The latest on Gracie Gold

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

"Yes, of course," Gold said, "even though today’s skating was subpar, there’s not a doubt in my mind that this has been a rough season, but that I’m still pretty much one of the best skaters in the United States and in the world. ... All I know is that, given the opportunity, I wouldn’t let them down and I think that I would be a very wise pick for the world team."

I think this is simply something she has to say, to try to get on the World team. At least she's acknowledging her season has been very rough.

Given how her PCS has dropped like a stone this season with her poor performances, I don't think she would be a shoe-in for higher PCS than the less-popular-internationally Bell and Chen, and couple that with her massive technical problems (I mean, I'm re-visiting her protocols at Skate America and TEB and just.... wow).

And while it is a mental thing, yes, looking at her actual skating the quality has gone down - the jumps and spins look more sluggish, and more than ever she is lacking expression and projection, and even looking like she wants to be out there.

Man, that FS in Boston absolutely crushed her.

 

[ice coverage]

I honestly don't see how it can be untrue unless Brennan (the reporter) is flat out lying, which would be almost unthinkable- first who could make this up, and second, who would risk their career to tell a lie about a figure skater. The only other option would be that Frank was lying to the reporters and Gracie didn't actually ask him to throw out the jacket, he was just doing that for the heck of it, against her wishes. This is also pretty much unthinkable.

I hear you, but ... if we assume (as I do) that it also would be unthinkable for Rutherford to invent fake quotes from Gracie:

It does not make any sense (IMO) that Gracie would get rid of her team jacket yesterday when she still believed it was within the realm of possibility that USFS would give her a slot on the World team.

(Whether it was realistic for Gracie to believe that it was within the realm of possibility is a separate question. That's not the issue I'm talking about.)

So I don't know what to believe about the jacket.

 

[R.D.]

I wonder if she had had the same skate in Boston, but ended up with the bronze medal instead of 4th...whether she would have gone through all this...Sure it would be hard not winning gold, but at least she'd have had something...and Wagner getting silver probably twisted the knife that was already in her by that point...

USFS is beginning the process of moving on from Gold, so she needs to determine if she truly enjoys skating - I mean, enjoys skating. If not, no amount of training or dedication or change in routine will make much difference IMHO

 

[frida80]

I never imagined an Olympic season without Gracie. Never. I just can't believe this is happening.

 

[R.D.]

It does not make any sense (IMO) that Gracie would get rid of her team jacket yesterday when she still believed it was within the realm of possibility that USFS would give her a slot on the World team.

1) Politics. She knew deep down she was finished. But I'm sure she felt she had to put a brave, confident tone on for the cameras.

2) Emotions of the moment. If by some miracle she was named to the world team again they'd probably send her a new one anyway (?).

 

[R.D.]

I never imagined an Olympic season without Gracie. Never. I just can't believe this is happening.

I don't think any of us did at the start of the season - but it was an ever increasing possibility that this would happen. In fact, Chen's win is a bigger shocker to me than Gold's failure to make the team

 

[tulosai]

1) Politics. She knew deep down she was finished. But I'm sure she felt she had to put a brave, confident tone on for the cameras.

2) Emotions of the moment. If by some miracle she was named to the world team again they'd probably send her a new one anyway (?).

It's also possible she had some irrational thought like 'this jacket is jinxed' and wanted it gone for that reason.

 

[stella luna]

At least Gracie is the second alternate for Four Continents and Worlds. That is something, although not the treatment I'm sure she is used to.

1) Politics. She knew deep down she was finished. But I'm sure she felt she had to put a brave, confident tone on for the cameras.

2) Emotions of the moment. If by some miracle she was named to the world team again they'd probably send her a new one anyway (?).

 

[desertskates]

I don't think any of us did at the start of the season - but it was an ever increasing possibility that this would happen. In fact, Chen's win is a bigger shocker to me than Gold's failure to make the team

Chen's win is the much bigger surprise to me, too! If you take a look at the predictions thread, I believe none of us at all saw that one coming.
Gracie not being on the team is not much of a shocker to me.

 

[frida80]

At least Gracie is the second alternate for Four Continents and Worlds. That is something, although not the treatment I'm sure she is used to.

She's been in the A envelope since her first season as an alternate. Last night I was heart broken for Mirai, but I know she's resilient and will bounce back next season. But Gracie. If losing a world medal does this to her, then not making the world team may have destroyed her.

 

[brightphoton]

It's also possible she had some irrational thought like 'this jacket is jinxed' and wanted it gone for that reason.

