U.S. Ladies [#21]: Wrapped Up with a Neat Little BOW

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GreatLakesGal said:
Bradie did well in the individual competition. She wasn't perfect but, given her lack of international experience and having to skate first in the SP, she did an admirable job of not letting early errors destroy her entire performance. Same for Mirai. And they both did well in the team event and ended up with team bronze medals.

I get that you're a Karen uber but you're not helping her by going all mean girl on Bradie.
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I think you misinterpreted my post. I was saying "boring" sort of in jest and I meant to put "boring" in quotes. I was just playing off the idea that people liked the off-ice personalities and wish we had more of that in Pyeongchang. I wasn't clear and me saying "not skating clean and being boring well..." did make it sound like I was totally insulting her. That was also meant to be semi-serious. In the first half of my post, I was giving Bradie compliments so I thought that was enough to make my intention known. I like Bradie's approach to skating and I found it refreshing and I was more saddened than anything that she didn't skate completely clean to shut people up about her placement and the media attention she received from Skate America to Nationals...which I didn't think was actually that much (except when they kept showing her SP during Nationals).
 
Coco said:
I don't know how to say this, but watching Bradie in the "winner's lounge" while she had the lead, a) I wanted to rip the phone out of her hands because kids being glommed onto their phone drives me nuts (guilty of this myself sometimes) and b) looking at her 'bitch face' makes me think she has no problem handling catty digs or mean girls.

I think she had that look on her face because she felt like being made to sit there was almost a punishment, since she knew she wouldn't be there long and she wasn't super happy with her skate.

I'm sure she's a nice kid, but I also think she's very tough. Not complaining, those are good qualities.
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Um, that's a lot to get from someone just sitting on a couch.
 
The backstage k&c area seems to serve no practical function beyond torturing the poor skaters who are the current top two scorers. It’s so obvious no one in their right mind wants to show any real reaction in this god forsaken era of online critics, So this the cameras constant cut to two skater on a couch either glued to their phone screens or looking as expressionless as humanly possible. It’s beyond stupid and god forbid Olympians who have finished skating can just kick back and relax with close associates. No, like nobles at Versailles, every move is watched and scrutinized. It’s a disgusting comment on our current consumer-celebrity society imho.
 
berthesghost said:
The backstage k&c area seems to serve no practical function beyond torturing the poor skaters who are the current top two scorers. It’s so obvious no one in their right mind wants to show any real reaction in this god forsaken era of online critics, So this the cameras constant cut to two skater on a couch either glued to their phone screens or looking as expressionless as humanly possible. It’s beyond stupid and god forbid Olympians who have finished skating can just kick back and relax with close associates. No, like nobles at Versailles, every move is watched and scrutinized. It’s a disgusting comment on our current consumer-celebrity society imho.
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I agree, I wish they would stop this.
 
berthesghost said:
The backstage k&c area seems to serve no practical function beyond torturing the poor skaters who are the current top two scorers. It’s so obvious no one in their right mind wants to show any real reaction in this god forsaken era of online critics, So this the cameras constant cut to two skater on a couch either glued to their phone screens or looking as expressionless as humanly possible. It’s beyond stupid and god forbid Olympians who have finished skating can just kick back and relax with close associates. No, like nobles at Versailles, every move is watched and scrutinized. It’s a disgusting comment on our current consumer-celebrity society imho.
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I fully agree.
 
berthesghost said:
The backstage k&c area seems to serve no practical function beyond torturing the poor skaters who are the current top two scorers. It’s so obvious no one in their right mind wants to show any real reaction in this god forsaken era of online critics, So this the cameras constant cut to two skater on a couch either glued to their phone screens or looking as expressionless as humanly possible. It’s beyond stupid and god forbid Olympians who have finished skating can just kick back and relax with close associates. No, like nobles at Versailles, every move is watched and scrutinized. It’s a disgusting comment on our current consumer-celebrity society imho.
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I was wondering about this because I haven't watched full skating competitions in years. When and why did they implement this because this looks so weird. You would think athletes would want to stretch out after their skates.
 
