Grand Prix finals: “major championship” or “who cares?”

[janetfan]

She DID? Wheeeee! I was just going to check. I can safely say that it couldn't happen to a nicer person, and it's not too shabby an outcome for Sato/Dunjen, either. Glory be! Tremendous.

Getting ready to watch the medal ceremony. Can't wait to see Alissa presented with the Gold medal.
Caro was second and Kanako third.

 

[Nadine]

Wow, it's on now!?! I thought they did that hours ago. But I'm thrilled that an American woman has finally won something of significance on the international scene!

Now it's time to win the big ones ~ Worlds ~ and then regain our place on the podium at the next Olympics. Mirai almost did it, but failed, soooo close but yet so far away. Though I don't begrudge Joannie Rochette, losing her mother & all, I'm glad she won the bronze.

 

[fairly4]

for me it is still no, however for skaters who win or medal it is a major confidence booster. It says you can do it. However. i notice it does help at worlds and olympics, i think as time goes on it might be important but as of now for me it is still nationals worlds , olympics
for me gpfinal events tells me more how the skaters get ready for events and how much they "fight" for it. it tells me of the readiness for the season and how far along they are and do they improve for nationals and worlds or do the go back in skating standard.

 

[TtonyV7]

Let's not forget that the GPF is chance for our skaters to earn some more money.

We all know the cash prizes in Figure Skating isn't all that glamorous...

GPF has always been considered as an important pre-world event as it helps build suspense leading to worlds:

2 Examples:

Irina Slutskaya over Kwan in 2000 GPF.
- It confirmed that Slutskaya was back to her A-Game. It made worlds so much more interesting, as all eyes were on those two.

Malinina over Butyrskaya/Sokolova at 1999 GPF.
- It not only sealed the deal with Sokolova making the World Team, but established that Malinina was now a true contender at worlds, along with Butyrskaya and Kwan.

 

[brightphoton]

I must say, I am shocked that Alissa actually won the GPF. I guess being out of university gives her more time to practice and get better at skating.

 

[R.D.]

I must say, I am shocked that Alissa actually won the GPF. I guess being out of university gives her more time to practice and get better at skating.

don't forget her coaching change, which must have been beneficial to her as well.

 

[bigsisjiejie]

^^I think this is the single most critical factor. If Yuka and Jason can get Alyssa and Jeremy Abbott into some sort of consistent competitive mindset that gets them on podiums, I'll be "Wow!" Who knows, maybe Yuka/Jason will become the Go-To coaches for curing Terminal Headcase Skaters. Great marketing shtick, if it works, they wouldn't lack for students.

 

[PolymerBob]

I have always thought the GPF was a major competition. It is really the only competition where you have to be really good to skate in. Worlds, Olympics, 4CC and Europeans can all have mediocre skaters. But you have to be good to get to the GPF.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

^^I think this is the single most critical factor. If Yuka and Jason can get Alyssa and Jeremy Abbott into some sort of consistent competitive mindset that gets them on podiums, I'll be "Wow!" Who knows, maybe Yuka/Jason will become the Go-To coaches for curing Terminal Headcase Skaters. Great marketing shtick, if it works, they wouldn't lack for students.

It may be a factor to be considered by the Management Committee. Why not?

 

[R.D.]

I have always thought the GPF was a major competition. It is really the only competition where you have to be really good to skate in. Worlds, Olympics, 4CC and Europeans can all have mediocre skaters. But you have to be good to get to the GPF.

It also takes a bit of luck, depending on your draw. Those with "easier" events have an easier path than those with "harder" ones.

 

[janetfan]

Hersh on the GPF and the US Ladies results:



http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/sports_globetrotting/

 

[R.D.]

Hersh is basically saying Flatt should give it up. I say wait until US Nats first. She will face pressure of defending her title, although maybe it's been lowered somewhat by this showing, and transferred over to Czisny, who comes in on a hot streak.

Other than that part, though, I agree with him.

 

[Nadine]

Lol, he sounds exactly like you, janetfan. I think you're Phil Hersh in disguise. And even though Joesitz's says he's not, I think he's Dick Button (he always had that Dick Button avatar until this past year).

