Ross Miner Out Of Olympic Team (OFFICIAL)

[MsZem]

I really don't get the about the apparent decision. The USFSA has finally caught up with the rest of the skating world in sending the best skaters across multiple events. Nationals is an important consideration, but no longer the only consideration. After what happened to Mirai Nagasu in 2014, they should all know this.

 

[snoopy]

Yep. Don't see why nationals should be THE deciding factor. I think Chen, Zhou, Rippon is the right team.

It's interesting, many of the other countries now utilize Season Best/World Standing/GP or ISU Challenger Total Score criteria for their qualifications.

Compare this to Russia, who went w/top 3 men for Euros, with the 4th place finisher making Grand Prix Final and effectively out of the Olympic race.

ETA: in time based sports, countries often don't use their berths for Olympics if the athletes don't make at least a "B" qualifying time at the Trials, even if they are top 2/3 at Olympic Trials.

 

[aftershocks]

That's like being invited to a party but told to stand outside and watch through the window.

Yes maybe, but give him the option. Is it like rubbing salt in the wound though? I don't know.

 

[antmanb]

See, I just can't with this argument. Not when some people have been trying to claim that Jason doesn't "have" the triple Axel because he sometimes URs it. Vincent doesn't just sometimes UR the quads, he's perpetually URing quads. Literally one quad today was called around and that had an iffy landing. The other four were all < or <<. He is not in the same jump league as Chen at all. And it's not like today was an unusual outlier - he's been having rotation issues all season. Maybe the message from the USFS should be "go clean up your landings and then we'll talk."

Why do all of your arguments constantly revolve around the male skaters you like? You lay into Zhou like you originally laid into Chen for beating your favourite skaters. At least now you have to bite your tongue about Chen because he’s proved himself.

Who says Jason doesn’t have the 3A?? He’s been struggling with it in competition but he hasn’t “lost” it.

 

[rhapsody]

It's interesting, many of the other countries now utilize Season Best/World Standing/GP or ISU Challenger Total Score criteria for their qualifications.

Compare this to Russia, who went w/top 3 men for Euros, with the 4th place finisher having made Grand Prix Final and effectively out of the Olympic race.

And it gets Russia results. They don't care about a ranking that accumulates points over 3 seasons, a body of work, nor giving sentimental lifetime achievement assignments. They choose based on who delivers at the latest competition, end of discussion. Example with the women after Sochi; Leonova, world silver medalist, was the Sochi/Saitama alternate after finishing 4th at Euros. She goes to some Russian Cup competition after Sochi, gets beat by Pogorilaya and boom, she's bypassed for the World team in favor of Anna after Sotnikova pulls out. Good choice as Anna finished an impressive fourth and got them 3 spots back.

 

[bardtoob]

Competitive Audition.

 

[aftershocks]

After what happened to Mirai Nagasu in 2014, they should all know this.

That decision was not based on Mirai's Nationals performance though, nor on her body of work. It was based on the politics of dislike and/or not liking some of the skater's choices (the fact Mirai did not have a coach, and that she'd left Frank and had gotten an unfortunate, possibly false reputation for being difficult). Gracie was the favorite, and Polina was the beloved newbie who did not really have any senior-level body of work, nor any exceptionally great junior 'body of work,' aside from junior Nationals.

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

That's like being invited to a party but told to stand outside and watch through the window.

I also don't think I'd want to go to the Olympics just to watch if I was Ross or anyone in his position, but that's just me.

Tuktamysheva went as a spectator(/volunteer IIRC) to Sochi and said she had a wonderful time. So each to their own.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Tuktamysheva went as a spectator(/volunteer IIRC) to Sochi and said she had a wonderful time. So each to their own.

I keep having visions of the movie, Best In Show, where one of the characters packs 7 kimonos, just for a weekend away.

I bet Tuktamysheva took a fabulous selection of MuuMuus with her, too.

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

I bet Tuktamysheva took a fabulous selection of MuuMuus with her, too.

I do imagine Queen Tuk dons a mumu for general everyday wear. But for the Olympics? I bet she pulled out all the stops. Who cares whether she made the team or not

 

[MsZem]

And it gets Russia results. They don't care about a ranking that accumulates points over 3 seasons, a body of work, nor giving sentimental lifetime achievement assignments. They choose based on who delivers at the latest competition, end of discussion.

What was Plushenko's selection in 2014 if not body of work? Kovtun won Nats, Voronov and Menshov medalled at Euros, and Plushy went to Sochi on the strength of... what? His Volvo Cup win? It was a career achievement award and everyone knew it.

 

[wickedwitch]

I am NOT a fan of Zhou's skating. I am a fan of Miner's. Zhou's PCS were also arguably the worst judging at Nats. But between the two of them, I thought Zhou would be the correct choice.

I am not objective when it comes to Adam, so I can't comment there except to say I'm happy for him.

Moral of the story: one good competition per quad is not enough.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I do imagine Queen Tuk dons a mumu for general everyday wear. But for the Olympics? I bet she pulled out all the stops. Who cares whether she made the team or not

She's fabulous, and along with Leonova, has so much personality out there.

 

[rhapsody]

What was Plushenko's selection in 2014 if not body of work? Kovtun won Nats, Voronov and Menshov medalled at Euros, and Plushy went to Sochi on the strength of... what? His Volvo Cup win? It was a career achievement award and everyone knew it.

The power of Putin of course!

