Look at how Japanese media treated Miki Ando at Olympics. They asked if she was dedicating the performance to her dead father. Was this smart? She cried and had to leave press conference in tears. Japanese media criticized Miki for wearing make up at school. They criticized her for the clothes she wore. They said she was fat. Even recently an ex-Japanese skater criticized Miki for clothes she wears. But now suddenly Japanese like her? Whatever.
To those who think I bash Japanese skaters I say this. I never said negative things about Shizuka Arakawa. I believed with confidence she could win Olympic gold. Did you?
To have credible opinion about how skaters will do you need to consider 2 important points other than just looking at protocals of recent results.
1) Injuries. When a skater has a season with injuries it will affect results in that season. Shizuka had boot problems the season after winning 2004 world’s. People should have recognized how she was re-gaining form in 2005/2006 season for her concentration of Olympic goal. But many “experts” chose to look only at 9th place at 2005 world’s. Stupid. Miki had injury problems in 2005/2006 season too.
2) Psychology. If you don’t consider what a skater says before and after performance you cannot have idea about skater’s mental approach. Then you can see patterns that partly determine skater ups and downs in history. Before 2006 Jr. world’s Mao said she wanted to “skate perfect” performance. She said she “might try a 4 loop.” This was not a defined, concentrated, focused approach. She then lost. Now after 2007 world’s she says exact same words. Wants to do “perfect performance” and “would like to do 4 loop.” So mentally she has not grown and changed. It is reasonable for me to make this remark. Her drastic inconsistency will continue if there is no mental growth and change. Look what Shizuka said about how she focused on doing “her best” not “the best” in Olympics. Look at how she used learning from failure and developed step by step, patient approach to improvement. Yu-na’s wise recent statements about her first senior level season are similar to Shizuka’s. But Mao does not show this learning.
As early as march 2006 I said Miki would be contender for gold medals in 2006/2007 season. How many of you thought so? In autumn I predicted Mao, Yu-na, Miki to be the skaters on the podium at 2007 world’s. Just before world’s I was more doubtful about all 3 for following reasons.
1. Yu-na’s injury seemed bad enough to keep her off podium.
2. Miki had recent shoulder injury although it was said to be healed. It could have been a potential problem though.
3. Mao’s inconsistency. 171.23 at Skate America. 102.39 in freeskate. 4th place in freeskate. 172.52 at GPF. 103.18 in freeskate. 4th place in freeskate. So 199.52 at NHK trophy and 194.45 at world’s were not a proven normal result for Mao. Can you show me a skater with greater inconsistency between competitions than 28.29 points? I now nickname Mao “the coin toss girl.”
However, my initial prediction about world’s podium proved correct again.
I bash Japanese skaters? Actually I believed in Shizuka and Miki’s ability when few others did. It will not be as easy for Miki, Mao or even Yu-na to get medals for 2007/2008 season. Because Carolina Kostner and Elene Gedevanishvili will be prepared, healthy and able to challenge. A healthy Yu-na will be best I think. I will stay with that statement so deal with it.
Duration : 0:0:56
[youtube XJ8RaFzaPdc]
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
huh? It’s just …
huh? It’s just pictures of her crying with no explanation. O_O
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
this is no reason …
this is no reason to try to trip yuna kim and ruin her practice time.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Hey people don’t …
Hey people don’t you think that skating in front of thousand people is a JOKE..why don’t you go out there in the rink and try to skates..is so easy to criticize a person if she make’s some mistake..stop bulling those young ladies…they all giving their for your country…
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
i love u miki
i love u miki
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I don’t think they …
I don’t think they really said anything horrible here, BUT…you would think that the Japanese media would have learned to tone it down a bit, esp. after the 1992 olympics, when they hounded poor Midori Ito so much that she was almost paralyzed with fear and anxiety. I’ve seen it first hand when I was in Japan, and I can tell you that the hype is a hundred times worse than the the US. The media over there is actually harming these athletes.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
go Miki !!
go Miki !!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
“lay the golden …
“lay the golden eggs, not just one, many, otherwise there won’t be dinner for you, Mike!!” that’s what the japanese ice skaking committee is demanding to Miki, and Miki is crying unable to meet their impossible expectation on her.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
obviously shes a …
obviously shes a sook
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I wanna see her big …
I wanna see her big smile at Vancouver.
Go Miki!!!! You are the champion!!!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
she is a stupid …
she is a stupid actress!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Ok I just came …
Ok I just came across this but have no idea what’s going on, please some one explain?
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
” A healthy Yu-na …
” A healthy Yu-na will be best I think”
…wow myreadsoul, you were right!!!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I think it was …
I think it was cruel. I bet they only asked to get this kind of response from her because it sells papers. =( I feel sorry for her.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Unaware of the …
Unaware of the context, I doubt the media asked her this to criticise or to make her cry. During loss people will dedicate to their loved ones, they may have asked her if her love for her father gave her strength and courage to try harder. But if this was an unusually terrible performance for her, and they asked this question? Then its inappropriate. If that were the case, “do you think your recent tragedies affected you negatively today?” would have been more appropriate.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Don’t cry miki, I …
Don’t cry miki, I like you don’t cry
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I think it’s very …
I think it’s very inappropriate to ask a question about her deceased father if she doesn’t speak about that specific topic to begin with. If she doesn’t outright speak about it then it’s most likely a very touchy subject for her. She has every right to be super sensitive and cry when someone mentions her loss. What do you expect for her to do? Shrug her shoulders and laugh and go, “Oh well.” She’s human and not a robot!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Now you are happy …
Now you are happy with Mao’s lutz on GPF!! =D
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Ok. You are …
Ok. You are supporting Miki.
THEN please don’t use Miki’s name
in order to criticize or abuse THE other skater.
This vid is not about THE other skater but Miki.
And insinuation like you did is disgusting.
So, Please abuse THE other skater under her vids not Miki’s. …Actually I’m not interested in THE other skater whoever you talked about.
You have freedom of speech,
but it doesn’t mean that we can’t leave any comment on your opinion.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Whatever you think, …
Whatever you think, I am one of Miki’s supportive fans who has seen her on ice twice and can’t wait to see her again. You can bash on whomever you like, whatever you like. I will appreciate freedom of speech to everyone. However, you don’t have any right to tell me what to do. Isn’t it the common sense that everyone has different opinion?
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I was being honest. …
I was being honest. I didn’t say “a” skater, but “the” skater. That was obvious whom I was talking about, wasn’t it? You also knew whom
I talked about.
I never said I didn’t want to speak ill about Mao. When did I say I don’t want to speak bad things about Mao? I still like her Nocturne, but I am getting sick and tired of waiting Tarasova for at least trying to change her wrong ways to jump
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
You’d better to …
You’d better to become HONEST like her.
You just want to speak ill about “the other Japanese skater”. Don’t pretend to support Miki.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I understand that …
I understand that you wanted to help her when you saw crying girl.
But generally it’s not so cruel to ask a question about her dead father. Besides the question has nothing to do with criticism.
I like Miki but I suppose she’s weak mentally. Or should I say she’s too sensitive?
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Come on Miki. She …
Come on Miki. She is a genuinely honest player who at least tries to correct wrong edges. She will get her skill back soon. As an old figure fan, it is better to see her than the other Japanese skater who doesn’t even want to be bothered to correct her wrong ways to jump.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
Miki we will …
Miki we will support you!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I think Miki is …
I think Miki is very very good skater,better then Mao!!!!We all love you and support you!