Who will be the next sweet heart of American figure skating? | Page 8 | Golden Skate

Who will be the next sweet heart of American figure skating?

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I wasn't reading anything leading up to Nationals but it is true Sasha is not liked by all. But I don't think she was ever trashed the way Lipinski was years ago. And Hughes. Slutskaya got lots of negative commentary on her skating. Years ago it seemed MK was the one person on the boards no one dared criticize.

EXACTLY. Nailed the point so hard that I'll bold it for emphasis.

And having been around here for 8 years, I can only fully endorse your point. I was often one "of those" that dared to go against mass public opinion and you know the rest. But unlike most of the few that did the same, I'm still posting here today.

You know, all this is really simple. It's all a numbers game. The reason one skater appears to be "liked" or "disliked" by a forum has to do with the ratio of vocal supporters to vocal detractors. If a skater has more supporters at a given forum, it will feel like that skater's fan site, of course. Likewise, if a skater has more detractors at a given forum, it will feel like that skater is getting dumped on all the time. And it's all about the numbers- one person disagreeing in a sea of supporters will just get hammered. But if 5, 6 people join in with the same opinion, the playing field evens a bit.

As for Lipinski and Hughes, unfortunately for them, their fans stayed confined to the fansites and stayed away from the general boards. So the general boards had mostly detractors, which in turn scares away the fans, and the vicious cycle continues. It usually takes the retirement of said skater for things to calm down. Even then, every time the name is brought up, the fire is re-ignited.

One more thing: poster-bashing in response to a criticism typically DOES NOT help the situation. It just usually leads to resentment of that skater's fans, and as an indirect consequence, maybe even the skater herself. In "defending" your skater this way, in reality, you're just opening her up to more attacks.
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
One more thing: poster-bashing in response to a criticism typically DOES NOT help the situation. It just usually leads to resentment of that skater's fans, and as an indirect consequence, maybe even the skater herself. In "defending" your skater this way, in reality, you're just opening her up to more attacks.

Bingo. There's no need to 'stoop' to that level. Then the thread goes no where and it's "who can trash the other's skater better" which gets us completely off the subject as it has to so many threads.

While being a "non-fan", RD has actually been able to - in most cases - see all sides ;) so I'd give what he says some credit.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
I wasn't reading anything leading up to Nationals but it is true Sasha is not liked by all. But I don't think she was ever trashed the way Lipinski was years ago. And Hughes. Slutskaya got lots of negative commentary on her skating. Years ago it seemed MK was the one person on the boards no one dared criticize.

I think that certain skaters have had good luck for appearing onto the senior skating scene in the specific time they did: e.g. Kwan and Weir are good examples for that. Their competitors who came later and have dared repeatedly to win over those who had already gained a huge fandom, have been treated very negatively on skating forums. Of course also they got fans quickly, but all the time they came from behind, so to speak. Lipinski (not my favourite) suffered from that negativity hugely and the same seems to apply to Lysacek.

I have read that Tara stopped visiting skating forums very quickly and I hope that Lysacek has done that as well... Anyway, I think that Tara was appreciated by live audiences and I know that for sure about Lysacek, who has a huge live audience support as he is performing in competitions or shows.
 
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Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
I was often one "of those" that dared to go against mass public opinion and you know the rest.

But I never understood why you did...I never understood your point....I never saw any truth to your points.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
But I never understood why you did...I never understood your point....I never saw any truth to your points.

Well...because it's what I actually believed? And didn't just accept what everyone else thought because "it was the cool thing to do"? :sheesh:
 
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