Interview with Mark Mitchell | Golden Skate

Interview with Mark Mitchell

GGFan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
Disclaimer: I know that TSL is controversial but the purpose of this thread is not to discuss the hosts, but rather the interviewee, Mark Mitchell.

I thought this interview was newsworthy because of the robust discussions we've been having about Olympics selections. Note that I believe the entire interview is worthwhile. Mark was a beautiful skater (camel :love:) who competed against Wylie and Eldredge and was friends with Kerrigan. A good part of the interview is just about his career and how he got into coaching.

The discussion about the selection criteria and what Mark Mitchell understood begins around here (but you should go back a couple minutes if you want to hear about Ross' career in general). He was explicitly there for this issue to be made public. Mark is clear in highlighting that while he understood the criteria he did not understand how they would be weighed. Also he does not believe that the criteria was applied fairly across the board. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. :popcorn:

Favorite line (from a member of the committee to Mark after the comp but before the decision): "But Mark, the criteria."
 

zebobes

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
I thought it was interesting how he pointed out that if they really followed everything according to the criteria, you could argue that Jason Brown should have gone above Vincent too, and he made a fair argument that Vincent only beat Ross on tier 3, and that Ross beat him on tier 1.

I also thought it was funny how Mark gave a little jab at the "body of work" of the people on the committee...
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
I thought the interview was fascinating... thoughts on the selection criteria from a very good skater who had come out on the bad end of that process in the past.

His opinions regarding the non-successful track record of athletes who were "named" to the Olympic Team were revealing. In all the times that has been done in the past, only one of those skaters won a medal (Kerrigan), and all others had middling results.
 

Tahuu

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 3, 2014
USFS should consider "body of work" be used only for medal contenders for world and olympic team selection. National placement should be the deciding or commending (be counted for >75%) factor in naming other spots on the teams. Afterall nationals is the competition most closely reflecting athletes current status and a test of a skater's mental strength and ability to handle the pressure cooker. Give the prestige back to nationals and give the skaters a chance to be the Cinderella.
 

GGFan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
I thought it was interesting how he pointed out that if they really followed everything according to the criteria, you could argue that Jason Brown should have gone above Vincent too, and he made a fair argument that Vincent only beat Ross on tier 3, and that Ross beat him on tier 1.

I also thought it was funny how Mark gave a little jab at the "body of work" of the people on the committee...

That was hilarious. He went example by example :rofl:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
USFS should consider "body of work" be used only for medal contenders for world and olympic team selection. National placement should be the deciding or commending (be counted for >75%) factor in naming other spots on the teams. Afterall nationals is the competition most closely reflecting athletes current status and a test of a skater's mental strength and ability to handle the pressure cooker. Give the prestige back to nationals and give the skaters a chance to be the Cinderella.

I agree with this and I think that the same reasoning applies to Worlds and the Olympics. Do you think you deserve to be on the Olympic team? Come to Nationals and skate for it.
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
When talking about sending a one skater at the expense of another higher placed skater because they "thought she was better", Mark expressed the opinion that "if you thought she was better, then you guys should have placed her better." Did I misunderstand his statement, or does this sound like he's condoning home cooking the scoring in favor of pre-determined favorites?

For context, his quote starts at this point: https://youtu.be/C0iHcgdO1Yw?t=1h13m9s
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
When talking about sending a one skater at the expense of another higher placed skater because they "thought she was better", Mark expressed the opinion that "if you thought she was better, then you guys should have placed her better." Did I misunderstand his statement, or does this sound like he's condoning home cooking the scoring in favor of pre-determined favorites?

For context, his quote starts at this point: https://youtu.be/C0iHcgdO1Yw?t=1h13m9s

Not to me, it sounds like he was saying they probably weren't really better, scores-wise, on that day (even if they might be a better skater overall).
 

jenaj

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Country
United-States
USFS should consider "body of work" be used only for medal contenders for world and olympic team selection. National placement should be the deciding or commending (be counted for >75%) factor in naming other spots on the teams. Afterall nationals is the competition most closely reflecting athletes current status and a test of a skater's mental strength and ability to handle the pressure cooker. Give the prestige back to nationals and give the skaters a chance to be the Cinderella.

Totally agree!
 

Figure 8's

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
All I have to say about all this is: If you can't bring it and skate your very best at Nationals, than why should any one think that you are going to be so much better at the Olympics or Worlds. So far there has been no proof that those anointed over a Medal winner have done all that well. Someone mentioned Kerrigan but that was an injury situation to no fault of her own. She did not falter at Nationals. All this jockeying around of skaters gives the impression of unfairness and favoritism. Ashley was not upset that she did not skate well but that that she thought it would be handed to her again.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
So based on other comments on this interview -- Mark basically confirmed that Ross is done?

While all the drama is sad, ending on the skate of your life is pretty nice, so perhaps W/D from 4CC was wise...
 

GGFan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
So based on other comments on this interview -- Mark basically confirmed that Ross is done?

While all the drama is sad, ending on the skate of your life is pretty nice, so perhaps W/D from 4CC was wise...

Yes, he said that Ross felt he didn't need 4CC because he's not looking for scores or assignments for next year. Ross liked the idea of leaving on a high after his programs at Nationals.
 

GGFan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
When talking about sending a one skater at the expense of another higher placed skater because they "thought she was better", Mark expressed the opinion that "if you thought she was better, then you guys should have placed her better." Did I misunderstand his statement, or does this sound like he's condoning home cooking the scoring in favor of pre-determined favorites?

For context, his quote starts at this point: https://youtu.be/C0iHcgdO1Yw?t=1h13m9s

This was unclear. It did sound like some leftovers of 6.0 when the judges had ordinals and could place skaters where they liked more easily.
 

Crossover

All Hail the Queen
Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Yes, he said that Ross felt he didn't need 4CC because he's not looking for scores or assignments for next year. Ross liked the idea of leaving on a high after his programs at Nationals.

Is he retiring?
 

GGFan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
I forgot to mention, Mark doesn't only make news about Ross. One of the most interesting parts is close to the end when he talks about those offline monitoring sessions with injured athletes before the Olympics. I'd always been curious to know about Michelle and how she was doing in the 2006 lead up to Torino. Mark is asked about it here
 

NanaPat

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Canada
I really liked the interview. It had real substance, unlike the last TSL video I watched, which was Dave and La Schue blathering on interminably about nothing in an effort to show how "in" and clever they are. I'd much rather spend my time reading GS posts than endure that.

I'm glad Mark Mitchell's retirement was short-lived. He seems like a thoughtful, balanced person with a lot of integrity.
 
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