2014 Olympics Pairs Short Program

[semosk8tfan]

S/S must realise there is now no way they can win gold so knowing them, they will probably go for the th3A just to show they are not giving up (given they have nothing to lose). And then they will fall on it and end up 3rd behind Stolbova/Klimov.

I have been thinking the exact same thing!

 

[amc987]

I would've had Volosozhar and Trankov around 82 for that program. I didn't think some of their elements were as crisp as they sometimes are and both looked very nervous which, IMO, affected their presentation. I think Savchenko and Szolkowy should've cleared 80, but I'd still have them in 2nd. I don't care for Stolbova/ Klimov or their programs. Their elements were strong, but so were the Canadian teams'. I think I'd have S/K closer to 72, so in 5th place behind P/T and M-T/M. I think I'd have Duhamel/ Radford in 6th, but I think there shouldn't be much more than a 2 point gap between 3rd and 6th. In fact, if not for MT-M's low level on their death spiral, I'd have them in 3rd. Unfortunate time for that mistake.

I don't think the Germans are out of the running, but they're going to have to be perfect (probably with the 3ATh) and hope that V/T have a fall or pop one of their side-by-side jumps. I really hope we aren't going to see this same Russian score inflation for the rest of the events. Goodness knows I may lose my mind if Julia beats a clean Yuna, Mao, or Carolina (with 3-3).

 

[Fruit Loops]

I wish CBC had shown more than the top two Canadian teams plus the top 2 finishers. I don't have any of the other fancy channels. I can re-watch it online at least...I just hate watching FS on the computer. Anyways, I'm saddened that I couldn't see the second Russian team. I think I like them better than V/T. They seem more fun. I do think it's funny they're suddenly getting such huge scores compared to the teams who used to be ahead of them but I didn't see them skate so I can't really commentate one way or the other with any certainty.

 

[Sabrina]

I wish CBC had shown more than the top two Canadian teams plus the top 2 finishers. I don't have any of the other fancy channels. I can re-watch it online at least...I just hate watching FS on the computer.

I watched the whole skating (pairs short program) on channel 22 (Rogers) SN (SNOHD)

 

[kappa_1]

Just looked over the protocols.

I can definitely see how V/T should be in the lead, but the PCS scores suggest that some of these indiviudal judges dropped some E before V/T skated.

8.5 vs. 9.5 for SS?
7.5 vs. 9.25 for TR?
8.75 vs. 10.00 for CH!? Huh!??

I doubt S/S can win gold unless they skate cleanly, AND land the throw 3A, AND V/T fall 3 times.

As other posters have mentioned before, the 2.5 difference in PCS will turn into about a 5 point difference in the LP. Plus the lead from the SP.

I'm glad S/S are skating last. I hope they leave us with a beautiful swan song. Their Nutcracker isn't as good as their Pina IMO, but it's pretty.

I hope V/T keep skating and give us better programs than JCS.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Of course why they chose to be extra picky on this aspect is up for debate, but...

That's why I think it's weird. It's very likely not out of the rules to score all of those elements a little stricter, but it's definitly not what you'd expect given that these are the Olympics. If you add to that the generous scoring for the russian skaters, it looks weird.
Maybe I'm just interpretating too much into some skaters faces though, but I felt like some of them looked very suprised and disappointed with their scores, and that's what bothers me the most. S/S, B/H and P/T for example looked at least, lets call it, unimpressed. Given that there was a lot of great skating I would have liked to see more happy faces.

 

[WeakAnkles]

What a great pairs SP competition! That is why we love the Winter Olympics.

Hope they can keep the same level in the FS tomorrow...

So, how did the interview go?

 

[Kittosuni]

The teams that really impressed me interms of performance are S/K and the 2 chinese. S/S was bland as well as V/T but their elements are really well executed. The two canadians dance looked force/ not polished.

 

[sowcow]

.

I wish CBC had shown more than the top two Canadian teams plus the top 2 finishers. I don't have any of the other fancy channels. I can re-watch it online at least...I just hate watching FS on the computer.

