If they're going to be giving out Olympic gold medals like candy, they should be fair and go back and give people golds retroactively for individual events that they won through the years. Then they should have a huge medals ceremony to give Brian Orser, Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan, and the rest their Olympic golds. Then I wouldn't mind so much if someone like Amelie Lacoste (no offense to Lacoste) gets a gold.
If they're gonna have 8 programs included in the team competition I'm OK with 2 skaters from each discipline participating.
If it was the year the US team could be Rippon - SP, Abbott - LP; Cziny - SP, Wagner - LP; Shibs - SD, D/W - LD; M/B - SP, D/C - LP.
Save the kids legs for the individual competition
One thing I worry about is a skater like Jeremy skating lights out in the team competition and getting a great score and then 4 days later he skates the same program, but stumbles. He would have gotten a individual medal with the performance from the team competition, but he left it on the team comp ice
Last edited by ivy; 02-17-2012 at 10:27 AM.
I'm not into imagining possible injustices or scandals to pre-angst over. But in the scenario as described by Ivy, I'd think Jeremy and his fans should be very happy for him to have finally won a Worlds medal or at least has had the opportunity to show what he's capable of at the big stage, which he has not done so far. In fact, skating lights out in the team event earlier would more likely be confidence boosting for a supposed "headcase" like Jeremy when it comes time for individual competition. Even in the team event, it will be an individual or a couple skating out there being the focus of thousands so it's a great experience for the later competition at the same venue, if the skater is not tired out physically.
I would not angst over feared injustice of "lesser" skaters medaling in team event while front running skaters don't in their individual events. They have to earn it and great skaters have lost out before and will again. Team competition actually offer an additional medaling opportunity, especially if held after the individual events, serving as a redeeming opportunity or a rematch for some.
How about having Kurt Browning skate for Team Canada at Sochi Olympics? He and his buddy Patrick should make a good tag team. It might make quite a skating legend.
Last edited by SkateFiguring; 02-17-2012 at 11:22 AM.
The only problem with this this is that some countries may be strong in a few events but would struggle to come up withOriginally Posted by ivy
two entries per discipline that would actually qualify under ISU eligibility rules.
Like Mathman said, this just isn't a team sport. It would be really sad if skaters like Jeremy or Alissa do well in the team event then aren't able to peak in their individual event. I would hope this team event would occur after the individual medals are awarded.
Injustices happen in general. And great skaters aren't defined by a single moment, so the general "lesser skaters will have a medal whereas great ones won't" because of the strengths of the team doesn't mean much to me. I mean, Philippe Candeloro has two Olympic medals and Kurt Browning has none.
In general, I agree with those who don't think this is a team sport, but I think Cinquata went full speed ahead without thinking about it in general (stunning, I know) - he doesn't seem to realize just how lucky he was with the last two Olympics. The only real upside is that we might see nations that are very strong in one or two areas put more effort in the third/fourth - which would be a boon for skating in general.
I'm just waiting for Spanish pairs
The even sounds like Track and field meets and the college and high school level. Lots of athletes participate in different individual events earning points based on placement. Team with the most points win. Sounds like a team sport to me. Each athlete has to pull his or her weight so the team can win as a whole. And the idea of have different skaters for the short and long program makes it more interesting and easier for the athletes and olympic venue schedule wise. Since we wont have to what for skater to rest between the short and long we can hold the team event in two days instead of four. I personally think it will be cool to see Adam skate his short program receive his scores then have Jeremy go right after him and skate his long program and see his scores added to Adam and their final placement. This was each team division can be down in under two ours. It is also a great way to promote depth in all disciplines so federation wont play favourites with their funds. Winning team gold or individual gold. Anyway you earned the gold by going on the ice. Stop the hate people.
^^^ We won't have a LP right after a SP because the SP results will determine which 5 teams continue to LP. Depth in each discipline is very important here. E.g. US and Russian have an advantage over Canada where other than Dance, we have pretty even but lower tier Pairs and Ladies, and one Man over inconsistent rest of the field, so one or two SP bombs may take Canada out of contention. Should Canada risk tiring out Patrick Chan having him skate both SP and LP and then trying to do the same for the individual event, or should we gamble on Kevin Reynolds bringing his quads to win the SP but with the possibility of him bombing it as well? Should Kevin focus on being the Team SP specialist foregoing LP and unlikely individual glory?
Japan, OTOH, can hardly come up with a Pairs or Dance team, let alone tag teams in these disciplines. And who will skate Pairs for France? I can't even remember. China may actually be a podium contender comes Sochi time with their young ones coming up in all disciplines.
All in all, very interesting to watch the development and strategies from different federations.
I think those decisions will be tough only if the team event occurs first. If the team event happens after the individual events, I am certain that every country is going to put their best skaters in regardless of other considerations. A tired Chan, who has already finished the individual competition, is always going to outscore any other Canadian man. Medals are VERY important for the federations and the national Olympic committees and they are going to want to put their very best people out there on the ice. Particularly for countries that will be in medal contention, I would think that every top skater would want to get out there and have two shots at an Olympic medal. These are people who have trained their entire lives for Olympic glory and I can't see any of them turning down a second chance to medal when (a) they are already there in Sochi and (b) they have less pressure than the individual event because one error won't be as costly.
I think the problem is that figure skating is just not a team sport.
To remedy this, they could have a relay event. Jeremy Abbott leads off with a triple Axel, then deftly passes the baton to Alissa Czisny for a combination layback spin. On the last revolution Davis and White whiz by, grabbing the baton and speeding down center ice a-twizzle. All within the timing and character of the music, of course.
Wai, wait! Give it a chance!
All in all, a Team event after the individual competitions offers bonuses and fun for all whereas having it before causes much stress, uncertainties, complications, and difficult decisions.
I really really hope the IOC and ISU can work it out to schedule these events properly to the benefits and enjoyment of all.
One possibility may be to use the SP or total results in individual competitions to decide on the 5 finalists federations to skate off for Team medals with just LP if time is tight.
This could be favourable. But according to the team event rules it might not be possible because there will be most likely qualified teams, who do not have qualified (or eligible) skaters for an individual event. These teams can nominate skaters only for the team event. Thats why there have to be seperate events.
Like I said at the beginning, in all honesty it's the Olympic Team Event I'm most looking forward to, which imho might even overshadow the individual events in the coming years.
Just the discussion we're having now whets my appetite for the future.
Count me a non-fan of the team skating concept, at least in the incarnations I've seen described. For better or worse, all the cheesefests, Pro-Am, and "fun" competitions from years ago, (mis?)appropriated the concept to the point where most of the general public views team skating events as primarily entertainment rather than a serious sporting competition. I really don't think Speedy and the ISU really thought this one through.
I think who is the fave depends on the rules if it is 2 men, 2 women and a pairs and dance team I would suggest the USA is most competitive the maybe Russia. The bronze is a toss up with Japan have a strong men's and women's contingent duking it out with perhaps France, Italy, China and Canada. All these countries have strengths but also some extreme deficiencies.
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