Does dance gold deserve an asterisk if Russians can't go?

Ravyn Rant · Jan 27, 2006

It's real simple, as far as I'm concerned. The OGM should go to the best at the competition, regardless of who is or is not there, for whatever reason.
Now I'm trying to think up a snarky (but inoffensive) asterisk pun, but not having much luck. How about "the judges can kiss my asterisk"? Nahh...too easy.
I'm going to get off my asterisk and get back to work now.
xoxo
Rave

Kasey · Jan 27, 2006

No, no asterisk is needed. The Olympics is just like any other competition: The winner is the person/team who performs best THERE, at that competition. If the "best in the world" can't be there, so be it. The winner at Olympics will be the Olympic Gold Medalist, regardless of who else was present competing. Period. Not asterisk. Period.

hockeyfan228 · Jan 27, 2006

The infamous asterisk was to show that a record was reached under different circumstances than the old record. Didn't Major League Baseball remove the asterisk, which was pointedly applied to only one record, Maris' season-high HR record that stood for decades?

Mathman · Jan 27, 2006

Speaking of druggies, will they put an asterisk on Barry Bonds' record?

STL_Blues_fan · Jan 27, 2006

Right on, Mathman!

ITA. This is a single case where an asterick belongs!

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 27, 2006

slutskayafan21 said:
If Navka/Kostomarov miss the Olympics because of this silly infraction how tainted will the win of the eventual winners(probably Belbin/Agosto, maybe Grushina/Goncharov though)be? I would say there will probably be a huge asterix beside the eventual win. Even the people picking Belbin/Agosto to win cannot argue how much Navka/Kostomarov have dominated the last 3 years.

In my defence of Mao going to the Olympics, I was browbeaten with the words
One can not break the rules. So positive testing for drugs should not be going to the Olympics. As with Mao, the rule can be changed next year.

Joe

R.D. · Jan 27, 2006

I agree with the poster that said that it will still be the same Olympics regardless of whether certain athletes are present or not. I just don't get this whole "asterisk" thing. Maybe in certain skating fans' eyes there will be one just because their favorite wasn't there to take it away from the winner.

julietvalcouer · Jan 27, 2006

If the favorite three-year-old has an off day, or it rains and he doesn't like mud, or he gets injured early in the season and doesn't make it to the Kentucky Derby . . . there is no asterix next to the winner's name. The best three-year-old thoroughbred WHO SHOWS UP at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May and finishes the race with his jockey still aboard in front of the other three-year-olds who showed up without fouling anyone wins. There may be colts out there who are faster or better movers than him, but he was there and he was fastest that day. And even if he is the fastest evar, that doesn't mean he was guaranteed to win. Even Secretariat and Man o' War weren't undefeated in their careers. In Man o' War's case, it was a fluke loss, but it was still a loss.

You can't get obsessed over 'it would be different if so-and-so were there.' It might have been different. It might not. You can't know. A skater may have been doing sensationally--and get to the Olympics and crack under the pressure. A skater might have been having a middling season, get to the games, and bring down the house. (Okay, so that's not LIKELY in ice dance, but not impossible.) You have to deal with existing variables.

mzheng · Jan 27, 2006

NOP.

B/A GO and :rock:

Ogre Mage · Jan 28, 2006

With the exception of Tonya's whackjob on Nancy in 1994, there is no asterisk in figure skating because someone withdrew or had medical problems. If B&A win, they win outright. There is no asterisk beside Lambiel's 2005 World Title because Plush withdrew due to injury. There is no asterisk beside Maria Butyrskaya's 1999 World Title because Michelle Kwan skated with a fever. There is no asterisk beside Kristi Yamaguchi's 1992 World Title because Midori Ito came down with a respiratory infection and didn't go.

Tonichelle · Jan 28, 2006

julietvalcouer said:
A skater may have been doing sensationally--and get to the Olympics and crack under the pressure. A skater might have been having a middling season, get to the games, and bring down the house. (Okay, so that's not LIKELY in ice dance, but not impossible.) You have to deal with existing variables.

Exactly... no one is demanding an astrik by Viktor Petrenko's name because Kurt was battling injury in 02 and ended up sixth... it was just a "too bad kurt, there's always 04" which he was world champ going in there too and it still didn't mean he was GOING to win... he still had to skate and skate well...

just like Michelle in 02, no matter how much the "favorite" she still had to skate the best of the field that night... same with Irina... it could have been hers (some say should, I'm not going to obsess over it)

if we were to go by what many have said about the whole astrik thing... then every oly champion would have one by their name for some reason or the other... :laugh:

slutskayafan21 · Jan 28, 2006

Kasey said:
No, no asterisk is needed. The Olympics is just like any other competition: The winner is the person/team who performs best THERE, at that competition. If the "best in the world" can't be there, so be it. The winner at Olympics will be the Olympic Gold Medalist, regardless of who else was present competing. Period. Not asterisk. Period.

So would that apply to other Olympic sports that were impacted by boycotts, say a swimmer or track performer who wins, when 5 or 6 people with better PBs were forced to miss the Olympics due to a boycott? I know that is not the same thing, but your statement was so emphatic I can assume that would cover those cases as well right?

Mathman · Jan 28, 2006

slutskayafan21 said:
So would that apply to other Olympic sports that were impacted by boycotts, say a swimmer or track performer who wins, when 5 or 6 people with better PBs were forced to miss the Olympics due to a boycott? I know that is not the same thing, but your statement was so emphatic I can assume that would cover those cases as well right?

I can't answer for Kasey, but to me, yes, that would cover those cases as well. Even the Australian speed skater who finished first because a collision took out the three guys ahead of him on the last lap -- he's the Olympic champion. That's a fact.

MM

anything_for_skating · Jan 28, 2006

Hey! you didn't know that Gwendal and Marina will probably compete???
Personaly, I would like if Navka/Kostomarov win the gold

Kasey · Jan 28, 2006

Mathman said:
I can't answer for Kasey, but to me, yes, that would cover those cases as well. Even the Australian speed skater who finished first because a collision took out the three guys ahead of him on the last lap -- he's the Olympic champion. That's a fact.

MM

Thanks for answering for me Mathman, since that person is on my ignore list.

YES, that does include those other cases. Sorry to remain so "emphatic", but that is how I feel. The competition is between those people present at that competition ONLY.

nicole_l · Jan 28, 2006

Absolutely not! Whoever wins, wins.

Ladskater · Jan 29, 2006

slutskayafan21 said:
If Navka/Kostomarov miss the Olympics because of this silly infraction how tainted will the win of the eventual winners(probably Belbin/Agosto, maybe Grushina/Goncharov though)be? I would say there will probably be a huge asterix beside the eventual win. Even the people picking Belbin/Agosto to win cannot argue how much Navka/Kostomarov have dominated the last 3 years.

D&L also have a pretty good chance at the podium. I don't think anyone can predict the outcome at this point. If N&K are absent from the Olymics then they are not in the running - therefore no asterisk. Which ever team comes away with the gold are the true winners.

Does dance gold deserve an asterisk if Russians can't go?

Ravyn Rant

Totally 80s Dance Party!

Kasey

hockeyfan228

Mathman

STL_Blues_fan

Joesitz (RIP)

R.D.

julietvalcouer

mzheng

Ogre Mage

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

slutskayafan21

Match Penalty

Mathman

anything_for_skating

Kasey

nicole_l

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~

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