Skaters you just don't "get"
- Thread starter BravesSkateFan
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
just fodder for the off-season
I doubt the initial poster of this thread intended to offend or start a bash thread, and I also don't think that's what has happened here. On the other hand, this thread has produced many interesting, thought-provoking posts that add further nuances to the notion of "getting" or not "getting" a skater, i.e. DorisPulaski's post. I think the thread has been interesting, and it has allowed us all to voice our opinions freely, which is what we come here to do, without being mean or disparaging. We're entitled to point out that certain skaters mesmerize or fail to mesmerize us and to wonder out loud why this is so, in the company of fellow posters, without losing any of our respect or appreciation of their hard work as figure skaters. I personally take my hat off to every skater, from the ones whose most miniscule movement bewitch me to those who I see other fans all worked up about and can't get into the same excitement. It's an interesting topic to explore, if you ask me. It's about that X factor that some skaters have for some fans but not for others. That is as much a part of "getting figure skating" as the subjective art and sport that we fans understand it to be, as anything else.
Sarah
I doubt the initial poster of this thread intended to offend or start a bash thread, and I also don't think that's what has happened here. On the other hand, this thread has produced many interesting, thought-provoking posts that add further nuances to the notion of "getting" or not "getting" a skater, i.e. DorisPulaski's post. I think the thread has been interesting, and it has allowed us all to voice our opinions freely, which is what we come here to do, without being mean or disparaging. We're entitled to point out that certain skaters mesmerize or fail to mesmerize us and to wonder out loud why this is so, in the company of fellow posters, without losing any of our respect or appreciation of their hard work as figure skaters. I personally take my hat off to every skater, from the ones whose most miniscule movement bewitch me to those who I see other fans all worked up about and can't get into the same excitement. It's an interesting topic to explore, if you ask me. It's about that X factor that some skaters have for some fans but not for others. That is as much a part of "getting figure skating" as the subjective art and sport that we fans understand it to be, as anything else.
Sarah
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
Ladskater said:
You are completely missing the point of this thread. There would be no room for criticism if everybody thought like you. It's simple. There are some skaters that some people deteste or just find boring that other people actually enjoy.
I find watching Timothy Geobel skate a painful experience while others enjoy him.
I think Langois and Archetto were put in their place at 2004 Worlds while many think they were robbed.
It's about differences in opinions. Some people see things in skaters others don't. Hard work has nothing to do with it.
TV
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2003
Lad... My intent was not to start a bashing thread. I was just reading some posts about certain skaters and was thinking to myself "I don't get it." So I thought I'd start a thread about it. Just to see what other peoples thoughts and opinions were. I respect every skater, even those who's skating I don't like. But that doesn't mean that I "get" it.
I don't get Pleshenko, I guess. There is no question that he is an outstanding jumper. It's his artistic side that I question. He seems to force the artistry. He never really looks comfortable---like it comes naturally.
Fumie Suguri---although she is a feathery-light skater, which I like, I've never been able to get into her skating. I keep waiting for her stretch, extension and spins to improve.
I'm not bashing either of these skaters, I just don't get them.
Dizzy
Fumie Suguri---although she is a feathery-light skater, which I like, I've never been able to get into her skating. I keep waiting for her stretch, extension and spins to improve.
I'm not bashing either of these skaters, I just don't get them.
Dizzy
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2004
Well my list goes something like
Elena Liashenko
Viktoria Volchkova
Sebestyen
Ven Der Perren
As for Kostner her speed and edging across the ice is the most impressive of all the women. Saw her live and she does fly across the ice.
I;m shocked some people have Kwan, Cohen and Plushenko all on the same list. If you don't get them all at the same time I dont think you can watch figure skating. Sure we're all entitled to our own opinions but there's loads to appreciate and to add a legend in the making ie Kwan is really not to understand the sport I'm sorry.
Elena Liashenko
Viktoria Volchkova
Sebestyen
Ven Der Perren
As for Kostner her speed and edging across the ice is the most impressive of all the women. Saw her live and she does fly across the ice.
