2015 US Nationals Senior Ladies FS Jan 24

[Mrs. P]

Before we crown Chen a future Olympic champion, we might want to wait until she goes thru puberty.

I won't be doing that. Honestly given her injuries, her struggles to recover, I'm just happy she did so well and I just appreciate what she brings to the ice.

 

[jan]

Agreed. Those lutz's were flutzed and the toe( triple) in combo should have been downgraded. Her GOE's were inflated on top of this.

I can bet with anyone that Ashley will never crack 70 in TES internationally with even a remotely strict tech panel. Not with those jumps and spins.

I am sure she will go back to flips at Worlds, which would be smart. But her second jumps in the combos and salchow ALWAYS warrant a replay.

 

[TontoK]

Are we really having a discussion on internet memes?

The people who come up with those are in middle school, at least intellectually, so I can't imagine why their opinions are even worth noting.

Certainly they have no relevance in an adult conversation.

Edit to fix typo.

 

[invisiblespiral]

Um.... I finally got around to watching the people I missed, and for Wagner and Chen! Yay!

 

[BlackPack]

Can you really argue she deserves more than an 8 for SS or more on any of the other components actually. These are very good components, there's no way she should be in the 9s for anything, and her transitions are definitely 7 level. Honestly I'd have given her a 7.00 for choreography.

There were 10s in the protocols

 

[Kwanford Wife]

You, of course, are free to prefer MK - but this isn't about comparison of performance, it is a comparison of moments.

When was TRULY the last time there was a performance like this in ladies, at US Nationals, SINCE Kwan? There have been many clean skates in the past 10 years, but I remember watching that skate by MK in '04 and that was a MOMENT. None of the other performances since then have given me that feeling- but last night's by Wagner came very, very close. It's a moment because, as she put it so bluntly afterward, it's a "Now you REALLY need to take me seriously" kind of skate. It remains to be seen whether she can duplicate or top that at worlds, but there were LOTS of people (me included at times) that had her out of the picture, thought her best days were behind her, she peaked in 2012 but apparently not. This is some of her best skating yet.

That said, the score was laughable but it's nationals, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. Unlike in the past, it's pretty hard to dispute THIS win by Wagner. I just hope she realizes there's still room for improvement - the level issues on the spin and potential edge issues with the 3Z will be a much bigger issue on the world stage. She still has work to do, as solid an effort as this was.



No...I meant up until her freak fall into the "boards".

LOL, I was just being silly with the Kwan comment... I said to my husband last night that I hadn't seen anything like that since Kwan in 04, so I am totally in agreement.

 

[Violet Bliss]

There were 10s in the protocols

As some have suggested, take off 15.

 

[BlackPack]

Without having read the whole thread, I sense that the discussion of ego and swagger has focused mostly or entirely on Wagner??

I'm surprised/confused that Gold's own ego and swagger do not receive equal scrutiny.
Gold is just as naked in her ambition, and just as open with her self-back-patting.

That said, I don't mind either lady -- or any athlete -- talking a good game.
Just don't understand the contrast in how the two ladies seem to be perceived.

Gracie's programs are least a good effort/attempt in choreography and technical content, while Ashley's FS has empty choreography. If her FS falls apart technically, there's nothing not much else to appreciate.

 

[WYW]

Agreed. Those lutz's were flutzed and the toe( triple) in combo should have been downgraded. Her GOE's were inflated on top of this.

A skater who has edge or rotation problems MAY benefit more from national inflation than a skater who doesn't- not only do these skaters get the National's GOE, but they also get some very lenient calls from the tech panel. Compare this to a skater who has no edge problems; the only thing they get is National GOE. I wonder if this type of national judging/tech-calling selects for skaters who have these technical problems (since they are overlooked), which may be a problem on the international stage. I don't want to direct this at Wagner, but at all the national competitions around the globe.

In the end, she skated the best here and absolutely deserved it. The system did what it was intended to- rank the skaters appropriately. I sometimes wonder if it is better that ISU hides the scores and just give us the placement (maybe publish it online afterwards, or be provide it to only the skater/coach so they know what to work on?). Too often have we gotten the correct ranking, but endless bickering about how close or far it should've have been between skaters. It does nothing but cause distress when the real prize is that gold, silver, and bronze.

 

[stella luna]

I am so tired of having the USFSA shove the blonde ice princess down our throats. I will take a little bit of Tonya happily! It is this ice princess mold that is stifling both Gracie and Polina. Be yourself, Ashley! It is so refreshing!!!!

And yet ... Ashley dyes her hair blonde.

 

[emma]

:agree:

can't agree more with your thumbs up for RD's reaction to the Ladies event! RD, I could agree with you more in this description on every point! Excellent, exciting event.

