Campbell's and Your TV Impressions

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Here's mine.

MEN

Tim: He's much improved his flow. the choreographay is good as is the music. The costume is fine. If the quads come back he is podium material.

Brian - I really don't see this guy. He is so lifeless, and Yes, he is good looking.
The choreograph was very TT and the music is much better than last year. Costume was not to my liking.

Emmanuel - Costume, Music and Choreography were excellent. His body language makes him special. He should have won this event. If the quad becomes consistent, he will be podium bound.

Johnny - Choreograph was good but music was much too quiet with little change of pace. He's got to liven it up.

LADIES

Julia - First half of program was great but needs to pace herself to finish without tiring. Choreography was excellent albeit with warhorse music. Costume was a bit busy for me. Highlight: The height in the jumps.

Kimmie - No nerves at this age. Her technique is well defined. Choreography and music were perfect for her style. Lots of potential Highlight: that sitz change sitz was all the way down!!

Sasha - Costume very nice. First one I like of hers. Choreograph beautiful to the warhorse music. Definitely will be a podium competitor if the jumps work. Highlight: Forward Charlotte - not easy when that head goes down!

Michelle - She's gorgeous in lavender. Choreography and Music: I'm not overwhelmed but her body language sells it. my advice to her would be to speed it up and make more of that footwork. Highlight: Camels in both directions.

Shizuka - Costume not as bad as I thought. Choreography was very good to this warhorse music. Needs to liven it up. Highlight: Sasha's I spin.

Miki - Costume fits the music and the choreography fits the music. Much improved flow over last season. Highlight: Speed and flow.

The above are just my opinions and are not based on any prizes.

Joe

 

[Nadine]

Comments from Today's Televised Campbell's Competition

Yeah!

Feels goooooood to watch skating again, and to post as well, after taking a 5/6 mos. hiatus. But now that my favorite sport is back on t.v., there's no keeping me away from the boards. ^)

MEN'S

Timothy Goebel - great to see him back on the ice, but sad to see that his presentation really hasn't changed IMHO. Still, he's got his jumps back!

Emanuel Sandhu - personally, the most enjoyable men's program for me. Btw, weird how he skated right after Tim......complete opposites......and not favorable to Tim IMHO. And as Dick button stated, Emanuel would be unbeatable if only he could land the jumps. But that could be said about a lot of skaters both past & present.

Brian Joubert - sorry, drawing a blank, don't recall much.

Johnny Weir - hmm, since last season, I'm beginning to enjoy his skating more & more. And I still say he is America's answer to Canada's Emanuel Sandhu. BRING IT ON!

LADIES

Julia Sebestyen - yeah, good to see her skating again, love the jumps! And the dress isn't too bad either. Btw, also enjoyed seeing the Biellman, always a pleasure to see that spin. Nice skating as well, can't wait to see it all put together come 2005 Worlds.

Kimmie Meissner - ah, truly the highlight of the entire competition for me (no lie).......soooooo much potential.........already realized. And is honestly my personal replacement for one of my all-time favorites, Sarah Hughes, at least when it comes to amateur/eligible competition. Added to that similarity is her limber, long-limbed body and being able to land the jumps, as well as the music being an extra bonus! Seriously, can't wait to see more of her. ^)

Sasha Cohen - hmmm, think more time & competitions need to pass before I can say how I like this program on Sasha, though I see its potential. Other than that, it was good to see her back on the ice and looking truly gorgeous as ever ~ aptly named "The China Doll".

Michelle Kwan - ah, she never fails to rise to the occasion & deliver, which she did once again here. With her, she's so steady, that I never fear watching her performance. Love this program! Bolero has always been a long time favorite of mine, and with Michelle skating to it, only added to my pleasure (for real). Well deserved win!

Shizuka Arakawa - she reminded me so much of Sarah Hughes back in 2000/2001.......tall, limber, flexible, able to land difficult jumps & combos.......so great to see her realizing her potential & continuing to rise to the occasion. Can't wait to see what she & this program will look like at its best come 2005 Worlds!

Miki Ando - yes, my favorite, the one whom I've been waiting to watch again for the past 5/6 mos........and she didn't disappoint........can only imagine what she & her program will look like with more competitions & work. Already I see gradual improvement from last year's Worlds (no lie) ~ more fluidity, gracefulness, and overall just looking better in terms of her skating. However, needs to work more on her spins & spirals, especially when skating against the Top 3. And, I can't believe I'm saying this, but though Firebird (the music) is one of my all-time favorites, I don't really think Miki was ready for it last year. However, the program she skated to today really suits her style. JMHO.