I;m shocked some people have Kwan, Cohen and Plushenko all on the same list. If you don't get them all at the same time I dont think you can watch figure skating. Sure we're all entitled to our own opinions but there's loads to appreciate and to add a legend in the making ie Kwan is really not to understand the sport I'm sorry.
I don't get the opportunity to post much, but I enjoy reading these kinds of threads. There are times I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't "get" a skater, even though I can recognize and appreciate the talent and skill, so to know that I'm not alone is a good thing. I enjoy reading what those people who "get" what a skater is all about, too, as it gives me the opportunity to look at someone through another's eyes and possibly see what I have been missing. For the most part, I think the posts have been respectful and informative.
Nan
Nan
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2003
Perhaps not everyone thinks Kwan is a "legend in the making". To not "get" that others just really don't "get" a skater is to not understand this thread.adamlondon said:
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
adamlondon said:
I will have to disagree with this. Skating is not a few number of World medallists. This may sound strange to you but I've seen people who claimed they don't like watching the World championships as much as they enjoy watching regionals or juniors. Shocking? Not really. If you're looking for things in the skating that the mainstream fan isn't, I don't see the surprise.
We all like different things. We may recognize a skater's talent but we don't have to like their style or their programs. What does that have to do with not understanding the sport? Quads are important in the sport. But does everybody like them? Ice dance has so many rules and ice dancers are the best skaters among the four disciplines. Does everybody like ice dance?
It just depends on what you're looking for when you watch a skater. If I'm basically a pairs skating fan and I don't care about the other disciplines, why would I like Kwan, Plushenko or Cohen?
I believe that I "get" all the skaters. I believe that most of them are on the ice doing something they enjoy & are skilled at. Yes, some are more skilled than others. And it's painful for me to watch some of the skaters that don't appear to be enjoying what they are doing. I have seen what I thought was great potential in some skaters that just fizzled out. However, some of my favorite skaters would not be considered among the top contenders or potential medalists. And I find myself not really caring for a lot of the more successful skaters. I don't think that means that I don't "get" them. It just means that I don't care for some aspect of their skating or personality. However, I appreciate them all for the time and effort they put into the sport that I care about.
Plushenko!!!
All that arm flapping and those silly costumes and the pointless footwork and that huge nose and hideous hair!!! Yuck!!!
And I just HATE the way he looks down at the ice on his jump landings. Tara Lapipsqueak used to do that all the time, too.
But I will admit his triple axel-half loop-triple flip is pretty amazing!
All that arm flapping and those silly costumes and the pointless footwork and that huge nose and hideous hair!!! Yuck!!!
And I just HATE the way he looks down at the ice on his jump landings. Tara Lapipsqueak used to do that all the time, too.
But I will admit his triple axel-half loop-triple flip is pretty amazing!
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
I don't really get Plushenko or Sale/Pelletier.
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
Even though there are some skaters I don't care for, there are very few where I just don't understand what others see in them. The only ones I can think of right now are:
- Viktoria Volchkova (seeing her live made me see how she could event get into the final group of any competition, but I still don't see anything to rave about)
- Yoshie Onda
- AP McDonough - I "got" her the first season I saw her, but all the promise she showed then has disappeared IMO
Ice Dance as a discipline - only the Free Dance holds any interest at all for me. I don't hate it - I just clearly don't get it, since Ice Dance has huge fans. Funny, since I love figure skating because I'm a dancer!
guinevere
- Viktoria Volchkova (seeing her live made me see how she could event get into the final group of any competition, but I still don't see anything to rave about)
- Yoshie Onda
- AP McDonough - I "got" her the first season I saw her, but all the promise she showed then has disappeared IMO
Ice Dance as a discipline - only the Free Dance holds any interest at all for me. I don't hate it - I just clearly don't get it, since Ice Dance has huge fans. Funny, since I love figure skating because I'm a dancer!
guinevere
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2004
Thank you. I think the vast majority of people would agree with that and really it's not so bad to be part of majority some of the time. No point trying to be different for the sake of it.Lucy25 said:Of course Michelle is not a legend in the making. She already *is* a legend.
