Which US Lady should have gotten the SA spot?

[haribobo]

Yes, I'm going there. No, I'm not talking about Bradie's spot, which was obviously the correct choice...
Knowing what we now know about Ashley being off the ice with an injury, had she withdrawn 3 or so weeks ago, who would have gotten her spot? I know SA was only a week after Sectionals, and most of the top-performing skaters there were in JGP (Starr, Tessa, and Emmy) making them ineligible. Hannah Miller was great at Sectionals but her Regionals score wasn't that strong so unless super last minute I doubt she'd have been chosen. So that leaves Caroline or Angela (pulling one of them out of Tallinn at the last minute), or Amber Glenn, Polina Edmunds, and Courtney Hicks.

 

[misskarne]

If Ashley had withdrawn ahead of time, Skate America was not required to fill the position with an American lady. I mean, they probably would have, but they were not required to.

 

[Rainbow]

The pain started two weeks before SA. Ashley was diagnosed with the infection one oder one and a half week prior to SA. As far as I remember that is too short notice for a replacement.

 

[haribobo]

Liam, Roman, and Serafima were, I think, within a week of the comp or so...

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Ashley is first and foremost a competitor, and knowing that a potential Grand Prix Final spot was on the line for the USA, did everything within her power to compete for her country.

You only have to see how sad and disappointed she was with herself in that post - skate interview, to know that she tried hard and did her best.

Here's hoping she is healthy enough to compete on her terms at Nationals.

 

[haribobo]

Yea, I don't doubt the injury and that is very unfortunate for her. I think a semi-nuts never say die attitude is kind of needed to succeed, but at the same time balanced with a little voice that is willing to take care of one's self when wounded seriously. Both Evgenia and Ashley are learning now about the costs of not stopping when it hurts. Looking at it from the outside, it would have been nice for Ashley to have the good sense to withdraw ahead of time to allow another skater to compete, but oh well.

 

[Xela M]

None of the above?

Gracie really chose a bad year to take time off. She could have easily made the Olympic team

 

[Skittl1321]

None of the above?

Gracie really chose a bad year to take time off. She could have easily made the Olympic team

Good for Gracie for valuing her health and well being over the Olympics.

 

[chattila]

Ashley was virtually obligated to be there because of her media contracts. She likely would have had to forfeit dollar$ had she told the truth earlier about her pain.

 

[Frau Muller]

Ashley was virtually obligated to be there because of her media contracts. She likely would have had to forfeit dollar$ had she told the truth earlier about her pain.

ITA. That doesn’t mean that Ashley purposely set out to deceive. She probably thought that she could pull through the pain.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Ashley was virtually obligated to be there because of her media contracts. She likely would have had to forfeit dollar$ had she told the truth earlier about her pain.

Wow. What an insensitive thing to write.

 

[Areski]

Who cares? What does this thread change?

 

[Vagabond]

Michelle Kwan.

 

[haribobo]

Who cares? What does this thread change?

Cause I'm ratchet and I needed to know who wuzrobbed

 

[MRani]

Cause I'm ratchet and I needed to know who wuzrobbed

Honestly, nobody wuzrobbed. If these ladies want guaranteed Grand Prix spots they should improve their international scores and national performances so that they can meet the criteria for them. Otherwise they’re at the mercy of withdrawals and the decisions of fickle federations.

Nobody is obligated to withdraw just to ensure another skater can replace them. Would it be nice if they did take that into consideration? Of course. But I also don’t blame skaters for doing everything they can to compete even when in retrospect maybe they shouldn’t have. They have the right to at least try because it’s the spot they earned for themselves.

Someone like Ashley probably would’ve spent the next few weeks distracting herself wondering if she could’ve made it if she at least tried. At least this way she knows she did everything in her power to compete and qualify.

 

[haribobo]

Someone like Ashley probably would’ve spent the next few weeks distracting herself wondering if she could’ve made it if she at least tried. At least this way she knows she did everything in her power to compete and qualify.

