These jumps aren't under review: The Bradie Tennell Cheer Thread!

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

NBC Sports: Tennell upsets Medvedeva at Autumn Classic

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018...-medvedeva-at-autumn-classic-hanyu-leads-men/

The U.S. champion, sixth in the world last season, has set an ambitious goal: “I want to be a whole new skater, unrecognizable from last season.”

“There are some things that need to be tweaked, but I love the program,” Denise Myers, who coaches Tennell in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, said. “It showed a more mature, different side to Bradie, which is what we are striving for this year.

 

[Sylvia]

Bradie doesn't tweet much so it's nice she shared her podium photo (medal ceremony took place off the ice) from last night : https://twitter.com/bradie_tennell/status/1043468525556441089
"And that's a wrap on the first competion of the season! So proud of the programs I put out here, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the season brings!"

ETA Bradie's quote from Rutherford's 9/20 Autumn Classic preview article:

“I’m definitely more confident in myself and what I’m doing,” Tennell says. “I believe in myself a lot more. I don’t think I’m as timid. I’m really working on not being as shy, just kind of letting my personality come through in everything.”

 

[3Lz+3Lo]

I only got around to watching her free skate today and I was impressed! Such improvement from last season already. It’s great she’s going for the loop combo now!

 

[olympic]

Wow. I've only been semi-interested in skating this season. I think I burned out from the build-up to Pyeongcheng and have the post-Olympic season blues.

But, Bradie is the one who has woken me from my slumber. Her programs are the first this season I have watched multiple times. Her transformation is quite evident: The increased jump content (3z-3L; 3Z-3T-2T; repeating Lutz and Flip), the more intricate music and improved interpretation thereof, and her increased capability in utilizing her long limbs (better, but not yet Kostner level) are making her a serious threat to the World order. She also looks as if she moves w/ more speed and fewer strokes across the ice (or is that just me?)

 

[DreamSkates]

I watched her SP & LP from Autumn Classic. I wouldn't say she is totally different from last year, but looks much more mature. Her programs could really "sing" later in the season and I would say, she is the leading lady of the US at the moment. She has outgrown the princess character.

 

[Marco]

I was just having a bit of fun on the thread title, but in fact have much respect for her. Around 70% transformed stylistically, strong programs, very aggressive content and an upset win over the 2 time World Champ and reigning Oly silver medalist.

I do think her posture needs much work and the issue is esp apparent given there really isn't much to pick on. More <s in the free but I am hoping this is an early season thing and not another tradition for US Champs.

 

[olympic]

It looked like Bradie tired in the 2nd half of the LP. There were quite a few planned choreographic movements that were not held longer. If they were held out, it would have had a strong effect on the artistry of the program. I'm glad those moves are in there and as the programs improve over the season, maybe we will see something really special.

 

[AxelAnnie]

IMO, Bradie's FS demonstrates exactly how a skater can and should come into the beginning of the season. PREPARED. Her RJ is a phenomenal. Her costume is to die for. The way the jumps are placed to the music, and the way she lands on the emphasis is no less than expert.

The program will grow and become more nuanced through out the season, and it will be such fun to watch. Bradie is in it to win it..........and what a surprise for an American Ladies Skater.

 

[jiejie]

Great start for Bradie and hope she keeps building momentum and wins/medals at her GP's. Also hope that some corporate sponsors start getting behind her in a big way with some $$$. I know she comes from a family of modest means.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Great start for Bradie and hope she keeps building momentum and wins/medals at her GP's. Also hope that some corporate sponsors start getting behind her in a big way with some $$$. I know she comes from a family of modest means.

Yeah, I think United stepped in earlier this year and paid for her brothers to fly to The Olys as well.

 

[Sylvia]

Golden Skate's Ted Flett spoke to Bradie for about 15 mins. right after she won Autumn Classic International ("2018 U.S. Champion Bradie Tennell talks about her experience at nationals and the Olympics, her long program for this season, challenges with change, and more!"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltLxTIjmowQ

 

[Sylvia]

Bradie is on the cover of the October issue of SKATING magazine - excerpt from the story by Lynn Rutherford: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...e-tennell-enters-season-with-a-bold-goal.aspx

Direct link to the minute-long video of her cover photo shoot with Hans Rosemond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eus1OTGC0gs

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Skate America in Everett could launch another special season
Bradie Tennell started her meteoric rise in figure skating at last year’s Skate America in New York.

https://www.heraldnet.com/sports/skate-america-in-everett-could-launch-another-special-season/

Skate America is where it all began for Bradie Tennell.

