2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating

[Bluediamonds09]

I haven't seen one but, if there was a thread, this is how my prediction list would look. Bradie and.....

LOL

But, idk why people are saying that Bradie is a sure bet for the Team. I’m worried she’ll break under the enormous pressure she’s gotten in just the last month. I mean, at 2017 nationals / junior worlds no one was saying bradie was the next big thing. Then over the summer she gets a buzz about her, deservedly so. And now she’s a shoo-in.

 

[R.D.]

I would LOVE to see her come back for charity shows!

Never was a "Kwaniac" but I'll second that - never seen her skate live before...would be beyond awesome if she had an appearance at a local/regional show that I could make it to...

To have seen skaters like Yamaguchi, Cohen, Kerrigan, Gordeeva, Boitano and the lot, but not Kwan =

 

[R.D.]

LOL

But, idk why people are saying that Bradie is a sure bet for the Team. I’m worried she’ll break under the enormous pressure she’s gotten in just the last month. I mean, at 2017 nationals / junior worlds no one was saying bradie was the next big thing. Then over the summer she gets a buzz about her, deservedly so. And now she’s a shoo-in.

A good and valid point - she's already shown what she is capable of indeed, which automatically has the consequence of rising expectations. That said, I'm not sure the bulk of the pressure will be on her at this particular event.

I'll repeat: NO ONE is a lock or sure bet.

 

[Mathman]

I would LOVE to see her come back for charity shows!

In the last month she has posted Instagrams of her doing a double Salchow, a double Axel, a 2T+2T combination, and now an inside-outside spiral. Maybe she's got something in the works with Yuna Kim in connection with the PyEongChang celebrations.

Edit: Also a Charlotte and a falling leaf.

 

[schizoanalyst]

In the last month she has posted Instagrams of her doing a double Salchow, a double Axel, a 2T+2T combination, and now an inside-outside spiral. Maybe she's got something in the works with Yuna Kim in connection with the PyEongChang celebrations.

Yuna is clearly *over* skating, but it would be just magical to see both of them come back!

If Michelle Kwan would upgrade the 2T+2T into 3T+2T and 2S into 3S, we should let her skate team event short. She'd probably place higher than anyone else we could send at the rate things are going in the US! I'm not even sure if I'm completely kidding about this either

 

[AshWagsFan]

Just to put things into perspective:
A Russian girl who doesn't have more than a slim chance at the European team and was a host pick for a GP (Valeriia Mikhailova) has a higher SB than Ashley Wagner, Karen Chen, Courtney Hicks, Angela Wang, Caroline Zhang, etc.
I hope our ladies really step things up at Nationals...

I agree, the US ladies all have a lot of potential, they can do it in practice, now they HAVE to put it together in competition cuz none of them r getting the scores they need (or anywhere close to it)

 

[noskates]

Having seen Michelle 'live' numerous times I can tell you it was magical. There was something about her when she took the ice that just commanded all your attention. By her own admission she hasn't skated in 7 years and to do an inside/outside spiral with that much grace is amazing.

 

[skatinggold]

IS michelle kwan going to Nationals??? I think she could win the championship..... With Kostner getting outrages PCS , i think Michelle has a shot at a Olympic medal if she wanted to compete.

 

[MarinHondas]

IS michelle kwan going to Nationals??? I think she could win the championship..... With Kostner getting outrages PCS , i think Michelle has a shot at a Olympic medal if she wanted to compete.

No. People are only joking about putting Michelle on the team. Michelle is only skating again for fun.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

But, idk why people are saying that Bradie is a sure bet for the Team. I’m worried she’ll break under the enormous pressure she’s gotten in just the last month. I mean, at 2017 nationals / junior worlds no one was saying bradie was the next big thing. Then over the summer she gets a buzz about her, deservedly so. And now she’s a shoo-in.

I don't think she's a shoo-in by any means. I think she is most likely of the women to make the team, mostly because the veterans have been so bad this year. She may not skate clean at Nationals, but at least she has skated clean this season; no one else has.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Maybe she's got something in the works with Yuna Kim in connection with the PyEongChang celebrations.

Are they still friendly? I'm not sure if Michelle has participated in any shows in South Korea after Sochi.

 

[mrrice]

I don't think she's a shoo-in by any means. I think she is most likely of the women to make the team, mostly because the veterans have been so bad this year. She may not skate clean at Nationals, but at least she has skated clean this season; no one else has.

100% True!!!! Believe me, I would love to have more skaters on my list. Especially Angela Wang and Polina Edmonds but, I just don't trust any of our Ladies to handle the pressure. I feel terrible saying that but, that's really how I feel right now. Being from Central, Ca. I want Polina to make the team in every way, shape, and form. With Rudy on her team I know the crowd will be cheering for her, including me. Not since 2008 have I been this worried for our Ladies.....

 

[TontoK]

100% True!!!! Believe me, I would love to have more skaters on my list. Especially Angela Wang and Polina Edmonds but, I just don't trust any of our Ladies to handle the pressure. I feel terrible saying that but, that's really how I feel right now. Being from Central, Ca. I want Polina to make the team in every way, shape, and form. With Rudy on her team I know the crowd will be cheering for her, including me. Not since 2008 have I been this worried for our Ladies.....

After watching the US ladies favorites underwhelm throughout the season...

Watching Bradie break out at Skate America was sort of like hearing Yoda say, "No, there is another."

And, yeah, I hope she holds up under the pressure, but I'll say this for her: She skated those performances at SkAm like they were no big deal. She didn't SEEM like a snowflake that would melt. So fingers crossed.

 

[mrrice]

After watching the US ladies favorites underwhelm throughout the season...

Watching Bradie break out at Skate America was sort of like hearing Yoda say, "No, there is another."

And, yeah, I hope she holds up under the pressure, but I'll say this for her: She skated those performances at SkAm like they were no big deal. She didn't SEEM like a snowflake that would melt. So fingers crossed.

This is a Perfect comment...IMO, of course. :agree:

 

[chuckm]

The pressure was pretty intense at SA, where Bradie was making her GP debut, and she handled it extremely well. She isn't new to US Nationals, and she outskated two former US Champs at SA. She has less pressure on her than Wagner, Chen and Nagasu have.

 

[TontoK]

This is a Perfect comment...IMO, of course. :agree:

Just for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oasqjPHpxyI

 

[mrrice]

Just for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oasqjPHpxyI

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tosca]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Figure skating and star wars references. This thread has evolved into a greater being.

 

[klutzy]

LOL

But, idk why people are saying that Bradie is a sure bet for the Team. I’m worried she’ll break under the enormous pressure she’s gotten in just the last month. I mean, at 2017 nationals / junior worlds no one was saying bradie was the next big thing. Then over the summer she gets a buzz about her, deservedly so. And now she’s a shoo-in.

Has anyone said that? I said she's the surest best *unless* she implodes. And I stand by that--her fate is in her hands because she has been able to deliver technically difficult programs cleanly at her competitions. She's the only American Lady who's done that this season.

If she skates the way she did at Skate America, who's going to knock her off the team? Who else has seven cleanly rotated triples?

So she could fall apart, but she's not going to be outskated unless Gracie Gold suddenly appears, old skills intact or emergency citizenship is suddenly granted to one of the Eteri girls.

 

[mrrice]

Has anyone said that? I said she's the surest best *unless* she implodes. And I stand by that--her fate is in her hands because she has been able to deliver technically difficult programs cleanly at her competitions. She's the only American Lady who's done that this season.

If she skates the way she did at Skate America, who's going to knock her off the team? Who else has seven cleanly rotated triples?

So she could fall apart, but she's not going to be outskated unless Gracie Gold suddenly appears, old skills intact or emergency citizenship is suddenly granted to one of the Eteri girls.

Completely true.....I like Mariah Bell as a skater but, I really don't like her long program this year. I was hoping she'd keep EOE and get a new SP but she went the other way. For Ashley, who knows what La La Land will look like and Karen just lost to Bradie at Skate America. Mirai is the wildcard here. If she skates well and lands that big 3 Axel, she'll more than likely make the team but, just like Karen, she hasn't had a spectacular season.