I remember that Chen Lu had already gotten a 6.0, and I couldn't imagine that Michelle could beat that. And then she got at least two 6.0's. Yes, it was indeed a nailbiter. You know, in a way it was more satisfying that she narrowly won Worlds that year over Chen Lu than it would have been if she had narrowly beaten Tara for the OGM. It gave her career its unparalleled shape and trajectory. And so did Tara, really. There's a good chance Michelle would have retired in 1998 had she gotten the gold. Instead, she stayed the course and created at least five more years of amazing skating. She was one of those rare skaters who was both a child prodigy and an adult artist, with all the shades in between.
The decision that boiled your blood
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I remember that Chen Lu had already gotten a 6.0, and I couldn't imagine that Michelle could beat that. And then she got at least two 6.0's. Yes, it was indeed a nailbiter. You know, in a way it was more satisfying that she narrowly won Worlds that year over Chen Lu than it would have been if she had narrowly beaten Tara for the OGM. It gave her career its unparalleled shape and trajectory. And so did Tara, really. There's a good chance Michelle would have retired in 1998 had she gotten the gold. Instead, she stayed the course and created at least five more years of amazing skating. She was one of those rare skaters who was both a child prodigy and an adult artist, with all the shades in between.
Interestingly enough in 2012 ternary would have been set! Lol! Kostner with her "I am going to risk it all and try a triple flip!!!"
It's funny, in 1994 I knew nothing about figure skating and I watched that program and was delighted that Oksana won. I suppose I was won over by her charisma and natural dancing ability. and of course she had all of the flexible tricks so her performance looked plenty difficult to me. When I looked back after learning so much about the sport it's hard not to question the outcome! Nancy's program was just more difficult and her maturity on the ice and give-it-all performance should have been enough to match Oksana on presentation. I guess the judges were won over by Oksana just like me - but in my defense I was a kid who couldn't even really tell if someone was doing a double or a triple not a seasoned skating judge!
I didn't love Nancy's programs or her music. They just seem a bit elevator music or something but still I would rate her performance as among one of the most rousing of Olympic history. (I also like Oksana's SP, much more than her FP and more than either of Nancy's ... but Oksana's FP costume ... :no
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Oh my goodness, something we can agree on!I thought Kerrigan should have won, too.
We agree on a lot, but why why why can't pretty Yuna point her toes and fix her posture? Where was the ballet training needed for her turnout? Sasha changed the game to flexibility, spectacular spirals, great spread eagles. I love these in ladies and miss them. I am sick of Biellman's now so don't mind Yuna saving her discs to do haircutters. I agree with her wins, just not the point spreads but if only I saw her live, maybe I'd get it-esp Vancouver. Id rather see a pretty jump rather than perfect rotation-ex would be sasha's pointed toes, but I love ballet and Yuna is not a ballerina.
But you all know I respect her and fully hope she is President one day. She's a great lady and I can't wait to see her become a great leader. She is blessed, so blessed and of course I'm happy she converted to Catholocism. I love YuNa. I just don't have a favorite-unless you count the newbies and of course Akiko. Akiko for gold!
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Aunt Joyce blogged about Yuna's lack of toe-point once when Team Yuna announced that she'd be skating to "Giselle" in the summer of 2010. It got ugly really fast in the comments section. (i.e. Something along the lines of: "You should educate yourself in ballet. Toe-point isn't that important even in ballet anyway. You're just trying to belittle the greatest ballerina on ice!"
Since when is toe-point not important in ballet?)But anyway, Yuna's spiral actually improved under Oppegard. I do think it has reverted back now though. Maybe the coaches haven't suggested it, so she hasn't tried. Or maybe she's tried, but her past back injury doesn't allow for it. Who knows? From what I hear, strength in the back is needed as well as in the legs. Lord knows her scores don't reflect the need for turnout anyway--and she doesn't do long and poignant spirals anymore in her competition programs, so I'm like, :confused2:.
I got sick of Biellmann spins when Irina started doing them incessantly. I don't mind watching Alissa's Biellmanns though. They're pretty.
And people like Paul Wylie changed the game of/to great spread eagles long before Sasha did, IMO. But I am glad they abolished the SpSq after the 2009-2010 season though. There were a lot of people with not-so-good spirals ...
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Ooh! I love this topic choice. As a former skater and "ahem, now arm chair expert" I can safely say yes many times over the years, I have watched outcomes of skating that "make my blood boil." I agree with you about Bourne and Kraatz. They were often shafted by the judges in my opinion. Also Elvis Stojko comes to mind when he competed against Alexei Urmanov in the 94 Lillehammer Olympics, Elvis should have won. Elvis stated in one of his biographies that the judges did not like his music choice and costume. Of course, the outcome that really has always stayed with me over the years was Trixi Schuba winning the Worlds and the Olympics based solely on her figure tracing skills. Karen Magnussen and Janet Lynn could both out skate Trixi in the free skating discipline, but because Trixi was so skilled in the school figures she always was awarded first place. The average fan never understood why Trixi would win when her free skate was not up to the level of Karen or Janet. It always made me mad.
