Ross Miner Out Of Olympic Team (OFFICIAL)

[caseyedwards]

I think you should go to Colorado Springs and picket the USFSA. I mean, if you really feel that strongly about the wrongness of the decision, put some action behind your convictions.

Great idea. I will post many pics on instagram in proof

 

[Tavi]

Because this is a skating forum, for one, scandals and manipulations have been discovered in the past, for two, and everything gets thrown out there when things like this happen. Why not bring it up? Does the idea of Team Ross possibly taking the decision to that level, should something be discovered, as remote as it may be, make you nervous? It should not if everything is clean and on the up and up. You’ve mentioned the criteria, valid point, of course, but the fact that Brennan is sniffing around should raise eyebrows, and yes, I know, it’s Christine, but…

Why would it make me nervous? I’m just a skating fan, not directly or indirectly involved in, or even connected to, the sport.

As to the rest, yes, you’re right, it’s a skating forum where everything gets thrown out there. But it’s difficult to read intent and tone on the forum, and based on some of your comments (“lighten up,” “make a mountain out of a molehill,” “are you nervous”) you seem to be misreading some of mine.

 

[Skittl1321]

USFSA would have been smart to put something like this out, unless they did and I missed it.

The press conference they went over the criteria much more clearly than they had before. at the very least, they explicitly stated Ross had the lowest average score of the men considered.

 

[skatfan]

Hmmm.


U.S. Figure Skating Announces Pairs Selections for World, Four Continents and World Junior Teams

(1/7/18) – U.S. Figure Skating has announced its pairs selections for the 2018 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2018 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and 2018 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. The teams were selected following the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, California.

2018 World Championships
Tarah Kayne/Danny O’Shea
Alexa Scimeca-Knierim/Chris Knierim

Alternate 1 – Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay
Alternate 2 – Ashley Cain/Timothy LeDuc
Alternate 3 – Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier

2018 Four Continents Championships
Ashley Cain/Timothy LeDuc
Tarah Kayne/Danny O’Shea
Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay

Alternate 1 – Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier
Alternate 2 – Marissa Castelli/Mervin Tran
Alternate 3 – Chelsea Liu/Brian Johnson

Why the hmmm? It appears that they just went down the top finishers in order to fill the slots?.

 

[CassAgain]

Go read Mark Mitchell's response to Phil Hersch about why he's considering quitting coaching.

One would think that Mitchell would be familiar with the selection criteria. In any case, he should probably get some sleep, have a decent meal, get home and allow himself time to get over a disappointment before making important life decisions.

 

[bardtoob]

I think the "body of work" was supposed to save a skater like Nathan, a more than superior skater with an off day.

I do not think the "body of work" was supposed to save the best of the mediocre.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Why the hmmm? It appears that they just went down the top finishers in order to fill the slots?.

Exactly. Why not apply that to the men's event.

 

[jenny12]

Poor Ross. I understand the decision but I really don’t think any US skaters have performed well enough internationally (aside from Nathan) to merit special consideration.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Why would they assign Brown to 4C's if, as first alternate, he needed to be prepared for the Olympics?

If Brown goes to no championships, and earns no WS points, you have to go to WS 25 and a drop of over 1000 points to Kvitelashvili to find a skater who has only used one championship WS points slot and can earn full, rather than incremental WS championship points at the Olympics, Euros, or 4C's. Also looking at the skaters above him in WS, at least one (Chan) and up to three likely won't be at Worlds. Were Chen, for example, not to go to Worlds, and Brown to skate, it wouldn't hurt Brown's starting order group to have missed 4C's in this season.

 

[Bellanca]

well, for ice dancers, Nationals is just another competition, they are not fighting for a mere olympic spot, their goal is an olympic medal

And, like the redheaded stepchild Grand Prix Series, or much-maligned 4CC, for many, it is fast becoming another throwaway comp. That's the problem, right there. Ooohhh, I know, funding, etc., etc...

 

[tylersf]

I hope the "action" doesn't include injuring one of the selected team members and the alternate so Ross can make the team. Tonya Harding is still paying for those actions.

I think you should go to Colorado Springs and picket the USFSA. I mean, if you really feel that strongly about the wrongness of the decision, put some action behind your convictions.

 

[toddlj]

If the US just cancelled Nats and went solely on BOW, Bradie Tennell would have been left behind. Nats serves a purpose; it is the top tier. But it is not the only tier.

ETA: oh, and if not for Nats, Wagner would definitely be going. So it works both ways. Nats has value.

 

[skateboy]

I think Ross also knew he had no chance of landing on the podium with a perfect free skate that had the audience in the palm of his hand the whole way.

Oh, wait....

Well, Ross certainly had to know that his chances of making in the top 3 were very slim. And, after the short program, he was in 6th place.

I kind of got the feeling he was skating that free skate as though it was his last competitive program, so he basically went balls to the wall with it.

He may have been in a completely different mental state if he knew he had a legitimate shot at the top 3 (Adam and Jason had not skated yet.) Just speculation, of course.

I do think it's rotten that Ross was not named 1st alternate to Olys.

 

[casken]

The press conference they went over the criteria much more clearly than they had before. at the very least, they explicitly stated Ross had the lowest average score of the men considered.

I'm saying beforehand they should put it out.

Here are the skaters who are in the running for the team, here is where they stand, and here is what result/score they need to get to make the team, etc...

