Will Mao make the Oly team?

[janetfan]

If Mao is not in the Olympic team I will abandon figure skating and root for curling like Mm. I cant believe they dont send her to Olympics after all the fuss in 2006 and I cant imagine a skater like Mao being on the list of the ones who didnt attend Olympics. Even if she is placed 5th at Nationals.

Curling is OK - what is harder for mm is to root for the Detroit Lions

But it is an interesting question about Mao.

What would happen if Japanese Natls turned out this way:
1. Miki
2. Akiko
3. Yukari
4. Fumie
5. Mao

Natls will be tough and I doubt if the top four Ladies I listed will all skate clean.

Perhaps Mao will also skate very well and finish 1 or 2 at Natls.

But what if Mao is still missing her 3A's and it effects her performance as we saw at RostelCup?

I am not from Japan and I don't really know how the JSF would handle a situation with Mao placing 4 or 5 at Natls.

No matter what happens with Mao I will NOT become a Detroit Lions fan

 

[Nadia01]

If Mao is not in the Olympic team I will abandon figure skating and root for curling like Mm. I cant believe they dont send her to Olympics after all the fuss in 2006 and I cant imagine a skater like Mao being on the list of the ones who didnt attend Olympics. Even if she is placed 5th at Nationals.

What fuss?

I didn't notice anything, and I was in Japan during that time.

 

[seniorita]

I meant the thing that she couldnt go due to age limits I guess I meant fuss in the skating boards.

 

[janetfan]

I meant the thing that she couldnt go due to age limits I guess I meant fuss in the skating boards.

Why do you think Mao deserves a spot on the Japanese Natl team even if she bombs at Natls?

Because of potential, or what she had done in the past?

Is it fair to Akiko, Yukari and Fumie to be passed over just to keep Mao's sponsors and fans happy?

The other girls work hard too and in most "sports" they would deserve to be treated fairly and have their results in competition determine their fate.

Some federations just pick who they want to send to the Olympics and others have more formal rules. I have no idea what will happen if Mao skates poorly at Natls.

Like you, I hope she makes it to Vancouver. I don't think she deserves a spot if she skates poorly and places behind the other skaters though.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Of course the Japanese Federation can prevent it all by giving Mao monster PCS to insure she is on the podium.

 

[seniorita]

Why do you think Mao deserves a spot on the Japanese Natl team even if she bombs at Natls?

Because I believe she is the most talented of the ladies there, and while I like a lot Fumie,I think Mao can place higher internationally, and while I like and I would feel sorry for Akiko or Yukari, I would send still Mao instead one of them.
Or because I saw Mao live twice and her quality of skating grabbed me, I m a believer of her, I dont like a skater to be written off because she had a bad season start and I m a big fan, so I m not very objective?
How she would do at Nationals maybe is not indicative of what she can do two months later(US men last year?where did the US champion placed at Worlds and where did Lysacek placed at Nationals?) so no, I would not want her wings to be cut off.

 

[silverlake22]

Because I believe she is the most talented of the ladies there, and while I like a lot Fumie,I think Mao can place higher internationally, and while I like and I would feel sorry for Akiko or Yukari, I would send still Mao instead one of them.
Or because I saw Mao live twice and her quality of skating grabbed me, I m a believer of her, I dont like a skater to be written off because she had a bad season start and I m a big fan, so I m not very objective?
How she would do at Nationals maybe is not indicative of what she can do two months later(US men last year?where did the US champion placed at Worlds and where did Lysacek placed at Nationals?) so no, I would not want her wings to be cut off.

I agree that Mao should go, but there are three spots and Miki has only secured one. Mao can go and that still leaves room for one of Akiko, Fumie, or Yukari. While all the Japanese ladies are great, Mao and Miki and the most talented and accomplished, so it makes sense they should get the first two spots

 

[Nadia01]

Because I believe she is the most talented of the ladies there, and while I like a lot Fumie,I think Mao can place higher internationally, and while I like and I would feel sorry for Akiko or Yukari, I would send still Mao instead one of them.
Or because I saw Mao live twice and her quality of skating grabbed me, I m a believer of her, I dont like a skater to be written off because she had a bad season start and I m a big fan, so I m not very objective?
How she would do at Nationals maybe is not indicative of what she can do two months later(US men last year?where did the US champion placed at Worlds and where did Lysacek placed at Nationals?) so no, I would not want her wings to be cut off.

