It was interesting to see ... | Golden Skate

It was interesting to see ...

CDMM1991

Medalist
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
The different demeanors of the various male medalists. There was the ever stoic and stately Plushenko, who didn't even crack a smile until the end of the national anthem. Then there was the emotional Lambiel, who was simply crying the whole time, I actually found him really touching, and then there was Jeff Buttle who just seemed to be enjoying the moment, smiling the entire time, proud to see the Canadian flag rising. I wonder how the various women will react? Do you think the tears will be streaming down Irina's face?
 

K-Mo

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
I think Irina will be happy if (when) she wins. I sure hope so because so far we have had 2 Russian golds, and both were stoic and the moment felt uninspired. For crying out loud, they just won the Olympics! Why not smile???
 

STL_Blues_fan

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
irian smiled at 2005 worlds

so i suspect she will be doing the same in Turin. She cried there too!

have no idea why they didn't smile..maybe b/c they were mentally singing the anthem???
 

Mafke

Medalist
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
K-Mo said:
I think Irina will be happy if (when) she wins. I sure hope so because so far we have had 2 Russian golds, and both were stoic and the moment felt uninspired. For crying out loud, they just won the Olympics! Why not smile???

It's Mishin and his whole tough guy shtick: We are real men, we just go get the job done and don't cry like little sissy boys. And we don't mess around with this (sneer) choreography because we are very tough guys who know how real men are supposed to act.

Blechhhhh
 

zeytin

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
plushenko started to smile after he finished his programm and was still smiling in podium after national anthem...does he have to cry???
lambiel was crying because he had an injury and there was a fierce competition for silver. but plushenko was alone there. if there was somebody like yagudin as a competitior, plush would show his fellings much. and he seemed really proud at the end of the programm and anthem...remember this man have 3 world-5 european titles. don't compare to lambiel or buttle who won olympic medal with many mistakes....
 

soccer6

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
CDMM1991 said:
The different demeanors of the various male medalists. There was the ever stoic and stately Plushenko, who didn't even crack a smile until the end of the national anthem. Then there was the emotional Lambiel, who was simply crying the whole time, I actually found him really touching, and then there was Jeff Buttle who just seemed to be enjoying the moment, smiling the entire time, proud to see the Canadian flag rising. I wonder how the various women will react? Do you think the tears will be streaming down Irina's face?

Yes, I think Irina will cry if she gets the gets the gold. I enjoyed watching the different reactions of the male medalists as well. Buttle was terrific tonight, he has so much personality and wonderful choreography, IMHO. My heart was breaking for Evan Lysacek coming in 4th, but what a phenomenal LP and comeback after his SP.
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
K-Mo said:
I think Irina will be happy if (when) she wins. I sure hope so because so far we have had 2 Russian golds, and both were stoic and the moment felt uninspired. For crying out loud, they just won the Olympics! Why not smile???

Are you kidding? T&M were anything but stoic. They had genuine emotion-tears in their eyes- which was controlled. They showed more emotion than any Russian/Soviet pair that won the OGM. I was very touched by their reaction after their LP skate, and particularly how happy and emotional they looked on the podium. I was happy to see the calm Plushenko. He looked very dignified. It was nice to see someone smiling (instead of crying) on the podium after winning. I don't much care about athletes crying like babies on the podium. However, given Stephane's young age and all the pressure on him, I forgive him. :)

Vash
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
Mafke said:
It's Mishin and his whole tough guy shtick: We are real men, we just go get the job done and don't cry like little sissy boys. And we don't mess around with this (sneer) choreography because we are very tough guys who know how real men are supposed to act.

Blechhhhh

I don't understand this hostility toward someone's behavior. People in different cultures express themselves in different ways. It is best to be accepting of differences.

Vash
 

JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Some people just aren't cryers. For heaven's sake, do they ALL have to be Oksana Bauil???? And she's STILL doing it at the drop of a hat.....
 