For Tennell, the 2017-18 figure skating season was the stuff of childhood fantasies. She entered last fall as a relative unknown, even inside her own country. She departed the winter as a ladies national champion, an Olympic medalist, and one of the biggest names in American skating.

Tennell’s whirlwind 2017-18 was kicked off by a breakthrough performance at Skate America. So it’s no surprise that she’s eagerly anticipating her return to the event.

“Absolute madness,” is how Tennell, a 20-year-old from Carpentersville, Illinois, described her 2017-18 season. “It was amazing, and going out at Skate America and having the skates I did played a big part.”

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Bradie Tennell matures from Cinderella — keeping AC/DC — in Skate America return – OlympicTalk

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/10/17/bradie-tennell-figure-skating/

“I don’t really get nervous, per se,” Tennell said last week. “I think the only time that I am anything close to like anxious is right before my music starts. But last year I was so excited to be at my first Grand Prix, finally, after so much had happened in the past. That excitement carried over into my performances.”

“I want this year’s Bradie to be very mature, very elegant, somebody who is almost unrecognizable from last year,” Tennell said in an interview with Skating magazine, for which she wore a black “New Kids on the Block” sleeveless T-shirt and plugged into a Sanyo Walkman for the cover photo shoot, an homage to her love of 1980s rock.

 

[aftershocks]

I like Bradie's sp costume at AC much better than what she wore for the sp at SA. She did not need to make a change IMHO. The sp costume at SA was way too overly bright shiny with the blue accents. It didn't go with the music too well either. The AC costume fit the eerie sci-fi style music much better.

I really hope Bradie did not change her fp costume too. The one at AC was perfect. I mean if people around her are going OTT with intrusive suggestions, Bradie needs to put her foot down on that. There was nothing wrong with her costumes. And lower the expectations too, just because she beat Medvedeva at AC. There was no reason to ratchet up the ante thinking it would be a piece of cake to beat Satoko, who's jumps have slightly improved in terms of getting a bit more height.

Hopefully, Bradie can just go out there in the fp and skate the way she's capable, and let the chips fall where they may. US figure skating needs to learn how to support their skaters better politically, and stop with the putting on of so much media pressure and over-expectations when they compete well, and then having nothing in place to support them when they don't perform as well as expected.

 

[screech]

I really hope Bradie did not change her fp costume too. The one at AC was perfect.

She changed it. It's similar, but also very different. I like parts of the new one, but I was a bit thrown off by the arms not quite matching the rest of the costume. I think I preferred the ACI one (but I like that she ditched the tiara)

 

[aftershocks]

Bradie skated well in the fp with a couple of slight bobbles. I think Bradie was unfairly dumped on for the 3-jump combo with URs. I disagree. I do believe Satoko quite clearly deserved to win. Satoko and Kaori definitely 1 and 2. But Satoko's jumps weren't even reviewed. There are a few landings Satoko had in her fp that looked just as close as Bradie's IMO. I want to see slo-mo comparisons. Bradie should NOT have been given URs when it's that close. But yet they don't even review any of Satoko's close landings. Apparently with a Japanese tech specialist involved, they seem to have protected Satoko and over-managed Bradie's marks to keep her down.

Also Megan Wessenberg was given a raw deal overall for skating very well. I don't see Samodurova as any great shakes. Samodurova was extremely cautious and slow going into a number of her jumps in the fp. And her PCS were over-rated. Let Samodurova earn her stripes. She was overscored in the sp too! While Samodurova landed her jumps fairly well, it looked like her free foot touched the ice slightly a couple of times. Did they review her jumps!? Nope, I doubt it. They obviously use these reviews to manipulate scores and the US fed just allows this to happen on their home turf, not even attempting to protect the interests of their own skaters.

This result clearly shows that U.S. skaters have no margin for error. Bradie fought for that program, and Samodurova is not better than her and did not show it either. More proof that Russians get gift points, and it helps that her coach is Mishin apparently too. Yep, I'm pissed. I know people are going to say that Bradie made that mistake in the sp, and a couple of slight miscues in the fp. But she's skating in her home country and did not back down. Plus, she should NOT have been URed on some of those jumps, particularly when others are not reviewed as closely under a microscope!

