Gracie Gold article in People 12.30.2019

[genevieve]

Pre-Nats fluff for Gracie

After withdrawing from the 2019 U.S. National Championships and another competition in Russia, Gold is now planning to enter the 2020 U.S. National Championships in North Carolina in January.

Olympic Figure Skater Gracie Gold Opens Up About Career Comeback After Mental Health Struggles

Gracie Gold entered treatment for her mental health and an eating disorder in 2017

people.com

 

[Nadya]

Good for her. This story is really moving. I wish more people were honest about the effort it takes to remain on top, beyond the "we all must train hard" lines.

 

[bardtoob]

I don't know the situation, but I'm disappointed that the coach that had her doing 3As and quads is no longer working with Gracie.

Maybe it was an unhealthy situation, but 3As and quads are a reality.

Brady Tennell shouldn't have been allowed at the GPF.

 

[Wyliefan]

I don't know the situation, but I'm disappointed that the coach that had her doing 3As and quads is no longer working with Gracie.

Maybe it was an unhealthy situation, but 3As and quads are a reality.

Brady Tennell shouldn't have been allowed at the GPF.

Wait, what? How did we get from Gracie to Bradie?

 

[mtnskater]

Brady Tennell shouldn't have been allowed at the GPF.

To me this is a ridiculous statement. Bradie earned her spot at the GPF fair and square. She also did not finish last out of the six qualifiers. Do you also think Zagitova should not have been “allowed” at the GPF because she doesn’t do the quad or triple axel either?

I’m interested to watch Gracie skate...quad or no quad (or 3 axel).

 

[bardtoob]

Wait, what? How did we get from Gracie to Bradie?

Let us say Gracie wants to be as competitive as she was before. Nationally, her main competition would be Bradie. Internationally, it would be with the 12+ skaters from Russia or Japan that are substantially better than Bradie.

 

[Wyliefan]

Let us say Gracie wants to be as competitive as she was before. Nationally, her main competition would be Bradie. Internationally, it would be with the 12+ skaters from Russia or Japan that are substantially better than Bradie.

What's that got to do with Bradie being at the GPF?

 

[bardtoob]

Do you also think Zagitova should not have been “allowed” at the GPF because she doesn’t do the quad or triple axel either?

I don't think some of Zagitova's jumps should have been called triples in the GP events, but that is a whole other level of politics.

 

[bardtoob]

What's that got to do with Bradie being at the GPF?

So you are upset I said the national champion's name. Ok.

Gracie should not be training as if winning the US National Championship with a 3Lz-3T is at all related to being internationally competitive.

 

[Carolla5501]

What's that got to do with Bradie being at the GPF?

The poster in question obviously has A vendetta going on. The best thing to do is put her on ignore

 

[bardtoob]

The poster in question obviously has A vendetta going on. The best thing to do is put her on ignore

No vendetta.

I am just disappointed at what people pretend is good.

 

[Wyliefan]

So you are upset I said the national champion's name. Ok.

Gracie should not be training as if winning the US National Championship with a 3Lz-3T is at all related to being internationally competitive.

I'm not in the least upset. I'm extremely confused.

 

[canbelto]

I am super duper confused how threads (like Maia's surgery and this one) get threadjacked into Bradie hate threads. I'm very confused.

 

[overedge]

Let us say Gracie wants to be as competitive as she was before.

Let's not. Given all the terrible personal problems she has gone through, maybe just being able to be at Nationals is a win for her.

 

[bardtoob]

Let's not. Given all the terrible personal problems she has gone through, maybe just being able to be at Nationals is a win for her.

That's fair and balanced.

 

[MacMadame]

Gracie should not be training as if winning the US National Championship with a 3Lz-3T is at all related to being internationally competitive.

She's not. She's working to get back skills she used to have but doesn't have now.

It's ridiculous to be working on a quad when you can't even land more than the simplest triples. Once she has all the triples through Lutz, she can worry about getting a 3-3 and a 3X and maybe even a Quad.

 

[Japanfan]

I don't know the situation, but I'm disappointed that the coach that had her doing 3As and quads is no longer working with Gracie.

Let's not. Given all the terrible personal problems she has gone through, maybe just being able to be at Nationals is a win for her.

I had the same response as @overedge.

Let us say Gracie wants to be as competitive as she was before. Nationally, her main competition would be Bradie. Internationally, it would be with the 12+ skaters from Russia or Japan that are substantially better than Bradie.

It's very possible she is not striving to be as competitive as she was before. At the present time just being able to skate and compete is a victory for Gracie.

 

[Simone411]

Damn! I'm proud of Gracie! She fought off the storm, bounced back and even got herself back in shape. It's hard sometimes facing all the storms that are ahead of us. She's a winner to me, and had the guts to do this when everyone thought she wouldn't be back.

If you give up on things in life, then you've let that storm conquer you. She didn't, though. I'm excited about this, and I wish Gracie all the luck in the world!!

