- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
Or a sassy one who gets the best jokes every episode?
2018 Olympic Figure Skating Team Event Day 3
- Thread starter GS Forum Staff
- Start date
Or a sassy one who gets the best jokes every episode?
Mirai probably would have been better for the SP since consistency is Bradie's primary strength but I'd hypothesize that they hadn't committed to the sub yet and wanted to see how Bradie would score first.
Adam seems like a good enough pick here. It really felt like he was placed on this team in the first place (with some controversy) because of this event so to not use him would be a bit much. He also has every chance to win in this field.
The most questionable pick to me goes to the Russians in pairs. Even if they were projected to be 2nd instead of 3rd, T/M would have gained them a point vs losing a point. I'd presume that it was their choice to focus on the individual, though, and that's certainly their right. In hindsight, H/M would have also been the smarter SP choice for the Italians, but hindsight is 20/20 and I doubt even they saw things playing out like they did, leaving them with a real shot at a medal.
Adam seems like a good enough pick here. It really felt like he was placed on this team in the first place (with some controversy) because of this event so to not use him would be a bit much. He also has every chance to win in this field.
The most questionable pick to me goes to the Russians in pairs. Even if they were projected to be 2nd instead of 3rd, T/M would have gained them a point vs losing a point. I'd presume that it was their choice to focus on the individual, though, and that's certainly their right. In hindsight, H/M would have also been the smarter SP choice for the Italians, but hindsight is 20/20 and I doubt even they saw things playing out like they did, leaving them with a real shot at a medal.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2017
Yes I was also really surprised by both the Japanese and American choices with their ladies. Kaori beat Satoko in the short at nationals and they were very close at four continents. While I prefer Kaori's free to her short and am glad her first taste of Olympic competition will be using "Amelie," I think it would have been more logical to go the other way around.
Your point about the 3A making the big difference in the short is totally right -- although I could see USFS seeing the 3A as a much larger liability in the short for the same reason. Either way, I would have swapped them, or just have Bradie do both (from a purely strategic standpoint, as I don't really enjoy Bradie's skating). Honestly the whole USFS approach to this event has been.... head-scratching at best. I would have personally kept Nathan on both segments (he said he'd be willing to do it and sorry Adam, I love you but your scoring ceiling isn't that high) and swapped out one of the dance teams for the free instead. Either that or take out Nathan but keep Bradie, who has 5 points higher personal best in the free than Mirai...
Welp, if Italy snatches the bronze from us we only have ourselves to blame I guess.
I'm a risk averse person so I think about downsides. I think Bradie was much less likely to have a meltdown or under rotations. The worst you can do in the free is 5th but in the short it's 10th. I'm thus glad they went with Bradie and to be honest I wouldn't have minded them keeping Bradie in and swapping out the Shibs.
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2009
I feel like had Kolyada done better in the SP, T\M would've skated the free
Not sure if it's a "focus on the individual event" decision alone
I don't think T/M would have wanted as the individual competition is too soon. The initial plan was that S/K will skate the free and basically Z/E replaced them.
- Joined
- May 10, 2010
On the flipside, they can become more accustomed to the arena, the crowd, and Olympic pressure by participating in both events.
He left the forum a few months ago.
It is a bit more nuanced than this, though.
V/M have openly stated that they would like to have a practise run of their FD, as they've still been changing it recently, whereas W/P are repeating an old familiar program and (presumably) do not have this same need. So it makes sense for the Canadian team as a whole - as concerns both the guaranteed 10 points in the team event, and the chance at the gold in Ice Dance - to provide this opportunity to them.
With this in mind, I suppose it could be argued that W/P could have gone in the SD instead to get their chance, but at that earlier stage in the competition it can be considered better team strategy to go for the sure early lead with V/M, and added to this is that it's W/P's SD that has been particularly problematic for them this season.
G/P, the actual Canadian silver medallists, would not have been a strong choice (their silver medal at Nationals is a bit of a fluke, really).
The case for absolutely including W/P in the team event might have been stronger if they had actually been skating well enough to run away with the silver at Nationals, show themselves as not too far behind V/M, and look without a doubt like strong contenders in their event - they unfortunately have not quite done so this season, though - not to say they are not capable of course (they remain contenders and I sure do root for them!), but they haven't made a 100% solid case for themselves this time around, which I guess you need to do when your teammates are V/M..
Men: Chan over Messing simply makes better sense all around, in practically any way of looking at it, as long as Chan is up to it (and let's face it, Messing is fortunate to even have made it to the Olympics in the first place -- performing in the team event would be a huge honour if called upon, but he's not really there in terms of stature)
Pairs: with the pairs up first, they decided I suppose that the overall psychological advantage of securing/strengthening the lead would be too benificial to potentially give up. (With D/R's strong result, there is now somewhat less pressure on all the Canadian performers tomorrow than there might have been; this is a good thing for the whole team), plus Duhamel is just so not-of-this-world in terms of motivation and competitive energy, she's just the one you would want on your team to "get it done". It could have been a good challenge for S/B to try to rise to, but it's pretty hard to bet against Duhamel in this context if you want to put the heat on.
