Figure Skating

[Grace]

I was not following skating in 1973, didn't start til '94.

Too bad. You missed something very special. Their music stopped suddenly in the middle of their program. They completed it without music and won the gold. That performance earned a standing ovation. Actually, they did have to skate it again, with the music. But they were perfect, with or without.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Their music stopped suddenly in the middle of their program. They completed it without music and won the gold. That performance earned a standing ovation. Actually, they did have to skate it again, with the music. But they were perfect, with or without.

I do believe I have seen footage of that on television as part of 'specials' about skating, or possibly it is on one of my purchased video's that tell some of the history of skating. Definitely amazing.

[smokey the elder]

I remember seeing the Rodnina and Zaitsev on Wide World of Sports, which carried a lot of figure skating back in the day.

The new system is kind of lame; it has good intentions but fails in the execution, IMO. Skating is nothing more than "tricks on ice". It might as well be half-pipe snowboarding.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

The new system is kind of lame; it has good intentions but fails in the execution, IMO. Skating is nothing more than "tricks on ice". It might as well be half-pipe snowboarding.

I agree about the scoring system.
Even as the choreographers, coaches and skaters start learning to put some "moves in the field" in the programs, there isn't enough time to hit all those point making moves AND do a lovely classic spiral or Ina Bauer move.
And I hate that catching the foot on spirals and death spirals garners more points...some of the positions the pairs ladies were using to get into the death spiral were down right ugly in the pairs competition. A catch foot here & there with a spin or spiral is okay, but not seeing, especially a female, skater glide across the ice in a beautiful spiral position(i.e., Cohen, Bobek, Kwan, Hughes) takes away from the programs, IMO.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Congratulations to China, Zhen/Zhao and Pang/Tong!
What a night for pairs skating!
Zhen/Zhao didn't skate a perfect program but were still wonderful to watch and the work they put into returning to Olympic eligible skating paid off. They have realized their dream of an Olympic Gold Medal.
Pang/Tong were wonderful. Had they not been in 4th going into the long program, they would've easily over-taken Zhen/Zhao. Pang/Tong are SO improved over their earlier years of skating...they now have the grace, beauty and emotion to go with the technical aspect.
The Russian Reign in pairs Olympic Gold Medals is finally at an end. (not that many of the Russian skaters didn't deserve their medals, it's just nice to see a different country be victorious)

[Bonny]

The pairs skating is done now the mens short program is tonight. I hope I can stay awake. I get so relaxed watching the skaters & the music puts a person to sleep. LOL! I think it is old age creeping up on me & during the day I take the dogs out & snowshoe for a good 2 hour run to wear them out & I get wore out. I wonder if my husband will notice the required elements tonight? He was at the hospital today getting his blood checked & they had the Olympics hockey game on. He said he saw a player slam another one into the wall & into the penalty box the player went. The puck had already been passed onto another player so the slam was after the fact. Hockey is a kill get killed game, maybe that is why they are padded from head to toe.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Although I am not a hockey fan, I remember the days in the 1970's when the Philadelphia Flyers were hot-hot-hot. They didn't wear any helmets back then!

I sometimes fall asleep during the skating as well. I took a short nap today so will hopefully make it up for the whole mens event. We can catch up on sleep Wednesday night when there is no skating events on. (Why couldn't Thursday be the night no skating is on, I wouldn't have to tape Survivor!)

I am NOT looking forward to seeing Evegeni Plushenko, and I know it sounds mean, but I really hope he makes mistakes and does not win. I'd love to see one of our American men on the top of the podium. Go Evan Lysacek!

[sparks19]

Hockey is a kill get killed game, maybe that is why they are padded from head to toe.

not a kill or get killed game... it's a CONTACT sport

I was glad to see the married chinese couple win it (I'm sorry I don't know how to spell their names lol)

[Puckstop31]

they had the Olympics hockey game on. He said he saw a player slam another one into the wall & into the penalty box the player went. The puck had already been passed onto another player so the slam was after the fact. Hockey is a kill get killed game, maybe that is why they are padded from head to toe.

What you describe sounds like a interference penalty. Bodychecking ("slamming") is part of the game. You use your body to take an opponent who has the puck, off the puck. As long as you keep the hit low and from the front or side, its all good. Part of the game, its just how its played.

You cannot hit a player who does not have the puck, thus the interference penalty you describe.

Hockey, especially modern hockey has a very undeserved sterotype as a 'violent' sport. Its physical, yes, but violent? We could have a discussion about the role of fighitng in the NHL, but I don't want to hijack any further. LOL Plus, fighting is VERY taboo in the Olympics.

[cassiesmom]

had the Olympics hockey game on. He said he saw a player slam another one into the wall & into the penalty box the player went. The puck had already been passed onto another player so the slam was after the fact.

Is that the game where they had a 5-on-3 power play? And the player who got shoved into the boards plays for the Boston Bruins. I started following the Blackhawks when the Bulls couldn't win a game no matter how they tried. Now the Bulls are starting to win more consistently (finally!) and I am trying to learn more about hockey.

I loved Johnny Weir's short program, because it was more than a bunch of jumps sort of strung together in the first two minutes of the program. Sandra Bezic said that as a skater, he has a lot of respect for the purity of it, which is starting to really show in his programs.