Why is Skating the Only Sport Where the Athletes Await their Scores with their Coaches ?

karne · May 31, 2014

The coach is also part of what just went on on the ice. Can anyone deny that after 20 years of being his coach Mishin does NOT deserve to share a bit of the spotlight with Plushenko?

Or who could not be stirred by Kori's excited grin when she told the squinting Jason his short program score at Skate America?

Pamigena · May 31, 2014

TontoK said:
What would make for good drama would be for them to announce the scores like they do on DWTS:

"The judges' scores! Carrie Ann Inaba... "

lmao

nice
I don't know how this works on the other side of the pond, but over here those shows could save about 3 hours per episode by just giving the scores instead of babbling around them. They should definitely do that! Each competition would take about a month :laugh:

that would certainly increase the viewership

It's not like the coaches aren't part of the overall thing in other sports. I don't follow or watch football (read: soccer) but since it's so popular in Germany, there's no way I don't get to see some stuff. And one of the really fun parts is to see the coaches completely freak out on the sidelines (some of them really have that down to an art). Compared to that I don't really see how the FS coaches being in the K&C for a minute or two would be a big deal.

Bonnie F · May 31, 2014

It's not like the coaches aren't part of the overall thing in other sports. I don't follow or watch football (read: soccer) but since it's so popular in Germany, there's no way I don't get to see some stuff. And one of the really fun parts is to see the coaches completely freak out on the sidelines (some of them really have that down to an art). Compared to that I don't really see how the FS coaches being in the K&C for a minute or two would be a big deal.

I agree completely, coaches are on the sidelines of most sports and for me the Kiss and Cry is like the sidelines. There are many things that can be done to improve figure skating's popularity but I don't see removing the coach from the K&C making any difference at all.

Mathman · May 31, 2014

Pamina and Risa make a good point. In baseball, for instance, when their is a dust-up on the field the manager is expected to rush out, start yelling at the umpire and get himself kicked out of the game. This takes the spotlight off the players and gives the impression that that manager has got their backs.

louisa05 · May 31, 2014

College football is HUGE here. People are unhealthily obsessed. It is the topic of multiple hours long daily radio shows year round. And the thing about college is players come and go in 4 year cycles (sometimes less if they come from junior college or go to the NFL earlier) but coaches (ideally) stay around. So most of the focus of fans is on the coaches. They know them by name and face, evaluate their every move, seek out their autographs, etc...And when well matched teams play, the entire contest is more about the chess match between offensive and defensive coordinators than the players.

IOW, skating is far from the only sport where there is a lot of focus on coaches.

TMC · May 31, 2014

TontoK said:
What would make for good drama would be for them to announce the scores like they do on DWTS:

"The judges' scores! Carrie Ann Inaba... "

Oh man, I would LOVE that!!! Can you imagine this:

First get rid of anonymous judging, then start announcing the scores by judge like this: "Judge *judge's surname* of *country* has awarded *skater* a combined score of .... wait for it ...*score*!

"Judge Raskolnikoff of Russia has awarded Florent Amodio a factored GOE score of .... and a PCS average of ...." ...and so on through the judges...
...and finally, Judge Lönnqvist of Sweden has awarded Florent Amodio a factored GOE score of .... and a PCS average of .... , making the combined score for his short program at these Olympic Games *cue DWTS type anticipation music* 75.58!"

They could hire Tom Bergeron to do all the announcements and he could sneak in some encouraging or congratulatory soundbites every now and then :biggrin:

fleeting · May 31, 2014

Water polo coaches have a history of jumping out and yelling at the refs, but sometimes you get close ups of them coaching a certain player from the sidelines. The best game I've seen as an example was Hungary vs Australia at London 2012.

But for some sports, there's just no way to get a specific shot - the team's too big, the sport's slow, whatever. Skating is unique in that you need to wait for the scores - as opposed to something like swimming, where it's all dependant on time and you can see it the second you're done.

sky_fly20 · May 31, 2014

fleeting said:
Water polo coaches have a history of jumping out and yelling at the refs, but sometimes you get close ups of them coaching a certain player from the sidelines. The best game I've seen as an example was Hungary vs Australia at London 2012.

