Matt Savoie | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Matt Savoie

rob43

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 1, 2005
I agree about rewarding difficulty- BUT I don't think a fall on a quad is worth as much as a clean triple. I could see a two foot or a flip out on landing being higher if they aren't too disruptive but a complete splat does not deserve that much credit.

I thought Matt was great but think he turned in some skates from 99-02 that were actaully better but got no real boost (particularly at US Nationals where I think he was robbed of placements in 99 and 02 in particular.) He was bronze at GPF during one of those years.

I hope he enjoys law school and I really hope he tours- it would pay some bills and expose a lot of fans to true skating and program construction.
 

Ogre Mage

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
soogar said:
I think it should reward risk. The men should be doing quads and all the men on the podium at the Games did a quad. The US men need to be taking notes.
I agree -- it should reward risk, but risk successfully completed. This is not a rant about a specific skater but the system in general. As far as I am concerned, a fall is a fall whether it was on a quad or a double. It should get no credit. The system should award points to moves successfully completed or at least close to it (which is where GOE comes in), NOT FALLS.

This might sound too harsh, but I think if you fall on a move, there should be no points awarded for it.
I think it is a good idea. Why should you get credit for something you bombed out on?
 
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Tenorguy

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
form Soogar: The men should be doing quads and all the men on the podium at the Games did a quad. The US men need to be taking notes.

Soogar - I understand exactly where you are coming from, OTOH - can't it also be said that having a quad in your arsenal does not indicate having the best overall skating skills? Example: Joubert, Sandhu, Li all have quads yet their overall quality and consistency suffer on a regular basis. We seen these men fall short in competion repeatedly.

Simply having a quad should not be THE single qualifier JMO. I thought Buttle as wonderful as he was did not skate the kind of clean program Evan did, especially with the fall on the quad. Is that what we have to look forward to..... a new sport called figure-skating-while-splatting regularly on quads?!

What do you think? Tenorguy
 

76olympics

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Matt--what a dream to watch him! He was my favorite of all of the skaters--medal or no. The British Eurosport guys said he reminded them of John Curry; you can't get higher praise than that in my book. He can definitely feel good about how he represented himself and the US. I hope Worlds will be kind to him also....
 

eliza88

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 6, 2003
The 3 guys on the podium are not there just because they had a quad in their program! There were other things in their program of importance and all those points added up...Had Evan skated a better SP, he would have been up there...had Johnny skated a better LP, he would have been up there. I'd rather watch Johhny and Matt, and do clean quadless programs anyday!

I know Matt is going to Law School in the Fall, does anyone know if he is still planning on anything skating? Touring, competing, coaching? Hoping he will havea great short and long at Worlds and get on the podium there...why the judges have been so slow to warm up to him and his exquisite moves, transitions, musicality, etc, I will never know! More Matt please!

eliza88
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
Dee4707 said:
I thought Matt was wonderful in both SP & LP, too bad the judges didn't think so.

Dee

I am disappointed that Matt wasn't higher in the final standings, but I'm so glad that he finally got to have his Olympic experience. I hope his performances here will give him even more confidence for Worlds next month. I am so happy for him! :clap: :party:
 

slutskayafan21

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 28, 2005
He was definitely underscored like he has been for many years in the U.S. It is a shame the USFSA sold him out to buy votes for the overrated Lysacek, rather than let them all skate and give them all the best chance to score as high as they can fairly.

It is great Savoie finally got to a major event though. If he retires he retired on a high note.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
slutskayafan21 said:
He was definitely underscored like he has been for many years in the U.S. It is a shame the USFSA sold him out to buy votes for the overrated Lysacek, rather than let them all skate and give them all the best chance to score as high as they can fairly.

It is great Savoie finally got to a major event though. If he retires he retired on a high note.
Savoie has never been underscored in the US. He has placed several times in the US Nats. Savoie has had trouble pleasing the International judges. I think after this competition in Torino, the international judges will realize their underscoring, and make it up to him in Calgary Worlds. But he must not skate the way he did at 4Cs.

Joe
 

kaesie

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 28, 2006
matt was great

Matt was great. If he skated for any other country, he would have
higher points if not a medal or two by now.

Evan skated well. I'm distracted by his flailing arms. He needs more polish
and authenticity to his artistry...that which Matt has so naturally.

