State of American Ladies: 2012-13 Season | Page 19 | Golden Skate

State of American Ladies: 2012-13 Season

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
What I am wondering is it realistic to expect Czisny to return to form and how much should we trust the lady who really crashed badly to world's to the point even Canada beat her and Canada at the time wasn't putting much of a fight. When is enough is enough = Czisyn has had all the tools to medal or even win worlds but has fallen - well she has fallen (LOL). She was a human Zamboni machine on steroids last year.

All I have to say about Czisny is that if the USFSA puts her on another World team, they deserve whatever result they get out of her. I love her skating but she just isn't solid enough under pressure to be relied upon to place high enough to get us 3 Olympic spots.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Could you imagine it if Flatt and Czisny were sent to Worlds this year and got that third slot back?

Flatt already took herself out of the picture by announcing that she'll sit out the rest of the season, so the above isn't happening for sure.

The thing is that Czisny had a decent shot up until her injury. I'm not expecting much from her at NHK with her summer leg surgery, and I doubt that she'll be fully recovered and ready to fight onto the podium by January. I won't go so far as to say her career is over, but for this season, we can assume with reasonable certainty that she'll be giving it a rest.

I don't know a lot about Czisny's specific injury but just looking at it from a very general perspective, I wonder if it is wise for her to try to rush back into things so soon. Perhaps it would be better if, like Flatt, she just sat out the season and waited for 100% recovery. I wonder if a poor result at NHK (assuming she goes) will convince her.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
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May 19, 2011
^^ITA. I think rushing back into competition too early will only hurt her in the long run. Will the USFSA do any kind of monitoring for her? Doubtful...I say they should have her skate a monitoring session a week before NHK and if she's not looking good (which, according to reports from that most recent show, she's not) they should pull her from the competition. Going to NHK and further damaging her reputation as a contender by skating like crap is not a good idea.

I really love Czisny's skating. There's a smoothness and elegance to her skating that is just gorgeous and her spins are great...but she's never been a strong jumper. Even the year she won the GPF and her 2nd title, I never felt secure watching her jump. I always expect her to go down when she jumps and am shocked if she lands.

We'll have a better idea in a few weeks, but I'm not holding my breath for Czisny right now. I think she should take the rest of the season to recover and gain her strength back and then try to make a run at Sochi next year.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
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May 19, 2011
It's not US Figure Skating's call whether she skates at NHK or not.

That's my point: they should have some say. She's representing US Figure Skating; if she goes out there and tanks like she did in Nice, that reflects badly not only on her but on US Figure Skating. If she's not where she needs to be they should have her withdraw. The spot will open and hopefully it will go to a more prepared skater...American or not. Most people think if the spot opens it will go to Mirai or Kaetlyn...that call belongs to the host country.

Alissa did so much damage to her reputation at the end of last season. I don't think she needs to show up at NHK in human zamboni mode. Pushing through and competing when she's unprepared will only do more harm than good at this point. There's nothing to be gained from competing when she's not ready...she can't make the Final. Take the time, recover completely. IIRC, she's already got her bye to nationals which means that's her focus. I can't see her making the world team after last year but a strong performance may get her a ticket to 4CC or one of the smaller senior international events.

Showing up to NHK unprepared is a bad idea...that's all I'm saying.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
kwanatic said:
That's my point: they [the USFSA} should have some say.

I am not sure how that would work, exactly. Alissa was chosen by the Japanese Skating Federation for their event in accordance with ISU rules. There may even be contractual obligations involved on both sides between the skater and the event organizers.
 

Reginald

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
What was unusual about the 2012 Nationals was that the next generation of skaters were weaker than normal. Every four years the "next generation" bursts onto the scene. In 1996, It was Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski. In 2000, it was Sasha Cohen and Sarah Hughes. In 2004, it was Kimmie Meissner and Kathy Taylor. In 2008, it was Rachel Flatt, Mirai Nagasu, Ashley Wagner, and Carolien Zhang. In 2012, skaters such as Angela Wang and Leah Keiser did not do nearly as well as the other skaters did.

That being said, I think that the US, Japan, and Russia are all building toward Sochi. I think that all three nations will have their ladies singles skaters at their best. I think that Leah Keiser could be a dark horse for the USA. Mao Asada is also a beast.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
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May 19, 2011
I am not sure how that would work, exactly. Alissa was chosen by the Japanese Skating Federation for their event in accordance with ISU rules. There may even be contractual obligations involved on both sides between the skater and the event organizers.

I doubt if the JSF or any federation from a different country would force a skater to compete if they aren't well or prepared and they explicitly state they are not able to compete. Now as far as forcing their own skaters to compete against their wishes, that's another story...
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Flatt already took herself out of the picture by announcing that she'll sit out the rest of the season, so the above isn't happening for sure.



I don't know a lot about Czisny's specific injury but just looking at it from a very general perspective, I wonder if it is wise for her to try to rush back into things so soon. Perhaps it would be better if, like Flatt, she just sat out the season and waited for 100% recovery. I wonder if a poor result at NHK (assuming she goes) will convince her.