It's one thing to be a believer of Mao, but another for her to prove worthy of your faith.

I'm a big believer of Santa Claus's existence, but he hasn't shown himself to me yet, and I don't know when he will. That doesn't mean I get to impose my "belief" on others who feel differently.

ETA (to be more serious): We shouldn't write off Mao b/c of bad season start, but it's already late December. If Mao can't deliver, she's being written off because she hasn't proven herself, not because she did poorly in Russia. There are so many talented skaters in Japan, and it's unfair to rob them of their dream.

 

[silverlake22]

ETA (to be more serious): We shouldn't write off Mao b/c of bad season start, but it's already late December. If Mao can't deliver, she's being written off because she hasn't proven herself, not because she did poorly in Russia. There are so many talented skaters in Japan, and it's unfair to rob them of their dream.

You make a good point, but we have to be willing to accept the possibility that Mao's time may have passed. Four years ago Kimmie Meissner got American hopes up after doing great at the Olympics then becoming world champion, then US champion, then she started struggling and never really bounced back to the level she was at before. No one really knows why this happened, but it did, people accepted it and moved on.

Mao is an incredibly talented skater, but she's been a phenom for about 5 years now, and recently we've seen skaters like Yuna, and even Miki and Joannie with great performances, be able to eclipse her in placements. It doesn't mean Mao is bad, it just means that other people have really peaked whereas she might have already peaked or have yet to peak.

If Mao wows us at Japanese Nationals and the Olympics, then good for her, but if she does poorly at nationals and then poorly again at the Olympics, some of us might end up kicking ourselves for not giving another lady the chance to go.

If Mao for some reason did not make the Olympic team, it might cause her to buckle down and come back strong. Look how Miki Ando transformed herself after her disappointing placement at the 2006 Olympics. Even Alissa, who had the season of her life before the 2006 Olympics, took the disappointment in stride and continued to work hard and improve. Setbacks are just a part of life for everyone, and I'm not sure how fair it is for one person's setbacks to be ignored just because of her past history of greatness or ability to do a really difficult skill

 

[BlackAxel]

You make a good point, but we have to be willing to accept the possibility that Mao's time may have passed. Four years ago Kimmie Meissner got American hopes up after doing great at the Olympics then becoming world champion, then US champion, then she started struggling and never really bounced back to the level she was at before. No one really knows why this happened, but it did, people accepted it and moved on.

Alright, people ned to stop with all this talk about Mao peaking and that her "time has passed." While you do give a good example of how Kimmie became world champion and then started to dwindle, you cant really compare her with Mao. The only similiarity between them is the 3A, which Kimmie landed once in competition that seemed a little UR in my eyes. I think Mao has other qualities besides her jumping skills that really bring her out as a complete skater. Even though, Miki has already secured an Olympic spot, in no way is she really a complete skater and this is seen thorugh her wek musicality among other things.

I really dont think Mao has peaked, and the only thing that is keeping her down this whole season is just her confidence. And it hasn't helped that her coach is not full time and is not always with her down in Japan. Despite all of this, Mao is the only skater that has the skills to beat the number-one contender Yu-Na, if she is PERFECT. In all, I really do not think the JSF will put her off the team for Vancouver.

 

[silverlake22]

Alright, people ned to stop with all this talk about Mao peaking and that her "time has passed." While you do give a good example of how Kimmie became world champion and then started to dwindle, you cant really compare her with Mao. The only similiarity between them is the 3A, which Kimmie landed once in competition that seemed a little UR in my eyes. I think Mao has other qualities besides her jumping skills that really bring her out as a complete skater. Even though, Miki has already secured an Olympic spot, in no way is she really a complete skater and this is seen thorugh her wek musicality among other things.

