Why I Like Meissner More

[TtonyV7]

Ok, so Skate America wasn't the best for her, but I got to admit, I have dramatically enjoyed Messiner skating so much more.

To be honest, I never liked Meissner skating. Always that it was too "juniorish" and unpolished. Her music selections never connected to me, and actually thought her WC Medal was a fluke. Just average and flat.

But wow, Remember when Miki Ando had that Artistic Transformation for one season with her Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence and My Funny Valentine programs? I feel Meissner is going through that as well.

Finally some interesting, good music choices and choreography. Her skating skills has improved, Bravo to her coach. Better lines, improved posture, and her transition with the music is so much better. She is enjoying her self out there to, which is refreshing.

Despite her mistakes, I can connect finally to her skating. Last year, I wanted her off the World Team. I might want her back on this year....


And Messiner is the only other skater that has really ante up in my books, so have Mukhortova / Trankov. Huge improvements in their overall skating and presentation.

Besides the jumps you guys, Both teams finally have some meat in their skating. Something to distinguish them. As Dick Button Once Said, not a Bath-room Break Skater anymore!

 

[AwesomeIce]

Meissner <3.

I've been a fan of hers for a while, and I'm glad to see the improvement she has made in her presentation this year. I thought she was the best-looking US lady as Skate America this week, despite her jump problems. I like her clean, simple presentation much more than Mirai and her cutesy "presentation" (if you can even call it that) and definitely better than Rachael who is sometimes over-the top facially and has HORRIBLE posture. Kimmie may still be trying to fix her jumps, but her style is really lovely.

 

[lmarie086]

Definitely. Kimmie was my favorite American lady at SA, inspite of her struggles.
She's really grown up in her presentation; she wasn't forcing it, it all was natural with her. I've been trying to warm up to Mirai's skating for awhile now but I just haven't been able to. Her style is still very juniorish to me (I know it's only her first senior GP but it bothered me) and her choreography was somewhat gimmicky to me. Rachel has never interested me much, and her programs this season don't do much to change that.

Kimmie has improved her posture, her spins, and the overall quality of her skating. It's much more gentle and flowing than it was under Pam Gregory. She looks like a real lady now. If she could get the jumps together soon (I still have faith that it will happen, it just takes time), then she could end up one of the US' top ladies.

 

[jsteam4501s]

I strongly disagree that Rachael is "over the top facially" - whatever that means - and her posture is just fine, thank you. No person can change the curvature of the shoulders in relation to the back, unless they have long-range brace therapy of some kind. She may, in fact, be having some of that.

But I do agree that Kimmie has improved her musicality and her presentation.

 

[Tonichelle]

I've loved watching her skate since 2005 Nationals. She just always had a joy about her. It wasn't an OMG I have to go out and do this. It was just a 'oh yeay! I get to skate!" and that there were people watching was just something new.

Then 2006 happened and the USFSA and US Media started pushing her as our next hope and it started to become more like a job. She grew, and the people who once held her up dropped her and ran...

I still believe she will rally and surprise us all - hey Johnny Weir was counted out around this time last season and he did pretty well for himself.

 

[AwesomeIce]

I strongly disagree that Rachael is "over the top facially" - whatever that means - and her posture is just fine, thank you. No person can change the curvature of the shoulders in relation to the back, unless they have long-range brace therapy of some kind. She may, in fact, be having some of that.

But I do agree that Kimmie has improved her musicality and her presentation.

What I mean is that the faces that Rachael makes are sometimes too forced and dramatic for what she is skating to. It can be really distracting for me. Don't get me wrong, I still think that she is better than Caroline Zhang, who has this blank look on her face all the time. I just think that Rachael needs to work on facial expressions that fit the music and don't overpower her performances. And her posture is NOT fine, thank you, she is very hunched, and that IS something that she can work on. She says she takes ballet, but I don't know of any ballet teacher who would let their pupils get away with hunching the way that Rachael is. She doesn't need a brace, she just needs to stand up straight, which we all know she can do, as she doesn't go walking around like Quasimodo off the ice! It is just something she needs to work on before I can ever find her skating beautiful.

 

[chuckm]

Rachael has had long-standing back problems because she suffers from chronically swollen disks.

 

[McWicked]

Meissner <3.

I've been a fan of hers for a while, and I'm glad to see the improvement she has made in her presentation this year. I thought she was the best-looking US lady as Skate America this week, despite her jump problems. I like her clean, simple presentation much more than Mirai and her cutesy "presentation" (if you can even call it that) and definitely better than Rachael who is sometimes over-the top facially and has HORRIBLE posture. Kimmie may still be trying to fix her jumps, but her style is really lovely.

Amen, she's gorgeous!!! love her chocolate eyes and her delicate fair skin...

