Mirai Nagasu interview received criticism

Proxy · Feb 23, 2018

Mirai spoke to reporters after her Olympic FS and she has been heavily, heavily criticized in the press this morning.

https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/23/2018-winter-olympics-mirai-nagasu-figure-skating-team-usa

Several articles around the country like this one. Some quotes:

“I smiled in the middle of my program, which is really rare for me. So I enjoyed myself, and I thought of this as my audition for Dancing With the Stars.”

She was still smiling. There was no hint of disappointment in her voice. “Although I got zero points for my attempt at the triple axel, in my mind I went for it.”

“I saved the team event, with Adam [Rippon] and the Shibutanis,” she said. “We were about to lose our medals.

She wasn’t done. Somebody (not me, just so we are clear) asked her why the U.S. skaters seemed to struggle with the pressure here. Nagasu responded, “That’s a very aggressive question. I’d like to point out that Gabrielle Daleman, who is an Olympic gold medalist, didn’t have a strong outing here in the individual.”

Mirai, you've worked so hard to come back over the last 8 years. Many of us our proud of you. Please don't throw it away now. Chill yourself, girl. She needs some PR help immediately and I'm afraid someone close to her needs to take on more of a mentor role if this is the real Mirai. She seems very immature for her age which I don't blame her, she's probably been very sheltered to this point in her life. But she has a lot of fight in her, now it's time to put it to good use and clean this nonsense up.

cruzceleste · Feb 23, 2018

Very criticized? Until now I only so Brennan doing the critic.
Beside without video we don´t know the inflection, tone he gave to her answer.

She took the time to console Gaby after her skate. People need to understand this are human been and not robots, she didn´t put the blame in anyone but herself, and it is consistence with her answers.

US media needs to chill.

chopinskate · Feb 23, 2018

This is poor, yellow journalism at its "finest".

No doubt in my mind that she was repeatedly taken out of context to create this "story". Her sense of humour was taken literally.

Proxy · Feb 23, 2018

cruzceleste said:
Very criticized? Until now I only so Brennan doing the critic.

I saw Phil Hersh and LA Times and Washington Post taking shots at her. I hope it's just fatigue on her part. Some other people pointed out that she was very disappointed in the interview she gave after the short program. I think that's fair to point out.

cruzceleste · Feb 23, 2018

Proxy said:
I saw Phil Hersh and LA Times and Washington Post taking shots at her. I hope it's just fatigue on her part. Some other people pointed out that she was very disappointed in the interview she gave after the short program. I think that's fair to point out.

That´s normal of yellow journalist, they build someone to take shots at them as soon as they made a mistake.

kwanatic · Feb 23, 2018

What are they criticizing? None of those comments were controversial. Methinks the media are reaching at this point.

Smiling in the middle of the program: Would people prefer she be crying instead? She decided to make the most of the moment. She didn't hit the axel so why not just enjoy yourself? Show that you can perform and have a moment even when things aren't perfect. Not controversial...

No disappointment in her voice: Again, are they expecting her to be crying hysterically? She missed the jump but she went for it. It didn't work out and she has no regrets. That's not controversial to me. As if hitting the axel would have had some profound effect on her placement. It wouldn't have. She'd likely have finished a bit higher but it's not like the axel guaranteed her a medal or something.

Saving the team event: It was a tight race going in the FS. Her points were crucial in creating some much needed separation from the Italians. I'm still waiting for the controversy...

Gabby not having a good event: Translation - The American women struggled but even some of the top skaters are struggling with the pressure of competing at the Olympics. Truth. Plus, asking someone a question like that is equivalent to asking, "Why do y'all suck?"

Mirai didn't give them anything amazing or historical to write about in the individual event so now, as per the norm, the media has to find something negative to say to keep the story going.:yawn:

millie · Feb 23, 2018

At least Mirai wasn’t “Furious”. Smile and the world smiles with you. Mirai, if you are reading this, hold your head high and they can’t take away that glorious triple axel.

Moxiejan · Feb 23, 2018

chopinskate said:
This is poor, yellow journalism at its "finest".

No doubt in my mind that she was repeatedly taken out of context to create this "story". Her sense of humour was taken literally.

Her entire quotes were shown in her own words, on television. How could her words be taken out of context?

rain · Feb 23, 2018

I found Mirai's attitude incredibly refreshing and healthy. I'm sure she was disappointed, but I'm thrilled she still managed to have a good time at the Olympics. It always pains me when the athletes get off the ice and maybe haven't performed up to par and look like their lives are over. Which, of course, is nonsense. It's skating. You didn't fail to save the 3-year-old from an oncoming train.

