Why I Love Men's Figure Skating as it is Today

[Alex D]

I agree with a lot what was said in favor of 6.0, yet it was highly influenced by a skaters nationality, as we saw with so many results back then.

I also agree about mens skating these days being offen empty.

But i am happy for the OP that he or she enjoys it so much.

 

[viennaskater]

Hanyu is a skinny little weed. He also gasps and flops like a fish out of water at the end of his programs.

He does suffer from asthma, you know. And anyone who can skate like he does is hardly a 'weed'.

 

[Mathman]

I think Karne meant a "slender reed" rather than a "skinny weed."

 

[Li'Kitsu]

I find it offensive and racist to call Hanyu that. Machida looked tired as well after the FS in last two competitions. Their programs are technically challenging due to the quads etc. How do you think Jason, Dornbush, Farris will look like if today they skate the exact same program which Hanyu did last season?

Just don't worry about what karne said too much, she has it out for Hanyu somehow. I'd say his body type is perfect for his pinch-worthy cheeks

Oh, and for the main topic: I'm 26, only a fan of figure skating since the CoP and easily on the "excitement" side. Which doesn't mean I don't enjoy some of the "old" programs too, but I prefer the current competitions (as long as they are crash-free and not a total splat fest - worlds 2014 for example was pretty great :yes: )

 

[LRK]

Just don't worry about what karne said too much, she has it out for Hanyu somehow. I'd say his body type is perfect for his pinch-worthy cheeks

Oh, and for the main topic: I'm 26, only a fan of figure skating since the CoP and easily on the "excitement" side. Which doesn't mean I don't enjoy some of the "old" programs too, but I prefer the current competitions (as long as they are crash-free and not a total splat fest - worlds 2014 for example was pretty great :yes: )

That could be a factor too, I'd imagine - I mean, I love watching competitions. There would be a difference between watching a competition - or watching a selection of random videos. Not that one cannot find videos that one loves to watch out of competitive context, so to speak - but there won't be the suspense of the competition to them. Maybe that too would make a difference to those who never watched 6.0?

Note: I'm neither a 6.0 nor a CoP adherent as such. I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems - however, since CoP is the one actually in place, that is what one would concentrate on. I dislike many things that have already been mentioned - to that I would add "corridors" and "anchoring", which, to my mind, surely defeats the whole notion of fairness.

ETA - Oh, and I'm 43.

ETA - And, of course, my 6.0 contribution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf2vbCMLxy8

which is one that I discovered on Youtube much later, so I enjoyed independently of the competition itself.

 

[Krunchii]

That could be a factor too, I'd imagine - I mean, I love watching competitions. There would be a difference between watching a competition - or watching a selection of random videos. Not that one cannot find videos that one loves to watch out of competitive context, so to speak - but there won't be the suspense of the competition to them. Maybe that too would make a difference to those who never watched 6.0?

Note: I'm neither a 6.0 nor a CoP adherent as such. I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems - however, since CoP is the one actually in place, that is what one would concentrate on. I dislike many things that have already been mentioned - to that I would add "corridors" and "anchoring", which, to my mind, surely defeats the whole notion of fairness.

ETA - Oh, and I'm 43.

ETA - And, of course, my 6.0 contribution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf2vbCMLxy8

which is one that I discovered on Youtube much later, so I enjoyed independently of the competition itself.

I was about to post Nijinsky! My favourite Plushenko program, I'm young (turning 21) but I remember 6.0 as a child, that was easy to understand, took me a while to understand the CoP rules, CoP in theory I support, but it's not being used the way I want (eg Hanyu with 5 falls winning a silver medal), also getting the levels on spins and step sequences is something I'm meh about since sometimes just to get that skaters will contort themselves and it doesn't look very pretty but still get +GOEs, I like how skating has become more intricate but it's also becoming more cookie cutter

 

[mysticice]

Mens' dicipline has always been my favourite. I also like pairs. In a sport there has to be a sense of taking a risk. I don't mind falls. Of course I like clean programmes the most, but a skater will never have a difficult clean program unless he "practises" it in competitions and therefore falls occasionnally.

