Emily Hughes Media Frenzy?

[Mathman]

I don't think Skate America is really a "major, major event."

But its a major event. Or at least a minor major event.

IIRC Alissa Czisny shot into prominance when she was called as a last-minute substitute for at 2005 Skate America for Michelle Kwan (the USFSA had to go with Alissa because she was the only one close enough to be able to pick up and go at the last minute) -- then she stepped in for Sasha at Skate Canada. She got second at Skate America (she won the long program) and first at Skate Canada.

Then she went on to win Skate Canada, 2009, thus qualifying for the 2009-2010 Grand Prix Finals, and then she won 2010 U.S. Nationals, and went to the Vancouver Olympics....

...where she... :

 

[Spun Silver]

I don't think Skate America is really a "major, major event."

It should have been, though. The lineup seems unusually weak.

 

[R.D.]

But its a major event. Or at least a minor major event.

IIRC Alissa Czisny shot into prominance when she was called as a last-minute substitute for at 2005 Skate America for Michelle Kwan (the USFSA had to go with Alissa because she was the only one close enough to be able to pick up and go at the last minute) -- then she stepped in for Sasha at Skate Canada. She got second at Skate America (she won the long program) and first at Skate Canada.

Then she went on to win Skate Canada, 2009, thus qualifying for the 2009-2010 Grand Prix Finals, and then she won 2010 U.S. Nationals, and went to the Vancouver Olympics....

...where she... :

Didn't Alyssa first do SA in 2004 as a last-minute replacement? IIRC that's also the first time we saw her on TV (ABC).

She got SA and SC (the first two events) in 2005 and did very well in them- that got her some media attention since it was an Oly year. But after qualifying for the GPF, she reverted back to her old self, bombing the GPF, and later, Nationals, missing out on the Olympics by a significant margin.

This Oly year she comes in as the reigning national champ, but off a pitiful 11th place finish at Worlds. She started with a 4th at COR, which is an OK start. Let's see how she does at SC- but there will be pressure at 2010 Nats and we know that's not something she's good at handling.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The GP events are stepping stones for those skaters who make the Finals. I would rank the Finals as a major competition.. It is complete insofar as so many skaters took part in the total sum of its whole, and we will see only the best of the best.

 

[efreedman]

Today's Practice

I was not impressed by what I saw in practice today. Unless someone else craps out, I don't see her contending.

 

[Tharau]

That's a shame. I really hope she does well, but there just may not have been enough time. I wish she'd left school a semester earlier, to give herself more time for non-stop skating.

Here's an interesting new article about Emily's lightning-strikes-twice story, including comments on the challenges she has faced:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/thetoydepartment/2009/11/emily_hughes_second_act.html

"It was hard coming back," she acknowledged. "I expected to be as good at I was two years ago right away. At first, I was doing double axels, at most. It was rough getting back my triples."

Retzkin likened the process to "a puzzle, putting the pieces together."

Hughes dug out the Olympic ring given to all athletes and placed it on her right hand "as a motivational tool."

I like the bit about Emily placing her Olympic ring on her finger for motivation. There's something symbolic about it, almost like a talisman. I hope it gives her good fortune.

 

[MFarone]

Emily & Sectionals

and Emily seemed very, very happy to get the call.

BTW, does this shoot her straight through to Natls as well?

According to Sylvia from Unseen Skaters, Emily will have a bye thru Sectionals to Nationals because she is competing the weekend before Sectionals at SA. Renata Brazee who finished 5th at North Atlantic Regionals will now have the opportunity to go to Nationals. Sylvia really knows this stuff

 

[janetfan]

According to Sylvia from Unseen Skaters, Emily will have a bye thru Sectionals to Nationals because she is competing the weekend before Sectionals at SA. Renata Brazee who finished 5th at North Atlantic Regionals will now have the opportunity to go to Nationals. Sylvia really knows this stuff

Thanks, and knowing that it is easy to see why Emily was overjoyed to fill in again. First, she filled in for Michelle and got a ticket to Torino.
Now, by filling in for Sasha she gets a ticket to Natls.

People have been complaining about Sasha - and not one peep about Emily getting a pass to Natls. :scratch:

Skating fans are unpredictable to say the least

I am happy for Emily and wish her well.

 

[Mathman]

People have been complaining about Sasha - and not one peep about Emily getting a pass to Natls. :scratch:

Well, it's a completely different situation. Everyone who competes in an international competition during the regionals/sectionals season gets a "free" pass to nationals. Rachael, Alissa, Ashley, Mirai, Caroline, Bebe Liang, Alexe Gilles -- they all got a "free" ride to Nationals in the sense that they did not have to qualify in the normal way.

Emily competed at regionals and did well enough to go through to sectionals. Skate America takes the place of sectionals, just as in the case of all the others. So Emily is being treated just like everyone else who competes in a Grand Prix event.

Sasha, however, did not compete at all. She gets a free pass because of winning a medal four years ago.

I have nothing against this special rule for returning Olympic medalists, but it is a special rule that applies this year only to Sasha.

 

[janetfan]

Well, it's a completely different situation. Everyone who competes in an international competition during the regionals/sectionals season gets a "free" pass to nationals. Rachael, Alissa, Ashley, Mirai, Caroline, Bebe Liang, Alexe Gilles -- they all got a "free" ride to Nationals in the sense that they did not have to qualify in the normal way.

