Brian Boitano a coach or a lobbyist?

[justaskatingfan]

TV ratings slip as figure skating loses its edge (Updated 1/23/2008 11:41 PM)

"I think having all these teenagers dominating women's skating is an issue," said Brian Boitano, the 1988 Olympic men's gold medalist. "Women who still are a majority of our demographic like to see other women competing for the top honors: Katarina Witt, Debi Thomas, Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan. They relate to them better. They appreciate them. They don't relate to the way the little girls skate. You don't get the same depth of skating with a teenager."

In Competition Full of New Faces, Czisny Takes First in Short Program (Published: January 22, 2009)

But the former Olympic champion Brian Boitano, one of Czisny’s coaches, watched her skate Thursday, knowing this time would come for her. Czisny is one of the oldest skaters competing here, but he knew that it was not too late for her to peak.

“I thought she was a gorgeous skater and had so much potential,” he said. “It made me angry to see that she couldn’t pull it out.”

He said Czisny is exactly what skating needs: a mature young woman, not a prepubescent girl not yet familiar with the ups and downs of life.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I read two things here:

1. The American public has been brought up on little girls winning medals,imo, whether it is Spelling Bees, Pageants, or Figure Skating and the expectation in figure skating centers around who is the best 'lady' skater at the young age. The media loves to play up the 'little girl' aspect of the sport, Nothing, imo, can be done about changing that.

The media is not interested in little boys into Senior Men until an Olympic competition. I can understand Boitano, here, and Yagudin claiming he should be the last to skate on the COI program. Boys/Men are Natural Born Competitors. They shouldn't need the glamor when they have the glory.

2. Boitano does seem to be lobbying the older gals and especially with Alissa. I'm not against that.

 

[champs]

No wonder he was falling asleep in the arena.

 

[bekalc]

I find this so annoying, adult Czisny was in the lead, it was in all the papers and nobody wanted to watch. Michelle was a teeny bobber at one time, and people watched and liked her. The Olympic medalists were all in their 20's four years ago, people didn't start watching figure skating more because of this.

Kim Yu-na and Mao Asada have been teenagers for the last four years, and people have watched them because they are STARS. That's the problem, not the age. Americans aren't necessarily going to want to watch Alissa win nationals with 3 triples either.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I find this so annoying, adult Czisny was in the lead, it was in all the papers and nobody wanted to watch. Michelle was a teeny bobber at one time, and people watched and liked her. The Olympic medalists were all in their 20's four years ago, people didn't start watching figure skating more because of this

And then came the scandal..

Kim Yu-na and Mao Asada have been teenagers for the last four years, and people have watched them because they are STARS. That's the problem, not the age. Americans aren't necessarily going to want to watch Alissa win nationals with 3 triples either.

We could put an age cap on the entrants to be no more than 15 years old. All the old ladies could then organize a has-been competition.

 

[gsrossano]

Sonja Henie was 9 when she won her first Norwegian Championship. She was not yet 12 at her first Winter Olympics. She was not yet 16 when she won her first Gold.

The "little girls" have been a part of skating since the begining. I have no idea if this is a good or a bad thing.

 

[casken]

I read two things here:

Boys/Men are Natural Born Competitors.

 

[Eurofan]

Sonja Henie was 9 when she won her first Norwegian Championship. She was not yet 12 at her first Winter Olympics. She was not yet 16 when she won her first Gold.

The "little girls" have been a part of skating since the begining. I have no idea if this is a good or a bad thing.

Cecilia Colledge (GBR) was another such prodigy - she was only 11 when she went to her first Olympics.

There's a whole slew of ladies who won their first world title while they were still in their teens. It would be less time-consuming to list the ones who were 20 or older. I think there are only a dozen or so.

 

[Ladskater]

Interesting, Brian Boitano competed in his teens as well and did not really improve choreographically/artistically speaking until the 88 Olympics when he and Brian Orser were rivals. Sandra Bezic took him under her wing so to speak and well we know the rest of the story...

 

[bekalc]

Interesting, Brian Boitano competed in his teens as well and did not really improve choreographically/artistically speaking until the 88 Olympics when he and Brian Orser were rivals. Sandra Bezic took him under her wing so to speak and well we know the rest of the story...

I wonder if Flatt might be a lot like Brian B. :lol: Brian's whole consistent rampage about little girl jumping beans kind of makes me angry. I don't think they are the problem so to speak...I think right now the reason US skating lacks is because we don't have a STAR.

 

[Eurofan]

I wonder if Flatt might be a lot like Brian B. :lol: Brian's whole consistent rampage about little girl jumping beans kind of makes me angry. I don't think they are the problem so to speak...I think right now the reason US skating lacks is because we don't have a STAR.

Michelle Kwan spoiled us.

 

[bekalc]

Michelle Kwan spoiled us.

Michelle started out as a teenage jumping bean.

 

[Mathman]

Michelle Kwan spoiled us.

So true. Carol Heiss won five word championships in the 1950s. We had to wait 50 years before another such star came along.

 

[Eurofan]

Michelle started out as a teenage jumping bean.

True, but unlike, say, Tara Lipinski, she was more than just a teenaged jumping bean when she won her first world title.

 

[Mathman]

Sandra Bezic took him under her wing so to speak and well we know the rest of the story...

Just curious, LAD. Do you consider Besik a traitor for helping Boitano beat Orser?

 

[Mathman]

...Yagudin claiming he should be the last to skate on the COI program...

Silly boy. Michelle closes COI.

Why? The same reason Sasha closes SOI. That's just the way it is.

 

[tarotx]

Ilia Kulik closes SOI.

Michelle's grace, maturity and sweetheartness capture the American public. Her finishes helped but it was her personality more then her skating that captured us and then she grew up to be a champion many times over. I think the young ones have that potential. I think in a way Michelle winning as much as she did is one of the reasons skating is in a decline right now. I mean that only in the way that many skating fans expect all the skaters to be Michelle instead of enjoying the good things of the current skaters. I know I miss Michelle and Sasha and I see how the current skaters or not like these two instead of looking for the good in the current US ladies. I can't help it even though I try.

 

[Mathman]

Ilia Kulik closes SOI.

What?!

But Sasha is Sasha!

Are you telling me Sasha signed up for SOI just to play second fiddle to Ilia?

edited to add: I will have to check this out for myself when they come to Dettoit on March 7th. Should I spring for the highest priced tickets, the $824 luxury box?

 

[Tonichelle]

Just curious, LAD. Do you consider Besik a traitor for helping Boitano beat Orser?

Sandy also choreographed for Kristi and Tara too!

 

[Tigger]

If Sandra's a traitor for choreographing for US Skaters, then so am I for cheering for US, Japanese, Chinese and Russian/Soviet skaters along w/my Canadian skaters.

I seriously was called that twice over the years. Once for saying I loved Kilmova and Pomamarenko and G&G and the other time was when I said I wasn't a fan of Elvis Stokjo during his Championship years.

Just when you think you've heard it all, someone raises the bar for stupid behaviour.