What did Sotnikova do wrong?

[moviechick]

It just occurred to me that in a weird way, we're replaying 2010 again, only with women instead of men. The established gold-medal winning veteran doing a slightly watered down version of what got them that gold medal in the first place, versus the newer challenger who, as the saying goes, knows how to game the system. Like Evan before her, Adelina worked the points. And under COP, working the points appears to be the most consistent, successful strategy on the whole.

History really does repeat itself. Eery.

I think they both also skated early in the SP (due to their long breaks from competing), had a much smaller lead from the SP than most people were expecting and then skated last in the FS and both used tango music. Geez, someone should've warned Yuna!

That whole thing set off a change in CoP scoring so hopefully this leads to something as well.

 

[lksunga]

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/hear...-gold-22609371

Is a skater allowed to change hands when they do spiral??? Please someone with knowledge of the judging system clear this for me.(Thanks)

It certainly shows that she's not a polished skater. I was wondering why she had to wear those gloves all the time. They didn't look part of the costumes to me.

 

[moviechick]

I think some commentators said gloves were to protect their hands from the blade when they do spins and stuff. A lot of people were cutting their hands.

 

[Beure]

I feel so so so sorry for Adelina... really. I just hope that THIS will not crush her, instead, will make her stronger. She's not leaving like former young champions, she has a desire to win all the gold possible.

I hope so. She seems resilient to me so I think she can overcome the hatefulness.

Read this: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/adelina-sotnikova--olympic-figure-skating-champ--no-apology-necessary-220700745.html

So all this critisism is just because the Americans did not medal.

Not really. You'll find differing views on this in most countries, including the US. The Americans were not expected to medal. Gold had an outside chance at best. Even the NBC brass knew that. I am American and for me the best skater in this competition won so I am content with the result. This is not a US vs. Russia issue. This is fans vs fans and fans vs the judges.

 

[Ophelia]

I hope so. She seems resilient to me so I think she can overcome the hatefulness.

Read this: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/adelina-sotnikova--olympic-figure-skating-champ--no-apology-necessary-220700745.html



Not really. You'll find differing views on this in most countries, including the US. The Americans were not expected to medal. Gold had an outside chance at best. Even the NBC brass knew that. I am American and for me the best skater in this competition won so I am content with the result. This is not a US vs. Russia issue. This is fans vs fans and fans vs the judges.

Can you not try to trivialize the issue by boiling it down to "fan vs fan, fan vs judges". There were people other than fans who questioned the marks when they came out, and continue to question them. If you switched Mao with Yuna, you can bet your dollars that the Japanese Skating Fed would be raising up a huge stink over this.

 

[Poodlepal]

No, it's not Adelinaphobia. It's how many inconsistencies there were in that judging, the makeup of that judging panel, its anonymity, its lack of accountability. I would bet you would have the same kind of uproar if the games were held in Bayonne, NJ, and Peter Ueberroth's wife was on the judging panel, along with another judge who had been barred from the sport for a year for attempted cheating.

I'm from Bayonne (as is Tara Lipinski's late grandmother). I would love to see the Olympics there, although it would be a very short downhill race, as our kiddie sledding hill is only about 30 feet high!

 

[usethis2]

I've just learned that Adelina walked away from post-event interviews. That is a poor sportsmanship.. I expected better from her.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I've just learned that Adelina walked away from post-event interviews. That is a poor sportsmanship.. I expected better from her.

So I guess you're no longer a fan.

 

[moviechick]

I've just learned that Adelina walked away from post-event interviews. That is a poor sportsmanship.. I expected better from her.

tbh I would too with this kind of reaction/hate coming in all directions..

 

[pangtongfan]

I've just learned that Adelina walked away from post-event interviews. That is a poor sportsmanship.. I expected better from her.

Smart girl actually. Even she knows her win was bought by her friends Putin and Shekhotseva (who she was seen hugging post event, so I am sure she win on the fix, hence why unlike most others I do blame her for the judging as well), so wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. She knew both the Western and European press (and don't even get me started on the Asian press) were ready to tear her a new one if she stayed any longer than needed.

 

[usethis2]

So I guess you're no longer a fan.

I am trying. Adelina has been (or had been) my No. 1 favorite in post-Yuna/Mao era. But all the judging scandals left a very bad taste. How can I appreciate her skating if she is indeed a material for 9.75/9.75/9.75/9.5/9.5 PCS, seemingly nowhere higher to go? Or will she be brought back down to earth, thus reminding me that her accomplishment in Soch was forever tarnished?

 

[whatif]

Her only fault is being Russian. It's just a no win situation.

 

[usethis2]

Liewise, Yuna Kim's only fault was not being Russian. I have no doubt she would have won had seen been Russian.

Said state of affairs in figure skating competitions.

 

[whatif]

Liewise, Yuna Kim's only fault was not being Russian. I have no doubt she would have won had seen been Russian.

Exactly, why I said "no win situation", no matter who you are.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I have no doubt she would have won had seen been Russian.

But she isn't. Deal with it.

 

[Beure]

I am trying. Adelina has been (or had been) my No. 1 favorite in post-Yuna/Mao era. But all the judging scandals left a very bad taste. How can I appreciate her skating if she is indeed a material for 9.75/9.75/9.75/9.5/9.5 PCS, seemingly nowhere higher to go? Or will she be brought back down to earth, thus reminding me that her accomplishment in Soch was forever tarnished?

You preface your inevitable "but" with the obligatory qualifier to varnish your objective credentials. Maybe she was "your no 1 favorite." Maybe she wasn't. But naturally it's reasonable for people to be skeptical without prior supporting evidence.

 

[usethis2]

@Berue: I don't follow your argument. Perhaps one more time?

My point is that Adelina received the ceiling points in her PCS marks in these games. I don't know whether she's aiming for all 10's (10/10/10/10/10) for the future but let's be realistic. How much chance would you give for that to occur in the future? Adelina received the best PCS marks that can realistically be reached by any ladies. There is no room to grow. And I wanted to watch her grow.

 

[usethis2]

Exactly, why I said "no win situation", no matter who you are.

Only in Russia, though.

 

[WeakAnkles]

i'm from bayonne (as is tara lipinski's late grandmother). I would love to see the olympics there, although it would be a very short downhill race, as our kiddie sledding hill is only about 30 feet high!

lol!

 

[Beure]

@Berue: I don't follow your argument. Perhaps one more time?

My point is that Adelina received the ceiling points in her PCS marks in these games. I don't know whether she's aiming for all 10's (10/10/10/10/10) for the future but let's be realistic. How much chance would you give for that to occur in the future? Adelina received the best PCS marks that can realistically be reached by any ladies. There is no room to grow. And I wanted to watch her grow.

My reply above only addressed the claim that I bolded in the quote.

She can improve, perform even better, and yet score lower. It happens. It always will. It's called score inflation. Contrary to what has been stated or implied by some the COP doesn't prevent that. It happened at the Olympics and for some odd reason some people are shocked. If you solely compare the routines done at the Olympics and feel Sotnikova was the best skater then the very unsurprising amplified scoring is not an issue. Most people acknowledge that within competitions scoring is often relative to when you skate (ie if they skate in a later or earlier group) but somehow it's hard to comprehend that Sotnikova's scores at different events are not a 1:1 comparison.