Asada says "not changing anything"

[skatingbc]

Browning and Wilson (especially Browning) have said very nice things about Mao in the past so I don't think they dislike Mao or anything, but I get the impression that sometimes they're just in love with their own voices rather than skating! Alright, they disagree with the Mao camp, I get it. Everyone does! But they don't have to go on and on about it with sarcastic lines. While I agree the Rachmaninoff piece isn't best suited to Mao, his comment makes me think that he only appreciates certain types of music and just can't accept different types? On a side note Wilson is so loud you'd think she's better suited to a quiz show host.

At least when Dick Button went over the top I could tell he was just overwhelmed with his love of the sport so it didn't annoy me.

Ok I feel better now

As for Mao's practice at TEB, you'll be the judge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb8dTY4Xr0U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1XLwq6kzog&feature=related

Wow. Have you listened to Kurt a lot? I never get any negative vibes from him, except his comments during Plushenko's skate. Those were so right on though it was crazy. He didn't say it like it was a bad thing, IIRC. I think he questioned the strategy, and then I decided to put it out there on the board. I thought it was a good point though. If something isn't working for me personally, I find it better to put it to the side and come back to it later with fresh eyes, in the case of homework, and in Mao's case, fresh legs. Did you listen to the coverage yourself? They didn't go on and on with sarcastic lines. The comment about the music was just a joke. Lighten up please. This is Kurt we're talking about here! I can't even say how much I think you're off your rocker, but to each his own.

 

[antmanb]

That Mao needs a coach who has already proven that he/she can FIX a skater's faulty technique. Bran hasn't had such a skater yet.

I have to say that i'm definitely one of those people that doesn't understand the "second coming" attitude to Orser as a coach and feel he is largely unproven as a coach since he's not been doing it for that long. He does show a lot of promise and i would say that he's certainly fixed Rippon's axel technique in a very short amount of time, and the imporvement in him compared to how he skated under Morosov is great so i think he's certainly showing potential as a coach capable of fixing technique.

As I mentioned, I'm not a fan of TAT's approach (and I dislike her programs & music choices for Mao this season) - by trying to fix all of Mao's jumps at once she rendered Mao's technique extremely unstable. But, at least, she gave her a solid 3T and and made an effort to fix other jumps, which might prove beneficient in a season or two. If she took things step-by-step, she might have been more successful.

To be honest Mao started getting the 3T down under Arutunian not under TAT. I'm with those who think that Mao needs another coach. TAT is not a technical coach, she's more of a polisher of artistry. On paper it seemed like a great move for Mao because all the people that TAT has done well with have gone to her with strong jumps, good basic technique and needed polishing. But it seems that Mao really needs to drill jump technique with a strong technical coach in order to keep the jumps up. TAT definitely is not a technical and her playing around with Mao's technique has ruined her jumps, and to add insult to injury she's not coming up with good programmes choreographically for her. I just think it's been long enough to conclude that the coaching isn't working and if nothing is going to change then Mao seriously runs the risk of watching the Oly's from home never mind trying to compete for a medal.

Ant

 

[russell30]

I can respect Mao's views to stick with it and train harder. I am glad in a way she got her 2 GP assignments out the way quickly so she can re-group in time for nationals. I do think honestly that its all in the head and she is putting too much pressure on her self. I think the triple axel is good to keep in SP she is so good at that jump, but like others I think she has got time to change the SP, muscality and choreographically. She needs a softer piece of music. AVE MARIA would be good for her and to be in a lovely mauve and white dress. The LP she should keep but the layout of jumps should be changed and I think she should only have one attempt at the triple axel, and maybe put it in as 2nd or 3rd jump so she can adapt and control her nerves.

Another standpoint should the JSF step in and persuade her to change coaches?, maybe but it could affect Mao at this point, a skater has to have time to adapt to a new coaches regime and I think its late in the day for that. I do think however that Mao could do with some help from Yachiko Yamada (M Ito's former coach) in terms of refining the triple axel.

Lets not forget Mao has time to get her self sorted and I am sure when it comes to Nationals we will see the real Mao. If not she may realise its not going to be her year and the necessary coach change will have to take place for the 2010/2011 season. But hey any colour at Vancouver is a dream come true, right:yes:

 

[antmanb]

I have to chime in again to say that she should keep the triple axel in the SP but have it be the solo triple so that if she makes a mistake on it she still has a 3/3 planned after it. It makes more sense to do that. I also think there should be a plan B if she doubles the axel like she did in Russia so that she doesn't then attempt another.

If i were her I'd plan brackets into 3A, 3F/3T and 2A. If she pops the opening axel, then she should still go for the combo but substitute the 2A with a 3Lp (which she can do in her sleep). This would minimise the risk involved in trying the triple axel if it goes wrong and boost her even more if she does land it.

Ant

 

[jaws12345]

Where did she go?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axRoPXIheuI

 

[Bennett]

Mao had a press conference after she came back. She sounded confident and positive. Although saying something and doing it in the comps are two different stories, I am glad about her faith in herself.
I have no time to translate and would appreciate it if someone else could follow up or perhaps check with FSU where someone may be translating.

