Christine Brennan Sounds Off Again!
- Thread starter chopinskate
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2016
That would be nice. But interest in figure skating has fallen so low that no newspaper would ever hire someone to cover it.
No helping it then. Look to oustide journalists for your figure skating fix.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Brennan's first book on figure skating, Inside Edge, was named by Sports Illustrated as one if the top 100 books ever written about sports. (Her second book, The Edge of Glory, is even better, IMHO.) She was the founding president of the Association of Women in Sports Media and a pioneer for opportunities for women in journalism.
She liked Medvedeva's performances better than Zagitova's. Is that a crime? So did Johnny Weir.
Brennan is not a big fan of the whole CoP scoring thing, but that's a whole 'nother topic. (I mean," that's another topic altogether.")
She liked Medvedeva's performances better than Zagitova's. Is that a crime? So did Johnny Weir.
Brennan is not a big fan of the whole CoP scoring thing, but that's a whole 'nother topic. (I mean," that's another topic altogether.")
That would be nice. But interest in figure skating has fallen so low that no newspaper would ever hire someone to cover it.
Well, maybe some reputable journalist should step up and do some charity work then.
I dunno—she always seems plenty critical to me.
Many years ago, someone made a comment about Brennan that I think really summed her up. This is what the person said: "The problem with Brennan isn't that she's a bad journalist—it's that she's a half-good one."
Go look at some skates from the 90's if you want to see a jumping game. I was just looking at Urmanov '94 - an Olympic gold winner - and there's nothing good but jumps. Minimal footwork, slow and short spins (I was actually wondering if he was getting the required # of revolutions) and not even much choreography when he's actually skating. I know that was one of the controversial decisions and Stojko's program seems better to me now, with a decent footwork sequence and better spins, but even his non-jump elements are still quite weak compared to what we see today.
It's true that competitions are decided mostly by jump difficulty and quality, but that is mostly because everybody does similarly great on all the other elements.
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2018
My favourite was Satoko and I was prepared to roast Kaetlyn based on past performances of her Black Swan, but then she went out and put 2 great programs, so I could accept the fact that she was my bronze medalist. Her jumps were simply on point and more powerful that day.
As for Alina, I thought she was slightly off sync with the music and more concentrated on making the jumps. I've seen her put out better performances of Don Quixote and I wish people what had seen those instead. No matter what, artistry will always be subjective and some people will always see it as merely a backloaded program. I remember lurking on GS before joining and everyone was hating on Zhenya's expressive O-faces and over the top miming, so of course Alina is going to look more stiff in comparison. I would never apply the word artistry on them though because they're missing the fluidity that Maria and some of the Japanese girls have.
Also I love Zhenya, but that flutz should have been called. The judges let her get away with it for far too long and it doesn't seem like she's aware of it from the interviews. It's difficult to argue that she's the "complete package" and should be the OGM if her tech wasn't there.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2014
So the reason is haters?
DI think the reason is that they dominate with a huge margin and "unbeatable" status, even though they are not completely polished; with unnecessarily inflated GOEs and PCS.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
Aw...I liked the "Brennan lets it rip" title so much better
Is that not an American expression, do you know? Or is it because it can be associated with... something else?
Exactly. Zagitova just plays the same game, and she plays better.
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2016
I don't know if this has been discussed already but there's been a whole back and forth going on between Christine and the Russian media.
https://www.rt.com/sport/419461-usa-today-journalist-brennan/
https://www.rt.com/sport/419461-usa-today-journalist-brennan/
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
Zagitova practically only won by having a higher BV. Lower GOE total than Med, and of course lower PCS. So really, there is no article, because the judges are saying that "Medvedeva is a better artist and technician, but pity she can't do a 3Lz-3Lo".
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
Brennan's article is nonsense, for all the reasons said here. But she's especially trying to create a narrative of Med=Michelle i.e. the more artistic skater, and Zag=Tara i.e. the more technical one, but this is false, according to the judges. She "gamed the system", and yet the judges still preferred Med. Where's the story?
That final difference is less than that of a 3Lz-3Lo (not even bacloaded!) to a 3F-3T, BTW, and guess who does which? Even if Zag hadn't backloaded and was "comparable" "artistically", she would've won with the better combo.
What I'm saying here is that: In the SP, both backload. So the better combo and solo jump won. (created a difference of 1.3)
In the LP, Zagitova beat Med on TES by 2.5 points -- that's around the difference of doing a non-bacloaded 3Lz-3Lo instead of 3F-3T (1.5), and a non-backloaded 3Lz instead of 3Lo (though they both backload those).
There's no story here. Even ignoring the shoddy basis, there's nothing here.
She could "sound off" about PCS rising, but she can't do it without considering at least Med's own.
Anyway, none of their programs need (or deserve) further analysis, IMO. Funny how terrible journalism makes you do these things.
That final difference is less than that of a 3Lz-3Lo (not even bacloaded!) to a 3F-3T, BTW, and guess who does which? Even if Zag hadn't backloaded and was "comparable" "artistically", she would've won with the better combo.
What I'm saying here is that: In the SP, both backload. So the better combo and solo jump won. (created a difference of 1.3)
In the LP, Zagitova beat Med on TES by 2.5 points -- that's around the difference of doing a non-bacloaded 3Lz-3Lo instead of 3F-3T (1.5), and a non-backloaded 3Lz instead of 3Lo (though they both backload those).
There's no story here. Even ignoring the shoddy basis, there's nothing here.
She could "sound off" about PCS rising, but she can't do it without considering at least Med's own.
Anyway, none of their programs need (or deserve) further analysis, IMO. Funny how terrible journalism makes you do these things.
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2014
“Med” and “Zag?”
This Brennan person is so annoying.
ETA: sorry chopinskate, I just realized you used the same nicknames in your post
When you write it it’s not as annoying
The entire concept of attacking a 15 year old girl is plain wrong. Alina skated what she was given. I find it very hard to believe Brennan hasn't heard of Eteri and seen her results prior to this Olympic free skate.
Write your article about the coach, not two teenagers who barely get any say in this.
Write your article about the coach, not two teenagers who barely get any say in this.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
“Med” and “Zag?”
This Brennan person is so annoying.
ETA: sorry chopinskate, I just realized you used the same nicknames in your post
When you write it it’s not as annoying
I'm not a journalist by profession either.
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2014
I'm not a journalist by profession either.
Exactly. :agree2:
