2011-2012 US JGP Assignment Predictions/Discussion

[Pulaski73]

Anyone know what's going on for the Austria pair assignments? Based on the Latvia results, you'd think USFSA would want to pull two if not all three in order to get some other teams points. Goldberg/Dolkiewicz would be great replacements, and given that Calalang/Sidhu beat Aaron/Settlage they'll probably get Estonia which I'll assume Simpson/Blackmer are also a lock for. However, Aaron/Settlage recieved more points than all three Latvia teams so wouldn't it make more sense to send them to Austria now? Thoughts?

[Stephanie]

Cain's first assignment was originally for Kulgeyko, and her second assignment was probably first offered to Siraj ( It's questionable if Siraj really "earned" a second assignment herself, but I could understand giving her one.) Maybe Cain's receiving of two assignments has been primarily based on luck.

If they didn't give this spot to Cain, next in line from Nationals would have been Edmunds. Aside from her, the options were slim. With so few spots left, I can't see USFS choosing among skaters from random summer competitions. Even if Gold seems like the obvious choice, how does USFS choose between Gold, Keiser, and Wang when they haven't gone head to head, and haven't competed in anything but local summer events? Either they all get an assignment, or none of them get an assignment. On multiple occasions, I have been disappointed in the way USFS follows Nationals results so strictly and doesn't always seem to care about putting their best possible team on the ice in international competition, but in this case, I kind of understand it. I'm more disappointed by the fact that Jr skaters of this caliber who miss Nationals get no other chance throughout the course of a season to compete in a big competition that could earn them an international assignment.

If they didn't want to give assignments to girls who didn't make nationals, fine, but what's so wrong with Polina Edmunds and Hannah Miller (both are subs)? I believe both have all of their triples now, always score well PCS-wise, and Miller is eligible for the Youth Olympics.

It's not as though you can ever predict who will make it as seniors anyway, so I'm baffled why USFS chose to give Cain a second assignment over giving one of these girls a chance. Dinh would make even less sense as she only scored about 123 and wasn't amongst the highest components-wise like Cain.

[reese]

Sorry if this has been discussed already, but why didn't Joylyn Yang and Jean-Luc Baker get a JGP?

[Sylvia]

It is my understanding that Joylyn Yang's back injury has resulted in her retirement. Yang/Baker's names have been removed from both the Team C envelope and ISP. I believe Baker may have found a new partner, but I don't know if they are planning to compete this season.

[reese]

It is my understanding that Joylyn Yang's back injury has resulted in her retirement. Yang/Baker's names have been removed from both the Team C envelope and ISP. I believe Baker may have found a new partner, but I don't know if they are planning to compete this season.

NO WAY! I love this team. This is awful news. They had the most amazing programs last season. I was so excited to watch their progress over the next few years.

I was just watching their new programs for this season over the weekend. I particularly loved their new SD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW0yXFFCBbQ

[Sylvia]

Yes, it's very sad Yang/Baker had to end their partnership so prematurely (they had been assigned initially to a JGP but were unable to show their competition readiness in Lake Placid). There hasn't been an official announcement but the message on their official site seems like a farewell: http://www.yangandbaker.com/YangandB...m/Welcome.html

[Sylvia]

Anyone know what's going on for the Austria pair assignments?

I believe the Austria pair assignments were made before the results from Gdansk, Poland were known and I'm not sure they can be changed now (may have something to do with the timing of airplane ticketing)? It's too bad the 3rd US pairs slot in Estonia is no more because all 3 US pairs from Gdansk deserve to be sent out again, IMHO, since all 3 from Latvia were assigned a 2nd JGP.

[halffull]

It's too bad the 3rd US pairs slot in Estonia is no more .

Why is it no more?

[Yazmeen]

It's definite that they are only sending two teams?

[Pulaski73]

I believe the rules are set that once you only register for two, you only keep two. I think it's safe to say that Blackmer/Simpson are a lock for one spot but since Calalang Sidhu beat Aaron/Settlage, they will most likely get the second. UGH I just want information! It'd be very sad if they decided to send the same team they sent from Latvia considering the combined total of all three teams sent are equal to Aaron/Settlage's points.

