Olympic Channel airings this week

noskates · Dec 27, 2017

Starting last night the Olympic Channel is showing past Olympic figure skating championships. Last night was the Men's LP in 2002 with the battle of Yagudin and Plush. They also showed the Pairs final and the judging controversy with Sale and Pelletier and Berezhnaia and Sig. (can't remember how to spell his name) Tim Goebel took the bronze in the men that year and it was great to see how easily he threw quads.

They'll do Ladies and Dance from 2002 tonight.

If you get the Olympic channel it's more than worth your time.

YagsFan · Dec 28, 2017

Hi Noskates,

I was going to start this thread if no one else had

I am really enjoying this series by the Olympic Channel! Watched the Men's comp. last night, reliving my great joy at the result, lol. And tonight, I just finished watching the Ladies'. You know, it strikes me that memory is a strange thing. I so remembered---or so I thought---Sarah's skate; I could visualize her blue dress, Robin's jumping up and down at the boards, and turning Sarah around to take it all in. And I remembered that part of the victory had to do with Sarah completing 2 triple-triples when the others did not. BUT, what I didn't remember was how really lovely and stunning her whole skate was! Not an awkward moment, and no "barely" completing things. Wow, I'm really, really glad to have gotten to see it all again, just as it went down at the time!
I'm with you in recommending this series to all. I already have my DVR primed for the 2006 Ladies' on Friday!

elbkup · Dec 28, 2017

Thanks Noskates for the heads up... I will definitely watch! Nothing like getting primed for Nationals! Revisiting Johnny Evan drama.... :clap:

noskates · Dec 28, 2017

I'm glad some are enjoying this. I do have to admit I turned the show off last night before the ladies was over. I just couldn't bear to watch Michelle end up not getting the OGM. But I agree with Yagsfan, Sarah was absolutely stunning. She even said she had never skated that well before in her life. Her dress, her choreo, everything was perfect. She deserved winning. I also really enjoyed seeing Alexei Yagudin's skate. I remember watching it and jumping up and down - and he was so emotional in the kiss & cry. Always one of my favorite skaters.

On to Johnny and Evan.

slider11 · Dec 29, 2017

I have really enjoyed this series of Olympic skates, too. It makes me REALLY miss the announcing team of Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic and Dick Button. I thought they complimented each other really well and provided informative commentating. I know there is little chance of reviving that trio but on the US side I am not looking forward to the Johnny/Tara show.

Kelly Lynn · Jan 1, 2018

I’m really enjoying this too. It’s being presented with the last two groups in each discipline with minimal replay, no “color pieces, and in order. If only the actual Olympics were shown this way instead of darting back and forth between sports with tons of “color.” And it’s wonderful to see skaters and their performances I had almost forgotten. However it’s only reinforced my wish that skaters would bring new programs/new choreography to each season particularly the Olympic season. Great skating, great choreography, and great passion make for GOLD.

caseyl23 · Jan 2, 2018

I love watching these broadcasts but just listened to the commentators say first Julia Lipnitskaia, then Gracie Gold would definitely be back at the Olympics ... heartbreaking.

magictodo · Jan 3, 2018

My favorite thing has been Dick Button. His commentary on Plushenko's LP in 2006 SLAYED ME: "First jumps, then arm movements."

plushyfan · Jan 3, 2018

magictodo said:
My favorite thing has been Dick Button. His commentary on Plushenko's LP in 2006 SLAYED ME: "First jumps, then arm movements."

Interesting.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5CxQq1vsRU This is also Dick. What happened?

Lamente Ariane · Jan 3, 2018

I wish commentators would learn not to make predictions about careers. Kimmie Meissner was another one where they declared "it's her first Olympics but it won't be her last" and then it was. It just goes to show how much of a privilege getting to skate at the Olympics really is, because you never know what will happen in the future, much of it out of the athletes' control.

evasorange · Jan 3, 2018

I have been loving the HECK out of this! So many things I'd forgotten about-how Sasha stayed committed to her lp and giving us a beautiful performance even with making mistakes at start, the ridiculousness of the crass Sochi crowd chanting Adalina while Yuna was waiting for her scores, how nuts and ott ice dance costumes were in 2006, how close Javi was to a medal, I had been remembering his program as much more a train wreck then it was! How crazy it is that Carolina is still in the game after seeing her at Torino, baby Mirai bringing the fire at Vancouver...thank you Olympic channel for brining these back! Next bring back old world championships!

Weathergal · Jan 3, 2018

plushyfan said:
Interesting.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5CxQq1vsRU This also Dick. What happened?

Thanks Plushyfan - I realize not from a past Olympics, but I'm glad you shared it. I didn't remember that performance, and I really enjoyed watching it. There really is something very compelling about Plushy, but then you know that already! :agree:

caseyl23 · Jan 4, 2018

evasorange said:
I have been loving the HECK out of this! So many things I'd forgotten about . . . how nuts and ott ice dance costumes were in 2006 . . .

Story time! So my six-year-old nephew watched this event with me, and when Grushina and Goncharev came on, he asked me why she was naked! So yes, 2006 costumes did result in some interesting conversation in our house, too.

slider11 · Jan 4, 2018

Another interesting point that this series brought to light is that even going back to 1998, 5 of the 6 gold medalists for the ladies were NOT the favorites but a talented dark horse waiting in the shadows. Tara, Sarah, Shizuka and Adelina had the skates of their lives and beat the favorite(s). Only Yuna came in as the favorite and first in 2010. So that tells me with injury, nerves or just the skate of a life-time from someone else, the 2018 gold may not necessarily have the Russian stamp. Can't wait!

plushyfan · Jan 4, 2018

Weathergal said:
Thanks Plushyfan - I realize not from a past Olympics, but I'm glad you shared it. I didn't remember that performance, and I really enjoyed watching it. There really is something very compelling about Plushy, but then you know that already! :agree:

Yes, I just don't understand what happened with Dick Button, what has changed? He liked the program and he prasied Plush in 2005. His tone became totally different in 2006.

Feline Feeder · Jan 4, 2018

Here's what I noticed:

1. Each year, the programs seemed to get more generic. Back in 2002, the ladies had a much larger variety of hairdos, costumes and music types than they do today. Every girl has the same bun, the same dress with sequins on the top about halfway down, the same soft classical music or ballad. . .

2. There was a much bigger difference between the top skaters and the lower skaters then. There was a big difference between the girls in the second group and the first group in terms of gracefulness and mistake making.

3. In general, the programs are better than the rap they later got. Irina did have artistry in 2002, Sarah's jumps looked rotated, Michelle's fall didn't ruin the program, Sasha was a fighter, and Rachael Flatt was excellent and would have been in medal contention at many other times in FS history. She wasn't up to the level of Yuna and Mao, but she wasn't awkward or terrible.

4. Agree about the predictions of future Olympic success. At least two of the three (Julia, Gracie) and possibly the third (Kimmie) suffered from eating disorders. The pressure and big expectations probably didn't help. It makes the reruns bittersweet.

Olympic Channel airings this week

noskates

YagsFan

elbkup

Power without conscience is a savage weapon

noskates

slider11

Kelly Lynn

caseyl23

magictodo

plushyfan

Lamente Ariane

Skating Skills -5, Fashion +3, Camp +4

evasorange

Weathergal

caseyl23

slider11

plushyfan

Feline Feeder

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