The Inevitable Mirai Thread

[Kenyie]

I am so saddened right now.

First off, congratulations to the Olympic team members.

1. What did Patricia St. Peter say in her press conference about the selection decision? (IceNetwork cut to the insufferable Michael Weiss, otherwise known as Cheerleader).

2. How did Mirai take the news? Any statement from her?

Let's use this thread to post national and international reactions to this from the community. What does Twitter say? Dave Lease? Phil Hersh?

Finally, let's send some love to Mirai Nagasu. Regardless of the "validity" of the decision, let's remember that a hard-working 20 year old's second Olympic dreams were both dangled in front of her and then taken away.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I feel horrible for Mirai, but even she has to acknowledge that Ashley is a more logical (and though I hate the term, arguably "more deserving") choice. Not that it entitles her to a the 3rd spot, but a huge reason the US has 3 Olympics spots is because of Ashley's success.

She should take pride in the fact that she has really come back from a horrible past few seasons and is in the limelight again. I hope she goes to 4CC as that is a good opportunity to win an ISU championship and prove that her Nationals skates can be replicated.

I think a lot of people counted her out so to see her get it together was truly special to see.

 

[sweetskates1]

Mirai should have placed second last night. Polina did not deserve higher PCS despite the uncharacteristic lack of choreography in Mirai's FS. Mirai at least deserves to be sent to Worlds. That will give her time to be coached in Japan and launch a career there. Once she reinstates her name in the list of international medal contenders, she should compete for Japan. We will continue to love and cheer for her as loudly as we have now if not louder. Polina has given the US fed nothing - nothing. Mirai has produced World Junior championships Bronze and Silver, World Junior Grand Prix gold, Four Continents Bronze and GP medals of all colors. Plus she is a national champion (should have been national champion twice!). The US does not appreciate Mirai, Japan will. We always will.

 

[MK's Winter]

My heart is absolutely crushed for her. I hope she continues on for herself and her fans. To me the USFSA has taken some of the validity out of Nationals. I think Ashley deserved to go but I hope she puts up 2 skates landing on her feet.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I disagree. Polina's technical content and speed and performance was much better than Mirai's. Mirai gave up choreography over consistency and it paid off against Wagner but Edmunds sold her program and had much stronger/more ambitious elements save for the fall.

At least Mirai went to the Olympics and had a great experience there. It's nice that Wagner and Edmunds will have their turn now.

 

[eiriene]

At this point, if I was Mirai, I would either:

1. Retire and get on with a different career.

Or

2. Switch to skating for the Japanese federation.

Because its clear that the US Federation isn't going to take her seriously, anymore. I'm so angry and sad for her.

 

[Near]

Mirai should have placed second last night. Polina did not deserve higher PCS despite the uncharacteristic lack of choreography in Mirai's FS. Mirai at least deserves to be sent to Worlds. That will give her time to be coached in Japan and launch a career there. Once she reinstates her name in the list of international medal contenders, she should compete for Japan. We will continue to love and cheer for her as loudly as we have now if not louder. Polina has given the US fed nothing - nothing. Mirai has produced World Junior championships Bronze and Silver, World Junior Grand Prix gold, Four Continents Bronze and GP medals of all colors. Plus she is a national champion (should have been national champion twice!). The US does not appreciate Mirai, Japan will. We always will.

Why would she want to skate for Japan? Its the hardest country to come out of as a singles skater because the talent pool is so deep. Not to mention she will have to give up either US or Japanese citizenship in the next two years and I would be a bit surprised to see her give up US citizenship considering its where she grew up and lives. She isn't in the same situation as the Reeds where they had a choice between a nearly guaranteed slot at the Olympics and US citizenship - moving to Japan is a sideways step in terms of her career, not an upwards one.

Either way, whether with the US or Japan her career is far from over if she wants to continue skating. She can still be competitive for 2018. Wagner was always going to make it, had she scored marginally more she would have made the Olympics. Its not like the US fed make it impossible for her to qualify.

 

[FlattFan]

Can Mirai sue the US fed to get on the team. Reason is Ashley is not a contender.
People said she got 3 spots back but she was one who lost 3 spots in the first place.

 

[ManyCairns]

Mirai should be going to the Olympics. That said, I am not finding even her Nats performances as exciting as many others seem to have found them. For me, she continues to be almost expressionless in her face (she finally cracked a smile over halfway into her LP) and she needs to be crisper and finish off her moves. And I think she still URs a lot of her jumps.

But no matter. She placed third at that Nationals; US has 3 Olympic spots -- Mirai should have been named, and would have been a valuable team member.

It's ridiculous and the USFS has opened itself to lawsuits and even more loss of credibility. I would have been gutted for Ashley, too, after missing the team 4 years ago and really hanging in there and improving all the time -- but as it is, I am gutted for Mirai. It's a sad lose-lose. But Mirai should have named.

 

[auga]

Can Mirai sue the US fed to get on the team. Reason is Ashley is not a contender.
People said she got 3 spots back but she was one who lost 3 spots in the first place.