[jlai]

In recent years age elig novice ladies champ do end up with a j g p
If miller isnot sent it will be the first time in recent years I think

[Jenna]

at Yang and Baker...

I wish Audrey Goldberg/Joe Dolkiewicz were assigned. Their scores at mids, while nothing off the charts, really show their improvement.

[Stephanie]

I wish Audrey Goldberg/Joe Dolkiewicz were assigned. Their scores at mids, while nothing off the charts, really show their improvement.

Me too. To be honest, I don't really understand why any of the pairs from Latvia got second assignments.

On another note, the Austria entries have been confirmed on the USFS site: Lam, Kulgeyko, Dolensky, Warren, Aldridge/Eaton, and the three pairs from Latvia.

[johndockley92]

My understanding is that USFS is attempting to send out the skaters that have the best chance at earning a medal (once making the final is out of the question). This is why all three teams from Latvia were assigned to Austria, in the minds of the selection committee, these teams have a better chance at getting a medal than the other teams in the ISP (namely, Goldberg & Dol....). Goldberg & Dol. have no chance at making the final anyways, they'd rather send skaters who have the best chance at getting a medal (at least in their opinion), thus those teams were sent.

This happens while sending out the singles skaters as well. While sending Gold seems to make sense (and honestly I wouldn't be that opposed to it), her lack of PCS may get killed in international comp, and i think her jumps are more likely to get downgraded without home ice advantage as well.

[pinky166]

I still think USFS is being dumb about assignments, particularly in ladies. If they don't switch Samantha out of Milan with that crazy deep field I will be mad. She was great last week and deserves to be at the final, and likely wouldn't have problems qualifying if her 2nd assignment is anywhere besides Milan, where she is currently assigned. And this week's event looks like it's going to be the Polina Shelepen show, especially now that Vannut is gone, and the USFS is chosing to send Cain, who has no shot at the final, and Daniels, who based on summer performances is still being bothered by an injury greatly affecting her ability. I get why they woulldn't want to send Samantha to back-to-back events, but sending Vanessa Lam would make sense as she could likely earn silver easily at this event if not gold. All the events after this one have deeper fields, except for maybe Tallinn, but Vanessa isn't assigned there. If the USFS had a brain, they'd have sent Vanessa to Romania, and then Samantha to Talinn, Courtney to Austria, and random girls with no shot at the final to Milan. But I doubt they'll do that, in which case I wouldn't be at all surprised if Courtney is the only one who makes the final.

[Stephanie]

Courtney Hicks and Hannah Miller have been added to the Italy roster (replacing Cesario who's presumably moving to Tallinn and Lauren Dinh)

Jason Brown has taken Farris' place (probably moved to Tallinn)

[Sylvia]

In recent years age elig novice ladies champ do end up with a j g p
If miller isnot sent it will be the first time in recent years I think

Hurray for Hannah Miller being assigned to Milan!

[Jenna]

Thank God. USFS has redeemed themselves a bit by realizing that Cesario has an infinitely better chance in Tallinn. Happy for Hannah Miller, too, but I still don't agree with her being assigned ahead of Keiser and Gold (who has defeated her many times this season). Yes, she's the novice champ, but if Keiser and Gold stayed novice last year, I'm betting they would have qualified for nationals and done well there, too.

[Theatregirl1122]

Courtney Hicks and Hannah Miller have been added to the Italy roster (replacing Cesario who's presumably moving to Tallinn and Lauren Dinh)

Jason Brown has taken Farris' place (probably moved to Tallinn)

Hannah!

[Jenna]

Things could get interesting if Miller wins a medal in Milan, though (however unlikely it is). I suppose they could send her to Tallinn with Cesario. It all depends on how Kulgeyko does in Innsbruck. I think it's safe to say McKinzie Daniels will not be reassigned.