2018 US Championships Sr. Ladies SP

[Ic3Rabbit]

She skated great, but what really got me was the fist pump! In the past she seemed a bit too sedate, but that was just refreshing, and showed me she is definitely invested in putting on a performance, and not just a program.

I do have to say that this was the first program I have seen of hers in a while that I didn’t worry about a thing. She had that look tonight, that you just KNEW she would hit.

It's what I call the "Coach Ryan Bradley effect".

 

[Procrastinator]

Like I said catty and unkind. I could think of some awful things to say about Dave but I will restrain myself

Literally all of you are at LEAST as catty and unkind as he is, so not sure why you're complaining. No one's forcing you to watch him or read his tweets.

 

[schizoanalyst]

Individually, sure but you are more than likely medaling in the team event. If we look at it from that angle, I completely get the Bradie push. She would provide you with a steady base in the short program.
It's just that I kind of figured until this moment that the free would go to Ashley. Of course now it's all muddled but whoever goes, one of them will have to skate that free and be good enough that USA keeps their chances. It's why I think there is still a possibility of the fed playing with the final results. But we'll see, hopefully it all turns out fine, even if the actual scores are wonky.

I just doubt they'll play silly games to protect a 4th/5th place Wagner when they'll have 2 others that probably won't skate much worse to use. I actually think the most likely scenario is Bradie skates both events but we'll see.

 

[Procrastinator]

As much as I love Ashley, Gracie was the one that deserved at least bronze at the Sochi games and was the one ripped off.

How does a fall get you a bronze in Sochi, exactly?

 

[ask]

Exactly. Dave Lease is pretty much saying that Ashley takes a dump on the ice every time she puts on skates. There are some elements in her skating that aren’t at the top, but what she is good at, she has in SPADES.

Can you name one thing related to skating that she is truly good at?
People like to compare her to Carolina a lot, Carolina has undisputed skating skills lording over everyone else. What exactly is truly exceptional and in spades about Ashley? Name just one.

 

[Yatagarasu]

I just doubt they'll play silly games to protect a 4th/5th place Wagner when they'll have 2 others that probably won't skate much worse to use. I actually think the most likely scenario is Bradie skates both events but we'll see.

Yes, that's certainly an option now, no doubt. Well, it'll be interesting to watch to see how it all unfolds.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

How does a fall get you a bronze in Sochi, exactly?

Really? You might want to go back and watch the top skaters in every discipline there in Sochi and then come back and tell me.

I mean, come on. Sochi was a huge joke.

 

[TCAngel18]

It's what I call the "Coach Ryan Bradley effect".

It’s a good effect .

Love the spunk!!!

 

[crazydreamer]

Judge #4 was really tough on PCS.

 

[skatefan17]

They certainly aren't doing her any favors. If she wants to go to Korea, she is going to have to make a case for herself in that long program. I think the pressure may be just a bit too much. I hope I am wrong.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Moulin Rouge on Friday night.

Omg! The thought.

 

[formersk8ter]

I'm just happy we finally have a consistent skater from the US. Bradie has been outstanding this season and this is the season that matters the most.

Hear, hear!

 

[temadd]

Literally all of you are at LEAST as catty and unkind as he is, so not sure why you're complaining. No one's forcing you to watch him or read his tweets.

Actually I have not watched him or read his tweets for 2 years. I only heard about his catty remark here on Golden Skate.

And if you read any of my posts you'll see that I try very hard not to put down any of the skaters. I try my best to be honest and factual

 

[TCAngel18]

Can you name one thing related to skating that she is truly good at?
People like to compare her to Carolina a lot, Carolina has undisputed skating skills lording over everyone else. What exactly is truly exceptional and in spades about Ashley? Name just one.

Characterization, for starters. I could make a list of things she is great at, but I really don’t think you want to hear them. You have your preset opinion, and nothing that I or anyone else say or prove is going to change that.

I don’t ignore that she has her weaknesses. She needs more transitions and deeper edges. However, some of y’all are acting like she’s the 2nd coming of Yulia Lavrenchuk and Olga Markova.

 

[schizoanalyst]

Judge #4 was really tough on PCS.

IIRC, he was at the center of Russian outrage for emails he sent out prior to Vancouver to a bunch of judges and friends basically subtweeting Plushenko claiming he should have poor component scores.

 

[AngelENTL]

Just judged Ashley and Bradie myself, using the excel spreadsheet thing and this is what I came up with:

Ashley: 32.84 + 34.20 = 67.04

Bradie: 37.94 + 33.00 = 70.94

For Bradie, the judges were more generous on the StSq, the loop, and the combo spin. I can understand that. I tend to be strict with StSq goe, which the judges usually aren't. The loop landing was sketch, but the mostly +1s probably reflect the difficult exit right out of it into the step sequence. And the combo spin traveled very slightly, but it might have gone unseen by some and could have been minor enough to ignore at any rate. So, I don't think the 73 and change is unreasonable per se.

Bradie deserves mid-8s for her transitions and program composition; everything is woven together very nicely, there are not many superfluous crossover, and many difficult entrances and exits into and between elements.

My problem is that Wagner's composition and interpretation should have been unequivocally in the 8.75-9.00 range, even with the errors. That said, there is no "fix" here, just overexcitement at a clean skate from a hyped individual. None of this will affect the end result, I don't think. I think the winner (probably Bradie) will have a huge margin, then #2 and #3 will be bunched together, and #4 will bomb and be ten points behind.

It also doesn't make sense why there *would* be an anti-Wagner slant. She is still the posterchild of the sport for the general public, and has commercials and fluff pieces out the wazoo. A U.S. woman is *not* going to be on the olympic podium, probably not even in the final flight. The federation knows this.

They might want tennell for the team comp, that's true, but not dinging Ashley doesn't mean that Bradie would fall out of the top three. The only way that dinging Ashley makes sense is if the judges/fed want Mirai or Karen to be on that team and fear that Ashley will prevent that. Based on the scoresheets I've seen tonight, that seems implausible.

Am I the only one who sees a flutz?

 

[frallik]

Bradie was 110 ISU standing during summer.

 

[TCAngel18]

IIRC, he was at the center of Russian outrage for emails he sent out prior to Vancouver to a bunch of judges and friends basically subtweeting Plushenko claiming he should have poor component scores.

Is it Inman? That name came to my head, I don’t even know if I’m right.

Y’all aren’t KIDDING. PCS for the top 7 from judge 4 are STRICT AF. Once you get to Starr down, they peter out and get closer to the corridor, but they are definitely lowwww.

 

[TCAngel18]

Is it Inman? That name came to my head, I don’t even know if I’m right.

Y’all aren’t KIDDING. PCS for the top 7 from judge 4 are STRICT AF. Once you get to Starr down, they peter out and get closer to the corridor, but they are definitely lowwww.

HAH, I was right. Inman, just checked.

Is he trying to send some message, like anti-“anti Russian bias”, as an atonement for that Vancouver hoopla?

 

[TCAngel18]

Am I the only one who sees a flutz?

I don’t know if it’s flutz, but the edge isn’t definite at first glance. Not Yuna, but not Nicole Bobek.

 

[bixby]

I believe Ashley Wagner made a mistake of re-using her OLD short program. It WAS a hit then, but now it looks a bit STALE. The impact on the overall presentation was "blah" to an untrained eyes, how much more on the judges. It didn't have the sparkle anymore like it used to. Even if she has skated it clean tonight, it would still be a tough SELL in my opinion.

Still hope she finish being on the podium in 3rd place. I have 1, 2 reserved for Mirai & Bradie either way.