Is Katy Taylor ready for prime time?

[MKFSfan]

Katy is also older than Tara was when she competed. Tara wasn't so cutesy cutesy after touring with SOI for a year.

I agree here! I was not much a of a Tara fan during her eligible years (BUT I did respect and admire what she did, even at the time). I saw her a couple of times on SOI and she really matured and became more artistic. It was like, once she stopped concentrating on the jumps, everything else just clicked. Her arm movements got softer and her expression and little gestures showed she was musical. I always wished we could've seen Michelle VS Tara VS Maria/Irina post Nagano. THAT would've been quite a rivalry for many years.

 

[doug_log]

I hate to jinx any skater, or say anything negative, but I will anyway. I really don't think Katy has the goods to compete against the world's best. Her jumps are small. Her extension is subpar. On TV, she looks like she skates with speed. And her spins are nice. But, I don't know...there's nothing flashy about her. She's solid, no doubt. But, when you compare her to the world's best right now (Asada, Kim, Cohen, Ando, Suguri, Nakano, Meissner), she seems to be missing something.

Asada's got jumps and a spark...long legs, arms. Kim is just going to kick butt this season: jumps, line, artistry. Nakano is solid and has got that 3A (and her Short Program last season was fantastic). Suguri is passionate; Ando has nice deep edges and has proven (Cup of Russia SP) that she has the presentation and jumps. And Meissner did the right 3-3s at the right time to launch her to the top of the ranks.

Taylor is too small, too banal, too cute. Is being a solid, consistent jumper enough? Is she even that consistent of a jumper? Of course, I hope she proves me entirely wrong. I would LOVE to see any skater do really well and make an improvement, especially Taylor. Is she ready for prime-time? I really don't think so...

Can you work on extension that much? Can she get a consistent 3-3? She needs some tricks....

 

[Kwanford Wife]

I hate to jinx any skater, or say anything negative, but I will anyway. I really don't think Katy has the goods to compete against the world's best. Her jumps are small. Her extension is subpar. On TV, she looks like she skates with speed. And her spins are nice. But, I don't know...there's nothing flashy about her. She's solid, no doubt. But, when you compare her to the world's best right now (Asada, Kim, Cohen, Ando, Suguri, Nakano, Meissner), she seems to be missing something.

Asada's got jumps and a spark...long legs, arms. Kim is just going to kick butt this season: jumps, line, artistry. Nakano is solid and has got that 3A (and her Short Program last season was fantastic). Suguri is passionate; Ando has nice deep edges and has proven (Cup of Russia SP) that she has the presentation and jumps. And Meissner did the right 3-3s at the right time to launch her to the top of the ranks.

Taylor is too small, too banal, too cute. Is being a solid, consistent jumper enough? Is she even that consistent of a jumper? Of course, I hope she proves me entirely wrong. I would LOVE to see any skater do really well and make an improvement, especially Taylor. Is she ready for prime-time? I really don't think so...

Can you work on extension that much? Can she get a consistent 3-3? She needs some tricks....

Its too soon in the season to write her off... I remember when Sarah Hughes came onto the scene... she was (and still is ...) ripped apart for bad posture, cheated jumps, and just for being boring to watch... its these newbys that hang back & develop while all the flashes get their 15 minutes that end up doing the most damage... I don't think she'll blow the doors off the building yet, but I'd hazard a guess in two years we'll be right here wondering if there is anybody who can beat her...

As long as she's over the pink Hummer thing, I'll be keeping a close eye on her...

 

[chuckm]

I hate to jinx any skater, or say anything negative, but I will anyway. I really don't think Katy has the goods to compete against the world's best. Her jumps are small. Her extension is subpar. On TV, she looks like she skates with speed. And her spins are nice. But, I don't know...there's nothing flashy about her. She's solid, no doubt. But, when you compare her to the world's best right now (Asada, Kim, Cohen, Ando, Suguri, Nakano, Meissner), she seems to be missing something.

Asada's got jumps and a spark...long legs, arms. Kim is just going to kick butt this season: jumps, line, artistry. Nakano is solid and has got that 3A (and her Short Program last season was fantastic). Suguri is passionate; Ando has nice deep edges and has proven (Cup of Russia SP) that she has the presentation and jumps. And Meissner did the right 3-3s at the right time to launch her to the top of the ranks.

Taylor is too small, too banal, too cute. Is being a solid, consistent jumper enough? Is she even that consistent of a jumper? Of course, I hope she proves me entirely wrong. I would LOVE to see any skater do really well and make an improvement, especially Taylor. Is she ready for prime-time? I really don't think so...

Can you work on extension that much? Can she get a consistent 3-3? She needs some tricks....

