2018-19 U.S. Pairs' Figure Skating

[Seren]

I'm torn. I want their failure, but two spots. So i've accepted rooting for them for now.

It’s fine to like other skaters better or not like someone’s skating but I don’t understand why someone would actively wish for someone to fail. No one deserves that. If the team you like better deserves to win they can win without their competitors failing.

 

[el henry]

It’s fine to like other skaters better or not like someone’s skating but I don’t understand why someone would actively wish for someone to fail. No one deserves that. If the team you like better deserves to win they can win without their competitors failing.

Completely agree.

The skaters themselves do NOT root for other skaters to fail. (No time to look now, but quotes to that effect are legion if someone looks for them). We root for our favs to do their best and win. :yes: We do not root for others to fail:disapp:

 

[happycamper2554]

I can root however I want thanks. It's not that I just like other teams better it's that I don't like them. I would be happier if they weren't skating. I don't think they should have won nationals so I don'y think they deserve to be there. To each their own. It's not like i tell them to their face or on their own social media. This is a forum for opinions and this is mine.

 

[el henry]

I can root however I want thanks. It's not that I just like other teams better it's that I don't like them. I would be happier if they weren't skating. I don't think they should have won nationals so I don'y think they deserve to be there. To each their own. It's not like i tell them to their face or on their own social media. This is a forum for opinions and this is mine.

I’m not trying to tell you who to root for, and if it came across that way, I apologize.

There are skaters I don’t like. Who I wouldn’t cross the street to see skate.

I still don’t root for them to “fail”. To each their own

 

[Seren]

I can root however I want thanks. It's not that I just like other teams better it's that I don't like them. I would be happier if they weren't skating. I don't think they should have won nationals so I don'y think they deserve to be there. To each their own. It's not like i tell them to their face or on their own social media. This is a forum for opinions and this is mine.

Sorry, I find it rather harsh for someone to say they would be happier if certain skaters weren't skating. How would this make you happier exactly? You have a right to think whatever you want, but I suggest you would enjoy the sport more if you focus on the skaters you enjoy and don't actively cheer for others to fail.

In the end you can do whatever you want, but lets keep this thread positive and hope for a top 10 finish to earn back those two spots.

 

[Mrs. P]

I can root however I want thanks. It's not that I just like other teams better it's that I don't like them. I would be happier if they weren't skating. I don't think they should have won nationals so I don'y think they deserve to be there. To each their own. It's not like i tell them to their face or on their own social media. This is a forum for opinions and this is mine.

Keep in mind that there is a chance that skaters or family members may read these forums. I personally would not encourage it, but I know skaters and friends and family do read.

If that’s fine with you, then proceed. But I have the opposite policy of you. I don’t say anything here I wouldn’t say to someone’s face. Namely cause you never know who is reading.

 

[happycamper2554]

If someone comes here as an attempt to seek validation that is their own problem/mistake. But it's my own opinion and no one should take any meaning from it. If you all want to be positive that's fine. I have a long list of people I root against for various reasons and that is how I choose to enjoy the sport. I don't need the positive energy that you all seem to take joy from. Sport is pure competition and that's how i view it. If someone is in your way you should absolutely root for them to fail. They don't ask how you got to the top, only if you are there and can remain there. Once you're done we move to someone else.

 

[labgoat]

I’m not trying to tell you who to root for, and if it came across that way, I apologize.

There are skaters I don’t like. Who I wouldn’t cross the street to see skate.

I still don’t root for them to “fail”. To each their own

You are a class act. I agree in that I don't root against anyone. Skaters work too hard for too many years and deserve respect. I will just keep silent for those skaters who annoy or do not inspire me, they may be a favorite for another. Out of respect for those others, I will just keep silent.

Often I enjoy watching the progress of lower ranked skaters as they learn and grow. I sometimes give a skater a second look because of a dissenting opinion. In any case, the enjoyment of watching skating is a retreat from my everyday stressful work. Those of you who root for everyone out of fair play and against no one SPARK JOY for me.

 

[labgoat]

Reflecting on US pairs showing at 4CC, I think we definitely have some things to celebrate.

Ashley and Tim have accomplished so much, with these back-to-back outings at Nationals and 4CC. They established that their nationals showing wasn't just a fluke. They skated two nearly clean programs at 4CC, and perhaps as importantly (at least almost) .... they gave audiences a feeling of security, that they have the gravitas as a pair, and the confidence, to know that they can put out good programs, and entertain audiences to boot, with their gorgeous lines, lyrical qualities, and solid pairs elements.

