Skating Commentating: What "should" or "should not" be said? | Page 5 | Golden Skate

Skating Commentating: What "should" or "should not" be said?

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Tara can be VERY annoying. She is very critical of skaters' performances and somehow always manages to bring up the fact that when SHE was skating, SHE did so-and-so (or didn't do that, or did that so much better).

Her comments about Gracie were mean and obnoxious. Doubling a jump isn't falling apart. Of course, Tara herself never doubled a jump (but she did flutz and her 2a got about an inch off the ice).
 

hikki

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Country
Japan
I don't think she was stupid. I think she was emotionally fragile and overwrought. She had been solicited and badgered by both the Canadian and Russian contingents for months leading up to the competition. Her own federation president was in the mix, as well as her best personal friend in skating, a Russian official and judge. When she was rushed at by Sally Stapleford in the hotel lobby immediately afterward she broke down in tears. She later said that she truly believed that Berezhnaya and Sikharudlidze gave the better performance, but when confronted by the "irate mob" she ended up not knowing what she truly believed.

By the way, here is a reference to the French judge thing from the 2012 summer Olympics, about boxing.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/olympic...rsy-fix-referee-boxing-london-summer-paid-off

I'm way behind with this thread but just wanted to add that I remember Japanese skating officials saying the same about the French judge in a figure skating magazine (or it might have been on the web).
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
The portuguese eurosport commentators never talk during the performances. Whatever they have to say they say it in the end of it while the slo-mo is being shown and during the knc moments. I like that.

I think it's that Italians who are the complete opposite. They absolutely cannot shut up during the performances.

As for Tara, I do like her commentary. I still think there's a bit of a double standard; when a man like Dick Button is critical he's just being honest, whereas the same comments from Tara make her seem snarky.
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
I sympathize her. So that has proved my belief - the second gold medal shouldn't have given out. And 6.0 was too vague to distinguish which was the correct judgement.

BB, you're absolutely right...the 2nd medal shouldn't have been given out but then all you have to do is cry and you get a medal. Did anyone ever comment as to how Anton & Elena felt about sharing the medal??? I felt sorry for them but they were the gracious ones.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
I think it's that Italians who are the complete opposite. They absolutely cannot shut up during the performances.

As for Tara, I do like her commentary. I still think there's a bit of a double standard; when a man like Dick Button is critical he's just being honest, whereas the same comments from Tara make her seem snarky.

I actually like Tara, she is more honest than some of the others, which is good. I did cringe though when she said something about Gracie's 2 axel technique which is identical to Tara's.
 

bestskate8

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
commentators have to be honest!
I never watch CBC, because it is the worst about russian skaters, just bad.:mad:

ABC is ok, and the best is british eurosport, its my favourite one , sometimes they could be not honest as well, but rare.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
It helps for British Eurosport, that they haven't had great singles & pairs teams in a long time. They can be very objective, then.

But they seem like nice, positive guys...which I appreciate.
 

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
I really enjoy the British Eurosport guys. But about Tara, critical does not bother me at all - if it is balanced or even across the field, I actually love it and feel I learn from it. What I dislike is constant chatter during the performance especially when it isn't even about the skater. I like pre and post discussion, with element calling only (and the occasional gush or gasp) during.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I have no problem with commentators criticizing. That's not my problem with Tara's commentary. My problem with Tara's commentary, personally, is that she criticizes without much substance. For example, the whole "She's falling apart" comment during Gracie's program at COR when she made just one jump error. Or when she constantly compares the skaters to her time in skating or how she does it.

As I said, she used to be really good about talking more about the elements, so I'm disappointed that it's watered down for whatever reason.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
During Makarova's FS she ignored the doubled jumps. It was only when Ksenia stumbled near the end that Tara said she was "falling apart".
 
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