U.S. figure skating at a low point

[Mayra]

Interesting to see Phil drooling over White/Davis' international results, when a few years ago he said words to the effect that he didn't consider ice dance a sport.

He probably still doesn't which is why D&W didn't merit anything beyond a few sentences at the end of a very doom and gloom article.

[Sasha'sSpins]

Here's hoping Mirai goes to Worlds and medals-just so he'd have to write about that.

^^^
THIS!

Hersh is getting on my last nerves. And I thought he liked Gracie too. I wonder if they both refused him interviews or something?

[query5]

he means the overall team of u.s.a all the discplines
mens, pairs, dance and ladies.

medal wise only the dance is doing what u.s.a would qualify as good.
everyone else is mediocre or okay at best.
only dance got 13 since 2010
laides hasn't since 2008 , men since 2010 only, pairs hasn't in a while.
the placements are okay.
the ladies who could have done it when sent to worlds didn't. why didn't try.
pair-we are a b it behind
the men just skated-doesnt seem to skate their best.

[Philly2034]

With all due respect to US skating, until someone named other than Davis or White can actually win a medal at worlds, Hersh is right.

[PinkFeathers]

Oh please, Evan could have won 2 gold medals, and Phil would be like WELL HE DIDN'T WIN THREE, THAT DISAPPOINTMENT!

Phil, for the love of God, you need to get the sand out of your nether regions. This herp derp USA bad herp herp isn't helpful, or even worth reading.

Maybe there is a lull right now; there probably is. Constantly pissing on the morale of the skaters he seems to love watching so much isn't the way to build any team up, however. Ugh.

[maatTheViking]

oh really? You know, I would be happy if Denmark even had one skater who met the worlds TES. Or, you know, a pair or ice dance couple at all. Just saying.
If we handed out citizenships, I will take Wagner. Or anyone, really, who qualified for the US nationals.

The travesty, only 2 spots for worlds...

ok, I get the US used to be a stronger skating nation, but given that they are a contender for the Sochi team medal, I find this quite a bit whiny.

[aftershocks]

^^ Thanks, maatTheViking, PinkFeathers, and others who get it!

To all the naysayers, and armchair critics (some obviously from countries other than the U.S.) you obviously don't get the point do you? It doesn't matter how many medals U.S. skaters are or are not bagging on the international stage, it's about a sports journalist learning how to write more creatively, informatively and with a huge dollop of exhaustive research, hard work and effort.

Hard core figure skating fans are already knowledgeable about the current scene in U.S. figure skating and in figure skating in general. Just because U.S. singles and pairs disciplines have not been winning the requisite number of international medals that Mr. Hersh deems appropriate for celebration and headlines touting "high times," doesn't mean that U.S. figure skating is at "a low point." Champions come from somewhere, as I said. In times like this, it's important to look harder and go deeper beyond the surface, as well as to offer encouragement and support to athletes instead of dismissive insults. Figure skating is not all about the statistics of how many medals are being won.

As I said, fans who follow the sport already know what's happening on the surface. It takes someone with exemplary writing skill, creativity and genuine passion for the sport to delve beneath the surface and extract the interesting storylines, quotable nuggets, anecdotes and informative details that can be instructive, entertaining and uplifting for long time fans as well as for the general public who know very little about figure skating.

Poor coverage and "doom and gloom" assessments do absolutely nothing but contribute to the sport continuing to lose fans, confuse those who might otherwise become fans, and put a damper on the spirits of perennial, die-hard fans. And I don't want to even imagine what Hersh's hangover bile might do to the fighting spirits of U.S. figure skating athletes. I hope and pray they have either not read it, or if they have, that they completely ignore his downer diatribe or just allow themselves that extra bit of fuel for battle. In any case, I suppose they all know Phil very well by now and try not to allow s**t from the media to bother them. To all U.S. skaters, get fired up and let your spirits and hard work guide you to do your very best.

Big pop to your lazy pomposity, Phil.


