2024 Europeans: Men's thoughts?

[kolyadafan2002]

If there weren’t points deduction associated with it, I’m sure he would bring it to a competition with those guys. Or if he had a commanding lead and was assured the win, like in Euros he had it in the bag.


The danger is if he mistimes the pick. But it’s a trick he does do often that it’s not really a risk.

Also a “backflip” sounds dangerous by its nature but it really isn’t dangerous nor that difficult for those who regularly do them. If you bail you usually put your hands down to soften the fall.

Pairs lifts are way more dangerous because the woman can quite literally nose dive, and from a much greater height than the height of a backflip. If you look at disastrous skating falls it’s almost invariably pairs - I don’t think I’ve actually seen a clip of a skater falling on a backflip, and I hope Adam isn’t the first.

I saw somebody fail it but was wearing.a very good helmet (landed hard on upper back though). Maybe still got concussed, Im not sure. It's worth noting this was when he was first training it and hadn't done it before, rather than something he could already time.

 

[icewhite]

It's not "pushing the sport" in any way, but it brought PR a bit outside of the usual circle, so while it gives me nothing personally (reminds me of the teenage hockey boys I am facing all the time during the public sessions I go to) it's probably not a bad thing for figure skating.

 

[Skater Boy]

The skating was rather ho hum at Europeans (even worse was Canadian Nationals but I digress). I thought Adam was sloppier than we have seen him and not as finished. I did not like his hubris or blase attitude in throwing in the back flip. It would have served him right if he lost the gold. That kind of arrogance is not called for. None of these men seized the day. A comment about Kevin Aymoz; his not making the fs was a shock but he just stopped skating at times. NOt sure if he is injured or is it mental but give the guy a break from skating. It looked painful for Kevin and painful for viewers. I wanted to jump on the ice and say stop Kevin stop! You need rest. You need help. The skating in men's and all disciplines in Europe while Adam is still a gold medallist hopeful the rest was rather mediocre.

 

[icewhite]

The skating was rather ho hum at Europeans (even worse was Canadian Nationals but I digress). I thought Adam was sloppier than we have seen him and not as finished. I did not like his hubris or blase attitude in throwing in the back flip. It would have served him right if he lost the gold. That kind of arrogance is not called for. None of these men seized the day. A comment about Kevin Aymoz; his not making the fs was a shock but he just stopped skating at times. NOt sure if he is injured or is it mental but give the guy a break from skating. It looked painful for Kevin and painful for viewers. I wanted to jump on the ice and say stop Kevin stop! You need rest. You need help. The skating in men's and all disciplines in Europe while Adam is still a gold medallist hopeful the rest was rather mediocre.

Ice dance was very good, top level at the top and a broad base.
Men's was weaker than I thought it would be, but of course Kevin is in a very bad phase - his level at the beginning of the season was great - Adam wasn't at this best, Matteo is going to have surgery and couldn't do his 4Lo. Then Britschgi's nerves got to him in the free skate when he was able to skate for gold.
I think it was still an exciting competition from an outside perspective, especially because of the Selevkos, but quite a few top contenders who were there have the capabilities to deliver more or even a lot more than they did at this event.

 

[noskates]

Hopefully the European medalists will resolve their issues (for lack of a better word) before they run into the Japanese buzzsaw at Worlds. And I agree with icewhite that the Selevkos were a breath of fresh air.

 

[gsk8]

this is a competition and a sport, not woke participation trophies for all!

What do you mean by "woke" participation trophies?

 

[Rebecca Moose]

What do you mean by "woke" participation trophies?

don't remember, honestly think I had one too many boodles that nite!! xxoo

 

[gsk8]

don't remember, honestly think I had one too many boodles that nite!! xxoo

Had to go look up "boodles" but I think I know what they are Can't seem to find the slang context for that!

But you were commenting on the Men's Euros and said the below when the back flip was being discussed.

the thing is adam had no competition here -- he was on another level -- so no need for warm and fuzzies. this is a competition and a sport, not woke participation trophies for all!

So was just trying to figure out how "woke" relates?

 

[Diana Delafield]

What do you mean by "woke" participation trophies?

I assumed that meant the oft-criticized recent practice, particularly at children's sports events, of awarding every competitor something just for participating so as not to have anyone feeling like a failure.

 

[Rebecca Moose]

Had to go look up "boodles" but I think I know what they are Can't seem to find the slang context for that!

that's my preferred brand of gin

I assumed that meant the oft-criticized recent practice, particularly at children's sports events, of awarding every competitor something just for participating so as not to have anyone feeling like a failure.

yes -- thank you for deciphering my thought process better than I.

the europeans are first and foremost competitive sport. if kevin wants to eat the deduction for an illegal element, have at it. some people are acting like it hurt other competitor's feelings or was unsportsmanlike, to the point of being patronizing. i'm quite confident these fans were more upset by the backflip than any of his competitors

 

[gsk8]

yes -- thank you for deciphering my thought process better than I.

Understood Although I wouldn't use "woke" in that context as it has a derogatory context. I agree with @Diana Delafield that many sports, especially for children, offer ribbons, small medals and the like for being participants.

I think it's a great gesture and encourages motivation and recognition, despite placement. All athletes are human, and who doesn't want a medal/trophy to say, "Hey, I competed at 'such and such'" for their wall?

 

[Rebecca Moose]

sorry, I'll try to be clearer in the future and not post after too many g&t's!

 

[Diana Delafield]

Understood Although I wouldn't use "woke" in that context as it has a derogatory context. I agree with @Diana Delafield that many sports, especially for children, offer ribbons, small medals and the like for being participants.

I think it's a great gesture and encourages motivation and recognition, despite placement. All athletes are human, and who doesn't want a medal/trophy to say, "Hey, I competed at 'such and such'" for their wall?

Participation recognition is always a nice idea, and has been done for a long time. (I still have a collection of old coffee mugs, T-shirts, and little certificates saying I competed in whatever half a century ago .) Where the criticism arises is when it's overdone, when the organizers downplay any idea of medalling or winning "in case it makes the others unhappy". Life is competitive, and people need to learn to cope with occasional disappointment, and either change their goals to something more realistic, or regroup and work to improve next time a similar target presents itself.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

But that's the thing... it's like competing with a new style of choreography or a very unusual music selection. You either do it or you don't, especially this is a choreographic element, not a jumping pass. If he picks and chooses where he does it, where is he pushing the sport?

But athletes pick and choose elements all the time. Simone Biles doesn’t do her triple-double every time she competes. Ilia doesn’t always do a quad axel in every program.