My point is that is you don't get the three ie Kwan, Cohen and Plushenko ie dont have a clue why they are being raved about then there is something seriously wrong. Whilst I don't LIKE Plushenko I totally 'get' him in the sense I understand full well why he keeps winning even with mistakes.
I don't see ''getting'' as equal to ''understanding the sport''. I understand that Plushenko is a great jumper and respect him. It's just when reading posts describing him as the best ever and going into raptures, my reaction is ''Huh??'' Frankly, in the last 2 years, I've started having difficulty understanding the raptures over Kwan. I know why she is good. I just think something is missing or I'm just not seeing it. I'm not ''getting'' her as I did before.
For someone who is strictly a fan, I think I am fairly knowledgable about skating. I've put a great deal of effort into learning about it and seeking good resources. This forum is one of them and this type of thread is invaluable. There's nothing disrespectful about seeking knowledge.
For someone who is strictly a fan, I think I am fairly knowledgable about skating. I've put a great deal of effort into learning about it and seeking good resources. This forum is one of them and this type of thread is invaluable. There's nothing disrespectful about seeking knowledge.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
adamlondon said:
I'm not going with that definition of "not getting" someone, Adam; I posted after Dorispulaski mentioned that it's also possible that some of us don't "get" the appeal of a skater or what s/he is trying to do in a particular program/over a specific period in her or his career spanning a few programs...in that respect, I reserve the right to say I don't get Kwan, Cohen, OR Plushenko, perhaps not in the sense that the person who started the thread meant, i.e. "don't have a clue why they are being raved about"...insofar as I can like a skater, recognize their outstanding accomplishments, etc, yet still watch programs from a particular moment in his/her career and say, I just don't get that, i.e. that does nothing for me whatsoever, then I don't think there's anything seriously wrong
BTW, I also think people can not get the most mainstream, dominant elite skaters and still be a fan of skating. If for me Alexei Yagudin epitomizes men's figure skating of the quad era and Philippe Candeloro did it for me before Yags, and if as a result it took me a couple of years to even begin to "get" Plushy, even if it happens way after many others "get" him, that doesn't make me a faulty figure skating fan or something. It makes me a person who makes up my mind about my tastes independently of throngs of adoring fans of a skater--note this is different from "being different for the sake of it".
Cheers,
Sarah
p.s. for the record, right about now I can say I enjoy many of Kwan, Cohen, and Plushenko's skates, but to find out who I "get" most of all, check out my siggy
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
one more thing
after reading through this thread a few times, it just dawned on me that such a thread is important and invaluable, as SusanBeth rightly noted, because it proves that figure skating is different things to different people; to me it's "Musical Majesty on Ice", to a second fan it's the awesome jumping power and energy of a Midori Ito, to a third it's yet another quality of this wonderful, multifaceted sport that they enjoy above all others. NOW I "get" it
Sarah
after reading through this thread a few times, it just dawned on me that such a thread is important and invaluable, as SusanBeth rightly noted, because it proves that figure skating is different things to different people; to me it's "Musical Majesty on Ice", to a second fan it's the awesome jumping power and energy of a Midori Ito, to a third it's yet another quality of this wonderful, multifaceted sport that they enjoy above all others. NOW I "get" it
Sarah
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
adamlondon said:
Oh my, this doesn't seem like a democratic view of majority/ minority, sounds more like a dictatorship
(I'm joking LOL)I think many people who posted here didn't have the same view of "get" a skater as you have, so maybe that's why you're not "getting" why someone doesn't "get" a skater
The way I made my list and the way some other posters did their list, it's not like we were saying we didn't know why that skater was considered good or why they won titles... it doesn't have to do with understanding the sport at all. It's just a matter of preference and taste, a matter of what skaters appeal the less to you. Kurt Browning is a SkateGod (
) but there are still people who don't like his skating. It's just a matter of preference and what skaters do you have most trouble to understand what they are trying to do on the ice. Life would be boring if we all watched it the same way
Last edited:
