US Team: 4CCs and Worlds (updated)

[StitchMonkey]

If it were something external, like a cold or jet lag or excitement for their first 4CC, I could feel a bit better and think they could do better at Worlds.

Or they can offer the standard response, "at least I got through the program, I is proud and I is learning." They're not accountable to me. hwell:

In that case. Mariah has made some comments to the effect that this was the biggest competition she has been at and she had some nerves to deal. She did make a comment about thinking she has a better idea of how to handle words... i think it is fair to say she has said something similar to "i is learning"

Karen has blamed boot problems.

 

[Heleng]

Did Karen or Mariah give an explanation for their showings? Injury? Jet lag? Nerves for first big competition?

I'm not certain, but I thought someone posted that Karen had the flu a couple weeks ago, which disrupted her training.

 

[brightphoton]

Oh good, I'm glad to hear that, at least. Now I feel more hopeful for World's

 

[skatespin]

SEND Mirai ASAP! She at least has the potential to notch a top 8 finish if she goes clean, and secure three spots. Her score at FC was very good, and would certainly have held up at Worlds. She beat Karen by almost 30 points and 9 spots, and Mariah by almost 20 points and 3 spots. I mean seriously...she obviously has way more scoring potential than the others.

Any other country making the decision of the top three (between the US skaters) would easily send Mirai...this is why US ladies had constantly gotten so few spots...terrible decision making. This will reduce the pressure on Ashley and pretty much give the US a 50/50 chance for three spots versus no chance at all. We want as many women as possible for the Olympics!

I totally agree with you.

You brought up a good point about Ashley having to take on extra pressure and weight on her shoulders. I know she would like to defend her world silver medal, but with this American team she's going to have a lot of outside pressure to do it for olympic spots, to make up for Karen and Mariah realistically placing just outside of the top 10. She knows that 3rd spot in 2014 possibly made the difference of her going to Sochi or not and she's knows she would have gone to the olympics in 2010 if the US had earned a 3rd spot.

 

[FlattFan]

I totally agree with you.

You brought up a good point about Ashley having to take on extra pressure and weight on her shoulders. I know she would like to defend her world silver medal, but with this American team she's going to have a lot of outside pressure to do it for olympic spots, to make up for Karen and Mariah realistically placing just outside of the top 10. She knows that 3rd spot in 2014 possibly made the difference of her going to Sochi or not and she's knows she would have gone to the olympics in 2010 if the US had earned a 3rd spot.

She's not thinking about this while skating, I can tell you that. It's an individual sport.

 

[Jammers]

She's not thinking about this while skating, I can tell you that. It's an individual sport.

Actually after Ashley along with Gracie got the 3rd spot back in 2013 she admitted that was one of the things she wanted to accomplish at those Worlds besides winning a medal. She felt partially responsible for losing the 3rd spot back in 2008 when she finished a poor 16th that year.

 

[LRK]

Well, I hesitate to join in, but... here goes. I still have the feeling that it is likelier for US men to gain a third spot, than for the ladies to retain theirs. I do fancy Jason's chances for a top ten, and even 4+9, for example, would do it.

Likely top ten men I'd think would be (in no particular order) Yuzuru, Javi, Patrick, Nathan, Shoma, Boyang, Denis. Of course some are more likely than others. For example, however they skate, Yuzu/Javi/Patrick are unlikely to bomb themselves out of top ten. Denis on the other hand - well, he's Denis. But then, it IS Worlds, and he IS Denis, so... Which leaves three spots - two of which I'd believe are likely to go to Jason and Mikhail Kolyada. Leaving Maxim Kovtun - who is again, Kovtun. Of course, it's possible he has turned a corner, and his popping days are behind him, but still...

Nothing is certain, of course, but I don't see things looking that dark, honestly.

The ladies on the other hand... Well, top ten I'd fancy to consist of (in no particular order again): Evgenia, Anna, Maria, Satoko, Mai, Wakaba, Caro, Kaetlyn, Gabby and Ashley.

Again, nothing being certain and all that... It's all just guesswork, when all is said & done, after all. This is just what I see as a likely scenario.

