Ross Miner Out Of Olympic Team (OFFICIAL)

[NinjaTurtles]

those will be the first olympics for Adam, right?

Yes.

 

[oleada]

Grant got hosed. They should have put Miner on the World Team and Grant in 4CC.

I’m fine with the World Team (there are spots to think about) but Aaron over Grant for 4CC is just baffling.

 

[barbarafan]

It would be helpful if before the event started they made a list of skaters who needed to win to have any shot of going on to the Olympics, becuase from what the USFSA are saying, that was Miner's only shot.

At least people will know where they stand and what they are competing for.

They should publish a list before nationals of all the skaters who will not go to OLympics no matter what they do at nationals. That would be fair.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I get the sense that USFSA is looking at planned program content (i.e., TES base values); that might be the nod for Max over Grant. I definitely think it played a part in Vincent on the team. Fair or not.

 

[Bellanca]

I've been saying, ad nauseam, for some time now, much to the chagrin of many, that emotions, sentiments and the "it's your turn” mentality, etc. do play into the selection committee’s mindset when making their choice - very much so. This decision should not be that shocking, but nonetheless, very unpopular for many.

 

[ZilphaK]

Why not just have a published criteria with points attached, a la who makes the Grand Prix Final? Weight them. Start the process two years out. Fans would know going in to Nationals who already made it, who still had a shot.

No matter the justifications for doing it the way they do it, it feels too subjective in a sport that's already suspect when it comes to fiddling with the numbers.

(ETA: Sorry, if someone has already said this. I haven't read through whole thread.)

 

[Tavi]

Yes, they did. Team Ross will probably not take this to court like some athletes and their teams have in the past, but today is not a good day for them.

ETA: I had better clarify, in all sports across the board re the naming of Oly teams.

Hunh? Ross has absolutely no basis to take USFS to court. There was no contract, no guarantee, no representation that with a podium finish he would go to the Olympics. The criteria were published on the website and the athletes were told up front.

 

[Bellanca]

Some federations like to spread the wealth (Max over Grant), but for the skaters personally involved in controversial decisions and who are missing out on the Olympic experience, it is impossible to bandage the wound via consolation prize.

 

[ks777]

I feel bad for Grant Hochstein.

 

[jiejie]

Hunh? Ross has absolutely no basis to take USFS to court. There was no contract, no guarantee, no representation that with a podium finish he would go to the Olympics. The criteria were published on the website and the athletes were told up front.

Agree. The reason you see all skaters accept USFS' decision and no court cases is that they would have no basis. The USFS is, in effect, a private club that as a US skater, you have to join if you want to be on a path to the international competitions. When you join the club, you agree to play by club rules so to speak. And one of those is that the USFS committee decisions are final and binding.

The best "insurance policy" a US skater can have to ensure plum assignments such as Olympics and Worlds, is to skate well with high scoring programs that resonate with international judges as well as US ones and skate well not once, not twice, but consistently.

 

[Spun Silver]

Some federations like to spread the wealth (Max over Grant), but for the skaters personally involved in controversial decisions and who are missing out on the Olympic experience, it is impossible to bandage the wound via consolation prize.

Especially if they didn't get one.

 

[screech]

The clusterf*ck of the team selection for US Nats is making me kind of nervous/excited for Canadians next weekend, with about 7 men who could legitimately earn Canada's second spot and join Patrick in Korea. Makes me wonder how the heck Canada is going to decide, unless whoever comes 2nd is over 3rd by at least 10 points (and isn't baby Stephen Gogolev).

I can understand sending Adam to Olympics OR Worlds over Ross, but to leave the silver medallist off both is a bit of a slap in the face. Then to not even name Ross first alternate... that's a knee to the balls on top of the slap.

 

[Yazmeen]

For everyone who is pointing out that Adam (and Jason) didn't bring their "A" game to Nationals - why are there no complaints that Ross hasn't had anything close to an "A" game for the past 4 years? Yet, he's more deserving to go to an Olympics because he had one good competition compared to them having more?