An aside on Women's: I'd been thinking for the same reasons V/M have about wanting to do their Moulin Rouge in the team event, that it would have been much better for Gabby to to the S/P and Kaetlyn the free, in terms of preparing them for their individual events, as these are their respective non-repeated programs that could use more assurance. I was disappointed that the team seemingly didn't want to take the risk and would prefer them to trot out their most familiar programs... But after seeing how the short went for Kaetlyn yesterday, I've changed my mind and think it was probably much better this way -- after hopefully now getting some nerves out of the way, she'd probably be able to bounce back much more easily from a shaky performance of that SP that she has such a positive history with, than a shaky performance of the LP
(What do I know, though? I wonder what the skaters themselves feel about this?)
Overall, it's only really W/P with their history that are the ones you'd truly feel a bit "unfortunate" about not getting in on the action for a medal here (twice now). S/B in pairs to a lesser extent, but not really in the same league.
Now, any of the other substitutions "could" have been made anyway, and things could have turned out just fine in Team Canada's favour, and with the wealth being spread around more. This would be lovely, but that's the way the cookie crumbles I guess...
Wow - I've written all this about this event, but I still think it is fundamentally a silly event!
Enjoyable event! In the ice dance, I think V/M were the highlight although I also enjoyed the Shibs and C/L. I agree with Tanith Belbin that Chris Reed found a jackpot" with Kana. I hope they stick around. The tech specialist was oddly strict, shades of one of the GPs where ice dancers were dinged for bad hair and crossed eyes! Is this the same tech specialist for the indiviudal ice dance event? I hope not; I don't like inflated scores but I also don't like nit-picking. For the ladies, I think Bradie did her job. I think the reality of her components are coming through and she will likely be 7-10th in the individual event. I admire her resolve and processing as she handles pressure. She has a competitive career ahead of her if she chooses. Although truly fine and graceful I thought Carolina was over marked. That triple-triple was a mess. I love her artistry and overall performance but those kind of marks are for beautiful and clean skates. Satoko's URs are her downfall. Evgenia was spectacular! In the pairs, the Italians had the skate of their career - good for them and well deserved marks! Although technically proficient, I find watching Duhamel and Radford is like watching a machine dispense an item, over and over. Reliable but not so inspiring. But I think they will be instrumental in getting Canada the team gold so good for them. I am hoping for a Chinese-Russian-German podium in individual pairs - in some configuration.
I think Canada may have chosen differently if men's had been last night rather than pairs.
Chan/Daleman coming in 5th are very real possibilities and with D/R and V/M virtually guaranteed 10 pts, they really couldn't pass up taking advantage and growing their lead.
Chan/Daleman coming in 5th are very real possibilities and with D/R and V/M virtually guaranteed 10 pts, they really couldn't pass up taking advantage and growing their lead.
There's what? 5 more hours until the competition and I'm already feeling the pain. I want that bronze for Mirai sooooo bad! 
Also I see people saying Chock/Bates should have been swapped in but what about Hubbell/Donohue the National Champs who aren't going to be swapped in while Adam (I love him and I hope he does amazing!) who didn't even place top 3 at Nationals is? The scoring/placement potential for Nathan and Adam is extremely different whereas all of our dance teams are pretty close so I doubt it would have made a huge difference.
Welp the choices have been made and I hope everyone skates their hearts out! Meanwhile I need to go find an adult beverage to get me through this...
Also I see people saying Chock/Bates should have been swapped in but what about Hubbell/Donohue the National Champs who aren't going to be swapped in while Adam (I love him and I hope he does amazing!) who didn't even place top 3 at Nationals is? The scoring/placement potential for Nathan and Adam is extremely different whereas all of our dance teams are pretty close so I doubt it would have made a huge difference.
Welp the choices have been made and I hope everyone skates their hearts out! Meanwhile I need to go find an adult beverage to get me through this...
Also, Duhamel/Radford is held up as the example of "see, it can be done! - so they should all do it!" -- but... that Duhamel girl is not of this earth. (freakishly high level of competitive drive and team spirit)
It's not fair or reasonable to hold everybody to her standard!
The competitors are here at the Olympics to thrive, and not all would thrive doing the same thing.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2013
That's fair enough - Playing it safe vs trying to score as high as possible. I guess it depends on the ultimate goal.
It's odd to think about WeaPo doing the FD (or SD)... Canada wants gold and V/M are a lock for 1st unless they forget how to skate tbh.
I feel for WeaPo these days though. I never truly realized how much you can be in someone else's shadow until V/M were named flagbearer. That shadow was just too big this time :/
I feel for WeaPo these days though. I never truly realized how much you can be in someone else's shadow until V/M were named flagbearer. That shadow was just too big this time :/
I think if the USA were purely in it to win bronze they would have put Nathan Chan in the long. Let him get the quad jitters out and likely score 1 or 2. Adam is a risk. I love his FS but he could easily be 5th. So could Mirai. I love the guts and giving two veterans a chance to shine. Fingers crossed!
- - - Updated - - -
I will still go back and watch Je Suis Malade rather than V/M's FD.
- - - Updated - - -
I will still go back and watch Je Suis Malade rather than V/M's FD.
The programs do not always define the skills difference... Tango FD was one of my favourite in the whole 2010-2014 quad too.
Similar threads
- Sticky
