Yep!
I've noticed over the years that those single skaters whom excel in the presentation/artistry aspect have always been given more credit than their peers whom excel in the opposite direction ~ i.e. those whom are equally phenomenal, except in the technical/jumping department.
Consequently, the idea (light bulb goes on ) came to me while sitting outside w/my dogs (enjoying the last dying rays of the sun) while listening to disc four of Led Zeppelin's 4-compact disc set ~ aha, why don't I start an end-of-the-season thread over @ GoldenSkate solely dedicated to the aforementioned skaters! (;^)
Thus, the following is my list of phenomenal technical skaters - those whom make you hold your breath, heart beating double-time as they enter the arena (reminiscent of a warrior or gladiator come to life from medieval legend), adrenaline pumping, imagination on overdrive as his/her program is about to begin - all eyes/ears/senses on the ONE whom literally has the ability to blow the field away with his/her once-in-a-lifetime jumping prowess: ***Note: lovers of said skaters need post only; thank you!***
Midori Ito - the greatest of them all....hands down.....no other lady has come close to replicating what she did out on the ice. Yes, a few have officially landed the 3A, but with nowhere near her height & power on that awesome jump (let alone the other triples, the 3/3s, & spins). Japan was dead-on when they gave her the highest honor a country can, by choosing her to light the Olympic Cauldron @ the 1998 Olympics in Nagano ~ with "Madame Butterfly" playing eloquently in the background ~ as she stood there in all her ancient Japanese finery. Aaah, that image has been forever emblazoned into my memory (no lie)...
Kurt Browning - the first man to ever officially land a quad in competition, but he was so much more than that when it came to the jumps (and the spins & footwork as well)........truly a natural........stepped right up into the jumps, didn't commence rotating until he attained the height (rare btw; so many start rotating even before getting the jump off the ground), completed the rotation in the air, and then landed with finesse!
Elvis Stojko - aaahhh, what can you say about the King! Heart of a lion & the courage of a gladiator........never backed off the jumps........come injury, he** or high water, he did them & did he ever! He is, after all, the ONE whom started it all when it came to the quad - meaning one needed one in order to compete with him in his prime (no lie). BRAVO [two thumbs way up]!!!
Tonya Harding - say what you will, she was something else when she entered the arena & put her money where her mouth was ~ nobody could touch her when she was on ~ literally blew the field away (& not only in jumps, but spins as well). And boy did she have the ego to back it up (lol)! Not only that, but she literally had the competition watching & waiting & sometimes shaking in anticipation for her appearance - would she show up out of shape? (thus her competitors had a fighting chance if so) or would she show up cut???
Evgeny Plushenko - still competing as an eligible & going strong, baby! Nobody but nobody can touch this man when he's at his finest (even when he's not, lol).......only one presently skating today whom can consistently land quad after quad after quad......with finesse, I might add. Not only that, but he is also the only male that can do a Biellmann Spin. 'nuff said. (;^)
Miki Ando - just recently arrived on the Sr. international scene, but if Juniors is anything to go by, the Srs. better start watching their back......first lady to land a quad in competition at age 14 in 2002........and blasted her way into Srs. with her phenomenal debut @ 2004 Worlds, with an impressive 4th place finish (TWO 3/3 combos. to boot)!
***Note: can't wait till May 9th! That's when we'll finally be able to see the last competition of the season aired ~ wish it would hurry up (lol) ~ b/c I don't consider the season officially over until it is (no lie).***
In closing, just wanted to say that I appreciate artistic skaters as well (aka one of my all-time favorites, Oksana Baiul, is the best that ever lived in my eyes as concerns natural/innate artistry). However, it has been my observation over the decades that the athletic skaters whom excel in the jumping aspect, are not thought of in quite the same light and/or regard as the former type of skater (underdogs, so to speak). Thus, the reason for this thread. Btw, my ideal skater would be the ONE whom is a combo. of Midori Ito & Oksana Baiul ~ haven't found her yet, but she will come one day yet, be it tomorrow/next year/in a hundred years/but she will be born (one day)...
Peace & Loving Life (can never get enough of those gorgeous sunsets nor Led Zeppelin, aaaahhh), Nadine ^D
"The phoenix, originating in the mythology of ancient Egypt, is a universal symbol of rebirth and the most famous of all fabulous birds. Clad in feathers of red & gold....the color of the rising sun....it had a melodious voice that became mournful with approaching death. Other creatures were then so overcome by its beauty & sadness that they themselves fell dead. According to legend, only one phoenix could live at a time."
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1082335867281_phoenixprincess.jpg
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1080120506026_phnxring.jpg
MODIFIED TO ADD: Miki Ando (aka the girl/woman with the "golden blades") - love the fact that she wears these.......a glimpse into her psyche, one might say ........looking forward with anticipation & apprehension to see if she can back it up. For now, I just appreciate the fact that she has chosen to make such a bold statement via her blades, especially given her youth/young age. Not only that, she disproves the myth that most Asian women are meek, mild, et al. Also evidenced in her choice of music for her Exhibition (aka "Carmen"). ^)
I've noticed over the years that those single skaters whom excel in the presentation/artistry aspect have always been given more credit than their peers whom excel in the opposite direction ~ i.e. those whom are equally phenomenal, except in the technical/jumping department.
