Hersh believes that Mirai is the future | Golden Skate

Hersh believes that Mirai is the future

Phoenix347

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Link:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/sports_globetrotting/2010/02/my-vancouver-memory-i-have-seen-the-future-and-it-is-mirai.html

Quote:

In all her Olympic moments – gala, short program, long program – I saw a Nagasu who seemed to have gained four years of maturity in the month since finishing second at the U.S. Championships.

So much can go wrong in the upcoming four years, but, after two weeks of covering figure skating at the 2010 Winter Games, I will remember most the tantalizing vision of Nagasu as the next Olympic champion.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It's kind of jumping to a conclusion based on one competition. I agree that the Olys were her coming of age abilities. It so good to see her drop that cutesy style from before 2010. What I willl be looking for in Torino, is thta same maturity of style.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
It's not one competition. She was the US Champ two years ago! And many think she should have been this year, as well. And she skated well on the GP this year.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It's not one competition. She was the US Champ two years ago! And many think she should have been this year, as well. And she skated well on the GP this year.
Indeed, and she did a nice competitive routine in Cleveland(?) and deserved her win, but for me, it was not nearly enough to believe she would develop into a mature skater. She seems to and I hope it shows in Torino.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Indeed, and she did a nice competitive routine in Cleveland(?) and deserved her win, but for me, it was not nearly enough to believe she would develop into a mature skater. She seems to and I hope it shows in Torino.
Not to be belligerent but I don't see why not. She skated like a brilliant 14 year old. Now she skates like a brilliant 16 year old. Even when she was 14, many people marvelled at the solidity of her basic skills. Her Olympic success isn't surprising to me. She has a lot more maturing to do, but it's so much fun to see her exuberance now. I'll be pleasantly shocked if she manages to hold onto it despite all the pressures that come with success.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Dick Button and Brian Orser have pegged Mirai as skating's next Lady superstar. I appreciate most opinions at GS - but think Button and Orser know what they are talking about.

A comment from Evan sticks in my mind. He said "when Frank shows us a new jump entry it might take me a few weeks and even a couple of months to master it. Mirai does it on her first try."

I think Evan is talking about the same things Button and Orser have noticed - Mirai is blessed with alot of natural ability.
Orser and Button both commented on her "it" factor which both claim is real and strong. It was one of the first things Frank Carroll said too when he took on Mirai. Lori Nichol has also said Mirai is just an exceptional young skater.

Who knows where some of these skaters will be in 4 years - but I like Mirai's chances and see the team of Mira, Frank and Lori capable of producing something special in the future.
 

lavender

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Mirai is definitely a factor and now hopefully she will be someone who's respected more at her own Nationals again. Mirai really only had one down year. Other than that she's always been consistent. She was a factor as a junior and as a senior with one bad year with a serious growth spurt.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Mirai has more natural talent then I have seen in a while. She has good technique which will only get better under Carroll, beautiful line and spins, decent musicality and a lovely girlish expression on the ice. Combined with her adorable personality and love of skating with Frank Carroll's disipline... what else do you need to make a champion?
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Mirai is great and she has that ideal combination of athleticism and artistry which Yuna has and is needed to be at the top of the sport. I have no doubt her speed and jumps will only continue to develop and now that's she's done growing (at least for the most part) she'll likely be less injury prone and can start working on more difficult jump combinations. Her 2a-3t IMHO is as good as Yuna's, at least almost, and her 3-3s in practice look great! She is also a good competitor and doesn't crumble under pressure which is great to see because we've all seen how inconsistency and nerves can really hurt a skater, no matter how naturally talented he/she is (eg Joubert, Verner, Kostner, Czisny, Abbott, etc). Frank seems like a great coach for her and she's made tremendous progress just since October which is great to see. Next year I have a feeling she will get more sophisticated programs that will really blow us away, although I find her SP this year to be pretty sophisticated/mature (Carmen is still cutesy but it's ok because she's adorable :agree:). So glad she is finally getting the attention and praise she deserves :love:
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Good technique? Mirai? Seriously? Flexibility, yes. Adorable personality, yes. When the political wind changes, she will be hosed for her bad technique. Call on her flutzes a few more time and she probably will drop it all together like Mao did. Her flutzes will not be ignored at Worlds. Mark my words.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Good technique? Mirai? Seriously? Flexibility, yes. Adorable personality, yes. When the political wind changes, she will be hosed for her bad technique. Call on her flutzes a few more time and she probably will drop it all together like Mao did. Her flutzes will not be ignored at Worlds. Mark my words.

