Speedy is a strange man - Article | Golden Skate

Speedy is a strange man - Article

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
I saw this article on another site and decided that I'd try my hand at posting an article link... If it doesn't work, the article can be found at Boston.com's on-line edition

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2005/03/21/mother_lode_hit_in_motherland/

The article is a pretty good review of Worlds but has the strangest comment from Speedy regarding Plushy's injury...

They won gold medals in three of four events and if three-time men's victor Evgeny Plushenko hadn't withdrawn with a balky groin muscle, the hosts might have run the table. "I would have put him out there in his pajamas," declared International Skating Union president Ottavio Cinquanta.

Excuse me, but am I'm missing something? How does the president of a sport justify this sort of position? Is he trying to ruin this sport with his shortsighted views and bad business model? WTF is he thinking? :mad:

Kwanford Wife
 

JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
He's a jackass, pure and simple. What was he so worried about, that everyone who'd bought a ticket for the Mens Final was going to demand a refund? I say let him keep putting his foot into his stupid mouth; one of these days he's gonna say just the wrong thing and THEN maybe we'll have a good chance to see his head on a pike.

On a related note; I could have well done without the phrasing of "Carolina Kostner won the first Italian Women's medal in 27 years", given that Susanna Driano won the last one and that was at the last Worlds contested before I started following skating in '79. I do not care for any little reminders as to how old I actually am! :laugh: :laugh:
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
May be Speedy should have gone out there himself in his pajamas...

As to what he is afraid of - it's easy. Low TV viewership. That people will know that Plushy didn't skate, that it was a boring men's final, and that they won't watch.
 
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Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Speedy is one silly *** but he can be dangerous.

I did like the tone of the article, though. Kind of amusing with his opinions.

Pitchka - Any review by that Russian journalist whom I enjoy so much?

Joe
 

michaelfsfan

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Kwanford Wife said:
Excuse me, but am I'm missing something? How does the president of a sport justify this sort of position? Is he trying to ruin this sport with his shortsighted views and bad business model? WTF is he thinking? :mad:

Kwanford Wife

I believe Speedy has what's called the Foot-In-Mouth disease ..... :biggrin:
 

Ogre Mage

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
I hope that pajama thing was a joke. Otherwise, that kind of talk makes $peedy sound like some sort of slavedriver and the skaters are just animals there to do his will. You don't treat people like that.
 
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soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
I don't think there's anything wrong with the comment he made. It sounds more tongue in cheek than anything. Perhaps a testiment to Plush's talent that he can win a worlds in his pajamas (comment was made in reference to Russia sweeping the other 3 disciplines).

I think it's so odd how people are jumping on him for this :scowl:
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Joesitz said:
Pitchka - Any review by that Russian journalist whom I enjoy so much?
Yah, I'll get to translating it when I have time. He is not as easy to put into English as most journalists.

BTW, ever since I started translating his pieces and sending them to him, he has put them on his website http://www.arthurwerner.narod.ru/
 
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sk8addict

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2004
Pajama skater

Ogre Mage said:
I hope that pajama thing was a joke. Otherwise, that kind of talk makes $peedy sound like some sort of slavedriver and the skaters are just animals there to do his will. You don't treat people like that.
I bet you Russia's #1 man will appear on the ice in pajamas sooner or later. He has a great since of humor & would probably love the oppertunity to bring this back into the public arena.
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
soogar said:
I don't think there's anything wrong with the comment he made. It sounds more tongue in cheek than anything. Perhaps a testiment to Plush's talent that he can win a worlds in his pajamas (comment was made in reference to Russia sweeping the other 3 disciplines).

I think it's so odd how people are jumping on him for this :scowl:

You are probably the most contrary person I have ever come across... And that is truly impressive...

KW
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Ptichka said:
BTW, ever since I started translating his pieces and sending them to him, he has put them on his website http://www.arthurwerner.narod.ru/
Wow, that's totally awsome, Ptichka.

But he ought to aknowledge the translator. Or does he do this in Russian on his main page? The translations are excellent and the notes are useful, too, for non-Russian readers.

(Plus, tell him to get a faster server, LOL.)

MM

PS. Hi Kwanfordwife. Yes, Soogar is a contrarian :), but in this case I think she is right. I think Cinquanta's statement is intended to be a joke.
 
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Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Ptichka said:
Yah, I'll get to translating it when I have time. He is not as easy to put into English as most journalists.

BTW, ever since I started translating his pieces and sending them to him, he has put them on his website http://www.arthurwerner.narod.ru/
I just had a chance to read the one on black ice. This is not what I expected to read but it was fascinating because I do not know anything of the Russian(Soviet) workings in figure skating.

Mr. Werner has a lot to say and he keeps within the historical sense of figure skating in the Soviet Union. With the breakup of the SU, and the rise of Piseyev, I can understand the diaspora of the Russian coaches.

Thanks again, Pitchka, and I look forward to reading any review of the recent Worlds if you have the time. Werner's sense of humor breaks me up. I think he could get a job writing a sitcom.

Joe
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
sk8addict said:
I bet you Russia's #1 man will appear on the ice in pajamas sooner or later. He has a great since of humor & would probably love the oppertunity to bring this back into the public arena.
:rofl: He should jump on it! I don't know if he can match Sex Bomb or the Big Head, but everyone in the know would be :rofl: at the inside joke!

MM:)
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Mathman said:
PS. ... in this case I think she is right. I think Cinquanta's statement is intended to be a joke.

Assuming it was a joke, then IMHO, it was a joke in remarkably poor taste from a man who should be a little more media saavy. I'm not all that sympathetic to Plushy because I think he should have taken care of his injuries years ago, but it was still a tragedy for him to have to withdraw when Worlds are in his home country for the first time in over a century.
 

tannisming

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Speedy does not need to justify himsrlf to any disgruntled U.S. figure skating fans.The point is Speedy is in charge, not any of us. He can say what he wants. Yes you don't have to pay to see the events but outside the U.S. nobody really cares what the Americans think. The U.S. skaters will finally have to do GP just like the rest of the skating world next season. Speedy may not be a nice person but he did push through the CoP and put a stop to people skating around in circles, endlessly. I'll be forever grateful to him for that. As for injuries, guess what? All competitive sports are risky and usually alot riskier than figure skating. If a skater is afraid of injury he/she needs to consider another line of work.
 

ChiSk8Fan

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
Joesitz said:
Speedy is one silly *** but he can be dangerous.

I did like the tone of the article, though. Kind of amusing with his opinions.

Pitchka - Any review by that Russian journalist whom I enjoy so much?

Joe


To me, the silly and stupid out there are the dangerous, especially when they hold positions of power over others.

Cinquanta, GW Bush, etc. are examples.
 

Linny

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Out of context

Hard to understand exactly what he meant since the quote appears totally out of context. He doesn't actually impress me as much of a jokester, though.

Wonder if, in light of the fact that Plushy obviously tried his darnest, skated the SP in clear pain, and withdrew only with great regret... I wonder if perhaps $peedy is regretting his stupid letter ordering athletes to compete in the GP?

Or is $peedy just trying to justify what, in retrospect, was obviously a mistake?

Linny
 
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