The latest on Gracie Gold

[pjskater]

I knew I should have stayed away from this news today. Please folks just remember that unless you have gone through a bad depression you aren't aware of the emotional pain she may be going through. Just try to have some empathy for her. I for one am seriously worried about her as a person, forget the skating. Just my final comments. This is all too sad so I'm off these forums. I loved skating but seeing what the pressure of the sport has done really saddens me.

 

[millie]

If Gracie had spent more time training and on the ice practising rather than taking this precious time off for photo opts for Red Bull and other sponsors, she would probably be on the World Team. Her Instragram shows what she has been up to. A person of 21 can't blame her downfalls on other people. Reading recent articles, she figures that she is the best skater in the world and should go to Worlds....go figure. Excuses, Excuses.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Haha, I said that 3 months ago. This chick is over the hill. Only 18yo for Nikolai. But Nikolai is nasty, he might make an exception for Gracie.

Ew. This is super uncalled for.

 

[R.D.]

That's true, although I still can't fully understand it. Yes, she often said that the FS at Worlds was disappointing and journalists wrote that as well and we all seem to think that it was. But it wasn't. Yes, she did fall on her combo and doubled a jump but the rest of the program was very good. This was a good competition for her overall, probably one of the best she ever had (remember: Sochi was her best major competition and she did fall in the free there). The problem was that the other women were very good that night. I always felt that someone should have told her something like "Stop that nonsense! You didn't disappoint anyone and you had a very good short and a decent free. It just wasn't enough, you had bad luck simply because the others were too good!"
I think it's important to put things like that in the right perspective. Yes, gold was within reach in Boston, but Medvedeva was the favourite and Gracie wasn't far off the podium point-wise. It's a problem if an athlete thinks that a good / decent competition was a bad competition.

Yes, but I don't think that matters as much as the fact she didn't even get ANY medal after being the LEADER after the short. Regardless, that has to sting.

The skate wasn't even that bad. But it happened on a night where she had NO room for error...NONE. It wasn't even the fall on the combo that killed her medal chances - it was the popped jump afterward. Had she rotated it, she would have been on the podium.

 

[qwerty]

If Gracie had spent more time training and on the ice practising rather than taking this precious time off for photo opts for Red Bull and other sponsors, she would probably be on the World Team. Her Instragram shows what she has been up to. A person of 21 can't blame her downfalls on other people. Reading recent articles, she figures that she is the best skater in the world and should go to Worlds....go fugure. Excuses, Excuses.

Sponsors and advertising help fund a very expensive sport. The photo ops were not so extensive as to ruin months of training...

 

[andromache]

If Gracie had spent more time training and on the ice practising rather than taking this precious time off for photo opts for Red Bull and other sponsors, she would probably be on the World Team. Her Instragram shows what she has been up to. A person of 21 can't blame her downfalls on other people. Reading recent articles, she figures that she is the best skater in the world and should go to Worlds....go figure. Excuses, Excuses.

If you think you can judge what someone does with their time based entirely on their social media stuff, you're either stupid or deliberately just looking for baseless excuses to insult a skater you evidently don't like.

 

[Sydney Rose]

I feel both of them are to blamed. She's 21yo, she should have known better. He's pissed at her, and took this opportunity to trash her. They are done.

He's definitely pissed at her and I'm not at all surprised he vented to Christine Brennan, who adores Frank.

What may have fueled some of Frank's anger are those comments Alex O made--how he could see right away what was wrong with her jumps and how the people around her should have not let her take such a long break from training. Indirect criticism but still criticism.

I've never been Frank's biggest fan; I always thought Kwan's mistake was not that she left him but rather that she didn't leave him sooner.

But I have a lot of sympathy for him here. I think he took her on as a favor to the USFSA and is now being held accountable for problems she had long before she ever went to him.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

That's true, although I still can't fully understand it. Yes, she often said that the FS at Worlds was disappointing and journalists wrote that as well and we all seem to think that it was. But it wasn't. Yes, she did fall on her combo and doubled a jump but the rest of the program was very good. This was a good competition for her overall, probably one of the best she ever had (remember: Sochi was her best major competition and she did fall in the free there). The problem was that the other women were very good that night. I always felt that someone should have told her something like "Stop that nonsense! You didn't disappoint anyone and you had a very good short and a decent free. It just wasn't enough, you had bad luck simply because the others were too good!"
I think it's important to put things like that in the right perspective. Yes, gold was within reach in Boston, but Medvedeva was the favourite and Gracie wasn't far off the podium point-wise. It's a problem if an athlete thinks that a good / decent competition was a bad competition.