I like counting and calculating too. I love protocols. In singles and pairs it is easy enough to count the TES while a skater is skating and get to the right ballpark. PCS is more tricky, but I trust that the end result is a fair average of opinions.

The main thing is that everyone (skaters, judges, coaches, choreographers etc.) know the rules.

I never understood or trusted the 6.0 system. As I understood it, the judges had to give pacements to skaters before they even skated! I sill remember 2002 Olympic games and how Alexander Abt's LP's judges placements were between 2-10. I thought that was a joke! I loved both Yagudin's programmes and was happy he won, still do. But things change as they must. Now I prefer today's programs and system.

 

[LRK]

I was about to post Nijinsky! My favourite Plushenko program, I'm young (turning 21) but I remember 6.0 as a child, that was easy to understand, took me a while to understand the CoP rules, CoP in theory I support, but it's not being used the way I want (eg Hanyu with 5 falls winning a silver medal), also getting the levels on spins and step sequences is something I'm meh about since sometimes just to get that skaters will contort themselves and it doesn't look very pretty but still get +GOEs, I like how skating has become more intricate but it's also becoming more cookie cutter

I do think the choreographic stepsequence was a step in the right direction - perhaps at least one spin without levels could be an idea?

 

[silverfoxes]

Mens' dicipline has always been my favourite. I also like pairs. In a sport there has to be a sense of taking a risk. I don't mind falls. Of course I like clean programmes the most, but a skater will never have a difficult clean program unless he "practises" it in competitions and therefore falls occasionnally.

I like counting and calculating too. I love protocols. In singles and pairs it is easy enough to count the TES while a skater is skating and get to the right ballpark. PCS is more tricky, but I trust that the end result is a fair average of opinions.

The main thing is that everyone (skaters, judges, coaches, choreographers etc.) know the rules.

I never understood or trusted the 6.0 system. As I understood it, the judges had to give pacements to skaters before they even skated! I sill remember 2002 Olympic games and how Alexander Abt's LP's judges placements were between 2-10. I thought that was a joke! I loved both Yagudin's programmes and was happy he won, still do. But things change as they must. Now I prefer today's programs and system.

I agree with all of this. Well, hardly anyone is ever going to be 100% pleased with the judges' opinions, especially when it comes to their favorite skaters. But judging controversies were happening way before COP, and will forever be a part of the sport. Paul Wylie in Albertville comes to mind...check out the loud "boos" from the audience and the camera zooming right in on the Czech judge who lowballed him. I don't support anonymous judging, but I wonder how that would work today? Would they be the target of abuse on social media?

 

[LRK]

I agree with all of this. Well, hardly anyone is ever going to be 100% pleased with the judges' opinions, especially when it comes to their favorite skaters. But judging controversies were happening way before COP, and will forever be a part of the sport. Paul Wylie in Albertville comes to mind...check out the loud "boos" from the audience and the camera zooming right in on the Czech judge who lowballed him. I don't support anonymous judging, but I wonder how that would work today? Would they be the target of abuse on social media?

Of course they would.

 

[Meoima]

I don't support anonymous judging, but I wonder how that would work today? Would they be the target of abuse on social media?

Definitely!

 

[Sandpiper]

I agree with all of this. Well, hardly anyone is ever going to be 100% pleased with the judges' opinions, especially when it comes to their favorite skaters. But judging controversies were happening way before COP, and will forever be a part of the sport. Paul Wylie in Albertville comes to mind...check out the loud "boos" from the audience and the camera zooming right in on the Czech judge who lowballed him. I don't support anonymous judging, but I wonder how that would work today? Would they be the target of abuse on social media?

I think Paul Wylie would've done worse under COP. The performance was magical--I personally would've given him the win--but he did fewer triples and some of his jumps looked badly landed or UR.

That was the beauty of 6.0. The scores were easy to understand, and the judges easy to boo.

 

[Meoima]

I think Paul Wylie would've done worse under COP. The performance was magical--I personally would've given him the win--but he did fewer triples and some of his jumps looked badly landed or UR.
That was the beauty of 6.0. The scores were easy to understand, and the judges easy to boo.

my family used to boo the judges lol

 

[Krunchii]

I don't support anonymous judging, but I wonder how that would work today? Would they be the target of abuse on social media?

