- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
redwing, I'm having a tough time understanding your objections, to be honest.
Well.... not really. No more than I think there's anything inherently wrong about the fact that Stoijko has more Olympic medals than Browning. Ideally, if Canada/Japan win gold in the team event, Cynthia/the Reeds contribute to that. You assert that you view pairs/dance as one unit, but there's rarely a team that's truly equal overall. Averbukh was stronger than Lobacheva. Fusar-Poli was better than Margaglio. Volosozhar was stronger than Morosov.
The thing is, I'm afraid, actually, that the judges might perceive it the way you do - that certain skaters "deserve" the medal more than others. That thought process contributes more to corruption than a lesser light winning a medal elsewhere.
^^^ How would you feel if the Team medals are awarded to the federations instead of the skaters?
You do realize the number of participants in the other skating disciplines is limited as well? That countries are limited to the number of entrants they can submit based on their strength in that discipline (so no three ladies for Canada cause we're weak there; no three dance teams for Japan, etc)? That all events have limits on the number of athletes that can enter? That limiting the number of teams that can enter any given event is in no way contrary to the Olympic spirit but a pretty fundamental tenet of any sporting competition?
The "Olympic spirit" is to see which country can wave its flag more vigorously and patriotically than all the others. This is in contrast to the world championship, which is where athletes complete to see who is the best. Cynthia Phaneuf won't win a team medal, Canada will.
I don't fault Cinquanta for grasping at this straw. Maybe the team ice skating thing will attract television viewers like the team gymnastics event does every four years.
I do agree with redwing to a certain extent, though. It seems funny to try to make a "team" event out of a discipline where each person just goes out and skates as an individual, then they add up the points. It is hard to see where the "team" part comes in. Even in gymnastics, at least there is a tiny bit if strategy as far as the possibility of sending up specialists on the different apperatuses, mixed in with all-around performers.
Still, I think its cool. The bottom line is the bottom line. If fans like it, who am I to throw water on their parade?
As for the World team Trophy, cheesefests rule! Michelle Kwan used to have a standing contract with USFS and ABC television that required her to show up for the five major events of the skating season: Skate America, U.S. Nationals, and the October, December, and April cheesefests. Worlds? Who cares about that?