Figure Skating

[ChicksDigScars]

I tweeted a thank you to NBC sports. How long has it been that we've even seen World's coverage at ALL, let alone such complete coverage. Yes, I realize that it would cost them a hellava lot more to cove a Worlds on another continent they way that they did here, but THANK YOU.

And Boston? Nicely done. Great turn outs and great respect for the performances.

And yeah. Whoever decided to pick that Titanic music with Leo and Kate speaking at the end? No. Just NO. And the costume? Oy.

Edited April 3, 2016 by ChicksDigScars

[annzeepark914]

Joy to the world...Ashley won the Silver medal at Worlds!  I am so thrilled for her.  She finally pulled it together and did two clean programs.  Wish it could've been the gold but silver is terrific (and, she ended the USA drought at Worlds).  And what a great audience in Boston too.  I'm sending an email to NBC to thank them for the great coverage (mostly on NBCSN which, thank God, we have...I've been in skating heaven since Wednesday).  Will also add a P.S. about replacing Tara & Johnny with Tanith and Ben and Ryan.  I couldn't believe that Tara was babbling on and on about "what if's" while Mao was skating her exquisite LP.

[honeywest]

I was so happy to see Mirai and Mao doing spirals--not "spiral sequences," not that ugly show-your-crotch move. I so miss Michelle Kwan's joyous COE spiral and Sasha Cohen's spiral that made her look eight feet tall.

[Tippi]

That was a phenomenal night of skating.  So many clean performances--I don't think I've ever seen two flights with such quality skating!  Except for Gracie.  I don't have the heart to say anything about it--you could see she was devastated.  I happened to catch a very brief interview that was done apparently right after her free skate and she is really down on herself.  I hope somehow she can come back strong from this.

[Avaleigh]

I just saw the LA Opera perform Madama Butterfly two days ago so I especially enjoyed Mao's program. I hope she can hang on for two more years. We'll see. 

I tweeted a thank you to NBC sports. How long has it been that we've even seen World's coverage at ALL, let alone such complete coverage. Yes, I realize that it would cost them a hellava lot more to cove a Worlds on another continent they way that they did here, but THANK YOU.

And Boston? Nicely done. Great turn outs and great respect for the performances.

And yeah. Whoever decided to pick that Titanic music with Leo and Kate speaking at the end? No. Just NO. And the costume? Oy.

I'm super thankful for the coverage this year. 

 

It was a great audience for Nationals too, I was lucky enough to be there. I wish that I'd made it in person this year especially since this time of year isn't crazy cold like it was in January. 

 

I knew there was no way that Elena was winning worlds with that program. I actually really like her but that program was such a miss that I didn't look forward to watching her this season the way that I did last season. Good Lord with the costume. 

 

I thought Evgenia was lovely and have to admit that she deserved her win. She was perfect and one big difference to me is that she would easily be able to skate Anna's or Ashley's program but they wouldn't be able to skate hers. 

 

I wasn't impressed with Anna's attitude so I'm happy that Ashley placed over her. 

 

I'm proud of Ashley. I feel like she was just as happy as Evgenia and that was nice to see. I'm also happy to be done with the Moulin Rouge program. Please don't recycle any more programs, Ashley!

 

As for Gracie...

 

I was tense when she started but I was sure that if a mistake/fall was going to come that it would be later in the program. I agree with the comment of another poster that she just seemed lifeless after that. She didn't give up completely but she was basically just ready to go home after that moment. Too frustrating. I really do wish hope that she's able to get it together one day. I don't know why I always end up rooting for these talented but inconsistent head cases who are unable to put two clean programs together.  

Will also add a P.S. about replacing Tara & Johnny with Tanith and Ben and Ryan.  I couldn't believe that Tara was babbling on and on about "what if's" while Mao was skating her exquisite LP.

It's so weird too because I loved their commentary during the Olympics but I'm totally down for this suggestion. I'm not sure that I'm wild about the idea of Tanith doing commentary for the ladies though. I'd rather have them bring somebody new in. 

 

ETA:

Except for Gracie.  I don't have the heart to say anything about it--you could see she was devastated.  I happened to catch a very brief interview that was done apparently right after her free skate and she is really down on herself.  I hope somehow she can come back strong from this.

