10 Things I Learned from this Grand Prix Season

[CARA]

Quote from CARA: Finally, there is a subtle consequence of upping technical difficulties. Just like gymnastics, all those jumps come easier to youngsters, which tend to push skaters to peak earlier in age, as well as to shorten the athlete's career life-span. It has become simply too physically strenuous for longevity. Flipping side of this state of skating affair means mental immaturity due to young age and luck of experiences. Hence, more chances of less than clean programs.

This is one that bothers me hugely, and has for years (even before CoP). One reason is that it tends to affect ladies skating more than men's. We've examined the issue from various angles in different threads and have never really figured out a solution--not that we'd have a say in the matter. I guess we'll just have to continue watching with our hearts in our mouths, or devote ourselves to curling.

This is such a complex issue that I am almost tempted to start a new thread. I'll see if there are interest among posters. Note I'm not a skater, so the following is my educated guess and logical deductions. Perhaps skaters can correct/add what I write here. Anyway here goes:

Among the technical difficulties, the key element is the jumping ability. It is easier to defy gravity when you are small in statue and have better spring (limber body), both of which are the hallmark of youngsters. As female skaters hit puberty, the center of gravity is lowered due to the enbroadened hip area. Also the fat/muscle ratio changes (increase in fat). Among others, those two factors make it harder for female skaters to continue defying gravity, i.e., jumping.

This is why many late teen and adult female skaters watch out their diet like a hawk and stay slim and muscular - the nature of the sport gives advantage to such physical types. That such an already excellent jumper like Miki felt need to lose significant weight during the summer is a good example. I also wonder whether she also lost weight to attempt quad, again - something she did when she was younger but not recently though I heard the rumor.

I do not know the point at which the technical difficulty becomes unrealistic for female skaters. Also any human endeavor has corrective mechanisms. When the technical difficulty reaches a critical mass, e.g., too many splat-fests resulting from skaters attempting arduous jumps, the skating federation will enact new rules. These "improvement/changes" are incremental and continuous.

One other factor to be taken into account is the human potentials. We truly do not know the limit as to what human body is capable of. I remember the days when it was considered impossible to break 10 seconds among 100 meter sprinters. We have way passed 10 seconds and still counting.

Same thing goes with the progression of jumps in skating from a single jump to a quad. Are we on the verge of seeing "penta-jump?" I don't know. But I would not count is as an impossibility.

Pushing boundaries like that goes hand in hand with new knowledge and new understandings. For instance, tennis was predominantly played on glass and clay surfaces initially. As the hard court becomes popular, players discovered how "hard" a hard court was to their knees. Manufacturers in turn have continue improving better shoes to absorb constant pounding, thereby help extending player's longevity. I suspect the similar improvement is occurring with skating gears (help me out here.)

Anyway, those are some of my thoughts. Feel free to add your wisdom here.

[evangeline]

10. The pre- and post- emptive strikes will come fast and thick

If <insert figure skater(s)> <insert outcome> it'll be because <insert conspiracy theory related dismissal> and not <insert reason only naive children believe>

Some examples

If Caroline Zhang misses out on the Olympic team it'll be because the whole figure skating community is racist and not because her poor technique makes her open to huge drops in GOE, which leads to poor results which leads to less than enthusiastic Zhang which is in turn reflected in her performances.

If Joannie Rochette medals in Vancouver it'll be because she's a hometown contender with the judges in her back pocket and not because she's a skilled skater who works the COP like nobody else

If Domnina and Shabalin medals in Vancouver it'll be because the evil Russian Federation will not be denied and not because they could actually deserve it.

Anyone want to help compile them all

This is actually really fun!

If Brian Joubert wins in Vancouver it'll be because the judges are all fangirls who are too distracted by his hip thrusting and not because he can be a charismatic performer with decent jumps and a quad.

If the Olympics are a splatfest it'll be becauseCoP is the root of all evil and is ruining figure skating and not because high-pressure events like the Olympics are almost always a splatfest.

If Yu-Na Kim wins in Vancouver it'll be because the Korean Skating Federation bribed the tech caller and not because she is an excellent skater and currently the class of the field right now.

If Mao Asada wins in Vancouver it'll be because the JSF and Japanese sponsors threatened the ISU and not because she is a talented skater despite some dodgy costuming and choreography.

If my favourite skater doesn't win in Vancouver it'll be because the judges are all lying/cheating/horrible people who are biased or blind and not because my favourite skater may not have performed well or other skaters performed better.

[R.D.]

If my favourite skater doesn't win in Vancouver it'll be because the judges are all lying/cheating/horrible people who are biased or blind and not because my favourite skater may not have performed well or other skaters performed better.

Probably the one most likely to happen.