I really dont think Mao has peaked, and the only thing that is keeping her down this whole season is just her confidence. And it hasn't helped that her coach is not full time and is not always with her down in Japan. Despite all of this, Mao is the only skater that has the skills to beat the number-one contender Yu-Na, if she is PERFECT. In all, I really do not think the JSF will put her off the team for Vancouver.

Valid points, Mao is a lot more artistic than Kimmie which shows in how she still does pretty well even when her jumps are off. You are also right in that a perfect Mao could potentially beat Yuna, whereas for anyone else that's highly unlikely, even for Miki or Joannie.

I wouldn't say Miki is not musical though, I have seen her live and she is much better in person than she appears on TV. She would not consistently place so well internationally if she was not a good skater.

I think Mao is definitely going though regardless of how she performs at Japanese Nationals, so even if she bombs there and redeems herself at the Olympics we will see if she has figured everything out.

 

[BlackAxel]

Valid points, Mao is a lot more artistic than Kimmie which shows in how she still does pretty well even when her jumps are off. You are also right in that a perfect Mao could potentially beat Yuna, whereas for anyone else that's highly unlikely, even for Miki or Joannie.

I wouldn't say Miki is not musical though, I have seen her live and she is much better in person than she appears on TV. She would not consistently place so well internationally if she was not a good skater.

I think Mao is definitely going though regardless of how she performs at Japanese Nationals, so even if she bombs there and redeems herself at the Olympics we will see if she has figured everything out.

Yeah I was wrong to say that Miki isnt musical and yes she wouldn't be placing consistently in competitions if this was so. Its just sad that these kind of threads are being made about Mao. A year to even 2 years ago, these kind of threads would have never showed up because Mao was mentally stable and wasnt popping jumps and UR jumps as much as she is now. This is huge shame especially as she is a beautiful skater with so much potential. All I can hope is that the break that she is having helps her to become a stronger skater physically as well as mentally.

 

[inside edge]

Why do you think Mao deserves a spot on the Japanese Natl team even if she bombs at Natls?

Because of potential, or what she had done in the past?

Is it fair to Akiko, Yukari and Fumie to be passed over just to keep Mao's sponsors and fans happy?

The other girls work hard too and in most "sports" they would deserve to be treated fairly and have their results in competition determine their fate.

Some federations just pick who they want to send to the Olympics and others have more formal rules. I have no idea what will happen if Mao skates poorly at Natls.

Like you, I hope she makes it to Vancouver. I don't think she deserves a spot if she skates poorly and places behind the other skaters though.

The other girls work hard too and in most "sports" they would deserve to be treated fairly and have their results in competition determine their fate :yes::yes:

 

[seniorita]

It wont be the first federation (neither the last) who wont sent the 1, 2, 3 places at nationals to the grand competitions. Why would be such a surprise if they picked Mao instead of someone of the other girls placed higher?You ve seen it before..
I m puzzled why Mao's situation is such a big fuss. She had 2 big competitions, she won the silver in first and had a meltdown in second. I can say that for many skaters this season, who will probably go to Olys anyway.

That doesn't mean I get to impose my "belief" on others who feel differently.

I dont think I imposed my belief in anyone who feels differently about Mao. The thread is about if she will make the Olympic team and I just said she should, lol!

 

[Figure88]

I really dont think Mao has peaked, and the only thing that is keeping her down this whole season is just her confidence.

I disagree. Mao is a great skater. There's no doubt about that. But I think there are other issues besides her confidence. First, is probably her jumps. She really needs to clean up those landings so she can receive full credit. That's a technical issue, not a confidence one since she has had major problems with her landings in the past. Second, is her programs for this season. Like others have pointed out, it's totally wrong for her. She's a lyrical skater and doesn't have the artistic capability to pull it off such dramatic, dark music. To me, they don't look like Olympic (gold medal) winning programs. It's mismatched to her talents and I don't think any of her special qualities as a skater don't shine through. Maybe she can overcome these obstacles, but it's going to be pretty hard in a field that's already packed and comparatively ahead of her on these two points.