Not picking on Ross here; just making a point.

 

[debo]

When Team Ross heard the decision they must have been like, “Maybe this is like last year’s Oscars with La La Land being mistakenly name BP.”

 

[Lizziebeth]

Saw on twitter that it’s Kranozhon, Hiwatashi and Pulkinen. Love Torgashwv but it’s a fair call

that is a wonderful Junior Worlds team! They should do great. Torgashev is a wonderful skater and I hope he comes back with much improved jumps next year. Then he will be tough to beat.

 

[Bellanca]

Hunh? Ross has absolutely no basis to take USFS to court. There was no contract, no guarantee, no representation that with a podium finish he would go to the Olympics. The criteria were published on the website and the athletes were told up front.

Yes, I know. Lighten up. Some athletes would consider this and have. Please don't make a mountain out of a molehill. I would not expect Ross to do this.

ETA: Unless Brennan, for example, discovers something had gone amiss.

 

[jiejie]

Brennan tweeted the other day that she’s made repeated requests for the info.

https://twitter.com/cbrennansports/status/949469667499757568

To my knowledge, the USFS has never in any year, released the members of the actual selection committee. At one time, it was (and may still be) a subcommittee under the International Committee whose members should be listed at least in documents available to USFS members. But whether this is still the case and whether that subcommittee contains additional ad hoc and ex-officio members, I don't know.

 

[Lizziebeth]

Brennan tweeted the other day that she’s made repeated requests for the info.

https://twitter.com/cbrennansports/status/949469667499757568

Well I can see why they don't. USFSA is not a democracy. It's probably better to have all the angry attacks going to them instead of the individual committee members.

 

[caseyedwards]

He should sue and should argue quadless journeyman shouldn’t go to olympics if they bomb nationals.

 

[Tavi]

Nationals probably was weighted more heavily. Rippon finished 4th, not 12th.

The Jason decision is a little questionable with nationals being Tier 1.

Jason had three Tier 1 competitions, one of which was Worlds, where he was instrumental in getting back that third spot, had the highest ever quadless SP score, and had a total score of nearly 270. He was only half a point behind Adam at the GPF. If he hadn’t bombed that FS so badly, his body of work would have probably meant sending him over Vincent.

 

[Bellanca]

Now that is where Brennan should continue to dig - and dig like hell - applying pressure to USFS into releasing the names of the committee members.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The clusterf*ck of the team selection for US Nats is making me kind of nervous/excited for Canadians next weekend, with about 7 men who could legitimately earn Canada's second spot and join Patrick in Korea. Makes me wonder how the heck Canada is going to decide, unless whoever comes 2nd is over 3rd by at least 10 points (and isn't baby Stephen Gogolev).

I can understand sending Adam to Olympics OR Worlds over Ross, but to leave the silver medallist off both is a bit of a slap in the face. Then to not even name Ross first alternate... that's a knee to the balls on top of the slap.

Given how Patrick has been skating this season, what if he comes third or fourth at Canadians next week?

 

[briancoogaert]

Only 2nd alternate for Worlds and Olys ? Very rude decision for Ross Miner IMO

 

[ZilphaK]

For everyone who is pointing out that Adam (and Jason) didn't bring their "A" game to Nationals - why are there no complaints that Ross hasn't had anything close to an "A" game for the past 4 years? Yet, he's more deserving to go to an Olympics because he had one good competition compared to them having more?

Not picking on Ross here; just making a point.

Because, for me, as a viewer and as a skating parent, every other competition is about what happens in the moment, and those moments are fleeting. It doesn't matter how you did in practice or the 6-minute warm-up. It doesn't matter how you did in the last competition. It's what you put out there on the ice, this time, against these competitors. You kill it in all your programs all year but miss Sectionals by .01, that's rough. But that's figure skating. You made Nationals last year and medaled, but didn't make it out of Sectionals this year, even though you're hitting jumps in every other competition that no other skaters are hitting? That's the fabled thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

I've said this elsewhere, so I'll keep it short here. But what's gripping about watching sports is The Moment. The Moment when the underdog beats the favored one and is rewarded. The most fabled moment in all of sports is the USA team of rag-tag, no name hockey players beating the juggernaut Soviets at the 1980 Olympics. They lost to them the week before the start of the Olympics. Not just lost, were crushed. They only tied the highly-favored Swedes in the opening round. Why even allow them to play the 2nd-ranked team at all?