But for some sports, there's just no way to get a specific shot - the team's too big, the sport's slow, whatever. Skating is unique in that you need to wait for the scores - as opposed to something like swimming, where it's all dependant on time and you can see it the second you're done.

doesn't gymnastics wait for their scores too ? I recall in team there was a minor scandal and even they had to file for their scores to be changed
makes me wonder why don't we see many skater fed/coaches file a case for improper scores in a competition :think:

anyways RG is notorious for giving out scores for long time too, and they have to wait for it in a sofa something/a kiss n cry ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys6je5-JxU0

charmblade · May 31, 2014

In gymnastics, the athletes just wait on the sidelines, usually taking a break or getting some water, and the camera usually shows them looking at the scoreboard as they announce the scores. So it's not an official K&C type situation but similar in that you see their reactions. Sometimes their coach is with them, sometimes not.

The reason that coaches can appeal the gymnastics scores right away has to do with how they are scored. Basically all the elements they are do are assigned a point value, and there are two scores: one for the technical elements and one for execution (that one is out of 10). It is somewhat similar to skating except that there are fewer elements and it is easier to track what the start value should be of the technical score. So if a routine is planned in a specific way and the gymnast performs all the tricks, the coaches already know what the technical should be, down to a hundredth of a point, so if it is incorrect they can file an immediate appeal. There is no waiting for protocols. And there is no issue with downgrades. They either perform the move or they don't.

gmyers · May 31, 2014

It's very interesting. When an athlete performs and then there is a score rg people sit alone and then divers stand alone but figure skating coach and skater are together.

dorispulaski · May 31, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
doesn't gymnastics wait for their scores too ? I recall in team there was a minor scandal and even they had to file for their scores to be changed
makes me wonder why don't we see many skater fed/coaches file a case for improper scores in a competition :think:

In skating, you can only challenge the tech panel marks, and only your own scores, not those of other skaters. Challenges do occur, though. Shpilband challenged a deduction for a fall on a lift last year for P&B, based on the rule that if one knee is on the ice, it isn't a fall; only 2 knees is a fall. These changes are not announced, since seldom does the challenge change the order of finish, but you will find the scores have changed after the competition.

sky_fly20 · May 31, 2014

dorispulaski said:
In skating, you can only challenge the tech panel marks, and only your own scores, not those of other skaters. Challenges do occur, though. Shpilband challenged a deduction for a fall on a lift last year for P&B, based on the rule that if one knee is on the ice, it isn't a fall; only 2 knees is a fall. These changes are not announced, since seldom does the challenge change the order of finish, but you will find the scores have changed after the competition.

I remember the Cup of China was it ?

its pointless for filing if it wont change your score finish/ranking anyways
let alone finding it out after the competition, I suppose scores in figure skating vary and are not as close in scores like in gymnastics
so I guess that is one reason it wont make much difference

sky_fly20 · May 31, 2014

gmyers said:
It's very interesting. When an athlete performs and then there is a score rg people sit alone and then divers stand alone but figure skating coach and skater are together.

RG are accompanied by their coaches too
not sure about diving ?

fleeting · May 31, 2014

sky_fly20 said:
RG are accompanied by their coaches too
not sure about diving ?

Pro divers wait for marks alone, I believe. Even as low as the high school level, they wait without their coach for their marks.

karne · May 31, 2014

fleeting said:
Pro divers wait for marks alone, I believe. Even as low as the high school level, they wait without their coach for their marks.

Yep - I'm flashing back to the wonderful footage of Matthew Mitcham scambling out of the pool in Beijing and kneeling down to cry because he knew he was perfect and then the judges' marks - he was alone, which is possibly what made the footage even more delightful. (He wasn't alone for long, of course. But the first person to him was - his coach.)

I think there are variances. To see Plushenko sitting alone in the kiss and cry would be...I don't know, rather awful. Or Jason.

flyushka · May 31, 2014

So what's the deal with this new rule about skaters having to wait in the K&C for a certain amount of time even after the marks are done being read? I kind of miss the days when we got to occasionally see skaters storming off in the middle of their marks, lol. Where's the drama now?

Skater Boy · May 31, 2014

I think it is custom or tradition but I do see coaches often in gymnastics and diving with their athlete.

Why is Skating the Only Sport Where the Athletes Await their Scores with their Coaches ?

karne

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Pamigena

Bonnie F

Mathman

louisa05

TMC

fleeting

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sky_fly20

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charmblade

gmyers

dorispulaski

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sky_fly20

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sky_fly20

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fleeting

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karne

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flyushka

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