra attention.

I think for me, the fact she does things like this supports my view: http://m.etonline.com/news/150733_t...rtwarming_instagram_message_to_a_bullied_fan/

That was just to a mere fan. If she does that for a total stranger, I don't see her treating her friends like crap, regardless of who they are.

 

[ice coverage]

Well, I certainly didn't intend to stir up the wrath of all the Taylor Swift fans! But let me ask this: would they still be friends if Gracie quit skating tomorrow and enrolled in college? I don't think so.

Do you think GG still would want to be friends with Taylor Swift if TS quit the music industry tomorrow and enrolled in college? I think GG still would.

And if the tables were turned, I think that TS still would want to be friends with GG.

I am not a Taylor Swift fan, but you are missing the point that a household name like TS has absolutely nothing to gain in terms of self-promotion/glamour/etc. from her friendship with GG.

Sheer friendship (priceless :yes is the "only" thing TS has to gain from her friendship with GG.
GG is someone with whom TS feels comfortable baking cookies and hanging out, etc.
Suspecting that TS has an ulterior motive here just makes zero sense.

 

[jenaj]

Do you think GG still would want to be friends with Taylor Swift if TS quit the music industry tomorrow and enrolled in college? I think GG still would.

And if the tables were turned, I think that TS still would want to be friends with GG.

I am not a Taylor Swift fan, but you are missing the point that a household name like TS has absolutely nothing to gain in terms of self-promotion/glamour/etc. from her friendship with GG.

Sheer friendship (priceless :yes is the "only" thing TS has to gain from her friendship with GG.
GG is someone with whom TS feels comfortable baking cookies and hanging out, etc.
Suspecting that TS has an ulterior motive here just makes zero sense.

Of course she has nothing to gain. That's the point. She is just using her celebrity to make a friend. I doubt if Gracie responds to dinner invitations and offers to hang out from the "hoi polloi." And I doubt if Taylor Swift extends dinner invitations to ordinary fans who respond to her tweets.

 

[cruzceleste]

Should the friendship between Taylor and Gracie be a debate subject? I think is boring...

One week to nationals, hope everyone give their best...

 

[Mrs. P]

Of course she has nothing to gain. That's the point. She is just using her celebrity to make a friend. I doubt if Gracie responds to dinner invitations and offers to hang out from the "hoi polloi." And I doubt if Taylor Swift extends dinner invitations to ordinary fans who respond to her tweets.

She does invite fans to her house for listening parties, LOL. http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...ing-party-secret-sessions-20140923-story.html

Totally genius marketing move here, I know, but still it means a lot to the fans.

Anyway this debate has gone long enough -- we'll have to agree to disagree -- but I still maintain that the friendship is genuine. Taylor Swift has no obligation to go to STars on Ice or to make cookies given her busy schedule. Likewise Gracie doesn't have to go to Catalina Island and take time off her training schedule to hang out with a "celebrity."

 

[Icey]

The term "friend" is thrown around too lightly these days imo.

 

[fallingsk8er]

Wow. This thread drifted way off the original topic....more so than normal.

 

[Krunchii]

You really, really shouldn't believe everything you read in the media, big name celebrities have their public image very carefully crafted by a team behind, this is almost every little move they make. I know some people in PR and there is a lot of excuses and cover ups that people take for fact. Not saying their friendship isn't genuine but many big name celebrities are very unlike their public image in real life.

Either way, only a few more days until the actual competition. Honestly I'm still not sure about the third woman to be on the team, I like Polina's technical elements but her packaging is mediocre while Samantha Cesario I like her packaging but her technical elements lag behind many others. Courtney Hicks I don't care much about and Mirai Nagasu doesn't deliver very often. Really just hoping that Ashley can conquer her Nationals nerves and give us another performance like she did in Barcelona.

 

[StitchMonkey]

Do you think GG still would want to be friends with Taylor Swift if TS quit the music industry tomorrow and enrolled in college? I think GG still would.

And if the tables were turned, I think that TS still would want to be friends with GG.

I am not a Taylor Swift fan, but you are missing the point that a household name like TS has absolutely nothing to gain in terms of self-promotion/glamour/etc. from her friendship with GG.

Sheer friendship (priceless :yes is the "only" thing TS has to gain from her friendship with GG.
GG is someone with whom TS feels comfortable baking cookies and hanging out, etc.
Suspecting that TS has an ulterior motive here just makes zero sense.

Well she is being talked about here. I.e. she is being exposed to groups that she normally would not be. I suspect at least one forum member looked her up due to this. By hanging out with Gracie right before nationals, it is more likely Gracie is talked about, and thus more likely Taylor will be talked about and thus garner her exposure to different groups. This thread is proof she had something to gain.

That being said. It can in fact be both. Taylor I am sure is very busy, she may not be able to get together with friends more than a couple times a year. I don't see much wrong with being strategic about it. It is certainly possible they are legit friends, and it is certainly possible that she wanted to hang out with Gracie in general for Gracie being Gracie. But that does not mean that she and/or her team may not have also thought that this might be the most mutually beneficial time for both of them to hang out. There is no harm in my eyes to Taylor planing this trip near nationals rather than say three months ago. Hell, it could also be that her agent suggested it with marketing in mind and Taylor innocently and genuinely said "ohh yeah that's a great idea I would love to see Gracie again!"

There is a huge gigantic space of what ifs between best buds and pure gimmick. My guess is the truth is somewhere in the middle. I suspect they do like each other, but also like any professional synergy they can get out of the friendship.

 

[Mrs. P]

Well she is being talked about here. I.e. she is being exposed to groups that she normally would not be. I suspect at least one forum member looked her up due to this. By hanging out with Gracie right before nationals, it is more likely Gracie is talked about, and thus more likely Taylor will be talked about and thus garner her exposure to different groups. This thread is proof she had something to gain.

That being said. It can in fact be both. Taylor I am sure is very busy, she may not be able to get together with friends more than a couple times a year. I don't see much wrong with being strategic about it. It is certainly possible they are legit friends, and it is certainly possible that she wanted to hang out with Gracie in general for Gracie being Gracie. But that does not mean that she and/or her team may not have also thought that this might be the most mutually beneficial time for both of them to hang out. There is no harm in my eyes to Taylor planing this trip near nationals rather than say three months ago. Hell, it could also be that her agent suggested it with marketing in mind and Taylor innocently and genuinely said "ohh yeah that's a great idea I would love to see Gracie again!"

There is a huge gigantic space of what ifs between best buds and pure gimmick. My guess is the truth is somewhere in the middle. I suspect they do like each other, but also like any professional synergy they can get out of the friendship.

Good points! I personally think Taylor Swift is a marketing genius and that has played into her success thus far. But such marketing doesn't work if fans/listeners/etc. if there isn't a genuine action behind it, IMO.

I genuinely believe that Gracie Gold's performance caught Taylor's attention for some reason and that's why she made tweet, however it's clear there has been a marketing benefit in the friendship for sure. But yes I agree marketing benefit =/= sham friendship

Perhaps some of that genius could rub off on Gracie and U.S. Ladies figure skating. :yes:

 

[jcmerman]

Can we stay on topic please. Taylor Swift has nothing to do with the state of American Ladies!!!

 

[R.D.]

Yes, enough please. Start another thread for that.
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Teleconferences are up on Ice Network - Gold, Wagner, Edmunds: http://web.icenetwork.com/video/topic/106096120/v37132565

Quick rundown - Gold is fully healed from her injury, but is still limiting her 3T attempts; Wagner wants a 3rd US title and thinks she can contend for a world medal and lead US skating to 2018; Edmunds dealing with growing pains.