Kaetlyn Osmond - Will/should she be given a second Grand Prix ?
- Thread starter coolboogie22
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- Joined
- Mar 27, 2010
The reason (well, in my point of view) that people are speculating that Osmond will be less likely to receive a second GP assignment if another one opens up due to withdrawal (because as Mathman said, they're all full now) is because this year, the alternate spots have been going to skaters who had been viewed as lesser threats to the host country (well, we've basically only seen TEB withdrawals/selections).
Mirai Nagasu did have a very subpar season last year, but still is ranked #13 and was somewhere in the top 15 season's best last season. Despite sitting at the top of the alternate list since day one, after several withdrawals (don't know the exact number), still only has one assignment -- and unlike Alissa Czisny, who only requested one GP due to injury, Nagasu has expressed that she would like a second assignment. Instead, TEB gave the spots to Christina Gao (this was before Gao won silver at Skate America, and occurred during the summer when people were unsure about how she would be able to balance Harvard and competitive skating), Jenna McCorkell, and Elena Glebova. They actually could have given a spot to Osmond somewhere in there as well, but didn't.
If Skate Canada tried anything like that, there would be a tremendous outcry. There is nothing in the ISU GP rules that allows for favoritism for one federation. If Skate Canada wants to push Kaetlyn, they can send her to another International B.
ETA: Maybe they should send Kaetlyn to the NRW singles competition (Dec 5-9), so she can test her mettle against Yu-Na Kim who will be skating there. It's the same weekend as the GPF.
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- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Oh, gosh. Now I think you are the one being naive.
Federation bigwigs talk to each other all the time, right? Just like coaches push their skaters. "Have I got a girl for you!"I bet all kinds of deals are made, you take my lady, I'll take your pair next year. Otherwise, they would just go down the list of world rankings or something like that.
Obviously, it doesn't matter what anyone has to say about Osmond, good, bad, or indifferent, wallylutz, as your mind is clearly made up. Even if the only comments anyone ever had to say about Osmond, infinitely praised her to the heavens, it apparently wouldn't be enough for you. 
The vast majority of comments re Kaetlyn Osmond that I have read on this board and elsewhere have been praiseworthy and respectful. Just because a number of fans (even many fans of Kaetlyn) felt Suzuki performed better in the fp and should have won overall at SC, does not mean that they are "jealous" of Kaetlyn's success. Kaetlyn deserves the attention and she's worked hard for the success she is achieving and will continue to achieve. She performed well in her debut performance on the senior GP, and ended up winning gold. The result was not set in stone, was it? Why not be happy and stop over-reacting to fans' disagreements with the judging? Fans will always have some disagreements. It is the initial level of disagreement (in real time and after the event) with the SC fp results that is noticeable. However, it's a done deal that Osmond has won SC gold, and no one is planning a riot to protest. Now, you want to rush Osmond into another GP, where in fact, there is no guarantee she will skate as well, and even if she did that a different set of judges will place her above skaters who perform as well or better. Plus, there is no realistic opportunity for her to be assigned to another GP at this point. Let her breathe and develop at her own pace.
I enjoyed watching Kaetlyn in both of her programs at SC, and I felt her second place in the sp was well-earned, and I said so in my sp comments. I was happy for her when I saw she won the event too. But once I looked at the performances, I didn't feel Kaetlyn's fp choice of music was that great for her, but she did a good job with her elements and performed extremely well in coming back from a couple of mistakes. I think Suzuki had problems in her sp (but I don't think that necessarily warranted her being in 5th place in the sp -- Suzuki I think warranted either 4th or 5th in sp, and 1st in fp by a higher margin). I think Kanako performed beautifully in both sp and fp and that she arguably should have placed third in the sp and second or third in the fp, with Kaetlyn second in the sp and second or third in the fp. Many will disagree on placements, but the majority of fans (and not just Suzuki fans) felt Suzuki should have won gold for her difficult and more artistically mature performance in the fp.
Obviously, if Elene G had skated lights out in the fp, she would have won the event. Would you have been irate with Kaetlyn coming in second in that instance.
Kaetlyn is blossoming well, and I am most impressed by her confidence, spark and athleticism. She obviously has the potential to compete for the podium at every event she enters. Why not allow her to achieve prominence on her own merits and stop all the over-adulation, overly high expectations and smothering? That kind of fanaticism has never helped Patrick Chan and it won't be beneficial for Kaetlyn either.
The vast majority of comments re Kaetlyn Osmond that I have read on this board and elsewhere have been praiseworthy and respectful. Just because a number of fans (even many fans of Kaetlyn) felt Suzuki performed better in the fp and should have won overall at SC, does not mean that they are "jealous" of Kaetlyn's success. Kaetlyn deserves the attention and she's worked hard for the success she is achieving and will continue to achieve. She performed well in her debut performance on the senior GP, and ended up winning gold. The result was not set in stone, was it? Why not be happy and stop over-reacting to fans' disagreements with the judging? Fans will always have some disagreements. It is the initial level of disagreement (in real time and after the event) with the SC fp results that is noticeable. However, it's a done deal that Osmond has won SC gold, and no one is planning a riot to protest. Now, you want to rush Osmond into another GP, where in fact, there is no guarantee she will skate as well, and even if she did that a different set of judges will place her above skaters who perform as well or better. Plus, there is no realistic opportunity for her to be assigned to another GP at this point. Let her breathe and develop at her own pace.