Peace & Love, Nadine

P.S. This competition didn't disappoint, wasn't expecting perfection, just a nice day of beginning of the season skating. ^)

WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO START OFF THE NEW SEASON - GREAT DAY OF SKATING!!!

 

[A.H.Black]

I recorded it and have only seen Michelles program so far.

I had three basic impressions.

1- Michelle's stroking looks smoother to me. Not that it hasn't always, but today I was particularly aware of it.

2- I thought she had better flow out of her jumps. Some other posters have said that she is jumping higher. I can't say I have noticed that but I did think I saw more flow out - especially towards the end of the program. Maybe the choreography allows for it or maybe this is part of the influence of Artunian.

3- This program seems to be all curves. In the past there have been complaints about Michelle skating in straight lines down the ice. In this program the only straight line I noticed was the footwork.

I also noticed that the first jump is in a different place and she seems to have changed the order somewhat. Someone on another board suggested that this program calls for a red costume. I think I agree.

 

[dorispulaski]

Men

Some differences:

Ti m/Queen
I was so glad to see him skating well, and with some real improvements.
I felt his axel technique has improved. The costume worked quite well.
He didn't have airplane arms as much as in the past. His posture was better,
and I thought his basic stroking was better. With quads, he may be back on the
podium. I wish he would pick something other than We Are the Champions to end with. I really like the way he did Who Wants to Live Forever.

And I have always liked the hydroblade/3loop move, and glad to see him do it well

His attitude of well it was OK for starters, and I hope to be in shape by world's seems like the right one.

Joubert/1492
Nooooo! This interpretation was far inferior to Elvis Stojko's. What the heck have little tippy toe steps have to do with sailing ships or Indian slaughtering, pray tell? And the loose rope hanging down his leg was incredibly distracting, particularly during spins. He should have it sewn down or he will trip on it some time.
His 3loop takeoff technique was more 2 footed than Tim's 4S takeoff technique(not shown at this event, but I remember it well). Dreadful.

His camel spin looked better than last year, the only bright spot for me in this routine

I think he has gone downhill from last year, and I would have had him 3rd.

Sandhu/Emil von Sauer Selections

This was a reverse of most Sandu performances for me.

I loved the costume.

I found the music boring.

The jumps were quite good. He still needs a quad, and the 3A is telegraphed and scary.

He stumbled on his footwork and travelled on his spins.

This will get better, and I have great hopes for him with this program. I would have him 2nd.

Weir/Otonal

Why is he wearing pieces of my net laundary bag sewn to his costume? Also why the dreadlocks? Well, it's Weir...

Otonal is a nice piece for him, but rather dreary. He will have to skate really well to sell this.

You can tell he's injured...it's not fair to comment in more detail than that. If he can heal up, this could be a good program, but he really needs to work on speed to get some excitement into it.

 

[BronzeisGolden]

My thoughts:

Michelle: Wow! I loved "Bolero". I think there is already a bit more content here than "Aranjuez" and "Tosca". Also, the movements are not all purely rehashed ones from her previous programs (though there are some...including a Salome-esque move in the beginning). I was excited because I haven't been impressed with a Michelle LP debut since "The Red Violin" in 1999. This program has loads of potential. I hope to see her add even more choreography and improve the speed/positions on those spins. Overall, a great effort. This should be a stunning program by the end of the season (perhaps one of her very best).

Shizuka: Elegant. Fluid. Vintage Shizuka. This program was similar in content and feeling to "Turandot", so I have no doubt that by the end of the season it will all come together. I have a feeling she will only gain momentum as the season progresses. She responded well to the pressure of being the reigning World Champion.

Sasha: Once again, this is an elegant program. However, I'm not as impressed with this debut as I was with "Swan Lake" last year. This didn't have the excitement level or the cohesiveness of the 1st version of "Swan Lake". But, again, I think all of that will come as Sasha settles into the program. There were some stunningly beautiful moves and moments, so I think this program also has potential.

Miki: There were some lovely moments and the jumps were very solid, but the spirals/spins need definite improvement. There were some moments where you could tell she has been working on her "presentation" skills, but then the transitions weren't all that smooth and the package didn't seem quite complete. I'll have to see this program progress before I make a judgement. At any rate, it was a solid performance and Miki is certainly no "fridge break" skater.