Did they implement that after the snowboarder or skiing events had that? I think it doesn't really provide anything for us fans and it's just annoying for the skaters. I'm sure they would rather relax backstage and be able to pace and do anything else. The most entertaining thing to come out of that backstage view was when Shoma Uno was sitting on Keiji Tanaka's lap like they were father and son at 2016 4CC.
 
soogar said:
I was wondering about this because I haven't watched full skating competitions in years. When and why did they implement this because this looks so weird. You would think athletes would want to stretch out after their skates.
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I believe the ISU started this with their (senior) Championships (Euros, 4CC, Worlds) in 2016? Can anyone else confirm?

ETA: Off topic, but Jason Brown always looked like he was having fun and usually got the other guys sitting on the couch with him to join him in mugging for the camera as well! :D
 
Coco said:
I don't know how to say this, but watching Bradie in the "winner's lounge" while she had the lead, a) I wanted to rip the phone out of her hands because kids being glommed onto their phone drives me nuts (guilty of this myself sometimes) and b) looking at her 'bitch face' makes me think she has no problem handling catty digs or mean girls.
.......
I'm sure she's a nice kid, but I also think she's very tough. Not complaining, those are good qualities.
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My impression of Bradie and the two girls, from the k-n-c sections and event interviews during Nat'ls and Olys, is different. None have "bitch faces", all act and talk like normal people, reasonable young athletes. Mirai is a bit older and has energy and bubbles, and stands out a bit. Other than that, they are just charming and pleasant to look at and listen to..... so refreshing to hear skaters share real details, feelings and plans without using "cliches" or "exaggerations":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lvgujJRzBk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBLFvsdWA8Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvRGMxYNIvs
 
meggonzo said:
It's still better than the truth booth or David Santee shoving the microphone in someone's face in the kiss 'n cry.
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I can't believe you reminded all of us about the "truth booth". Now they just do reactions and post it on Youtube, so it still exists in some capacity but it's better than the truth booth.
 
Sylvia said:
I believe the ISU started this with their (senior) Championships (Euros, 4CC, Worlds) in 2016? Can anyone else confirm?

ETA: Off topic, but Jason Brown always looked like he was having fun and usually got the other guys sitting on the couch with him to join him in mugging for the camera as well! :D
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They had it in Stockholm at Euros in 2015. Pogo just decided to nap under a sheepskin rug while she was waiting for everyone else to skate.
 
They also had this kiss 'n cry + backstage shots of current top three during 2015 Worlds when Javi won his first World championships. Very memorable re the reactions of Javi & Hanyu. But I agree, quite a bit of the time it seems torturous for the skaters. There are the wonderful reactions too such as when Duhamel/Radford won their second World championship and Sav/Mas won their first World medal (bronze) in 2016. But there are just as many awkward, 'let me be anyplace but here' reactions too.

Quite often skaters who win or place ahead of a current skater, are sitting backstage trying not to smile too hard in juxtaposition to the skater(s) in the k&c who didn't score as well. The network goes to a split screen for this OTT scrutiny too. But they can't seem to get with the program and do a split screen when they want to use close-ups, so that viewers can see athletes' entire bodies at all times.
 
morqet said:
They had it in Stockholm at Euros in 2015.
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Thanks! :) I did a very quick search in the Archives before posting here but couldn't find a reference to the ISU's "innovation" at 2015 Euros.

Here's Nick Zaccardi's Nagasu article, published today, in his Olympic Talk blog: Mirai Nagasu enters worlds motivated by Olympic finish, future undecided
“Part of the reason I want to go to worlds [is] because I know I’m capable of performing better than I did in the long,” she said.
...
“Some days I want to throw my skates in the trash, and other days I’m like, I still love this and I want to kill myself doing programs every day,” she said. “Right now I want to do my best at worlds, and that’s what I’m focused on. … I can’t even really think about competing next season.”
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Boy, she sounds conflicted. I sure hope she's got some gas left in the tank. Maybe with some of the pressure off....
 
The World Championship is the goal of the year except in the Olympic year when it is treated differently by so many skaters. For anyone continuing past the Olympics, not going means not being seen at a World Championship for 2 years. It is also a very nice invitation to be turning down, and in 3 out of 4 years, would be eagerly accepted with gratitude for the opportunity.