It's very hard to bounce back after that, but it's possible... Mirai was once leading the SP at Worlds and bombed the FS (11th). But it didn't break her, and she still skated and won GP medals after, and persevered.

It's just extremely hard to know you have your biggest opportunity to win Worlds and then you don't even make the podium, that will take its toll. We'll all faced a competitive loss or disappointment that haunts us... now imagine that loss occurring at the pinnacle of your sport (other than the Olympics).

 

[bytheriver]

Something Tara said in her commentary during Gracie's FS stuck out to me: that Gracie told her that the Worlds gold medal should be her's and she doesn't understand why someone else has it. This may be one of the sources of Gracie's problem. She needs to do her best to move forward and accept that the medal wasn't meant to be hers. Look toward the future instead of sulking in the past with the "what might have beens." Easier said than done, I know, but if she doesn't do that I don't see her being competitive at that level again.

 

[FlattFan]

The skate wasn't even that bad. But it happened on a night where she had NO room for error...NONE. It wasn't even the fall on the combo that killed her medal chances - it was the popped jump afterward. Had she rotated it, she would have been on the podium.

She has a habit of popping jumps. I don't know how it is so crushing when she does it all the time. If placing 4th at World was that bad, how did she manage all these years with so many terrible competitions. This is why it's so puzzling. And journalists ran with that story like it's true. I think she just can't jump anymore and used that as an excuse for her problems this year.

 

[OS]

What the heck, Frank? Gracie tells you to put her jacket in the trash (and we have no idea what the context was, whether she meant it or not, sarcasm, etc.), and you do it? And tell a reporter about it? Frank, you're an adult, you've been through it all, you're the coach and the authority figure for a young woman going through a very rough time, and you should know better.

I'm more disappointed in Frank than in Gracie, to be honest. I don't approve of whatever happened behind the scenes that led to Frank throwing out the jacket, but I'm not going to judge Gracie as a person based on it. Life is hard. We all take actions we regret, especially when we are in our early 20s and feeling as though life cannot get any worse. Some of you are a little too harsh on her.

I hope the time off at the end of the season will help her figure out what she wants and what will make her happy, whether that is to keep skating or to retire. Her happiness is what is important.

Why is Frank telling others this ... he is supposed to be on her side. Trust, confidential, loyalty? urgh... not good.

Sometimes I wonder if Gracie is given the wrong advice and somehow talked herself into a corner where she can't afford to have a back up (Do or die). Frank used to tell Mirai she is the best in the world before she takes the ice: 'just go out there and do her stuff', and then, of course, Mirai would fold under the pressure. What she is capable of during practices goes out of the window. Imagine have to live up to the legacy of Kwan.. who can?

May be it a good time to take a new perspective, look outside the window - there are so many other things worth fighting for and more important things than the figure skating world. Skating could just be one of the means to get you there, or not at all.

 

[andromache]

Something Tara said in her commentary during Gracie's FS stuck out to me: that Gracie told her that the Worlds gold medal should be her's and she doesn't understand why someone else has it. This may be one of the sources of Gracie's problem. She needs to do her best to move forward and accept that the medal wasn't meant to be hers. Look toward the future instead of sulking in the past with the "what might have beens." Easier said than done, I know, but if she doesn't do that I don't see her being competitive at that level again.

Sounds like she doesn't know why she can't compete, why she can't get out of her own head and just skate like she knows she can and does in practice. And focusing on being a headcase...just makes you more of a headcase.

 

[bekalc]

He's definitely pissed at her and I'm not at all surprised he vented to Christine Brennan, who adores Frank.

What may have fueled some of Frank's anger are those comments Alex O made--how he could see right away what was wrong with her jumps and how the people around her should have not let her take such a long break from training. Indirect criticism but still criticism.

I've never been Frank's biggest fan; I always thought Kwan's mistake was not that she left him but rather that she didn't leave him sooner.

But I have a lot of sympathy for him here. I think he took her on as a favor to the USFSA and is now being held accountable for problems she had long before she ever went to him.

