Celebrate! Wagner's Silver Ends Drought

[skylark]

Here it is. https://youtu.be/xlu_6dxUr-I Love it :agree:

OMG!! Thank you so much for posting this. It's incredible .... especially the way you can feel the emotion, the power, and Ashley's authenticity, from that distance. You don't even need to see her face; you catch the emotion from Ashley's movements across the ice. Watching this gave me major chills, and I started tearing up beginning with the 3Loop. That's my favorite part of the program. Her 3Lo is so exquisite, and she's building up to it on the build up of the music, and Nicole Kidman's voice crescendoes ... her singing is all about the emotion, too. A perfect fit with our girl. (One of the BESP guys said last year, "Ashley could almost BE Nicole Kidman, and that's what you want."

I also like this from BBC(link). I think in this BBC version you can hear the real sound from the arena, at least better than in any other clips with commentary.

Ashley

:agree: :luv17:

 

[skylark]

I find it hard to imagine that someone with Ashley's obvious competitive drive, after finally winning a medal at Worlds, would throw in the towel without trying for the 2018 Olympics.

:agree: Also, after such a long process, 3 years really, to improve her technique, be competitive, and overcome her mental ... shall we say "stutters" ... I'd expect her to want to carry on. And I want to see more of her skating, as long as possible!

 

[tinlizzie]

Here it is. https://youtu.be/xlu_6dxUr-I Love it :agree:

I also like this from BBC(link). I think in this BBC version you can hear the real sound from the arena, at least better than in any other clips with commentary.

Ashley

I hope Ashley sees this video so she can really see how many people are rooting for her:luv17:

 

[temadd]

Here it is. https://youtu.be/xlu_6dxUr-I Love it :agree:

I also like this from BBC(link). I think in this BBC version you can hear the real sound from the arena, at least better than in any other clips with commentary.

Ashley

Thank you! That was amazing. I've watched that program more than a hundred times but I never had a feel for where she was on the ice. The ice seems so much bigger than when you see it on tv.

And to see all the seats in the arena full speaks well for figure skating. Let's hope this is the beginning of an upswing.

 

[temadd]

Why are the BBC commentators saying "if this is going to be her last season..."?

She has been saying for 2 years that she wants to stay in it for the next Olympics. She has not said the word retire in any interview I've seen. She did say at the beginning of this season that this was the season that she needed to do something significant (not in those exact words), but never said she would retire if she did not. So I don't know where they got that from.

 

[annzee703]

Sorry to burst your balloon on one of your examples but the year Maria B won Worlds she was competing against a very sick Kwan so there's a faint asterisk beside her name.

Well i know we like a movie of the week of triumph over tragedy but lets not make ashley something she isn't lol. Gutsy skater, amazing confidence and fighting spirit but it is not like she came back from a huge deficit or the amount of negativity like Maria Butyrskaya wo actually won the world title. AShley still has been touted one of two or three Americans to end the drought and she did. She worked hard of course. She has great skating skill especially right now against such young and undeveloped physically ladies or girls. She should be proud of herself just as Gracie should be proud too - so close to a medal and it was not like she spent all her time on her butt. But give to Ash she skated well when it counted against several other good skates.

 

[artsciboy]

Sorry to burst your balloon on one of your examples but the year Maria B won Worlds she was competing against a very sick Kwan so there's a faint asterisk beside her name.

OT but it's not fair to take away from Maria's significant accomplishment by saying that Kwan was "very sick". Frankly, if Kwan was so sick, then she should have pulled out. You can put a "faint asterisk" behind pretty much every winner in a competition. It's rare that you'll find any competition where all of the competitors are completely healthy. I guess we should put a faint asterisk beside Javi's name since Hanyu was injured, Dennis (who beat him in the FS the year before) is not completely healthy, Chan was going through some mental distress because of the ice, etc., etc., etc. Maria won that championship fair and square.

 

[skylark]

I tell you what. Ashley is one smart young lady. I sure hope Gracie sends a her thank you card for having her back by making that comment. Gracie is still my number 1 gal but, BIG UPS to Diva Wagner..............

Your words have been rattling around in my head for days. And Ashley's words, I guess. Finally, I was wondering if anyone has said such supportive and encouraging words about (and indirectly to) their biggest domestic rival for four years. I'm not familiar with many of the great rivals, and I may have forgotten. But Tara / and Michelle? Sasha and Michelle? Even Kristi and Nancy? Johnny Weir and Evan? Well, Evan gave big props to JW at Nationals for how hard it is to defend a title. That's the closest I can come.

Here is the quote again:

But Wagner, who’s been in a four-year rivalry with her, said she would “never, ever count her out.”

“I think that Gracie is very tough on herself, and I can absolutely respect that because I know that she is a perfectionist and she expects herself to be superhuman 24/7,” Wagner said. “She is an athlete that totally deserves to be here…This is probably going to be very something good for her, and she’ll learn from it.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2016/0...ound-the-rink/

 

[skylark]

One thing I noticed while re-watching CBC coverage just now is that Kurt and Carol stayed quiet during the parts of Moulin Rouge that allow Ashley to build emotion and character.

My chills came from the music, and from this wonderful artist on ice, Ashley Wagner. Not only from the ebullience created by landing her jumps and the way the program gains power as a result of her performance, although of course that becomes part of it. But the performance itself.