Mafke

Medalist
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
I like my Russians to have big open emotions, you know, dusha I think they call it. Yagudin had it in great big bucketloads. It was part of what made his performances so special. No wonder he left the stern father Mishin for the permissive grandmother Tarasova and did so much better with her.

And by all accounts Plushenko is a nice sweet guy when not competing (for all I know Mishin is). I think his tough guy game face is artificial and unbecoming and I detest Mishin's approach to choreography (ignore it, hit the jumps and you'll get the scores for it anyway, so why bother). Imagine what Plushenko could do with a really well constructed program, too bad he's never had the chance.
 

Dibs

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
I believe it's just a difference in culture. On a trip to Poland I had someone ask me why Americans smile and show their emotions so much, and I said that many us of are just open about our feelings and such and that many are raised to express themselves. He told me that his culture was simply more reserved in that aspect. Of course Russia is different from Poland, but I think it follow the same principle. And largely it just depends on the individual.
 

Mafke

Medalist
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
I live in Poland and in public people are reserved, but in private it's a _very_ different story and people are a lot more expressive (in both good and bad ways) than in the US.

If you smile a lot in Poland (walking down the street for example) a lot of people will assume you're making fun of them (paranoid? .... nyah). If you're not the life of the party in private, people assume you're depressed :

Polish person: "Why are you so sad?"
Me: "I'm not, I'm fine."
Polish person: (shakes head in silent but obvious disbelief)
 

diver chick

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
I thought the mens podium was great, the reactions of all three were brilliant in my opinion! Each one of those skaters had won their own personal battle I think and it showed!

I thought Plushenko kept his composure well but in the end he couldn't hide that glint in his eye and half smile that belied the absolute joy he must have been feeling at a job well done. Stephane in tears was just so touching as it really showed the range of emotions he must have been feeling, I mean after skating second in the group and not having a great skate he really must have thought that he had thrown away his chances and both he and Buttle had to wait right to the end to see where they would finish and I think he just got so overwhelmed by the whole thing.

As for Buttle, he just looked like someone who never in a million years thought he would find himself on the podium. I said to my boyfriend afterwards, the first thing Buttle will do in the morning is check that the bronze medal is right where he left it and that he didn't just dream the whole thing!

The competition wasn't stellar in terms of the quality, but it was in terms of the emotion, desire and genuine emotion and I loved it!!! ;)
 

Shanti

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
K-Mo said:
I sure hope so because so far we have had 2 Russian golds, and both were stoic and the moment felt uninspired. For crying out loud, they just won the Olympics! Why not smile???

You must be kidding!

TTMM were unemotional after the victory??? Tatiana was crying on the podium and Maxim had tears in his eyes too.
And for me, seeing Maxim kneeling down before Tatiana was one of the most emotional moments of the Games so far.

As to Irina, I guess she'll cry whenever she wins or loses.
 
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Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
I think that the podium ceremony was beautiful. Evgeny looked happy and smiled after the National anthem. Jeff just smiled and felt happy. Stephane felt so happy and emotional about his Olympic silver medal that he had tears in his eyes. It was great to watch!!!
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Shanti said:
TTMM were unemotional after the victory??? Tatiana was crying on the podium and Maxim had tears in his eyes too.
And for me, seeing Maxim kneeling down before Tatiana was one of the most emotional moments of the Games so far.
ITA!

What is it with people wanting to see tears! Johnny was even criticized for covering his face so the cameras wouldn't film him crying after he got injured at the GP event. And yes, it is largely a culture thing. One of my father's favorite books is "Knight in the Tiger's skin" by a medieval Georgian writer Shota Rustaveli. One thing, though, that my father could never understand was why did all those men there always cry!
 

FreeKatie

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
One thing I hate more than anything... when I am walking down the street and a complete stranger (usually a man) says "smile! I can't be that bad..." I want to tell them to mind their own business and stop bothering people!!
how do they know how bad it is or isn't :laugh:

I thought plushy looked proud and happy, it was a great ceremony. Poor Stephan! Buttle looked like a kid in a candy store
 
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