Easy Road Not the Path for Flatt

[lilshorty]

I just read the article online before coming here. Not much has been said that we don't already know, except that she does plan to compete next season (if only at Nats) and get a new coach. Good for her. I've always wondered what her skating would be like under a different coach and different direction. Maybe it'll give her a new perspective. I'm wishing she does well next month at Worlds. Go Rachael!

[victoriaheidi]

I know that I'm more on the uber side when it comes to Rachael and that most people here aren't really Rachael fans, but one competition should not make this such a bad season for her.

Even though she didn't do well there, she qualified to her first GPF and won two GP medals.
She still made the World team.
She placed 4th at 4CC, which really isn't bad, and she set a new personal best in the FS.

That doesn't sound that bad to me.

She has her issues, but so does EVERY skater. I'm looking forward to seeing the changes in her skating when she gets a new coach and [hopefully!] a new choreographer.

[Louise]

Where's FreezinRinkMom? (or something like that). Doesn't she go to every Rachael Flatt practice and competition? It would be interesting to hear her take on her daughter's (I'm sorry, her favorite skater's) SP. Best in the world? Hmmmmm.

[Iceman]

Rachael's mother is a molecular biologist, so I don't think she would have the time to attend all of Rachael's practices. But, what is wrong with parents going to every competition their child is in if they can?

[Jammers]

Rachael's skating isn't my cup of tea but i commend her for being one tough competitor. If only some of the other american girls had her nerves we would still have 3 spots at World. We need a skater with Rachaels toughness but Mira Nagasu's talent. That's what is holding back US skaters at the moment.

[RumbleFish]

Rachel gets my admiration for changing her lutz and flip take-offs during these 2 years. She used to flutz 4 times in FS, but now she has correct edges on both jumps. I wish the same could be said about so many flutzers and lippers in this world.

[giselle23]

That quote caught my eye as well. This is only my speculation, but I am thinking he means Nagasu though I don't know if she has really watered down her routines compared to last year's. I would just think he would feel the most "threatened" by Mirai in terms of competition for Rachel.

I think he meant Jeremy, his former student.

[Triple Butz]

Rachael's skating isn't my cup of tea but i commend her for being one tough competitor. If only some of the other american girls had her nerves we would still have 3 spots at World. We need a skater with Rachaels toughness but Mira Nagasu's talent. That's what is holding back US skaters at the moment.

Her "nerves" didn't exactly help us out at last year's Worlds...

[miki88]

Okay, I think her coach is really taking it too far with the "best short program of the season" thing.

[PDilemma]

I think he meant Jeremy, his former student.

I think you may be right.

And that makes Tom Z a little petty and nasty, IMHO.

[RD]

Her "nerves" didn't exactly help us out at last year's Worlds...

Rachel's nerves may not have helped us, per se....but Mirai's nerves definitely hurt us.

[peibeck]

I think he meant Jeremy, his former student.

That was my thought when reading this article as well. But whomever it was directed at, it is still rather a rude comment.

I'm glad Rachael has made some changes to the long program; hopefully it will work out for her. I don't know why, but I have recently grown very optimistic that she and Alyssa can regain 3 spots for U.S. Ladies this year.

[Sylvia]

IMO, Rachael peaked at the Olympics and looked tired by the time of 2010 Worlds. Mirai skated well at the Olympics, had the impressive 1st place SP at 2010 Worlds and then faltered in her FS (so it turns out that she lost her own spot to 2011 Worlds).

Rachael has been dealing with injuries this season, and while she hasn't been credited with any 3-3 attempts in competition (I haven't checked all her protocols), she HAS been attempting/landing them in practices/warmups and also added the new 2A+3Lo combo at Four Continents.

Like peibeck, I'm feeling optimistic about Rachael's and Alissa's chances in Moscow.

[B.Cooper]

She made the trip to Toronto in December, and the majority of time was spent creating a whole new SP. IMO the time was well spent, as she received good feedback at 4CC.

IMO...the odd quotes come from Flatt's coach, Zakrajsek, not Flatt. She kind of just states what would be obvious.... that she has been working hard (getting ready for Worlds) , making changes to the LP. It is Zakrajsek who has, for lack of a better way of describing it..."unfiltered" quotes. Not sure he really thinks about what he says.

Flatt mentioned on her FB page that she had gone back to Canada to rework the LP after 4C....which the article mentions as well. Can't imagine trying to train two new programs before Worlds. Maybe she keeps the EOE for next season and finds a great piece of music for next season when she starts college. Hmmmmm....new direction in music with a new coach. Perhaps a breath of fresh air for Flatt.

[Badams]

I wish Flatt well at worlds. I hope she has the skate of her life.

[Jammers]

Her "nerves" didn't exactly help us out at last year's Worlds...

Maybe not but more was expected of Mirai then Rachael after the Olympics and with her being in first place a good skate would have given back those 3 spots. Instead she skated scared and collapsed and couldn't even hang on for a top 4 finish.

[olympic]

...Like peibeck, I'm feeling optimistic about Rachael's and Alissa's chances in Moscow.

Finally, some optimism re US ladies at Worlds. According to some posts I've read in other threads, both Alissa and Rachael will finish behind Leonova, because judges supposedly hate Rachael and will dump her in PCS, and Alissa is going to splat.

[Jammers]

Ugh Leonova. That's all i have to say about that.

[RD]

Unfortunately, I was not feeling the same optimism about the US ladies, particularly due to how the international judges were marking Flatt. After 4CC, I was surprised that her SP scored so high (FS is another story, though- she needs to make changes and put in the 3-3 to compete). Czisny is beginning to stabilize a bit IMO, and her "off" day at 4CC was not a meltdown as I mentioned earlier. Still, though, she remains unproven and stuck with the "inconsistent" label at least until she shows she can stay strong through next season (if she chooses to stick around).

Honestly, I was optimistic that we'd have 3 spots for 2011 due to Nagasu's great finish at the Olys and look how that turned out. So I'm not too sure here. Czisny will still have me nervous every second she's on the ice in Moscow.

[TwizzlerS]

I'm curious as well about the reference for Tom Z's "watered down program" and not being on the world team quote. The paragraph begins with sentences about Lysacek and Weir so it suggests that the person is a male skater. A good journalist often provides hints to things she can't say so those in the know can read between the lines. Not saying she's a good journalist, but that's a tactic used. Now the phrase "watered down program" for me means taking out intricate choreography but I think for Tom Z it means taking out harder jumps. Jeremy hasn't attempted a quad until 4CC but Mirai hasn't attempted a 3-3 which she did attempt last year. I would think that Tom Z has more concerns about Mirai as it relates to Rachel and this article was about Rachel. So that makes me think he meant Mirai, not Jeremy. Then again, his student, Ryan Bradley, made the world team in part by not watering down (in Tom Z's definition) his programs.