Not that you're wrong, but all that knowing won't help her much if her foot isn't healed by Nationals because she overdid it in November. Maybe it will all work out in her favor but we don't know yet. I know my posting this thread looks like I'm trying to push an agenda but I was honestly just curious which lady would have most likely gotten her spot. Caroline and Angela didn't even get a chance to earn a SB last year so its not exactly like all things start out equal each season. And Skate America is much more coveted than any of the others for US skaters, I'm sure. The home crowd advantage becomes so obvious once you go to a competition in person and hear the roaring cheers for the US skaters. I don't like to see anyone injured but I love/think its fascinating when a skater has a chance to make a name for themselves out of near obscurity, the way Bradie did here and the way Rudy did in 1996. I'm so glad though that Bradie got this shot...how differently would things have gone for the rest of this season if her spot went to Gracie or Polina instead (and yes I know Gracie was assigned to 2 other GP's)

 

[MRani]

Not that you're wrong, but all that knowing won't help her much if her foot isn't healed by Nationals because she overdid it in November. Maybe it will all work out in her favor but we don't know yet. I know my posting this thread looks like I'm trying to push an agenda but I was honestly just curious which lady would have most likely gotten her spot. Caroline and Angela didn't even get a chance to earn a SB last year so its not exactly like all things start out equal each season. And Skate America is much more coveted than any of the others for US skaters, I'm sure. The home crowd advantage becomes so obvious once you go to a competition in person and hear the roaring cheers for the US skaters. I don't like to see anyone injured but I love/think its fascinating when a skater has a chance to make a name for themselves out of near obscurity, the way Bradie did here and the way Rudy did in 1996. I'm so glad though that Bradie got this shot...how differently would things have gone for the rest of this season if her spot went to Gracie or Polina instead (and yes I know Gracie was assigned to 2 other GP's)

Hindsight can be 20/20. If Ashley could do it over she may have instead withdrawn from the very beginning. Unfortunately sometimes you just have to make decisions and they aren’t always the right ones in retrospect. I don’t think she should be crucified for not handling this perfectly (not accusing you of crucifying her, just saying that many other people are and I think it’s unfair).

If she had withdrawn earlier, I think the next best bet for USFS would’ve been Courtney Hicks. She did very well at Skate Canada and was pretty close to bronze there.

I have to hand it to USFS. They haven’t always made great decisions but picking Bradie for SA was one of their best ones in a while. I hope the hype machine stays away from her and she’s allowed to continue what she’s already doing, because it’s working great. I hope she gets better programs next season, but the foundation for greatness is already there.

 

[DreamSkates]

I have to hand it to USFS. They haven’t always made great decisions but picking Bradie for SA was one of their best ones in a while. I hope the hype machine stays away from her and she’s allowed to continue what she’s already doing, because it’s working great. I hope she gets better programs next season, but the foundation for greatness is already there.

The hype machine had already started before the gala lights went off. Since there is no other of the ladies doing extremely well - as in skating 2 clean and technically high programs - she had better get used to all the attention.
PS. I know Ashley also won a bronze medal in the Grand Prix, but not without mistakes and she was lucky.

 

[MRani]

The hype machine had already started before the gala lights went off. Since there is no other of the ladies doing extremely well - as in skating 2 clean and technically high programs - she had better get used to all the attention.
PS. I know Ashley also won a bronze medal in the Grand Prix, but not without mistakes and she was lucky.

That’s what worries me. Everyone is different and Gracie had other issues that exacerbated the stress of dealing with the hype machine, but the pressure they put on her sure didn’t help. I’d like to think they’d learn from that mistake and not put the entire responsibility of saving US ladies figure skating on yet another new young talent’s shoulders. It didn’t work out for Gracie in the long run and it doesn’t seem to be very good for Karen either, so I just don’t think it’s conducive to anyone’s long term success.

 

[chattila]

Wow. What an insensitive thing to write.

Hey, it's life. Ashley did what she had to do to keep whatever money she would be earning due to contractual obligations with the NBC channels and USFS. Who can quibble with wanting to earn money? I just hope that she can heal quickly enough to do her best at Nationals, whatever the result.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Hey, it's life. Ashley did what she had to do to keep whatever money she would be earning due to contractual obligations with the NBC channels and USFS. Who can quibble with wanting to earn money? I just hope that she can heal quickly enough to do her best at Nationals, whatever the result.

Alison Janney did a great job playing you in I,TONYA.