[schiele]

whole post

I agree with most of your analysis on women's demons (I am not a skater myself apart from some here and there).. However, we also had skaters with considerable body build and the exact opposite type you just described, who were unbelievable jumpers: Irina Slutskaya, Midori Ito, Tonya Harding... So Im thinking there should be more to it..
As to the penta jump, I do not think we are remotely anywhere near seeing anything like that, given the quad itself is steadily disapperaring.. :banging:

[fairly4]

the only thing i learned is this--if the skater makes a mistake--
the skater pcs scores are supposed to go down a level--for example from a level 4 to a level 3, level 3 to a level 2.

guess what--they don't follow their own rules only for the skaters they don't want up there - skate america --rachel inshort still got full levels even with the fall,
zhang what hardly any levels.
yes-the judges, callers pick and choose who gets what level--not accordingto the rules or is it only in ice dance that they go down a level with mistakes.

[Spun Silver]

This is actually really fun!

If Brian Joubert wins in Vancouver it'll be because the judges are all fangirls who are too distracted by his hip thrusting and not because he can be a charismatic performer with decent jumps and a quad.

If the Olympics are a splatfest it'll be becauseCoP is the root of all evil and is ruining figure skating and not because high-pressure events like the Olympics are almost always a splatfest.

If Yu-Na Kim wins in Vancouver it'll be because the Korean Skating Federation bribed the tech caller and not because she is an excellent skater and currently the class of the field right now.

If Mao Asada wins in Vancouver it'll be because the JSF and Japanese sponsors threatened the ISU and not because she is a talented skater despite some dodgy costuming and choreography.

If my favourite skater doesn't win in Vancouver it'll be because the judges are all lying/cheating/horrible people who are biased or blind and not because my favourite skater may not have performed well or other skaters performed better.

And if Sasha Cohen gets to Vancouver it will be because the US judges are a bunch of dolts, not because she finally came back strong and placed 1st or 2nd at Nationals.

[Kwanford Wife]

Great Job IP!!

I agree with most but mostly with #9... It began when the Fan pretending to be an Analyist went on this rant about how Yuna was allowing the other skaters the belief they they could actually win the OGM. Seriously? Most assine thing said all afternoon... its bad enough when the ubers and bots start with "Oh, she's unbeatable! They're all just skating for silver and bronze!" It a totally different thing when those whose job is to educate the masses on the nuances of competiton and differentiate the fact from the fiction. When was the last time the clear favorite won the OGM in the ladies competition? The mid 80s? Give the skaters the respect due and let the competition figure out whose the best.

Now if someone on this board can actually guarntee the outcome of the Olympics - I say you have waaayyy too much time on your hands and should spend said time figuring out the numbers to the Mega Millions lottery...

Now, I'm so sure about the USFSA having that tough a job... send the top competitiors from Nationals and let the chips fall where they may. And seriously, outside of Dance and perhaps Mens - the focus should be on the Worlds team because that's the place the US might actually make some noise.

Just my two thoughts on an excellent post...

[dorispulaski]

I learned that even if a US dance team does something unprecedented, like win the GPF, that NBC will give it nor more than a 1 minute mention in a 2 hour program about men and women.

[janetfan]

I learned that to be the Ladies GP Champion in 2009 you only need 3 clean triples, one sloppy triple, and you don't need a 3x3 either.

Maybe Kristi should consider a comeback.

[CARA]

I learned that to be the Ladies GP Champion in 2009 you only need 3 clean triples, one sloppy triple, and you don't need a 3x3 either.

Maybe Kristi should consider a comeback.

[Kwanford Wife]

I learned that to be the Ladies GP Champion in 2009 you only need 3 clean triples, one sloppy triple, and you don't need a 3x3 either.

Maybe Kristi should consider a comeback.

Now you be careful JanetFan - someone's gonna "educate" you on superior spins and spirals and how you "just need to adjust to more difficult technical demands of CoP!"

[CARA]

I learned that even if a US dance team does something unprecedented, like win the GPF, that NBC will give it nor more than a 1 minute mention in a 2 hour program about men and women.

Not cool.

[janetfan]

I learned that "a good man is hard to beat," and that "a good man with a good tan is even harder to beat."

In fact, I am so impressionable that today I asked for a gift certificate to the local tanning salon for my Christmas present.

I hope with a deep enough tan I can get a girlfriend just like Tan-ith.

[R.D.]

I hope with a deep enough tan I can get a girlfriend just like Tan-ith.

[janetfan]

Now you be careful JanetFan - someone's gonna "educate" you on superior spins and spirals and how you "just need to adjust to more difficult technical demands of CoP!"

Thanks for the warning kwanford.
I will be on full alert for a lecture from the Canadians that typically follows observations about the advancement CoP has brought to figure skating.

I think I will be safe for a few days while they contemplate Joannie's latest meltdown