Hey Fruit Loops -

Suggest you simply invest in a $10-$20 cable to easily connect your laptop to any TV.

Here's a great little summary of the various types of cables that can be used for a laptop-->TV connection:

The CBC online LIVE streaming has been terrific! NO COMMERCIALS (so while 'network' viewers watch commercials between each skater, instead you get to watch the various slow-mo video recaps & see the skater receive his/her marks in the kiss n' cry). Plus, while the 'network' viewers only watch the first 30 seconds of warm-up followed by 4.5 minutes of commercials; those watching the 'streaming' coverage get to watch the entire warm-up ... again NO COMMERCIALS!!

In addition, the online video-player CBC is using to stream it's coverage has a great little button in the bottom-left corner (basically a 5 with a circle around it) which loops the video stream back 5 seconds. Push it multiple times if you want to review an element that happened 10 ... or 15 ... or 20 ... or 60 seconds ago! Really cool (and it occurs almost instantly!). If you want to jump back to the 'Live coverage', there's another small button labelled 'Live' that instantly zooms you back to the Live feed.

I have to admit, CBC has really outdone itself this time. You can stream EVERY event at the Olympics while it is happening LIVE. In fact, apparently you can have as many as 8 different windows open at the same time all streaming different LIVE events! I've tried it with 3 different simultaneous-broadcasting feeds and it worked just fine (and I have just a standard laptop, purchased ~2.5 years ago)!

Cheers,
Steve

 

[dorispulaski]

Sounds great!

 

[bekalc]

If only Savchenko/Szolkowy skated at team event. Then they are going to notice same technical panel killed death spiral levels for almost all teams, both short and long team event. I know Germany probably not going to make final but at least they could get good feedback then.

Exactly. I really don't think it was smart to change this so quickly. Its good to get your programs out there and see what the technical caller says-that's on them. It would have been smart to maybe go out there and do that new short in the team event...

 

[Becki]

.


Hey Fruit Loops -

Suggest you simply invest in a $10-$20 cable to easily connect your laptop to any TV.

Here's a great little summary of the various types of cables that can be used for a laptop-->TV connection:

The CBC online LIVE streaming has been terrific! NO COMMERCIALS (so while 'network' viewers watch commercials between each skater, instead you get to watch the various slow-mo video recaps & see the skater receive his/her marks in the kiss n' cry). Plus, while the 'network' viewers only watch the first 30 seconds of warm-up followed by 4.5 minutes of commercials; those watching the 'streaming' coverage get to watch the entire warm-up ... again NO COMMERCIALS!!

In addition, the online video-player CBC is using to stream it's coverage has a great little button in the bottom-left corner (basically a 5 with a circle around it) which loops the video stream back 5 seconds. Push it multiple times if you want to review an element that happened 10 ... or 15 ... or 20 ... or 60 seconds ago! Really cool (and it occurs almost instantly!). If you want to jump back to the 'Live coverage', there's another small button labelled 'Live' that instantly zooms you back to the Live feed.

I have to admit, CBC has really outdone itself this time. You can stream EVERY event at the Olympics while it is happening LIVE. In fact, apparently you can have as many as 8 different windows open at the same time all streaming different LIVE events! I've tried it with 3 different simultaneous-broadcasting feeds and it worked just fine (and I have just a standard laptop, purchased ~2.5 years ago)!

Cheers,
Steve

Yes! CBC is awesome, the app is just out of this world. I give their developer team an A+++++

 

[Panini]

Pang/Tong's and Duhamel/Radford's two-footed 3twists got tied second highest GOE of the evening. Same as Peng/Zhang who had a clean, gigantic and effortless twist (but then, they don't have the reputation yet and they skated early, I guess?).

I mean P/T's had decent height at least but D/R's doesn't even have that, although it was well controlled. So random.

I'll stop reading before I reach for the razors. Where is that drama button when you need it?

