Philip Hersh on Cinquanta pressuring Yu-Na Kim to compete at 4CC

starrynight said:

How do you know that, unless you are Mr.C?

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Cinquanta used to be an accountant. He must know about math.

Mathman said:

Shhhh.

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:agree:

Why the heck are they holding this right at the end of January anyway...

i love to skate said:

I think it would still be very exciting. N.A would have a strong competition in Men's and Ladies and a lights out Dance competition. Pairs would be okay. It would be the same in Asia - just switch Dance for Pairs. Only one weak discipline.

If they keep it the way it is now it is never going to become on par with Europeans. It is unnecessary travel - and with the GPF being held in Asia for the past two years (and next year too) it is another long flight for NA skaters. Four Continents is in Asia for the next two years at least to.

Skaters would very much favour a 4 or 5 hour flight compared to a 14 hour one in the middle of the season.

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You see, I don't think that. Singles for N. America will be all right, comparable to Europe. Dance would not be comparable - it would be the same as now: two American teams and one Canadian dance team on the podium. Pairs would not be okay - again, relatively speaking.

Asia - all the men come from Japan; the ladies from Japan with one exception (and that's right now); all the pairs from China, and NO dance at all. It would in no way be comparable to Europe, which has a half dozen countries in medal contention (this year, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Finland, England, Czech Republic, Switzerland... for an example). The international aspects of the event would be lost and the event might as well be a national competition then.

Will it ever be on par with Europeans? Probably not - as you mention, the considerable practical logistics ensure that that won't be the case. But if Cinquata wants them to be comparable, he needs to leave them as they are - unfortunately (remember, there are more European member nations in the ISU than the rest of the world combined.)

ImaginaryPogue said:

You see, I don't think that. Singles for N. America will be all right, comparable to Europe. Dance would not be comparable - it would be the same as now: two American teams and one Canadian dance team on the podium. Pairs would not be okay - again, relatively speaking.

Asia - all the men come from Japan; the ladies from Japan with one exception (and that's right now); all the pairs from China, and NO dance at all. It would in no way be comparable to Europe, which has a half dozen countries in medal contention (this year, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Finland, England, Czech Republic, Switzerland... for an example). The international aspects of the event would be lost and the event might as well be a national competition then.

Will it ever be on par with Europeans? Probably not - as you mention, the considerable practical logistics ensure that that won't be the case. But if Cinquata wants them to be comparable, he needs to leave them as they are - unfortunately (remember, there are more European member nations in the ISU than the rest of the world combined.)

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Good points. Although, when you look at Four Continents now the medal hunt is sometimes only between two or three counties anyways. Last year, the top four pairs were either Canadian or Chinese then the next three places were all American. The top 6 dance teams were all American or Canadian. The top 8 men were all Canadian, American, or Japanese. There really isn't that much of an international aspect when you look at it that way, I don't think. Simply put Europeans has many more countries competing than at Four Continents.

Four Contintents is going to keep being regarded as a useless competition until some changes are made to the competition set-up, in my view. I think it would be a big draw if you pit American/Canadian against each other - look at the rivalry that exists in hockey between the two countries (especially in Juniors). China/Japan/Korea would also create a big draw too I think.This would create twice the revenue for the ISU

ETA:
With the travel requirements, the dates of 4CC usually don't work for the skaters either. Canadian and US Nationals aren't going to change their dates. There's no way that US Nationals will be bumped up because of football playoffs. Canadian Nationals won't be pumped up either because of the World Juniors. Take in other factors such as the holiday season, and it just won't work.

James R said:

Why the heck are they holding this right at the end of January anyway...

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when else can they have it?

Meanwhile, flying high in American skies, powered by their World Championship Skating Boots, Bond Girl and Manga Moon speed toward Tijuana where The Cinquanta has been spotted in The Tequila Tank, nursing a miserable Corona and listening to Jesus Take the Wheel on his shiny, pink iPod…

Bond Girl: Uh, you realize between your triple axel and my triple-triple, we are powerless to face The Cinquanta.

Manga Moon: Oh no, you’re right Bond Girl! All he has to do is utter the word “downgrade” and we become mere mortals, worthless in the eyes of so many in the skating world!

Bond Girl: Perhaps we should enlist the aid of our sisters in the American Federation.

Manga Moon: That’s a terrific idea, but who? The Flattener?

Bond Girl: Consistent, to be sure, but she’s taking 4 AP classes and she’s going to college… yada, yada, yada, who has time?

Manga Moon: What about… Sasha Malaguena? Fire power…

Bond Girl: You could ask her, ask her twice in fact. What happens next is the mystery…

Bond Girl and Manga Moon begin to lose altitude, sinking into Detroit when suddenly…

Manga Moon: Oh, I know, I know! Sweet Caroline! Anyone who stares at her for two minutes and fifty seconds begins to decelerate! She can slow Speedy down!

Bond Girl: Manga Moon, that was a 6.0 answer!

Manga Moon: Uh, Bond Girl, we don’t inhabit that universe anymore. Let’s sing to feel better!

All Together: Sweet Ca-ro-line! (dun, da, da) Good times NE-VER seem so good…

(Stay tuned for the shocking conclusion to As the World Collapses around The Cinquanta... I apologize to everyone in advance and promise there will be a happy ending before US Nationals starts...)

skatingpunk said:

(Stay tuned for the shocking conclusion to As the World Collapses around The Cinquanta... I apologize to everyone in advance and promise there will be a happy ending before US Nationals starts...)