In case anyone missed this version, here it is again. Kurt's commentary is quite unusual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlreW_RerW4&nohtml5=False#t=5.305532

 

[SarahSynchro]

Here it is. https://youtu.be/xlu_6dxUr-I Love it :agree:

I also like this from BBC(link). I think in this BBC version you can hear the real sound from the arena, at least better than in any other clips with commentary.

Ashley

That is amazing!

I'm jealous of anyone who got to witness Ashley's epic skate first-hand, even if they had nosebleed seats.

 

[Skater Boy]

Sorry to burst your balloon on one of your examples but the year Maria B won Worlds she was competing against a very sick Kwan so there's a faint asterisk beside her name.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Ashley didn't have a whole federation against her and who gave up on her. Your entitled to our imaginary asterik but that imaginary asterik could be put all over the place from bad judging, injury or ill plagued favourites, to wiped out American team due to a plane crash, to a top rated dance team destroyed by infidelity and the list goes on.

 

[karlowens2]

Your words have been rattling around in my head for days. And Ashley's words, I guess. Finally, I was wondering if anyone has said such supportive and encouraging words about (and indirectly to) their biggest domestic rival for four years. I'm not familiar with many of the great rivals, and I may have forgotten. But Tara / and Michelle? Sasha and Michelle? Even Kristi and Nancy? Johnny Weir and Evan? Well, Evan gave big props to JW at Nationals for how hard it is to defend a title. That's the closest I can come.

Here is the quote again:

But Wagner, who’s been in a four-year rivalry with her, said she would “never, ever count her out.”

“I think that Gracie is very tough on herself, and I can absolutely respect that because I know that she is a perfectionist and she expects herself to be superhuman 24/7,” Wagner said. “She is an athlete that totally deserves to be here…This is probably going to be very something good for her, and she’ll learn from it.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2016/0...ound-the-rink/

The medal going to Ashley is a gift to Gracie in a way. All the expectation is going to be focused on Ashley - I can hear it - can she medal again?, was it only a home-court avantage?, etc. Gracie can just do her work. Not carry the burden of the chosen one. A time for Gracie to find her feet again in the sport.

PS - I watched Gracie on this ice-show call-in program. She didn't have the theatrical make-up on. She looked so young. You forget these girls are barely out of their teens. She's not a natural spotlight kind of gal. She needs to own that. Kim wasn't that way either, and she did pretty good. But, I digress...

 

[SarahSynchro]

Sorry to burst your balloon on one of your examples but the year Maria B won Worlds she was competing against a very sick Kwan so there's a faint asterisk beside her name.

Mr. Rice needs to get in here and defend his wife!

 

[Skater Boy]

Wow, ten years but the American ladies are back on the podium. And it was a well skated event = if it was not so well skated Gracie would have been on the podium too and probably Wagner would have gold.

 

[skylark]

The medal going to Ashley is a gift to Gracie in a way. All the expectation is going to be focused on Ashley - I can hear it - can she medal again?, was it only a home-court avantage?, etc. Gracie can just do her work. Not carry the burden of the chosen one. A time for Gracie to find her feet again in the sport.

Theoretically, I agree. And yet ... and yet ... Right after Gracie ended her FS at Worlds, with everyone valiantly applauding but a little deflated, Tara said, "Gracie should be World Champion" and continued with remarks about her technique. I was flummoxed! LOL, but not entirely surprised. Gracie has been the chosen one since before Ashley melted down at 2014 Nationals, and maybe since 2013 nationals (or before, according to folks who've been watching her since she was a junior).

Whenever Gracie falters at a competition, it seems like most of the public remarks keep going back to her corner, mentioning her perfect technique, star quality, consistency in practice and so forth. I can't quite get out of my head the thought that Gracie's looks do partly enter into the perception of her, through absolutely no fault of her own. I agree with you that she's actually not a natural spotlight kind of girl ... but she looks like she should be. When her jumps are on, she rises to that.

If she's smart, she'll use this down time and learn to think of it as a gift, as you say. Not everyone can; Ashley did. :luv17:

 

[skylark]

Wow, ten years but the American ladies are back on the podium. And it was a well skated event = if it was not so well skated Gracie would have been on the podium too and probably Wagner would have gold.

That's one of the things that made Ashley's brilliant skate so thrilling, for her, the audience, and Ashley's faithful fans.

It was a night of beautiful skating, especially the top ten. All the sweeter to win a World Silver medal not because of others' mistakes, but because of what she did.

 

[semosk8tfan]

Add me to the list of those who watch Ashley's worlds programs daily. Her SP makes me smile and her free gives me goosebumps!

 

[Crossover]

There were many good and bad performances at Worlds, but at the end of the day, Ashley just made my day!

She satisfied my expectation with her great showings at Worlds.

 

[skylark]

Since Ashley and Adam are such dear friends, and because both of them, at these Worlds, transcended the sport/winning/medaling thoughts, to skate at another level entirely ... the level where they're only thinking about performing and skating their best, in the moment; I think it's appropriate to celebrate Adam's FS too. The Blackbird segment reaches the level of poetry.

Also, Adam's skate is one where I actually enjoy almost all of Tara and Johnny's comments. :eeking: This one, among others, could be said of Ashley's skate as well. Tara: This is the moment you live for as a skater.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYMR4x75azU

 

[skylark]

There were many good and bad performances at Worlds, but at the end of the day, Ashley just made my day!

She satisfied my expectation with her great showings at Worlds.

Yes! Ashley was the last skater at the last event at Worlds. So thrilling, so awesome, and so appropriate.