Another point: why doesn't the U.S. do more to manage selections for their home GP to give their top skaters a better advantage??? Why was there this overdone thinking that Bradie was going to be able to take down this field stacked with so many good Japanese ladies? And foolish of them to think Samodurova was not a threat because she's a little known newbie to seniors Russian lady. I know people will say stuff like, they are supposed to play fair. But other feds aren't overly concerned with playing fair. This is figure skating, and the U.S. has never learned how to protect and support their skaters politically when push comes to shove. Why do we have to see T/M at Skate America every year in pairs? Even the U.S. commentators are so very afraid of saying anything that's going to seem like homerism, and yet they constantly hype and pile on huge over-expectations for top U.S. skaters.

The ISU's new rules are expecting perfection from skaters, but they do nothing to explore better ways to provide competitive opportunities for more skaters, improve the competition structure, try to eliminate conflicts of interest in scoring and fund research to help protect the physical and mental health of skaters in this impossibly difficult sport. The ISU treats their skaters very poorly and the skaters are so used to taking it, and then just making excuses for every poor decision by the ISU, for fear of not being treated well if they speak out.

 

[artsciboy]

I like Bradie, so this is not shade - but shouldn't we change the name of this thread given that her jumps are now often under review?

 

[VGThuy]

Yeah, @Marco was right in that this thread title has become ironic.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Why do we have to see T/M at Skate America every year in pairs?

LOL and we almost had the very exact same podium in ladies as last years SkAm.

And, yes, I know the jumps are under review this year!!!!!!!



But, hey no < in the SP.

Shall I change the title?

 

[oleada]

I really wish NBC would stop with the crazy Bradie hype. It's a lot of pressure to put on her. She's a good skater but clearly there are things to work on before she reaches the next level. I'm not sure if the 3Lz+3Lo is worth it in terms of base value yet, because it wasn't very rotated in the LP and popped in the SP. I'm impressed by the way she handled Andrea.

Another point: why doesn't the U.S. do more to manage selections for their home GP to give their top skaters a better advantage??? Why was there this overdone thinking that Bradie was going to be able to take down this field stacked with so many good Japanese ladies? And foolish of them to think Samodurova was not a threat because she's a newbie to seniors Russian lady. I know people will say stuff like, they are supposed to play fair. Other feds do not play fair. This is figure skating, and the U.S. has never learned how to protect and support their skaters when push comes to shove. Why do we have to see T/M at Skate America every year in pairs?

at your predictable ranting which amounts to why can't my favorites be given all the gifts, but US skaters won't get any better by skating against weak competition. The USFS had to pick one of the top 3 ranked skaters at Worlds (Higuchi, Miyahara and either Osmond or Kostner; I can't remember at what point Kaetlyn withdrew, but at one point Satoko might've actually been the lowest ranked option). If you think that USFS doesn't politik like the rest of them And Tarasova/Morozov have only been to SkAm once before. They've been to SC twice, and Russia and France 3 times. By the way, have they pissed in your cornflakes or something? You seem a bit obsessed with them given you go on some sort of anti T/M rant on every thread.

Wessenberg skated about as well as she could, and was certainly given credit for it. Her clean jumps got very good GOE, as they should. She only did 3 type of triples in her FS - 3F, 3T and 3S - and repeated the two easiest ones. She didn't have a 3 jump combo, and only did one combo after the half, when nearly every other lady did 2, and usually a 3-3 or 2a-3T. Rough landings on her last 2 jumps didn't help. She was actually behind Kaori by 12 points; Sofia by 11, and Laurine by 6 points on *base value* alone. You are not going to make that up in PCS unlesss you're maybe Carolina Kostner, which she isn't. She actually exceeded all expectations and should get a ton of credit for it.

 

[artsciboy]

And, yes, I know the jumps are under review this year!!!!!!!



But, hey no < in the SP.

Shall I change the title?

That may be for the best!

