Skaters that could use improvement?

**bumblebee1** · 08-20-2003, 02:54 AM

Some of my least favorite skaters:

P & T and T & M - Both teams look like they're sleep skating.

Sarah Hughes- She always seems a little clumsy on the ice.

Nancy Kerrigan's skating never really did it for me. her presentation always seemed forced.

Maria Butyrskaya always made me nervous while she was skating. Every jump looked as though she will fall.

Michael Weiss- I thought he was a breath of fresh air in the staid figure skating world when he first came up. He now comes off as an egotistical jerk with nothing to back it up.

**Lisa** · 08-20-2003, 02:55 AM

Skaters I dislike - mmmm, that's difficult. Actually it's mostly the choreographies, the music cuts or the costumes I don't care for, thus my antipathy is likely to vanish from one season to another.

However, I don't like Petrova/Tikhonov very much - their programms are sooo boring! But who knows ... maybe there is still hope?

And I agree with mpal2 about Mishins choreographies - the only exception would be most of Alexei Urmanov's programs.
Mishin and Tarasova as a team? Great idea! :D

The skaters' off ice behaviour - well, that's quite another topic. I have to admit that I'm not always nice and gracious myself, thus I tend to understand skaters who don't always present themselves in the best possible way. Add to this the behaviour of some fans .... actually I admire most skaters for their patience!

**tdnuva** · 08-20-2003, 03:25 AM

The list for my least favorites is long (and I don't want to go into details) - but I second the opinion it's mostly because of choreographies. Otoh this also depends on the skater's ability to skate to music which is essential to me

And on my list would be Maria Petrova - but not Alexei Tikhonov. Cause I've seen really good routines by him, some even funny (!), but with his earlier partners.... :D

**shine** · 08-20-2003, 02:12 PM

Originally posted by Skating is fun
I always try to differ between skaters I don`t like for some personal reasons (those I have met or had the chance to observe how they acted towards people), but still accept on the ice, those who don`t do anything for me on the ice and those I totally dislike both on and off ice. So here are my lists:

1. Rene Roca (but I Love Gorsha!)
Bereznaya & Sikharulidze
Sasha Cohen
Irina Slutskaya
Daniel Weiss
Torvill & Dean

2. Gordeeva & Grinkov
Tim Goebel
Elvis Stojko
Surya Bonaly
Bestemianova & Bukhin
Meno & Sand
Jeffrey Buttle
Angela Nikodinov
Viktoria Volchkova

3. Alexei Yagudin
Evgeni Plushenko
Abitbol & Bernadis
Punsalon & Swallow
Navka & Kostomarov
Michael Weiss
Maria Butyrskaya
Stephane Lambiel

That's a long list indeed. Glad to see you are still a skating fan at least. But still, how can anyone ever totally dislike Lambiel?

**curious** · 08-20-2003, 03:03 PM

Tarasova and Mishin could be the best team but I don't see that happening ever.:D

**Tpangner** · 08-20-2003, 03:24 PM

Michael Weiss
Evgeny Plushenko
emanuel Sandhu
Lang /Tchernychev
Michelle Kwan
Josee Chouinard
Petrova/Tikhonov
Totmianina/ Marinin
Nancy Kerrigan

That's about it....

**Tonichelle** · 08-20-2003, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by fanforlady2001
mine is sarah hughes, dulebon and scott, kirk browing, scott hamilton

hmmmmmmmmmmm don't know any "kirk browning"... who does he skate for?

**Joesitz** · 08-20-2003, 05:10 PM

I had a feeling these lists would be longer than favorites, although favorites are far too long.

I love when the the topic is predictions. The replies, usually, name someone, and then if the next five contestants, just in case. Fear of being wrong?

Joe

**Mathman** · 08-20-2003, 05:17 PM

I like this thread because almost everybody named on it, that skater is on my list of favorites. I like Michael Weiss, for instance. He has flair, bravado -- all the things that we admire in two of my other favorites, Alexei Yagudin and Sasha Cohen.

