2018-19 U.S. Ladies' figure skating | Page 33 | Golden Skate

2018-19 U.S. Ladies' figure skating

^ to keep it quick. Basically Dice-K placed 5th at Japanese Nationals but for a spot for Olympics and Worlds cause of his body of work. He went to Sochi not injury kept him from Worlds.

As for Gracie, I don’t think it was a super rah rah but I think for some it’s concern to make sure she’s in a healthy mental state. Not that injury isn’t something light, but the circumstances of Gracie’s break was a bit more grave.
 
^ to keep it quick. Basically Dice-K placed 5th at Japanese Nationals but for a spot for Olympics and Worlds cause of his body of work. He went to Sochi not injury kept him from Worlds.

As for Gracie, I don’t think it was a super rah rah but I think for some it’s concern to make sure she’s in a healthy mental state. Not that injury isn’t something light, but the circumstances of Gracie’s break was a bit more grave.

I guess the focus for me is not really that fans are not uniformly ecstatic over Gracie’s return - it just makes me sad to read some of the negative comments.

I’m not trying to minimize the fact that Gracie’s performance declined over a period of a couple of years, and that a number of serious things probably contributed to that. But I’m also very conscious that she could have made significant progress handling those things, to the point where her family / team support her return to competition as a healthy, positive step.

None of us, including me, know whether that’s the case, and I don’t think it’s at all wrong for people to be skeptical of what she might achieve this season. I just think wish people wouldn’t assume failure before it’s proven and would be supportive, regardless of the outcome. That’s all.
 
I guess the other thing is that even when Gracie was at her peak she couldn’t finish the deal and medal at
2016 Worlds. Dice-K has an Olympic Bronze and a World Championship (and a few other World/4CC/GPF medals) While Dice has things he wants to settle, from a fan standpoint, he already has a track record of solid success to fall back on.

Not saying the reaction is fair but I can see why people care less about how well he does on his return and more about seeing his skating especially since Patrick is retired.
 
I wonder what the status of Polina is. I was never a fan, but I enjoyed her short last season, despite the lack of jumps. I wonder if she will pop up again at nats or if she's done.
 
Of course. She went to Worlds and has two spots on the GP. Anyone with that scenario is on the radar as a major competitor for the U.S.

That's what I think too which is why I'm surprised I haven't heard much about her over the summer. When she's on, she's spectacular.
 
I think Bradie is the anchor here. Though some say her programs are boring this year. It is wide open for that second spot. Mariah Bell and Karen Chen have been less than impressive. Starr Andrews doesn't have the lutz.Polina seems to have lost her mojo and then there is Gracie Gold.

I have huge mixed feelings. You want the best for Gracie and she is ana mazing skater. But while I am glad she is doing what she wants and I have said it before it seems a bit like a person drowning and madly trying to say afloat with flailing arms and such trying to stay alive. I worry about Gracie lacking stability. It took her quite a while and many dreadful skates but competitively and show skats were horrible eventually ending with half hearted double jumps. Then she was taking time for herself to heal. Then it was coaching and then it was comeback - all within months. From coaching to comeback scares me. Stability seems to be lacking andmaybe she is still like that person thrown in the water andgrasping at anything hoping it works. She needs to heal but the last year for Gracie has been full of changes from coaches, to location, to dealing with personal issues to her father to a new career coaching etc.
 
That's what I think too which is why I'm surprised I haven't heard much about her over the summer. When she's on, she's spectacular.

No, it's a little strange that no one's talking about Mariah, but it's early in the summer season. And, really, it's often a good thing when you don't hear much. Better than hearing that someone is retiring or taking a hiatus or touring through the fall or changing training bases.