Her flutz isn't as a bad as Mao's and realistically, most women have a flutz or a lip. She has a nice toe, loop, and double axel right now so a flutz isn't the end of the world.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
I just hope that things don´t get too much into Mirai´s head in this point of her career. I don´t wish that she will start thinking she is greater than she actually is... And she must remember who is the boss, LOL. She will need to do a lot of hard work in next 4 years.
 
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silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
I just hope that things don´t get too much into Mirai´s head in this point of her career. I don´t wish that she will start thinking she is greater than she actually is... And she must remember who is the boss, LOL. She will need to do a lot of hard work in next 4 years.

I kind of doubt it will....I feel like teenage girls as a general rule have very low self-esteem. Mirai seems very grounded - she said she doesn't want to say the future has started already because she doesn't think she will reach her prime until later. Also, judging by how happy she was to finish 2nd at nationals and 4th at the Olympics (both times when she was so close to winning/medaling) I think she's just happy her progress is being recognized and she's getting deserved scores. Mirai doesn't seem like the arrogant type to me.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Not to be belligerent but I don't see why not. She skated like a brilliant 14 year old. Now she skates like a brilliant 16 year old. Even when she was 14, many people marvelled at the solidity of her basic skills. Her Olympic success isn't surprising to me. She has a lot more maturing to do, but it's so much fun to see her exuberance now. I'll be pleasantly shocked if she manages to hold onto it despite all the pressures that come with success.
I hate precocious children. Youth is wasted on the young. :banging:

However, I am excited about her maintaining her maturity and growing into a first rate competitor. Torino will tell more.
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Her flutz isn't as a bad as Mao's and realistically, most women have a flutz or a lip. She has a nice toe, loop, and double axel right now so a flutz isn't the end of the world.

Not to mention no Salchow, no 3-3. They should call on her flutzes until she fixes them or drops them all together.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I kind of doubt it will....I feel like teenage girls as a general rule have very low self-esteem. Mirai seems very grounded - she said she doesn't want to say the future has started already because she doesn't think she will reach her prime until later. Also, judging by how happy she was to finish 2nd at nationals and 4th at the Olympics (both times when she was so close to winning/medaling) I think she's just happy her progress is being recognized and she's getting deserved scores. Mirai doesn't seem like the arrogant type to me.

I agree with you. Also, Mirai also went from a high of being US champion 2 years ago to being off the US Medal podium last year to being 2nd at Nationals this year. I find it hard to imagine that she would forget what she learned during her 'off' year.

Also, she seems to have an appreciation for the hard work of her parents at their restaurant and the sacrifices they have made for her skating, too. Having her mother battle cancer will be another issue that she should make her appreciative of life, as well.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Not to mention no Salchow, no 3-3. They should call on her flutzes until she fixes them or drops them all together.

She used to do salchow, I think she does not do it in her programs because it's not as valuable point wise as loop, flip, and lutz and not as easy to control as a toe, therefore, she doesn't use it, plus Mirai has a great 2a so with GOE she will gain more from doing a good 2a than from doing a shaky 3sal which could easily be downgraded. And she has been practicing 3-3s and will probably do one at Worlds!
 

hongligl

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 18, 2004
I'm so happy to hear that people of authority said that. I've been rooting for Mirai ever since I saw her the first time, when so many preferred the other youngster. I believe great things will happen to Mirai!
 

cjsk8fan

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 11, 2005
She used to do salchow, I think she does not do it in her programs because it's not as valuable point wise as loop, flip, and lutz and not as easy to control as a toe, therefore, she doesn't use it, plus Mirai has a great 2a so with GOE she will gain more from doing a good 2a than from doing a shaky 3sal which could easily be downgraded. And she has been practicing 3-3s and will probably do one at Worlds!

I also was impressed with Mirai when she was the surprise of juniors beating Caroline Zhang. I thought she would be the one to watch. Her technique seems to have improved in the short time she has worked with Frank Carroll. Her jumps seemed higher at the Olympics and more secure. She not only has flexibility but she spins on a dime and her spirals are some of the best. Mirai also skates with great speed. When she gets her 3-3 down watch out. (Oh, and about the flutz, I couldn't tell if she did or didn't at the Olympics. Camera angle.) The 3-3 needs to be pretty reliable for Frank Carroll to allow it to be performed in a program.
 
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