I would go abuse those who think that Maxim Kovtun has better SS than Han Yan!!! BOOOOOO!! But all joking aside, I worry about it too, sometimes I see opinions where most members of GS here will come to an agreement on but then on twitter I see people hurling abuse at skaters for beating one that they liked, social media these days makes it hard to compare stuff to the past, it's unpredictable

I do think the choreographic stepsequence was a step in the right direction - perhaps at least one spin without levels could be an idea?

Perhaps they could incorporate non-scored spins into the choreo sequence? I think this year they started allowing jumps with 2 or less rotations to be in the choreo sequence. But even then if we give skaters more freedom there's no guarantee their will actually use that freedom

 

[karne]

I find it offensive and racist to call Hanyu that. Machida looked tired as well after the FS in last two competitions. Their programs are technically challenging due to the quads etc. How do you think Jason, Dornbush, Farris will look like if today they skate the exact same program which Hanyu did last season?

Racist? No wonder there are so many problems in the world, when everything that is said is considered racist, even when it has absolutely nothing to do with the race of a person. For your information, I have called my very white brother that many times - and when he was Hanyu's age, he was so skinny and weedy as to make Hanyu look fat.

Farris has asthma too, you know. I've never seen him collapsing on the ice after a program. As to Jason, he has more transitions in his programs than Hanyu could ever dream of.

It may be harsh and offensive, but not racist.
Of Karnes examples, both Vornov and Menshov are quite slender.

I would not call them pencils. (Which I find more offensive a description than a "weed". At least weeds are alive, and grow, and move.) They are slender, but still muscular, still with shape.

He does suffer from asthma, you know. And anyone who can skate like he does is hardly a 'weed'.

Dude looks like a stiff wind will blow him over. And yes, yes, yes, I know he suffers from asthma, it's the excuse the Hanyu fans come out with every single time he falls - whether during the program or after it!

I think Karne meant a "slender reed" rather than a "skinny weed."

I believe that is the slang equivalent, yes.

 

[rugbyfan]

THis is my first post after years of lurking, but for some reason I wanted
to reply to this thread. I do hanker after the 6.0 era in some ways (but
part of that I am sure is hankering after particular skaters - Browning and Yagudin in particular). I first started watching skating in 1988 and loved the Battle of the Brians, but loved it
for two skaters absolutely skating their hearts out, not because I
particularly loved either skater's style so I am not sure that I can say they made me love 6.0 more than COP. What I do miss under COP is
footwork. For instance I was just rewatching Kurt Browning's 1993 short program from Skate Canada; it is not my favourite Kurt Browning competitive program, but as
an example of 6.0 footwork I still think it is great. There is no-one who can outdo
Browning on footwork, but many of the 6.0 era ones made it seem so
exciting.. Hamilton, Wylie, Yagudin to name a few. That said, one of my
favourite men's programs of all time is Jeff Buttle's 2008 one... but it is
quadless COP. Of the more recent programs only Chan has really thrilled me
(as well as really frustrated me)

 

[Mrs. P]

Welcome to Golden Skate, rugbyfan! Post long and post often!

 

[cheerknithanson]

I just love calculating the scores and see why the scores were given.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Mens' dicipline has always been my favourite. I also like pairs. In a sport there has to be a sense of taking a risk. I don't mind falls. Of course I like clean programmes the most, but a skater will never have a difficult clean program unless he "practises" it in competitions and therefore falls occasionnally.

I like counting and calculating too. I love protocols. In singles and pairs it is easy enough to count the TES while a skater is skating and get to the right ballpark. PCS is more tricky, but I trust that the end result is a fair average of opinions.

The main thing is that everyone (skaters, judges, coaches, choreographers etc.) know the rules.

I never understood or trusted the 6.0 system. As I understood it, the judges had to give pacements to skaters before they even skated! I sill remember 2002 Olympic games and how Alexander Abt's LP's judges placements were between 2-10. I thought that was a joke! I loved both Yagudin's programmes and was happy he won, still do. But things change as they must. Now I prefer today's programs and system.

I agree to what you said.