How to hack COP for the Olympics season

[Jammers]

I will never understand how people could bash Sotnikova. It's not like she was a flash in the Pan. Sarah Hughes had zero national titles and 1 world medal, a bronze. I don't hear people bashing her.

Sarah also had to face Michelle and Sasha every year at Nationals while Sotnikova won her early Russian titles against terrible competition. Even Michelle was good as she was didn't win her first US title at 12 like Adelina did which should tell you about the Russian ladies back then.

 

[YesWay]

Kim was and is blessed with the most passionate fan base in the history of skating.

"Passionate"? That's a very... diplomatic... way to put it...

I think this one's a double whammy Sotnikova and Medvedeva bashing thread, which of course is apparently perfectly okay since they're Evil Russians.

Yes, clearly intended as a Medvedeva-bashing thread.
But OP also - as usual - wants to dredge up Sochi too.
I thought there were forum rules about relentlessly and repetitively doing such things?

 

[mrrice]

Sarah also had to face Michelle and Sasha every year at Nationals while Sotnikova won her early Russian titles against terrible competition. Even Michelle was good as she was didn't win her first US title at 12 like Adelina did which should tell you about the Russian ladies back then.

True....Don't forget about Angela Nikodinov, she was actually ahead of Sarah in the SP at Worlds in 2001 and if she hadn't fallen in the LP, I think she would have finished 3rd. I believe Sarah was in fourth following the SP.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Off season crazy thread, you know how it goes.... or not so crazy!!!?

Here's a list of recommendations for the non-European federations and skaters to ride the PCS wave that is the current COP inflation machine. To jostle, hustle, and muscle making lemonade out of COP - complete with full set of artificial colourings, flavourings, and preservatives to boost the sweet taste of PCS bubbles like a European pro.

Feel free to add your own.


1. Program Choice: Pick a European war horse

Something with obvious built in emotions, respectability, and steady and easy rhythm that is giving even when you make mistakes. One that can do all the emotion for you.

e.g Carmen, Romeo & Juliet, Ave Maria, or Swan lake, or something Russian ballet related at the Olympics just can't go wrong.


2. Theme choice: Pick some historically tragic, bigger than life

Full on emotional blackmail exploitation - tears and grand gestures. Don't worry about being offensive, think of the colourful posters! Tackiness or sensationalism has been the golden way to boost your PCS. Judges can be extremely thick skinned among 'other' things.


3. Backloading your jumps with 100% enthusiasm

THREE jump passes after half way point in the short program.
SEVEN jump passes after halfway point in the long.

21% Min. PCS inflation guaranteed

Don't be afraid to be shamelessly milking it like a Russian. No need to go for a big 3lz3t, just focus on getting everything landed with no UR. No need to put in effort on things like height, distance or speed, because it simply doesn't count that much these days. Attacking your programs with speed, ice coverage and balanced choreography is extremely overrated and worthless. Focus on endurance and epic jump drills.


4. Practice your Tanos/Rippons, and helicopter arms

Make sure you can do these with all your jumps, just in case you need them. And just in case of ISU decide they would not be changing the rule before the Olympics after all, and somebody was just passing out false information to ensure people wouldn't bother with practising.

If you can provide a more aesthetic helicopter arms than the reigning world champion, with original movements, like do the victory signs, do the Trumpian 2 thumbs up while you jump, you may get a higher chance of greater GOEs. More than enough to make up any missing difficult 3/3 combos.


5. Cook up an easily digestible dish for the judges

Spoon feed judges with invisible props:
skipping ropes, pulling ropes (anything with ropes), briefcases, phones has been proven to be extremely effective. Don't be afraid to bring out the shimmi, blew kisses, the hoodwink flirtation at the judges, saturday night fever, shoot an arrow that injuries your heart, and ofcourse the dying dramatically on the ice at the end with tears in your eye. Consider doing the hokie pokie, the sprinkler, the macarena, the hammer time, YMCA, the lawn mower, the chicken dance. Bring about your spirit fingers, doing the robot, kungfu fighting chopping hands, Elvis legs, Gangnam style horse riding skills may give those extra PCS points with a little help from the lively audience, and hopefully, add tons of transition GOEs.