Johnny didn't skate well for Johnny, but his landings are the best
in the sport of figure skating. He lands his jumps with a whisper and that
is a lot harder than landing forward, on scratchy toe picks.

I was shocked at Plushenko's horrendous "program" and thought he should
have lost so many points on that...it was almost ridiculous.
His short was so fabulous though and I'm usually not a fan of his skating.

Now I'm just in shock re: Belbin and Agosto...I thought they had such a strong
shot at gold...but SIXTH???? I must check out the broadcast...

So long folks...

And don't forget, it wouldn't be Olympics without some controversial
and highly disagreeable judging!

--
 

rob43

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 1, 2005
Actually- I think Savie should have been on the US podium (and in top 3) in 1999 and 2002. 02 was closer but in 99 he definitely deserved the thrid spot. And before a few problems/an injury he was a GP Final medalist in '01 so I think that shows the international judges had noticed him.

It just seems odd that after almost a decade as a US senior everyone finally notices him when he's had very similar qualities (and possibly a little better consistency) in years past.
 

Ottawagal

Spectator
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Matt not only has academic intelligence, but kinesthetic intelligence as well. In the Kurt Browning arena of knowing how to make his muscles work in perfect syncronicity.
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
For me, Matt Savoie is like the Janet Lynn of this era. He's not bubbly, of course, but he's the one every skater and serious skating fan admires (okay, most of them), but he never quite gets the big marks or the big medals. I'll miss him, but more importantly, I'll remember him.

Rgirl
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Joesitz said:
Savoie has never been underscored in the US. He has placed several times in the US Nats.
Sorry Joe, but this is SO wrong. If 2002 wasnn't underscoring, I don't know what is. And he should have been first in the freeskate in 2006, and hence the silver medalist. These are just TWO examples.
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Ottawagal said:
Matt not only has academic intelligence, but kinesthetic intelligence as well. In the Kurt Browning arena of knowing how to make his muscles work in perfect syncronicity.
"Kinesthetic intelligence..." Wow! You're from the same planet I am! Okay, I won't saddle you with that. It's just good to read a language I understand well. :) BTW, ITA.

Rgirl

P.S. Welcome to Golden Skate! Hope you stick around.
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Ogre Mage said:
I agree -- it should reward risk, but risk successfully completed. This is not a rant about a specific skater but the system in general. As far as I am concerned, a fall is a fall whether it was on a quad or a double. It should get no credit. The system should award points to moves successfully completed or at least close to it (which is where GOE comes in), NOT FALLS.

I think it is a good idea. Why should you get credit for something you bombed out on?

Well how do you encourage risk if you penalize a skater for trying. Part of the risk is that the jump may not happen. You already have a skater like Weir who nails the quad in practice all the time yet doesn't have the courage to try the jump in competition. Johnny has mental issues with the jump, but how is he ever going to get over it if all of a sudden they decide to penalize skaters for trying. If the skater doesn't try the element at all, the skater is never going to land it.
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
soogar said:
Woooo wooo!! I am glad Matt is thinking about continuing to skate competitively. I was watching him at the Games and wishing that he would stay in a little longer b/c everything is falling in place for him.
Soogar, which part of the article said Matt might stay??
 

Ogre Mage

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
soogar said:
Well how do you encourage risk if you penalize a skater for trying. Part of the risk is that the jump may not happen.
And why should points be given out for falling on your butt? If the skater does a flawed element (step-out, two-footed, etc), I would give credit but with negative GOE. That is the reward for a "good try." But a fall is a huge, ugly mistake and should not be encouraged by the system. In lieu of giving -4 pts. on the element, it should simply be given a goose egg. Maybe then we won't see skaters simply throwing in hugely difficult elements which they cannot complete, just so they can get points for them. Right now, a fully rotated quad that results in a fall gives the same amount of points as a clean 3loop (5.0) which is stupid.

When Jeff fell on his fully rotated quad attempt, Sandra Bezic noted that it was a "good strategy," presumably because it gave 5 pts. I would rather have seen Jeff do a clean triple. When falling has become a good strategy, something is seriously wrong with the way the sport is being judged. I am not interested in watching fall, fall, gain points for falling.

Veering back on topic, :laugh: I thought Matt's performance was great as well. THAT's the kind of skating the system should encourage.
 
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nicole_l

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
It said that he was thinking about returning to competitive skating after taking a year off for Cornell Law. :bow:
Yeah Matt why don't you marry me OK?
 
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