Russians furious over Olympic fix slur

[Buttercup]

For ID, there is no comparison from my point of view, Davis and White are living legends - the greatest ice dancers - amazing technicians and athletic juggernauts. V/M have a lot of diehard fans and I understand that they are the sweethearts of a nation that cares a lot more than we do about figure skating in general nowadays. However, they have never done anything for me and I find them sappy and manipulative when they perform. I also am really put off by Moir's personality. He is a d89k and that has nothing to do with his citizenship.

I find D/W the most overrated current ice dancers, and have gotten to the point where I rarely watch them skate, because I know their scoring will annoy me too much. So definitely not the greatest or living legends or any of that for me. I think they're very fast and do difficult things, but they do so in a way that I don't find aesthetically pleasing, so their programs are exactly the sum of their parts. I'm not overly invested in V/M, either, though I do find their skating more visually appealing and with a far stronger dance quality than D/W's. But their programs for the most part are a bore. There are lower-ranked teams whose programs are much more exciting than anything coming out of Canton. Both teams leave me cold and I look forward to the day they retire, even though it likely means technically weaker teams will reach the top of the podium.

So there - take or leave it. This has nothing to do with your nationality. If people tell me that our ladies are blah, that our men have no chance in hell, that our pairs suck and that only D/W are great - I will not take it as a sign of anti-Americanism. And, that is the funny part, I get so much crap for being American. No other 'nationals' are more vilified. They hate us in the Third World (with just reason) and they hate us in Europe and the commonwealths (kind of hypocritical) but oh well. I might be annoying when I chant USA USA USA but I do so with pride because I love my country not because I feel that yours sucks.

It's normally referred to as the developing world these days, or developing countries. I suspect one reason that people find the USA-USA chants off-putting is that 1. they're ubiquitous and 2. Americans are perceived as being disinterested in other countries - not thinking that they suck, just not caring/not aware. I look at the ESPN coverage and you'd never know there was anyone in Sochi except for Americans and Russians, so I understand how that happens. But as a fan from a small country, with few medal hopes at any Olympics and none in Sochi, it's not very endearing.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

"Poor Canada" is currently atop the medal count with 7 medals, now.

Oh man, and now we are even poorer with only 9 medals and a solid medal lead!

sky_fly, how ever are we going to cope with all these medals?

 

[sky_fly20]

Are you and sky_fly 20, one in the same? Lol .. Never say never...look at Tara Lipinsky...who ever thought that she would win over Kwan....

are you kidding me ?

Osmond hasn't competed throughout the GP
her clean sp was 63+

in her FS, she has no 3-3 and she flutzes ,
and she always falls once or twice in the FS too
has never scored above 115+

 

[katia]

The Olympics are supposed to bring peace and good sportsmanship. But in the US, it brings out the worst in people and meanness toward other countries and skaters. It seems that they haven't got a good word for Canada and their athletes.

I don't think it is US fans, I think it is some Russian and US fans. Some of people on this board are neither from US nor from Canada

 

[katia]

Oh man, and now we are even poorer with only 9 medals and a solid medal lead!

sky_fly, how ever are we going to cope with all these medals?

 

[Sk8n Mama]

As a Canadian who lives on the USA, I can definitely say that American patriotism can get "interesting" at times. Let's just leave it at that. That's not to say that individual Americans aren't wonderful people, nor that they mean to offend with their fervor for their country. I don't think the Canada slams had anything to do with Americans/American patriotism. I don't know why Canadians became the accused. I just read an article this morning where a Dartmouth professor has looked at skating results throughout the CoP and says that the numbers alone show collusion & cheating (American professor-not Canadian).

Yes, I found the Canada slams highly offensive. I used to come to Golden Skate more back around 2010 and people disagreed but I don't recall it getting personal, the way it is now. It's not okay to attack someone because they don't like your favorite skater, or their favorite is your favorite's nemesis. It ruins the whole feel of this group.

 

[millie]

are you kidding me ?

