I must be one of the few on this forum who enjoy some of the UCAPs. However, I don't like it when they repeat them during every GP event the skater enters. If I want to watch it again, then I'll record it. There was a good one about Takeshi Honda a few years ago, but most of my favorites haven't been profiled.I guess they rank too low or aren't popular enough in the USA.
I guess I would not mind the "Up Close and Personal" segments if they varied from year to year and/or at least contained some new, fresh, interesting material. Unfortunately, it's nothing but the same, old stale diet of fluff pieces -- enough to make even the most diehard figure skating fan want to gag.
Are you ready for another season??? Here's what we can expect to see --
Yet another UCAP bio in which Michelle Kwan explains for the gazillionth time her thought processes behind her decision to stay in the eligible ranks.
Yet another UCAP bio in which Michael Weiss attempts to explain his thought processes behind his efforts to land a clean program.
Come on, Michael, enough already. At the age of 27, if you haven't figured out how to land a quad, you probably never will.
Yet another UCAP bio in which Timothy Goebel attempts to explain
his thought processes behind his efforts to upt the ante, as far as artistry is concerned. Gee, it's as if he's suddently realizing that the presentation mark is important and is the tiebreaker.
Yet another UCAP bio in which Sasha Cohen attempts to explain her thought processes behind her efforts to blot out the field, concentrate on her own skating, and "skate for herself". Really, just about every top skater follows this same philosophy.
Mind you, I'm not trying to bash these wonderfully talented skaters. Please. But, on the other hand, I'm not the slightest bit interested in their "thought processes". I just want to see them skate their hearts out. I do not need to know them "personally".
JUST LET YOUR SKATING DO THE TALKING!
Perhaps one of the most ridiculous (IMHO) Up Close and Personal segments I've ever seen was the bio on Tara Lipinski that was filmed during the 1998 Olympic season. Clearly the purpose was to portray Lipinski as a normal 15-year-old who just happened to be the reigning US and World champion (going into the 1998 season) who spent most of her day at the skating rink and in off-ice training pursuits.
Tara was shown shopping with her girlfriends, putting on makeup, playing with her stuffed animals, playing with her friends on the roof of her house, and, in a really idiotic sequence, was shown talking absolute nonsense with her buddies. Evidently, they had made up a "language" of their own, and four of them were shown sitting on Tara's bed speaking this gibberish. Their words sounded like a combination of "Taxi's" mechanic Lafka (sp)
and Mork from "Mork and Mindy". Don't try to ask what they were saying to each other.
Tara and her mother were shown preparing dinner and waiting for Mr. Lipinski to call from Texas. Tara's mother told her daughter that her dad had to cancel his planned visit that Friday, and it would be a few weeks before they saw each other again.
Tara seemed to take it all in stride - but her mother looked positively woebegone.
Mrs. Lipinski was shown as a woman who had given up her life to support her daughter's skating dream. She looked tired, drawn, and showed no enthusiasm for her daughter's achievements.
All she could muster was a few words of praise for her "golden child".
I remember that UCAP on Tara and her mother. At one point, I think they had the camera at the end of the bed and the bottom of her foot took up most of the view. She was also trying to drive in the driveway and Pat was about to have a heart attack. :D
Not one of the better UCAPs. If they were looking for sympathy, then they certainly didn't get any from me. However, I don't dislike Tara.
I'm sure most of these sentiments have already been shared...
UCAP: Take time away from skating
They are the same every year (same skaters same story)
They are corny -well most of them, especially when they try to create scenes: Michelle walking wistfully down a road, etc
On the other hand I wouldn't mind UCAPS-if they focus on lesser known skaters. If they don't seemed to contrived.
But mostly I say-Show me the Skating!
What's that expression about the lunitics running the asylum? A lot of people try to diss Pat as a pushy skating Mom, but I always thought of her as the oppoiste: it always seemed to me like that little girl was running the show and the parents just jumped thru whatever hoops she told them too.
Berthes Ghost writes:
What's that expression about the lunitics running the asylum? A lot of people try to diss Pat as a pushy skating Mom, but I always thought of her as the oppoiste: it always seemed to me like that little girl was running the show and the parents just jumped thru whatever hoops she told them too.
LOL!
I have to agree with you -- Mrs. Lipinski always seemed like a pretty nice woman -- a lady who was totally caught up with her daughter's skating career. She all but sacrificed her life so that Tara could pursue her skating dream. I sure would not "diss" her for doing this -- although it's certainly not the kind of life I would want to live.
I like the Bio's if they are kept NEW, Short & Sweet.
The same old Same old is boring.
But, I have to say is that I do sometimes get very tired of seeing the the not really developed senior skaters. The falls are very hard to watch not to mention immature programs. I am ok with watching the top maybe 6 or seven skaters. They have a chance at somekind of medal.
Number 13 or 14 is unlikely to finish in the top ten.
But, thats just me
I would enjoy viewing UCAP segments that allowed each of the top skaters to explain his/her/their rationale and process for selecting their competition music. Why are they skating to their specific pieces of music? Do they admire the composer? Do they love the beat, the flow of the music? Do they want to tell a story and portray the storyline behind the music? Did they work with a different choregrapher this year? This kind of stuff is interesting, as it focuses on their programs - it's not the silly fluff stuff that typically comprises these bios.
Just my opinion, of course.
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