Wagner "furious" on scores

"I am absolutely furious!" said the three-time U.S. champion and reigning silver medalist. "For me to put out two programs as solid as I did at this competition and to get those scores, I am furious. I am a performer, and that second mark is not there. I am absolutely OK with them being strict on my rotations - that's what U.S. Figure Skating should demand of its judges, but it needs to be across the board. I don't necessarily feel it's been that way. Even though I am not happy with the score, I delivered something that was solid and something that I am proud of. It needs a little more legwork, but that's because it's a month old, and I have no doubt in my mind that 'La La Land' was the program I needed to get where I wanted to be. This is how I feel, and I delivered when I needed to. All of these girls delivered when they needed to. I want to be on that Olympic team, and I am really mad that I am in this position again."

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“I’m furious,” the always outspoken Wagner said. “I am absolutely furious. I know when I go and I lay it down and I absolutely left one jump on the table (turning a triple salchow into a single) but for me to put out two programs that I did at this competition, as solid as I skated and to get those scores, I am furious, and I think deservedly so.

“I am a performer. And that second mark is just not there (the judges’ component scores). I’m absolutely OK with them being strict on my (jump) rotations, but it needs to be across the board.”

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twirlingblades said:

She also got a level 3 on one spin and her step sequence, and < her lutz, so let’s not pretend like she skated lights out.

Making faces only gets you so far at this point, and I’m saying this as an Ashley fan.

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"It needs a little more legwork, but that's because it's a month old, and I have no doubt in my mind that 'La La Land' was the program I needed to get where I wanted to be."

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Imagine said:

Um yeah, good job Ashley on basically sealing the deal. It really isn't even a debate anymore over who is going to the Olympics. The team will be Bradie, the one who will make USFS great again, Mirai, the one who has the triple axel (like they talk about in that one movie), and Karen Chen. They are not going to put Ashley, the one who finished in fourth place (deservedly, or not), onto the Olympic team. Not again, not for the same person, and especially not after all the backlash they got for doing that the last time. The optics of this would be absolutely horrendous, like CNN using it as a prime example of the ugly racial issues in the country horrendous. It's not even like pre-Sochi when Ashley was coming in as a legitimate medal contender. Her "body of work" these past two seasons is not going to do her any favors this time around. Call it fair, unfair, politically motivated, or what have you but it is what it is.

And even if you were to argue that Ashley had the better performances here (a view which I personally do not subscribe to), then by how much? Clearly, she didn't beat Bradie, Mirai, or Karen technically, so do her PCS really count for all that? The way she speaks about her own performances it's like she exists on another plane along with Carolina Kostner or something, and everyone else is basically a gangly junior. Perhaps that argument would work if say, Bradie Tennell were the 3rd place finisher, but against Karen Chen? It's a bit of a long shot. Do I think Karen Chen has better artistic abilities vs Ashley Wagner? No, I honestly don't. But do I think Ashley's artistry makes Karen's look like that of some awkwardly novice? No. I mean, this is ultimately her argument is it not? That she should have received far higher PCS in this competition, therefore implying that she should have placed at least 3rd or higher. Okay, fine. I actually believe she was being lowballed in the short, and have said that. But do I think the overall placement was wrong? Nah, not really. Do I think she was underscored and others, overscored in the FS? Yeah, I do. But was La La Land this undeniable magnum opus that was so superior to everything else in the competition that it magically erased the mistakes that she made? Nope. It was a decent program, but certainly not even one of her bests. At times it was just Ashley looking beautiful skating to beautiful music. Nothing wrong with that, but it was not game changing or anything. But in her mind, I guess this program makes Yuna Kim weep with jealousy or something. I'm sorry, but if your claim to a spot on the team in an Olympic year is going to be PCS, then sadly it's an uphill battle as lest we forget, PCS are totally subjective.

And no disrespect to Ashley but she has realistically maxed out her scoring potential years ago, and is a bit long in the tooth (but I guess that just equates to being way more experienced than everyone else in her mind). What else is there left to prove? She's accomplished multiple US titles, she's an Olympic medalist, and she is the US lady who broke the medal draught at Worlds, against all odds and despite not being the pre-ordained "Golden" child. She could retire today and probably be the most accomplished US skater in the past decade. There's no shame in that. But to go down kicking and screaming like this as if she was on the receiving end of some grave injustice, that's just not a good look. How she has reacted to her own lackluster performance just rubs me in all the wrong ways. I actually felt second hand embarrassment for rooting all week for such a sore loser. I was this close to becoming an actual, full-on fan because she is objectively speaking, a total legend. Ashley, c'mon. There's a fine line between self confidence and pure delusion/arrogance, and she's unfortunately one wobble of an edge from falling off the wrong side imo.

Makes me think of the quote: "Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud."

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evasorange said:

The writing was on the wall in the sp when the judges gave Karen a 4 point lead even though they both had made similar mistakes. Actually the writing was on the wall at last years nationals when Ashley should have won but was beaten by Karen because of overlooked urs. They want Karen on the team over Ashley. I wish to God she hadn't popped that triple but it still probably wouldn't have mattered. The pcs is whack for all of them and I'm glad to see the judges get called out even though it will probably just hurt Ashley in the long run.

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ask said:

How about the writing was on the wall with the weak skating skills? That writing was at least 10 years old. Did she do anything for the past 10 years to fix it?

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