How much should U.S. Nationals count for World team selection?

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Too many "mights and might haves" in this thread and the ever popular "IFS" and "WHAT IFs". It gets one bleary-eyed.

 

[Layfan]

Too many "mights and might haves" in this thread and the ever popular "IFS" and "WHAT IFs". It gets one bleary-eyed.

It's our way of debating and working out the question raised by this thread. You've asked plenty of IFs on this thread, Joesitz

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

It's our way of debating and working out the question raised by this thread. You've asked plenty of IFs on this thread, Joesitz

How could I help it to get my point across. :sheesh:

by the way my original point somewhere back there is that selecting a Team takes more than a result of one shot competition. It takes a review of many factors to come up with a strong Team.

 

[Layfan]

^ Yeah, I saw that. I thought he was a little 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 wasn't 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.

 

[Layfan]

oops. I was responding to Janefan's link to a Phil Hersh column. Did it get moved to another thread or something?

 

[Mathman]

I look at it this way.

Michelle Kwan was sent to Wolrds 13 straight times. Each and every one of those times she earned it by placing first or second at Nationals.

Sasha Cohen was sent to Worlds five straight times. Each and every time she earned it by placing first, second or third at Nationals.

Sarah Huhges was sent to Worlds four times (five straight, counting the Olympics). Every time she earned her way by placement at Nationals.

Our current crop of contenders has done well, but come on. Has any of them so outshone the galaxy that she deserves special treatment at this point?

 

[silverlake22]

I look at it this way.

Michelle Kwan was sent to Wolrds 13 straight times. Each and every one of those times she earned it by placing first or second at Nationals.

Sasha Cohen was sent to Worlds five straight times. Each and every time she earned it by placing first, second or third at Nationals.

Sarah Huhges was sent to Worlds four times (five straight, counting the Olympics). Every time she earned her way by placement at Nationals.

Our current crop of contenders has done well, but come on. Has any of them so outshone the galaxy that she deserves special treatment at this point?

Excellent point, Mathman. And as to your question, I believe the answer is no, especially because the arguably 2 best female skaters in the US right now (Nagasu and Czisny) at very much at the mercy of the technical caller regarding URs and edge calls which could make or break them.

 

[gkelly]

Sarah Huhges was sent to Worlds four times (five straight, counting the Olympics). Every time she earned her way by placement at Nationals.

Yes. Although the first time it was by placing 4th in her first year of junior age eligibility and having a junior world medal to get an exception to the senior age rules when the national silver medalist, who was 2 months younger, was not old enough to have competed as a junior that year.

Still, it wasn't because anyone thought she had more potential or a better record than someone who placed ahead of her. It's just that someone who placed ahead of her wasn't eligible and Hughes was next in line.

 

[samba]

Excellent point, Mathman. And as to your question, I believe the answer is no, especially because the arguably 2 best female skaters in the US right now (Nagasu and Czisny) at very much at the mercy of the technical caller regarding URs and edge calls which could make or break them.

At Nationals, the scores were pretty much pre-judged by the international results, IMO. The tech.caller can do whatever he/she wants and the judges can give PCS as high as posible to medal the skaters that they want to send to Worlds. My guess is it's very likely that Alissa and Mirai will do well at Nationals if they skate OK, even not their best, they will still make it.

 

[janetfan]

At Nationals, the scores were pretty much pre-judged by the international results, IMO. The tech.caller can do whatever he/she wants and the judges can give PCS as high as posible to medal the skaters that they want to send to Worlds. My guess is it's very likely that Alissa and Mirai will do well at Nationals if they skate OK, even not their best, they will still make it.

Who says the committee is not doing it's job