- Joined
- Mar 3, 2007
I think the US is going to have to fight for even two spots at Worlds this year.
Just putting it out there... this is the first time in 10 years and only the second time in history that an American did not medal at Skate America in the ladies event.
Just a fact - that being said, I think Bradie will show up later in the season in better form. I think it goes to show people, that she isn't the most steadfast competitor. She had a LOT of pressure on her as America's top lady and I think it definitely may have gotten to her. That being said, I think it is admirable that it was still a decent showing even with all that pressure. Do I wish she got a medal? Yes. Nevertheless, I think she did a respectable job.
Starr... I was never a fan, still not a fan. I like what she represents and hope that she can improve the tech and skating skills because she is a natural performer.
Megan, respectable job!
Tara's commentary was rather puzzling, how she kept going on and on about how Bradie was expected to win and how she expected her to come back and have a technically perfect performance in the free skate. I'm guessing that she was just thinking that Satoko would end up getting hammered with unders, but at the end of the day, Satoko at this point is a multiple world medalist, was just off the podium at the last olympics, grand prix final medalist, etc. So she should have been favored to win Skate America again.
Japan has a much deeper ladies field than the US from top to bottom. There are several complete skaters from Japan who can combine the technical and the artistry beautifully. In the US, I can't think of anyone who successfully combines both. I think Bradie has the best chance to get there eventually of the current seniors, but she can't afford to give up those TES points when that is what sets her apart in the national field.
Japan has a much deeper ladies field than the US from top to bottom. There are several complete skaters from Japan who can combine the technical and the artistry beautifully. In the US, I can't think of anyone who successfully combines both. I think Bradie has the best chance to get there eventually of the current seniors, but she can't afford to give up those TES points when that is what sets her apart in the national field.
Brady's SP dress looked like an attempt to make her packaging edgier, in keeping with the music. But I don't think it worked. Plus her hair and makeup still look very traditional, almost old fashioned, so the overall effect is discordant.I wish she'd get more sophisticated hair and makeup.
Yes, I am enjoying the Japanese skaters this year, I love them all. I'd just like some inside opinion as to what's going on in American Ladies. Bradie is fine, but we used to have it and now we don't. It's like we are stuck in a rut. Slute and Kwan were neck and neck for years. And at the same time we had Cohen, who I was not personally a fan of, but she brought it. And Hughes for the gold. Before that we had Yamaguchi battling it with other Americans. Hey, I'm glad for the rise of other country's skaters, but I'd like us to be in it too, and we aren't. Of course, we are in Ice Dance now, which we never were, and Russia, former ice dance power house is in the dust. Maybe it's just the cycle. I just can't remember a time when we were this out of it in Ladies.
Bradie does not have strong outside Lutz. It was funny they call her Flip as ! instead of her flat Lutz now. Overall she should just stay with the 3lz3T and be consistent, they will overlook her 3lutz !. The package this season is meh. The new dresses are all over the place. Look at Satoko and Kaori. Beautiful dresses.I won’t get all carried by the reputation thingy. Bradie clearly did UR her 3Lz-3R in the FP. It was clear even without slo-mo and I am sure the trained experts (TP, judges) would have seen it. If anything, her Lutz outside edge also looks !, especially the second one on combo with the toe. Where Zagitova is concerned, I think the issue is she gets incredible GOEs and PCS which IMO are very debatable, especially the latter. Either way, I don’t find many of the Russians (except Kostornaia) having strong SS and IN at the moment. Skaters like Marin Honda or Satoko deserves higher SS. Bradie, Starr and US ladies in general have relatively mediocre SS and they have room to improve. Get that up, skate clean and they will be in business.
Brady's SP dress looked like an attempt to make her packaging edgier, in keeping with the music. But I don't think it worked. Plus her hair and makeup still look very traditional, almost old fashioned, so the overall effect is discordant.I wish she'd get more sophisticated hair and makeup.
She's a more cerebral performer and it's becoming clear that her better programs are ones that are more formal to almost avant garde than trying to charm the audience or be an ingenue. If Starr Andrews skates to make you feel the emotion under the music, Bradie skates to make you comprehend the characteristic of the music itself.
Ashley posted some new choreography on instagram today. not sure if it's for a show program or a new competitive program, but it's great to see her back on the ice.
I'm sure a lot of it comes down to money and depth of field.
In order to get the depth of talent you need to have a lot of kids in the pipeline so you can have a talent pool to pick from and then support. You also then need funding since it's a very expensive sport in the US. Starr for example at least last season it might have changed now would only skate 2 freestyle sessions a day as that was all the budget would allow. That's never going to compare to the 6-8 hours of ice time the russians have been getting from a very young age.
Actually what I noticed the last two summers is there was a young girl from CSKA in Moscow who come to my rink in LA and pay for a 3 month all you can skate public pass and skate every single session they are eligible for. With "momma" coaching at the sidelines the progress was very rapid.
Reluctantly I have to agree that a large part of the US's decline in ladies is economic/weak pipeline. In the 90s, I would go watch regionals, and there would be six or seven qualifying rounds of Novice and Junior ladies - girls would land triple lutzes and not even make the final round. Many fewer girls in the pipeline now, so they don't learn to compete as well along the way. American families are spending money now on health insurance that they used to have available for things like skating and piano lessons. It comes out in the results. Not to get too political and be a Debbie Downer, but the trend now is for even greater inequality of income and opportunity in the future, so don't expect skating to make a big comeback any time soon unless the middle class does. Seems like it's one of the things we have to give up in order for the rich to get richer.
I... think you're grossly overestimating what Bradie (and Starr) are doing currently, but sure.