 

[Mathman]

Michelle Those who have eyes, let them see.

That place that never was -- call it Camelot, Shangri-La -- Michelle owns the key. She will take you there, if you let her.

MM

 

[Lucy25]

I recorded it and have only seen Michelles program so far.

2- I thought she had better flow out of her jumps. Some other posters have said that she is jumping higher. I can't say I have noticed that but I did think I saw more flow out - especially towards the end of the program. Maybe the choreography allows for it or maybe this is part of the influence of Artunian.

3- This program seems to be all curves. In the past there have been complaints about Michelle skating in straight lines down the ice. In this program the only straight line I noticed was the footwork.

I also noticed that the first jump is in a different place and she seems to have changed the order somewhat. Someone on another board suggested that this program calls for a red costume. I think I agree.

I thought her 2ax was the best I have ever seen with her. Very high and secure. Regarding the curvy program, reports from those who were there have all remarked on this; that it seems like she kept making turns in unexpected places. I am guessing that this is even more evident live, when you can see the whole rink, not just the camera angle.

I am looking forward to what Michelle and Chris Dean do to tweak this program. Obviously, it needs a bit more to be COP strong, especially with the jump entrances, but it is her best start in many years. Kudos to the Kween for taking a risk this year!

Sasha's program is SO front loaded! I can't imagine she and Robin will keep it that way. I expect many changes because there is barely any choreography and only one combination. Her ina baur had zero back bend! Shizuka's put her's to shame. However, I love the idea of doing one into a jump. It's a beautiful combination. I loved Sasha's second to last spin - raising the leg up to the side. It looked effortless and so much more attractive than that ugly I-spin. Have to say I chuckled to hear Dick and Peggy remark on her very overused music.

Shizuka's program is just jampacked with COP elements it's not even funny. It seemed that almost all her jumps had difficult entrances. I am not loving the program, but can see it's potential. I hate the ending pose. Her dress is just the most god-awful thing. Even worse that Sebesteyn's, and that's saying a lot.

I just am not that impressed with Ando yet. She seemed so insecure on so many elements. She needs to grow on my. Loved her dress, though.

 

[mzheng]

I thought Emanual should've won too. He diddn't have the quad, but again no one landed one, Brian's turned out. Emanual made a mistake at his first jump, but Brian turned out several a few of his jump, and he diddn't land a clean 3A. Emanul had a beautyful 3A/3T. And he had a much difficult program than Tim.

I'm not sure if his 3Sal and 4Sal had the same entry before, but I noticed that her 3sal entry looks different he actually swins his free leg. Before his Sal was like he use both feet into the jump.

Kimmie shows a lot potential.

Julia improved in expression a lot. Her program is CoP friendly and she skated with a lot confidence.

Sasha not as bad as what I had heard of, just lack of some sparks. But during her program all I had in my brain were the imagines from S&Z's LP. I duno may be I watched too much of S&Z's last year's LP.

I love MK and Shizuka's progrem the best. While Arakawa has a more jam packed program, MK's command on ice is like no one else. And I saw the new moves in MK's program, I can only hope the program will mature with the season gose. Arakawa needs to remove the stuff around her arm, her costume will be OK.

I don't get Michelle is the fastest in competetion impression, like most ppl commented on web. though. Guess it diddn't get translated on TV?

 

[IDLERACER]

My overall impression of this competition is that nobody has any taste or imagination when it comes to music selection anymore. They all either skated to overused clichés, or tuneless elevator muzak. I know it isn't easy to find a good instrumental that can be easily edited down to where it's exactly 4½ minutes long, but just about anything would be better than what I was hearing today. :sheesh:

 

[itofan]

Goebel- I think his presentation improved abit from last season and he certainly seemed happier on the ice than he did at Nationals.

Joubert- I liked the normal parts of the music but the techno footwork sections were horrid. I would have had him 3rd or even 4th.

Sandhu- Very nice music choice and the program has nice choreography but he seemed to be going through the motions rather than selling it to the crowd.

Wier- Love the music! This should be a great program when his jumps are on.

Kwan- Excellent! I was very impressed with her today. IMO it's been awhile since she's had a really good free skate program(last one being Song of the Black Swan). Too bad about the fall on the footwork.

Arakawa- I'm not big onTchaikovsky's version of Romeo & Juliet. Nino Rota's would have fitted her style better I think. But, she could be unbeatable under CoP if her jumps are on. The choreography was jamm packed!