When they won it all, it was one of the most -- if not the most -- thrilling moments in sports history. It could have gone wrong a millions ways, a hundred times.

It's not a perfect analogy. Team sports and individual judged sports are different animals. But I think about why I watch sports, why many people watch sports. It's the antidote to knowing-the-ending in life and the hope of the surprise victory in spite of falling short so many other times. It's the #WeGetUp. Ross Miner might have been sent to the Olympics and bombed. Or, it could have been a highlight reel for the ages that would have inspired a few more kids to get on the ice. We'll never know.

 

[BittyBug]

But what's gripping about watching sports is The Moment. The Moment when the underdog beats the favored one and is rewarded.

Was Miner not rewarded with a silver medal?

 

[caseyedwards]

Was Miner not rewarded with a silver medal?

No one was just going for that! It’s an Olympic Year! All medals are meaningless if they don’t mean olympics.

 

[becca]

Jason had three Tier 1 competitions, one of which was Worlds, where he was instrumental in getting back that third spot, had the highest ever quadless SP score, and had a total score of nearly 270. He was only half a point behind Adam at the GPF. If he hadn’t bombed that FS so badly, his body of work would have probably meant sending him over Vincent.

Except for the fact that Brown didn't earn the Worlds spot outright last year. I think the fact that Zhou was denied the opportunity to go to Worlds last year had to be taken into account.

 

[BittyBug]

No one was just going for that! It’s an Olympic Year! All medals are meaningless if they don’t mean olympics.

So all the medals in all the other years and competitions are meaningless?

 

[caseyedwards]

Because, for me, as a viewer and as a skating parent, every other competition is about what happens in the moment, and those moments are fleeting. It doesn't matter how you did in practice or the 6-minute warm-up. It doesn't matter how you did in the last competition. It's what you put out there on the ice, this time, against these competitors. You kill it in all your programs all year but miss Sectionals by .01, that's rough. But that's figure skating. You made Nationals last year and medaled, but didn't make it out of Sectionals this year, even though you're hitting jumps in every other competition that no other skaters are hitting? That's the fabled thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

I've said this elsewhere, so I'll keep it short here. But what's gripping about watching sports is The Moment. The Moment when the underdog beats the favored one and is rewarded. The most fabled moment in all of sports is the USA team of rag-tag, no name hockey players beating the juggernaut Soviets at the 1980 Olympics. They lost to them the week before the start of the Olympics. Not just lost, were crushed. They only tied the highly-favored Swedes in the opening round. Why even allow them to play the 2nd-ranked team at all?

When they won it all, it was one of the most -- if not the most -- thrilling moments in sports history. It could have gone wrong a millions ways, a hundred times.

It's not a perfect analogy. Team sports and individual judged sports are different animals. But I think about why I watch sports, why many people watch sports. It's the antidote to knowing-the-ending in life and the hope of the surprise victory in spite of falling short so many other times. It's the #WeGetUp. Ross Miner might have been sent to the Olympics and bombed. Or, it could have been a highlight reel for the ages that would have inspired a few more kids to get on the ice. We'll never know.

Bravo!!!!!

 

[Tavi]

Yes, I know. Lighten up. Some athletes would consider this and have. Please don't make a mountain out of a molehill. I would not expect Ross to do this.

ETA: Unless Brennan, for example, discovers something had gone amiss.

Just responding factually. If it was so unlikely not sure why you even brought it up.

Except for the fact that Brown didn't earn the Worlds spot outright last year. I think the fact that Zhou was denied the opportunity to go to Worlds last year had to be taken into account.

Give it a rest already.