 

[CARA]

Some thoughts on Mao's coaching situation

I never thought I would come to TAT's rescue, but I must say this.

Given the obvious decline on Mao's performance since she went to TAT, it's easy to blame Mao's coach for her situations. I initially did so, too. After following other posters' comments, I began wondering alternative explanations.

Here's the most obvious explanation. It's not TAT's best interest. Coaching, first & foremost, is business. How lucrative a contract you can get depends on your resume, e.g., stellar performance of your former charges. "Ruining" one of the most talented skaters (Mao) simply is not a good business. I'm not saying that TAT does not care about her charges. I'm sure she does. However, at the end of the day, you've got to be able to make a living!

Also reading other posters give me an insight that Mao is a pretty stubborn person, regardless of whether her decisions might be of her best interest. Several posters informed us that TAT attempted to change Mao's program, etc, but Mao overruled TAT. This tell me the disadvantage of part-time coaching situation as well as the language barrier. You have to be able to have a strong relationship for the charge to be able to trust and accept what her coach has to say.

Finally, TAT had lived through the political, economic, and social turmoil resulting from the decline and fall of the former USSR. It is my educated guess that that kind of trauma fundamentally teaches the survivor the value of self-preservation - one more reason for TAT's vested interest in Mao's success.

Regardless, Mao is 19 year old. It is high time she takes responsibility for her career. Go Mao!

 

[jenaj]

I looked at some of Mao's 3-3s from 2008 and they looked good to me. She needs to include at least one in her short and long program. She can still try the 3A, but as a solo jump, not in combination. She won Worlds in 2008, after all, after missing her 3A. but including the 3-3 (twice). It says a lot about the current state of skating when the top two ladies skaters don't have a full repertoire of triple jumps and have to depend on 2-axel combos or iffy 3-axels to be competitive.

 

[prettykeys]

I never thought I would come to TAT's rescue, but I must say this.

http://maoasada.logu2.com/mao-chat-f5/tatiana-tarasova-s-interview-t528.htm

I at first had some doubts about Tat and blamed her a little too, but there are some things that were beyond her control (including Mao's travelling arrangements between Japan and Russia, and now I've come to learn, it was the JSF's decision to schedule Mao to have back-to-back Grand Prix appearances at TEB and CoR. Mao was almost certainly going to go to Russia, so I believe the JSF chose TEB to have her in a head-to-head with YuNa early into the season.)

I am now glad to learn that not only is Tarasova now considering changing Mao's second 3axel in the LP into a 3-3, but her reasoning for having three 3axels in Mao's programs (SP+LP) is decent: If Mao was landing them in practice, why not give it a shot?.

Also reading other posters give me an insight that Mao is a pretty stubborn person, regardless of whether her decisions might be of her best interest.

I do believe there is a part of Mao that wants to prove to herself and everyone else who is skeptical of her...that she can do what she sets her mind to. It is probably one of the reasons she became such a skilled skater, and a brave competitor who has only now begun to show the strains of pressure and disappointments in the past few weeks. To her credit, she never makes excuses or places blame on situations or other people.

I also have a nagging feeling that Mao wanted to stick with Bells because a) it may have grown on her some (and it has grown a little on myself and others who have watched it); but also because b) she doesn't want to make Tat sad and say "Yeah...I don't like this music; I never liked it, good riddance." I don't believe Mao was fighting Tat's suggestions; she just doesn't want to give up, or insult Tat's choice of music. Those are my guesses.

 

[prettykeys]

I guess the Mao/ Yu-Na comparison is inevitable given they have been the biggest rivals in the past seasons. Anyway I agree with you that Mao has the ability to beat Yu-Na. Right now I see them as:

Mao > Yu-Na
Lines, flexibility, soft knees, more 'raw' and 'authentic' presence, 3 axels when she nails them, spins when she fully rotates them, more intricate step sequence.

Yu-Na > Mao
Stable edges, footworoks into jumps, more 'cath-ey' and 'forward' presence, huge, consistent and correct combos, speed although this season she's slower going into the new 3/3 but doesn't slow down till the end, more efficient step sequence, self awareness, smart supporting team.

As a YuNa fan first, I have no problems giving Mao her dues. Mao is my close second, and she is an exquisite skater with certain qualities/abilities that do surpass YuNa's.

Also, as of late, YuNa may be the lady skater who has been able to show her "joy of skating" the best in competition, but there is no doubt in my mind that Mao has it too, and can show it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9921LChDlBc&feature=related

Cry your heart out, Mao, put these two weeks behind you, and come back reborn.

 

[turtle]

http://maoasada.logu2.com/mao-chat-f5/tatiana-tarasova-s-interview-t528.htm

Thanks for posting that link to TAT's interview. It's interesting to hear what she had to say about Mao's two GP assignments. More interestingly, what she said was in stark contrast to what's written in the Japan Times today. JACK GALLAGHER with the Japan Times wrote, "It appears that Mao's entire season was configured for Tarasova's convenience. Mao was assigned to the first two Grand Prix events, which clearly were done so the 62-year-old coach would only have to travel to France and then be at home in Russia the following week." He shouldn't have included such a strong statement without confirming it.