ETA: Yeah, yep, Mirai (even before her sp scores are posted): "Take that, Phil Hersh!"

[victoriaheidi]

I am so sick of Phil Hersh. I'm a hard-working reporter specializing in figure skating...and he's an idiot with a paycheck.

Really, truly, Mr. Hersh: ever stop to think that maybe your constant prognostications of doom and gloom are keeping people from watching FS? Ever?

[Jammers]

I guarantee if Agnes pulls off a shocker and wins Nationals Hersh will proclaim her as the next big thing.

[Mayra]

I guarantee if Agnes pulls off a shocker and wins Nationals Hersh will proclaim her as the next big thing.

Wouldn't he be right? At least in the US?

[aftershocks]

I guarantee if Agnes pulls off a shocker and wins Nationals Hersh will proclaim her as the next big thing.

Wouldn't he be right? At least in the US?

^^ Who knows, Mayra, not necessarily. I get your sarcastic truism, Jammers. As usual, Phil would be eating inconsistent crow if he ever makes such a pronouncement, since he has already designated Agnes' sp scores as "ridiculous," and "silly." (He later toned his view down in a fuller article, terming Zawadski's marks, "far too generous.") While Agnes' score is relatively high, Phil originally tweeting her score as "ridiculous," is such a dismissive knee-jerk reaction, more expected from fans. It's also kind of lazy without his providing a more detailed reason why he pulled that word out of his hangover-addled noggin. I guess it's too hard to review the protocols and come up with a better interpretation. OTOH, Phil didn't mention much about what he thought of Gracie Gold's performance.

Phil has generally proven to be lazy, generic, and inconsistent in his figure skating reporting. He seems to be a glutton for attention, and he appears to want to be considered as the greatest and the most clever figure skating journalist who ever covered the sport. The sad fact is, the best and most knowledgeable figure skating journalist died a long time ago. Her name: Maribel Vinson Owen.

I do admit that IceNetwork has some informative and entertaining coverage, chiefly by Sarah Brannen and Drew Meekins, and by a number of other long time figure skating reporters who generally do a good job, particularly given the circumstances that exist in this sport. Although most of them are certainly more knowledgeable, none of them have the high profile and widespread sports media recognition, nor likely the paycheck that Phil has.

BTW, I nominate Tanith Belbin as one of the most competent, considerate and incisive figure skating interviewers and commentators currently on the scene. Tanith shows tact and respect, while still asking interesting questions. Tanith's backstage interview with Gracie Gold after the short program was classy and fairly informative considering the sound bite nature of such post-performance quickies. Both Tanith and Gracie get high marks for their poise and forthrightness in what could have been a more maudlin, awkward, or pointless exchange.

Phil has grumpily posted an article about Mirai now being "part of the discussion" with her third place in the sp, which Phil had also tweeted yesterday as "generous." In his article focused on Mirai (probably already linked here in one of the Mirai threads), Phil still mistakenly terms Mirai's appearance at Nationals, "an afterthought." While it's true that Mirai's stock has gone down over the past couple of years, both domestically and internationally, the larger fact is that she never went away. And she has worked hard to win back credibility. Moreover, Mirai has never stopped being "part of the conversation," despite her loss of standing in the eyes of many judges and PTB in this sport.

Phil must have been napping during the Grand Prix last fall, or more likely he simply ignored Mirai's accomplishments at Finlandia Trophy, Cup of China, and NHK Trophy, since she didn't win gold. Two bronze medals and a 4th place are apparently not worthy of Phil's time and attention. Seemingly, he considers such placements to be "afterthoughts." No, Phil, Mirai worked her butt off to rebuild enough respect to even win a second GP assignment, and she came into Nationals as a very relevant "part of the conversation," well before the short program began.

What about trying to give more credit where credit is due Phil? The sport has changed and it's still going through a difficult phase of transition. In the interim, why can't you stop dumping on U.S. figure skating athletes as being "unremarkable," and unworthy of fans' attention and enthusiasm?