ITA that Michelle is faster than she appears on tv while Sasha comes out better on tv. Other skaters that were more fun live are Todd Eldredge and Chenjiang Li. I really enjoyed seeing Li at 2003 Worlds. His exhibition was a lot more open and fun than his competition skating.
well I just earned 40 bucks this week and I'll probably earn 50 more next week... after that I don't know lol so just keep praying I get $$Originally Posted by KwanFan1212
That said, I've noticed a few random things between live skating and tv skating over the last couple of years. One was definitely the speed issue. I was AMAZED the first time I saw Michelle skate live because her speed was awesome live but doesn't always translate well on TV because she's so smooth and makes it look effortless. Jeff Buttle was another one I saw live and he drove me up the wall because he went so fast that I think all my CSOI pics are a big blur of him! He's got amazing speed live though. Second was that sometimes a skater that I don't really enjoy on TV, I enjoy more live. Plush was one of those who I don't particularly care for on TV but I really enjoyed seeing him live in COI a few years ago. He was wonderful. At the same time, sometimes skaters who are great on TV don't come across as well live (which describes my view every time I see Sasha who comes across better on TV than live IMO). Third, pairs skating, one of my FAVE disciplines, sometimes scares the crap out of me live because you don't know when something bad (like a fall) is coming and its a bit more startling in person because you can see how high up the girl is or how hard they fell on a throw or jump. The last thing I'll mention is that I enjoy ice dancing a HECK of a lot more live than I do on TV. I can barely sit still to watch it at home but during the week of Nats, I really enjoy those practices and that competition is usually one of the highlights for me. Weird, eh!?? Just a few thoughts and I am super excited for Nats this year.
And Toni, YOU'RE COMING. 'Nuff said.
and I dunno about Michelle's speed... but as you know I wasn't really paying attention to herI think she skates faster in practices... that's just how I saw it...
*is going to run and hide from Hez now...*
Me too! We'll meet up, don't worry. We'll talk when it gets closer. Only six more months to go!
DoggyGirl - You will have a wonderful figure skating experience. Be prepared to see skaters much smaller than on the TV screen. Listen to the noise of the blade and those who do not make the noise. No closeups, but if a skater executes an elements right in front of your view, you will clearly see whether or not the skater made some errors. Speed is deceiving on TV. The camera following the skater is not in your view (which makes for a speedier view). The judges will also be on view and you should try to see what they see.
If your love for skating goes beyond Michelle, Sasha, Johnny and Michael, check out the novice and junior events and pick out your future Olys winner in 2010. Checkout practice sessions. See so many boys do quads but never attempt them in competition; so many do 3As but miss them in competition. Personally, I don't get off on practice sessions.
Think about sneaking in your own food. The food is just plain Arena food and over priced. A beer in the bar can be fun during intermission.
The whole Nats is a blast. You'll see many skating stars from the past roaming around the arena. Most are quite friendly and will give you a smile if not an autograph.
If you make a habit of going to the Nats, you will find that friends you make at this one will be there for the next. Nice!
Joe
I will reiterate the points made by several posters- seeing the true speed of the skaters is completely easier to gauge and more impressive live than on TV. And yes the feel and excitement of the crowd can be magical. Plus, you are (usually) surrounded by knowledgeable skate fans so conversation, quips, comments and questions ("was that a triple or double?") fly freely. And I too would urge all to check out the Novice and Jr. competitions.
But the best things about being at Nats is YOU GET TO SEE ALL THE SKATERS... not just the marquee names that the networks chose to televise.
I'll be in St. Louis too!
Don't use 2005 Bolero as the judge of how she does in competition. I've been to Nationals since 2002 and managed to make it to 2003 Worlds. Bolero was the least impressive performance out of all of them. She seemed a little stressed at 2002 Nats but loosened up a lot for the footwork. She can do a lot better.and I dunno about Michelle's speed... but as you know I wasn't really paying attention to her
I saw Skate Canada live in Halifax and there were a few huge differences that I lovedddd.
First of all, you get to see all of the competitors not just the ones that finished in the top five. It was great to watch the whole process as it went on and not have any cheesy profiles and montages before and after commercial breaks.
Also, the practices were absolutely amazing. You got to see who of the skaters had the real work ethic and athletic drive that you'd expect. Also you got to see who went for everything in their run throughs, who popped a lot in practice (a huge factor) and all sorts of other little quirks that you don't see on tv. Also you get to see a certain coach/skater dynamic that's nowhere else.
ITA! My best memory of Skate America 2003 was a practice session where Ann Patrice McD gve complete run-throughs of both her long and short programs, after all the other skaters had left the ice. It was the best I ever saw her skate. She held the (sparse) audience in the palm of her hand.
Then after consulting with her coach, she practiced both endings to her LP (with and without stabbing herself as Madam Buttlefly, LOL. Without was better,
Mathman
I don't recall ever seeing a completely "on" performance of AP on TV. (that's not to say she didn't have some...I just didn't see them myself). It must have been awesome to see such a captivating performance - and live at that!ITA! My best memory of Skate America 2003 was a practice session where Ann Patrice McD gve complete run-throughs of both her long and short programs, after all the other skaters had left the ice. It was the best I ever saw her skate. She held the (sparse) audience in the palm of her hand.
Then after consulting with her coach, she practiced both endings to her LP (with and without stabbing herself as Madam Buttlefly, LOL. Without was better,
Mathman
ITA with the posters who have said you get to see all the skaters - not just a few. That's something I'm REALLY looking forward to.
DG
The best part about seeing an entire competition, particularly among singles, is noting the really wonderful aspects of the lower-ranked competitors. You may go away thinking -- if only that girl had more than two triples, because I'd pay to see her skate in a show, or if only he could land the 3A, he'd be a star -- but it's a privilege to see these kids skate.
Besides speed, the other things you'll see live that the camera misses are the choreographic pattern and ice coverage. It will be very clear when a skater, even a top skater, lands the combo and then circles around the rink and lands the next jump in the exact same spot; has multiple changes of direction or skates circles; lands a lot of elements in the same place -- in front of the judges or hiding from the judges; and/or uses the entire rink vs. cutting it short.
You'll also see the relative speed: is the skater losing speed while performing the elements and doing furious cross-overs to regain speed vs. maintaining speed during and after the elements and adjusting speed to the music and choreography.
Last edited by hockeyfan228; 07-03-2005 at 02:02 PM.
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