I enjoyed watching Kaetlyn in both of her programs at SC, and I felt her second place in the sp was well-earned, and I said so in my sp comments. I was happy for her when I saw she won the event too. But once I looked at the performances, I didn't feel Kaetlyn's fp choice of music was that great for her, but she did a good job with her elements and performed extremely well in coming back from a couple of mistakes. I think Suzuki had problems in her sp (but I don't think that necessarily warranted her being in 5th place in the sp -- Suzuki I think warranted either 4th or 5th in sp, and 1st in fp by a higher margin). I think Kanako performed beautifully in both sp and fp and that she arguably should have placed third in the sp and second or third in the fp, with Kaetlyn second in the sp and second or third in the fp. Many will disagree on placements, but the majority of fans (and not just Suzuki fans) felt Suzuki should have won gold for her difficult and more artistically mature performance in the fp.
Obviously, if Elene G had skated lights out in the fp, she would have won the event. Would you have been irate with Kaetlyn coming in second in that instance.
Kaetlyn is blossoming well, and I am most impressed by her confidence, spark and athleticism. She obviously has the potential to compete for the podium at every event she enters. Why not allow her to achieve prominence on her own merits and stop all the over-adulation, overly high expectations and smothering? That kind of fanaticism has never helped Patrick Chan and it won't be beneficial for Kaetlyn either.
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- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
You must have misunderstood me. At no point did I ever express that I am "pissed" at Osmond for her performance at Skate Canada. If anything, a new and talented young skater only makes the field more exciting to watch--for example, though the Russians and Americans are fierce contenders for every single crown, I cheer on Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner as much as Julia L, Liza T, and Adelina S. Even if I don't agree with Osmond's marks at SC, I'm still excited to see what she can do. She's definitely one of Canada's best bets for Sochi, but at this point, one or two good performances mean very little against repeat national champions of Japan and Russia, who are undoubtedly the strongest countries in the sport.
Sotnikova definitely lacks consistency, but technique and artistry-wise, she's in an entirely different class. And I don't think it's fair to refer to the established Japanese and Russian girls as divas in order to champion Osmond's cause. They all began where she is now--a talented teenage skater--and deserve as much glory as she. No one is assuming anything about Sochi past cautious hopes because, as we all know, injuries and other barriers can pop up between now and then.
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
Interesting question. I think they'd still be high enough to be questioned by people, but not higher than Suzuki's.
Anyway, if a skater were to withdraw from TEB or CoR, I can see Osmond getting the slot. Not NHK though. It will be interesting to see if there are any WDs - we've already had an obscene attrition rate, though in fairness that was just as much due to the ISU rules than anything else.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
TEB perhaps, but she wouldn't stand much of a chance against Wagner, Lipnitskaia, and Tuktamysheva. I highly doubt that the Russians would give her an open slot at the Rostelecom Cup though, especially if they think she poses a threat to Sotnikova or Leonova, both of whom are known to have consistency issues.
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- Jun 3, 2009
Right, but if you believe in trades, Polina Shelepen and Popova/Massot got spots at Skate Canada that they could've filled with anyone (they were host slots initially).
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
Yes, but none of them posed serious threats to the Canadian skaters--and at that point, no one could have foreseen Osmond's win. Now that she's becoming an overnight sensation, though, the other nations will want to keep her as far from their podiums as possible.
Thank you for this post! ITA:thumbsup:
And yeah who exactly is being a diva? In fact, Akiko has been the exact opposite. And Mao, Adelina and Liza aren't either.
I have not always been on the Adelina train, but I have been very impressed by her since seeing her at Skate America. She needs to work on the flutz, but otherwise, she has great jumps and a wonderful presence.
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- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
True.
Another thing to mention is cost: the host country pays the travel expenses for the skaters at the event, which is easily part of the reason that Nagasu hasn't gotten invited to TEB.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
The "diva" accusations remind me of NBC's coverage of the Olympics this summer, when the commentators could not stop referring to Russia's Aliya Mustafina as the spoiled brat of the women's gymnastics field. Same bias against Osmond's competitors, it appears...
When I met Adelina at the hotel at Skate America, I found her quite friendly to fans, when it was clear she wanted to be left alone. (She had her hoodie over her head). She signed my program with a smiley face. Cute.
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- Aug 21, 2012
How lucky you are to have met her...I don't think I could ever believe that someone with such a natural presence on the ice could be anything but genuine, especially remembering that she and the other Russian girls are still up-and-coming skaters who haven't seen enough fame for it to go to their heads. From what I've seen in their interviews, they sound very modest and composed, and a little baffled by the media attention.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
This disgusted me. Sasha was the same way but the media made a joke about her conflicts with coaches, whereas Aliya is a brat for the same type of behavior. At least there was never a question of Aliya's work ethic.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
I wish we saw more of this fire from skaters today, as it seems to translate into similar stubbornness during competition. Any spark of rebelliousness will do--Midori Ito, for example, used to eat chocolate and sweets for the sole purpose of defying her coach.
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- Aug 21, 2012
I must have missed the announcement, but do you know why Nagasu has no GP assignments this season?
And there are no spots open at TEB as of now. I thought that Mirai's slot there was purely hypothetical...?
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