Ladies FS

[Joesitz (RIP)]

If Slutskaya "dismissed" the event, so did Cohen. If Cohen just, say, put it in perspective within the season, then so did Slutskaya.

So you could argue that Slutskaya is putting the responsibility on others (judges) for her not winning and Cohen is taking the responsibility on herself.

But even that is a stretch. Really, we only know what they might be thinking from a few sentences. I'm sure they're also thinking lots of other things that didn't get voiced at the press conferences or didn't get passed along by the journalists.

Interesting post, gkelly! One blames outside forces for the bad skate; the other uses the bad skate as a means to improve.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

So you could argue that Slutskaya is putting the responsibility on others (judges) for her not winning and Cohen is taking the responsibility on herself.

But even that is a stretch. Really, we only know what they might be thinking from a few sentences. I'm sure they're also thinking lots of other things that didn't get voiced at the press conferences or didn't get passed along by the journalists.

Judges read the newspapers, too. I wonder how they react to comments by skaters.

I'm sure the judges try to carry out their responsibilities with professional detachment. Still, they are human. Do particular skaters ever rub them the wrong way, to the skaters' later detriment?

MM

 

[mzheng]

Judges read the newspapers, too. I wonder how they react to comments by skaters.

I'm sure the judges try to carry out their responsibilities with professional detachment. Still, they are human. Do particular skaters ever rub them the wrong way, to the skaters' later detriment?

MM

Irina sure diddn't rub them in wrong way. She made almost the same comments (just switch the 5.? to 64) about her 2nd markd after SLC (it was aired).....Seems judges do remember.....Yes judges are human, they don't want to be refered as 'pig's.

 

[rain]

I'm just happy SOMEBODY has now beaten Sluskaya this season....it makes the Olympics so much more interesting, even if Mao's not going, it just somehow makes it seem possible that there will be a fight for that gold medal. I was really despairing earlier in the season.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I doubt Irina will be too pushed too hard at the Olympics. Mao is obviously her biggest competition right now. Michelle and Sasha dont have even close to the technical amunition of Mao. Irina will see this loss as a wake up call and work hard on tuneing up her programs.

 

[R.D.]

I'm just happy SOMEBODY has now beaten Sluskaya this season....it makes the Olympics so much more interesting, even if Mao's not going, it just somehow makes it seem possible that there will be a fight for that gold medal. I was really despairing earlier in the season.

ITA, actually. Irina's been brought back down to Earth, it seems. She IS beatable. That should give some of the other girls hope that all is not lost- at least not yet. Let's see how she does at Russian Nats and Euros first

 

[slutskayafan21]

If Mao was in the Olympics they would have a big battle. She is not and neither Kwan or Cohen will be able to put out close to what Mao has been able to this season so far. hwell:

 

[swannanoa54]

Yeah...
I hope you will never be in such situation

I know you didn't answer me like this, but I will say this. I've been in a situation like that (not with transplants) but a life/death situation and NOTHING would have had me compete anywhere at anytime including threat of being barred from the Olympics or anything else. Sometimes there are more important things than money, competition, etc.

With that said, and since there has been nothing about her mother being in the hospital like the last time, I wish her mother and her family all the best to become healthy.

 

[mzheng]

I'm just happy SOMEBODY has now beaten Sluskaya this season....it makes the Olympics so much more interesting, even if Mao's not going, it just somehow makes it seem possible that there will be a fight for that gold medal. I was really despairing earlier in the season.

Sasha and Irina never meet in the same event this season. Michelle was injured out. So all you can do is cross reference who beat who......So yes, this GPF finally build up the suspences in lady field lead into the Olympics. Since after this there is no more cross pass between Japanese, N/A skaters and Europeans until Olympics......IMO, it is too early to say Sasha, Arakawa, etc. can't come up with technique contents as Irina.

 

[R.D.]

If Mao was in the Olympics they would have a big battle. She is not and neither Kwan or Cohen will be able to put out close to what Mao has been able to this season so far. hwell:

Or...Mao might have cracked under the intense Japanese pressure. The what-ifs for this scenario are rather extensive.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Or...Mao might have cracked under the intense Japanese pressure. The what-ifs for this scenario are rather extensive.