Why on earth would she sue? It says in their documentation (Article 2.1, I think? Someone put a link to it on one of the other threads) that they have the discretion to take in long term factors while deciding, not just rely on the one event! They are perfectly entitled to do this. And Mirai would look like a dreadful sore loser if she talked about sueing! She needs to accept this - she lost long before the competition.

 

[MK's Winter]

I keep reading that Mirai was selected to 4CC and Worlds. Anyone know if that's true?

 

[FlattFan]

Why on earth would she sue? It says in their documentation (Article 2.1, I think? Someone put a link to it on one of the other threads) that they have the discretion to take in long term factors while deciding, not just rely on the one event! They are perfectly entitled to do this. And Mirai would look like a dreadful sore loser if she talked about sueing! She needs to accept this - she lost long before the competition.

Read the objective why they have that in the first place.
You can sue for any reason. And Mirai wouldn't be a sore loser because she didn't lose. They robbed her the spot. I would love for it to get so far to see why us fed is promoting and dumping skaters during discoveries. It won't be pretty and Mirai could be the one that restore the integrity of the sport in the us.

Imagine if this goes to court and they ask for memo and back door handling. Us fed will fold like cards before it gets there.

 

[Layfan]

At this point, if I was Mirai, I would either:

1. Retire and get on with a different career.

Or

2. Switch to skating for the Japanese federation.

Because its clear that the US Federation isn't going to take her seriously, anymore. I'm so angry and sad for her.

If I were Mirai, I would concentrate on what she has some control over, which is to improve her skating. I don't really agree with the federation's decision but I accept it because it's not against the rules and I can see the arguments either way. Mirai could have had a better skate. She could have fully rotated her first jump and her choreo could have been much better. She could have earned a silver and then she would have been on the team, instead of Polina. I truly hope Mirai picks herself up and keeps going but if she does, the last thing she needs is to dwell on the politics of figure skating and this slight. There is nothing she can do about it. However, she can keep concentrating on her skating and how she can improve to the point of making herself impossible to overlook.

 

[auga]

How was Mirai robbed? They are very clear on the fact that medal placement does not guarantee you a spot on the team. One swallow does not make a summer. They have to consider who is likely to do better at Sochi, and Ashley has been the leading US lady for about 3 years now and developed her skills, while Mirai has languished and gone backwards in many respects.

Even when Mirai is clean, she loses to skaters who aren't clean. That's her problem - no one else's.

 

[Figure 8's]

I have mixed emotions on this selection. No problem with Gracie and Polina as they skated their hearts out and were rewarded. To say Polina is only 15 and should be left off because she will have other chances is a bunch of crap. I would prefer that they would have stuck with the 3 medalist as I think people should earn the spot. On the other hand Marai had so many chances to excel and what has she done for US figure skating the last 4 years, not much but create a lot of drama. Ashley was not the only one on the team that lost the 3 spots but she took responsibility for getting them back. I am sure Ashley did not dream that she would be in this spot when she worked to get the 3 spots back. She did it for the US team and the Committee knew it and that is why she is going to the Olympics. Moral of story is , you don't want to be the Bronze Medalists as you are going to be the one bumped in these kinds of situations.

 

[aviva_dawn]

I keep reading that Mirai was selected to 4CC and Worlds. Anyone know if that's true?

They'll announce the other teams + The Team Competition competitors after the Men's FS.

 

[Layfan]

They'll announce the other teams + The Team Competition competitors after the Men's FS.

Geez, I can't imagine they'll leave Mirai off the world team. Unless they are worried about losing the third spot with her, but even so.

 

[Figure 8's]

Geez, I can't imagine they'll leave Mirai off the world team. Unless they are worried about losing the third spot with her, but even so.

If they want to maintain the 3 spots, they won't sent Marai. Ask yourself, what has Marai done for US Figure skating lately? I feel bad for Marai but she has had so many chances already and has never stepped up.

 

[Layfan]

If they want to maintain the 3 spots, they won't sent Marai. Ask yourself, what has Marai done for US Figure skating lately? I feel bad for Marai but she has had so many chances already and has never stepped up.

Well, she's one of the skaters who has kept up MY interest in US Figure skating in recent years. I know it was a long time ago but I haven't liked any USA lady's skate as much as I did her 2010 FS at nationals, except for some of Alyssa's performances, which I loved even more. I can't deny that she hadn't been the same skater but I won't give up on her yet when she is clearly still showing she can't be counted out. Imagine if Mirai keeps going and manages to do as well or even better Ashley has over the next four years. Then MIRAI will be the sentimental favorite for the next Olympic team.

Mirai has every right to go to worlds. She earned it. She skated better than Ashley last night and that is that.

 

[auga]

Mirai has every right to go to worlds. She earned it. She skated better than Ashley last night and that is that.

No one has a right to go to worlds. Or the Olympics. It's an opportunity in the gift of the USFSA. Mirai skated better last night, but Ashley has skated better for the last three years. The USFSA aren't going to consider "rights". They base their decision on who they believe genuinely has more chances of medalling.