 

[prettykeys]

Thanks for posting that link to TAT's interview. It's interesting to hear what she had to say about Mao's two GP assignments. More interestingly, what she said was in stark contrast to what's written in the Japan Times today...He shouldn't have included such a strong statement without confirming it.

Yes. I think he was just writing a not-very-well-thought-out-or-researched article pandering to the general anxiousness and doubts that Mao's supporters have of Mao and her coach...many of which do wonder if Mao would be better off with someone else in charge. Gallagher really should have been fairer and explored more options (such as bringing in someone else to help out with Mao without completely displacing Tarasova.)

 

[janetfan]

Thanks for posting that link to TAT's interview. It's interesting to hear what she had to say about Mao's two GP assignments. More interestingly, what she said was in stark contrast to what's written in the Japan Times today. JACK GALLAGHER with the Japan Times wrote, "It appears that Mao's entire season was configured for Tarasova's convenience. Mao was assigned to the first two Grand Prix events, which clearly were done so the 62-year-old coach would only have to travel to France and then be at home in Russia the following week." He shouldn't have included such a strong statement without confirming it.

I remember reading last Spring that Tat wanted Russia and Paris to minimize her traveling. Don't forget this also included a trip for her to the Japan Open right before the start of the season.
I don't know who to believe. I don't know if this reporter checked his facts or if Tat got wind of this article and decided to conveniently place the "blame" for the back to back GP assignments on the JSF.

BTW, I am sure I heard NO complaints from Tat about the GP assignments until AFTER Mao bombed at three straight events to start the season. Counting Worlds and WTT that would make it 4 out of the last 5 events that have not gone very well for Mao.

Whether or not this journalist checked out certain facts or not, his analysis of the rapid and shocking decline in Mao's skating is hard to dispute.

That said I have no idea who is right about who determined Mao's GP assignments.

Tat says certain things in this new interview - but the other day she declared herself only to be Mao's consultant and stated she barely knew Mao, that they are not close at all.

In this new interview she loves Mao again.....and will do anything for her. Sort of inconsistent however you want to view it.

 

[hurrah]

I found the most important revelation in the interview to be:

Frankly speaking, the technical panel that worked during the ladies' short program, in their treatment of Mao has behaved like pigs (a Russian idiom; means that the technical panel behaved without much dignity). There's a point in the rules that recommends to resolve all questionable moments in behalf of an athlete who takes a great risk. The combo with a 3A in the short program falls exactly under such definition. Mao made a bad 3A attempt, opened up in two rotations and landed her jump facing forward. In other words, we can't talk about any two and a half rotations (that were counted by the technical panel) there.

This has set a judging precedent in CoP. Anyone attempting a triple axel who ends up doing anything between two full rotations to three full rotations will, hereafter, be seen as having done a double axel. Correct?

 

[suosuo]

I found the most important revelation in the interview to be:

Frankly speaking, the technical panel that worked during the ladies' short program, in their treatment of Mao has behaved like pigs (a Russian idiom; means that the technical panel behaved without much dignity). There's a point in the rules that recommends to resolve all questionable moments in behalf of an athlete who takes a great risk. The combo with a 3A in the short program falls exactly under such definition. Mao made a bad 3A attempt, opened up in two rotations and landed her jump facing forward. In other words, we can't talk about any two and a half rotations (that were counted by the technical panel) there.

This has set a judging precedent in CoP. Anyone attempting a triple axel who ends up doing anything between two full rotations and, say, two and 3/4 rotations will, hereafter, be seen as having done a double axel. Correct?

Just to point out that this is not from TAT. This is words from the journalist.

 

[yunaddiction]

I don't know what became of Mao's 3x3 or why she is struggling with her jumps.

I do think she is handing Yuna, Joannie, Miki, and a few others a chance for an Olympic medal that we all thought would be hers.
Pride comes before the fall.

Her real problem is that all of her jumps are technically fragile.
As she grown up, the rate of success drop down. It's inevitable.
She need to learn every single jump again from the basic, which I don't think possible 4 months before O/G.
So I think her decision is quite reasonable.

 

[wonbinfan86]

I realllllllllly wish she would change her song selections for BOTH the SP and LP... I think a Princess Mononoke medley would be perfect for the LP!!

 

[kandidy]

I realllllllllly wish she would change her song selections for BOTH the SP and LP... I think a Princess Mononoke medley would be perfect for the LP!!

We have to fire TAT first to make that happen.

 

[skateaug]

Mao has landed the Triple Salchow 4 times. Yu-Na has landed the 3Loop twice.

Wrong.

Mao has landed 3S twice. (2008 NHK & 2008 GPF)

2008 TEB - popped and fell
2008 National - popped

She didn't attempt 3S at 2009 4CC, Worlds and WTT.
And popped one at Japan Open.

 

[kandidy]

Read from Japanese news that TT is not coming to escort Mao at Japan National since it is the same time with Russian National.