Katy Taylor has a 3/3, and she also has personality, which is something that Yukari Nakano is sorely lacking. Miki Ando had ONE good event last year, CoR, the rest (including Nationals) were well below what Taylor was doing. Sorry, but based on what they've accomplished up to now, Nakano and Ando cannot be considered "great" skaters, only promising ones (except that Ando has sunk steadily at Worlds since her Senior Worlds debut in 2004). Since Katy has yet to appear in regular Senior competition (other than her 4CC gold medal), how about cutting her some slack before you relegate her to the dustbin? I've been cutting Ando slack for some 3 years now and I am beginning to run out of patience.

 

[doug_log]

Its too soon in the season to write her off... I remember when Sarah Hughes came onto the scene... she was (and still is ...) ripped apart for bad posture, cheated jumps, and just for being boring to watch... its these newbys that hang back & develop while all the flashes get their 15 minutes that end up doing the most damage... I don't think she'll blow the doors off the building yet, but I'd hazard a guess in two years we'll be right here wondering if there is anybody who can beat her...

As long as she's over the pink Hummer thing, I'll be keeping a close eye on her...

I good points, Kwanford Wife. I guess I should have mentioned that there IS something I really like about Taylor. She is very charming. But I really like your comparison to Hughes and the chances for her development. Fingers crossed!

 

[hockeyfan228]

I think Taylor has a good shot to place highly at US Nats and a very good shot to make the World team if Cohen doesn't skate. Her skating hasn't done much for me so far, partly because her interpretation doesn't quite breathe yet, but she's very accomplished, and I fear that Liang will continue to show more promise than results. And she's using a beautiful piece of music for her long program, set to Tchaikovsky's Theme and Variations. If her choregrapher goes past the obvious quick variations and uses the slow music, she may get to the next step.

 

[dancindiva03]

Taylor is too small, too banal, too cute. Is being a solid, consistent jumper enough?

Consistant jumps are exactly what got Kimmie Meissner to the top of the World podium. If she and Sasha had landed the same jumps, no doubt the judges would have put Sasha ahead (not saying that I AGREE with that, but it would have happened). Tara Lipinski, too. If, instead of her 3loop-3-loop and her 3flip-.5 loop-3 salchow, she had done exactly the same jump layout as Michelle, I'm sure the judges would have put Michelle on top. IIRC Katy does have a 3-3, and also has jumps late in her programs, including her last-minute lutz. She has made improvements in presentation each year, and I think she will continue working on that. I think that with solid jump technique, it won't matter if she's not Sasha Cohen presentation-wise.

 

[Bowers]

I wish Katy the best! She's cute, appealing, bubbly, energetic. But.....her jumps are inconsistent, and sometimes her programs seem frantic and stiff. That's what I observed at Nationals....after Dick Button pointed it out following her SP. Even so, at present I see possibilities--and a jump or so short of probabilities

 

[Tonichelle]

Dick Button is but one opinion... he doesn't always get it right

I thought Katy was so much fun to watch in STL... and the crowd seemed to love her... I can't wait to see her this season!

 

[Eeyora]

Just as long as we don't have to hear the Hummer piece again!

 

[antmanb]

Tara Lipinski, too. If, instead of her 3loop-3-loop and her 3flip-.5 loop-3 salchow, she had done exactly the same jump layout as Michelle,

I don't think Tara ever did (at least in competition) a 3Flip/half loop/3 salchow, it was a 3 Toe/half loop/3 Salchow she did in her Olympic program.

Ant

 

[Bowers]

I. Is being a solid, consistent jumper enough? Is she even that consistent of a jumper? .

No, not since I started following her career with 2004 Junior World's. I believe she fell once in the LP and still won bronze. I think she has fallen in her SP or LP in each competition that I have seen her skate in since that time. As a guest performer in recent COI in Dallas, she attempted two triples--falling on the first and the other was iffy! Although there are similarities between her and Tara, she has a ways to go to reach Tara's skills. Even so, she is a fun skater to watch.

 

[dancindiva03]

I don't think Tara ever did (at least in competition) a 3Flip/half loop/3 salchow, it was a 3 Toe/half loop/3 Salchow she did in her Olympic program.

Ant

yeah, thats the one i'm talking about. its been so long since i've seen it, i couldn't remember what the first jump was. but you get my point, it was a 3-3 sequence right at the end of her program.

 

[bettyj]

Katy reminds me of Tara too. Not only in look, but because she is bubbly. I would love to see Katy do well. I am already a fan of her's.

 

[Mathman]

Hi Bettyj, thanks for joining in. Welcome to the forum.

Mathman