 

 

Yeah, my heart breaks for her. I feel like she has the entire package and am crossing my fingers that she'll have that magical season next year. 

 

Frank has to be super bummed. 

Edited April 3, 2016 by Avaleigh

[AuntieDiane6]

 

Will also add a P.S. about replacing Tara & Johnny with Tanith and Ben and Ryan.  I couldn't believe that Tara was babbling on and on about "what if's" while Mao was skating her exquisite LP.

 

True, but she babbles FAR less than that insufferable Sandra Bezic.  And sorry, but Tanith talkslikethisandshedoesn'tbreathebetweensentencessosheisevenmoreinsufferable.  

[Avaleigh]

Lol, imagine the sort of bitch fit Johnny would have if he got replaced by someone like Evan or Jeremy? 

 

I don't know who I'd want to replace Tara. Maybe Sasha.

True, but she babbles FAR less than that insufferable Sandra Bezic.  And sorry, but Tanith talkslikethisandshedoesn'tbreathebetweensentencessosheisevenmoreinsufferable.  

Heh, when Jenny Kirk was briefly doing commentary, I always wondered how she managed to get the gig because she did *not* have the right voice IMO. 

[caracas1914]

Evgenia deserved the win overall, (her 'tano triples are buttah)but for me the highlight was Mao's Madame Butterfly.

[attica]

If Ben said "Absolutely!" one more time, I might have had a stroke. Perhaps he'll get over that verbal tic with experience. Overall, I thought his technical commentary was good, but I think his commentary on general artistry was less good. Too generous, imo. There were a number of pairs whose twizzles weren't synchronous (or even P&C, whose distance between them varied enormously twizz to twizz) to whom he gave 'oh so great!' compliments.

 

I missed Terry as the counterpoint to Tary and Johnny. He's more conversational with them. 

[Mumbles]

I may be in the minority, but I love Johnny and Tara, because not only do they comment on the actual jumps and spins, they also comment intelligently on the "intangibles" - the choreography, the choice of music, whether the skater is ahead or behind the music. Yes, they can yammer - especially Tara - but that can be cured. To me, they bring more to the table than Abbott or Wilson or Bezic. And they can be funny too.  And Johnny brings a, well, tartness that we haven't seen in these here parts since Dick Button (toward the end of his ABC reign, Button could get pretty vicious ("She looks more like a DUCK than a black swan"), but Peter Carruthers or Peggy Fleming would call him out on it, the latter quite pointedly.)

 

Not a Gracie fan but I do have sympathy for her on this point - it is very hard to shake the reputation as a "head case" and that is the spin that the media reports is putting on this.  I saw a less-than-stellar performance, not a complete meltdown, but if you read only the news articles, you would have thought it was the latter. This is sadly a sport where "personality" and "reputation" has played a role, especially on the national level (Nicole Bobek and Christopher Bowman always had a thumb on the scale against them because of their off-the-ice reputations, IMO).

 

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last we see of Ashley Wagner in competition. This is a career high for her. Retire while you're on the top.

[Mittengirl]

Speaking of retiring, have we seen the last of Jeremy Abbott? Not that I miss him, but I thought he had decided to continue after the last Olympics.

[Avaleigh]

No way do I think Ashley won't go for another Olympics. She wants it so much and will likely want to add another team medal to her collection if nothing else. 

 

I may be in the minority, but I love Johnny and Tara, because not only do they comment on the actual jumps and spins, they also comment intelligently on the "intangibles" - the choreography, the choice of music, whether the skater is ahead or behind the music. Yes, they can yammer - especially Tara - but that can be cured. To me, they bring more to the table than Abbott or Wilson or Bezic. And they can be funny too.  And Johnny brings a, well, tartness that we haven't seen in these here parts since Dick Button (toward the end of his ABC reign, Button could get pretty vicious ("She looks more like a DUCK than a black swan"), but Peter Carruthers or Peggy Fleming would call him out on it, the latter quite pointedly.)

 

Not a Gracie fan but I do have sympathy for her on this point - it is very hard to shake the reputation as a "head case" and that is the spin that the media reports is putting on this.  I saw a less-than-stellar performance, not a complete meltdown, but if you read only the news articles, you would have thought it was the latter. This is sadly a sport where "personality" and "reputation" has played a role, especially on the national level (Nicole Bobek and Christopher Bowman always had a thumb on the scale against them because of their off-the-ice reputations, IMO).

