Emily has really grown on me this year. She does struggle with her consistency, although taking things out at Nationals and 4CC seemed to help, but she comes off as if she really enjoys what she is doing, and I like watching performers like that. I like her beillmann, and big, powerful skating style. She's not the pretty, tiny, baby ballerinas like some are, nor is she the jumping powerhouse that Mao, Miki, Kimmie are. She has her own kind of style!
Of all the US Senior Ladies at Nationals, I find Alissa and Bebe most interesting, but the two have serious jumping consistencies that on any given day, Emily can leapfrog over them. Kimmie is her real challenge (in the US), since she is a proven competitor who can keep her nerves in check and land her 3/3s. Nationals showed anything is possible, and Emily missed out on the title by less than a point.
That said, I still expect to see her in the top 10, even vying for a final flight spot if she is on and others are not for the SP. I would be (pleasantly) surprised if she lands in the top 6 overall. (I predict Mao, Yu-Na, Miki, Kimmie, Carolina for top 5 and either Emily/Joannie/Sarah to get that 6th spot.)
That said-something gets loss over the TV, IMO. In person, Emily is much more impressive. She's fast, and uses the whole rink, gets the audience into her programs, looks confident and her skating doesn't look "heavy" (NOT my word, I noticed many critics across the boards like to use this with her.) She does have a more "TA-DA!" energetic style, which I normally don't gravitate towards, but it works for her (as it did for Tara way back when).
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