mag
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In fact, perhaps the fan thread title has jinxed Bradie, and needs to be dropped for a new thread entirely PDQ.
Okay, now you are just messing with us
In fact, perhaps the fan thread title has jinxed Bradie, and needs to be dropped for a new thread entirely PDQ.
Okay, now you are just messing with us
I commend Bradie for fighting back in the FS but it's clear her jumps aren't as pristine as Tara & Johnny like to claim they are. She consistently receives 2-3 under-rotations in her international events to the point that she's beginning to get a reputation for it.
It's time for the whole "she never makes a mistake" narrative to die. They always say that and then act completely shocked when she does have an error. I feel like T&J are trying to establish Bradie as a skater with Medvedeva circa 2015-2017 level consistency and she's just not that skater. Bradie delivers very well but she does make mistakes. There's nothing wrong with that. Putting that level of expectation on her is only adding pressure. She doesn't need that.
I think she should scrap the 3Lz-3L combo for now. It's better to go for a stronger and cleaner 3Lz-3T rather than risk a pop or UR with the 3Lz-3L. Hopefully she and her team will get back to work and come back stronger at her next event.
I'm confused because there was a while there where she really did seem to be immune to pressure or technical problems, roughly from fall 2017 up to the Olympics IIRC. Was that just a freak period, or has something happened that changed her consistency, or what?
I'm confused because there was a while there where she really did seem to be immune to pressure or technical problems, roughly from fall 2017 up to the Olympics IIRC. Was that just a freak period, or has something happened that changed her consistency, or what?
I believe it was the lack of expectations. It happens to many skaters. Only a few can handle the pressure of expectations from the media, fans, and everyone else. Some learn to handle it over time. I think Bradie will learn it. I think Nathan has learned it, after two disastrous performances at the 2018 Olympics.
An athlete has to Learn how to win. Chris Evert said at one time that her coach (was it her father when she was a child?) taught her the technique, but She had to learn how to win matches.
Speaking of the thread title, I see no jinx. When the thread was created, she had strong, fully rotated jumps. However, for any athlete there are ups and downs. Somehow commentators do seem to jinx skaters in the middle of a program. However, that too can be explained. A skater lands 4-5 triples confidently. So the commentator says - he/she is skating really well, or is on fire. Then he/she gets nervous and botches the next jump or just falls on it. It us as much the skater as the commentator but because of its timing it appears as a jinx. JMO.
I'm confused because there was a while there where she really did seem to be immune to pressure or technical problems, roughly from fall 2017 up to the Olympics IIRC. Was that just a freak period, or has something happened that changed her consistency, or what?
The issue with the US women is whenever someone shows the slightest amount of potential everyone immediately latches onto that person and starts proclaiming them "the one" and heaping all of the hopes and dreams of a skater who can put pressure on the Russian and Japanese
Unless your name is Ashley Wagner, the only 3x US Champion in the last 12 years, 3x GPF medalist, and only woman in 12 years to modium at worlds.
Like @mag and @Vash01 said, lack of expectation. She was unknown on the big stage until after the SP at SA last year. Even after skating so well there, she was still in her element just doing her thing as usual. By nationals everyone was buzzing and she managed to turn in great performances. Beyond nationals however, that's when the expectation really took off and that's where the pressure started to intensify.
I feel sorry for her. I see the parallels between her and Gracie. Burst onto the scene and make a big splash, have everyone peg you as the hope for the US women, expectation for gold medals and high placements internationally, all while still trying to find out who you are as a skater. Gracie was under so much pressure from day one and despite some highs in her career, she experienced some really crushing lows as well, enough to cause her to step away.
I just hope Bradie can be strong and not let the pressure/expectation ruin her. She's a talented girl with a lot of potential...she doesn't have to realize all of it this season. The issue with the US women is whenever someone shows the slightest amount of potential everyone immediately latches onto that person and starts proclaiming them "the one" and heaping all of the hopes and dreams of a skater who can put pressure on the Russian and Japanese women on that person. It's enough to cause anyone to crack.
Gracie was hyped up as the great new hope since she was a junior. She did well in her first two seasons (or was it three?). Despite her lack of a medal at the 2014 Olympics - a very respectable 4th place finish- she was still USA's great hope, leading up to the 2016 Worlds in Boston. I think by that time the expectations really caught up with her nerves. I was not aware of her other problems back then.
I think Bradie is in a better position because she didn't get noticed until last year's SA, at age 18 or 19 I think. Even then she was not considered the Great new hope until Worlds 2017. So even though it was a meteoric rise, it was not like what Gracie had to deal with- many years of expectations, long before she became an adult. At age 20 Bradie is in a better position to handle the pressure. I think at the US nationals in January we may see her handling it. If not, then next season.