6. Make sure you lead at nationals

Get your house politics in order. Beg, bribe, kiss, grovel if you have to (or get your coach to do it.) You must have your federations on your side. That is half of the battle.


7. 4Cs: Clear, Clean, Consistent and Comfortable

Not giving judges any excuse to mark you down, no pesky little ! e < makes their job easier, they will appreciate it and reward you PCS for it. Hide your unclear edges, UR at the far corner, away from the judges and intrusive camera lenses.


8. Control the Technical Panel

It is probably too late for most federation to do this, since Russia already controls this from the days1, but try anyway. Control the gate keeper, you control the levels, the edge calls and UR.


9. Anytime Shin Amano is being 'offered' to your home GP series

Protest like Trumpian crazy. Cry foul, loud and proud. Make threat to withdraw ISU funding and commercial endorsements. Threaten to build a wall and lock him up.
(Or negotiate to accept on the condition that ISU must also place him to judge at Cup of Russia, Russia nationals AND the European Championships too. And of course, in the meantime, also make him your best friend. (see point 10)


10. Be very weary of European majority judge panels

Or at least try to have a couple of 100% non - European judge panels at major competitions to offset any the slant, bias, momentum building, while invite the best European skater to participate.

Make friends with other federation judges panels, even your formal enemies. You know... nothing too 'illegal', a few gifts and there, wine and dine, 1st class flight, 1st class lounges, karaoke parties open bar, the stuff Japan Federations are probably familiar with already. Talk about how great your skaters are, has improved, relatively undermarked. Talk about how important good choreographic programs are, and backloading and miming are destroying the art and soul of figure skating.


11. Ensure you manage to instil your own/friendly federation judges

ON the actual real Olympic panel PLUS including your friendly federation judges, one that preferably lasts until the FS. While making sure those who disadvantages you like the European judges (except Great Britain and Germany) do not get to judge at the final panel.


12. Three words: Learn from Sochi.

Make sure only the 'anointed' federation judge get to 'judge' your #1 'anointed' skater at every single one of their competition throughout the entire season, to artificialize momentum boosting as well as influence other judges of the same competition. Learn from Sotnikova / Alla Shekhovtseva partnership and how it boost their PCS score over the course of a season. Make sure your 'anointed' skater should only participate in friendly competitions, preferably with the greatest home advantages, and assign them to shadow reigning leading contenders to apply psychological warfare while working on their death stare

13. Land all your jumps consistently with difficult transitions in and out of them, and bank on the fact that your opponents are not even close to as consistent a competitor as you are.

 

[OS]

Yes, clearly intended as a Medvedeva-bashing thread.
But OP also - as usual - wants to dredge up Sochi too.
I thought there were forum rules about relentlessly and repetitively doing such things?

It must be hard for you. To come to a sport forum, and unable to deal with discussions about upcoming Olympic games or appreciate people simply has a different view.

The path of the righteous fan is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of greedy federation men! Blessed are the fans, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for they are truly sports keeper and the finder of outrageous inflations. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my sport. And you will know my name is the keyboard when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Sarah also had to face Michelle and Sasha every year at Nationals while Sotnikova won her early Russian titles against terrible competition. Even Michelle was good as she was didn't win her first US title at 12 like Adelina did which should tell you about the Russian ladies back then.

Certainly Russia didn't have the same depth, but Adelina won her titles over Leonova the years she went on to finish 4th and 2nd at Worlds and over Yulia when she won Jr Worlds and WSM. I'd say the depth most years when Adelina won exceeded the depth at US Nationals the same years, as we never had world medalists during that period.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

The shade is real.