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OMG, can't wait for the conclusion!! You are brilliant, skatingpunk!

skatingpunk said:

Manga Moon: Oh, I know, I know! Sweet Caroline! Anyone who stares at her for two minutes and fifty seconds begins to decelerate! She can slow Speedy down!

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That was the best part!!

Here is a blog article that seems to say what many figure skating fans feel about Speedy and his most recent blunder.

http://savefigureskating.blogspot.com/2010/01/cinquantas-power-play-shows-disdain-for.html

It is hard for me to understand why so many defend his actions - which over the years have brought figure skating popularity down to an all-time low.

I still find it hard to believe that Cinquanta would be so silly as to risk the well-being of the only lady skater who seems to have mastered CoP, right before the Olympics. Does he not understand that viewers of the Olympics (ratings, money--those viewers) will lose all interest in skating if the ladies' final is a splatfest? Would you watch skiing or bobsled if every competitor crashed before reaching the finish line? What would be the point of such a sport? Now imagine someone looking in on skating for the first time. This viewer sees nothing but falls and crying, and the winner is some lackluster skater who just didn't fall much. There goes another potential skating fan (ratings, money).

I keep thinking of the goose that laid the golden egg. Remember that fable? A farmer had a goose that suddenly started laying a golden egg every day. It made the farmer rich, but he wanted more. All those golden eggs...why wait to have just one laid every day? Why not kill the goose, open it up, and take out all the eggs inside? Of course, that's not how egg-laying works. But the greedy farmer killed the goose and opened it up. And, of course, nothing was inside...and the dead goose laid no more eggs.

(And now, the exciting two-minute conclusion, without further heated discussion…)

Just outside the Tequila Tank, Bond Girl, Manga Moon and Sweet Caroline brace for the final showdown with The Cinquanta…

Manga Moon: We’ve got to get this right! The Japanese media is all over the place!

The three look at each other and then burst in, do a few warm-up laps and take the center of the bar.

The Cinquanta: Bond Girl and Manga Moon! And I see you’ve brought Sweet Caroline with you. How predictable! And utterly useless! For last week I threatened the American Federation and forced them to have Caroline skate faster… or else!

Sweet Caroline: Oh no, I’m not having any effect on him. He’s as Speedy as ever!

The Cinquanta (waving grubby fingers at Bond Girl and Manga Moon): Downgrade!

A woman’s laughter rises slowly from behind the bar. What’s this? Can it be? It is! Our helpless trio stare in horror at… the French Judge!

The French Judge: That’s right, you didn’t think Speedy had the brains to pull off a scandal of this magnitude, did you?

Bond Girl: But why, French Judge? Why are you trying to destroy figure skating?

The French Judge: Figure skating didn’t want to have me, so I didn’t want anyone else to have figure skating! And now that I’ve got you in my power, prepare to…

The door to the Tequila Tank bursts open again. The Mexican crowd watches mesmerized as three beauties do their warm-up laps and take the center of the bar.

The French Judge: The Three Finns! *hissing* Laura Le Pistol, O Susanna and Sha-Kiira! What are you doing here?

Sha-Kiira: We heard about all the ugliness plaguing our sport and felt the power of our combined beauty could drive it all away! Tonight we are all Bond Girls!

The Cinquanta: See?! They flew all the way over here in an Olympics season.

Golden Skate Members: Oh shut up!

The Three Finns: Beauty, beauty, shine on beauty! Turn Cinquanta into doodie! Blade of skate and chunk of ice, smiling photo of Carol Heiss!

The French Judge: No! Not Carol, not Carol! I’m melting!

The Cinquanta: And I’m smelling!

The thrill of victory! The agony of the stink!

Bond Girl, Manga Moon and Sweet Caroline hold their noses.

Laura Le Pistol: Sorry, it might take more than 4 years to go away.

But lo and behold! A brilliant white light begins to flood the Tequila Tank. Can it be? It is! It’s Queen Sonja!

Queen Sonja: Well done my children! You can expect a call from the son of my Hollywood agent in a few days. Sell your story and rescue the ISU’s finances!

Bond Girl: But will it be enough?

Queen Sonja (pointing at the pile of what used to be The Cinquanta): I suggest you use that as fertilizer for what’s growing outside. Take a look through the window!

They run to see… can it really be? Tiny shoots among the brambly roses… baby television rights!

Queen Sonja: One day they will be big television rights and then you can show the whole world your beauty, your jumps and that magical mule kick. Go now children! It’s an Olympics season! Your coaches must be very worried about you.

The Queen returns to her Ice Castle. Our heroines exchange polite hugs and air kisses and fight for placement on top of the tiny bar for one final photo. THE END

:chorus: Queen Sonja Great Conclusion :agree:

skatingpunk that was absolutely hilarious! I loved the final two parts as much as the rest of it! Excellent use of the Finns too Loved it!

Ant

skatingpunk you are too funny. Loved you stories.

skatingpunk said:

The Three Finns: Beauty, beauty, shine on beauty! Turn Cinquanta into doodie! Blade of skate and chunk of ice, smiling photo of Carol Heiss!

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Thanks for brightening up my week, skating punk! Though I need to know where to send you the bill for cleaning out my computer which now has coffee spray everywhere on it.