Wagner skating on a mission, for self and country

[ImaginaryPogue]

Michael Jordan was never an underdog and the media loved him too. Yes we like the underdog story here in the US but so do most people actually.

He also wasn't female.

 

[macy]

I was actually very surprised when she would have periods of consistency because her technique looks so shaky, but she can get it done. Hopefully being in Ashley's shadow a bit can take some pressure off and she can deliver a couple of nice programs. I'm very hopeful the two of them can get the job done.

it's interesting that people say she doesn't have the right technique...that's why she changed coaches and had so much success last year, and some this year. technique might not have a thing to do with it, when you get nervous you forget your technique. it's always been a mind game for alissa. you can have the best coach in the world to teach you the right technique, and you might have it in practice. but if your mind isn't in the right place it's useless in competition.

here you can see how her jump technique has changed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVnCwvTsvc

 

[Mathman]

He also wasn't female.

True. But are we are starting to get used to, and starting to like, female warriors like Serena Williams, Mia Hamm, Danika Patrick, etc., who are there to kick your butt and don't mind saying so.

"The boast" is a staple element of all Indo-Aryan heroic fiction. "I am (Beowulf, Rama, Gilgamesh, Achilles) and I am going to do this to you, and when I am finished I am going to that to whatever is left of you." Female characters are either beautiful princesses who sit around waiting to be rescued or else wicked witches.

The times, they are a-changin'.

 

[feraina]

it's always been a mind game for alissa...
here you can see how her jump technique has changed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVnCwvTsvc

Neat. So before, she couldn't get much spring out of that takeoff, and she had a wrap in the air; now, she springs much higher and the wrap is a lot less obvious.

But doesn't this actually show that it wasn't always a mind game for Alissa? Her poor technique contributed to her failed jumps.

Besides technique, another thing that stood out for me was how she looked noticeably thinner last year than the previous year (I noticed this last year, but I got reminded again looking at this video). Probably not carrying that little extra weight also helped her gain more airtime. She's just as thin this year, but unlike last year, she gives the impression of "frail" rather than "fit." Maybe she's started to lose more muscle mass. She just looks so uncertain on the ice again.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

True. But are we are starting to get used to, and starting to like, female warriors like Serena Williams, Mia Hamm, Danika Patrick, etc., who are there to kick your butt and don't mind saying so.

"The boast" is a staple element of all Indo-Aryan heroic fiction. "I am (Beowulf, Rama, Gilgamesh, Achilles) and I am going to do this to you, and when I am finished I am going to that to whatever is left of you." Female characters are either beautiful princesses who sit around waiting to be rescued or else wicked witches.

The times, they are a-changin'.

And yes. As my initial post stated, there is a shift occuring.

 

[krenseby]

But doesn't this actually show that it wasn't always a mind game for Alissa? Her poor technique contributed to her failed jumps..

But what about now, is it purely a mind game?

 

[macy]

Neat. So before, she couldn't get much spring out of that takeoff, and she had a wrap in the air; now, she springs much higher and the wrap is a lot less obvious.

But doesn't this actually show that it wasn't always a mind game for Alissa? Her poor technique contributed to her failed jumps.

Besides technique, another thing that stood out for me was how she looked noticeably thinner last year than the previous year (I noticed this last year, but I got reminded again looking at this video). Probably not carrying that little extra weight also helped her gain more airtime. She's just as thin this year, but unlike last year, she gives the impression of "frail" rather than "fit." Maybe she's started to lose more muscle mass. She just looks so uncertain on the ice again.

IMHO, it's always been a mind game no matter what her technique is. she always looked scared and unsure on the ice. i don't think her coach helped her much with the mental aspect of it, being that she bombed so often. i am a friend of hers on FB and i sent her a message a while ago asking how she was able to get her confidence back and control her nerves, and she responded saying that there's so much to focus on with each element to make it happen that there's no room to over think. also on several videos from when she was with julie where the commentator has mentioned something about her inconsistency and nerves being linked. i was the same kind of skater as her, i had a huge nerve issues and could never control them and i started bombing in competition more. you might be able to do it in practice, but it's a totally different game when you compete. when you're not in the right mental state, you tense up, you over think, you forget your technique and you freak out so i know how it goes.

i agree on her weight...she looked fit last year, but this year she looks frail. i caught wind that she is following a vegan diet so that may be causing the frailness...
i don't know. maybe those nerves have crept back in. but i'm sure yuka and jason know what to do, since they took her out of this mental state in the first place.