Mao Asada | Page 184 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

DiamondDust

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Lovely SP skate Mao (I'm still baffled by how Gracie scored higher than she did but oh well...) Have a blast at the LP!!! :cheer:
 

solar

I got cat class and I got cat style
Medalist
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
Country
United-States
Wishing for a great FS performance! The SP was very well done :cheer:
 

gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
I loved Mao's performance. She is so glamorous. She had a lot more attack this week, her steps and speed were much crisper. Her skating skills were fabulous. Her delivery more mysterious. Her make-up was bewitchingly heavy and her attitude was even slightly angry. I am beginning to sense the ritual element- The exorcism of the ex husband from her mind- as she urgently seeks to break that ties that bind. I heard Mao's blades aggressively come to a stop at the end of her program with a spray of ice and a slighly menacing look. I looked carefully at the ur call on the 3F. It was her biggest jump with nice loft and she took off with less than 180 degrees of pre-rotation and landed with at least 2 1/2 rotations in the air not counting pre-rotation if not a little more to my eye. This is plenty of rotation for a triple jump once pre-rotation is taken into account. Other skaters are taking off with around 90 degrees more pre-rotation than Mao and it is ignored in calculating rotation. So, why are urs called at all if the take off point is not considered? So, what I believe to be an erroneous call slashed almost 4 points off of Mao's score. Secondly, Mao was given a level 3 on her step sequence which to my mind is simply wrong. How much more agility, pirouettes and rapid crisp but gliding blade work does she have to do in keeping up with such haunting music? Her double axel was huge but received less than +1 GOE. Many have commented and I completely agree- Mao obviously has better skating skills than Ashley Wagner yet she is given a lower score in skating skills. I believe this is objectively wrong based on observation of edges and smooth fluid speed with minimal pumping or obvious effort. So, overall I think Mao skated well, but I believe her scoring was harsh on the ur and obviously didn't reflect her superior skating skills. As far as choreography and artistic interpretation I also liked Mao the best: there is a great deal of haunting mystery with a sense of aggression and alluring intrigue and mysticism in her performance that has a high degree of sophistication and hearkens me back so I want to see more.

If Mao had gotten the level 4 on steps she deserved, the 3F counted good which it was, and had she received the highest score in skating skills at the very least, though I preferred her artistry and choreography and would have marked her higher here too, she would be in first place. I will write about the ISU underscoring of Mao all over the internet.
 
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cohkaix

FS data keeper
Medalist
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
again those judges :palmf::scowl:. I wonder why Mao does not add tano or a difficult entry or landing to 2a?
And the combo looked perfect to me, why are the judges so strict with her!!??

protocols http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1617/gpusa2016/gpusa2016_Ladies_SP_Scores.pdf

I'd think that after working with Lori on the programs, at least they'd do something with 2A in short...but they didn't. The message is quite clear then: now the 2A in SP is merely a 'place holder'. They're waiting for a higher successful rate on 3A (and better condition from Mao) to put it back. So I guess no rush at this point.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
I have to say Mao's SP even though is nice, it is not crowd wowing music so maybe judges do not like it
 

Barb

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
I'd think that after working with Lori on the programs, at least they'd do something with 2A in short...but they didn't. The message is quite clear then: now the 2A in SP is merely a 'place holder'. They're waiting for a higher successful rate on 3A (and better condition from Mao) to put it back. So I guess no rush at this point.

Yes, but Ashley got more points at her 2a than Mao, and you know, the only difference is that Ashley up her leg some seconds after the landing , seems easy :p.
And why her 3loop got 0 and -1. I usually don´t check protocols but wth???!! . People are saying Mao got robbed at pcs, but frankly tes are ridiculous too. The points at Step seq is beyond of me. I mean, just look at their feet, why, why, why Ashley got more points at step seq. Well, I hope this is just because the event is at USA :eek:hwell:
 
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mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I have to say Mao's SP even though is nice, it is not crowd wowing music so maybe judges do not like it

I good friend of mine prfectly described what the judges want after watching SA and I'm quoting the comment, they want "Ashleypop hip shaking, bad posture, stiff body jerks and thrusts usually off time to the music and shimmy shaking jazzercise style which appeal to a lower common denominator are deemed superior to Mao's prima ballerina body movements with gracefully articulated arm movements and gestures with intricate steps and fast carving edges with rapid multi-dimensional turns" so well and precisely described!
 
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Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
I good friend of mine prfectly described what the judges want after watching SA and I'm quoting the comment, they want "Ashleypop hip shaking, bad posture, stiff body jerks and thrusts usually off time to the music and shimmy shaking jazzercise style which appeal to a lower common denominator are deemed superior to Mao's prima ballerina body movements with gracefully articulated arm movements and gestures with intricate steps and fast carving edges with rapid multi-dimensional turns" so well and precisely described!
I do not like Ashley's SP but I think casual viewers might prefer Ashley's SP more than Mao and think that Mao's SP is monotonous.
 

gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Yes, but Ashley got more points at her 2a than Mao, and you know, the only difference is that Ashley up her leg some seconds after the landing , seems easy :p.
And why her 3loop got 0 and -1. I usually don´t check protocols but wth???!! . People are saying Mao got robbed at pcs, but frankly tes are ridiculous too. The points at Step seq is beyond of me. I mean, just look at their feet, why, why, why Ashley go ist more points at step se. q. Well, I hope this is just because the event is at USA :eek:hwell:

Why should Mao study ballet and get big compliments from professional dance instructors for having uncanny musicality when she will get lower step sequence scores than Ashley and why should she practice figures so diligently if she will get lower scores for her superior skating skills. It's a clear case of scoring inversion in skating skills and step sequences. Same goes for Mao's high triple flip with 2 1/2 rotations in the air or more (which is  more than enough since there was little pre-rotation) getting a ur with negative GOE. Why be accurate and look at the take off on jumps when measuring rotation? I will disregard the ISU's ruling on Mao's ur since they disregard the laws of physics by which two points along the circumference of rotation in a circle must be measured to determine total rotation. Yet even so, Ashley's backend triple toe got a ur with more attractive 0 GOE. And in yet another scoring disadvantage that is an inversion, Mao's huge double axel received lower GOE than Ashley's double axel. That makes 4. If a scoring advantage can be gained here and there little by little it will eventually add up to a lot and not to be so noticeable but the bogus ur for Mao is more than a little, yet it fits in consistently with the other disadvantages Mao received in scores, which close the gap and would actually give Mao a first place lead. It reminds me of what happened in Mao's Madame Butterfly LP last season when posters gave their scores for the LP performances and they all gave Mao a higher score in the freeskate than Ashley,  yet Ashley was given 8 points more than Mao by the ISU in the US- the same score as Mao's Sochi LP. That is about a 12 point swing in scoring from the ISU to the posters who gave their scores on this forum. Cut that in half and you have a little more than the same difference between Mao's and Ashley's SP scores at Skate America. Then, there is the 4CC's 2012 LP where Mao's beautiful, big triple axel got a ur call, negative GOE of about -1.2, and Mao received lower PCS as a multi world champion than Ahsley also in the United States, with the ur call, negative GOE of more than -1, and PCS deflation being the decisive factor that caused Mao not to get the title.

Beyond depriving Mao of her efforts such discriminatory scoring has a psychological cost in criticism from the general public, the the press and lowered status in the federation and extra pressure in performances, while overly beneficial scoring has an added psychological advantage that goes beyond the scores in the sense that one can relax and not worry as much about mistakes and bask in the accolades of the public and the press that performs no investigation of the scoring and just goes along with it with no analysis. Mao is a kind, gentle and extremely talented person, so the bullying and psychological stress she has to suffer for her underscoring really makes me angry.
 
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mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I do not like Ashley's SP but I think casual viewers might prefer Ashley's SP more than Mao and think that Mao's SP is monotonous.

believe me to all casual viewers I showed Ashleys performance did not even bother finishing it, and greatly prefered Mao's classical piece of art, and from seeing the overall comments about Ashley and Mao the skating community certainly doesn't either, it has reached a point where it's grossing people!

Anyone can do what Ashley does with her dramatic expression, but you can't put anyone to deliver the kind of Step sequence, the kind of spinpositions and spirals that require great flexibility, balance and control that Mao delivers - on one hand we have skills that's beyond what a human body is usually capable of and really showcase the human limit on so many levels and in soo many different skills, and on the other hand we have and acting performance any person can be thought any day with nothing extraordinary to pinpoint for the casual viewer!
 
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gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
I have to say Mao's SP even though is nice, it is not crowd wowing music so maybe judges do not like it

Taylor Swift draws bigger audiences than a Beethoven concerto or symphony, so does that mean a skater should get higher PCS if they skate to it instead?
 
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Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Taylor Swift draws bigger audiences than a Beethoven concerto or symphony, so does that mean a skater should get higher PCS if they skate to it instead?
That's my point. The thing is regardless of whatever people call Mao's SP is art, the general audience might connect to Ashley's SP more. Casual viewers prefer something catchy.
 

mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
That's my point. The thing is regardless of whatever people call Mao's SP is art, the general audience might connect to Ashley's SP more. Casual viewers prefer something catchy.

But they don't, i have never meet a person who liked ashleys sp, even less prefered it to Mao's sp. and if you look at the comments section in this forum and all other places you would notice everyone is complaining about Ashleys, choreograhy, music, costume most comments related to her are negative, while comments about Mao's programs are mostly very positive, with alot of praise, for her choreaography, execution, style, costume etc. the judges view and judging are bad and doesn't reflect the viewers opinion!
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Does Mao have a cold? In the K&C she seemed to be "sniffing" more than usual, as if she has a cold and a runny nose?
 

gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
That's my point. The thing is regardless of whatever people call Mao's SP is art, the general audience might connect to Ashley's SP more. Casual viewers prefer something catchy.

I can't speak for everyone in terms of what they think is catchy, but in taking a lot at view counts on youtube right now it is possible to see what viewers at home are watching much more. These are the top two video counts I could find for Mao's and Ashley's programs.

Mao Asada 7,821 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgfxJQSlung

23, 862 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIRVt0JXftI

Ashley Wagner 1,513 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYQIeZxS0Sw

3,337 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcoyyKAVKSc
 
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largeman

choice beef
Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Does Mao have a cold? In the K&C she seemed to be "sniffing" more than usual, as if she has a cold and a runny nose?

I noticed it too... I hope she is fine.

In other news, Mao again did not do jumps in her FS run-through this morning. She did have good jumps outside of run-through, tweets Jackie Wong (I've found Jackie Wong to be one of those people who love to declare Mao's jumps UR when they're not, Shin Amano style. So this tweet means something. :laugh:)
 
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