Mao won't crack, Red Dog, much too young for that. It remains that she is at the moment the biggest threat to Irina. Sasha and Shizuka are lucky she will not be in the Olympics.

Joe

 

[yelyoh]

Yeah...
I hope you will never be in such situation

I was responding to your post, which was purely conjecture. And by the way, how do YOU know I haven't been, or am not currently in, "such situation?" You don't. And this isn't about me it's about an athlete who cannot lose gracefully. I would rather admire Irina than make excuses for her.

 

[yelyoh]

Interesting post, gkelly! One blames outside forces for the bad skate; the other uses the bad skate as a means to improve.

Joe

 

[R.D.]

Mao won't crack, Red Dog, much too young for that. It remains that she is at the moment the biggest threat to Irina. Sasha and Shizuka are lucky she will not be in the Olympics.

Joe

I agree with the second and third comments, BTW. ALL the competitors, including Irina, should count their lucky stars IMO. But darn, if there was ONE skater that could beat Irina, it would have been Mao. I probably would have been rooting for her to beat Irina. Oh well.

Maybe some of the other Japanese skaters could do it...Shizuka, perhaps? Or Miki Ando? (The way she's been performing recently, though, it's rather doubtful )

For the Americans: Kwan? She's got too little time to shape up after her injury, and I think she might be the sentimental fav. Kimmie? No way. Ditto for Alissa if she makes the team over Meissner.

All the others are simply headcases- warm one day, cold the next. (Think Kostner, Suguri)

So there's practically NOBODY left. Even after this defeat, I still think Irina's got a very high chance at the OGM. If anything this loss will make her even more hungry for it...

 

[Mathman]

Now I am starting to think that Ando has the best chance of putting something together and mounting a challenge.

 

[bronxgirl]

But BG, I'm not saying to start at an earlier age. I'm saying, OK, you're 15, you're half-way to a hip replacement. Now STOP, ALREADY, before it's too late.

You say you won't stop? Here's a gold medal. NOW will you stop?

But if there is to be a truely lucrative and "competitive" pro circuit, will they stop?


(and by the way, I agree with the sentiments in your quote completely. Too bad too many athletes just keep banging away, whether or not the gold medal was in sight, but the hip damage was already done)

 

[Vash01]

ITA, actually. Irina's been brought back down to Earth, it seems. She IS beatable. That should give some of the other girls hope that all is not lost- at least not yet. Let's see how she does at Russian Nats and Euros first

Irina is beatable by someone that is not eligible to compete in the Olympics!

Vash

 

[antmanb]

Irina is beatable by someone that is not eligible to compete in the Olympics!

Vash

Or perhaps if you're being cynical, the judges gave her lower PCS marks in the GPF on the basis that it was ok for Asada to beat her since she won't be at the Olympics. If someone cries foul at Irina's PCS marks at the Olympics then they can always point to eh GPF where she was marked accurately and say of course we've not been inflating her marks all season.

Ant, ducking and running!

 

[Kwanford Wife]

I haven't seen the competition, but I must say that I always find it extremely amusing how Irina behaves after losing... Say what you will, but you cannot say that the girl doesn't have extreme confidence & belief in herself that she is the true czarin of the ice.

 

[Frau Muller]

And according to MMs statistics, it appears the judges are still trying to hold up Irina in the GOEs and PCS. Those Bielmans, apparently got Irina a higher non jump score. It's too bad that Mao kid can't go to Torino. I would love to stop reading that Lipinsky was the youngest skater to win an Oly.

I agree Frau Muller: MAU IS THE LIVING GREATEST SKATER TODAY.
Joe

Thanks, Joe. And I just saw the Skate Video download of Irina's LP in Tokyo. Irina -- as much as I love her & root for her -- was indeed held up in spins. She had two spins that ended very poorly , each going off-center near the end, tracing circles the width (circumference) of a manhole!!!! Look at the film & see exactly what I mean. Irina had two poorly-executed spins in her LP in Tokyo. Mao's spins were perfectly centered. Irina had the most extraordinary speed and energy, though.