Oh, totally and it works both ways too. Gordeeva and Grinkov had such strong reputations that they could make major mistakes and still win a world title. At the Olympics in '94 their mistakes were completely invisible to the judges. 

 

Regarding Johnny and Tara--with Johnny, I like a lot of his commentary and I like the tartness, I just feel like his favoritism is blatant to the point where it's become annoying. Tara just runs her mouth a bit too much but I agree that this is something that can easily be fixed. 

[iMonrey]

So I counted seven jumping passes for Medvedeva with her hand over her head. Seven. I know fair is fair, that makes it harder so she gets a higher score and blah blah blah, but I'm sick of it. For one thing when it's over-used like that it seems gimmicky. For another thing, if that's the new thing that's going to get you higher scores pretty soon everyone is going to be trying to do it and we'll have people jumping with their hands over their heads right and left. There was one other skater, I can't remember who, but she had a lovely jump with both hands over her head in a sort of layback arm position and that was the only jump she had in her program with hand/s in the air. I think there should be a rule, once per program. That's just me.

 

Overall I'm thrilled with all the results. Javier bested Yusuru's record high score and Ashley finally got that World medal. I thought she may have benefited a tiny bit from being on home turf and going last but she did skate her heart out. If she can just land her damn jumps, her polish and artistry puts her over the top. The Russian ladies may be powerhouses but they're not nearly as experienced or polished and aren't yet the performers that Ashley has become. Plus it seems like there's three new ones every year. It's astounding to think neither the Olympic champ or last year's Grand Prix champ even made the Russian team this year. Talk about turnover.

[ChicksDigScars]

My favorite of this World Championship was Ashley's performance and the Shibs. I didn't know if the judges would give her the marks, because she had a slight bobble, but the fact that they put Gracie in third, I knew Ashley HAD to beat that. Gracie winning a medal would have looked like a thank you gift to the USFSA for a great event. I was actually surprised that Ashley wasn't given the bronze. I was also put off by Pogorilaya's attitude, so yay silver!

I still think that the Shib's were a light in the middle of so much angst and melodrama. Seriously, tone down the theatrics a bit (side eye to Marie France). The Italians (the non-Shindlers List pair) and the Shib's were like cool drinks of water.

And yeah, NO MORE SHINDLERS LIST ROUTINES. Please. I'm begging.

Editing to add YES to limiting the hand above the head move. It does make it less special to do it every time. Did Boitano do it every time? It's like the catch foot and Bielmann spins. When the new scoring system rewarded that move, everyone did them, more than once, and a lot of them were NOT good. I remember the first Olympics (2006?) that we were introduced to Elena Gedevanishvili. That was all she did. Over and over and over, grabbing her skate boot and spinning. Good lord, the hand above the head isn't that damn amazing that everyone needs to attempt it.

Edited April 3, 2016 by ChicksDigScars

[Avaleigh]

I think the limit should be that two jump passes should be allowed to have an arm accent. What if a person is like Adam and can do one arm or both? I'm also thinking of an accent being a part of a combo or solo jump.

Otherwise I agree and wish they'd limit that and catch foot positions. Not everyone looks good doing a Biellmann.

[annzeepark914]

I still think that the Shib's were a light in the middle of so much angst and melodrama. Seriously, tone down the theatrics a bit (side eye to Marie France). The Italians (the non-Shindlers List pair) and the Shib's were like cool drinks of water.

 

 

Yeah...what the heck is it with all the angst in ice dancing?  My God, even in the exhibitions the French team was all over each other, clutching their heads, conveying despair to beat the band.  Thank goodness for C/L's exhibition skate.  I couldn't stop laughing.  If you haven't seen the gala skate on NBCSN, I hope NBC will show the Italians next Sunday.  I hope they don't retire because I just love 'em!  Tracy and Ryan did the commentary for the gala and did a good job.  In between exhibition skates, they showed snippets of each skater's competitive performance and made informative comments about them.  I just sent an email to NBC.com thanking them for the coverage on NBCSN and NBC (also put in a good word for Ben and Ryan).

