2018 Olympic Figure Skating Team Event Day 1

[frida80]

They Already are... ?

It's surprising, i know

It’s only natural. They want their own medal. Doing both will hurt their chances.

 

[withwings]

Totally random question - is Kostner already in town? I didn't see her in the box and haven't heard practice reports from her. Tried a quick google to no avail so perhaps I can get an assist. It would seem weird if she wasn't there already, unless Russo is doing the team ...

Carolina WAS sitting in the box. She was not there all the time so it is why you missed to notice her.

 

[Mayumi1990]

If T\M aren't chosen to skate the free then OAR are saying "we don't want a shot at Gold or Silver"

Eventhough Kolyada was a disaster in the SP, he also need to skate the FS. He has a better chance to beat the Jpn, usa and canadian guys compared to Aliev. Aliev’s best chance is 3rd but will most likely end up in 4th

 

[tjb]

Totally random question - is Kostner already in town? I didn't see her in the box and haven't heard practice reports from her. Tried a quick google to no avail so perhaps I can get an assist. It would seem weird if she wasn't there already, unless Russo is doing the team ...

she was sitting in the K/C at pairs event

 

[readernick]

TAT hates a canadian pair and criticize them every time she sees them. this time she said "there was no program. just a number of clean elements executed to a slow music"
and i kind of agree with her.
in my opinion T/M are not deserving aliona's or sui/han PCS, they should be lower by a couple of points. but canadian pair shouldn't even be on a second chinese pair PCS territory. it's intresting that they are so loved on this forum

No offense but TAT hates Megan because she calls out athletes who dope. Megan's SS aren't great but their program is wonderfully constructed. It suits them.

 

[sweetice]

Totally random question - is Kostner already in town? I didn't see her in the box and haven't heard practice reports from her. Tried a quick google to no avail so perhaps I can get an assist. It would seem weird if she wasn't there already, unless Russo is doing the team ...

It was in the box, during the pairs program.

 

[frida80]

I don't think this team event will exhaust anyone physically. All the skaters do several program runthroughs everyday. This is just like a regular runthrough with the added bonus of preparing you for the individual. So, if someone is exhausted it will be mental exhaustion. However, Bradie seems very calm. I don't think she is given to mental exhaustion. I think her changes of an individual medal are slim so she should fight to get the best possible medal in the team event. A clean team even would help her results in both the ladies competition here and at worlds because the more clean programs you perform the higher your PCS goes ( it should not work that way- but it does)

After Julia, I say take no chances. It’s not physical energy but mental energy that hurts the most. Putting all this pressure on a brand new national champ is a bad idea. Let her rest and let the Shibutania do both. They’ve gone to the Olympics, worlds, etc. they can handle it.

I seriously doubt she can pull off four clean programs during the Olympics. That’s really overplaying her hand. She’s flying high because she doesn’t realize how high she’s gotten. If she peaks at that team event, it will hurt her chances at the individual. If she wants to finish strong, she needs to rest and focus on the individual event.

 

[Sjs5572]

link

Wow, so OAR has given up on gold medal. Considering that the Knierums can possibly place ahead of the OAR #2 team, the battle for the silver is on!

 

[tjb]

No offense but TAT hates Megan because she calls out athletes who dope. Megan's SS aren't great but their program is wonderfully constructed. It suits them.

she started to hate her long before any doping stories. and i doubt that TAT puts any attention on what she's saying on twitter. ashely wagner also likes to throw shade on russia on twitter, but TAT never expressed anything but love for ashley skating.

 

[Fruitpie]

No offense but TAT hates Megan because she calls out athletes who dope. Megan's SS aren't great but their program is wonderfully constructed. It suits them.

It's not like I trying to protect TAT since I'm not a big fan of her, but TAT never liked Megan. She critisized her harshly even in Moscow Worlds. And TAT loves Aliona to death and wants her to get gold, so... And I'm with Tarasova this time.

 

[schizoanalyst]

After Julia, I say take no chances. It’s not physical energy but mental energy that hurts the most. Putting all this pressure on a brand new national champ is a bad idea. Let her rest and let the Shibutania do both. They’ve gone to the Olympics, worlds, etc. they can handle it.

I seriously doubt she can pull off four clean programs during the Olympics. That’s really overplaying her hand. She’s flying high because she doesn’t realize how high she’s gotten. If she peaks at that team event, it will hurt her chances at the individual. If she wants to finish strong, she needs to rest and focus on the individual event.

I really don't understand why the team isn't *after* the individual event. I also don't buy the physical exhaustion argument - but I agree it's a lot for skaters to rev themselves up for two major events so closely. I'm sure a Hanyu or Medvedeva have no issues with that, but the rest of these are more delicate

 

[readernick]

Carolina isn’t doing the FS. Kaori is doing the Fzs and already beat Bradie. Bradie will receive much lower PCS scores than Kaori because Kaori just won 4CC. Gabby is doing her FS from last year and has the PCS to hold off Bradie. She may improve by one spot, but that’s iffy. And it will weaken her for the FS. There is no risk in playing just one dance team. Davis/White recovered and won. But Julia didn’t.