That's a good point. However it seems that their "career achievement" awards always seem to go to those who actually end up getting hardware. Plushenko did his job in Sochi (obviously he withdrew in the individual event but I think the only mission there was to win team gold). And obviously Medvedeva will go to Korea based on her body of work.

The US has awarded career achievements to whom? Skaters like Wagner who went to Sochi without a prayer of medalling, Rippon (apparently) to Pyeongchang and a national title after dumping Chen, giving Bradley a career achievement national title over a budding Ricky, etc.

Sentimentality seems to be a big reason for those "awards" in the US. If Russia uses the body of work or career achievement argument, the motivating factor is medals and good results. And they're usually not wrong.

 

[wickedwitch]

Sentimentality seems to be a big reason for those "awards" in the US. If Russia uses the body of work or career achievement argument, the motivating factor is medals and good results. And they're usually not wrong.

I don't know why we're holding up Russia as some paradigm of an ideal skating federation. Their edge over the US in pairs has nothing to do with their selection procedure and it's the US that has the edge in dance or mens. That leaves only the ladies.

 

[Deleted member 221]

I feel like this is the right application of the rules, as written.

Do I agree with the rules? Not really. I think it's best to deviate only in extreme circumstances, where a legitimate medal contender has an uncharacteristic meltdown, or where there is a short-term injury that risks the a medal contender's health. E.g., if Nathan Chen took a hard fall on a quad and was unable to complete his program or complete his technical content as planned. What I think doesn't matter, though.

Under the rules as written -- which don't say anything about skaters needing to be legitimate medal contenders -- Rippon has earned the spot. Wagner had no medal chances in 2014 and was sent anyway, so there's clear precedent to send skaters with no medal chances based on body of work.

 

[lala]

The power of Putin of course!

That's a good point. However it seems that their "career achievement" awards always seem to go to those who actually end up getting hardware. Plushenko did his job in Sochi (obviously he withdrew in the individual event but I think the only mission there was to win team gold). And obviously Medvedeva will go to Korea based on her body of work.

The US has awarded career achievements to whom? Skaters like Wagner who went to Sochi without a prayer of medalling, Rippon (apparently) to Pyeongchang and a national title after dumping Chen, giving Bradley a career achievement national title over a budding Ricky, etc.

Sentimentality seems to be a big reason for those "awards" in the US. If Russia uses the body of work or career achievement argument, the motivating factor is medals and good results. And they're usually not wrong.

Don't forget Daisuke went instead of Kozuka.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I'm still smarting from that time I was fourth at my school's egg and spoon race and left off the national team.

 

[genevieve]

so has there been an official announcement yet or what?

 

[Deleted member 40371]

Wagner in 2014 was a GPF bronze medalist behind Asada and Lipnitskaya, she beat Sotnikova at that event. She definitely had a much stronger chance of a medal than Rippon here. In the hindsight we can argue she would not have medaled, but she did have a chance to medal...

I know many of you are Rippon fans here, but I really don’t think he has a big body of work to get selected for the Olympics. He is not a world or Senior GPF medalist, he is not a favorite from the medals either. This event wasn’t a complete crapshoot like Russian men’s nationals that there was even a argument against Miner, like he got lucky. I just feel Rippon is getting a push when there is not much “body” to support his work.

 

[BittyBug]

Jackie Wong illustrates the criteria:

https://twitter.com/rockerskating/status/949865969056284672

Unless nationals results trump all, Miner has only his nationals results to support his case. And the criteria don’t require “medals at the listed events,” they look at results.

Whatever their decision, I hope they explain it in more detail than just “based on the criteria.”

 

[chapis]

Poor Ross, but it is true, only 1 good competition should be not enough.

 

[jlai]

I am not a fan of Rippon or Miner. I think it depends on what USFS told the athletes. If they said before this season bow matters, as in really matters, it is not just nationals, then it is not fair for skaters to work their butt off and get consistent record in the gp, tire themselves out, only to realize that none of the matters if you have an off night.

But I also think it stinks to be left off the team as the silver medalist. But then if Miner had medaled in couple of senior Bs, he might have been picked already

 

[genevieve]

Looks like announcement will be made at 11:15am EST

 

[Frau Muller]

I am hearing this from reliable sources but take it for what it’s worth at the moment. Miner out. Gonna assume the announcement is Chen, Zhou, and Rippon.

So did Ross know, before traveling to San Jose, that he had no chance of making the Olympic team unless he won the Nationals title? Was he sent that memo ahead of time?

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

I'm still smarting from that time I was fourth at my school's egg and spoon race and left off the national team.

A disgrace.

I am wuzrobbing you.

No wonder egg and spoon racing isn't taken seriously.

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

I really don't get the about the apparent decision.

... really?!

Come on.

Like. This is skating. And FSU. During an Olympic year...

guaranteed.

 

[becca]

Build for the future by giving Vincent two international assignments, 4CC and Worlds, and let Ross and Adam have the Olympics ... If they want to use that excuse at all.

Vincent was within a point of Miner and has greater body of work then him. Why one rule for Adam. He has been Nationals podium two years straight the GP is not only criteria. I think they should take podium but if it's body of work Miner is dropped.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

A disgrace.

I am wuzrobbing you.

No wonder egg and spoon racing isn't taken seriously.

I even got my nails done ahead of time, too.

 

[millyskate]

If true it’s very hard not to feel for Ross. That said, it’s also a logical decision that does make sense. Either decision would have been acceptable.