[cpcathy]

I guess I wasn't looking hard enough, because I had only stumbled upon the ladies' free skate coverage and then could find nothing else!

[MaryMitch]

I too was happy for Ashley - that was a fun program to watch. I liked her short program too.

 

I guess I wasn't looking hard enough, because I had only stumbled upon the ladies' free skate coverage and then could find nothing else!

 

The ladies' free skate was the only one on NBC.  The other competitions were on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN).

 

Edited April 4, 2016 by MaryMitch

[Shades of Red]

For anyone who can access it, CBC ran the gala show tonight.  It was run at 8:00 EDT so people on the west coast can still watch it if they want to.

[Minneapple]

I will chime in with the yays for Ashley. She ended the US women's drought! Good for her, I really enjoyed her program and she skated the hell out of it. And good for the ShibSibs, I love how smiley and happy they are and also they have that amazing twizzle sequence.

 

I was disappointed that Gracie didn't skate well after her performance at nationals.

 

Please for the love of God just stop it with the Schindler's List.

[honeywest]

Cappellini and Lanotte are always delightful. No Schindler's List there.

 

The only time I've seen Gracie Gold skate as if she felt connected to the music was when she used "Shake It Off" for her exhibition.

Edited April 8, 2016 by honeywest

[alexa]

I was very happy for Ashley and glad she was the one that pulled through for the medal.  I get a little annoyed at how when Gracie finally does well, all of the sudden some of the media and commentators forget about her inconsistencies and tout her as USA's best skater--and Ashley becomes an afterthought.  Ashley has her inconsistencies too, but I think she has more passion for skating and is a bit more of a fighter.  So her winning silver was amazing, and like a gold medal in the sense that in most other world competitions that would have been enough for gold.

[carrier76]

Re: Peng and Zhang. She looks absolutely miserable, the entire time they skate. That girl emotes nothing but misery. I don't understand that pairing at all. Nor do I understand the scoring. Something about him has always rubbed me the wrong way, going all the way back to 2006 and the Olympic silver medal that was won after he threw his partner into the boards. 

 

So very happy for Ashley. And yes to whoever said that Gracie doesn't connect to her music. They need to stop giving her these classical pieces and let her have some sass. 

 

Loved Javi SO VERY MUCH. And I laughed out loud at Weir throwing shade at Chan, who totally deserves it. I'm over Hanyu, big time.

[attica]

Please for the love of God just stop it with the Schindler's List.

 

On the upside, though, costumes for these routines don't risk contributing to a possible Illusion Netting Shortage! :)

[MaryMitch]

Speaking of illusion - Adam Rippon, please, just stop with the illusion tops.

[caracas1914]

So US Mens has three strong skates, finish in the top 10 and won't get 3 slots for next year worlds. It's a bummer, becuase I do think Patrick Chan's scores were inflated which kept him above Rippon. Yes, Patrick is strong in the component but IMO when you miss jumps it mars the overall flow of a program, for all of Patrick's other gifts.

[selkie]

While I usually latch on hard to the talented head cases, Gracie has typically left me kind of cold. I think it's because her marketing team just keeps writing checks that her performances at clutch time cannot cash.

[MaKaM]

While I usually latch on hard to the talented head cases, Gracie has typically left me kind of cold. I think it's because her marketing team just keeps writing checks that her performances at clutch time cannot cash.

I really liked Gracie her first year as senior with her original coach. Ever since she switched to Frank, she leaves me as cold as Evan always did. It is funny because I LOVED Michelle Kwan but maybe because Frank's standard packaging (Lori Nichols choreography, traditional music selection) really worked for her. For Gracie it is turning her into an ice princess when she should be a jazzy, sassy girl. But she needs a sports psychologist intervention because if she doesn't skate with fight, she should just go do shows; she has the technical arsenal, she can do the choreography, there is no reason she shouldn't be up there with the best.

[ChicksDigScars]

Re: Peng and Zhang. She looks absolutely miserable, the entire time they skate. That girl emotes nothing but misery. I don't understand that pairing at all. Nor do I understand the scoring. Something about him has always rubbed me the wrong way, going all the way back to 2006 and the Olympic silver medal that was won after he threw his partner into the boards

That is STILL the biggest WTF moment for me with this scoring system. I still don't get it after all these years. How was that a silver medal performance, in the Olympics, no less? The Peng/Zhang pairing is just creepy. Nikolai Morozov Dating List, levels of creepy.

