U.S. Ladies [#6]: "Swaggering with the S'Wagner" et al. into 2013

[Alex Forrest]

I'm so over this mythical third spot that the US ladies HAVE to get back. Let the top skaters be scored for what they do on the ice on Saturday and not what they could potentially do in two months. At this point everyone is so inconsistent it doesn't matter who they send. Everyone has the potential to be great or bomb in the intent so they might as well be honest in their scoring and send the top two performers.

JMO

See, I don't give up on that mythical third spot. Who was third in 10? I hope it wasn't Ashley, but I'm thinking it is now. Imagine if she could have just gone there, done her 3Z-3R in the short, and just done her thing? Even if she fell, you know her presentation and line and spins, and jumps, and overall skating could NEVER compare to the national champion that year. Our national champion that year beat Yuna Kim in the FS at SA, so she HAD to go to Olys. She had the package, right Freezing? The perfect spins, jumps, body, presentation? I'm sorry, I think I was born in 1933 and am in charge of international committee at USFS. Whups.

[michiruwater]

It was Ashley.

[smarts1]

Who else is going to help Ashley getting those 3 spots back? Mirai is unreliable and is just not the skater she was a few years ago. While Agnes is shaky too if she skates clean with her big jumps she will get a good score even at Worlds.

Yeah, but unfortunately, Agnes can barely handle her nerves at GPs. How would she be able to handle the pressure of Worlds? That isn't happening. If she is sent to Worlds, it'll be a disaster.

[RD]

Unfortunately it seems that (at least in the short term) you can lump Gracie Gold in that category, too. We may be eternally doomed to 2 spots for the foreseeable future...

Best hope for us (and it is still a heck of a gamble) is probably Wagner + Nagasu

[Jammers]

Nagasu has now become the go to skater when the pressure is on?

[smarts1]

^ Well to the very least, Mirai has had some excellent FS at various competitions. When was the last time Zawadzki had a good FS? 2011 JWs?

[pinky166]

^ Well to the very least, Mirai has had some excellent FS at various competitions. When was the last time Zawadzki had a good FS? 2011 JWs?

2012 COR come on guys. She hasn't bombed a FS in a while. People need to give Agnes a break. She's getting better and better each time out and I think that's worth noting.

[demetriosj]

Unfortunately it seems that (at least in the short term) you can lump Gracie Gold in that category, too.

True. She does not have nerves of steel.

[HSGP21]

Tell us how you really feel... glad you're not Agnes' coach


sorry- that was supposed to have a quote attached to it... I feel sorry for these girls, Ashley had weak nerves for years, and now with some maturity and training is doing well. I'd like to think Agnes or Mirai would be capable of the same... maybe London worlds are too soon, but maybe not! Can't doom them before they fail!

[Coco]

I'm not too worried about Gracie. She improved from SC to Rostelcom Cup, and I expect she'll improve 2013 Nationals to 2014 Nationals.

Her trajectory is really quite normal for an emerging senior lady. But the expectations are just. so. damn. high. Almost everyone wants her to step into the role of Kwan 2.0. That's never going to happen for many reasons. I will be thrilled if she reaches her full potential. I think the biggest barrier to that is not her nerves, which seem normal, but the lack of touring opportunities. Without those, how & where will she experience the massive growth that needs to happen on the 2nd mark side?

[RD]

Nagasu has now become the go to skater when the pressure is on?

Well...I challenge you to name someone (besides Wagner) who you think is TRULY more reliable than she is...

ETA: with all due respect to the current field, IMHO it's sort of like a "best of the worst" situation. They ALL struggle with nerves and inconsistency...that is the norm these days in the US, not the exception!

[RD]

I'm not too worried about Gracie. She improved from SC to Rostelcom Cup, and I expect she'll improve 2013 Nationals to 2014 Nationals.

I feel the same way. In the long term, she'll be fine. But right here, right now- the pressure and the hype is just too much.

It really is a vicious cycle, though. The other new girls are probably loving the fact that they don't have such a bright spotlight shining on them...

[Theatregirl1122]

See, I don't give up on that mythical third spot. Who was third in 10? I hope it wasn't Ashley, but I'm thinking it is now. Imagine if she could have just gone there, done her 3Z-3R in the short, and just done her thing? Even if she fell, you know her presentation and line and spins, and jumps, and overall skating could NEVER compare to the national champion that year. Our national champion that year beat Yuna Kim in the FS at SA, so she HAD to go to Olys. She had the package, right Freezing? The perfect spins, jumps, body, presentation? I'm sorry, I think I was born in 1933 and am in charge of international committee at USFS. Whups.

Do you just throw sentences at a wall to see what sticks or do you actually think any of this makes sense.

[jlai]

IMHO, skaters like Gold and Agnes Z didn't get enough international junior experience before getting under the lime light. Part of it was they didn't get JGP or got only one because they didn't place well at nationals the previous year. And then all of a sudden, they won jr ladies and did well at jr worlds and then they went senior and are expected to be the next big stars. Had they done a full JGP season they might have learned more about competing under pressure before doing comps at the big stages

[cbd1235]

Are Mirai's nerves that bad? Seems to me like she handles herself pretty well in competition most of the time. She's had some issues the past couple years but I don't attribute those to nerves specifically. More body changes and possible training issues.

I'm all for pick the best skater tonight But I do think that Mirai would do a better job than Agnes at worlds this year, but of course who's to know! I also like Gao and think she's pretty reliable this season but she sort of has a PCS cap that is lower than what Mirai could achieve. Therefore she's more of a smart and safe choice. Personally I think a gutsy choice for the 2nd lady might be needed in order to grab a 3rd spot. Just my thoughts.

[victoriaheidi]

Had Mirai and Agnes skated in each others' spots (with the same skates), IMO, Mirai would be 2nd or 1st.

[UGG]

Is the LP not being televised today? I cannot find any info on it

And for the record, I really hope the world team is Ashley and Mirai. Mirai is a national champion, has been to worlds once, and is also an Olympian. I really think she is the best bet to send with Ashley.

[RD]

in the US, it's on NBC tonight in prime time.

[Alex Forrest]

Do you just throw sentences at a wall to see what sticks or do you actually think any of this makes sense.

Haha, I actually understood what I meant, though maybe you couldn't.

Also, serving popcorn at a Dollar Cinema makes you no closer to being a Theatre girl than the old prostitute hanging out in the alley outside the theater.

[smarts1]

for Mirai. Everything looked to be going so well for her this season. Guess the world team is Ashley/Gracie...