2018-19 U.S. Ladies' figure skating

[figurefan0726]

I watched the practice videos and she changed her entry into the lutz! Her jumps are a big sloppy but who cares, she’s competing again! Her FS looks amazing!!!

 

[fzztsimmons]

Oh wow, I was nearly in tears watching Gracie's practice! I think that song is perfect for her!

 

[RingOfEndlessLight]

I am so happy for Gracie finding the strength to come back at this level.

I only wish I didn't remember her snide comments during the most recent US Nationals, deriding the athletes who were competing. Her attitude at that time seemed a little bit like, "I might as well come back because at least I'm still better than these losers." I realize that it's expected we only say positive things about Gracie, but I just can't forget those remarks. It tempers my enthusiasm for saying anything like "It doesn't matter how well she does, at all! Victory regardless!" -- she did not show the same attitude toward her peers.

Anyway, I do of course hope she is recovering and recovered and skates cleanly, at peace with herself.

 

[andromache]

I am so happy for Gracie finding the strength to come back at this level.

I only wish I didn't remember her snide comments during the most recent US Nationals, deriding the athletes who were competing. Her attitude at that time seemed a little bit like, "I might as well come back because at least I'm still better than these losers." I realize that it's expected we only say positive things about Gracie, but I just can't forget those remarks. It tempers my enthusiasm for saying anything like "It doesn't matter how well she does, at all! Victory regardless!" -- she did not show the same attitude toward her peers.

Anyway, I do of course hope she is recovering and recovered and skates cleanly, at peace with herself.

I thought she was genuinely inspired by watching Nationals to come back? That was my impression of her remarks.

I do recall quite a bit of shade thrown at Frank Carroll. I think she was probably in a not-so-great place with how she felt about Frank and the rest of the USFS establishment.

But I do not recall her being snide to the athletes at all.

(Re: Frank and Gracie, a mention from a Phil Hersh article earlier this year:

That is why it meant so much to Carroll that Gracie Gold, whom he coached four years, sent him a text of condolences about Ten. The coach and skater have not talked since their bitter parting at the 2017 nationals.

“She said she knew we didn’t end our relationship on the best note but she wanted me to know how sorry and upset she was about Denis,” Carroll said. “That was very nice of Gracie. I texted her back to say thanks.”

http://www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com/home/2018/8/1/xk0uxw86ode5u8skad1gobdgpndiwd

:sad4

 

[Mrs. P]

That is a well-choreographed program. I actually see some touches that tells me that Jeremy choreographed the program. That spiral is going to be like THE moment. The entrances into the jumps are promising. We'll see how the jumps look later, but this program has something to build on.

And she definitely made me feel something. I'm glad to see her back.

 

[Tavi...]

I am so happy for Gracie finding the strength to come back at this level.

I only wish I didn't remember her snide comments during the most recent US Nationals, deriding the athletes who were competing. Her attitude at that time seemed a little bit like, "I might as well come back because at least I'm still better than these losers." I realize that it's expected we only say positive things about Gracie, but I just can't forget those remarks. It tempers my enthusiasm for saying anything like "It doesn't matter how well she does, at all! Victory regardless!" -- she did not show the same attitude toward her peers.

Anyway, I do of course hope she is recovering and recovered and skates cleanly, at peace with herself.

A Ring of Endless Light was one of my favorite books by Madeleine L’Engle. The themes of love and forgiveness are interwoven through all of her work. Gracie went through a hard time for a couple of years. I don’t agree with your take on her comments, but to the extent you feel it’s necessary, perhaps you should forgive instead of judging her.

 

[bennorii]

Shoutout to Ashley Lin all the way in Austria for pulling up all the way to 4th with a 3rd place freeskate after a disappointing short that put her in 12th. She finished just off the podium by 0.06 points. I think she has the mental willpower of someone who we should be looking out for at Nats this year.

 

[evasorange]

I am so happy for Gracie finding the strength to come back at this level.

I only wish I didn't remember her snide comments during the most recent US Nationals, deriding the athletes who were competing. Her attitude at that time seemed a little bit like, "I might as well come back because at least I'm still better than these losers." I realize that it's expected we only say positive things about Gracie, but I just can't forget those remarks. It tempers my enthusiasm for saying anything like "It doesn't matter how well she does, at all! Victory regardless!" -- she did not show the same attitude toward her peers.

Anyway, I do of course hope she is recovering and recovered and skates cleanly, at peace with herself.

Right? It’s like girl you had your chance to beat all those same women the last nationals-and you didn’t. But she has always had attitude but somewhow Ashley was always the one who got the brunt of the “diva” criticism and negativity from fans.

Anyways I’m really curious as to how she will
be scored coming back from a year off. Back in the day she was always given pretty generous scores regardless of jumping mistakes as she was the one us fed seemed to push the most but towards the end last year as she declined more and more her scores started becoming more realistic. Will she have any sort of reputation left with the judges? All through the Grand Prix this year it doesn’t seem like any American men or women are being socored based on reputation(like shoma) or overly generous(like Stanislava from Russia who got second because all of her urs were overlooked). A break certainly didn’t seem to affect Carolina’s scores(in fact it seems to me she became more valuable in the judges eyes after she came back) but I do seem to remember Patrick not getting the crazy inflation when he came back from his break. I just don’t know what to expect!

