Skating Lesson-should they interview Tonya for 20 year anniversary? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Skating Lesson-should they interview Tonya for 20 year anniversary?

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Harding was a phenomenal athlete... sad that she couldn't overcome the forces of her background. Another wasted talent. Skating has seen many of those.
 

MasterB

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
I followed that story the way Hispanic ladies follow telenovelas. Tonya only admitted to knowing about the attack after the fact. She had super talent but, many things went wrong in her life. I don't know what else she could add to that crazy story but, it would be nice to know what she is up to.
 

Celine

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Tonya was obviously such a fascinating beast. I would worry that time has ravaged and burnished too much from her memory for it to be enough truth. More likely too much of a psychological profile. Bet TSL would be too afraid to approach her in person. Would be like those interviews behind bullet proof glass.
 

Tippi1963

Rinkside
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Tonya Harding very deservedly belongs in the history of figure skating as a great athlete who accomplished a lot in the amount of time she was part of it. She had a terrible life story and she made a lot of mistakes because of it, including marrying at 19 (as a means of never having to live with her horrible mother again and pressure from the USFSA), keeping silent regarding what she knew about "The Whack" after it had happened. And so what if she gets paid for her interviews. The media outlets that approach her for an interview are making money off of her name! Why shouldn't she get a cut of the profits. It is her name! She doesn't seek out the publicity - they come to her. Most people deserve a "do-over" in life. Just let her live hers.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Are there other Web formats where skaters are interviewed regularly? Thank you if you know where they are.:)

Again, are there aany other interview formats like TSL who are talking with impt. skaters???? What would be a very good blog where author has great contacts? There must be others. Thanks.

Other places where you can find interviews of people in the skating world are Is That A Skate Guard In Your Pocket Or Are You Happy To See Me? and The Manleywoman Skatecast.

FYI, Pj Kwong and a partner have been offering an ongoing series of podcasts.
Several (but by no means all) of their interviewees have been significant names from the skating community: for example, Browning, Bezic, Zoueva, Stojko. Not sure whether every single guest has been Canadian, but I think that many of them are.
(Disclaimers: I have never actually listened to one of these podccasts ... just have never gotten around to trying one. And again, skating is only one of many topics covered by Kwong and her fellow podcaster. Many of their guests have nothing to do with skating whatsoever.)

I occasionally read the Skate Guard in Your Pocket interviews mentioned above by jennyanydots. AFAIK, they are print interviews (no video or audio) -- an advantage, IMHO, because they allow quick skimming. And the questions and answers are worthwhile reading. :)
The link:
 

leoncorazon

Skating on through
On the Ice
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Country
United-States
I'd love to see a Tonya interview...would love to see her skate even more...is she a bad apple...you betcha but aren't those the most interesting interviews?
 

Pepe Nero

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2011
I don't think she did much for the sport of figure skating...

That is an absurd opinion, noskates. Second woman ever, first American, to complete a triple axel in competition. Amazing triple lutz, by which female figure skaters are still judged to this day (though no one dares mention her name in comparison).

Even the women since who have done 3As have done sad, "feminine" 3As. Tight, fast rotation, with little ice coverage. This seems to please the judges, who like female figure skaters to stay in their athletic place, but it is unimpressive to watch (cf., Mao Asada). I miss women doing 3As like Midori Ito and Tonya Harding, as though biological sex made not a damn bit of difference. I bet these days they would get negative GOEs.

Tonya Harding very deservedly belongs in the history of figure skating as a great athlete who accomplished a lot in the amount of time she was part of it. She had a terrible life story and she made a lot of mistakes because of it, including marrying at 19 (as a means of never having to live with her horrible mother again and pressure from the USFSA), keeping silent regarding what she knew about "The Whack" after it had happened. And so what if she gets paid for her interviews. The media outlets that approach her for an interview are making money off of her name! Why shouldn't she get a cut of the profits. It is her name! She doesn't seek out the publicity - they come to her. Most people deserve a "do-over" in life. Just let her live hers.

YES!

People like to have easily identifiable villians. Harding fits the mold. Makes average folks feel better about their own morality.
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
I do not think Tonya Harding has the sense of humor nor the self-reflection to be a good interview with TSL. Anyway, she'll just lie about everything and continue her poor me talk. Her FBI file pretty much includes Tonya from the get go no matter what story she's sticking to now. All the phone calls are documented, whether it is Tonya calling that reporter to get Nancy's rink and home (!!!) address, or her making calls to Tony Kent, or her back and forth right after the whack to Jeff. She was lucky she wasn't prosecuted for more, but it would cost too much to have a trial, and the authorities already got the goons who were the major players.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
I think she was in from the beginning. Tonya was an angry person by then who felt she could not get a fair break. She felt she was the better skater and that she could not compete with nancy's beauty/dresses/elegant reserve and her favor with the mink wearing establishment. Still, she did not take her talent and run with it. She did not train, she smoked, she partied. She lost her chances because she was angry and immature. Fair sportsmanship eluded her in the end. Who knows who started the idea. I think it was Gilooly's idea and then his goon friends thought it was doable. Sadly, a bunch with low IQs. Tonya had nothing but skating, and she really blew it. When she was in shape, she looked good. She made ugly costumes to stand out. It seems she did not get a lot of discipline from her coaches. It is sad that it took negative words to get Tonya to work.

I do feel for her-she had the mother from hell, but her Dad adored her, and her coaches stuck with her. She was just too abused by then to make good choices. I do hope she is a good mother to her new Baby. May it be her saving grace. I would not be as charitable if Nancy had been hurt. Strangely, Nancy came back fighting to deliver two great skates-some say the best of her career and I'd agree. These girls at the top are tough nuts, that is for sure.
 

hikki

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Country
Japan
15-yo Tonya Harding at Skate America 1986
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJuZuqr8nXQ
Later in her career she would focus much more on her big jumps, but you can see she had so much more going for her.

I miss women doing 3As like Midori Ito and Tonya Harding, as though biological sex made not a damn bit of difference.

Like this? :clap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYViHpq1KTs

Back to the topic. Every time I hear her give excuses, I get really sad. I'd rather watch her past performances on youtube. So no I don't want her interviewed on TSL. That said I do hope she's happy and knows that her achievements in the sport will not be forgotten.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
like her or not Tonya Harding and the whack heard around the world helped to make skating a media spectaclein the 90's and catapulted it in popularity. Add to that the ice princess Nancy Kerrigan in Vera Wang and the orphan Waif winning OGM with Oksana Baiul and throw in the sexpot over the hill come back katarina witt and this didn't include the 1994 olympic drama with the ice dance teams (affairs of the russians) and the battle of the pairs and whining of Brasseur and Eisler. drama on and off ice.
 
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