A Night of Nerves - NY Times Article

[Joesitz]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/24/sp...html?th&emc=th

Check it out. I think it is a very balanced article.

Joe

[rob43]

That article was fairly accurate but I don't think Arakawa's spins/spirals were ahead of eeryone. It was more a matter of her being most complete & aoiding obious flaws.

And something tells me Irina's biography will not be titled "Postitie Thinking and Acting with Grace." The 18 or 20 and have nothing line hit me entirely wrong!!!

[theoreticalgirl]

I agree! I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but Arakawa used the same spin sequence [camel/donut/sit] for three of her spins. How is repeating something over and over inventive and engaging?

[Linny]

And Arakawa drops her hip getting into her donut - something Uncle Dick commented on with every other skater who does it, but not with Arakawa. Hummm.

Linny

[Lucy25]

I'd like to know how this writer knows that Irina threw her medal in a locker in the dressing room. Is it just me, or does it sound kind of sad that Sasha thinks her silver is just another medal?

[flying camel]

It sounds like another medal headed for the shoebox.

[Jaana]

The writer seems to have the idea that Shizuka´s freeskate performance was something less that those by Tara and Sarah. Maybe she does not understand, that those performance from 1998 and 2002 would not win against Shizuka in CoP scoring, I believe. It is not just the number of jumps that counts.

[BronzeisGolden]

Good point, Jaana. This was not the same kind of competition as SLC or Nagano. These programs were packed with a lot more intricate steps and moves, transitions, etc. I don't think they can accurately be compared. I didn't find anything wrong with Irina or Sasha's comments, but I didn't much care for Hughes's quote. There was some truth in it, but it wasn't classy. It was almost an, "Well, she didn't win with a slam-bang performance like I did, but it was nice." Shizuka delivered a great performance under pressure.....under COP pressure. It is not the same thing. I hope that others don't look on this competition and say, "Well, Shizuka won only because Sasha and Irina faltered under pressure." Shizuka won because she was better than Irina and Sasha in Italy. The end.

[R.D.]

I hope that others don't look on this competition and say, "Well, Shizuka won only because Sasha and Irina faltered under pressure." Shizuka won because she was better than Irina and Sasha in Italy. The end.

not to start a flame war, but you know, it basically amounts to the same thing. IS and SC faltered under pressure- true. But Shiz performed better than those two did. Who knows how it would have turned out had one or both of them stepped up their game? I find both statements to be conflicting, albeit true. Shiz was better than the two of them THAT NIGHT but had one or both been clean, Arakawa would not be OGM.

[BronzeisGolden]

But, they didn't skate better than Shizuka that night. Neither was clean. The pressure was too much. It is all well and fine to say that someone is the best and to speculate on what might have taken place if scenario A or B had unfolded, but neither scenario A & B unfolded. What ifs are interesting for discussion, but ultimately they will not change what was proven in Italy. Irina and Sasha weren't the best skaters in Turino. Could it have been different? Sure, but there is no way to know that for certain. And, ultimately, it doesn't matter. Shizuka handled the intense Olympic pressure and delivered two strong, elegant programs. Sasha and Irina did not. Are they better skaters? Perhaps. Could the result have been different? Sure. But, could have's and what if's don't amount to much and will never change what has already taken place. I say give Shizuka her props, and quit undermining her victory with the "but, so and so could have whipped her a$$ on any other given night." They were given a night and didn't do it.

[R.D.]

You have to understand that I agree with you. I'm not debating you. But I'm just bringing up the other side. I think it means the same thing to say "the favorites faltered under pressure, so X won" and "X was the best skater that night." See...both statements are true.

[lisadotdash]

Good point, Jaana. This was not the same kind of competition as SLC or Nagano. These programs were packed with a lot more intricate steps and moves, transitions, etc. I don't think they can accurately be compared. I didn't find anything wrong with Irina or Sasha's comments, but I didn't much care for Hughes's quote. There was some truth in it, but it wasn't classy. It was almost an, "Well, she didn't win with a slam-bang performance like I did, but it was nice." Shizuka delivered a great performance under pressure.....under COP pressure. It is not the same thing. I hope that others don't look on this competition and say, "Well, Shizuka won only because Sasha and Irina faltered under pressure." Shizuka won because she was better than Irina and Sasha in Italy. The end.

It's ironic that you should sign off with that quote. I think in the final analysis, falls with the level of difficulty now that we're starting in quadruples, should not be downgraded 1 one whole point especially if she or he completes the rotation. It's not the name of the game any more. I thought it was quite gutsy for Miki to even try her quad on the world stage and she almost got it, by the same token, Sasha's artistry should not be so completely erased by the mental block or what ever attention deficit disorder she's developed.

This has taken a lot for me to get over, Sasha's loss. I'm glad Arakawa is such a nice gracious young lady, however.

[Jaana]

Shiz was better than the two of them THAT NIGHT but had one or both been clean, Arakawa would not be OGM.

Not just THAT NIGHT... Shizuka was better at 2004 Worlds also. If Sasha had skated in the Olympics a clean programme, nobody knows what kind of programme Shizuka had produced. It could as well had been one with triple-triples or the same she skated now, LOL.

[R.D.]

what about Irina? She was AFTER Shizuka.

[mzheng]

The writer seems to have the idea that Shizuka´s freeskate performance was something less that those by Tara and Sarah. Maybe she does not understand, that those performance from 1998 and 2002 would not win against Shizuka in CoP scoring, I believe. It is not just the number of jumps that counts.

Exactly.
But to them, maybe still it is only jump and youngthful joy what counted. I definitely appreciate refined edges, maturaty and elegant skating more.