True confessions of a skating kind

Another off ice fluff thread!

What are some of your skating "confessions"?

1. I love Ice Dance constumes-including the ones that look like they went through the shredder.

2. I've seen alot of local skating-but have never seen an elite skater live.

3. I like cheer for the underdogs & non overhyped in a competition-even if I haven't seen them skate before.

4. I like Bestemova & Bukin's over the top style(even if I'm in a minority here)

5. Ladies is my least favorite-although I do like a lot of ladies skaters

6. Tatiana Navka is an absolutely gorgeous woman-without all of that makeup

7. For all of the times he has annoyed the heck out of me-I'm going to miss Dick Button during commentary when they move coverage to ESPN.

They arent using Dick and Peggy? NOOOOO!

1) I hate ice dance
2) .....exceot for Taneth and Ben
3) Ive never been to COI
4) ....or SOI
5) I used to be able to name all the ladies gold medalists sence the 1920's

I used to hate doing figures - now strangely in my "old age" I finally understand them and actually miss doing them!

I hated getting up at four am to go to skating practice.

I always wanted to skate in a professional skating show - like Ice Capades or Holiday on Ice.

1 The one time I skated, I fell 13 times and decided to restrict myself to the more sedentary forms of skating fandom. I still think that was a good move.

2 When my girls were taking lessons, I went nuts with the skating outfits and the cute little matching hair pretties.

3 When my girls decided to quit skating I was fine with it because [whispers] I like them better than skating.

4 I've never been to a professional ice show or an elite competition. They are still on my to-do list.

5 I like Dick Button, but think Peggy should have a warning label for diabetics. Scott should be forbidden by law from getting within 50 feet of a microphone. I don't understand why Terry Gannon's there at all.

1. I like some of Belbin/Agosto's performances although I fastforward them when viewing the tape again.

2. I hate Michelle's "Tosca".

3. When there's a Kwan/Cohen match, I love both, but I'm really all the way for Michelle!!!!

4. The reason I do not like ice dance are the sometimes maybe all the time ugly costumes.

I love these kinds of threads. Let's see...I know I'll think of more to post later.

1. I love Irina Slutskya's personality to death, but can't stand her skating style (wish I did).

2. I never found Todd Eldredge boring.

3. I do not think ice dancing is a sport, and feel it should not be in the Olympics.

4. I tend to cheer for ladies skaters who do not wear boot covers. I find them *that* ugly.

more later...

.......1. I prefer white skating boots on ladies as opposed to the flesh colored ones.
2. As hard as I try, I cannot get into ice dancing. When I tape a competition, I usually fast forward over the performances (there are exceptions).
3. I happen to like commentary during a skating competition (not exhibitions)........42

I think Elvis Stojko is artistic and I think incorporating the Martial Arts in skating is brilliant

Some of the greatest coaches, Tarasova, Moskavina, Callahan and Carroll give me really bad vibes. Mishin too,

I don't think the media is to blame for the SLC fiasco, it may be crazy of me but I think it is the fault of the conspirators.

Not keen on SOI, the hijinx get tiresome

OTOH I don't mind the acrobats, & hula hoops at COI, go figure

I tend not to find skaters all that difference live than on TV, the only one who I really saw a difference in was Fumie.

It bugs me when skaters do a SP or modfied LP as an exhibition.

BA

I've never been to a competition of any level.

I think Evgeny Plushenko is totally gorgeous.

I've seen a few skaters live, and the ones who really made me go "wow" were Sasha Cohen (on her spiral), Ilia Kulik (on his jumps), and Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze (my heart skipped a beat on their throw).

I don't like how dancers can choose out of a number of rhythms for the OD - I prefer it when it's one rhythm. I don't like how the two halves of a programme are a complete contrast to each other.

Some ice dance costumes can be beautiful, but for the rest of them, I don't know what they're thinking! Particularly some of the ODs.

1. I loved Alexander Abt's "Bolero" when I saw it live. I didn't like watching it on TV.

2. I also loved Evgeni's "Bolero," hip wiggles and all.

3. But I don't think ANY ice dance team should touch that music.

4. I love weird costumes, but I didn't like Evgeni's SP outfit this season. Were those pancakes or flying saucers on his shoulders?

