- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
Yep, that's why Elvis has always been admired by me!
That nobody could argue about. Enjoy your fandom!
Elvis - he who has only the masculine side to be in touch with.
Yep, that's why Elvis has always been admired by me!
No please. Elvis accomplished what he accomplished in his time. But skating has moved on to so much more than just big jumps. The emphasis changes like the pendulum's swings but the all round skaters have always been the greatest and most admired in any era.
You know, saying that figure skating has "moved on to so much more than just big jumps" isn´t really the truth in two ways: 1 - hundreds of skater BEFORE Elvis time were great artists (and you can find some of the best artists in Canada like Toller Cranston and Brian Orser, and even Elvis predecessor, Kurt Browning) so at least you had to say that FS has returned "to much more than just big jumps" 2 - Also many of these great artits of the past (if not to mention almost EVERY skater previous to the Quad Era) were always pursuiting more dificult jumps, many of them relly pushing the envelope, guys like Scott Hamilton, Orser, Boitano, Kurt, Petrenko. These guys always been wonderful artists and fierce athletes, combining the two strongest aspects of FS.
So my point is, the development of dificult jumps is not only a caprice of some skaters, it is one of FS essential elements. They bring adrenaline and excitement to amateur FS competitions. If you privileges the artitstic aspect of figure skating watch more Pro Championships, in which jumps are less important than presentation.
IMHO amateur FS, before anything else, a sport, and then is an art. If we valorize more presentation insted of athleticism how will should change the name of FS to Dance on Ice, and the Championships to Contests.
Well, I agree with Skatefiguring and not you. That is because the current system is rewarding within the technical aspect of the skating things like spins and footwork wimilarly like they always did the jumps. Those are still technical elements which in Elvis era were unrewarded. That was wrong imo.
And let's not talk about "dance on ice", because ice dancing is actually very difficult to master, many of the casual skating fans do not understand it and consider it boring. the way you are expressing yourself, you might be one of them.
So, yes, skating has moved on in the right direction. Today you have to do a lot more well than just skate from one jump to another and nail them, and throw in a few spins and just do them without worrying about how you do them.
It's no use comparing athletes of different eras, especially as time goes by and the standard gap grows. The great ones are recognized as great by the standard of their times and that should be respected. Put a talent like Patrick Chan in the 50's for example, he would likely be one of the great skaters of the time but he couldn't possibly be doing what today's Patrick Chan is doing. Put the great ones from earlier times in today's field, they would likely be today's greats and leading the field in SS and jumps.
There were great programs from the so called Boom Years just as there were from before that because there have always been, and will always be, great performers who touch you regardless of their skills. They know how to sell their programs. Yag's great toe pick footwork for example, thoroughly amazing and enjoyable as he really sold it, but it would be level 1 in today's competitons. There will always be great entertainers in figure skating but as a sport, it gets pushed like all sports are.
It's also pointless comparing today's Chan with yesterday's Plush or Yag because Chan is still in progress, for himself and as part of the new wave of the sport. He too is being pushed by his peers as well as younger ones even as of his age and as a work in progress.
It's still Boom Time for figure skating, just not in the U.S.
What about Lu Chen? There were some programs of hers with very questionable skills, such as spinning. But the beauty and emotions she brought into her skating? Unparalleled. She brought tears to my eyes and many others', even to this day.
Another female skater I miss is Oksana B. As beautiful and technically superior today's top Ladies are, I don't find any as memorable as Lulu and Oksana.
For Men, there was, and is, Kurt Browning, still finding ways to challenge himself these days. What a showman, with the greatest, and still hard to match, technical skills of his time to boot.
Yup. Talk about selling programs. Even competitive ones.
I don't think jumping is what makes the best loved programs. There have always been many fans who find stalk and jump programs really boring and they long for good skating and interesting choreography. All round skaters are the most enjoyed, admired, and remembered ones.
Off topic, but Nadine your custom titled creeps me out a little Nothing wrong with it, but it is first time i noticed it and realized the 2/ 3 of your immortals are long dead and somehow ... it just clicked me wrong
So as a new fan I belonged in the quad era? it sounds cool¸ i was never part of an era!
Canadian men sp is tomorrow?
Well Kevin Reynolds crumbled in the SP, something Elvis Stojko would never do. And as a fan I'm starting to realize that watching Kevin over the next millenium, et al, is going to be like watching Sasha (btw I feeeel for you Sasha Cohen fans). When he's on he's simply magnificent, but when he's off he's totally off and bombs 210%!
Thank God there is Zhenya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED and then some....