We have strong ladies, just not strong enough... damn!!! But they will get it, they're facin some problems but I trust them. Kimmie needs more time (yeah, I know we're tired of waiting) but she just needs more fire in her!!! I dont know, she either needs special handling or someone to slap her on her face and tell her "see? you survived! now get on the ice and do what YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO!!!" or something... but I wont give up on her, STOP BEIN NICE KIMMIE, GET MAD!!! SHOW US WHAT YOU CAN DO!!!

 

[Bennett]

I agree with the original poster that Kimmie became so much better in interpretation esp. in her SP. She looked disconnected again in LP perhaps because of the problems in jumps. She rushed through the straightline steps without any connection to the music. Her edges also became so sallow that the steps per se did not look very interesting. But I believe that she would have been much better in practices as I felt so when I watched her practice video.

Regarding Rachael, there was a similar discussion in SP thread. Rachael's back seems to me to be naturally round. I do agree that she is hunched. But her shoulders and back also seem naturally round in addition to that. Yet, she does use her back quite effectively to express the music as she skates. Not many ppl can do that. She also has fairly round arms that make her look as if lacking stretch and extension. But again, I do see her arm stretch (not always, but often enough). I suppose she really needs to have a lot of tension in her arms to present such stretch and extension given her natural lines of her arms. She seems to be doing well in that. I would think of how much more impressive Oksana Bieul's extention and stretch were before gaining weight. I think it more challenging for the one with Rachael's body type to present stretch and extention than skaters like Yuna and Oksana as a 16-yrs-old girl.

ETA: I have a friend who practiced ballet very seriously but could never pass the auditions to get into professional companies because her body did not have the appropriate lines that a ballerina should have. However stretched her arms and legs were, they were not good enough to present the desirable lines. Period. But FS seems to be much more generous about this matter.

 

[AwesomeIce]

Rachael has had long-standing back problems because she suffers from chronically swollen disks.

Yeah, but that doesn't make you hunch. I know, I actually work for a chiropractor and I see people with herniated disks and other back problems all day long. Rachael is capable of standing straight when she is off the ice, she should be able to do so on the ice as well.

 

[Lissy]

I just re-watched Kimmie's long program and her lutz in the beginning was an odd fall. It had nothing to do with technique, it seemed like she just slipped. It looked like she landed it and a split-second later she slipped. Same with the axel, she landed it beautifully and slipped after. Obviously her confidence was shaken the rest of the program. After re-watching it, it gave me hopes that Kimmie can do better. It may have been the ice or something. I know that she was leaning on the lutz so it wouldn't have been one of her better lutzes anyway but it didn't seem to be a poor takeoff or anything. Anyway, I adore Kimmie and her skating and I am IN LOVE with her short program. Some of the prettiest music I have ever heard and I love the dress to go with it. I like her long and I think it will continue to grow on me. I would love to see kimmie wear a dark purple dress for her long program and to do a variation of a bun.

 

[AwesomeIce]

I just re-watched Kimmie's long program and her lutz in the beginning was an odd fall. It had nothing to do with technique, it seemed like she just slipped. It looked like she landed it and a split-second later she slipped. Same with the axel, she landed it beautifully and slipped after. Obviously her confidence was shaken the rest of the program. After re-watching it, it gave me hopes that Kimmie can do better. It may have been the ice or something. I know that she was leaning on the lutz so it wouldn't have been one of her better lutzes anyway but it didn't seem to be a poor takeoff or anything. Anyway, I adore Kimmie and her skating and I am IN LOVE with her short program. Some of the prettiest music I have ever heard and I love the dress to go with it. I like her long and I think it will continue to grow on me. I would love to see kimmie wear a dark purple dress for her long program and to do a variation of a bun.

I agree, those falls were just odd! That double axel in particular, it was a GORGEOUS jump with such wonderful speed and flow coming out of it, and to me it looked like she hit something on the ice, because there was nothing wrong with that jump. It definitely ruined her confidence and concentration for the rest of the program. I think she'll do better when she gets another competition or two under her belt.

 

[gold12345]

On the lutz that Kimmie fell on, you could see a big chunk come out of the ice. Todd was talking about it with her in the kiss and cry. I don't know if that could be blamed for the fall, but it really was a strange fall. I'm going to blame it on the chunk of ice. Haha. The double axel was landed, and then it did look like she hit something on the ice. I think Kimmie said she slipped. Honestly I think both of those falls were bad luck. She doesn't deserve anymore bad luck, and she's due a solid skate that she can feel great about. I hope that comes sooner than later for her. I love her, always have, and I really like her programs this season. I know it may be a little too quick for it to all come together technically, but I hope she can still skate solidly in future competitions. In practices, she shows she can still do it, and eventually that should translate over to a competition. She's a fighter.