 

[Mathman]

Mohammed Ali called himself "The Greatest" and many people felt he was entitled because he delivered.

Such bragging is much better accepted in more macho sports and the athletes work to earn the bragging rights.

I think the Mohammad Ali phenomenon was part of the general social upheaval in U.S. society in the 1960s. Suddenly everything was "up the establishment" and "stick it to the man." Previously, the expected public posture of an athlete was, "Aw shucks, little ol' modest, humble me?" By the 1970s, bragging and trash-talking had become the new normal.

 

[Scovies]

I loved Ashley's performance last night--the woman is spunky and fierce as all get out!

I must say that I find criticism of Ashley being too outspoken and "cocky" very troubling. I have a nagging feeling that if she was male, many of those critics would find the self-confidence and outspokenness simply the sign of a tough athlete. Well, she is. These women are hard-working athletes and fierce competitors. As Johnny put it so well last night, ladies' figure skating is "brass knuckles under velvet gloves".

Stay true to yourself Ashley, and let your confidence and competitiveness shine!

That's not just a nagging feeling you have -- you're absolutely correct. It's not so bad here, but I looked in other places and the outright vitriol I've seen directed at Ashley for daring to feel vindicated by her performance is pretty gross. I'll save the feminist rant and just say that I really respect Ashley's refusal to stick to pleasant, inoffensive, personality-free soundbytes just because that's what women are "supposed" to do.

 

[Mrs. P]

Again she hasn't got an (e) edge call since last season. Just ! (And she got one of those in the SP). Ashley, imo, doesn't have the deepest outside edge, but the int'l judges seem indicate that it's unclear edge, not a flutz.

 

[TontoK]

Interviewer to Plushenko: "So, what have you learned skating in the same rink with Yagudin?"

Plushenko: "Nothing."

Get off Ashley's back. It's not wrong that she wants to win, and she works hard to achieve improvement in her skating.

I wish some more skaters had a little fire in the belly and a bit more diva attitude... are you listening Shibutanis?

And, if my prayers are realized and Josh wins Nationals, you can expect some little bro-mances to fall apart, too.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Interviewer to Plushenko: "So, what have you learned skating in the same rink with Yagudin?"

Plushenko: "Nothing."

Get off Ashley's back. It's not wrong that she wants to win, and she works hard to achieve improvement in her skating.

I wish some more skaters had a little fire in the belly and a bit more diva attitude... are you listening Shibutanis?

:thumbsup:

eta that Adam Rippon seems to have finally acquired more of a winning attitude.

 

[Skater Boy]

Teams (minus men) are announced:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story...897&type=media

Surprised Mirai got an alternate spot for Worlds. Otherwise basically as expected except for that I did not think Ashley, Polina, and Gracie would ALL do 4CCs. Good for them though.

I know this is a long shot but on the Junior dance alternate list for ice dance I think I saw Anthony Ponomarenko is that the same last name as that awesome couple from Russia? that won OGM I think in 1992 is what I read (They won OBM and OSM too in earlier olympics). Any relation?

 

[TontoK]

Again she hasn't got an (e) edge call since last season. Just ! (And she got one of those in the SP). Ashley, imo, doesn't have the deepest outside edge, but the int'l judges seem indicate that it's unclear edge, not a flutz.

Mrs. P, save your breath. There are some who just won't believe that skaters can improve their skating, taking note of judges' feedback criticism, work hard to address shortcomings.

She got an "e" in past seasons, so she will FOREVER be a flutzer. In their minds.

And, by the way, her 3T in the combo was fully rotated. Just because it wasn't in a previous competition doesn't mean squat.

 

[Mrs. P]

Interviewer to Plushenko: "So, what have you learned skating in the same rink with Yagudin?"

Plushenko: "Nothing."

Get off Ashley's back. It's not wrong that she wants to win, and she works hard to achieve improvement in her skating.

I wish some more skaters had a little fire in the belly and a bit more diva attitude... are you listening Shibutanis?

And, if my prayers are realized and Josh wins Nationals, you can expect some little bro-mances to fall apart, too.

Josh and Jason have been trading off No.1 status since they were Novice skaters. I really doubt if Josh wins their friendly rivalry will become nasty; it'a not in either of their personalities.

In fact, Jason credits his trademark flexibility to Josh, when he was doing billeman spins as a juvenile and he barely could touch his toes. I think they have pushed each other to improve.

 

[noidont]

Of my years of watching skating I have not seen a skater I dislike as much as Ashley Wagner. I can not fully explain why, except that her facial expressions always make me think of some cringe-worthy reality show. She just seems fatally uncool, always trying too damn hard. It's overwhelming and depressing at the same time.