Edited April 5, 2016 by ChicksDigScars

[Mumbles]

I think it's because her marketing team just keeps writing checks that her performances at clutch time cannot cash.

Amen. The harder the sell, the more I resist it, and they have been selling her hard. Her first year as a senior, NBC ran a soft-focus beej of a profile that I still roll my eyes over when I think of it.

If she skates better than Ashley or Polina - which she did, at Nationals - I don't begrudge her placement. And she may have more natural talent than Ashley (not sure about Polina.) But I enjoy watching the latter two more because they seem to actually love what they're doing.

[caracas1914]

Evgenia has 'first world" problems but I do think less is more might apply to her. Yes, she can do the 'tano triples and interesing arm movements in her transitions, but it's still figure skating and just emphasizing her flow and skating as opposed to florid arm waving gestures would be welcomed.

Again, first world problems since she is no doubt the best women's skater by far at the moment.

[jenh526]

And Johnny brings a, well, tartness that we haven't seen in these here parts since Dick Button (toward the end of his ABC reign, Button could get pretty vicious ("She looks more like a DUCK than a black swan"), but Peter Carruthers or Peggy Fleming would call him out on it, the latter quite pointedly.)

 

Dick Button was tv gold at the end of his commentating career. I still remember how much he detested the fan spiral (so do I). During one skater's performance I remember him huffing "now that's just ugly". I thought he was going to throw down the mic and walk offstage.

[Mumbles]

Lol, miss him as a commentator - I actually appreciated how much he loved spins and how he lamented their position as afterthoughts in a program. He loathed the Bielmann spin trend, if done poorly, as 99% are.

I think this may be my favorite Terry Gannon/Dick Button teasing.

The skater had a very cool and avant garde hip-hop routine to Herbie Hancock's "Rockit." To my surprise Dick seemed charmed by it, and Terry teased him by saying that Dick was imitating the moves in the commentator booth. Dick went along with the joke.

[Harry24]

Thanks for sharing that video, mumbles.  It was wonderful.

I actually appreciated how much he loved spins and how he lamented their position as afterthoughts in a program.

 

He loved good positions and carriage in general, which, ironically, is I think the one thing that the new ladies champion lacks.  She doesn't make those indelible pictures that skaters with beautiful posture and line do.

[annzeepark914]

Terry gently, slyly teasing Dick--I miss that!!

[Avaleigh]

Dick Button was tv gold at the end of his commentating career. I still remember how much he detested the fan spiral (so do I). During one skater's performance I remember him huffing "now that's just ugly". I thought he was going to throw down the mic and walk offstage.

I'll never forget Dick cracking up laughing when Totmianina and Marinin had that bizarre wardrobe malfunction where IIRC her blade got caught on his sleeve. He apologized for laughing and then laughed some more, it was hilarious. 

 

I will also never forget him saying during a performance of Nicole Bobek's during the Goodwill Games when she was skating to Les Mis and he announced to the audience in the middle of her program that this would probably be a good time for a refrigerator break. 

 

I miss him commentating and didn't always appreciate him when I was a kid. In fact, when I was a kid I think I liked Scott Hamilton's enthusiasm and felt that Dick was too uptight. Now when I look back and watch old skating I feel like I much prefer Dick's commentary to Scott's. Funny how things change. 

[annzeepark914]

Here are some Dick Button-isms (there are many more...just google them :>)

 

The music of The Fire Bird is taking off but she sure isn't!

That was really "spiffy"

The program just didn't sing

That will put him/her in good stead.

And two shall skate as one.

I'll give you dollars to donuts.
From 2003 Worlds ... "it doesn't matter a rusty hoot ..."

This program could use a little more swan and a little less lake

Her back is so straight, you could iron a shirt on it.

The position on that layback is first rate!

"Well, that's an ugly spin." (Yoshie Onda's layback, GPF 2003?)

