I feel sorry for Mirai Nagasu | Golden Skate

I feel sorry for Mirai Nagasu

psbfan01

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
That was heart wrenching watching her reaction to the judges' marks at Nationals tonight. She seemed totally devastated.

Imagine all that hard work to get back on top in the sport, and finishing 3rd in the short, with the possibility of making it on the podium. No, her program certainly wasn't her best. Does anyone think she was, as they say, robbed? I have never felt so sorry for someone like this in a long time (and granted what she experienced was far from the worst thing in the world). I have never especially been a fan of hers but this raw human emotion really affected me.

I heard the boos of the crowd - they seemed to think she was given a raw deal. Were the judges' basically telling her to "move aside" for the new up-and-coming? The politics of this sport are brutal.
 

vera01

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
I agree. I think she should've be on the podium. Judges were too harsh on Mirai. I don't think they trust her anymore, though.
 

gold12345

Medalist
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
They were telling her to stop UR her jumps. It just seemed especially cruel since she certainly wasn't the only one to UR. I would have to agree with the original poster... I have never felt so awful seeing someone in the kiss and cry.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
7th was definitely too much, I had Mirai at 4th overall with Christina beating her in a narrow margin
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Judges have been totally harsh on judging both Mirai and Caroline on URs at Nationals. It's so heart-wrenching to see both of them so sad. :cry:

The audience knew what they loved though. Standing ovations for Mirai and Caroline either in the SP or the LP.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Several of her jumps were clearly UR to my eye, especially the 3f she fell on and the 3lo. And as usual, she skated blank-faced, with no passion or enthusiasm. With 5 URs, the judges had no choice but to give her -GOEs, and her flat performance affected her PCS scores.

Mirai's been getting URs from both US and International judges for years. There is no doubt that she is a very talented skater, but that isn't enough. It's up to her to work hard on her shortcomings. If she doesn't, she won't make any progress and she won't be happy with her results.
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
11th in the FS is far from my expectations. Not even in the top 10!!?

This competition seems target certain skaters for federation interests. I don't think Mirai can survive in this sport without funding which I know she desperately really need. The question is what next? She won't even be at 4CCs? Or is this the end?
 

burntBREAD

Medalist
Joined
Mar 27, 2010
She looked perfectly fine in all the practices, and in the lead up to Nationals there were reports on how she was working very hard with her new coaches and how she was in much better shape to rotate her jumps. But I think having the flu really affected her today, she seemed sluggish.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
I think Mirai is being told she is not going back to Worlds or Olys. Breaks given to skaters still happen, but skating isnow brutal and for most becoming a 4 year game. The US is cruelly done with Mirai and Zhang. Ashley has to show here 3x3 at worlds or her plug will be pulled. Her LP today shows she is not truly a solid champion-she was lucky Aggie and Mirai didn't have great skates.

Caroline Zhang was lowballed in both her events. Speed is the judges drug of choice these days. Caroline was shown the door. I really feel bad for her. Did she deserve her placement? Well, it was a pleasure to see Zhang skate so well. Mirai must feel it is time to quit. It seems Wagner and Gold can count on USFS. Agnes gets only what she earns. It seems Agnes cannot yet conquer her nerves. I think Mirai had her days in the sun.
 

evangeline

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
I felt like crying myself when I watched Mirai in the kiss-and-cry, but I don't think she was robbed of anything more than a position or two higher (mostly due to her SP, which I felt could have scored higher with a better starting position). Unfortunately for Mirai, she just had the very bad fortune of falling ill at such an inopportune time--I think it definitely affected her stamina, leading to her sluggishness especially in the second half of her LP and all those URs that cratered her TES. This wasn't a situation like 2010 Nationals in which Mirai skated lights out but received some questionable UR calls, Mirai did not skate well at all tonight and her low score was not that surprising, even to her. If it wasn't obvious that Mirai knew what her score would look like even when she had hit her closing pose with such a crestfallen expression at the end of the program, it was pretty clear by the time she burst into tears leaving the ice. She knew it wasn't a good performance.

But I do hope that Gracie and Ashley can win back 3 spots for the US so that Mirai can fight for an Olympic berth next year. After the results of tonight, it's pretty clear the USFS (not unreasonably, admittedly) favors Ashley and Gracie and will do pretty much anything to make sure they will be given the plum international assignments.
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
I thought even Wagner knew she was held up (is there a thread for that yet?), and I got the feeling Mirai's skate was being much, much more closely scrutinized for URs than anyone else's. Wagner landed on her butt twice. Mirai stumbled out of one jump. Interesting result, to say the least.
 

brightphoton

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Poor Mirai, but I think she knew she had underrotated some jumps, even before she saw the judge's scores. I only saw one underrotation in real time, but when I saw her devastated reaction after her free program ended, I suspected she thought she had a lot more, possibly even a downgrade.

I'm piping angry for Caroline. Her short program and free program were wonderful. And what is she, 12th? I am so infuriated I don't even want to check.

What is with this skater dumping? Who do the USFS think they're going to send to the Olympics?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I thought Caroline gave it a whole lot more than Mirai. Mirai wasn't in the zone, but she wasn't in the program either. I wasn't sold at all. She had other skaters who were clean that were ahead of her - for the most part.

Neither Caroline or Mirai have given the judges a reason to give them the benefit of the doubt. (Not saying Agnes has)

I'm just not seeing the wuzrobbed on that one. If we're to be mad at anyone, IMO, it should be NBC who wouldn't get out of her face with the camera.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I'm heartbroken for Mirai and I honestly thought she did enough to at least be on the podium, but I couldn't help but wonder if she would get dinged on those URs...I guess I didn't realized she would get dinged that much.

And honestly it's tough skating with the flu. I've been sick all weekend and I can't imaging doing a 4-minute program with jumps in my condition. Mirai was brave and did her best all things considered.
 

Riemann

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
I was expecting a not-great score for Mirai, but it was worse than I expected, especially in terms of placement.

I think Wagner, Zawadzki, and Hicks received scores that were on the generous side. Others were not so fortunate. Oh well.

BTW, Gold earned her score. Nice job.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Gao and Nagasu have never been favorites of the USFSA and U.S judges, and it continued again this year. Those two have to skate lights out at Nationals if they are getting anywhere.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
The one who was screwed tonight was Gao. She is the one I felt most sorry for, 5th yet again at Nationals.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
The UR's killed Zhang and Nagasu. But all is not lost. Gold and Wagner can win back 3 spots so thiswill open the door up for a battle for second and third next year. I see Wagner cementing herself as no. 1. Gold a solid no. 2 with great potential for development but no. 3 I am not sure. I was thinking Nagasu, Gao, Agnes or Czisny. At the same time there may be some suggestion it is time to go into the sunset for Zhang, Czisny and Nagasu.
 
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