 

[aftershocks]

I really wish NBC would stop with the crazy Bradie hype. It's a lot of pressure to put on her. She's a good skater but clearly there are things to work on before she reaches the next level. I'm not sure if the 3Lz+3Lo is worth it in terms of base value yet, because it wasn't very rotated in the LP and popped in the SP. I'm impressed by the way she handled Andrea.

at your predictable ranting which amounts to why can't my favorites be given all the gifts, but US skaters won't get any better by skating against weak competition. The USFS had to pick one of the top 3 ranked skaters at Worlds (Higuchi, Miyahara and either Osmond or Kostner; I can't remember at what point Kaetlyn withdrew, but at one point Satoko might've actually been the lowest ranked option). If you think that USFS doesn't politik like the rest of them And Tarasova/Morozov have only been to SkAm once before. They've been to SC twice, and Russia and France 3 times. By the way, have they pissed in your cornflakes or something? You seem a bit obsessed with them given you go on some sort of anti T/M rant on every thread.

Wessenberg skated about as well as she could, and was certainly given credit for it. Her clean jumps got very good GOE, as they should. She only did 3 type of triples in her FS - 3F, 3T and 3S - and repeated the two easiest ones. She didn't have a 3 jump combo, and only did one combo after the half, when nearly every other lady did 2, and usually a 3-3 or 2a-3T. Rough landings on her last 2 jumps didn't help. She was actually behind Kaori by 12 points; Sofia by 11, and Laurine by 6 points on *base value* alone. You are not going to make that up in PCS unlesss you're maybe Carolina Kostner, which she isn't. She actually exceeded all expectations and should get a ton of credit for it.

Yes indeed I am ranting @oleada. And your predictable posts carping at everything I have to say are unsurprising too. The sport is full of it. I am not ashamed of taking up for U.S. skaters. There are plenty of U.S. and international fans who enjoy criticizing U.S. skaters. So I like to show some support. Certainly, Canadians are always supportive of their skaters, and that's an understatement. To think this sport has any fairness whatsoever is silly. Yeah, it's a crapshoot making GP selections. And tbh, U.S. skaters will continue having a hard row to hoe, because the U.S. has never been good at ISU politics. That's a fact. Sure they attempt to politik but they ain't good at it. While I respect and admire Bradie and I'm glad to see a U.S. lady with some grit, I am not an uber of either Bradie or Vincent. I think both were overly harshly judged, which is not to say they didn't UR some jumps. But not all of their jumps called UR were clear URs. Meanwhile, some skaters' jumps are never reviewed. And some skaters have more margin for error than others do.

Definitely Bradie has a lot more work to do, and U.S. fed and media really need to slow it down with the over-hype, but they never do. I give Bradie credit though for how much she's improved, and she deserves credit for that, not the opprobrium on one end, and the overhype and overdone expectations on the other end. There are a lot of people who don't like Bradie and never will who are probably celebrating. Bradie skated very well at Worlds and was kept down in the standings behind top skaters who made a lot of errors. I also remember times when U.S. men have been dumped on. Suddenly Nathan Chen breaks through to seniors setting quad records, and the criticisms begin that he's not good artistically when he's always been good technically and creatively. With U.S. skater Nathan setting quad records, the sport immediately decides to hurry up and implement their plans to change the idiotic post-2010 Olympics IJS scoring system, in order to preserve their abiity to manipulate placements. As I said, this sport is full of it. No surprise.

I never said that Wessenberg should have been given scores comparable to being on the podium, but she was clearly held down a bit. She could have been given slightly better scores. Samodurova is a bit more skilled than Wessenberg of course, but she's no great shakes. If Samodurova was a U.S. skater, she wouldn't have gotten such marks on PCS, as a newbie to seniors. She was very slow and cautious going into some of her jumps which apparently was not reflected in the overall scoring.

Yep, T/M could serve me some cornflakes with cherries on top every day if they ever bring some authenticity and creativity to their skating to go along with their superb technical skills. I dislike the way T/M are knee-jerk given gifts, and their weak presentation skills are actually never pointed out by any commentators for fear of being accused of anti-Russian sentiment. I will be celebrating right along with everyone else who is a figure skating fan if T/M's technical talent is ever matched by programs that can help them bring out more personality and emotional depth and connection. Next?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I have to say I think I prefer BOTH of her costumes from Autumn Classic over the tweaked ones she wore for SkAm.

 

[kittysk8ts]

I’m really liking Bradie’s more mature look and choreo this season. I think the slight URs will disappear with more mileage. This is a whole new way of moving for her.

