I’ve been thinking about the funny/annoying things that people who aren’t hardcore figure skating fans say about it. I’m sure the list is innumerable. I’ll start off the thread with two such remarks:
- It’s not a sport. People who don’t care about figure skating sometimes try to justify their not caring by downplaying its worth. I’m sorry, but just because one happens to not enjoy a particular sport doesn’t mean it’s not a sport. Yes, music and costumes are involved in figure skating, but it takes a lot of hard work for skaters to find a package that works for them and present it well, not to mention that the footwork, spins, and jumps required in competition are just plain difficult. Synchronized swimming also has costumes, makeup, and music, and some people question whether it’s a sport too.
- All the jumps look the same. I once tried to teach a friend of mine about the different jumps and how to tell them apart. She watched an entire long program with me (I don’t remember which one) while I pointed out what each jump was. At the end, she said they all looked the same to her. I guess if you’re not used to watching skating and aren’t looking at skaters' skates, you would miss all that. It made me laugh. How do you teach your non-fan friends about edges and how to tell jumps apart? I learned all I know from listening to Dick Button and Peggy Fleming for all those years when figure skating had its U.S. broadcasting heyday
Let the hilarity/annoyance begin. This should be a fun thread!
- It’s not a sport. People who don’t care about figure skating sometimes try to justify their not caring by downplaying its worth. I’m sorry, but just because one happens to not enjoy a particular sport doesn’t mean it’s not a sport. Yes, music and costumes are involved in figure skating, but it takes a lot of hard work for skaters to find a package that works for them and present it well, not to mention that the footwork, spins, and jumps required in competition are just plain difficult. Synchronized swimming also has costumes, makeup, and music, and some people question whether it’s a sport too.
- All the jumps look the same. I once tried to teach a friend of mine about the different jumps and how to tell them apart. She watched an entire long program with me (I don’t remember which one) while I pointed out what each jump was. At the end, she said they all looked the same to her. I guess if you’re not used to watching skating and aren’t looking at skaters' skates, you would miss all that. It made me laugh. How do you teach your non-fan friends about edges and how to tell jumps apart? I learned all I know from listening to Dick Button and Peggy Fleming for all those years when figure skating had its U.S. broadcasting heyday
Let the hilarity/annoyance begin. This should be a fun thread!