U.S. athletes we tend to hear a lot about in June:

-Juniors who are moving up to seniors nationally and are getting ready for the JGP.
-Athletes who live in Colorado & therefore compete at the Broadmoor Open.
-Athletes who are on tour & doing media.
-Athletes who are changing coaches, splitting up from their partners, retiring, or giving vague statements that don't confirm whether they are continuing, thereby, leading people to speculate about whether or not they are retiring.
-Athletes who aren't well enough established to earn two GP berths and are competing early in hopes of winning a spot at Skate America.
-Athletes who had no post season and started working on their new competitive programs back in February.

Mariah is no longer any of these things. People have also seen enough of her skating now that I think the hype has faded and been replaced with a more realistic picture of her as a competitor. They aren't busy building castles in the sky about what she can do. Rather just waiting to see what she will do.

When she announces her music, we'll have something to discuss; and since she trains in California, I would expect to see her at Glacier Falls. I think it could be a good year for Mariah.
 
I guess the other thing is that even when Gracie was at her peak she couldn’t finish the deal and medal at
2016 Worlds. Dice-K has an Olympic Bronze and a World Championship (and a few other World/4CC/GPF medals) While Dice has things he wants to settle, from a fan standpoint, he already has a track record of solid success to fall back on.

Not saying the reaction is fair but I can see why people care less about how well he does on his return and more about seeing his skating especially since Patrick is retired.

Hmm.

Again, I think it’s great how thrilled people are for him. But I feel bad for Gracie.

I think US fans can be quite harsh when skaters don’t live up to expectations. When skaters get close, but not close enough - for example, Gracie’s 4th place finishes at 4CCs, Worlds, and the Olympics - more often than not that’s been cause for increased expectations (or criticism), not celebration.

And I think it’s possible that the weight of expectations from the time she was a junior - including the endless talk of ending the “medal drought” - could have contributed to Gracie’s struggles.

OT, but one of the reasons Medvedeva and Hanyu seem so amazing to me is their ability to consistently withstand unbelievable amounts of pressure. Not everyone can.
 
I agree with the attitude toward Gracie. I loooove you cause you’re so great, oh no, you let me down cause you were not so great. Completely different than yippee, Dice, who cares where he places.

I really hope she is on a good enough place to say to those folks who may be disappointed, I am doing this for me, and I have zero flips to give (hahaaha) about your expectations. :)

I also think it’s good she is training at a less known center, and although Jason fans all know him, with a less known coach, and just “away from the madding crowd”. And that everyone would just be happy for her even if she doesn’t do any jumps at all.

I can hope:pray:
 
I have no expectations for Gracie. May she enjoy skating and reach for whatever goals she has for this comeback. You really never know with comebacks. Could be great. Could never materialize at all. But it does seem likely she's on the mend, which is so very important. I'm glad she took the time she needed last season.
 
I have no expectations for Gracie. May she enjoy skating and reach for whatever goals she has for this comeback. You really never know with comebacks. Could be great. Could never materialize at all. But it does seem likely she's on the mend, which is so very important. I'm glad she took the time she needed last season.

As long as she's happy, I'll be happy. I don't know for sure but, I think Gracie was really devastated by placing 4th in 2016 because of the way she performed in her LP at Worlds. Had she repeated her performances from Nationals and still placed 4th, I think she would have been happy. I think it was the weight of expectation that the federation put on her and Frank that finally got to her.

Things are much different now. I will be beyond thrilled if she has a comeback like Rachael or Elaine Zayak back in 1994. Neither skater Medaled but I think they were both satisfied with their performances. That's what I wish for Gracie.
 
Hmm.

Again, I think it’s great how thrilled people are for him. But I feel bad for Gracie.

I think US fans can be quite harsh when skaters don’t live up to expectations. When skaters get close, but not close enough - for example, Gracie’s 4th place finishes at 4CCs, Worlds, and the Olympics - more often than not that’s been cause for increased expectations (or criticism), not celebration.

And I think it’s possible that the weight of expectations from the time she was a junior - including the endless talk of ending the “medal drought” - could have contributed to Gracie’s struggles.