 

[Fiero425]

I’m really liking Bradie’s more mature look and choreo this season. I think the slight URs will disappear with more mileage. This is a whole new way of moving for her.

Maybe needs a little more height on her jumps; esp. in the combinations! Love her music; can't go wrong "Romeo & Juliet!" Not sure where the maturity is you're speaking of; pretty much looks the same to me! Some bad under-rotations! I think the judges would've helped her without those bobbles!

 

[Marco]

Yeah, @Marco was right in that this thread title has become ironic.

Too bad the ISU is taking a tougher stance starting this season.

 

[aftershocks]

Cross-posting from U.S. men thread to respond to the below OT post:

You are unbelievable. Bradie just beat a two time world champion and Olympic silver medalist. If some powerful group really wanted to hold her down they could have propped up Med and no one would have been the wiser. If anything Bradie has a reputation as a solid jumper with nerves of steel who has taken full advantage of the off season to work extremely hard to improve her PCS.

Believe it. The judges don't have a need to 'prop-up' Med, as she tends to earn her rep through consistency and determined grit (aside from the generous PCS, which are a given by this point). Med is in a new training camp and adjusting her technique, and AC was an early season comp. Bradie and Med were fairly even in the sp at AC, but Med had the rep and the Olympic silver medal, so naturally she was placed ahead of Bradie in the sp, but not by much as it could have gone either way, and would have if not for a UR call in the sp against Bradie. At AC, Bradie was fierce and in her element. One of the commentators simply said, "Wow," after Bradie's sp. A lot of fans felt Bradie deserved to be in first after the sp.

There was no question that Bradie was better in the fp than Med, due to slight errors by Med. If both had skated clean, I'm willing to bet Med would have stayed ahead on superior reputation. And it looks like Bradie unexpectedly winning aganst the Olympic silver medalist and two-time World champion this summer only added hype and pressure to Bradie's first GP outing to start the major competition season. But whatever happens skaters have to take in stride and learn from their ups and downs, however they can.

Quite clearly, Bradie has URed some of her jumps, but not as many as the judges think. The microscope scrutiny began by judges at Worlds, where frankly judges apparently manipulated points to keep Bradie down in the standings. That's where the reviewing and UR calls began. And the judges over-reviewed Mirai at the same competition for the same reason.

 

[mag]

Cross-posting from U.S. men thread to respond to the below OT post:



Believe it. The judges don't have a need to 'prop-up' Med, as she tends to earn her rep through consistency and determined grit (aside from the generous PCS, which are a given by this point). Med is in a new training camp and adjusting her technique, and AC was an early season comp. Bradie and Med were fairly even in the sp at AC, but Med had the rep and the Olympic silver medal, so naturally she was placed ahead of Bradie in the sp, but not by much as it could have gone either way, and would have if not for a UR call in the sp against Bradie. At AC, Bradie was fierce and in her element. One of the commentators simply said, "Wow," after Bradie's sp. A lot of fans felt Bradie deserved to be in first after the sp.

There was no question that Bradie was better in the fp than Med, due to slight errors by Med. If both had skated clean, I'm willing to bet Med would have stayed ahead on superior reputation. And it looks like Bradie unexpectedly winning aganst the Olympic silver medalist and two-time World champion this summer only added hype and pressure to Bradie's first GP outing to start the major competition season. But whatever happens skaters have to take in stride and learn from their ups and downs, however they can.

Quite clearly, Bradie has URed some of her jumps, but not as many as the judges think. The microscope scrutiny began by judges at Worlds, where frankly judges apparently manipulated points to keep Bradie down in the standings. That's where the reviewing and UR calls began. And the judges over-reviewed Mirai at the same competition for the same reason.

I have agreed with you on some issues. On this one you have truly gone off the deep end.

 

[aftershocks]

I have agreed with you on some issues. On this one you have truly gone off the deep end.

There's no need for you to agree with me. Figure skating excites all kinds of emotions. We'd likely be surprised what goes on in the minds of judges, seemingly a scary place.

You think that Bradie isn't now gaining a rep for URs? As soon as the judges start overdoing the reviewing and the UR calling, it becomes difficult to escape. In fact, perhaps the fan thread title has jinxed Bradie, and needs to be dropped for a new thread entirely PDQ.