 

[mrrice]

That is a well-choreographed program. I actually see some touches that tells me that Jeremy choreographed the program. That spiral is going to be like THE moment. The entrances into the jumps are promising. We'll see how the jumps look later, but this program has something to build on.

And she definitely made me feel something. I'm glad to see her back.

I can't say enough how happy this makes me. I don't care how she places here. I just want to see her skate at Nationals. My DVR is ready.

 

[macy]

Anyways I’m really curious as to how she will be scored coming back from a year off. Back in the day she was always given pretty generous scores regardless of jumping mistakes as she was the one us fed seemed to push the most but towards the end last year as she declined more and more her scores started becoming more realistic. Will she have any sort of reputation left with the judges? All through the Grand Prix this year it doesn’t seem like any American men or women are being socored based on reputation(like shoma) or overly generous(like Stanislava from Russia who got second because all of her urs were overlooked). A break certainly didn’t seem to affect Carolina’s scores(in fact it seems to me she became more valuable in the judges eyes after she came back) but I do seem to remember Patrick not getting the crazy inflation when he came back from his break. I just don’t know what to expect!

i think one thing she will get dinged on is UR's but that comes with the territory of re learning jumps. from what i remember i don't think she had an issue with clean jumps in the past, so once she gets back into the feel of them she should be fine. I also wouldn't expect big PCS either, based on the fact that she hasn't competed recently and didn't have a good season before she took time off. i think interpretation and choreography will get the highest marks.

 

[macy]

I thought she was genuinely inspired by watching Nationals to come back? That was my impression of her remarks.

I do recall quite a bit of shade thrown at Frank Carroll. I think she was probably in a not-so-great place with how she felt about Frank and the rest of the USFS establishment.

But I do not recall her being snide to the athletes at all.

i'm a little on this as well. i didn't think any of her comments were snide/mean to any skaters. she gave her opinions on music choices and such, but was generally supportive of everyone while being equally humorous and sarcastic. she also tweeted this at the end of the ladies event:

https://twitter.com/GraceEGold/status/949497020347072512

 

[princessalica]

i'm a little on this as well. i didn't think any of her comments were snide/mean to any skaters. she gave her opinions on music choices and such, but was generally supportive of everyone while being equally humorous and sarcastic. she also tweeted this at the end of the ladies event:

https://twitter.com/GraceEGold/status/949497020347072512

That's how I took everything. I even went back and reread. There was one that a skater said no one expected anything from them but themself, and she agreed with it. That was the worst I could find. I don't think she was meaning to be unkind. And I don't think it was that everyone was so bad that she wanted to come back, its that being in the arena and watching everyone made her remember what she loved. I missed theatre and came back and hated to watch when I wasn't involved.

 

[frida80]

i'm a little on this as well. i didn't think any of her comments were snide/mean to any skaters. she gave her opinions on music choices and such, but was generally supportive of everyone while being equally humorous and sarcastic. she also tweeted this at the end of the ladies event:

https://twitter.com/GraceEGold/status/949497020347072512

I took that last tweet was that she was so inspired by skaters like Mirai and Bradie, who everyone overlooked, making the Olympic team by surprise. Not that she was better than anyone else.

 

[skylark]

One other thing about Gracie's layout that I think is smart of her: The tech layouts for both programs seem very similar to her layouts in the past. So one "mind game" she can play is, as far as technique, Just Go Out and Do What you've always done." Or something to that effect. It could take a bit of pressure off, and also let her focus on the music and her performance. Just my opinion.

/ETA ... IF she wants to, of course.

 

[tothepointe]

And at the same time, I'm thinking about the event just a little less than a year ago, when Ashley had to WD from her fs at SA. The wave of derision around here, and the condemnation, and people questioning her motives, was just stunning. I was at the event, and even though she did very well in the SP, considering her injury, it was plain that she was in pain. You could see it on her face.

It was the dramatic way in which it was done, coupled with that interview afterwards where she said her job was to win at Nationals while she was still at Skate America. Being that it was Skate America had she withdrawn before the competition USFS could have filled her spot with another US lady easily enough. (Not sure who but they could have given someone the chance of a lifetime). So the situations are different.

I think though when we hear the words boot problems from a skater we should automatically hear what they are not saying is "I am in pain." Because that's the real truth.

 

[evasorange]

I’m 99 percent sure on Twitter she had a snarky comment about Ashley LP that she then deleted. And my phone won’t let me quote but MACY that is a really good analysis, I didn’t really think of them going after her possible URs. With as strict as they’ve been this season on(most) skaters with that issue her team will definitely want to avoid them as much as possible.

 

[sross43]

This forum: "I hope Gracie can come out of her shell and feel like she can express personality!"
Skater: *shows personality and is only snarky to her former coach and not any skaters*
Also this forum: "I just can't forget her snide comments"
Excellent

 

[andromache]

Jump-wise, I am most interested to see if she is able to "loosen up" on her jumps. She has tended to be very stiff and tight in her jumps in competition (especially on her landings) which often led to problems, including the very occasional UR, but more often, botched landings.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Am I reading that she isn't doing the 3Lo? Hopefully it's because it isn't consistent yet and not the result of hip problems that prevented Yuna from doing the jump. She seems to use her body more effectively in the practice videos and that's very exciting to see because it shows she's serious about being a full-package skater.

 

[andromache]

https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/s...us-on-return-to-competition-after-depression/