Of course actual skaters, coaches (except one), and people in the actual skating community will post under aliases, never revealing who they truly are.

Jmho, of course.

 

[Mathman]

Of course actual skaters... will post under aliases, never revealing who they truly are.

I am Brian Boitano.

 

[Nadine]

p.s. regards the article, just more b.s. from Mr. L (lol if only he knew what I meant by that, he'll never guess, no profanity or anything like that), whose job it is to create controversy in order to sell his paper, otherwise he would be out of a job.

I can't help but remember his picking on Jennifer Kirk (a young woman half his age or more) last season because of a remark she made about Sasha, oh my. And he never apologized. That says more about him than anything else, so whatever he says I take with a grain of salt. He's like Howard Stern in every way possible.


Now back to your regularly scheduled skating forum.

 

[janetfan]

Lol, he sounds exactly like you, janetfan. I think you're Phil Hersh in disguise. And even though Joesitz's says he's not, I think he's Dick Button (he always had that Dick Button avatar until this past year).

Of course actual skaters, coaches (except one), and people in the actual skating community will post under aliases, never revealing who they truly are.

Jmho, of course.

I think Hersh is too harsh.

If I sound that bad/negative then it gives me something to think about.

I agree with a few of the things Hersh says but I never suggested Rachael give up.

To the contrary, I expect her to come out on fire at Natls.

I don't like the thought of any skater leaving on a low note.
Caro thought about retiring and Alissa reconsidered her career and made some changes and look at them now!

I think Rachael will do no worse than third at Natls - and would not be surprised in the least if she places higher.

She seemed OK at NHK and skated well at SA - but this injury seems to really have effected her.

Hope she recovers with enough time to be fully prepared for Natls.

 

[Nadine]

Lol, Mathman, I don't know who you are, I haven't figured it out yet, but I will.

 

[Layfan]

Gah - I had to cut and paste this from another thread .. anyway. For what it's worth:

I thought he was a over the top about Rachael - and too dismissive of her injury as the reason for her struggles at GPF. Maybe she should have dropped out - but that's a different story.

Silverlake brought up good point that Mirai also had an abysmal FS score _ nearly as bad as Rachael's at GPF _ the first time she skated this season following her injury. But that doesn't mean that was typical of Mirai and Rachael's showing of GPF wasn't typical of her.

Also, I liked his assessment of Alissa. But his point that Alissa might have already done more than Sasha ever did is silly. I suppose he means putting to clean programs together. But Sasha - contrary to popular belief _ had several competitions where she didn't fall in either the SP or the FS and only had minor mistakes. Getting into a discussion about whether Alissa's minor mistakes at the GPF were less minor than mistakes Sasha might have made at some completely different competition back in the day is dumb.

But I found this sentence amusing:

Czisny was almost classic Czisny, and the almost is the good part.

I know exactly what he means and it's funny.

And I like this description of Alissa's program:

Her understated elegance was perfectly in tune with the melodic lyricism of the music, George Winston's ``Winter into Spring.'' Her spins were stunning. And her jumps, while not the equal of Ando's or Murakami's, were solid enough.

Some other poster in the GPF thread wrote something about how she/he didn't like Alissa's programs because they aren't about a theme and they're "only" about her grace and elegance. Fair enough if the programs don't do i for you but that is exactly what I like about her programs - it's all about showing off Alissa.

 

[seniorita]

I read Hersh's bio before writing this post not to say something stupid in case he was a grand skater like Dick Button or something and because I m thinking of it since last season that i read a tone of his articles here, and I guess his newspaper is very big name cause wiki has a mile of a page for it (that I didnt read all). I just wanted to say that since he is a sport journalist not just for figure skating and in his articles he sounds as much personal in his comments as any fs blogger and less informative and neutral as a journalist, why people think so much about his opinions?
I prefer reading Tony Wheeler blogs who sounds more unbiased and more informative for actual things I dont know, not for things I m told to like or not.

 

[dorispulaski]

Lol, Mathman, I don't know who you are, I haven't figured it out yet, but I will.

Clearly, I should never have started posting under my own name...I too could be a mysterious person., but I have missed my chance ..