Hey Joe, I'll take you up on predictions. The next ladies world champion: Fumie Siguri.

Mathman

**Joesitz** · 08-20-2003, 05:31 PM

Larry - not easy to predict in subjective judging sports circles. All things considered fair, I would go for Sasha Cohen in the nats; Irina in the Grand prix finals; and Michelle in the worlds.

For the Men, I think it is Plush's to lose. In which case I would give it to Tim. Yags will be hurting; takeshi just doesn't grab me; Li Cheng will be ready for the Olys;

Aside from all those dumb predictions, I enjoy figure skating and there are so many I want to see skate.

Are you going live to any competitions?

Joe

**ouridol** · 08-20-2003, 06:59 PM

Hmmm...okay:

Sarah--I don't know she just never wasn't my type and I never liked her. I don't like her attidue really and I don't get the great thing about her skating. She may be consistent but her skating doesn't do anything for me.

Evgeny--No. Partly because I'm a HUGE Yags fan and I don't know Evgeny has no presentation skills in his 'St. Petersburg 300" tribute program whatsoever. I don't get how he gets all these sixes! I mean if you look at the program again you see that lots of the time he is just standing there all stiff.

Not anybody else in particular I can think of?? There are many more but none I can particular recall at the moment.

**dorispulaski** · 08-21-2003, 05:30 AM

Pairs:
Petrova Tikhonov (2 robots)
Orscher and Lucash (immensely clumsy looking)

Dance:
Lobacheva/Averbukh (but it is costumes, choreography, not their basic skating skills)
Bestiamanova/Bukhin (all that 'air guitar skating' and excessive red haired angst)
Belbin and Agosto-but they're young yet, and I expect to change my mind if only they would stop doing Elvis impersonations, and this year West Side Story

Ladies:
Nancy Kerrigan-got so tired of her getting high artistic marks for falling all over the ice and holding her leg up.
Roz Sumners
Maria Butyrskaya-the stiffness, and the clunkiness of her leg positions and the telegraphy

Men:
Sandhu
Weiss
Buttle-the overhype, the dumb costumes, the falls (but change my mind Jeff, you can do it)

dpp

**berthes ghost** · 08-21-2003, 08:55 AM

"I always try to differ between skaters I don`t like for some personal reasons (those I have met or had the chance to observe how they acted towards people), but still accept on the ice, those who don`t do anything for me on the ice and those I totally dislike both on and off ice. So here are my lists:"

Sorry for being dense, but am I correct to understand that:

"1. Rene Roca (but I Love Gorsha!)
Bereznaya & Sikharulidze
Sasha Cohen
Irina Slutskaya
Daniel Weiss
Torvill & Dean"

are skaters who's skating you admire, or tolerate, but whom you think are jerks off the ice

"2. Gordeeva & Grinkov
Tim Goebel
Elvis Stojko
Surya Bonaly
Bestemianova & Bukhin
Meno & Sand
Jeffrey Buttle
Angela Nikodinov
Viktoria Volchkova"

are people who's skating you dislike, but they seem like nice people to you

and

"3. Alexei Yagudin
Evgeni Plushenko
Abitbol & Bernadis
Punsalon & Swallow
Navka & Kostomarov
Michael Weiss
Maria Butyrskaya
Stephane Lambiel"

are people who's skating you dislike, and you also think that they are jerks as well?

**Vicky458** · 08-21-2003, 09:09 AM

Sarah Hughes

**blurrysarah** · 08-21-2003, 11:09 AM

As guilty as I feel for answering this, I can't resist.

In no real order, skaters who IMO are just...rather ordinary or gawky on ice:

Sarah Hughes - Not exactly graceful, jumps especially.
Torvill & Dean - Wha? Am I supposed to be bowled over with emotion or something? Sorry.
Tonya Harding - So stiff. Blech.
Katarina Witt - Her skating is just so textbook, there's no personal touch.

And my half/half entry is... Gasp! Michelle Kwan. She's very graceful and neat, but every program I watch of hers seems to be the same as the last one she did.