I think Gracie was emotional and meant it figuratively, "put it in the trash, I won't skate anymore, it's over"

And for some reason, Frank threw Gracie under the bus. He made a scene and actually put the jacket in the trash in front of reporters

 

[tulosai]

She's been in the A envelope since her first season as an alternate. Last night I was heart broken for Mirai, but I know she's resilient and will bounce back next season. But Gracie. If losing a world medal does this to her, then not making the world team may have destroyed her.

Well one good thing in her situation is I'm pretty sure that regardless of what envelops she's in, between her parents and the endorsements she's had she'll have enough money to continue skating next year without needing to add that to her list of worries.

 

[stella luna]

I sincerely hope she gets some help.

She's been in the A envelope since her first season as an alternate. Last night I was heart broken for Mirai, but I know she's resilient and will bounce back next season. But Gracie. If losing a world medal does this to her, then not making the world team may have destroyed her.

 

[ice coverage]

1) Politics. She knew deep down she was finished. But I'm sure she felt she had to put a brave, confident tone on for the cameras.

2) Emotions of the moment. If by some miracle she was named to the world team again they'd probably send her a new one anyway (?).

I mean the symbolism of getting rid of the team jacket yesterday makes no sense to me.

I believe the World team does get special jackets specifically for Worlds.

[For example: In pre-Nats comments (I forget whether on the media call or to Jackie Wong on Ice Talk), Mirai :luv17: mentioned that she wears her World team jacket a lot b/c (I'm paraphrasing) her whole experience at Worlds was so great. And that she would love to get back to Worlds. (Never say never, Mirai . Love your determination.)]

 

[R.D.]

But Gracie. If losing a world medal does this to her, then not making the world team may have destroyed her.

Time will tell what becomes of her, but I fear exactly this.

 

[beki]

It seems to me the jacket stunt was Gracie intentionally sabotaging her golden girl status, and rejecting all the pressure that comes along with it. If she does return to the top, it will be through soul searching, reinvention, and clawing her way back, as Ashley has done in the past. If her skating didn't put her in the doghouse, her demeanor certainly has.

 

[TwinnerA]

I have a hard time believing Gracie really would want to throw away her team jacket or have Frank do so for her. It's possible she said it in the heat of the moment and Frank did so in frustration. I think that jacket means everything to Gracie and she probably would regret it.

 

[andromache]

What the heck, Frank? Gracie tells you to put her jacket in the trash (and we have no idea what the context was, whether she meant it or not, sarcasm, etc.), and you do it? And tell a reporter about it? Frank, you're an adult, you've been through it all, you're the coach and the authority figure for a young woman going through a very rough time, and you should know better.

I'm more disappointed in Frank than in Gracie, to be honest. I don't approve of whatever happened behind the scenes that led to Frank throwing out the jacket, but I'm not going to judge Gracie as a person based on it. Life is hard. We all take actions we regret, especially when we are in our early 20s and feeling as though life cannot get any worse. Some of you are a little too harsh on her.

I hope the time off at the end of the season will help her figure out what she wants and what will make her happy, whether that is to keep skating or to retire. Her happiness is what is important.

 

[FlattFan]

What the heck, Frank? Gracie tells you to put her jacket in the trash (and we have no idea what the context was, whether she meant it or not, sarcasm, etc.), and you do it? And tell a reporter about it? Frank, you're an adult, you've been through it all, you're the coach and the authority figure for a young woman going through a very rough time, and you should know better.

I'm more disappointed in Frank than in Gracie, to be honest. I don't approve of whatever happened behind the scenes that led to Frank throwing out the jacket, but I'm not going to judge Gracie as a person based on it. Life is hard. We all take actions we regret, especially when we are in our early 20s and feeling as though life cannot get any worse. Some of you are a little too harsh on her.

I hope the time off at the end of the season will help her figure out what she wants and what will make her happy, whether that is to keep skating or to retire. Her happiness is what is important.

I feel both of them are to blamed. She's 21yo, she should have known better. He's pissed at her, and took this opportunity to trash her. They are done.

 

[solani]

Man, that FS in Boston absolutely crushed her.

That's true, although I still can't fully understand it. Yes, she often said that the FS at Worlds was disappointing and journalists wrote that as well and we all seem to think that it was. But it wasn't. Yes, she did fall on her combo and doubled a jump but the rest of the program was very good. This was a good competition for her overall, probably one of the best she ever had (remember: Sochi was her best major competition and she did fall in the free there). The problem was that the other women were very good that night. I always felt that someone should have told her something like "Stop that nonsense! You didn't disappoint anyone and you had a very good short and a decent free. It just wasn't enough, you had bad luck simply because the others were too good!"
I think it's important to put things like that in the right perspective. Yes, gold was within reach in Boston, but Medvedeva was the favourite and Gracie wasn't far off the podium point-wise. It's a problem if an athlete thinks that a good / decent competition was a bad competition.