Shade is smart, subtle and scathing. That's just silly, overt and bitter.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

And, ooh another thread intended to bash a skater and then when the poster is called out, they play victim and say that they're being attacked for merely trying to have a "friendly innocuous discussion". :sarcasm:

Jules from pulp fiction would probably say "*****, be cool!"

 

[karne]

Yes, clearly intended as a Medvedeva-bashing thread.
But OP also - as usual - wants to dredge up Sochi too.
I thought there were forum rules about relentlessly and repetitively doing such things?

I think there are, but as usual, it's open season on those dastardly Evil Russians. Rules don't apply to these, apparently.

 

[Rissa]

You're really trying to hard.

 

[gkelly]

To me, Sochi was different because Yuna Kim also skated wonderfully.

And so did Kostner. And so did Asada in the freeskate. If the competition had been judged under 6.0, the freeskate ordinals might have been mixed among all four of them. And who knows how it would have come out in the end.

But with IJS, no official gets to decide how to rank the skaters. They just call the elements (tech panel) or score grades of execution and program components and easily may be surprised at how their own scores plus those of the other panel work out to final results, especially in events with several strong performances.

 

[OS]

And, ooh another thread intended to bash a skater and then when the poster is called out, they play victim and say that they're being attacked for merely trying to have a "friendly innocuous discussion". :sarcasm:

Jules from pulp fiction would probably say "*****, be cool!"

Hah... congrats! +3! You got the reference

My reply to Jules would be **** cool! It ain't cool to be worried about looking cool in the first place.

Imagine writing about political satire today and not able to mention Trump. This is what it feels like in this sport, you've got bible belt alt right (+extremely wealthy republicans who benefit from the presidency) going don't you dare to criticise my president, it is totally unamerican! Yet, how can you not name the key players and the absurdity of it ALL.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Yeah but Trump is a joke. Medvedeva hasn't done anything even remotely egregious other than optimize her programs in order to win. Heck you've even delineated and ridiculed her formula to win 2018 OGM --- sorry, er, uh, I mean, you've delineated and ridiculed a non-descript-not-naming-any-particular skater's formula to win 2018 OGM. :sarcasm:

 

[OS]

Yeah but Trump is a joke. Medvedeva hasn't done anything even remotely egregious other than optimize her programs in order to win. Heck you've even delineated and ridiculed her formula to win 2018 OGM --- sorry, er, uh, I mean, you've delineated and ridiculed a non-descript-not-naming-any-particular skater's formula to win 2018 OGM. :sarcasm:

You said it. It is a formula, so everyone should be entitled to it, hence the name of this how to hack COP thread.

Ignore my colourful words, be realistic and smart to see there is actual truth beind these points.

.. and actually.... I DO find her PCS of 76.13 a complete joke.

3.87 points from 80 maximum, or less than 5% away from perfection. It would be like discovering Jason Brown is getting 95 PCS, quadless, program mediocre, interpretation and maturity just not there over the likes of Chan but being propped up as US #1. I am just not alright with that, however consistent and a great number of transitions he has, or how agreeable and great personality he is off the ice.

It is one thing if the inflation is carried across the board, but it clearly hasn't. Unlike the men, many ladies have already maxed out their TES, and even if they went clean with the greatest difficulty bar 3A, if they have their PCS stuck below 60 thanks to European Majority panel, they are pretty much doomed.

The only way for them to compete is therefore doing exactly what the winning formula allows. Same strategy, backloading and consistency, like for like basis and let judges compare these elements by element side by side and see if they can come up with a difference conclusion.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I'm not sure I get the Brown comparison. Brown is technically (jumps-wise) very subpar, whereas Medvedeva is technically one of the strongest and most ambitious jumpers in the field. It would be like Brown backloading his SP with a quad combo, solo quad and triple axel.

Also everyone IS entitled to doing everything Medvedeva is doing from Tanos to greater entry and exit transitions.