They earned 3 Season's Best scores at 4CC. This is a big deal. Also, their components were all in the 8's in the FS (66.35) and all 8's but one in SP (32.60). To me, this seems to reflect that the International judges have noticed their fine qualities. ETA: and their improvement.

Ashley and Tim underlined and estabished that they're the U.S. champions. However that plays out in 19-20 season, for now, going into Worlds, I think it's so great! It can only help them in their quest to finish in the Top 10 at Worlds for all the US pairs' benefit ... which they've said is their goal. Also, 4CC showed that they could stand up to the pressure of being US Champs and sort of the standard-bearers for US Pairs, at least for now. We should all hope that they can sustain this for Worlds! I think they've got a good chance. Every step along the way this season has added to their sense of being on the path they wanted, except for that huge blip of GS. Even that, they used to strengthen their bonds as a team.

After all the struggles we've been through with US Pairs in the last few years, this consistent showing and improvement is so great! :hap93:

Thoughts?

Making lemonade out of lemons, losing the second spot in pairs has upped the ante for US pairs. This was one of the most competitive Nationals I've seen in awhile. Nerves took a toll on lifts and sbs jumps, but you could see how much each team wanted that spot and wanted to be the one who got two spots back. The competition among these teams will help them improve even more as they each learned a lot from defeat. I believe Ashley & Tim's positive attitude helped a lot along with a lot of hard work on their strengths and weaknesses led to a well earned victory. I for one am excited to see if the remaining teams come up with solid plans to address their weaknesses and work hard with positive attitudes to challenge next season. Competition did wonders for US dance.

 

[RoyThree]

I don't understand why someone would post on a figure skating message board that they hope for someone to "fail". That is quite different from saying that you don't like a program or the style of a skater/skaters. Everyone has personal opinions, but in my opinion, negative statements like this have no place on a message board that is supposed to be informative and supportive.

 

[happycamper2554]

This isn't a fanfest where is the implication that one has to be supportive.

 

[Skater Boy]

If someone comes here as an attempt to seek validation that is their own problem/mistake. But it's my own opinion and no one should take any meaning from it. If you all want to be positive that's fine. I have a long list of people I root against for various reasons and that is how I choose to enjoy the sport. I don't need the positive energy that you all seem to take joy from. Sport is pure competition and that's how i view it. If someone is in your way you should absolutely root for them to fail. They don't ask how you got to the top, only if you are there and can remain there. Once you're done we move to someone else.

I respect everyone has a rigtht make an opinion. I am not so sure anyone is saying they hae a skater but rather they don't like their style , music, costumes, jump, spin whatever. Most of us don't know the skaters wellenough to actually hate them personally. And most skaters have not done enough for us to even judge" whether welikethem or rather they haven't said enough and if they do talk it is often how they have been taught tot alk about the media.

 

[ladyjane]

Rooting for someone or a couple to fail? Of course sport is pure competition, so I root for my favourites but I never root for anyone to fail. That's something else. In hindsight I may be happy that 'my' skaters got lucky because of the failure of someone else. Of course I'm happy if my favourites come on top. Still always feel for those that fail. Like last year at the Olympics. Yeah, I rooted for Aljona and Bruno, but that doesn't mean I didn't also wanted Sui and Han, Meaghan and Eric, and Vladimir and Evghenia to skate well. And felt sorry for the Russians, despite the outcome being all I had wished for. In fact, if the one I root for wins while the others also skate well, it makes the victory so much more satisfying. Naturally, your opinion is your own (happycamper2554) but actually wishing someone to fail is totally beyond me. I definitely am rooting for Ashley and Tim to do well. Doesn't make me wish anyone else to fail. How one can even think someone is in their way, is beyond me too. In my way as a fan? Really.

 

[skylark]

If someone is in your way you should absolutely root for them to fail.

I disagree. I heard an interview once of a skater active in the 80s or 90s. (I don't recall her name). She said she'd once watched her chief rival, after her own skate was done. And every time her rival came to do a jump, she said to herself, "Fall." And the other girl would fall. At the end, the first skater had a change of heart. She felt that wishing her rival to fail hadn't made her a bigger success or a better skater; she felt it diminished her victory.