There's no shizzzle in that twizzle

Re Nagasu: Will the souffle souffel?

on being cut from commentating at worlds, he said something like: "it's not the first dinner party i wasn't invited to, and it won't be the last"

"Everyone in the arena is standing, including me!" after Rudy Galindo's Nationals win

"It don't mean a thing, if it aint' got that triple" (from 88 olympics about Joanne Conway who skated to Ellington and .... fell on her combo).

There's not enough death in that death spiral.

From 2003 Worlds ... "it doesn't matter a rusty hoot”

[Mumbles]

That post above made me miss him even more.

Here is an article from 2014. He sort of appoints Weir as his heir apparent.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/garden/dick-button-still-cuts-a-fine-figure.html?referer=

The article mentions a Twitter account - just checked it. It's not that active (his last tweet was from December) and he seems to use it mostly to talk about causes he cares about (animals, gun violence, human rights violations against gay people). I wish someone would talk him into livetweeting a competition. That would be epic.

Love this guy! And I envy his apartment. That hallway - gasp!

[Avaleigh]

Since I kind of criticized Scott Hamilton in my last post, one great line of his that I remember from Lillehammer was about G&G. He said, "They're the perfect pair. Their hearts even beat at the same time." 

[Mumbles]

I had a fondness for Scotty - in a sport that can be dominated by pretentious self-important divas (I love 'em but still), he was such a breath of fresh air - cheerful, enthusiastic, a real ambassador of the sport.

That said, his cheerleading extended to the commentating booth. So while it was fun to hear him scream "Yeeess!" at a beautiful jump, he didn't offer a lot in the way of sober-eyed criticism.

And yes he loooved G&G especially. Anyone remember Snowden? Or whatever it was called?

[annzeepark914]

@Mumbles: thanks for the link to the interview of Dick Button.  I love that guy!  But I don't see how he can be so impressed with Johnny (and also Tara).  Laybacks improved when Dick was commentating because he'd zero in on crummy ones (one time he described someone's layback as looking like a broken leg).  Wish I could've been in the same room with Dick while watching World's last week (of course, sworn to secrecy re: his comments!)

[legaleagle53]

Avaleigh, on 07 Apr 2016 - 07:57 AM, said:

Since I kind of criticized Scott Hamilton in my last post, one great line of his that I remember from Lillehammer was about G&G. He said, "They're the perfect pair. Their hearts even beat at the same time." 

 

Not the wisest choice of words in retrospect, since Grinkov had a fatal heart attack at the age of 32.

[Avaleigh]

@Mumbles: thanks for the link to the interview of Dick Button.  I love that guy!  But I don't see how he can be so impressed with Johnny (and also Tara).  Laybacks improved when Dick was commentating because he'd zero in on crummy ones (one time he described someone's layback as looking like a broken leg).  Wish I could've been in the same room with Dick while watching World's last week (of course, sworn to secrecy re: his comments!)

Michelle Kwan is the only notable person I can think of who was sharply criticized by him for her layback so she worked on it for like one season and apparently decided it was too because it's a spin that she never IMO properly developed. I feel the same way about Yuna Kim. Amazing skaters who just happened to have terrible laybacks. (IMO)  

[Crs97]

I usually loved Dick Button, but I do remember one time when he was covering a Brian Boitano routine.  He was doing fine until his cohort gushed that Brian might be the best US men's skater ever.  Let's just say that Dick did not appreciate that!  He suddenly stopped talking and then would just monotone, "That was a triple flip" or whatever.  His cohort never caught his mistake, just continued talking and seemed surprised a few times that Dick never jumped in again with any sort of enthusiasm.  I must admit, seeing that childish reaction colored how I heard him from then on.  But he was still lightyears better than Sandra and Peggy.

[legaleagle53]

I usually loved Dick Button, but I do remember one time when he was covering a Brian Boitano routine.  He was doing fine until his cohort gushed that Brian might be the best US men's skater ever.  Let's just say that Dick did not appreciate that!  He suddenly stopped talking and then would just monotone, "That was a triple flip" or whatever.  His cohort never caught his mistake, just continued talking and seemed surprised a few times that Dick never jumped in again with any sort of enthusiasm.  I must admit, seeing that childish reaction colored how I heard him from then on.  But he was still light years better than Sandra and Peggy.

