Figure Skating Chat!- Page 36

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:00pm

thanks Dottie -- stuff going on in the "real world" has pulled me from BWW and skating this season. I was not able to contribute anything in a positive way...BUT I am getting back in real form and wanted to jump back into this thread while there is still one competition left.....

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:04pm

I don't usually post here (not at all knowlegeable on the subject, but I love it). Just had to drop in when I saw K's arrival. You've been missed.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:05pm

Speaking of Nancy K, and actually any public personality-it's what you put out in public which comes across to everyone. B*tch.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:06pm

To this day, I can't believe I didn't attend the World Championships the year they were held in DC (especially since I was living here). They were advertising at least a year before the event took place and I'm sure I could have gotten a great seat. A friend of mine worked as a volunteer though, and he had an amazing experience.

Jane2, thanks for the laugh!!

Updated On: 3/23/06 at 05:06 PM

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:10pm

there was only one other "moment" that beat it (at least what I experianced personally and that was the 1998 Philadelphia Nationals and Michelle's first MAJOR 6.0 across the board programs....the Rach short and Lyric Anelica long programs were so beautiful it brought tears to your eyes...it was then you KNOEW she was a true champion and fighter who came back to prove the cynics....

Updated On: 3/23/06 at 05:10 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:17pm

KMF, I finally went through all my skating tapes and after reviewing each one I realized I taped over the '98 nationals. I'm really upset about that one because I remember the chills and tears I got that year watching Michelle skate. A guy from my gym in NYC was there and he said it was so amazing in person.

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:22pm

Dottie, For me it was the most thrilling event to see a "person" exhibit the power of the human body and spirit....I am actually getting a little misty eyed recalling when she hit the spirals....

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 5:28pm

I'm so glad she did that same short program at the 2002 Olympics, but it didn't have that same spark though. I at least have that one on tape!!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/23/06 at 7:57pm

OK, I'm not liking ESPN's coverage so far.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 1:20am

I have to say that I soooo love these Worlds so far. I'm spoiled for some the results, and I won't spoil any of you, but let's just say that so far I am extremely pleaed about everything.

I hope Ice Dance stays the same...with the French moving up a spot or two...and the Bulgarians taking gold or silver. Belbin/Agosto and Dubriel/Lauzon can fight it for the bronze.

As for the MEN.

OMFG. If Lambiel had skated that way under a FAIR panel...I think he could've/should've won the LP in Torino. That was so amazing. I was on the edge of my seat squeeling like a school girl after every element (even the FW since he fell on it a bit at Europeans) and I was jumping up and down and sore from screaming for joy after it. I was so relieved because as much as I love Lambiel, I wasn't sure if he had it in him to beat such a kick ass performance from Joubert.

As much as I dislike Brian Joubert, I am so effing glad he's back to being 2004 Joubert because even though I really did not care for Joubert back in 2004, after seeing post-2004 Joubert, I realized how much I missed 2004 Joubert. Please DON'T go away ever again!

Evan just keeps proving what a rockstar he is. That was even better than Torino. I am just amazed at his ability to fight and his competitive nature certainly is strong.

Johnny Weir...why the hell did he come here if he didn't give a crap? He could've just withdrew and make us suffer through Micheal Weiss's skating. I mean if he is so above it all and a true rebel, then he wouldn't care if the USFS pressured him to compete to insure the USA gets 3 spots for Worlds next year, if that was the case. I just think he shouldn't be there if he wasn't going to even try. Hell, he made the same stupid mistake of doing 7 jumping passes instead of 8...that's like his 5th time in a big event. I mean somoene that unprepared shouldn't be a competition like Worlds.

Buttle...always makes mistakes, this time they were deadly pops and not fully rotated falls. I love Jeff so much, but he needs to take it up a notch if he wants to keep winning medals or start winning international titles.

Poor Nobunari Oda. Lost Japanese Nationals and a berth to Torino because of the too many combo errors, and now lost a medal at Worlds because of it. Oh well, it's a learning experience, and hopefully he'll learn (unlike Weir). Great showing for a Worlds debut.

Thank you Emmanuel Sandhu for not sucking too much.

I hate what ESPN did the the Short Programs, but I freakn' love what they did with the Mens LP. Two whole flights and like 1-2 commercials between the skaters? OMG, are we in skating heaven or what?

Updated On: 3/24/06 at 01:20 AM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 11:21am

I have to agree that the whole first hour of coverage was TERRIBLE and confusing. I had no idea what part of the competition I was looking at...tape delayed qualifying? I was so peeeved that I turned to Will and Grace.

Very glad that Lambiel won, of course...dont understand what Johnny's problem is, but he needs to stop looking "hurt" when he actually just STUNK!

I have to disagree, VIETgrl, about the dance...Belbin and Agosto should be first or second going into the free. They were flawless.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 12:21pm

I thought Johnny's long program last night was better than his Olympic performance.

I loved Stephane's little bee-bop dance in the corridor when he found out he won.

Supposedly there were some amazing short programs, yet ESPN did not air them. I just wanted Kurt Browning to SHUT UP, as he was constantly speaking, but it was just jibber jabber.

[zaneyb3000]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 2:13pm

I loved Stephane's little bee-bop dance in the corridor when he found out he won.

Me too! Simply adorable. He had a great set of performances here, gratz to Stephane!

