Figure Skating

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I've never wished anything ill-will towards Nancy, she just isn't someone I get a real warm & fuzzy feeling about.
I was thrilled for her that she finally had a successful 3rd pregnancy and baby, though. She had a lot of heart break in that part of her life.

[Bonny]

The novice mens champion was a powerhouse out there on the ice. He has great charisma & oh what a future he has.

Mirai has to work on her jumps before the olympics. She better get them down pat. They did show her foot work & uncompleted turns in slow motion last night. Uncle Dick put his two cents in there. He is mellowing out with age. LOL! I guess I never cared for his lack of tact.

My dear Scotti was asked about the chances of the US women placing. Scotti mentioned the Japanese skaters & we really haven't seen the world skaters yet so watch out US women skaters. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Just heard about Nancy Karrigans father died over the weekend. He got into a struggle with his son over using the telephone. The old fella was 70 years old. The son was arrested. I guess he grabbed his dad around the throat. Not good.

You were so lucky to shake hands with Kristys MOMto. The closest I got to Scotti was up in row Z with no binoc's either at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Scott & Kristy was my all time favorites.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Bonny,
Nathan, that's the 10 year old novice champ, hopefully DOES have a marvelous future. It will depend on if life and growth spurts gets in the way or not. He won't be eligible for Oly's until 2018!

There have been a lot of jump-cheaters in the past but the old scoring system didn't have as much an impact on it as the new one does, and I don't know how much reviewing of jumps they did with the 6.0 system.

I've always enjoyed "Uncle Dick" as Dick Buttons is known in the thick of the figure skating fan world. I always laughed, and agreed, when he pointed out ugly leg positions of a layback spin...and the fanny sticking out too much on the descent into a death spiral!

This year, not being able to see Stars On Ice due to it not coming close enough for us to be willing to travel to it as well as put out the cost, I realise how lucky I have been in the past to have gone to all the different shows and competitions I've been to!

[cassiesmom]

I thought that 10-year-old Nathan Chen was amazing! I hope he will have a very bright future as a skater.

I didn't know Dick Button was the first to complete a double Axel in competition. He IS mellowing with age! I wonder what he thinks of today's competitors doing triple and quad jumps?!

I thought it was very neat that all the Olympic winners were introduced from Dick Button to Sarah Hughes. Very cool. The girls who won weren't even born yet when Scott Hamilton and Brian Boitano were Olympic competitors. I remember those two Olympics so well.

And I thought Mirai Nagasu's program was more artistic and Rachael Flatt's more athletic. I wish 3 women could go. I thought Mirai Nagasu should have won, but then they showed the problem with her jumps in very slow motion and I understood why she finished second.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Hi Elyse,

Sometimes the ones you hope will have a great future somehow don't make it, for whatever reason. It's fun to watch over the years and see how things pan out.

Seeing the past Olympic Gold Medalists was really cool.

My BIL took my sister, my Mom and me to see Peggy Fleming in the Ice Capades (or maybe the Follies, I forget which) after she had won the Gold medal. I'd had a tooth pulled that day and the next thing I knew I was being shaken awake in my seat to get up and go home, the show was over. I MISSED seeing Peggy skate! All I have to show for it is the program from the show!

The cheated jumps is nothing new. It's so hard to see it without the slow-mo. The cheated Lutz jump, too, is kind of hard to see...many women skaters especially take off on the wrong edge, making it a "flutz", which isn't as difficult a jump as a Lutz. They shouldn't get full credit if they don't do a true Lutz. I guess this new judging system makes sure that gets checked more so than the old system.

[Grace]

Interesting article about Johnny Weir.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Gretchen, I'd have to agree with most of that article saying how Johnny's style and persona and costumes are leaning more towards "schtick" these days.
There used to be a purity to his skating that was so beautiful.
What he does off the ice can't help but have some effect on how people view him on the ice.

When he skates well, there is nothing like him, but I haven't seen him skate well, securely, and passionately all at the same time in a while.

[Bonny]

Johnny reminds me of Rudy Glenda anyhow his style of skating & his choice of clothing. I like his confidence & artistry. When he skates he seems to be trying to relay a story along with the music he has picked & trying to put all the required elements into it. He has his work cut out for him along with all the others skaters from the USA.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Rudy is SO much fun to see in person! His show numbers were usually a lot different than his competitive numbers. It was so thrilling to see him win US Nationals in '96 in his home town.

[Grace]

I found two more interesting articles in the NY Times - about pairs and ice dancers, finding a partner - and some strange representations.

Now skating for . . . . .

Ice Partners Search . com

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Very interesting!
I know it can be hard to find the right partner both personality wise, compatible work ethic-wise and size wise!

This reminds me, I wanted to check tv listings to see if I could find if any of the other countries Nationals is on tv. I used to be able to catch Europeans and Canadians.

[Grace]

Very interesting!
I know it can be hard to find the right partner both personality wise, compatible work ethic-wise and size wise!

This reminds me, I wanted to check tv listings to see if I could find if any of the other countries Nationals is on tv. I used to be able to catch Europeans and Canadians.

Living so close to Canada, we get those on CBC - along with Hockey Night in Canada

[Grace]

Michelle Kwan - the most decorated figure skater in American history (two Olympic medals, five world titles, nine national championships) now totes a backpack crammed with books, a computer and a Kindle.

[Bonny]

That was an interesting article about Michelle. I have always liked her but couldn't figure out why she kept going out was it to win more titles, trophies, & metals or was it to prove something to herself? Here it was none of the above. I just couldn't figure out why she hadn't gone professional like most of the other champion skaters? I am happy for her & always felt she had a good head on her shoulders. She had a big adjustment to make like she said going from elegant skating to skating for points. More like acrobatics on ice is what I call it, the more perfected jumps the more points, especially towards the end of your program when your legs are like sphagetti. Ugh! I guess I miss the beautiful elegance & what I would call ballet on ice. But we can still see that on tv specials. Yeah!

[cassiesmom]

MT4FF, did you see Pelletier and Sale providing commentary for the Canadian sports network? If they ever skate around here again I would definitely go see them. Which got me thinking - whatever happened to Katya Gordeeva? Has she retired from skating? I know she has a daughter.