5. I have seen Alexander Abt, Vakthang Murvandizde and Evgeni Plushenko dance shirtless to "Sex Bomb."

Laura

* A couple years ago I said that Johnny would become national champion.

* I don't think Dick should be commentating.

*The Cop has problems too

*Takeshi's mummy's outfit from last year looked like toliet paper ( but i love takeshi)

*sandhue should be dancing instead of skating

I think Sale and Pelletier are the greatest pair of all time.

I think Tristan and Isolde is the most beautiful competitive pairs program ever. It is 'seamless', as they say. They took all the required pairs elements, all the vocabulary of skating, all those impersonal techniques and moves, and gave them a reason for being, a furtherance of the music and a conduit for what they wanted to communicate to the audience. This is the genius of Sale and Pelletier--to transform what could easily turn into a brilliant excercise in technical virtuosity into......what? A performance? That almost sounds too prosaic. I could say that their technique melts into the choreography, that they wear the choreography like it's their skin, or that it's sometimes hard to tell if the music engendered a move or if the move gave birth to the music. But that wouldn't come close to why they move me so. Lets just say that they communicate with the audience very, very well. It's like there is an infinitesimal distance between their hearts and the audience, almost as if their brilliantly engaging blades, and the ice underneath, weren't needed at all. But, of course, that's the illusion they create so effortlessly, so simple and direct is their connection.

I think FSU is overrated. Once in a while there comes a brilliantly wicked commentary which I enjoy, but the constant sniping gets old fast.

I don't think that Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic are evil incarnate, nor do I find Dick and Peggy the least bit annoying. Honestly, I really don't see whatever it is that makes some people cry foul everytime these four open their mouths. Especially Sandre Bezic.

I do not find Shen and Zhao to be magical, compelling, charismatic, or breathtaking. I can't say that I find them particularly exciting either, despite their huge throws and twists and their way of speeding around the ice like there's no tomorrow. I prefer to watch T&M, despite their lack of oomph or expressiveness in their presentation. I know this goes against the grain of the majority, but there it is.

I dread the summer because it's the off-season and I eagerly anticipate the fall and the hellacious Winnipeg winter to follow because......well, you know why.

oooooooooooooo, fun.

1) I think S&P are the most overrated pair in history. (and Love Story is the most overrated program). They may have high quality spins, but their jumps, throws and solo, have many problems. Jamie is an extremely stiff jumper and the unison in their sbs jumps almost always off.

2) Ice Dance is my favorite discipline.

3) I am thankful every day that Sandra Bezic decided to leave figure skating for good and I hope she never returns. Not only is her voice extremely irritating, but her commentary has almost no hint of objectivity. She makes her obvious bias blatantly known and has no use of reason.

4) I hate Scott Hamilton. I find his skating dreadfully boring and his voice almost as irritating as Sandra's. I also think he is a horrid commentator as he has many times shown that he doesn't even know what the criteria for presentation is. He also thought Geobel could have beaten Yags in the SLC LP. That was just a disgusting comment.

5) I think the SLC contraversey is overblown. Nothing was ever proven.

6) I think many of those who dislike the ISU only do so because it is the "in" thing to do. They do nothing but search for the negative where it isn't and don't give the ISU credit when it is due. Many forget that you can only count the number of judges proven to have cheated on one hand. You don't even need all the fingers.

7) I don't know how Jean Senft became a martyr. She's probably the most blatant example of an unethical judge. I think those who worship her as a "whistle-blower" are ignorant.

8) G&P are my favorite Ice Dancers.

9) G&P's 1993 FD, St James Infirmary, is my favorite FD ever.

10) B&S are my favorite pair ever.

11) B&S's 02 SP La Califfa is the best pairs program ever.

12) I think T&M are very overrated. Their Cotton Club LP was a fantastic program.

13) Pang and Tong are extremely overrated. They might as well not skate to any music at all as they are always offbeat.

14) I think of the current eligible skaters, Langois & Archetto are the most overated. Not only are they stiff skaters with poor posture, but their programs have no choreo or transitions of any substance.

