U.S. Women [#2]: The Unbearable Lightness of Beijing

[layman]

It's been my experience that skaters (generally) compete like they practice.

 

[Rukia]

It's been my experience that skaters (generally) compete like they practice.

I know several skaters this is not true for. Competition nerves are really harsh sometimes.

 

[soogar]

I know several skaters this is not true for. Competition nerves are really harsh sometimes.

I agree, most skaters are much better in practice than in competition. Pretty rare that a skater is the same or worse in practice as they are in competition. Those are usually the winners.

 

[centerpt1]

Starr in the top 3 would be chaos. Extremely unlikely, but still.

 

[Rukia]

Honestly I think anything other than Alysa, Karen, Mariah in the top three is going to give someone at USFS chest pains

Actually I'm going to edit this to say if Levito is in the top three no one will care because of age. But it might muddy the Olympic selection depending on where everyone else is.

 

[sk8nlizard]

Yes, that would certainly cause a great deal of chaos, lol. And, no, it won't happen, but I could see her being in the top 3 after the SP tonight and causing a good 24 hours of angst and handwringing everywhere, lol.

I sat and watched all three practices in the arena last night and after watching under rotation after under rotation and then watching Gracie skate, I told my friend that I bet the powers that be are kicking themselves that they didn’t send her this fall to get the minimums (I realize that she has had chances to get them just not this fall). However, I also agree that I doubt she’s able to hold it together for two programs but could see her being top 3 after the short.

 

[Karen-W]

I sat and watched all three practices in the arena last night and after watching under rotation after under rotation and then watching Gracie skate, I told my friend that I bet the powers that be are kicking themselves that they didn’t send her this fall to get the minimums (I realize that she has had chances to get them just not this fall). However, I also agree that I doubt she’s able to hold it together for two programs but could see her being top 3 after the short.

Well, in all fairness to the USFS, Gracie didn't show up looking competitive at her first NQS event. That would have gotten her a late fall Challenger, for sure, since that's how both Izzo and Harrell earned theirs. Gracie is in the same boat that Jill Heiner and Rena Ikenishi are in - they struggled in their first NQS event then scored really well at their second one, but by then all of the deadlines for entries had passed (and IIRC, the only Challenger left by then was Golden Spin). Heck, if Gracie had shown up at Cranberry Cup even half as prepared as she was in Alpharetta, she would have easily earned the SP min she's lacking (she has the FS Oly/4CCs min). It's unfortunate for her but, thankfully, we have a lot of other women who do have the TES mins.

 

[StitchMonkey]

The tragic irony of Gracie is that she likely will do well here in large part because she does not have the pressure of the Olympics on her back. If she did, it would be more pressure on her.

 

[On My Own]

Gracie can still get to Worlds, I think, if she's sent to a B-comp by then.

The tragic irony of Gracie is that she likely will do well here in large part because she does not have the pressure of the Olympics on her back. If she did, it would be more pressure on her.

Maybe, but I'm still happy if she gets a nice skate

 

[skatfan]

It's been my experience that skaters (generally) compete like they practice.

If only that were true for Gracie. If history holds, she won’t. Let’s hope she can.

 

[StitchMonkey]

Gracie can still get to Worlds, I think, if she's sent to a B-comp by then.

Maybe, but I'm still happy if she gets a nice skate

100% AGREE

 

[Karen-W]

Gracie can still get to Worlds, I think, if she's sent to a B-comp by then.

I would be surprised if the USFS sends any skaters to Challenge Cup in February to get Worlds mins. We have more than enough skaters, in every discipline, who already have the TES mins.

 

[Coco]

Honestly, she's been getting better every time out, but I think that World FS minimum (51) would have been a stretch for her at any time this fall. Her best (?) performance this season in the FS, she had 51.86 and that was in November.

But if she'd earned her Olympic / 4CC minimums(23/40) sometime this fall, she might have been able to get the World minimums in Talinn. Oh well.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Oh, Christ, let's see if Gracie can do in competition what she is doing in practice, please? She looked great in her SP at Alpharetta but fell apart somewhat in her FS. The score she posted there to qualify for Nats isn't going to get her on the Olympic team (not to mention she doesn't have the TES mins, so she won't be going there or to 4CCs in a couple weeks).