Beyond the 2012/2013 season Gracie placed top 5 at all of her events. For any regular skater top 5 is a big deal. Unfortunately, considering how much everyone was expecting from Gracie, she actually under-performed. People expected more from her--more gold, more titles, etc. It's clear she expected more from herself as well. Placing 4th at worlds is amazing...yet it contributed to her spiraling the following year.
Tons of pressure and not meeting other people's expectations as well as her own took a serious toll on Gracie. I do feel as though Bradie was in a slightly different position initially in terms of her being older/mature. But the hype came on quick and fast for her as well. People began hyping Bradie as soon as she beat out Ashley in the SP at SA...and the hype train really picked up speed when she delivered in the FS and medaled. From there, it was full steam ahead into nationals and straight thru to Pyeongchang, at which point the hype train crashed into the reality train and people realized that even though Bradie was amazing she had a long way to go before she'd be competitive at the top. Yet they blamed her (and the rest of team USA) as if this was something shocking. (Remember all of the "lowest US finish in ladies in blah-blah years" whining...).
Bradie has a good head on her shoulders. I'm just hoping she can keep it there and not allow setbacks like these to shake her confidence or cause her to doubt herself. She just needs to keep working and stay focused. I think she'll be fine.
People began hyping Bradie because she is THAT good. Calm under pressure. Fab jump technique.
This year she has upped the ante, and has more to lose. I love both her programs, and think she will shake off SA, and move right along.
Honestly, this is the reason that Ashley doesn't have 4 National titles and another Olympic berth. I love Karen, but pushing her in 2017 and 2018 and ignoring her underrotation like everyone can't see that she does that cost Ashley big time.Unless your name is Ashley Wagner, the only 3x US Champion in the last 12 years, 3x GPF medalist, and only woman in 12 years to modium at worlds.
Anyway, to the topic at hand. Bradie needs to stop doing the Lutz + Loop combo and just do the Lutz + Toe-loop. Karen could have moved to a Flip + Toe-loop instead of Lutz + Toe-loop, but instead got a (deserved) reputation for underrotating. Learn from other's mistakes.
Adjustment to expectations and international competitions perhaps? Seems most skaters have some bumps in the road in the transition. No one is a machine. Such statements shouldn't be made in the first place ("she never makes a mistake").I commend Bradie for fighting back in the FS but it's clear her jumps aren't as pristine as Tara & Johnny like to claim they are. She consistently receives 2-3 under-rotations in her international events to the point that she's beginning to get a reputation for it.
It's time for the whole "she never makes a mistake" narrative to die. ....
Adjustment to expectations and international competitions perhaps? Seems most skaters have some bumps in the road in the transition. No one is a machine. Such statements shouldn't be made in the first place ("she never makes a mistake").
Edit - but I do hope she keeps her head high, practices/works hard, and has stronger programs as she goes along this year [I feel confident that will happen - she is certainly capable].
There's a stat in this article that answers that question: "Over her four significant competitions last season through the team event at the Olympics, where she skated the short program, Tennell had made 34 jumping passes without a fall and done 33 of 34 triple jumps flawlessly." It's not like people just made it up. The hype machine hyped, but not without reason. Sports media adore streaks, and she had one.I agree. I mean she had mistakes at the Olympics-she fell on a jump. Where is this "she never makes a mistake" narrative coming from?
For Tennell's short program, Richaud chose "Rebirth" by Hi-Finesse featuring Egyptian-British singer Natacha Atlas, from the 2014 thriller Lucy.
"Many times when I work with skaters, I make them perform to music other than (what) they will skate to, to make them feel different aspects of movement," Richaud said. "Last year, I put this on, and Bradie said, 'This is good, I like it.' I said, 'OK, we will keep it for next year.'"
"When we went on to the ice and starting working on (the short program), it was an organic process," he added. "We did it naturally, we had the music and we didn't need anything else."
The result is a fiercely driving program that requires Tennell to skate full-throttle for most of the routine.
"At the beginning, when we first choreographed it, (the choreography) felt very different, but I like to challenge myself," Tennell, who practiced the movements in front of a mirror, said. "That's the best way to grow."
"Why does it look so modern? Because I am French," Richaud laughed. "It was really funny last year; everyone was saying, 'Oh, she is doing Cinderella.' And Bradie is really very far from that. She has a lot of personality, she has a lot of power, and she works hard."
Like @mag and @Vash01 said, lack of expectation
Well yeah, lol. Ashley did all of that in spite of the constant effort to pass her over for the newer girls. In a way I think the USFS's push for all of the newer talent is what allowed Ashley to hang around for so long. She was able to compete without the immense expectation and pressure heaped onto Gracie/Polina/etc. Other skaters were better than Ashley on paper but they lacked her competitive grit and determination. By sheer force of will Ashley earned those medals/titles.
#HellaRespect