Bradie beat Gabby in Skate America. She could easy do so again due to her BV and because she rarely URs. I agree that Sakamoto is likely to beat Bradie but the ice is slipperly and it is better to aim for 8/9 points than to settle for 7 or 6. We just saw in the men's event that predictions are meaningless anyway so there is really no point in arguing about scores. But, I really think all the US dance teams deserve medals and only one of them has a realistic chance of getting one in the individual event. So, they should have another dance team perform the long program. They will all likely get 9 points.

 

[kevinVchicago]

TAT hates a canadian pair and criticize them every time she sees them. this time she said "there was no program. just a number of clean elements executed to a slow music"[emoji23]
and i kind of agree with her.
in my opinion T/M are not deserving aliona's or sui/han PCS, they should be lower by a couple of points. but canadian pair shouldn't even be on a second chinese pair PCS territory. it's intresting that they are so loved on this forum

Yeah, they're not my favorites by a long stretch. In terms of artistry, I definitely prefer Y/Z, J/C, S/M, etc etc. But T/M's choreography and performance are just so awful in comparison to their gorgeous skating. It really feels like they are mummies doing calisthenics. And they don't convey any emotion to me. D/R on the other hand do communicate quite a lot of feeling, even if sometimes it's terribly over the top or misplaced. I know that Zhenya must be capable of more than what she's being asked to give from an artistic and emotional POV.

 

[Mista Ekko]

It’s only natural. They want their own medal. Doing both will hurt their chances.

I think you quoted the wrong post

But still, "Natural" doesn't really cut it when a whole team is vying for an Olympic medal

But OAR are free to make their own decisions

 

[readernick]

After Julia, I say take no chances. It’s not physical energy but mental energy that hurts the most. Putting all this pressure on a brand new national champ is a bad idea. Let her rest and let the Shibutania do both. They’ve gone to the Olympics, worlds, etc. they can handle it.

I seriously doubt she can pull off four clean programs during the Olympics. That’s really overplaying her hand. She’s flying high because she doesn’t realize how high she’s gotten. If she peaks at that team event, it will hurt her chances at the individual. If she wants to finish strong, she needs to rest and focus on the individual event.

There were other issues at work with Julia. Coaches like that will make you a champion or they will drive you into the ground. Anyway, the point is really that the dance teams deserve a medal. It is sad if two don't get that chance.

 

[Mayumi1990]

Yes, I wonder about this too. They really are lovely skaters but their programs always leave so much to be desired. I don't think the Canadians were overscored at all. They really performed well and their program is better and more difficult and while their SS are not as good their PCS definitely reflected that (two points lower than the Russians and Germans)

I have to disagree, you may think they are not overscored but look at the GOEs they are getting. Its true that their jumps are harder but should not automatically get them good GOEs. That throw was so ugly position wise, has no distance plus no height. The rest of their elements are very inferior to other teams. A lot lower rank teams have superior elements than team but never get the GOEs D/R are getting

 

[waxel]

Nathan's haircut and costume are complete downgrades from earlier in the season. Cannot believe how bad those Vera Wang designs look.

The silky shirts looked chic and light, and with the curls made him look like a young artist. This current look is so heavy and without any statement.

No. Totally disagree. Earlier in the season Nathan skated in trousers and shirts ... silky shirts displaying obvious pit sweat. The new costumes are sleek, current and on point. His skating was a mess but don't blame it on Vera.

 

[Mista Ekko]

It's funny how people who dislike Meagan's expression think
all of D\Rs PCS should suffer

 

[readernick]

No. Totally disagree. Earlier in the season Nathan skated in trousers and shirts ... silky shirts displaying obvious pit sweat. The new costumes are sleek, current and on point. His skating was a mess but don't blame it on Vera.

I like the simple costume it suits his skating and the program. He would not be comfortable in glitter.

 

[frida80]

I really don't understand why the team isn't *after* the individual event. I also don't buy the physical exhaustion argument - but I agree it's a lot for skaters to rev themselves up for two major events so closely. I'm sure a Hanyu or Medvedeva have no issues with that, but the rest of these are more delicate

The human mind is amazing. Just how athletes need to mental control their own enthusiasm to perform is insane. Skaters have it rough! Tell ball player they need to play tomorrow, they may be able to do it. Not the best, but skaters? Forget it! They’ve mentally mapped out when they need to use their own adrenaline and pump out those performances. Too much of it knocks them off.

I agree, the team event needs to be AFTER the individual events. Less chance of exhausting skater and they can keep a bit of adrenaline in reserve for the event.