I noticed yesterday she looks really good in practice the best in quite some time

 

[layman]

Honestly I think anything other than Alysa, Karen, Mariah in the top three is going to give someone at USFS chest pains

Actually I'm going to edit this to say if Levito is in the top three no one will care because of age. But it might muddy the Olympic selection depending on where everyone else is.

I just hope that the US Nationals judges judge correctly, judge what actually happens on the ice, rather than try to prop up their favorites like we saw at Russian Nationals.

Biased judging (again) will continue to erode the credibility of the sport.

 

[Trillian]

It's been my experience that skaters (generally) compete like they practice.

Rohene Ward fans would like a word.

I’m rooting hard for Gracie to have the satisfaction of two great performances, but she would have to do really well relative to the rest of the field before USFS jumps through any hoops to send her to worlds. We have sent skaters to Challenge Cup in the past (even if not specifically to qualify for worlds), so it’s possible in theory. But let’s see how she holds up in competition first.

 

[Rukia]

I don't understand this need to push Gracie to events this season. Yes she looks fab in practice, but this has clearly been a season of growth for her. I think for her a win would be to skate like she is in practice and get consideration for Senior B's and Challengers next season.

 

[Coco]

Not sure what her long-term goals are, or if she is planning on continuing.

 

[VGThuy]

The one good thing about having selection criteria like this, they can better reward skaters for what they do at Nationals while pointing out why those skaters may not be appointed to the Olympic/World teams.

 

[bladesofgorey]

I agree, most skaters are much better in practice than in competition. Pretty rare that a skater is the same or worse in practice as they are in competition. Those are usually the winners.

Usually this is true. There is a junior medalist at Nationals who I've never seen skate close to a clean program in practice but almost always skates 100% better in competition because they love to compete and do very well under pressure. But that's as noted the exception to the rule.

 

[soogar]

Usually this is true. There is a junior medalist at Nationals who I've never seen skate close to a clean program in practice but almost always skates 100% better in competition because they love to compete and do very well under pressure. But that's as noted the exception to the rule.

Adam Rippon said that Yuna Kim was the same way- never skated well in practice but would nail everything when she needed it.

 

[Frau Muller]

Starr in the top 3 would be chaos. Extremely unlikely, but still.

This was TSL’s choice for most chaos-inducing outcome. How to explain leaving Starr off the team if she ends up 3rd and, say, Mariah places lower and is chosen instead.

 

[Karen-W]

This was TSL’s choice for most chaos-inducing outcome. How to explain leaving Starr off the team if she ends up 3rd and, say, Mariah places lower and is chosen instead.

Only if you're 'woke' and don't understand the selection criteria doesn't even have Starr in any priority group based upon her international scores.

 

[Frau Muller]

Only if you're 'woke' and don't understand the selection criteria doesn't even have Starr in any priority group based upon her international scores.

But Jane & Joe Public don’t care. “Rules”?

 

[Karen-W]

But Jane & Joe Public don’t care.

Jane and Joe Public are sheep who will be led where NBC wants to lead them.

 

[AxelAnnie]

This was TSL’s choice for most chaos-inducing outcome. How to explain leaving Starr off the team if she ends up 3rd and, say, Mariah places lower and is chosen instead.

Yep - we could call it Ashley Wagner II.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Jane and Joe Public are sheep who will be led where NBC wants to lead them.

Actually, I think the ISU is doing the leading.

 

[Frau Muller]

Yep - we could call it Ashley Wagner II.

Except that Ashley is white.

TSL’s point was…hmmm….
They also mentioned the Pan factor, if Amber is overlooked.

 

[VGThuy]

Except that Ashley is white.

I think AA meant when Ashley was placed on the team ahead of Mirai in 2014 and a few pieces came out alleging racism.

 

[Frau Muller]

I think AA meant when Ashley was placed on the team ahead of Mirai in 2014 and a few pieces came out alleging racism.

Oh…never thought of it that way for 2014. Thx for explaining.