And I hope she gets to read some of the positive things that are said about her. Too many times she probably just hears the negative stuff from the media and whatnot.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I'm not sure how the 3Lutz was just a "fluke" fall considering that she underrotated it. When you underrotate and your blade starts grinding on the ice, it can easily cause a fall.

 

[iluvtodd]

On the lutz that Kimmie fell on, you could see a big chunk come out of the ice. Todd was talking about it with her in the kiss and cry. I don't know if that could be blamed for the fall, but it really was a strange fall. I'm going to blame it on the chunk of ice. Haha. The double axel was landed, and then it did look like she hit something on the ice. I think Kimmie said she slipped. Honestly I think both of those falls were bad luck. She doesn't deserve anymore bad luck, and she's due a solid skate that she can feel great about. I hope that comes sooner than later for her. I love her, always have, and I really like her programs this season. I know it may be a little too quick for it to all come together technically, but I hope she can still skate solidly in future competitions. In practices, she shows she can still do it, and eventually that should translate over to a competition. She's a fighter.

And I hope she gets to read some of the positive things that are said about her. Too many times she probably just hears the negative stuff from the media and whatnot.

Thank you!

 

[goldenpleasures]

I'm not sure how the 3Lutz was just a "fluke" fall considering that she underrotated it. When you underrotate and your blade starts grinding on the ice, it can easily cause a fall.

Exactly. I can't understand why people are confused that she fell on the lutz - it was only two and a half times round. It wasn't some sort of fluke; she just didn't perform the jump correctly.

I started to like Kimmie last season, and she's certainly got much more to offer now in terms of artistry, but unless she fixes her jump problems her amateur career is as good as over.

 

[*Sniper*]

Kimmie, Kimmie, Kimmie...

I very much admire her perseverance and positive attitude.
Now only if it translated into her skating!

To be honest, I didn't see much different in her skating in SA.
I mean, she looked determined and recharged, I guess, with the change of scenery and all, but once the music started, that was that.

No doubt her interpretation of music is certainly better than what it was couple years ago, but still not up to the standard I would expect to see from a top skater.

But I agree that she could be one of the top US ladies this season if she fixes her jumps.

 

[yelyoh]

It looked to me as though she had more spring in her jumps but she sort of collapsed when her blade hit the ice. In her LP it did look as though she sort of got lackluster. I still have hope and maybe some belief that she will get her jumps together and with that her confidence. I remember watching her in the stands at the last Olympics, watching the other skaters, and reading the look on her face. She seemed to know she could compete with the best. Last year, I didn't see that look in her face. I see it this year again and that gives me hope on her behalf.

 

[scsgold]

I really think Kimmie has improved alot so far this season. I think what people are talking about the lutz being a fluke is just the way she went up for the jump. She just dropped her right side and went off her heel, not normal and she probably wouldnt have gotten a downgrade had she not had the odd takeoff. I see her jumps having greater lift and quicker rotation than last year. Sure they still aren't as solid and quick as 05 or 06 but i feel she is much stronger than last year. The jumps seem natural again, not forced like last season. Her Sal and second Lutz were World Champion quality and the mistakes on the first lutz and especially the axel were just unnecessary. I think she will look at the video of her program and see that it wasn't a lack of ability but just something that happens to everyone once in a while. If you remember Sarah Hughes had a disasterous Skate America leading into the 2000 season and then ended up in 5th at the World Championships. Stranger things have happened and she still has 3 months until Nationals. I would rather her skate well there if I had to choose between Skate America and Nationals.

 

[R.D.]

Honestly, I don't know what to say about her, other than I saw another big step towards establishing audience connection...in the SP. That was a surprisingly delightful performance from her- never mind the fall, that was my favorite SP by a mile. (Note that this does not mean I think it should have been placed higher- I think the placement was right. I just enjoyed it the most.)

In contrast...other than a pretty look in the FS (she looks good in purple IMO) I really saw nothing new, just same old...attached with the same jump problems she's been having. There's something about her that makes me want to cheer her on. Maybe it's because she does not have the persona of a "typical figure skater" (pleeease don't listen to what everyone else has been saying and stay that way!!!), or that she smiles and stays upbeat even if she doesn't skate her best ('08 Nats was the exception). That said, I think we've got to be realistic. At SA, she was the lowest placed American lady. Both Flatt and Nagasu beat her, and those two didn't exactly have spectacular skates themselves. There's also Caroline Zhang which I'm guessing we will see firsthand this weekend in Canada. I think we have to look forward to the next generation of skaters for the US. Of course, they have to go through growing pains themselves, but overall the US just no longer has that strength in the ladies division that it has had for so long.

If Meissner can overcome her difficulties and prove the naysayers wrong, I will be behind her 100%. But if not, then her time is up and we need to look forward to our up-and-comers.

I swear, at Nats 2009, it will be so on.