I think the point is can you imagine not that it was possible. It would be amazing but wouldn't it be more amazing rather than Flatt and Czisny getting 3 spots that they both fell apart in the short program and US could send no ladies to the olympics.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I doubt if the JSF or any federation from a different country would force a skater to compete if they aren't well or prepared and they explicitly state they are not able to compete. Now as far as forcing their own skaters to compete against their wishes, that's another story...

True, but the question was about whether USFS could or should force Czisny to withdraw, or if that decision s Czisny's alone. Obviously skaters can withdraw if they are unable to perform, but it is not clear what role a third party like USFS would play.
 
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mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Exactly my point, MM. It's NOT USFS's call and they should not be involved like "Big Brother" trying to force a skater in/out of a competition, especially when they aren't the host country...
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
...I say they should have [Czisny] skate a monitoring session a week before NHK and if she's not looking good (which, according to reports from that most recent show, she's not) they should pull her from the competition. Going to NHK and further damaging her reputation as a contender by skating like crap is not a good idea.

This is not the World Championships, though. Czisny may be taking up a spot that could go to someone else if she is still injured and incapable of performing well- but GP placements don't really matter much in the end. She would not be the liability she was when she went to Worlds.

I don't think a monitoring session is necessary here. She's either ready or not; if it's the latter, she WDs, or she goes and bombs and that's the end of it. She'd only be hurting herself in the end.

We'll have a better idea in a few weeks, but I'm not holding my breath for Czisny right now. I think she should take the rest of the season to recover and gain her strength back and then try to make a run at Sochi next year.

Czisny's admittedly off my radar at this point. I just don't have any confidence in her now (not that it was sky-high to begin with :laugh: )

ETA: I'll give her some credit for sticking with it, especially after all these setbacks. She must TRULY enjoy skating...
 
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Skater Boy

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Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I know there is no way to know truly what is in the head of a skater but too bad there wasn't a penalty for holding off and withdrawing when one should have known the couldn't compete. Alissa should remember the opportunities she has been given so generously in the past. She is lucky she is more well "liked" than Flatt.
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
This is not the World Championships, though. Czisny may be taking up a spot that could go to someone else if she is still injured and incapable of performing well- but GP placements don't really matter much in the end. She would not be the liability she was when she went to Worlds.

I don't think a monitoring session is necessary here. She's either ready or not; if it's the latter, she WDs, or she goes and bombs and that's the end of it. She'd only be hurting herself in the end.

This. This is not the world championships and furthermore Czisny's withdraw might or might not benefit the US (i.e. the spot is not certain to go to a US Skater). Furthermore, Czisny 'earned' the spot according to the current GP rules. I don't think the USFSA has much if anything to do with if she should give up her spot, much less if she must.

I think if Alyssa is not in good form it would be the decent and correct thing to do to withdraw, both for her sake and for everyone else's. However, ultimately, I do not see how this is even remotely the USFSA's call.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
I think it's not right for anyone to expect Alyssa to bow out if she feels she has even the slightest chance to compete successfully. Whether she's in good form or not you would hope her coaches are being realistic with her. I personally think Alyssa should have retired after Nats last year. She's had a few bright moments in her career and alot of lows. She's not getting any younger and she's coming back from surgery. It's certainly an uphill battle for her. I just really don't want to watch another performance like her LP at Nats. That was painful.
 

brightphoton

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Didn't Alyssa get silver at Nationals last year? She was overscored, probably deserved pewter, but it wasn't that bad.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
New Wagner blog up on ESPNW:

http://espn.go.com/espnw/blog/post/2271/a-great-start-my-season

Some interesting insight from her (particularly viewing from a non-skating perspective):

Normally the short program is a nice way to ease into the competition. I wasn’t sure how to feel, or whether to approach it in my mind as a show performance or a competition. When I perform in shows, it’s all about giving the audience what they want. In competition, although I want the audience to enjoy it, the judges are the priority. So this was a hybrid of both: You had one and only one shot to get the audience and the judges into it.

Just getting out there and dealing with some pressure was the first step to building my confidence for the rest of the season. There’s no way to simulate in practice how I’m going to feel skating in front of all those eyes. I have a love-hate relationship with performing. Right before I step onto the ice I think, “Why am I doing this? This is awful!” But as soon as the music comes on, the feeling of everyone watching me gives me a huge adrenaline rush and I just want to show off.

Her next event will be Cup of France next week.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009

I enjoyed this bit about her schooling:

In the meantime I’m also staying busy taking a journalism class at a local college. Learning the AP style format and everything else is sometimes stressful and confusing, but I really enjoy school. I think it’s a good way of making sure my brain doesn’t go to mush with all this skating!

I will note that her reference to the location of Skate America was in correct AP style! :)

After my win in Japan I came back to the U.S. for Skate America, in Kent, Wash.

I'm make my living writing for newspapers, so I always love an excuse to show of my AP Style nerdom! ;)
 
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