"I wish I'd been there when..." | Page 3 | Golden Skate

"I wish I'd been there when..."

TontoK

Hot Tonto
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Jan 28, 2013
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Sorry Tonto, I have to break the rule you set because my list is not long and I haven't seen too many figure skating performances... :eek::

No worries! You still picked some fine ones.

If you have time one day, perhaps you can revisit the thread and watch a few links to the golden oldies. I've found that having a historical perspective makes me more appreciative of our current skaters.

I have to admit... it can make me more critical sometimes, too. For example, I find it hard to get worked up over most of today's pairs when I think the performances were so much better 20 years ago. I don't think the technical aspects and innovation have improved that much over time, and the artistry has degraded, IMO. It's a poor trade-off.

On the other hand, I look at John Curry and Toller Cranston, and I marvel that their influence is still felt in the sport nearly 40 years later. Today, we hope to see their brand of artistry married with the technical "wow factor" and some skaters can deliver.
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
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^^^

Oh, thank you for sharing this! That looks difficult and elegant all at the same time.

I wonder if the mixed compulsory figures were the genesis of ice dance??

I would love to see more of this. It's a shame that there is so little footage of this era.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
G and G's 1988 Oly long; Buttle's 2008 World freeskate, 1999 long program of Maria Butyrskaya, 1984 long program at world's of Underhill and Martin, the 1988 olympics battle of the Carmens and Liz manley stealing the show as well as the battle of the brians, 1994 Oksana Baiul's miracle win, 1992 freedanc eat olympics and worlds ofKlimova and Pomarenko, anything Michelle Kwan basically, v and m freedance at Vancouver olympics, the years Irina slutksaya and Emanual sandhu won Grand Prix final - the one where Slutskaya just threw in everyint as well as her 2005 world freeskate.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I'm sitting here laughing, imagining a bunch of skating fans getting their hands on a time machine. There would be a constant stream of us going in and out, meeting in arenas all over time. I'll save us all seats for Janet Lynn's long programs at Nationals! Which year? Inclusive: 1969 to 1973. Bring cameras!
 

ffionhanathomas

On the Ice
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Mar 12, 2013
1976 Olympics: John Curry's Don Quixote
1980 Olympics: Robin Cousins
1984 Olympics: Torvill and Dean's Bolero
1998 Olympics: Surya Bonaly's backflip
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
1976 Olympics: John Curry's Don Quixote
1980 Olympics: Robin Cousins
1984 Olympics: Torvill and Dean's Bolero
1998 Olympics: Surya Bonaly's backflip

Was bonaly's backflip kind of like giving the judges the finger or something? I thought it was illegal and she had been warned.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
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Jul 26, 2003
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In short, Yes. It was her last competition & she was planning to retire in any case.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
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Jul 26, 2003
I think Surya had been unhappy with her SP placement. So, since she wasn't going to win, she threw in the backflip that was only allowed in shows. I think she's still the only person who has been able to land a back flip on one foot on ice. Not even sure if any gymnasts do it regularly on a floor or balance beam.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I think Surya had been unhappy with her SP placement. So, since she wasn't going to win, she threw in the backflip that was only allowed in shows. I think she's still the only person who has been able to land a back flip on one foot on ice. Not even sure if any gymnasts do it regularly on a floor or balance beam.

Yeah, she pretty much flipped the judges the bird. I think she actually waited to do the backflip until she skated right by the judges, in fact. It sure brought a smile to my face as I watched it on TV. Although I very much disagreed with her unsportsmanlike reaction at the 1994 Worlds, because it took away from the moment for the winner, Yuka Sato, this backflip was a different story altogether. Here, Surya was the only one on the ice, and she didn't detract from anyone else's spotlight time. There was something admirable in her "Phooey on you!" action.

I'm not positive, but I think I recall that Rory Flack Burghardt also landed a back flip on one foot. Does anyone else remember? She was a wonderful free skater, and the only other woman I know of who did a backflip.
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
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The first time I recall seeing a backflip was from Terry Kubika.

Here's a link to his US Nat's LP that took him to the title. In it, Dick Button references its past in show skating, but he believes it was the first time done in amateur competition. Somersault moves were subsequently banned, but at the time it brought down the house.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-xhlv4T7bM

Also, I don't remember ever seeing another competition in which a judge was brought into conference (on the spot, immediately, in front of the crowd and on national TV) to justify his marks.
 
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