OT, but one of the reasons Medvedeva and Hanyu seem so amazing to me is their ability to consistently withstand unbelievable amounts of pressure. Not everyone can.

I feel like Gracie has always struggled with pressure/confidence issues. I remember she mentioned in an interview that after she had podiumed at Nationals as a Novice (in 2010) and some decent summer comps where she was doing 3-3s and 2A-3Ts, she felt a lot of pressure and that, along with a major growth spurt that year, contributed to her to not make Nationals at the junior level (she placed 6th at Midwesterns). I think she never really fully resolved (though there were efforts to try) and it really took her for a ride as she was getting more and more hype.

In contrast, while Daisuke was a top skater in a place where skating was much more high-profile, he was the top among a BUNCH of men, including Nobunari Oda and Takahikko Kozuka and later on Yuzuru. He's had some up and downs, but I don't think anyone ever put pressure on him (because they didn't need to) to hold up the Japanese men's team at the time.

Also didn't help that her name was Gracie Gold. So many bad puns. :slink:
 
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I think that was actually a real factor, even if a very small one, that contributed to the pressure she felt. She had a fluff piece in Sochi where she talked about her name. I think she said something like “there’s ‘Gold for gold’ but then there’s also ‘fall from grace.’” It can’t help, to think about how well that’s set up for people, no matter how she performed.
 
Gracie will have her fans and yes critics. But she is so talented with such potential. Consider her many issues I do think she is rushing it I hope this is not an issue that she is being pressured to compete again or that she misses the limelight. I personally wish her well though I do wonder about the wisdom. It took her a while to accept she needed time away and then bang she was coaching announced barely before the olympics and bang we are on to a comeback which the skating world is welcoming because she is Gracie Gold. It is her life and she is free to change her mind. But I do feel sorry for those skaters she coached. there she is and then there she goes after her dream regardless of others. Once again I hear that song NEVER ENOUGH playing in the background. Gracie needs to realize she has accomplished much already. Time will tell if this was a wise decision and I am not talking medals I am talking for Gracie. It is her life and I hope it works out the way she wants it; it just seems to be defying logic - such a fast comeback after at least making it sound she was committed to coaching for a bit. It also amazes me the money these skaters have to travel and go after their dreams This is a good year though with the rule changes, with perhaps puberty striking the Russians. Osmond out and Mirai and Ashley also gone.
 
Mariah is in Charleston, South Carolina - from her instastory.

Wondering if she is getting a program from Shae-Lynn Bourne? Nathan was just there last week getting his short program choreographed.
 
I for one am hoping for a big statement from Mariah. She has the goods. If she could just keep those nerves and or concentration in check. I don’t want her to be “the almost girl”
 
Mariah is in Charleston, South Carolina - from her instastory.

Wondering if she is getting a program from Shae-Lynn Bourne? Nathan was just there last week getting his short program choreographed.

I was wondering why she was there. Word on the street is she is looking really strong on the ice. She’s been near the top of my favorites list for a while now so I just hope to see her make her mark. Seems like she has a tough draw though this GP season so there is no room for error. She’s in s position where she needs to pounce early! If I could pick one person to see make the GPF this season it would be her. :cool14:
 
Mariah is in Charleston, South Carolina - from her instastory.

Wondering if she is getting a program from Shae-Lynn Bourne? Nathan was just there last week getting his short program choreographed.

Hope so. Shae really knows how to find a skaters style and make an incredible program.
 
I was wondering why she was there. Word on the street is she is looking really strong on the ice. She’s been near the top of my favorites list for a while now so I just hope to see her make her mark. Seems like she has a tough draw though this GP season so there is no room for error. She’s in s position where she needs to pounce early! If I could pick one person to see make the GPF this season it would be her. :cool14:

Love her as well!! Although Gpf is a a stretch but top 5 at both her GP’s would be impressive. Who said she was looking good, lol?
 
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