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- Sep 7, 2023
European gold and an Olympic medal after a decade out of competition isn't doing too well?!
I know they'd have wanted Olympic gold, but come on..
Maia And Alex Shibutani announce return to competitive skating
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I know they'd have wanted Olympic gold, but come on..
I'd also add in the rule changes that have happened in the last seven years. The other teams have those years of competing under evolving rules that they don't.
I think USFS would be monitoring to them ahead of the announcement today. If they want to go to the Olympics, they'll need to be ready for the GP to build their body of work. How successful they'll be, I'm interested in seeing that.
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- Jul 28, 2003
I'm also excited by this news, as I am a big fan of Maia and Alex. That stated, I don't anticipate any gifts by the skating world or the US. Far from it. They'll have to train harder than ever to be ready and I assume they will be. They know their programs have to abide by the rules, I'm sure they've kept up with what is "In" now. But the Shibs have been underestimated many times in the past, and they have achieved a lot. I like all of the American teams and all of them will have to up their game now,from C/B C/P, Gr/Pa and every other team. I expect and hope that the Shib sibs will have the best twizzles ever and be rewarded for that. They're back in the competitive world and will have another shot at an Olympics, everything else is sunshine, flowers and gravy!
I just saw this on the internet and ran over here. So unexpected. I enjoyed them a lot but I felt like they retired at the right time.
I hope they’re bringing something new. No more Coldplay please. I would love it if they bring some depth to their performances since everyone can twizzle now.
I hope the teams vying for spots don’t get discouraged and I hope everyone is judged fairly (wishful thinking on that last part).
PS If this adds drama and intrigue and I’m all for it
I hope they’re bringing something new. No more Coldplay please. I would love it if they bring some depth to their performances since everyone can twizzle now.
I hope the teams vying for spots don’t get discouraged and I hope everyone is judged fairly (wishful thinking on that last part).
PS If this adds drama and intrigue and I’m all for it
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
Wow! I was a big fan back in the day. Followed the Shibs since they were Juniors. 7 years is long time to be away from the competitive ice. That said wishing them luck and Welcome Back!
I just have one word about this. Why? I just have problems with teams or skaters who come back just for the Olympic season at least V/M came back the year before and put in the work. It just feels sneaky trying to compete as little as possible to steal an Olympic spot from teams that have been competing for the whole Olympic cycle.
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- Jan 23, 2004
^^No Olympic Spots are being stolen. There is a little thing called judging which will determine the Olympic spots. Anyone that follows Ice Dance knows that an Olympic spot for the Shibs is a long shot.
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- Sep 7, 2023
This is just sad.
A team of talented athletes (whose career was cut short by a cancer diagnosis) are coming back to competition. Us spectators get another high level team to watch compete. Why do some fans insist on acting like this a bad thing? Watching all those teams go up against each other is going to be brilliant.
The USA is awash with ice dance talent. It was always going to be the case that
a large number of excellent ice dancers won't make the Olympics. If anything, they're a disadvantage for having not competetd for such a long time. If they earn an Olympic berth their first season back, that would be an amazing achievement and should be celebrated.
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- Sep 7, 2023
When Green and Parsons got that Worlds spot certain fans complained that other teams got robbed of that opportunity (especially as they beat Zingas and Kolesnik by barely a point at Nationals). Some fans (sometimes the same ones!) also complain about percieved favouritsm toward Zingas and Kolesnik. Now the Shibutanis get accused of benefiting from favouritism. And they haven't even competed yet!
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- Dec 28, 2013
OMG what a surprise! I have been off the forum for a while for personal reasons, but this news brought me back. I was a big fan when they were competing. I have no expectations. Just hope they achieve what they want to achieve in the coming season and have no regrets. Given the long gap, Maia's illness, and the fact that they were always a bit underrated, I think the Olympics are a long shot. But I celebrate their return and look forward to seeing what they have to offer. It will be lovely just to see them skate again.
I don't think they would be coming back in an Olympic year if they weren't confident of being ready, or if USFS weren't already being supportive of it and encouraging it for the Olympics. They will be at the GP because USFS needs them to be to reduce accusations that it is being favouritist towards them. If they or USFS weren't confident that they are likely to be on the Olympic team, they would do a lower profile build this coming season and then return properly after the Olympics.
I'm sure they'll be ready to compete, I'm interested in seeing how they do given their time away. It's how ice dance has changed during that time that could cause them issues.
With the GP, it's not a matter of favouritism. It's in the Olympics selection document that they count GP scores highly for team selection. It'd be a good idea for them to do some early competitions like Lake Placid to get feedback before it.
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- Dec 18, 2014
Yes! I am sad for all these folks who are complaining about them coming back just for an Olympic year. They've been through a lot with Maia's illness. I'm happy they are returning if that's what they want to do!
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- Mar 7, 2015
BTW... just so you know ... Alex is in the same category as Max is. Thought we needed to establish that
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- Sep 1, 2020
The Shibs had retired well before Maia's cancer diagnosis.
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- Dec 4, 2004
Hope all is ok with you!
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- Dec 4, 2004
Ha! Now we know why Alex changed his hair color back! LOL! I am just glad M. is healthy enough to Skate. They skated during a time when there were lots of heavy hitters in North American Ice dance...this will be nothing else but interesting. Yuna at Worlds 2013 was interesting and Liu at Worlds 2025 was interesting.....
