Highs, lows, favorite moments at the Olympics

I was happy to see Plush able to do as well as he did. I kept my expectations low, but that old warrior did well. A legend wins team gold on home ice. Also, A high was Ashley back in for in team SP. Also V/T's entire Oly was fabulous. Happy for thrm. Aliona and Robin were all charm in SP and then gutted me in LP. That was very sad for such a warrior team. Jason's SP was great-so happy he was scored well. And I was glad Russians liked Riverdance. A low for me is how quiet the crowd is for non-Russian skaters. I was surprised and a little sad for our skaters. It is bad for the host to behave this way. I was happty Denis Ten won bronze tho I have not see his skate. A low for me was feeling ripped off for Grace's team LP. It was "magnificent" and perfect acc. to Bezic. I feel she is wonderful, and I like her as well as my other lady faves. She's so amazing. She can deliver, and I support her. The overscoring in team event for certain folks made me feel things were fixed.

Grace Gold is in YuNa league with jumps and I love her presentation. Her style is athletic and nuanced and she could be an OGM -but YuNa and Julia will be marked very generously. Gracie is surely good enough for bronze. Mao, Caro can't deliver the jumps and Grace proved she could. I love her. Yes, She is talk, leggy, and perfectly pretty. Fast spins, fast everything. Anyway, I will be crushed if her FS is not close to Julia's. Unfairness bums me so much.

Another "hi" was seeing Jason get his "valentine." and see how happy he was with top ten finish. He is better we know, but he didn't totally cave under pressure. If I had a fave skater, it would be him.

Off ice, Bode Miller's story was inspiring, and I was thrilled to hear USA bested Russia in Hockey-men's. And for pure fun, Ashley Wagner makes so many faces. Her honesty cheered me up. Lows were seeing Evgeni W/d and just walk off. Jeremy Abbott had me going after nationals. I was wishing Max Aaron were here. I wish I could see more skiing. While I have never though ice dance was a true sport,as in other disciplines, but it is delivering on every level. it is true skating and so hard. Ice dance really delivered wonderful performances and I wish I saw the whole event. I like so many teams and a low was missing the shibs and chock and bates. I can't wait for shibs FD, very exciting music. What have you been moved by, or gutted by? The games are going peacefully. I thank God and hope Russia is more open to the world as it welcomes the world.

Is anyone there, btw to give us some local color/insiders scoops?

Have not seen any of the Ladies FS ... and certainly have not been able to keep up with the prolific GS commentary/debate.

So I don't know whether this fact has been well-noted elsewhere:

Was looking for a neutral thread in which to post it, and this one was the only one I could find (thx, skateluvr).

(Disclaimer: I'm not making any judgment as to whether it is a high or low or anyone's favorite moment.)

Lows:
D/W winning over V/M by a large amount. Deserved to win but not by that much.
Men's free program. No skates that impressed me.
Mao Asada's short program. Heartbreaking to see her OGM chances fall to pieces like that.
Incredible overscoring of Russians, especially in Ladies. Worst judging.

Highs:
Plushenko's team event- proving that he's still got it.
Ashley Wagner proving that she belongs at the Olympics by pulling off two decent programs. Gracie Gold too.
Hanyu's world record SP.
Carolina Kostner finally getting her Olympic medal.
Yuna Kim's final performance- so beautiful. Deserving of gold.
Mao Asada redeeming herself with a flawless freeskate. I was in tears with her at the end, because of what could have been.

lows:
ladies judging
the judging in fs in general
highs:
yuna, costner, and mao skating beautifully. They were the class of the field.
wagner nailing it
denis winning a medal

I cried a lot for Mao and Yulia. For both of their skates. What can I say? Mao was gorgeous today and just let it all out! Way to go out and I lost it with her emotional celebration after her triumph. Thank you Mao! My heart goes out to Yulia. She just has such high standards and is such a sweet kid. I hope she doesn't think she let anyone down...quite the opposite for me. I hope she bounces back at WC. No more kiss and cry's like that. I'm way to emotional. I could hardly enjoy Caro getting a medal. I just used up all my emotions on Yulia. I don't think the placements are bad.

The biggest low for me though is all the second hand judging and and conspiracy theories. I just enjoy the skating and don't see the need to cry over scores in a sport that is inherently a subjective sport. There will always be different views. That doesn't mean they can't be respectful and constructive. I think the quality of skating is reward enough for me.

I'll concentrate on my sweet/impressive moments from Sochi:
-Yuzuru's reaction when he knew he was the OGM
-the photo when Yuzuru helped Machida after a fall during practice
-Scott Moir kissing the olympic rings after the event + his reaction after the SP
-Maxim Trankov's reaction after the FS
-Mao's tears of happiness after the FS
-Dai's tears after Mao's SP
+(from teams event) the supportive attitude of team Japan

Favorite programs: V/M programs, V/T SP, Yuzuru's 101-points-parisienne walkways, Denis's FS, Mao's FS, Yuna's programs

Sam-Skwantch said:

I cried a lot for Mao and Yulia. For both of their skates. What can I say? Mao was gorgeous today and just let it all out! Way to go out and I lost it with her emotional celebration after her triumph. Thank you Mao! My heart goes out to Yulia. She just has such high standards and is such a sweet kid. I hope she doesn't think she let anyone down...quite the opposite for me. I hope she bounces back at WC. No more kiss and cry's like that. I'm way to emotional. I could hardly enjoy Caro getting a medal. I just used up all my emotions on Yulia. I don't think the placements are bad.

The biggest low for me though is all the second hand judging and and conspiracy theories. I just enjoy the skating and don't see the need to cry over scores in a sport that is inherently a subjective sport. There will always be different views. That doesn't mean they can't be respectful and constructive. I think the quality of skating is reward enough for me.

Click to expand...

Well said. I agree completely.

I don't know if it's a great thing or a horrible thing... but

The complete meltdown of the ubers.

After putting up with obnoxious botting for a year, and personally giving not one fig who actually won the gold, it's a wondrous thing to watch.

People are acting as though their entire lives were in ruins.

As if there is no victim of judging. Yuna Kim may survive (thrive?) regardless, but I can think of many others who did not get the chance to get known. The judging needs to be discussed for the future of the sport. Unless you are happy with this nonsensical practice every time a host nation's skaters getting gifted ridiculous scores.

Silvia451 said:

I'll concentrate on my sweet/impressive moments from Sochi:
...
-Scott Moir kissing the olympic rings after the event + his reaction after the SP
...

Click to expand...

^ Agree, Silvia.

And I liked seeing twenty-seven skaters on the podium for the team event.

My low is now officially Kostner/Yuna not winning gold and silver.

How the heck did Adeline's program with flaws almost beat Kim Yuna's flawless performance at Vancouver????

My high, Hanyu's spectacular SP, Mao skating one of her best FS and Kostner too.

Highs:
- Team Competition; it was really exciting to me
- Lipnitskaia's Team skates were awesome, my favorite performances of the Olympics
- Wagner skating well and getting some redemption for a disastrous Nationals
- Kostner finally skating well at the Olympics and getting a medal
- Mao's FS
- Jeremy Abbot's short program after the fall

Lows:
- Mao's Short program
- Julia's performance in the individual competition
- Akiko's entire Olympics; it seemed like she gave everything she had at Nationals
- Jeremy Abbot's short program before and during the fall
- the entire men's free skate

Mao Asada's freeskate has to be one of my favorite moments of all time. I was watching at work today and really, I was not expecting it to affect me the way that it did. I got all emotional and had to step out of the office for a minute. I hope NBC shows it tonight so I can watch it again.

The final group of ladies during the free skate was just intense. And the draw order was perfect because it was intense right up thru Kim Yuna going last.

HIGHS

Plushy - I will always love this guy. It was awesome to see him come back and show that he could still be a contender.

Tara/Johnny - I thoroughly enjoyed their youthful and refreshing commentary

Mao Asada - What a beautiful and excellent long program. One of the best of the night. So glad she was able to pull it together after having such a terrible sp.

Hanyu- This guy is such a talent and was like a breath of fresh air amongst many of the other male skaters who seemed to be putting out the status quo. I can't wait to see him grow and improve over the next few years.

LOWS

Over scoring/Under scoring - The over and under scoring in the ladies event. It was an absolute disgrace that technically and artistically superior skaters were either neck and neck or beaten by little girls who have no polish and are barely out of juniors.

The Russian Audience - I was extremely annoyed at how these folks barely supported anyone who was not from Russia. It happened in the ID event and again in the Ladies event. I understand an audience having a more enthusiastic response for their countrymen and women who are competing, but to barely clap or not clap at all when athletes from competing countries were obviously skating well, was just shameful.

Mao's Meltdown - My heart broke for her. She's such a fantastic skater and skates with such heart. It was really difficult to watch her have such a terrible skate at what will likely be her final Olympics.

Plushy's Retirement - I was doubtful that he'd make it through the men's event with all the back issues he'd been having. But I was hoping against hope that he would do it. Do it well and maybe, just maybe even take home the bronze. But it wasn't meant to be. Like Mao, my heart broke for him when he had to withdraw. Then to see the genuine pain in his eyes at the discomfort he was feeling in his back just twisted the knife a little deeper. Needless to say it was one of the most difficult moments for me to witness during the FS events at these Games.

Highs:
- Meryl and Charlie claiming gold and finally letting out all the pressure, turning it into hugs, smiles and being adorable with each other
- seing Brian Joubert happy with his Olympics for once
- Mao's free skate
- everything Nikita Katsalapov
- Carolina finally getting her Olympic medal

Lows:
- V/M ubers and Canadian media belittling D/W's success
- Aliona and Robin's free skate and Aliona's tears on the podium
- men free skating
- PCS of the Russian skaters
- undeserving skaters getting Olympic medals in the unnecessary team event
- the entire men podium (couldn't care less)

The lowest of all: having to say goodbye to what feels like an entire generation of woderful skaters and facing the fact figure skating will never be the same without them

Highs:
-The Team Event had some good stuff from Hanyu's great SP to Julia's two performances.
-Pairs Short Programs
-Mao's Free Skate

Lows: pretty much everything else

I agree with many of the ones mentioned, especially the ice dancing. I'd cite both Meryl and Charlie's programs and Tessa and Scott's programs. Both couples skated with unparalleled beauty, very different from one another (which added to their delightfulness).

And I'll add Daisuke's free skate. It wasn't perfect technically, but it was pretty good, and the artistry and flow and emotional connection were profoundly moving.

Mao. What a towering performance. All eight triples, and such beauty. The footwork was beyond belief.

highs:

yuna delivered and did not crumble under pressure while she skated last at the LP and skated early in the SP, a true champion!!!
mao's comeback at the lp, showed so much courage and character
finally caro delivered beautifully after olympic disappointments from the past

lows:

the skating audience in russia, despicable and lack of sportsmanship
the blatant politicking from the russian fed, putting a tainted judge in the panel? how is that even possible?

Highs

Gracie's FS in TE
Julia's performance in TE
V/T win in pairs with OTP emotions after
Mao's incredible FS comeback
D/W solid win
I/K swan lake in FD
Sotnikova not headcasing and winning Gold
Carolina getting her act together and finally winning an Olympic medal
Yuzuru winning OGM

Lows:
Gracie and Julia underperformed in ladies individuals
Men's having too many splatfest