 

[Nathan13]

I will never understand how people could bash Sotnikova. It's not like she was a flash in the Pan. Sarah Hughes had zero national titles and 1 world medal, a bronze. I don't hear people bashing her.

Unfortunately, I hear people bash Sarah all the darn time. People continuously bring her technique, her edges, her rotations into question (which may be well founded criticisms, but it really didn't matter that night). Look at the youtube comments on her FS--theyre pretty harsh.

 

[mrrice]

Unfortunately, I hear people bash Sarah all the darn time. People continuously bring her technique, her edges, her rotations into question (which may be well founded criticisms, but it really didn't matter that night). Look at the youtube comments on her FS--theyre pretty harsh.

Well, that's too bad. As I was following Maria Butyrskaya's career, I obviously saw Sarah several times. Rotation or not.....She was a spectacular performer. In fact, at Worlds in 2000, I thought she was going to win the SP until she fell out of her final position. Even then, I think she was 5th and she was only 15, right? The other thing about Sarah is that she had defeated both Michelle and Irina at Skate Canada that year so, it wasn't that big of a shock.

 

[OS]

I'm not sure I get the Brown comparison. Brown is technically (jumps-wise) very subpar, whereas Medvedeva is technically one of the strongest and most ambitious jumpers in the field. It would be like Brown backloading his SP with a quad combo, solo quad and triple axel.

Depends on if you believe PCS should relate to high TES. It is one of those grey areas still being debated today, theory vs practice. Perhaps I should state more specifically a quadless Jason vs quadless Patrick for simpler comparison.

Men and Ladies have different level playing fields anyway and are hard to compare, where you have many ladies already maxed out their TES (except backloading and add the 3A), but PCS are currently impossible to reach at 76. (Again previous WCs, ladies PCS were good 10 points less). Men at least have room to grow if they do quads.

 

[Mathman]

But with IJS, no official gets to decide how to rank the skaters. They just call the elements (tech panel) or score grades of execution and program components and easily may be surprised at how their own scores plus those of the other panel work out to final results, especially in events with several strong performances.

One thing that has disappointed me about the IJS is that it has given skating fans so many more things to whine about when their favorite doesn't win. In the olden days, all we could say was, "My skater wuzrobbed because the stupid judges gave the other girl a higher ordinal -- are they blind?

Now we have a plethora of things to be miserable about. My skater wuzrobbed because the other girl should only have got a +1 GOE instead of +2 -- and here's a video compilation to prove it.

My skater wuzrobbed because the other girl didn't get called for an under-rotation, which was as plain as your face, stupid tech callers -- and here's a slo-motion video to prove it.

My skater wuzrobbed because the judges gave the other girl 9.25 in PCS, when she only deserved 8.75 -- and here's a quote from the bullet points to prove it.

My skatter wuzrobbed because the scale of base values is all wrong anyway and my skater's combo should get more points than the other girl's combo -- stupid ISU Technical Committee.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

One thing that has disappointed me about the IJS is that it has given skating fans so many more things to whine about when their favorite doesn't win. In the olden days, all we could say was, "My skater wuzrobbed because the stupid judges gave the other girl a higher ordinal -- are they blind?

Now we have a plethora of things to be miserable about. My skater wuzrobbed because the other girl should only have got a +1 GOE instead of +2 -- and here's a video compilation to prove it.

My skater wuzrobbed because the other girl didn't get called for an under-rotation, which was as plain as your face, stupid tech callers -- and here's a slo-motion video to prove it.

My skater wuzrobbed because the judges gave the other girl 9.25 in PCS, when she only deserved 8.75 -- and here's a quote from the bullet points to prove it.

My skatter wuzrobbed because the scale of base values is all wrong anyway and my skater's combo should get more points than the other girl's combo -- stupid ISU Technical Committee.

100%. Instead of sucking it up and accepting their own fave made mistakes that cost them points/the win, they make it their mission to nitpick the other contenders ad nauseum ... and with blatant bias at that.