Why on Earth would Karen Chen, or anyone, turn it down if they were able to go? I never understood why going to Worlds wasn't just in everyone's plan as per usual. Chen was lucky to be 4th last year, was unimpressive on the GP, showed mediocrity at the Olympics, has no pressing engagements and did not state a reason for withdrawing that I can find. I am sure Mariah Bell is looking at this invitation quite differently, eager to go. Ashley just blew it off, as if a trip to Milan to compete and represent the US and help the team earn spots was too inconvenient for her. Bradie seems to have planned for it after US Nationals and is probably eager to go and skate well. Mirai is probably back to training as usual, eager to go and do more than a waltz jump and shoot her mouth off, and will probably show up quite serious in demeanor.

There is no team unity for the US Ladies - unlike for other Federations. This may be part of the explanation the 12+ year decline of US Ladies dominance.
 
I sort of like the backstage area. Sometimes it sucks, but them you get great moments like the whole long interaction with D/R and S/M as the final scores came up. That was one of the best moments of the Games imo. And I remember one at 4CC 2017? with teams who know they wouldn't stay in the medal positions and they were having an absolute blast. During one shot they were all staging an elaborate fight scene. Piper and Paul were leading it, naturally.
 
berthesghost said:
The backstage k&c area seems to serve no practical function beyond torturing the poor skaters who are the current top two scorers. It’s so obvious no one in their right mind wants to show any real reaction in this god forsaken era of online critics, So this the cameras constant cut to two skater on a couch either glued to their phone screens or looking as expressionless as humanly possible. It’s beyond stupid and god forbid Olympians who have finished skating can just kick back and relax with close associates. No, like nobles at Versailles, every move is watched and scrutinized. It’s a disgusting comment on our current consumer-celebrity society imho.
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I hate it when they show the skaters after a rough skate or when they're sad in the K&C. It's pretty painful to watch. But, the K&C cam is fun. I loved the drama between James/Cipres or other b****faces we see between pairs/dance teams. And listening to Meagan Duhamel come off the ice and immediately start breaking down every potential point loss/gain in the program is hilarious. But seriously seeing crying skaters isn't fun. It's really awkward to watch an unhappy skater wait for what will be bad scores.

Similarly, there are ups and downs to the backstage camera. It's particularly fun when the skater in the K&C can see backstage and they interact. I loved seeing Javi/Yuzu bowing in respect to each other after one skated. Seeing Jason have fun with other skaters is really fun, and some skaters seem to be trying to come up with ways to do funny things to the camera or interact with the skater in the K&C. However, I found it awkward to see things like Bradie just sitting there or Nathan endlessly texting instead of watching. So, like for any good TV show, I think it would be best if the producer was just aware of if what's happening makes for good TV or not.
 
berthesghost said:
The backstage k&c area seems to serve no practical function beyond torturing the poor skaters who are the current top two scorers. It’s so obvious no one in their right mind wants to show any real reaction in this god forsaken era of online critics, So this the cameras constant cut to two skater on a couch either glued to their phone screens or looking as expressionless as humanly possible. It’s beyond stupid and god forbid Olympians who have finished skating can just kick back and relax with close associates. No, like nobles at Versailles, every move is watched and scrutinized. It’s a disgusting comment on our current consumer-celebrity society imho.
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Agreed, and also I’d like to see the practice of having the skaters be introduced at center ice before they warm up gone. I know it’s better for the audience, but a few seconds of standing still for that will make your legs cold and pretty much undo all the jogging and jump roping and what not that you’ve been doing for 30 min to an hour backstage to stay loose and warm.
 
soogar said:
I was wondering about this because I haven't watched full skating competitions in years. When and why did they implement this because this looks so weird. You would think athletes would want to stretch out after their skates.
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I loved watching it as a spectator. I love watching the winner's reaction when s/he realizes that s/he has won. It is easy when the winner skates last or close to last - we can simply watch the K&C. This is harder when the eventual winner skates before the other contender. I really enjoyed watching Queen Aliona's reaction to having won. Although I would also hate to see what Michelle's reaction would be when she realized that Tara had won.
 
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