Figure Skating

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I have to agree with a lot of the quotes in that article.
Rachel was flat, no pun intended! She "punched the clock" like Scott said (IIRC...I should've left the window open with the article up to check!)

I have always loved the more beautiful side of skating==lovely, long-held spirals, beautiful 'hair touching the ice' death spirals, Ina Bauers all the way across the ice with the back bent far back, beautiful classic layback spins with proper leg and arm position. I've always enjoyed the pro's more than the eligibles.

There will probably never be a perfect scoring system, but like Sasha said " it's like a math test, heads are filled with numbers" (paraphrasing there)...to have to count spins, etc., while you are competing...how can you "flow" when you're too busy thinking technical stuff!

I guess we'll always complain, just like we do about the weather.

[Bonny]

I sure liked Meryl & Charlies programs & their skating moves. The announcers mentioned the more upbeat music making a difference in their programs & I think it does. Tanith & Ben reminded me of a pair of stiff wind up dolls during the short program. The ladies there was the good, the bad, & the ugly. Lots of falls & sloppy jumps. I tried to watch the men skate today but was babysitting my grandson so it was a hit & miss.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Bonny, Tanith & Ben have 'lost' something...I don't know what, but...I know they changed coaches to try to do better but I think it might be working against them. They ARE the sentimental favorites and they have done a lot for US dance skating, but...they aren't the same somehow.

I saw the mens and dance pairs last week. It's a shame Ryan Bradley did so poorly in his short program, he is such a charming skater. Reminds me a little of Kurt Browning. Jeremy Abbott had the skates of his life, I think! Pairs was so unempressive for me I don't even remember who skated or who placed! I haven't been following skating the way I used to and don't know who some of the skaters are anymore!

I'm watching a repeat of the ladies now.

[Karen]

I watched last night, and was happy with the results. I thought Sasha Cohen was better in the short than the long, but that has always been the case with her. The commentators seemed to so expect the top two positions to be switched, but I think it will do both skaters good. Mirai kept telling people it wasn't her time yet, so perhaps coming in second will help the nerves not overwhelm her, and Rachel has two very fluffy English Sheepdogs in the background on the piece they showed about her family, so we know she's a doggie friend!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

On re-watching the ladies event, I can see why Rachel triumphed. Her technical abilities are very good.

I think one of my biggest problems, it's a personal one and doesn't jive with the current judging system, is that I feel strongly it is figure SKATING, not figure jumping or figure 8-revolutions to a spin, etc. Rachel is an athletic, technical skater. Marai, Sasha, Ashley are more artistic skaters, the kind I enjoy.

Gosh am I really missing that I don't get the chance to see the pro's in Stars On Ice this year!

Waiting now for the "gala" post-comp event to air.

[DJFyrewolf36]

I wonder if any of you can answer this question: Why did they only pick two ladies to go to the olympics and 3 pairs? Did they pick two or three men to go? I really like figure skating and watch it when I have access to tv but some of it is confusing!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

DJFyrewolf36,
The number of competitors any country can send in any discipline is determined by the placements of the previous years World Championship Competition for each discipline.
I'm not sure of the details, but something about the placements of our competitors, or any countries, gets points and the more points you get the more competitors you can(or maybe it's the less points you get?) send but I think 3 is the maximum, but I'm not positive on that.
Here is some technical info if you can understand it:
http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/faq/rules.shtml#Q10

[Grace]

I wonder if any of you can answer this question: Why did they only pick two ladies to go to the olympics and 3 pairs? Did they pick two or three men to go? I really like figure skating and watch it when I have access to tv but some of it is confusing!

I'm guessing Pat knows the exact answer - but it has something to do with the placement of Americans at the last World Championship, I think. If we had an American man in the top 10 we get 3 - otherwise it's fewer.

[DJFyrewolf36]

The link explained it thank you!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Gretchen, I'm so bad at the technical stuff and numbers tend to run around in circles in my brain without making a lot of sense.
I'm gathering a first place gets 1 point, 2nd 2 points, and so on.
I provided a link in my previous post that explains it although it took me reading it about 5 times before I started absorbing it.
If we have 2 or 3 competitors in the previous years World Championships, they need to equal 13 points or less in their placements so we can send 3 to Oly's...at least I *think* that's what it's saying. The higher our competitors place in the previous years' Worlds, the less points they garner and the MORE competitors we get to send.
I hope that's right...check out the link to get the REAL explanation.

[Bonny]

The ice skating exposition or gala was fantastic. The person that really left a mark was Ashley. She truly is an artistic & athletic skater. She just blew it away for me. I was watching the ladies contest the other night & fell asleep when Sasha was about to skate so missed her. In between the advertising, letting dogs in & out & phone calls it is hard to catch everyone. I loved to see all the former gold medal winners. What a line up & they all looked to be in good shape. Maybe they still get out there on their blades & scratch up the ice. when know one is looking.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Did you see the 10-year-old Novice Mens Champion skate in the gala? He was marvelous!!!

I really enjoyed seeing our past Olympic Gold Medalists come out to be honored. (I shook Kristy's hand in 2004 I think it was)

I so enjoy a beautiful skate done with the music over a technically perfect skate any day. I like Ashley's style, as well as Mirai's, over Rachel Flatt's. I also enjoy Alyssa Cizny and hoped she'd do better in the comp.

If you have Universal Sports channel, keep an eye out for repeats of the competition. I caught the ladies I missed during Sat. nights airing on Sunday evening on that channel. I re-watched Rachel and Mirai skate as well to try to see just why they placed the way they did. The announcers pointed at that many of Mirai's jumps were "cheated"...she was either partially rotated before she left the ice or she landed before making a complete revolution, which downgrades her technical scores.

Like Dick Button said at the top of the comp when asked what would make the winner...He said it wouldn't be who we think should win because they skate a beautiful program, but the person who racks up all the technical points. I'm kind of sick of hearing about points, extra points for jumps after half-way through, level of difficulty, etc.

[RICHARD]

What's the deal with the Kerrigan Family?

Heard that her brother hit the dad and died of a H attack?

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Richard,
Believe me, if there is any skater I don't follow, it's Kerrigan. I have never been fond of her on the ice or off the ice.
I have no idea what is up with her these days.

[Karen]

She lives not too far from here, in Lynnfield, MA, she's a married mom of 3. I have never had anything against her, thought I thought the media sometimes went to far in portraying her as the "ice princess" as opposed to Tanya Harding's "bad girl." She didn't grow up wealthy, just a normal working class family. The incident with her brother and father sounds like alcoholism at work, and nothing to do with the skater.