 

Well, let's face it -- that's not exactly the smartest thing to say in front of someone who himself won numerous National and World titles (including two consecutive Olympic gold medals) before he was out of his early 20s.  I'd be just a little frosty, too, after that!

[Crs97]

It was not the smartest thing to say, but Dick's reaction really highlighted the whole thing. If he had said, "Well, he's certainly exciting to watch tonight!" it would have been fine. Instead he came across as petulant IMO, as if he can't participate in a conversation unless everyone acknowledges that he alone is the best.

[KFC]

I really liked Gracie her first year as senior with her original coach. Ever since she switched to Frank, she leaves me as cold as Evan always did. It is funny because I LOVED Michelle Kwan but maybe because Frank's standard packaging (Lori Nichols choreography, traditional music selection) really worked for her. For Gracie it is turning her into an ice princess when she should be a jazzy, sassy girl. But she needs a sports psychologist intervention because if she doesn't skate with fight, she should just go do shows; she has the technical arsenal, she can do the choreography, there is no reason she shouldn't be up there with the best.

 

I totally agree. It's a shame watching someone as talented as Gold (and I'm not even a fan) struggle chronically to deliver in competition.

 

And I think a lot of what made her skating special (the easy athleticism, the fast spins, big jumps) has been diluted during her time with Frank. I just don't think it's worked out as well as they were hoping. I'm sure they thought he could calm her nerves, but I just find her skating sort of blunted since working with him.

 

And don't even get me started on the music choices. It's sad when Firebird is considered an improvement for her. This girl should not be skating to old-school classical pieces, she needs something more modern and upbeat. TSL suggested something like "Speed," which Tara Lipinski skated to in 1996, and I actually really like that idea.

 

Something soundtrack-y and action film-y would suit her more than all these conventional ice princess pieces. I've heard part of the problem is she doesn't know what she likes, and that her choreographer tends to work best with cerebral artistic types who want to collaborate on the "vision." Gracie seems like she needs a little more guidance and the assistance of a choreographer who can pull it out of her rather than impose their own vision of what she should be.

[apgold]

I was able to attend Worlds in Boston and was so glad to see it live since I doubt I'll be going to Helsinki next year!

 

The energy in the arena was incredible during some of those skates.  I'll probably always remember when Ashley finished her freeskate - the roar from the audience was so loud! So happy for her to perform well, skating last and winning silver after Gracie faltered.  Everyone groaned when she fell backwards on her 3-3.  In the last 2 groups there were so many standing ovations, starting with Mirai, then Mao, Rika and most of the last group!

 

Still not a huge fan of Medvedeva and her 'tanos, but her jumps were perfect in that free skate.  Whether she deserved to break Yuna's record is debatable, but the gold was hers.

[iMonrey]

The problem with Dick Button was that towards the end of his commentating career he really struggled to verbalize his thoughts in a timely manner so by the time he was able to get his words out the skater had already completed several other elements which he missed because it took him so long to express himself. He always had great insight but by the end there I have to admit he was annoying me.

 

 

While I usually latch on hard to the talented head cases, Gracie has typically left me kind of cold. I think it's because her marketing team just keeps writing checks that her performances at clutch time cannot cash.

 

I don't know if it's her marketing team (does she have such a thing?) or just what, but ever since she burst onto the scene the media have latched onto her, largely because her name is Gold and Gracie Gold going for the Gold makes a great headline in an Olympic year. She has never lived up to the hype IMO and frankly it smacks of lazy journalism to focus on someone just because they seem to have a great hook. It also speaks to how little sports writers understand skating.

[MaryMitch]

I was able to attend Worlds in Boston and was so glad to see it live since I doubt I'll be going to Helsinki next year!

 

The energy in the arena was incredible during some of those skates.  I'll probably always remember when Ashley finished her freeskate - the roar from the audience was so loud! So happy for her to perform well, skating last and winning silver after Gracie faltered.  Everyone groaned when she fell backwards on her 3-3.  In the last 2 groups there were so many standing ovations, starting with Mirai, then Mao, Rika and most of the last group!

I'm so glad to hear this. Watching on television, it seemed to me the crowd was appreciative of great skating, regardless of the nationality of the skater. Such a difference from the crowds in Sochi!