They keep sending Alissa and she keeps bombing. Why not send Agnes or Caroline so they can get the experience and learn to handle the preasure. With the Olympics coming up they can't afford to send some one different every year. And I bet neither one would have finised as low as 22nd.
The state of U.S. Figure Skating
- Thread starter Mrs. P
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
A lot of second guessing after the fact. If Abbott had won a medal everyone would be saying how smart the USFSA was for sending him despite his up and down results.
(But he didn't. Oh well.
)
Edited to add: Same with Czisny. Last year the USFSA were geniuses because they sent Alissa and she finished fifth, just one jump off the podium. But they were idiots for sending Rachael.
This year they are idiots for sending Alissa and geniuses for sending Ashley.
(But he didn't. Oh well.
)Edited to add: Same with Czisny. Last year the USFSA were geniuses because they sent Alissa and she finished fifth, just one jump off the podium. But they were idiots for sending Rachael.
This year they are idiots for sending Alissa and geniuses for sending Ashley.
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I really feel for Czisny. I like her very much. I think she has such grace and elegance, and when she's "on" she can light up the room.
The problem lies in her nerves. She needs to see a sports psychologist (as does Abbott -- I think he does, mind you), and she needs to see one today.
In addition, if she was injured, she should've withdrawn. I doubt anyone would've done any better, but at least she wouldn't have this on her mind; no one would want to be in her shoes, considering she did stay and skate. (Poor thing.)
The problem lies in her nerves. She needs to see a sports psychologist (as does Abbott -- I think he does, mind you), and she needs to see one today.
In addition, if she was injured, she should've withdrawn. I doubt anyone would've done any better, but at least she wouldn't have this on her mind; no one would want to be in her shoes, considering she did stay and skate. (Poor thing.)
I think Alissa is finding too many excuses to cover up her mishaps. Honestly, she should just suck it up, admit her weaknesses and try to improve them. I like Ashley Wagner's attitude in that aspect, she knows what she's lacking and she fights hard to make it up.
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
A lot of second guessing after the fact. If Abbott had won a medal everyone would be saying how smart the USFSA was for sending him despite his up and down results.
(But he didn't. Oh well.
Per argument for sending Jeremy last year, he still did better when he bombed than any of last year's team members. Unfortunately for Jeremy and Adam, this year a few fast rising new stars leapfrogged ahead of them - Hanyu, D10, plus Fernandez and rebounded Reynold for Adam.
Something important lacking in current top Americans is what Canadian champs like Buttle and Chan know well - a champion has a small range between his best and his worst. I believe it was also Lysacek's winning attribute.
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I think it was something about not being able to feel her legs? I can't quite remember, but when she did poorly at the International Cup competition, didn't she blame her federation for not sending her to 4CC instead so she could have more practice?
And she often blamed her poor performances on injury, or in the case of 4CC, the competition being too close to Nationals.
How can you seriously compare Joubert with Jeremy. Brian has a total of 6 world medals, including one world title. And just recently finished fourth at worlds... Now did Brian make some stupid mistakes in his career, sure..But the USFSA wishes Jeremy was that kind of headcase.
You seriously think the other US girls couldn't have done better than 22nd. I think Zhang for example was certainly capable of not falling 5 times.
Yes! And I said it many many times, Adam's 3As at Nationals should get - GOE every single time. His 3As are the worst of the men competing. I think I said he had glacier moving speed coming to the 3As.
The brilliant judges at Nats gave him huge GOE for terrible 3As. He should not beat Ross at National. I was shocked when they announced his scores.
Alissa, I also said many times, was not good live. She does not project at all. She was faster than a lot of girls, but because she didn't do anything between elements but cross-overs, so her speed appeared to be above other girls. That is not skating skill.
Both of them were gifted big time. (And if the Fed thought they could manage, then use 4cc as feedback to see how the others will do in front of international judges)
Misery loves company. Just last week on CBC,Tracey Wilson commented that in Japan,Russia,etc,the federations pay attention to masses of young skaters. As one poster commented above,she stated they chew them up and spit them out,and what we see are the tough survivors.She then went on to say that we can't do that. In Canada,however terrible,the Lady chosen goes on and on and on,and nobody is allowed to challenge. For the second year we have only one Lady,and with the exception of a few bright lights,nothing coming up. I expect even these to become human sacrifices to the established princesses. At least the US champion changes yearly even if the system is flawed,and you have numerous talented skaters in the wings,killing themselved for a chance. What is needed is more opportunity to compete early and often,and monitoring available for skaters and coaches. I hope that with more B competitions coming to N.America we make them open to whoever wants to compete and rise fall on their merits.
A lot of second guessing after the fact. If Abbott had won a medal everyone would be saying how smart the USFSA was for sending him despite his up and down results.
(But he didn't. Oh well.
Edited to add: Same with Czisny. Last year the USFSA were geniuses because they sent Alissa and she finished fifth, just one jump off the podium. But they were idiots for sending Rachael.
This year they are idiots for sending Alissa and geniuses for sending Ashley.
Abbott deserved his spot fair and square. I don't think anyone ever want to replace him.
Czisny, OTOH, should be recalled and relieved her duty as US representative.