I think that a number of skaters who say that they focus on making their own skating the best they can possibly do, rather than on defeating someone else, really do mean what they say. Also, some of the coaches say their goal is to raise the level of the sport, all together. It seems to me that must be why Nina Mozer does camps in America and Italy to teach other pairs who compete with Nina's own students. Alexa touched on that in her 2017 interview with GS. People are always talking about raising the level of the sport by doing something (usually technical) that others don't do. But it's possible to look at it another way and want to raise everybody's quality and success, together.

 

[ladyjane]

I disagree. I heard an interview once of a skater active in the 80s or 90s. (I don't recall her name). She said she'd once watched her chief rival, after her own skate was done. And every time her rival came to do a jump, she said to herself, "Fall." And the other girl would fall. At the end, the first skater had a change of heart. She felt that wishing her rival to fail hadn't made her a bigger success or a better skater; she felt it diminished her victory.

I think that a number of skaters who say that they focus on making their own skating the best they can possibly do, rather than on defeating someone else, really do mean what they say. Also, some of the coaches say their goal is to raise the level of the sport, all together. It seems to me that must be why Nina Mozer does camps in America and Italy to teach other pairs who compete with Nina's own students. Alexa touched on that in her 2017 interview with GS. People are always talking about raising the level of the sport by doing something (usually technical) that others don't do. But it's possible to look at it another way and want to raise everybody's quality and success, together.

That's exactly it...it diminishes one's victory if one wants others to fail. Exactly my point!

 

[ladyjane]

Coming back (sorry): you root for people to do well, you don't wish for others to fail. I recall Ashley Wagner in 2016: I got the silver medal because of something I did, not what someone else failed to do. It's the whole point. For skaters themselves especially. Obviously they want to win. It's sport. Nut I also remember M/C at a GP last year: we won but the Canadians didn't skate to their ability and therefore it didn't feel as a true victory. That's the honest way to feel. vfCan't help it: rooting for someone to fails disgusts me. You root for someone to do well, and of course hope for them to win. You don't root for anyone to fail. No, no, no!

 

[SnowWhite]

I agree with the points above, but to play devils advocate, there are many sports where it is very common to wish for another athlete or team to fail. For example, in hockey, I can take pleasure from watching a rival of my team fail, even when I like some of the players on the team. Of course, on the other hand I would never cheer against someone in curling.

I think different sports have different vibes in terms of this stuff. Cheering against people may not be common in skating, but it is a huge part of other sports, so I don't find it to be a weird thing to do (even though it's not something I do in skating).

 

[Seren]

I agree with the points above, but to play devils advocate, there are many sports where it is very common to wish for another athlete or team to fail. For example, in hockey, I can take pleasure from watching a rival of my team fail, even when I like some of the players on the team. Of course, on the other hand I would never cheer against someone in curling.

I think different sports have different vibes in terms of this stuff. Cheering against people may not be common in skating, but it is a huge part of other sports, so I don't find it to be a weird thing to do (even though it's not something I do in skating).

I understand what you are saying but I think there is a difference between cheering against a team and cheering against an individual person (like in figure skating). I am a hockey fan and get what you are saying- but in hockey I also find it distasteful when people actively hate on an individual player. Skating is a sport where you are out their on your own- there is something unkind about actively wishing for someone to fail.

But back to the US Pairs...

I do think Ashley and Tim have a really good chance of making the top ten at Worlds. They have to be carrying a lot of confidence right now after their last 2 competitions and the way they came back from her injury. The key for them is going to be skating a good SP.

 

[skylark]

I recall Ashley Wagner in 2016: I got the silver medal because of something I did, not what someone else failed to do. It's the whole point. For skaters themselves especially. Obviously they want to win. It's sport.

Oh, I'd forgotten she said that! thanks for the reminder. That remark just hit all the bases.

 

[skylark]

I do think Ashley and Tim have a really good chance of making the top ten at Worlds. They have to be carrying a lot of confidence right now after their last 2 competitions and the way they came back from her injury. The key for them is going to be skating a good SP.

It's good to feel that many of us believe and are pulling for Ashley and Tim. I'm glad to have the company! I think you're right about their confidence. Ashley has said they take being US champions as a responsibility as well as an honor. I hope the fact they want to do their best not just for themselves, but also for all the US pairs, gives them positive motivation and doesn't act as pressure on them. But ... we will see ... and I'm really looking forward to watching their journey, as well as the other pairs at Worlds I'm rooting for.

I can't believe I'm looking at things like Season's Best Scores! (that's usually just so Not Me). But here they are.

http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2018-19/sbtspto.htm