Osmond hasn't competed throughout the GP
her clean sp was 63+
in her FS, she has no 3-3 and she flutzes ,
and she always falls once or twice in the FS too
has never scored above 115+

Sky fly we are so proud of Kaetlyn....not like the Americans, we do not throw them under the bus like you guys did to Jeremy Abbott because he didn't skate the way you wanted him to skate. You don't take pride in each individual skater and take into consideration how they must feel when they hear and read the things their own country are saying. You will never know what the meaning of word "PRIDE". 9 medals already yeah.

 

[sky_fly20]

Sky fly we are so proud of Kaetlyn....not like the Americans, we do not throw them under the bus like you guys did to Jeremy Abbott because he didn't skate the way you wanted him to skate. You don't take pride in each individual skater and take into consideration how they must feel when they hear and read the things their own country are saying. You will never know what the meaning of word "PRIDE". 9 medals already yeah.

of course because the US has men to choose from from the current and for the future, they are slamming Abbott because he wasted a spot that should have been given to another while compared to Osmond who is Canada's only so called ladies hope for the future

 

[dress]

Why do people have to be so mean here?? Can we just talk about figure skating without ending up bashing countries, skaters or each others?

 

[Mrs. P]

As a Canadian who lives on the USA, I can definitely say that American patriotism can get "interesting" at times. Let's just leave it at that. That's not to say that individual Americans aren't wonderful people, nor that they mean to offend with their fervor for their country. I don't think the Canada slams had anything to do with Americans/American patriotism. I don't know why Canadians became the accused. I just read an article this morning where a Dartmouth professor has looked at skating results throughout the CoP and says that the numbers alone show collusion & cheating (American professor-not Canadian).

Yes, I found the Canada slams highly offensive. I used to come to Golden Skate more back around 2010 and people disagreed but I don't recall it getting personal, the way it is now. It's not okay to attack someone because they don't like your favorite skater, or their favorite is your favorite's nemesis. It ruins the whole feel of this group.

I hope you realize that the majority of posters on Golden Skate aren't as nasty and what you're seeing is just a select few LOUD people. Best to just use the ignore feature on that handful of people. It makes life more pleasant that way.

Again, most posters (including Americans) do not slam Canadians, I'd appreciate if if we (as I am American) weren't all lumped into the bad apples.

Sky fly we are so proud of Kaetlyn....not like the Americans, we do not throw them under the bus like you guys did to Jeremy Abbott because he didn't skate the way you wanted him to skate. You don't take pride in each individual skater and take into consideration how they must feel when they hear and read the things their own country are saying. You will never know what the meaning of word "PRIDE". 9 medals already yeah.

Again, not everybody slammed Jeremy either. I certainly did not. And definitely not the figure skating team either. Is it really necessary to slam Americans to make your point?

And Skyfly is Russian, so accusing Americans of not being prideful isn't really that effective.

Why do people have to be so mean here?? Can we just talk about figure skating without ending up bashing countries, skaters or each others?

:yes: :agree:

 

[Alvyne]

Yes, I found the Canada slams highly offensive. I used to come to Golden Skate more back around 2010 and people disagreed but I don't recall it getting personal, the way it is now. It's not okay to attack someone because they don't like your favorite skater, or their favorite is your favorite's nemesis. It ruins the whole feel of this group.

I agree that as a Canadian, the anti-canadian bias that has been going on on this site has made it less and less fun to come in here (even though I am mostly a lurker). Of course it's obvious that some posters are not to be taken seriously and are better put on ignore, but still...

 

[vegarin]

Another Canadian here. I think the odd anti-Canadian sentiment has been most exclusively seen by one particular poster (advice: ignore-list is your friend), or when it comes to Patrick. That's why I try to avoid both discussions, if possible.

 

[bellafurr]

IF K.O. can get a good year of training under her belt and moves up with bigger scores she will get slammed on this board. Shes not going to win medal this year but she is a very skater and should be able to challenge down the road.

 

[Plisskin]

As a Canadian who lives on the USA, I can definitely say that American patriotism can get "interesting" at times. Let's just leave it at that. That's not to say that individual Americans aren't wonderful people, nor that they mean to offend with their fervor for their country. I don't think the Canada slams had anything to do with Americans/American patriotism. I don't know why Canadians became the accused. I just read an article this morning where a Dartmouth professor has looked at skating results throughout the CoP and says that the numbers alone show collusion & cheating (American professor-not Canadian).