Gracie, this poem is for you. I wrote the poem May 12th, 1982 and it still has the same meaning in this day and age.

The Drain And The Gutter

If one's challenge
In life
Is washed down the drain ...

Find a plunger,
Locate the challenge,
Attain it,
And plug up the sink.

It is better to try again
Than falling down the drain
Into the gutter.

And this is what she did. She didn't give up and she plugged up the sink.

 

[Nadya]

No vendetta.

I am just disappointed at what people pretend is good.

There's good as in "gold medal material", and good as in "the absolute best I can do." Do you really think that people with no hope to win gold shouldn't even compete?

 

[bardtoob]

There's good as in "gold medal material", and good as in "the absolute best I can do." Do you really think that people with no hope to win gold shouldn't even compete?

You're right. US Ladies Sr. Nationals is a fun recreational event. Everybody gets a trophy

... And if you do well on the right year, then you might be elected to go to the Olympics

 

[canbelto]

Um @bardtoob I'm really not trying to be confrontational but you realize that many people go to the Olympics and have no hope of medaling and they know it right? But they're there for the experience? Like would you have told Adam Rippon "you'll never beat Hanyu and Chen on a good day. You are a loser kthxbye." If Gracie has qualified for Nationals and wants to go and thinks it'll be a step closer to her recovery and her ability to think positively about the sport that's great. If Bradie goes to Nats and her jump content isn't the same as Anna Scherbakova or Alena Kostornaia that's fine too. You don;t have a right to tell elite athletes what their personal goals should be.

And going by your logic every elite gymnast in Rio should have just dropped out because their D score was nowhere close to Simone Biles.

 

[bardtoob]

Like would you have told Adam Rippon "you'll never beat Hanyu and Chen on a good day. You are a loser kthxbye."

That's a bad example, don't you think? In the words of Seth Meyers, too easy.

 

[Aerobicidal]

You're right. US Ladies Sr. Nationals is a fun recreational event. Everybody gets a trophy

... And if you do well on the right year, then you might be elected to go to the Olympics

A. There's just a touch of middle ground between "fun recreational event" and "don't compete there unless you are likely to win and also be competitive with Tutberidze's non-Zagitova skaters."

B. U.S. Nationals has reasonably strict technical minimums for seniors to even compete there. Megan Wessenberg didn't even make the minimums.

C. If Zagitova returns to competitive skating, I would like her to perform to an MC Hammer medley.

Anyway, I'm rooting for Gracie to meet her personal goals and I can't wait to see her skate at Nationals.

 

[Nadya]

You're right. US Ladies Sr. Nationals is a fun recreational event. Everybody gets a trophy

... And if you do well on the right year, then you might be elected to go to the Olympics

Well the fact of the matter is that only three ladies will get medals. Is it your position that everyone else simply shouldn't go?

 

[bardtoob]

If Bradie goes to Nats and her jump content isn't the same as Anna Scherbakova or Alena Kostornaia that's fine too. You don;t have a right to tell elite athletes what their personal goals should be.

Is that because figure skating is not a real sport? Fans of real sports as well as sports commentators tell teams and athletes what they should do all the time.

 

[bardtoob]

Well the fact of the matter is that only three ladies will get medals. Is it your position that everyone else simply shouldn't go?

In this case, the 4th should definitely go

Of course, if everybody decides they don't want to win, then everybody should go because somebody is bound to give away the championship.

 

[canbelto]

Uh no. There are a bunch of swimmers who go to the Olys and have no chance of medaling. No one tells them they can't go. Most never make it to the finals. Some are backups for the relay. Everyone has different goals. But they qualified and so therefore they have a right to be there. Same for male sprinters in the Usain Bolt era. Bolt with erratic training could breeze past many of them on their best day. But they had a right to experience the Olys or Athletics Worlds.

Seriously are you trolling or did you sign out of your @Tinami Amori account or are you Eteri behind a screen? Because for someone watching at home you're awfully judgmental of people who have worked hard and trained hard and deserve to be at Nationals whether or not they have the jump content to medal at worlds.

 

[bardtoob]

I believe that not everybody can win a championship, but everybody entered in the competition should be brave in the attempt to win the championship.

 

[agalisgv]

So very happy for Gracie. It’s sad that attempting a comeback means wading through depths of snark from both officials and fans, but good on her! I hope she finds fulfillment and joy in her training and competitions.

 

[bardtoob]

Seriously are you trolling or did you sign out of your @Tinami Amori account or are you Eteri behind a screen?

@Tinami Amori is going to be so insulted that we could possibly be confused

Because for someone watching at home you're awfully judgmental of people who have worked hard and trained hard and deserve to be at Nationals whether or not they have the jump content to medal at worlds.

I think I am respecting the athletes, and I am judgemental of those that would tell them "be realistic" rather tell them "to fight like they want to win".