Emily competed at regionals and did well enough to go through to sectionals. Skate America takes the place of sectionals, just as in the case of all the others. So Emily is being treated just like everyone else who competes in a Grand Prix event.

Sasha, however, did not compete at all. She gets a free pass because of winning a medal four years ago.

I have nothing against this special rule for returning Olympic medalists, but it is a special rule that applies this year only to Sasha.

Thanks I understood that already. I am glad Emily was selected. I was wondering, since she came in 2nd at her regionals, why a girl who came in first wasn't chosen from one of the many different regional competitions to replace Sasha.

I was kidding , sort of, and just wondered why no compalints that Emily , a second place finisher was shown favoritism and selected over them.

Sasha was shown no favoritism at all since her Silver Medal guaranteed her a spot at Natls.

Am I missing something here? It is just an observation about the many Sasha detractors ......and second place Emily being given a pass that other girls may have had more right to based on the results on the ice at this Fall's regional competitions.

I suspect Emily is more well known and that is why she was gifted the free ride to natls with this selection to SA

 

[Mathman]

Yeah, I was kind of hoping, too, that the USFSA would give the Skate America host-pick spot to some new up-and-comer.

But in general, Grand Prix assignments are made on the basis of international ranking and ISU season best lists. You don't earn a Grand Prix assignment by getting first place at regionals.

On the ISU ranking list the skaters who are ahead of Hughes are Flatt, Zhang, Wagner, Czisny. Nagasu, Meissner, Gilles, Musademba, Liang and Bereswill. Except for Musademba, this is exactly the list of U.S. ladies with Grand Prix assignments.

I don't know why Musademba did not get an assignment this year -- maybe she was injured? There is also the question of who was available and ready to go on such short notice. If one of the ladies with only one assignment had skated lights out in her first event, then the USFSA might have given her the Skate America spot as a reward.

Anyway, here's hoping Emily is able to give a respectable accounting for herself this weekend.

 

[janetfan]

Yeah, I was kind of hoping, too, that the USFSA would give the Skate America host-pick spot to some new up-and-comer.

But in general, Grand Prix assignments are made on the basis of international ranking and ISU season best lists. You don't earn a Grand Prix assignment by getting first place at regionals.

On the ISU ranking list the skaters who are ahead of Hughes are Flatt, Zhang, Wagner, Czisny. Nagasu, Meissner, Gilles, Musademba, Liang and Bereswill. Except for Musademba, this is exactly the list of U.S. ladies with Grand Prix assignments.

I don't know why Musademba did not get an assignment this year -- maybe she was injured? There is also the question of who was available and ready to go on such short notice. If one of the ladies with only one assignment had skated lights out in her first event, then the USFSA might have given her the Skate America spot as a reward.

Anyway, here's hoping Emily is able to give a respectable accounting for herself this weekend.

Thanks for the explanation, I wasn't sure what the procedure for filling a last minute spot was.
I hope Emily does OK, or atleast as well as can be expected. Overall this should give her an extra spark as she approaches Natls.

I just was curious and can imagine the uproar if Sasha had been given this opportunity (had her qualifying circumsatnces been similar). Of course, Sasha might have accepted and then pulled out a day later

 

[R.D.]

Thanks for the explanation, I wasn't sure what the procedure for filling a last minute spot was.
I hope Emily does OK, or atleast as well as can be expected. Overall this should give her an extra spark as she approaches Natls.

I do too, but for some reason my hopes aren't all that high.

I just was curious and can imagine the uproar if Sasha had been given this opportunity (had her qualifying circumsatnces been similar). Of course, Sasha might have accepted and then pulled out a day later

probably

 

[MFarone]

Emily and Sectionals

I mispoke a little in my previous post - Emily does get a bye through Sectionals to Nationals. Renata who finished 5th at North Atlantic Regionals gets to go to Sectionals - I said Nationals earlier and that isn't correct. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[janetfan]

I mispoke a little in my previous post - Emily does get a bye through Sectionals to Nationals. Renata who finished 5th at North Atlantic Regionals gets to go to Sectionals - I said Nationals earlier and that isn't correct. Sorry for any confusion.

Thanks - and it is good to see how Sasha's withdrawal from SA is helping a young skater advance when otherwise she would have been out of sectionals.

Another little thought for the Sasha detractors to chew on

 

[R.D.]

Thanks - and it is good to see how Sasha's withdrawal from SA is helping a young skater advance when otherwise she would have been out of sectionals.

Another little thought for the Sasha detractors to chew on

How is it helping when she didn't even intend on being there in the first place? :chorus:

IOW, Hughes may have been selected for SA in the first place had cohen not announced the "return"

 

[janetfan]

How is it helping when she didn't even intend on being there in the first place? :chorus:

IOW, Hughes may have been selected for SA in the first place had cohen not announced the "return"

Laugh all you want but this Renata was done until Sasha pulled out. Now she gets to continue. I am sure Renata will forever be a Sasha fan...:yes:

 

[R.D.]

Laugh all you want but this Renata was done until Sasha pulled out. Now she gets to continue. I am sure Renata will forever be a Sasha fan...:yes:

Actually, she was out until the USFS selected Hughes to replace Cohen.

 

[gkelly]

I don't know why Musademba did not get an assignment this year -- maybe she was injured?

She competed on the JGP again this year (won her first event, didn't do so well at the second).

By ISU rules, that makes her ineligible for Grand Prix assignments this season. Maybe next year.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Why do Takahashi/Tran get to do both? They had two JGP assignments but still skated at NHK.