Well I personally think one of the biggest problems is the USFSA is not developing young coaches. And are encouraging skaters like Gracie to leave their long term coach for a Frank. One of the nice things about Russia is they are letting young coaches develop.

Still Frank is responsible for his own professionalism and he should have told Gracie to throw out the jacket herself.

 

[millie]

If you think you can judge what someone does with their time based entirely on their social media stuff, you're either stupid or deliberately just looking for baseless excuses to insult a skater you evidently don't like.

That's the problem with young people today. Parents and elders making excuses for what's wrong with them and not taking responsibility for themselves and own up to their mistakes. Gracie figured that the World title belonged to her and she never got over it. Therefore she was upset and took the summer off and partied with Taylor Swift and her Squad, instead if training like her counterparts. Even now, after such a terrible season, she says that she is the best skater in the world and deserves to be on the World Team again. Gracie has to face reality and accept the fact that if she wants to skate her best again, she is going to have to start over and forget the past. Fans have to stop blaming Frank for Gracie's mistakes. You can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink. Frank can tell Gracie what her problem is but if she is not listening, what can he do. In my opinion, she can't be told and is spoiled by people putting her on a pedestal and when she falls, she can't handle it....,good luck Gracie...

 

[qwerty]

That's the problem with young people today. Parents and elders making excuses for what's wrong with them and not taking responsibility for themselves and own up to their mistakes. Gracie figured that the World title belonged to her and she never got over it. Therefore she was upset and took the summer off and partied with Taylor Swift and her Squad, instead if training like her counterparts. Even now, after such a terrible season, she says that she is the best skater in the world and deserves to be on the World Team again. Gracie has to face reality and accept the fact that if she wants to skate her best again, she is going to have to start over and forget the past. Fans have to stop blaming Frank for Gracie's mistakes. You can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink. Frank can tell Gracie what her problem is but if she is not listening, what can he do. In my opinion, she can't be told and is spoiled by people putting her on a pedestal and when she falls, she can't handle it....,good luck Gracie...

I probably shouldn't feed the trolls, but TRUE consumers of Gracie's social media would know she hasn't actually hung out with T Swift and her squad since January 2015. #petty

 

[bekalc]

Just because someone posts some fun things on Social Media. Doesn't mean its all they are doing. There's such a thing as work life balance, heck even Tarasova use to talk about how Mao needed to fall in love in order to get artistry.

However Gracie has not seemed to be in skating shape (not talking about her weight) but hasn't skated well and that is on her. No excuses.

 

[stella luna]

She went to Italy with her mom and twin sister over the summer. Her sister started college this year, after she and Gracie trained alongside each other with Frank. So I think there's more to it than partying with Taylor's squad. The trip to Italy was probably a goodbye trip of sorts. Along with her depression, there is separation anxiety because she's no long with her sister.

That's the problem with young people today. Parents and elders making excuses for what's wrong with them and not taking responsibility for themselves and own up to their mistakes. Gracie figured that the World title belonged to her and she never got over it. Therefore she was upset and took the summer off and partied with Taylor Swift and her Squad, instead if training like her counterparts. Even now, after such a terrible season, she says that she is the best skater in the world and deserves to be on the World Team again. Gracie has to face reality and accept the fact that if she wants to skate her best again, she is going to have to start over and forget the past. Fans have to stop blaming Frank for Gracie's mistakes. You can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink. Frank can tell Gracie what her problem is but if she is not listening, what can he do. In my opinion, she can't be told and is spoiled by people putting her on a pedestal and when she falls, she can't handle it....,good luck Gracie...

 

[millie]

I probably shouldn't feed the trolls, but TRUE consumers of Gracie's social media would know she hasn't actually hung out with T Swift and her squad since January 2015. #petty

Excuses, Excuses...no not a troll, but someone that has seen this before......You get what you deserve.

 

[matcha]

She should look into hypnotism. I'm 100% serious.

Either way, I for one am looking forward to the 2024 Lifetime movie on Gracie Gold.

 

[Amei]

I think Gracie needs to go sit down with Mirai and have a heart-to-heart about dealing with the sport of figure skating because Mirai has gone through some rough moments in the sport but has been resilient, still competing and doing what she loves.