 

[Hsuhs]

Yes she will.

 

[BlackAxel]

I disagree. Mao is a great skater. There's no doubt about that. But I think there are other issues besides her confidence. First, is probably her jumps. She really needs to clean up those landings so she can receive full credit. That's a technical issue, not a confidence one since she has had major problems with her landings in the past. Second, is her programs for this season. Like others have pointed out, it's totally wrong for her. She's a lyrical skater and doesn't have the artistic capability to pull it off such dramatic, dark music. To me, they don't look like Olympic (gold medal) winning programs. It's mismatched to her talents and I don't think any of her special qualities as a skater don't shine through. Maybe she can overcome these obstacles, but it's going to be pretty hard in a field that's already packed and comparatively ahead of her on these two points.

To be honest, I like Mao's programs this year. While I would have preferred that she change her sp program to her exhibition program, Caprice, I am still content with her long program. Yes, this is a huge change from the more softer and gentle Mao that we have been used to seeing, I really think that she is taking a positive risk. Mao has said that her long program has no story to it and that skating it perfectly and landing all the jumps will really push out the artistic piece of art that it is. I agree as well.

Yes there are other factors that have influenced Mao, but I will remain beside the biggest issue which is her confidence. Mao feels that the 3A is her trademark and as a result she feels that she needs to land it her programs. She has put so much focus on the 3A, that she isnt putting any attention to her other jumps or even trying to fix her flutz. It also doesnt help that she is doing 3-3 and has to inlcude an extra 3A.

 

[Nadia01]

It wont be the first federation (neither the last) who wont sent the 1, 2, 3 places at nationals to the grand competitions. Why would be such a surprise if they picked Mao instead of someone of the other girls placed higher?You ve seen it before..
I m puzzled why Mao's situation is such a big fuss. She had 2 big competitions, she won the silver in first and had a meltdown in second. I can say that for many skaters this season, who will probably go to Olys anyway.

Mao also finished off-podium at WC. Did poorly at JO. So it's not just TEB and Rostelecom.

I dont think I imposed my belief in anyone who feels differently about Mao. The thread is about if she will make the Olympic team and I just said she should, lol!

You said she should go b/c you believe in her, regardless of how she places. There are people who are rooting for whoever does the best next week, not necessarily Mao or whoever is their favorite. It is unfair to rob other skaters of their chance to shine just because you think Mao is the most talented.

No matter how talented someone is, if she can't display that talent, then she shouldn't be able to go. This is a once in a life opportunity, something that should be earned, not given.

 

[silverlake22]

Mao also finished off-podium at WC. Did poorly at JO. So it's not just TEB and Rostelecom.

You said she should go b/c you believe in her, regardless of how she places. There are people who are rooting for whoever does the best next week, not necessarily Mao or whoever is their favorite. It is unfair to rob other skaters of their chance to shine just because you think Mao is the most talented.

You make a very good point. Mao did quite well at WC 2009 and finished 4th, I think that is saying something. Yuna won easily with 5 triples, and Miki and Joannie were ahead of Mao and even they made a couple of mistakes.

Mao is certainly one of the most talented skaters out there, but I think the gap between her talent and that of some other skaters has shrunk a lot. In terms of Yuna, she has surpassed Mao and everyone else.

Mao does not have a triple lutz and has abandoned her 3-3s this season, in order to podium at the Olympics I think she will need to land all 3 of her triple axels, which is a tall order. JMHO though

 

[Nadia01]

Mao does not have a triple lutz and has abandoned her 3-3s this season, in order to podium at the Olympics I think she will need to land all 3 of her triple axels, which is a tall order. JMHO though

I don't think Mao can land THREE 3As. 3A isn't her strong jump anymore, and she should focus on other jumps that she can land more consistently.

If you consider than Mao can't do 3A consistently or 3Lz, that leaves her with like...3F, 3L, 3S and 3T...? But as you said, she abandoned 3/3, so she has to make do with 3/2 assuming that she doesn't get URs / DGs