Yes, I found the Canada slams highly offensive. I used to come to Golden Skate more back around 2010 and people disagreed but I don't recall it getting personal, the way it is now. It's not okay to attack someone because they don't like your favorite skater, or their favorite is your favorite's nemesis. It ruins the whole feel of this group.

You don't like Canada being slammed, but in the beginning of your post you slammed Americans. Interesting.

 

[vegarin]

KO is already getting slammed. Which is too bad, because she is lovely and fun to watch. But Yuna at her top of her game gets regularly slammed for being too good, so maybe getting slammed is a good sign?

I just wish Canada had more than KO right now to bank on, though. Russia and the US have a few ladies contenders, and watching Yuna, being the only skater who can medal for her country is not a good thing. Well, at least it's not exactly the same -- she does have Patrick and Kevin and V/M to keep her company and get drug-tested together, supposedly randomly.

 

[sky_fly20]

KO is already getting slammed. Which is too bad, because she is lovely and fun to watch. But Yuna at her top of her game gets regularly slammed for being too good, so maybe getting slammed is a good sign?

I just wish Canada had more than KO right now to bank on, though. Russia and the US have a few ladies contenders, and watching Yuna, being the only skater who can medal for her country is not a good thing. Well, at least it's not exactly the same -- she does have Patrick and Kevin and V/M to keep her company and get drug-tested together, supposedly randomly.

she wasn't singled out nor her teammates
Julia also did the drug test as the rest of the team

 

[millie]

she wasn't singled out nor her teammates
Julia also did the drug test as the rest of the



Canadian figure skaters have received an unusually high number of random doping test during the past few days at Sochi Canadian team officials said including an order for Kaetlyn Osmond to submit to testing only hours before her competition. So the Olympics isn't about sport. It's about power, politics and prestige. Welcome to the Hunger Games folks. The athletes are merely fodder for the mill.

 

[Fruit Loops]

I have to admit that on these boards I'm usually afraid to admit I'm a Canadian who actually likes our Canadian skaters so I just lurk for the most part so I don't get accused of...I don't know....being personally responsible for Chan winning off of falls or his charming interviews or thinking Osmond will win all the golds. I also avoid any topics pitting one skater over another. The internet world will never know who I like better between Yuna and Mao, for instance...or who deserved that last Team USA spot. Those are going to the GRAVE with me.

But back on topic....I do think there is some fishy things going on in skating but that's because I think there is ALWAYS something fishy going on. This time it's the Russians. Whatever. Next time it will be someone else. And I don't blame the Russians for being upset over getting the finger pointed at them. No one wants to be the scapegoat when everyone else is doing it too. It's like getting a ticket for speeding when you were going with the flow of traffic.

Edited to clarify an awkward sentence

 

[Robeye]

Skating generally tries to maintain a facade of gentility in front of the public. People smile, and wave, and only yell and scream later, away from the cameras. This is particularly true of established figures in the sport such as senior officials, coaches, etc.

When you have a longtime insider like Frank Carroll break etiquette by publicly commenting on irregularities and excesses, and even pointing to specific instances (i.e. Julia's scores) while the competition is still ongoing, this to me is a sign that a backlash or push-back is probably already underway behind closed doors.

I would not be at all surprised if various federations are registering their strong displeasure to the ISU and IOC. We talk about the Russian politiking, but we seem to forget that there are other, powerful, interested parties, here.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Skating generally tries to maintain a facade of gentility in front of the public. People smile, and wave, and only yell and scream later, away from the cameras. This is particularly true of established figures in the sport such as senior officials, coaches, etc.

When you have a longtime insider like Frank Carroll break etiquette by publicly commenting on irregularities and excesses, and even pointing to specific instances (i.e. Julia's scores) while the competition is still ongoing, this to me is a sign that a backlash or push-back is probably already underway behind closed doors.

I would not be at all surprised if various federations are registering their strong displeasure to the ISU and IOC. We talk about the Russian politiking, but we seem to forget that there are other, powerful, interested parties, here.

What did Frank say?