All About Alissa

[Kasey]

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Now from all the American ladies, the only one, that can land triple- triple combination and has a very nice triple lutz, is Kimmie. So, as far as jumps, she has the edge.
Michelle lands her jumps, but last year she did not have a triple loop.
.

Alissa landed a 3 lutz- 3 toe at skate America I believe, and tried a 3-3 combo (I think flip-toe) in the GALA at Skate Canada. So much for Kimmie's edge with jumps.

Michelle hasn't had a 3 loop for more than just last year.

I truly hope we are going to see a wonderful emergence of a great talent this year....one that CAN threaten even Slutskaya, Kwan, Cohen, Arakawa, etc.

 

[georgia]

Alissa landed a 3 lutz- 3 toe at skate America I believe, and tried a 3-3 combo (I think flip-toe) in the GALA at Skate Canada. So much for Kimmie's edge with jumps.

Michelle hasn't had a 3 loop for more than just last year.

I truly hope we are going to see a wonderful emergence of a great talent this year....one that CAN threaten even Slutskaya, Kwan, Cohen, Arakawa, etc

I know that Alissa tried the 3lutz- 3toe at skate America, but her second triple was not complete.
Also Michelle and Sasha have them on and off.
Kimmie's are more there than the others. Keep on mind that i am not a Kimmie fan. I am an Sasha-Alissa fan.

 

[Mathman]

Alissa was just named U.S. Olympic athlete of the month by the USOC.

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=31864&type=news

 

[orchid]

Alissa was just named U.S. Olympic athlete of the momth by the USOC.

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=31864&type=news

Rightfully so!

 

[kyla2]

A Matter of Opinion

I don't agree that Irina beat Michelle at the last Olympics. Irina did not have a better skate than Michelle. There are many who agree with me on that point. But the judges placed Irina ahead of Michelle, which allowed Sarah to win. I believe they did this to prevent a public outcry because Sarah had a great LP, and the general public might not understand why she didn't win. That was rubbish. They changed the rules of the game mid-stream to please an uniformed public, and Michelle lost the OGM because of it. Nothing like this had ever happened in figure skating before at the Olympics. If the SP doesn't count for something why have it? Irina DID NOT have a better skate than Michelle, but to give the OGM to Sarah, they had to place her that way.

 

[Mathman]

...There are many who agree with me on that point.

Well, four of the judges agreed with you and five (including the U.S. judge) went the other way. I liked Michelle's skate better, but nobody asked me, LOL.

I don't think, however, that there is anything to this particular conspiracy theory. Even the most casual fan can easily understand the idea that even though Sarah skated great in the free skate, Michelle could win overall because she was so far ahead of Sarah after the "first third" of the competition.

Irina was sluggish and uninspiring, while Michelle made a couple of glaring errors. It could have gone either way between them, IMHO.

Mathman

 

[Mathman]

And speaking of Alissa...

One of the criticisms of the CoP is that it rewards spins and step sequences for their difficulty alone, without taking into consideration whether the changes of position, etc., really contribute anything of artistic value to the program.

Although Alissa does not yet have the fluid grace that some of the older athletes display, still I think that on this score Alissa is the exception. I think her spin and spiral variatons really add a lot to the choreography and musical interpretation.

It also helps that she is skating to great music this year, IMHO.

Mathman

 

[brad640]

FYI, TWO new journal entries dated Nov. 2nd & 3rd (as if she hasn't been busy enough, LOL!) have been added to Alissa's official site at:
http://www.figureskatersonline.com/alissaczisny/

Alissa really is the nicest person. Her journals are so positive and unassuming. I don't think there is any surprise to see her doing well because Dick Button picked her as a future OGM when she finished 4th at Skate America in 04. She has always been lovely on the ice but similar to the zamboni in her consistency, so it was only a matter of getting her jumps. Thank you hinged boot.

After watching her Skate Canada performances again, I think her programs lack emotional depth because she does not finish off her moves or use her upper body expressively. At times she appeareed to have trained at the Yoshie Onda school of lumbering across the ice with arms at her sides. Her program is so full that there is not much time for interpretation, but I think she will be held back in comparison to Irina and Sasha for that reason.

Also, Julianne Berlin is looking like the new Robin Wagner with her surrogate mother antics with Alissa. I'm glad because it has been boring in K&C since Robin left the scene. I hope Alissa goes to Turin just to see the coaching drama.

 

[CDMM1991]

Those are great journal entries! They really give you a sense of this girl's schedule thanks to the withdrawls of Sasha and Michelle. She almost should keep a suitcase packed and ready to go! I love her journals because they are honest and genuine, while not being whiny, negative, or an "ice princess's" journal. I definitely suggest giving them a look ... It's a great read!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

After watching her Skate Canada performances again, I think her programs lack emotional depth because she does not finish off her moves or use her upper body expressively.
.

Pray tell me, which teenage Ladies or for that matter any cloistered figure skater as having emotional depth? And they write autobiographies as if something happened in their lives besides skating. duh.

brad - they are kids. Let them fake it.

Joe

 

[orchid]

Pray tell me, which teenage Ladies or for that matter any cloistered figure skater as having emotional depth? And they write autobiographies as if something happened in their lives besides skating. duh.

brad - they are kids. Let them fake it.

Joe

cloistered: ??? How are figure skaters cloistered? ( def: hidden from the world)

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

You got it, Orchid. they don't know life because they are not really a part of it. How can any teenager or young twenties have any depth in their skating except recalling how they felt when they were beaten. Then again they could recall the struggle for a triple lutz

Jenny K and Angela Nikidinov could be exceptions.

Joe

 

[R.D.]

I'm looking at the comment(s) made above and I totally disagree. I just don't get it.

I think it depends on the skater. Sure, a skater needs time to mature, and that (usually) comes with age. But how about all those older skaters that DON'T have the depth that some of the younger skaters do? It's a matter of talent. Some have more of it than others, and some have it in different areas. No reason to knock down a skater, IMO.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Good point, RD - Many older skaters have had such a charmed life that they are walking around immaturely.

Joe

 

[RealtorGal]

Lovey web site, awesome photos. She is a gem. I hope she skates GREAT at Nationals. Hopefully her confidence will have been boosted by her early successes this year.

I don't know if I would call this girl sheltered/cloistered exactly, any more so than any other 18 year old. She's on the world stage and probably subject to more criticism than most people her age. She's a full-time college student (i.e. not just taking a class here and there), that's a whole minefield on its own.