ETA: Third highest, I missed B/L who rightfully got generously rewarded for theirs.

I'm just gonna pretend figure skating isn't a sport anymore. I mean if the judges are so incompetent they can't even grade an element without considering reputation, what is the point.

 

[Mista Ekko]

I'm sorry if this has been answered, It's just a lot of pages to go through, But:

Why was S\S Death spiral only level 2 ?!

 

[Chemistry66]

NBC starting with Marissa and Simon. They're totally going to pick and choose and skip around. Wooooooooo.

 

[Tesla]

Marissa and Simon were fantastic! I wish we got to see P/Z, though.

 

[Chemistry66]

Felicia and Nate are ridiculously adorable. STOP IT NOW.

 

[bobbob]

The scoring is once again absolutely ridiculous.
Tell me, how in the world did S/K get more than two points better than P/T, who had a far far superior program? Even with the debatable triple toe, P/T should have scored at least a couple of points more than S/K, who skated worse than all of the other top seven teams. S/K have really, really weak skating skills, choreography, and nonexistent transitions, and their PCS deserves no more than 31. The scoring of B/L was also quite laughable, how the hell did they score about 70 with that program? There was little speed and poor skating skills, not to mention their horrible side by side jumps. And V/T, while they do deserve to be first, should have about 2 points less. These three teams (especially the first two) were ridiculously overscored). The judges are just trying to ridiculously overscore the Russians so that they could have 2 on the podium. (maybe even gold-silver if S/S are not careful)
On the other hand, P/T were massively lowballed (this was almost as bad as 2008 WC, where they got UR calls for no reason at all.). There triple toe was maybe a little under, and that element didn't deserve a very good score, but every single other element of theirs was far superior to S/K and comparable to S/S. P/T clearly had a far better overall program than S/K. There PCS were also massively undescored (how did they get the same PCS as S/K, two less than S/S, five less than V/T) They deserve almost as much as S/S, maybe a few tenths less.
The scoring of D/R, M-T/M, and P/Z was also quite sad when compared to S/K, B/L. D/R skated a well composed program with fabulous transitions. Although they had a couple of minor bobbles, they deserve more than S/K, who had a horrendously composed program that reminded me of Plushenko-- strong elements but no transitions. M-T/M were also lowballed--despite a clean and lively program they didn't even come close to S/K score wise--something I cannot grasp. They also barely got anything more than B/L, who had a horrible skate and should be ranked even lower than C/S and J/C. P/Z should have also got much more than B/L and deserved about the same score as M-T with their string elements. Their PCS was really way too low, imo.
Heres what I would have given:
1. V/T 44.5+37.5=82
2. S/S 43.5+36.5=80
3. P/T 40.5+36=76.5
4. D/R 40+33=73
5. M-T/M 39+33=72
6. P/Z 41+31=72
7. S/K 40.5+31=71.5
8. C/S 38.5+29.5=68
9. J/C 37.5+29=66.5
10. B/K 36+30=66

 

[Skater Boy]

The americans do look good; maybe for amedal at worlds But here it will be hard. I have to say none of the short programs were particularly inspiritng but well skated programs for sure. I do think Pang and tong were terribly overmarked especially in light of what I really thought was Tong doing a double jump I would have had both Canadians ahead of Pang and Tong. a|ctually the top six teams i wold have clearly over the rest.

 

[noskates]

Have I missed something? Are all the judges Russian? If not - what on earth would compel a Frenchman or an Italian or a German or a whateverman to overscore the Russians so they can have 2 teams on the podium. That just doesn't make sense to me. That pretty much defies logic, quite frankly. And the bobbles and misses aren't decided by the judges anyway - they're decided by the technical people. Are the technical people all Russian?

And I guess it's disconcerting that everytime there is an Olympics or a Worlds or even a Nationals people have to dissect every little move. Sheesh.

Skaterboy and I were posting at the same time.....but I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought that jump was doubled. Pang and Tong do nothing for me. Haven't for awhile.