Wow....U.S. Figure Skating launches "greatest ever" bracket

[lavender]

Not sure how I feel about this. I guess this just isn't my cup of tea anymore debating the greatest ever anymore since I know who I consider the greatest for me but I'm sure some will like to participate. Not sure if this was posted already.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100429&content_id=9669036&vkey=ice_pressrelease

 

[Mathman]

Irina Rodnina has a chance to meet heself in the semi-finals (Rodnina and Ulanov and Rodnina and Zeitsev.)

Poor Belbin and Agosto. They have to go up against Gordeeva and Grinkov in the first round.

I see Michelle Kwan and Yu-na Kim are both seeded fourth in their divisions.

Here's the nail-biter: Katarina Witt versus Janet Lynn in game 32.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think Russia is doing well with Figure Skating, The people there love it, and the USFS would never show a "greatest skater" unless the skater was American. It's the USFS that has seen its hay day in TV ratings, but they've fallen to the point of desperate actions to be taken. This is one of them. Now let's see if the media picks up on it.

 

[yunasashafan]

I wonder how easy to compare skaters from different disciplines? Maybe it would have been easier to have a bracket for each discipline and then match up the champions from each bracket in the "final four"?

 

[PROKOFIEV]

GOOOOSH! It really upsets me that the Icenetwork is comparing Michelle and Kim. Michelle is in totally totally different class. Her charisma, longevity, athletic attitude(she never complained about anything)and her diverse skating skill is not even comparable to Kim's.
What is wrong with those people?

 

[Mathman]

GOOOOSH! It really upsets me that the Icenetwork is comparing Michelle and Kim.

Kim and Kwan can't go up against each other until the semi-finals. Kim has the harder draw by far. To get to the semis she has to beat Krylova and Ovsyannikov, then Peggy Fleming, then Sonia Henie.

Michelle has an easier path. She has to beat Bourne and Kraatz, and then the winner of the Herma Szabo/David Jenning march before taking on the winner between Gordeeva and Grinkov and Kurt Browning in the quarter-finals.

 

[PROKOFIEV]

Thank you, Mathman. I mean no offense to Yuna. I still think Yuna is one of the greatest skaters, but I get personally involved when it comes to Michelle. She is the only skater who made me cry. And I will never forget that feeling. There is something about Michelle which I just can not compare to any other skaters.

 

[yunasashafan]

Don't worry PROKOFIEV, Yuna is my favorite skater, but I know what you mean about Michelle Even Yuna knows that

 

[Olympia]

What are they judging by, anyway? Popular vote? Nobody really remembers people like Sonja Henie, so few would vote for her, yet many think she was the most influential person in figure skating both because of her medal haul (3 Olympic golds, 10 world championships, rivaled only by Rodnina and maybe Gillis Grafstrom) and the fact that she put skating on the map with her movies and ice shows. So really, how can anyone figure this out? Narrowing it down to just one, ever, is more frustrating than anything else. Ten, maybe, but one? Grrrr.

Even I couldn't just pick Kwan, who's at the top of my ladies' list now and forever, probably. What would we do with Browning then, or Torvill and Dean?

I recuse myself. I couldn't even argue with other people's choices.

 

[Mathman]

[Michelle] is the only skater who made me cry....

Me. too.

What are they judging by, anyway? Popular vote?

I think you have to be on Facebook, then you can go to the USFSA facebook page and vote in the weekly poll. There are four head-to-head contests per week, with the winner of each moving on in the tournament, like the March Madness basketball tournament.

Looking at the brackets, I think the final four will be Yu-na, Michelle (beating Dick Button in the Elite Eight), Plushenko (inless Lysacek activates the Dancing with the Stars vote), and either Kristi or Scott Hamilton (they are matched against each other in the second round).

I think Golden Skate should organize a get-out-the-vote campaign for the oldies but goodies, like Willy Bockl. I would do it myself, except I don't know what "Facebook" is.

 

[princess9]

I think its a silly thing...apples and oranges. Michelle will obviously win any poll or whatever due to her longevity in the sport and all the medals. Lulu's Butterfly Lovers at the Nagano games did not make you Kwanophiles cry???

You must be heartless folk!

 

[miki88]

Me. too.



I think you have to be on Facebook, then you can go to the USFSA facebook page and vote in the weekly poll. There are four head-to-head contests per week, with the winner of each moving on in the tournament, like the March Madness basketball tournament.

Looking at the brackets, I think the final four will be Yu-na, Michelle (beating Dick Button in the Elite Eight), Plushenko (inless Lysacek activates the Dancing with the Stars vote), and either Kristi or Scott Hamilton (they are matched against each other in the second round).

I think Golden Skate should organize a get-out-the-vote campaign for the oldies but goodies, like Willy Bockl. I would do it myself, except I don't know what "Facebook" is.

Plushenko will beat out Yagudin? It's pretty easy to make a Facebook account. I'm all for Michelle for the win.

 

[janetfan]

I think its a silly thing...apples and oranges. Michelle will obviously win any poll or whatever due to her longevity in the sport and all the medals. Lulu's Butterfly Lovers at the Nagano games did not make you Kwanophiles cry???

You must be heartless folk!

Lulu got to me in Nagano - I just watched that clip again a few days ago and it still gets me a little.

She is one of my all-time favorites and the second most interesting skater I ever saw Live.

ETA: It was Tara who made the kwanatics cry in Nagano..

 

[Wrlmy]

Lulu got to me in Nagano - I just watched that clip again a few days ago and it still gets me a little.

She is one of my all-time favorites and the second most interesting skater I ever saw Live.

ETA: It was Tara who made the kwanatics cry in Nagano..

You had to say that didn't you

 

[Mathman]

ETA: It was Tara who made the kwanatics cry in Nagano..

Actually, after Tara finished her amazing LP, I muttered to myself, "oh, bleep!"

 

[janetfan]

Actually, after Tara finished her amazing LP, I muttered to myself, "oh, bleep!"

Imagine how Frank Carroll must have felt?

And again before SLC?

 

[oranges]

Are they really asking people to compare and pick between ice dancing, pairs and solo skaters?

 

[100yen]

Are they really asking people to compare and pick between ice dancing, pairs and solo skaters?

That's what it seems like to me :think:

Ahaha, well, I know they annoy the crud out of some people, but these USFSA gimmiks like this and Fantasy Skating amuse me to no end.
I think Kim might edge out Michelle just because thousands of people will probably create multiple facebook accounts just to vote for Yu-Na.

 

[lavender]

ETA: It was Tara who made the kwanatics cry in Nagano

Wow...hwell:

 

[janetfan]

You had to say that didn't you

I thought it was funny.........

but here is how I really feel about Michelle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVq_ZEVSfkY&feature=player_embedded#!

I love the parts with Frank and Michelle together - what memories