 

[Sugarpova]

. I still have the feeling that it is likelier for US men to gain a third spot, than for the ladies to retain theirs.

its such unusual situation btw
How this turn around happened btw
US ladies & men just switched places in being medal contender disciplines

 

[FlattFan]

its such unusual situation btw
How this turn around happened btw
US ladies & men just switched places in being medal contender disciplines

The last US World champion, Olympics champion is a man. The next likely world champion, Olympics Champion is also likely a US man. Nothing has changed.

 

[Sugarpova]

The last US World champion, Olympics champion is a man. The next likely world champion, Olympics Champion is also likely a US man. Nothing has changed.

my mind blanked out that man

 

[Mathman]

Davis and White are a man?

 

[SnowWhite]

Davis and White are a man?

One half is

 

[FlattFan]

Davis and White are a man?

They don't jump so they don't count. General public don't give a crap about Davis and White. No ice dancing team amounts to anything to the general public. Let that be on record.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

They don't jump so they don't count. General public don't give a crap about Davis and White. No ice dancing team amounts to anything to the general public. Let that be on record.

I'd argue Meryl and Charlie are a bit more relevant to the general public than Evan Lysaceck is.

 

[slider11]

They don't jump so they don't count. General public don't give a crap about Davis and White. No ice dancing team amounts to anything to the general public. Let that be on record.

Tell that to their million dollar bank account!

 

[Moxiejan]

They don't jump so they don't count. General public don't give a crap about Davis and White. No ice dancing team amounts to anything to the general public. Let that be on record.

Troll alert. Let that be on the record.

 

[brightphoton]

Troll alert. Let that be on the record.

Flattfan is right though. The public's imagination and memory are captured by pretty girls wearing sparkly outfits doing jumps. I'm pretty sure ladie's skating subsidizes the other 3 disciplines.

Even Mathman himself at one point said the last US gold medalist was Sarah Hughes.
Someone replied, "no, it was Evan!"
To which he replied, "how silly, of course it was Evan!"
Someone else replied, "NO! Don't you remember?! It was Meryl and Charlie!"

 

[TontoK]

Underhill/Martini were favored for a medal at the 1984 Olympics. She fell and took him out too, and they finished seventh. It was only after the Olympics that they realized that the problem was Barb's boots: she went back to her old pair and won gold at worlds. I remember Paul talking about it in an interview, but that interview took place after the win (it may have been years later). ETA: I just checked, and 4 of the six teams who beat U/M at the olympics also skated at worlds that year. So it wasn't post-olympic retirements that made the difference in their placement.

Kevin Reynolds is well known for the boot problems that plagued him for years. Interestingly, he was also dealing with a hip injury at the same time. After hip surgery, his boot problems magically disappeared. I believe he said that his feet got a little larger after the break from wearing skates. I wonder if he was breaking down his boots/having foot issues because he was compensating for the hip injury.

I wish I had a firmer understanding of what is meant by "boot problems." I certainly don't doubt that Kevin has been plagued by them, and I sincerely believe that he has tried to remedy the situataion.

But I also struggle to figure out what it is that can't be fixed over the course of years.

Is it an equipment problem with the boot itself? Is it some sort of injury or something that makes all boots uncomfortable or doesn't give him confidence?

Edit: If the boots don't fit, why not get a new pair? I'm sure it would take time to adjust, but years?

I suppose if I were a serious skater, I'd understand. But, I'm not. I know you offered some insight, but I'm too green to follow the line of reasoning.

 

[Moxiejan]

Flattfan is right though. The public's imagination and memory are captured by pretty girls wearing sparkly outfits doing jumps. I'm pretty sure ladie's skating subsidizes the other 3 disciplines.

Even Mathman himself at one point said the last US gold medalist was Sarah Hughes.
Someone replied, "no, it was Evan!"
To which he replied, "how silly, of course it was Evan!"
Someone else replied, "NO! Don't you remember?! It was Meryl and Charlie!"

There is a large difference being saying that public interest is captured more by ladies' skating than other events and saying that ice dancing "doesn't count."

 

[chuckm]

Ice dance doesn't count TO FLATTFAN. Flattfan is extrapolating his/her opinions to the universe.