They can update it throughout the season after each event.

 

[Skittl1321]

Exactly. Why not apply that to the men's event.

Because the US doesn't have a single pair that has any sort of body of work in international competition. They are all pretty unremarkable.

 

[jiejie]

Now it's middle tier skaters who bombed the free just getting to go anyway.

Adam Rippon is a "middle tier skater"? The same Adam Rippon that is currently 10th in the ISU World Standings? Or is there another Adam Rippon I am unaware of?

 

[skatfan]

Exactly. Why not apply that to the men's event.

Here's a guess: because none of our pairs medaled at any GP, no one was at the GPFinal, we had a couple of medals at B comps and our World's placements last year were 10th and 20th.

 

[tylersf]

She finished off the podium at 1976 Nationals, and behind Dorothy Hamill (2nd) and Wendy Burge (4th) at the 1975 Worlds. Fratianne rapidly improved the year before the Olympics.

I would feel sorry for her because she married Gordon McKellen.

Feeling sorry for Kath Malmberg now. She finished 5th at the 1975 World Championships, and 4th at the 1976 US Championships.

 

[Bellanca]

Why would it make me nervous? I’m just a skating fan, not directly or indirectly involved in, or even connected to, the sport.

As to the rest, yes, you’re right, it’s a skating forum where everything gets thrown out there. But it’s difficult to read intent and tone on the forum, and based on some of your comments (“lighten up,” “make a mountain out of a molehill,” “are you nervous”) you seem to be misreading some of mine.

Relax. My intent and tone should not be cause for any additional scrutiny or concern. You asked a question, I answered. Enjoy the rest of your day - or evening, depending on where you are at.

 

[caseyedwards]

Poor Ross. I understand the decision but I really don’t think any US skaters have performed well enough internationally (aside from Nathan) to merit special consideration.

So true!

 

[bardtoob]

The did not even make Ross 1st Alternate for the Olympic Team ...

 

[babayaga]

Adam Rippon is a "middle tier skater"? The same Adam Rippon that is currently 10th in the ISU World Standings? Or is there another Adam Rippon I am unaware of?

Rippon is not a top skater. He is very limited technically (not a single quad in his arsenal), he is not even the best US man artistically (I think Brown is much stronger in that aspect) and he has never been top three at worlds. So yeah, middle tier is correct. I don't dislike Adam, but I really don't think he should be someone to go to Olympics/Worlds over the silver national medalist. He is just not good enough.

 

[Wyliefan]

The did not even make Ross 1st Alternate for the Olympic Team ...

They could have at least given him that.

 

[Skittl1321]

Rippon is not a top skater. He is very limited technically (not a single quad in his arsenal), he is not even the best US man artistically (I think Brown is much stronger in that aspect) and he has never been top three at worlds. So yeah, middle tier is correct. I don't dislike Adam, but I really don't think he should be someone to go to Olympics/Worlds over the silver national medalist. He is just not good enough.

Top 10 in the world as "middle tier" reminds me of people who think that a $300k household income is middle class in the US.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Nathan's just giving a PC answer because he doesn't want to anger USFSA like Ashley has.

I think that's why Gracie Gold's tweets this week are EVERYTHING. She probably won't return to competitive skating, so it's been great getting a sense of who she really is and what she thinks of the sport's behind the scenes politics.

 

[babayaga]

Top 10 in the world as "middle tier" reminds me of people who think that a $300k household income is middle class in the US.

In the same ISU world standings Bobrova/Soloviev are #2. Does that mean they are really second best dance team in the world?

 

[becca]

Considering how many men get to compete at world, top Countries can only send 3 I don't think top 10 by US standards is what they are looking for. Adam is not a podium contender.

 

[zoe111]

Rippon is not a top skater. He is very limited technically (not a single quad in his arsenal), he is not even the best US man artistically (I think Brown is much stronger in that aspect) and he has never been top three at worlds. So yeah, middle tier is correct. I don't dislike Adam, but I really don't think he should be someone to go to Olympics/Worlds over the silver national medalist. He is just not good enough.

So I don't really follow men's skating as a rule, but the more the day has gone on and I've had time to ponder this, I just don't agree with the USFSA's decision here. Yes, Adam may be ranked 10th, but that's 10th - not 5th or 3rd or anything like that. He is in fact, a middle tier skater. He doesn't have a quad and he isn't as artistic as Jason Brown in my opinion. I think the bow argument should really be if a skater like Nathan, or a Michelle Kwan type had a terrible day, injury, whatever. Not to replace a skater with no chance of medalling with another skater with... no chance of medalling. That. Just. Isn't. Right. And then again, to pass Grant for Max. Bow has now become synonymous with 'allows us to play with it so it looks like what we want irrespective of what skaters do on the day'. What's the point in having competitions then if not to 'put it out there when it counts on the day'? Nationals is always a really tough competition because so much is on the line. Yes, Adam skated ok at GPs this year. But not nationals. Again. The Olympics will have...you guessed it, a lot on the line. Sort of like nationals.

USFS is clearly free to do what they want, but I'm in agreement that this wasn't right and is a definite turn off for me.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

In the same ISU world standings Bobrova/Soloviev are #2. Does that mean they are really second best dance team in the world?

Only when their Body of Work includes Meldonium, of course.

 

[caseyedwards]

Hamilton and belbin just being disgusting USFS hacks with no integrity.