Jh9772 · Feb 23, 2018

I wish they’d give these girls a break. They’re decompressing from enormous amounts of pressure and are probably more exhausted than they’ve been in their entire lives. Anyone would say some bizarre stuff after all that.

andromache · Feb 23, 2018

Unless someone's retiring, I think it's generally better (especially PR-wise) for athletes who've just performed badly to discuss what they want to focus on improving.

If you're not going to be disappointed in yourself for doing poorly, how will you be motivated to improve?

(Of course, I think Mirai wants to improve - but from a PR-perspective, acting happy with a bad performance just makes you come off as unmotivated.)

Scrufflet · Feb 23, 2018

What I take from this is that Mirai is an extremely classy individual with a sense of humour. She was so generous to reach out to Gabby D. And I'm so glad she can know she did the triple axel!
U.S. media seems outraged that they didn't have an American on the podium and want to savage their skaters. Ugly! Support your skaters! Don't tear them down!

Tigerlily87 · Feb 23, 2018

I think that they’re just looking for something to be critical about

MarinHondas · Feb 23, 2018

Proxy said:
Mirai spoke to reporters after her Olympic FS and she has been heavily, heavily criticized in the press this morning.

https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/23/2018-winter-olympics-mirai-nagasu-figure-skating-team-usa

Several articles around the country like this one. Some quotes:

Mirai, you've worked so hard to come back over the last 8 years. Many of us our proud of you. Please don't throw it away now. Chill yourself, girl. She needs some PR help immediately and I'm afraid someone close to her needs to take on more of a mentor role if this is the real Mirai. She seems very immature for her age which I don't blame her, she's probably been very sheltered to this point in her life. But she has a lot of fight in her, now it's time to put it to good use and clean this nonsense up.

I am a big fan of hers but i have to admit I was a little upset that she threw Gabby and the rest of team USA under the bus.

Figure 8's · Feb 23, 2018

Mirai did a beautiful clean triple Axel in the team competition. I thinks she has a lot to be proud of. Perhaps if anything, the Media hyped her up too much and put a lot of extra pressure on her. But I think her comments about her Team Mates and Gabby were nor very nice. Coming from someone who has disappointed so many times herself.

millie · Feb 23, 2018

angelicaamatina said:
I am a big fan of hers but i have to admit I was a little upset that she threw Gabby and the rest of team USA under the bus.

To be honest, if the positions were reversed, I don’t think that Gabby would have any qualms about throwing Mirai under the bus or anyone else with her..lol..

anyanka · Feb 23, 2018

Once again this is a tempest in a teacup. Is Christine Brennan bored because she doesn't have something like the Adelina vs. Yuna narrative from Sochi to put into print?

*yawn*

andromache · Feb 23, 2018

FWIW, I am much more impressed with Bradie's response when asked about the US ladies being disappointments:

"It wasn't that perfect Olympic program, but I'm really happy for getting out there and pulling myself together," she said.

Tennell pledged to be part of a U.S. resurgence.

"I can't speak for everybody, but for me, I'm sticking around and I'm going to work as hard as I possibly can to bring us up in the rankings," she said.

(http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olympics-figure-skating-hernandez-20180222-story.html)

Mathman · Feb 23, 2018

Moxiejan said:
Her entire quotes were shown in her own words, on television. How could her words be taken out of context?

Not "out of context." But the words written on a piece of paper do not convey the spirit, body language, etc., of the live interview. Chopinskate's point was that Mirai's sense of humor is lost in print. (Although I do agree with Mirai that her interview with Andrea Joyce after the short program was awkward . Not as awkward as Bradie Tennell's interview, though.

)

Anyway, I will be casting all my votes for Mirai on Dancing With the Stars. :laugh:

ladyjane · Feb 23, 2018

What a disgusting piece of journalism. The suggestiveness of it all. I don't read any nastiness in Mirai's remarks myself, but presumably some just want to find them. So, what if she was thinking about auditioning for Dancing with the Stars? If that helps with the nerves: go for it. I totally agree with you, and I thought Mirai's actions after the skate (with Gabby) say more about her than any stupid interview putting everything out of context, just to make someone look stupid or mean. I thought she handled her disappointment in a very mature manner, holding on to her success at the Team event (and why shouldn't she), and though the answer to the question about not doing so well may not get first prize in diplomacy, I don't see it as a way to excuse herself or a way to be negative about another skater at all. Actually, this kind of interview reporting sickens me.

Mirai Nagasu interview received criticism

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