Consequently, the idea (light bulb goes on ) came to me while sitting outside w/my dogs (enjoying the last dying rays of the sun) while listening to disc four of Led Zeppelin's 4-compact disc set ~ aha, why don't I start an end-of-the-season thread over @ GoldenSkate solely dedicated to the aforementioned skaters! (;^)
Thus, the following is my list of phenomenal technical skaters - those whom make you hold your breath, heart beating double-time as they enter the arena (reminiscent of a warrior or gladiator come to life from medieval legend), adrenaline pumping, imagination on overdrive as his/her program is about to begin - all eyes/ears/senses on the ONE whom literally has the ability to blow the field away with his/her once-in-a-lifetime jumping prowess: ***Note: lovers of said skaters need post only; thank you!***
Midori Ito - the greatest of them all....hands down.....no other lady has come close to replicating what she did out on the ice. Yes, a few have officially landed the 3A, but with nowhere near her height & power on that awesome jump (let alone the other triples, the 3/3s, & spins). Japan was dead-on when they gave her the highest honor a country can, by choosing her to light the Olympic Cauldron @ the 1998 Olympics in Nagano ~ with "Madame Butterfly" playing eloquently in the background ~ as she stood there in all her ancient Japanese finery. Aaah, that image has been forever emblazoned into my memory (no lie)...
Kurt Browning - the first man to ever officially land a quad in competition, but he was so much more than that when it came to the jumps (and the spins & footwork as well)........truly a natural........stepped right up into the jumps, didn't commence rotating until he attained the height (rare btw; so many start rotating even before getting the jump off the ground), completed the rotation in the air, and then landed with finesse!
Elvis Stojko - aaahhh, what can you say about the King! Heart of a lion & the courage of a gladiator........never backed off the jumps........come injury, he** or high water, he did them & did he ever! He is, after all, the ONE whom started it all when it came to the quad - meaning one needed one in order to compete with him in his prime (no lie). BRAVO [two thumbs way up]!!!
Tonya Harding - say what you will, she was something else when she entered the arena & put her money where her mouth was ~ nobody could touch her when she was on ~ literally blew the field away (& not only in jumps, but spins as well). And boy did she have the ego to back it up (lol)! Not only that, but she literally had the competition watching & waiting & sometimes shaking in anticipation for her appearance - would she show up out of shape? (thus her competitors had a fighting chance if so) or would she show up cut???
Evgeny Plushenko - still competing as an eligible & going strong, baby! Nobody but nobody can touch this man when he's at his finest (even when he's not, lol).......only one presently skating today whom can consistently land quad after quad after quad......with finesse, I might add. Not only that, but he is also the only male that can do a Biellmann Spin. 'nuff said. (;^)
Miki Ando - just recently arrived on the Sr. international scene, but if Juniors is anything to go by, the Srs. better start watching their back......first lady to land a quad in competition at age 14 in 2002........and blasted her way into Srs. with her phenomenal debut @ 2004 Worlds, with an impressive 4th place finish (TWO 3/3 combos. to boot)!
***Note: can't wait till May 9th! That's when we'll finally be able to see the last competition of the season aired ~ wish it would hurry up (lol) ~ b/c I don't consider the season officially over until it is (no lie).***
In closing, just wanted to say that I appreciate artistic skaters as well (aka one of my all-time favorites, Oksana Baiul, is the best that ever lived in my eyes as concerns natural/innate artistry). However, it has been my observation over the decades that the athletic skaters whom excel in the jumping aspect, are not thought of in quite the same light and/or regard as the former type of skater (underdogs, so to speak). Thus, the reason for this thread. Btw, my ideal skater would be the ONE whom is a combo. of Midori Ito & Oksana Baiul ~ haven't found her yet, but she will come one day yet, be it tomorrow/next year/in a hundred years/but she will be born (one day)...
Peace & Loving Life (can never get enough of those gorgeous sunsets nor Led Zeppelin, aaaahhh), Nadine ^D
"The phoenix, originating in the mythology of ancient Egypt, is a universal symbol of rebirth and the most famous of all fabulous birds. Clad in feathers of red & gold....the color of the rising sun....it had a melodious voice that became mournful with approaching death. Other creatures were then so overcome by its beauty & sadness that they themselves fell dead. According to legend, only one phoenix could live at a time."
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1082335867281_phoenixprincess.jpg
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1080120506026_phnxring.jpg
MODIFIED TO ADD: Miki Ando (aka the girl/woman with the "golden blades") - love the fact that she wears these.......a glimpse into her psyche, one might say ........looking forward with anticipation & apprehension to see if she can back it up. For now, I just appreciate the fact that she has chosen to make such a bold statement via her blades, especially given her youth/young age. Not only that, she disproves the myth that most Asian women are meek, mild, et al. Also evidenced in her choice of music for her Exhibition (aka "Carmen"). ^)
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