15) I don't find Sasha Cohen musical anymore. She was better when she couldn't hold an edge for her life, 2000-2001. My favorite SC programs are still her 2000 SP and LP.

16) I think B&A are overrated as well. They may have the difficulty, but I find them sloppy. Also, their level of expression, presentation hasn't progressed since 01-02.

17) Out of the time I spend on the computer, 70%-80% is used for figure skating related activities .

Wow, that was a bit much.
TV

1. I love Ice Dance constumes-including the ones that look like they went through the shredder.

2. I like cheer for the underdogs & non overhyped in a competition-even if I haven't seen them skate before. And sometimes, after a few years, they become the favorites to the title (I started to cheer for Denkova & Stavyisky back in 1999, and look where are they now, I hope this happends for the Kerrs too)

3. Ladies is my least favorite part of any event. And in Kwan vs. Cohen competitions I always cheer for Sasha

4. For all of the times he has annoyed the heck out of me-I'm going to miss Dick Button during commentary when they move coverage to ESPN.

5. And I absolutely dislike the Spanish comentators, they don't know what they are talking about.

6. I love Rinkside

7. And I LOVE MAXIM STAVYISKY

8. I'll miss Lang & Tchernyshev

9. Oops...I almost forgot...G&G are the BEST pairs skaters of all times.

10. And finally...90% of my internet time is spended at figure skating forums and pages

thvudragon said:

7) I don't know how Jean Senft became a martyr. She's probably the most blatant example of an unethical judge. I think those who worship her as a "whistle-blower" are ignorant.

Click to expand...

Can you please explain what you mean by your statement? I confess to ignorance, but I have often asked on this board why SHE was punished rather than the person on whom she blew the whistle--only to receive no satisfactory reply. Perhaps you can provide one...? This has always bugged me. Thanks.

I can't remember what happened to whom thirty minutes after I watch it.

1. Ice dance annoys the hell out of me. I sit and watch because it's skating, but dont care who gets placed where.

2. I think that Elvis Stojko was highly over-rated in his later days. He had a few programs in the mid-ninties that impressed me(think The Dragon), but after that...

3.I can't stand Sasha Cohen. I liked her when I first saw her in 2000, but feel she has regressed since then.

4.I adore Michelle Kwan, but feel that Tara deserved her olympic title 100%.

5. I think that S/P should have won hands down in SLC. Not even a question about it.

6. Miki Ando bores me. Her quad and triple/triples don't do it for me.

7.I don't find Dick Button annoying either. Sure, he's out of it most of the time, but he's still entertaining. Peggy on the other hand... Dick should be taping HER mouth shut.

8.I hate it when commentators say that they have a good feeling about a skater just by looking at their eyes. I mean, COME ON people. Best example, Barb Underhill with Sasha at worlds this year. Sasha stepped on the ice, took a deep breath and Barb had practically given her the world title just because she appeared calm.

9.I think Plushenko is highly over-rated. He's a good jumper, but his programs leave me feeling confused. I never know what he's trying to get across. That said, I think he has the talent to deliver much stronger programs, choreographically.

10. I love watching all the silly skating christmas specials that run during december every year! I dont know what it is about watching your favorites skating to cheesy christmas songs, but I enjoy it!

Ok...I think that's enough for tonight

Ice dance is the most interesting discipline.

Ladies is the most boring.

Scott Hamilton's abysmal commentating during pairs and mens has completely destroyed my enjoyment of his skating.

S&Z and S&P are quite overrated (even though I love S&Z).

K&D are very underrated.

The number of jumps in singles skating should be reduced and the quad banned.

The number of lifts and spins should be drastically reduced in ice dance.

Facial expressions don't necessarily indicate that someone is skating with emotion. A better indicator of real emotion is a skater's use of the entire body.

Kulik in general was more deserving of 6.0s than Yagudin and he was very underrated as an artist in his amateur days.

A splat doesn't always ruin a program for me.

I have to say...as scary as it could have been, I was amused by our little visitor on the ice at World's before Michelle's skate....OKAY, this is confession time, NOT confessional! And yes, it could have been bad, but wasn't.