Is there any skater that EVERYBODY loves?
- Thread starter Mathman
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Angela Nikidinov.
Judi Blum (dance)
I think it is only when there is schaudenfroid (sp) that skaters take such strong stance on their favorites.
Judi Blum (dance)
I think it is only when there is schaudenfroid (sp) that skaters take such strong stance on their favorites.
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2006
I would have to say Scott Hamilton, Peggy Flemming and Dorothy Hamill. I think eveyrone loves the "older skaters" since there is so much debate about the "newer skaters." I have yet to find people who don't like these three skaters. Although I am sure there will be a million messages after mine from people who don't like these three!!
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2004
Torvill & Dean?
I think it's hard for everybody to *love* the same skater(s). You might find some that are beloved by many and disliked by few.
I think as long as the media and the fans of the loved ones refrain from piling on the hyperbole and insisting that everyone must agree they're the best, and the skaters themselves don't say or do anything too controversial, it's easy enough for those who don't love them just to shrug and say they don't get it, live and let live.
LOL indeed.
That skater has got to be Michelle Kwan. Oh, I know there are some seriously deranged cretins who can't help but pick on her every move, but seriously, the sheer numbers of people who are taken by her kind of overwhelms those who are not. She must be the most universally beloved skater of all time, Janet Lynn notwithstanding. Janet Lynn is beloved by all as well, but she isn't as much of a superstar as Kwan is. I mean, figure skating doesn't exist as a sport where I live, and people here still admire and know of Michelle Kwan.
That skater has got to be Michelle Kwan. Oh, I know there are some seriously deranged cretins who can't help but pick on her every move, but seriously, the sheer numbers of people who are taken by her kind of overwhelms those who are not. She must be the most universally beloved skater of all time, Janet Lynn notwithstanding. Janet Lynn is beloved by all as well, but she isn't as much of a superstar as Kwan is. I mean, figure skating doesn't exist as a sport where I live, and people here still admire and know of Michelle Kwan.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2004
Love is a very strong word. I loved John Curry tho & miss his skating very much.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
Kurt and Scott have quite a few detractors... especially for their commentary (apparently both are anti-Russian bigots 
)
I agree there's not a single skater that doesn't have their share of haters, just some are more vocal than the others.
)I agree there's not a single skater that doesn't have their share of haters, just some are more vocal than the others.
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2004
Very true... and if one doesn't spend time on the skating boards, it would easy to assume that if Michelle Kwan isn't skating, it isn't a "real" skating competition... During meetings, I'm known to compare something I think is hot to death to Michelle Kwan and people all nod in agreement... but say something about another US skater and you get that "huh? is that some reality show person I don't know about?" look... Its hilarious. And testiment to her awesomness... Hmmm... I wonder if we could get an amendment to the Constitution making it a felony to hate on the Kween???
Gotta love the Kwan - Joined
- Jul 14, 2007
definitely Gordeeva and Grinkov! (although I was surprised to read an article which reported that at the 1994 Lilihammer Olympics "about 5,999 of 6,000 fans at the Hamar Olympic Amphitheater preferred the silver medalists, Mishkuteniok and Dmitriev.")
Does loving a specific skater (or team) require a belief that (a) all the skater's wins are justifed and (b) any losses means the skater "wuzrobbed"? Can't I love a skater and still think they might have been held up in one event, or, deseved to lose another, or at least, that reasonable minds can differ?
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
No.
For example, many people still believe that Angela Nikodinov was a fridge break or a wasted talent during her last eligible years, and her mother's death hasn't changed that opinion, no matter how much they empathize with her.
There are people who find Ito unelegant, and while they don't hate her, they don't love her.
Also, the way that people in other countries and continents love or don't love skaters is often very different from the way US fans do.
For example, many people still believe that Angela Nikodinov was a fridge break or a wasted talent during her last eligible years, and her mother's death hasn't changed that opinion, no matter how much they empathize with her.
There are people who find Ito unelegant, and while they don't hate her, they don't love her.
Also, the way that people in other countries and continents love or don't love skaters is often very different from the way US fans do.
Do you mean is there a skater everybody loves as a person? Or is there someone out there whose skating itself is universally loved?
I can't think of a single skater that I actively dislike as a person. For one, I don't know them and so can't make that judgement.
There are plenty of skaters whose performance style leaves me cold. Others love them. And no, I don't think there's a single skater whose actual skating is loved universally. Different strokes and all.
I can't think of a single skater that I actively dislike as a person. For one, I don't know them and so can't make that judgement.
There are plenty of skaters whose performance style leaves me cold. Others love them. And no, I don't think there's a single skater whose actual skating is loved universally. Different strokes and all.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2007
well, I said I was surprised because usually the wins by Gordeeva and Grinkov were almost always so convincing that few people disputed it. Of course you don't have to believe that any team/skater is invincible just because you're in love with them.....But at least I had come to believe that that's how people came to perceive their 1994 win in time--a pretty convincing one-- although when I first saw their performance as a youngster, I saw the error made by Sergei, and was quite surprised that they won. But since then my eyes have become more open to the more subtle aspects of skating and I now believe that they were much superior overall to the other teams...which now makes me wonder why there was so much controversy in 2002 regarding the Russian and Canadian teams. If it hadn't been a battle of two continents perhaps Elena and Anton's Win would never have been disputed....
