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That's the debate that keeps going back and forth. There needs to be a way to balance out both sides, which is why the rules keep getting tweaked one way and then the other. But whatever rules are in place, there will always sometimes be occasions when decisions come down to clean program vs. difficult program. The jump content might cancel out between the two programs and other elements or components may be the deciding factors.
As long as the contest is being billed as skating contest and not just a jumping contest (or a staying vertical contest), I'm happy with Skating Skills being a deciding factor.
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I am not overly worried about this scenario. When two programs are not-very-good, but not-very-good in different ways, then no outcome is particularly satisfying. That's life.
Personally, I would give the nod to the Laura Lepisto easy clean program. But the big jumper, even if the rules were changed to zero on the falls, could still win by landing his other hard jumps. Quad (fall), 3A (fall) 3 Lz (OK), 3 F (OK) would still score higher than 3S, 2A, 2Lz, 2 Lo.
This is where my head totally implodes. The difficulty in ranking (or awarding points and thus declaring 1st to least best programs) a hard program with mistakes versus a good but easy program is something that I understand to be a real issue, but can't figure out "what to do with." I, too, feel that two not very good programs, even if not very good in different ways, are simply not very good. But it is figuring out how to put one of the not good above the other that troubles me (and yes, there could be a numerical tie, but then there will be criteria to break that tie); and then more, how to put a crazy difficult program with lot's of "plus points" and lot's of mistakes in this mix too. Perhaps this scenario is rare; but as it applies to Chan now, it means that unless he starts landing his jumps cleanly, we will continue to see the dilemma and ponder what to tdo (and we have seen versions of this before too, so it is not just one skater or the exception to an otherwise problem free rule).
So, I think I "hear" mathman saying, fall on jumps should be 0 for the element. But, I suspect gkelly will point out there is more to the jump than then landing AND in so doing, we will end up with easier jump content winning over more difficult. So, I think my question to gkelly is (but to all as well), is there an obvious out? Is there a way to not have a 3 fall short program no matter how spectacular the rest of the content ends up on the podium? Or do you (all readers) feel that nothing should limit the possibilities of who wins...or...?
If this is unclear, I will just say that I think Chan to be a spectacular crazy good - excellent even - skater - his stroking and edgework, I feel, are among the best of the best if not the best of those out there today. But, it was really hard as a fan to watch those 3 falls in the sp and see him on the podium; that he was ontop just didn't feel right. And, I'm trying NOT to just 'react' but understand...So, thanks for any insight.