I think we're going to have the tape delayed ladies' SP/live FD mishmash tonight, too. I suppose it's a more "artistic" format (because you know how much we LOVE watching our favorite skaters getting off of the bus), but I'd rather they cut most of the fluff and get to the programs.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 9:29pm

There's just something about the free dance in the ice dancing competition that I find absolutely boring. Tonight's program is no exception.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 9:33pm

Dottie, I have to say I'm sick of Johnny. It's not his hideous costumes, I'm just over him. I'm liking some of the other guys better. Did you say Plushy retired? turned pro? what?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 10:01pm

Hi Jane2, I'm not sure what Yvgeny's plans are, but I know he retired from competitive skating. I'm tired of Johnny Whiner as well.

After making that comment about ice dancing, I will admit that I was captivated by the program of the Canadian pair.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 10:06pm

I'm beginning to be a little more interested in the ice dancing than I was before, but it's still last on my list. Now for the ladies!

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 3:53am

I love that Den/Stavs are freakn' World Champs! It hasn't sunk in for me yet...Den/Stavs, world champs...just wow. This is like payback for 2004 where they should've won.

Poor Delobel/Schoenfelder, though it wasn't their best performance of that dance, I still think they get shafted a lot. I mean they could connect better and maybe emote more, but I don't want them to be uber superifical the way Belbin is. I just feel they don't get the credit for what they do very well (which is have great extention, flow, creativity, and extreme difficulty) and get harped on things they don't do well too much, which is expression.

Tanith and Ben seem to have their defiencies ignored a lot. Yeah they didn't win and some might think there was something fishy going on, but I really don't. It really was personal preference, and B/A just didn't benefit from the panel this time. It was close. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Belbin/Agosto...I love them. I just find them to be the most overrated team this year right behind the Ukrainian team of Grushina/Goncharov who won the Olympic bronze this season. Thank dog those two aren't competing here and spared us their awful dances.

I personally would've had the Canadian team of Dubriel and Lauzon fifth in the Free Dance or maybe even sixth. However I'm not going to wuz robbed because I think it's so extreme that they robbed anyone.

The ladies...it's really Sasha's to lose. Although I think she has like a two fall advantage over Fumie Suguri, I just have a feeling we'll be calling Fumie Suguri our world champion tomorrow and not Sasha.


I have to disagree, VIETgrl, about the dance...Belbin and Agosto should be first or second going into the free. They were flawless.

Let's just say that from what I saw, fourth was what they deserved. From what I heard from ppl in the arena, they agreed with the placements in the OD.

Updated On: 3/25/06 at 03:53 AM

[zaneyb3000]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 11:11am

I don't really know much about the technical aspect of the FD, unless there's a major splat/fall, they all look the same to me... but I got a little misty-eyed watching D/L's program. They were definitely my sentimental favorite.

Does anyone else think that Albena Denkova kinda sorta looks like Kahlen from the 4th cycle of America's Next Top Model?

[JLSatUD]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 6:14pm

Anyone else watching this evening? It's pairs and the ladies long. John and Rena just skated really well.

[LaurenB]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 9:55am

I was so glad John and Rena skated so well.

I was kind of stunned about:

- Sasha's meltdown
- Katerina Witt's candor (fall, fall, fall)
- How pained Debbie Thomas seemed to look after all these years
- Michelle's interview. Can't put my finger on it.
- The Canadian pair. They looked just like the former Canadian pair, only in different colored sweaters.

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 11:56am

How could you be stunned by Sasha's meltdown? I love her, I think she's a beautiful skater, but her entire career has been meltdown after meltdown. She can't handle the pressure. Has she ever put together a clean short and a clean long? I don't remember her ever going 2 for 2. Her legacy sadly will be of one of the great talents who couldn't hack it and probably as a brilliant short program skater.

What I was shocked about was Kimmie's resurgence in the long. This girl was supposed to be groomed to be ready for 2010. Well, 2010 is now! Let's see how well she holds up as she matures and develops an artistic style of her own. The jumps are there but unlike, say, Lipinski who shocked at Worlds only a year before the Olympics, this teenager has to keep the momentum going for another four years. She was remarkable though. What a long program.

[zaneyb3000]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 1:19pm

I concurr, I thought she had the best performance of the night, hands down.

What I really like about Kimmie is you can tell that she just loves being able to compete and is really happy to get out onto the ice and just do her thing. She'll defintely mature as performer in the next few seasons, but I hope she never looses that youthful "I love skating!" spark that makes her a refreshing addition to the sport.

I never got the "I love skating!" vibe from Sasha. Aside from maybe her SP @ Torino, she always looks like she has a task to accomplish... which was the case, I guess.

[LaurenB]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 3:18pm

Regarding Sasha's meltdown and the fact that she can't handle pressure, that's the whole point. Sadly, she had no pressure to speak of in this competition, aside from herself. There were no other former or current world or Olympic champions passing her by in the locker room or hallway. Their presence can be intimidating to someone who has a confidence or concentration issue.

I wouldn't have been surprised if she fluffed it with a crowned champion in the competition. This time around it was literally hers to lose, and she still couldn't hold it together. Didn't she have 2 clean programs at the Nationals?

The other brilliant skater who is largely forgotten these days is Janet Lynn. But she was doomed by her school figures.

[JLSatUD]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 4:08pm

I forget if Sasha had a totally clean LP at Nationals, but I did hear them say that Nationals was the first time she's managed to win when she was ahead after the short.

I really enjoyed Kimmie's performance. For some reason her youthfulness is cute and endearing whereas I found Tara annoying. Maybe I'm just ok because Kimmie's beating Sasha as opposed to Tara beating Michelle. I've never been a big fan of Sasha. I can't put my finger on it, she just seems well, unfriendly. Maybe if she managed to skate cleanly all the time I'd be ok with her attitude.

Looking forward to this afternoon's exhibition on ESPN!