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^^ I always thought the spiral sequence was the element that separated the wheat from the chaff in the ladies event. That and the basic no-frills layback spin of the 6.0 era. You could tell a lot about a skater with just those two elements.
I miss them.
I miss them.
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- Sep 22, 2010
^Yuna's spiral just looks better on the outside edge. Here's her spiral from "Imagine": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E150TIbZ5Gc&feature=player_detailpage&t=184
So I don't think it was much improved under Oppegard. In her 2011 LP her spiral was on the outside edge, which for some reason makes her extension and toe-point look a lot better (see above video).
ETA--Here's another couple of angles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiZkGTZRNpc&feature=player_detailpage&t=162
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh8Z__yTzKw&feature=player_detailpage&t=155
So I don't think it was much improved under Oppegard. In her 2011 LP her spiral was on the outside edge, which for some reason makes her extension and toe-point look a lot better (see above video).
ETA--Here's another couple of angles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiZkGTZRNpc&feature=player_detailpage&t=162
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh8Z__yTzKw&feature=player_detailpage&t=155
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OMG. I thought I was the only one who thought that!
Yuna! Stop doing your spirals on the inside edge!
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Never!
I don't miss the spiral sequence because it seemed a lot of skaters performed that element because they *had to*, like a chore or an obligation. Everyone was doing the Arabesque/Kerrigan, then some variation of the catch-foot, and then a fan or Y-spiral. I was just so bored. At least Michelle and Sasha did them to the dramatic portion or crescendo of the music. That's what made their spirals look so exciting! Not necessarily the extension, but the attitude! Then Yuna seemed to follow that as well--it somehow made her subpar spirals better.
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Skating like a ballerina is only one style--a pretty, aesthetic one but I don't think all skaters must necessarily aspire to such form. There were even in the 6.0 era many different styles--some musical, some balletic, some athletic. Whatever plays to the strength of a skater should be their goal, not to pigeon-hole themselves into something they can't or aren't naturally inclined to do. Sasha is not the only ideal female figure skater.
Sasha Cohen looks so confused here: http://youtu.be/PDodrVIuPFA?t=2m21s 
Proves hyper-extensions do not equal good posture.
Proves hyper-extensions do not equal good posture.
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I have nothing personal against Alexei U., but I was hoping that Elvis would win gold in Lillehammer. It doesn't quite make my blood boil, in retrospect since Elvis won Worlds a month later.
At the time, I felt Oksana deserved the OGM, but as time as passed, I believe Nancy had the stronger program, & thought she should have won it.
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Sasha Cohen looks so confused here: http://youtu.be/PDodrVIuPFA?t=2m21s
Wait. What? She looks marvelous. :yes:
Sasha Cohen looks so confused here: http://youtu.be/PDodrVIuPFA?t=2m21s
Proves hyper-extensions do not equal good posture.
Perhaps this is true with some skaters, however Sasha has wonderful posture.
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Yeah, Elvis vs. Alexei U. is another one. While it didn't exactly make my blood boil, I thought Elvis should have won the gold.
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Wow, this just reminds me of how much I miss Sasha. Didn't care about ladies' skating before her, don't care about it now.
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Never!
I don't miss the spiral sequence because it seemed a lot of skaters performed that element because they *had to*, like a chore or an obligation. Everyone was doing the Arabesque/Kerrigan, then some variation of the catch-foot, and then a fan or Y-spiral. I was just so bored. At least Michelle and Sasha did them to the dramatic portion or crescendo of the music. That's what made their spirals look so exciting! Not necessarily the extension, but the attitude! Then Yuna seemed to follow that as well--it somehow made her subpar spirals better.
But *having* to do it is exactly the point.
There seems to be no shortage of ladies who can jump most of the time. Requirements like the spiral sequence and the basic layback reward skaters how can actually skate. I agree with your sentiment on the catch-foot. It should have been called "crutch-foot" since it masked poor technique and extension. Those were some ugly spirals... much like there are some ugly B spins nowadays.
I hope for a return of the spiral sequence, but this time around there must be no "supporting" or touching of the free leg in any fashion. If a lady's extension or strength of edge or steadiness is lacking, then they deserve a sub-par mark for the element.
If I were king, the SP layback spin requirement would also be a no-hands spin.
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- Sep 22, 2010
Spiral sequence and lay backs correspond to good skating skills? Please. Good extension/stretch does not equal good skating: look at Caroline Zhang and Sasha Cohen. Likewise, skaters with superior skating skills do not necessarily have super flexibility: look at Carolina Kostner and Yuna Kim. And for that matter, many men with superior skating skills will never be able to bend or stretch like Sasha. Figure skating fundamentally has nothing to do with flexibility. It's nothing but blade-to-ice.
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