I need to point out a big difference between Rachael last year and Czisny now
1. Rachael got injured in the GPF. At Nats, she landed quite a few jumps. 2 lutzes, flips, etc... At 4cc, she went for a 2A-3loop combo. Did enough to place 4th with 180+. She progressively got better from the GPF. There was NO RECALL effort there. No one suggested she should be replaced prior to world. Then she disclosed her injury after the SP, which she still managed to got level 4 step with good GOE.
2. Czisny got injured in the GPF. Then progressively got worse and worse and so unstable that she can't even jump. Recall effort made but she went for it anyway. She then bombed in both SP and LP.
They weren't idiots last year for sending Rachael knowing what they know.
They are idiots this year for sending Czisny knowing what they know.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2011
Oh lawdy, people, there are disciplines outside singles! The US continues to do spectacularly well in ice dancing. With three teams in the top 10, including H/D, a team that just formed last year!
In pairs, one team that's just a season old finishes at 8th, and the other, merely two seasons old and at their first words, too, finishes 10th!
In the team disciplines, the US is full of upward potential.
If you are going to insist the USFS did something horribly wrong to cause 3 out of 4 singles competitors to bomb, then you have to credit the USFS for doing something right somehow to cause its teams to do so well.
In pairs, one team that's just a season old finishes at 8th, and the other, merely two seasons old and at their first words, too, finishes 10th!
In the team disciplines, the US is full of upward potential.
If you are going to insist the USFS did something horribly wrong to cause 3 out of 4 singles competitors to bomb, then you have to credit the USFS for doing something right somehow to cause its teams to do so well.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
Lol. Well Brian was not a headcase in his prime, but recently he has been subpar, his 16th at the Olympics, 8th at Euros this year, 8th at Worlds last year (though that was pretty good for him), a few bombed GPs along the way. His redemption here was great to see. Anyways I was just trying to make a point. Joubert maybe isn't a good comparision, but Verner is. But the only other option is Pavel Kaska, and even when Verner bombs badly, he'll still score higher than Kaska, by a lot. So if they have 2 spots and Verner doesn't want to retire, it's fine that he goes and bombs. But for Abbott it's different, qualified skaters shouldn't be sitting at home to let him go bomb at big events.
And yes, I'm pretty sure any of the ladies in the top 12 at Nationals would have placed higher than 22nd here. I mean, 5 FALLS? Even Carolina at the Olympics only fell 3 times and was 16th. I don't know what the hell happened, I would say injury, but her jumps were fine in warmup. I want to feel bad for Alissa, but enough is enough, and I don't appreciate how she gets held up at Nationals time and again. Zhang wuzrobbed of a Worlds birth this year and in 2009, and both times Czisny was sent instead and tanked.
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I recall a US team that placed ever better at last year's worlds that ended up splitting so don't hold your breath-- not yet anyway.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
Again, you seem to believe Caroline would implode or something at a major international competition, because omggereazzzz it's the big one. Caroline has been to the Grand Prix final, threw down two bronzes at 4CC, and skates lights out at Nationals. No pressure at 4CC? Caroline knows her rep with the USFSA is at stake and she needs to prove she is at her old competitive form.
And you seriously think Wagner going from 1st to 4th is the same argument for "CAROLINE COULD HAVE ALSO FINISHED 22ND YOU DON'T KNOWWWWW"
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2011
People on forums made plenty, so those have been put in her mouth.
I don't feel like it is fair to say skaters "make excuses" in post event interviews anyway when they are forced to answer stupid questions like "what happened out there?". If she said "I don't know", people would be mad about that, too. If she tried to give a long, technical "taking responsibility" answer, they would just cut her off. They can't win in those interviews and it doesn't seem fair to take them seriously.
Alissa and her crew can't really say she was skating with an injury, because everyone will shout she should have withdrawn - which she should have. If she has a lingering injury, it was selfish to skate. I didn't read about her practices at worlds - was she landing jumps there?
I have no problem with a test skate at some time shortly before worlds. My system would be Nat'l champ gets to go automatically - next five or so are alternates with no ranking. Two weeks before worlds all the alternates show up at rink, skate around, jump and spin to show they aren't injured and then the healthy skaters with the best combo of nat'l and int'l results go to worlds. We gotta to find a way to stop sending injured competitors to big competitions.
I agree with SB that its nice to see pairs doing well. Not sure if any of the teams are really podium threats at worlds in the near future - but maybe some bling from the GP circuit. But can only get so excited about CoP pairs skating sorry to say
I have no problem with a test skate at some time shortly before worlds. My system would be Nat'l champ gets to go automatically - next five or so are alternates with no ranking. Two weeks before worlds all the alternates show up at rink, skate around, jump and spin to show they aren't injured and then the healthy skaters with the best combo of nat'l and int'l results go to worlds. We gotta to find a way to stop sending injured competitors to big competitions.
I agree with SB that its nice to see pairs doing well. Not sure if any of the teams are really podium threats at worlds in the near future - but maybe some bling from the GP circuit. But can only get so excited about CoP pairs skating sorry to say
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Quite so. Plus, a "reason" is not an "excuse." Patrick Chan discussed in some detail exactly what went wrong in his two technical mistakes in the LP. This was not evading responsibility. On the contrary, it was saying, yes, I messed up, and here is just what I did wrong. (And in fact, interviews like that are quite interesting and informative.)
When Alissa says, I just couldn't get my legs under me, that is not an excuse, it is a simple admission that "I skated terribly."
But it's an evasion - why can't she get her feet under her? We deserve to know the reason
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
Why do we deserve to know the reason?