Cohen- The first half was all jumps and the second half seemed a bit empty. She should balance the program out more. Loved the forward Charlotte move.

Ando- This music siuts her better than Firebird did. A few silly mistakes on the spin and spiral but overall, I like her program. I thought she should have been ahead of Cohen.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

2- I thought she had better flow out of her jumps. Some other posters have said that she is jumping higher. I can't say I have noticed that but I did think I saw more flow out - especially towards the end of the program. Maybe the choreography allows for it or maybe this is part of the influence of Artunian.

This program seems to be all curves. In the past there have been complaints about Michelle skating in straight lines down the ice. In this program the only straight line I noticed was the footwork.

She always had good jumps but now they are more solid and higher and thanks to Arutunian for that. If she can pull off a 3x3 with all that flow she will win Nats. If she can pull off two 3x3s with all that flow she will win Worlds. I like MK better than Irina but Irina will be doing 3x3s.

While I see the curves in her transitions, I would like to see more intricate steps as she does them, and the footwork seems to be good but it needs more practice. This is Chris Dean's job. He should work on these points.

Joe

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I really wanted to see Evan, so I could say where I think he fit, but oh, well.

I would've had Eman first. Just better basic skating, better elements, better presentation than Tim, but I would've had Tim second. And Tim bores me senseless. Slightly improved hunchness, nice in betweens, but I love Queen and this orchestration and his interpretation make me suicidal. Dull, dull, dull. Watch a Queen concert, Tim.

Third place, I would've had Johnny in spite of the mistakes. Nice flow, nice presentation. When he's healthy, look out!

I would've had Brian fourth. What a godawful program. More skating on two feet, the "picking up sand" is just like "picking up snow" from someone else's program, the footwork does NOT fit the program. I didn't even notice the costume because the rest of the program is so bad. I didn't even notice a camel?? I just saw three sit spins... Will take everyone's word on it, because I can't rewatch.

Laura

PS I loved Brian after Skate America 2002. The worst thing he ever did, though, was enlist Alexei as a coach. Gads.

 

[show 42]

I taped the event, but so far have only watched the ladies........by the by, none of them were in "fighting" form yet, with the exception of Kimmie (I do hope that at some point she reverts back to Kimberly, or at least Kim as she grows older..) anyway, both Sasha and Michelle were a "tad" fuller of face then they normally are........anyway, as Mr. Buttons would say "that's nitpicking".......

Both Michelle's and Sasha's program are apparantly a "work in progress"...can't wait to see them at the end of the season....they'll only get better. No one connects with their music, at present, better than Michelle. Sasha is almost there....much improved. Both ladies seemed a bit "tentative".

Arakawa was good, to my eye, not great. She lacks passion and connection to her music and while her jumps are solid, her second jump on her triple-triple bothers me.......seems an extra half-turn is taken. She does have nice flow over the ice.......not my cup of tea.......I do miss Fumie.....

Ando to me has great potential.......needs to work on her posture. Her back seems to be curved during certain spins and moves. I think she has great musicality potential.......

I happened to like the musical selections. Familiar music is comforting, can take you to a place in time for rememberances........a time warp......42

 

[dorispulaski]

Ladies -Unfortunately, a collection of old chestnuts by old hands for music

Julia Sebasteyn/Carmen
This costume would work somewhat better if the epaulets were either silver or matched red parts of the Carmen costume. The I am both characters costume was not my favorite. Her jumps are still the *best*. The program was a little bare, and she seemed to become tired at the end, but it still was a good effort.
I liked the sideways layback.

Kimmie/Daphnis and Chloe
She skated well, but little skaters don't do much for me. However, her lutz
had a very nice lutz edge. Tons of energy right to the end of the program.

Sasha/Nutcracker
Sasha also ran out of energy. The program is still front end loaded and the entrances to the lutz and flip are not at the level of last year. I am not sure whether it was the camera angle, but I thought the spirals were back to being mostly on the flats. I thought that was a COP lower level? I liked her final spin much, much more than the old B.C. version and I think the music suits her.

Michelle/Bolero
I liked the 3t/2lp! I liked that the reversing camels were back, even though the speed in the spins is not good yet. Her final 3lz and her 3S had great height, and I too thought the 2A was must better than last year's. Definitely the jumps were sharp. I liked the first part and the last part of the program, but it got a little empty in the middle. This can be a problem with Bolero, because if the ice isn't full of action, it drones a bit. Overall, I really think this is her best LP for in a long time. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops. I hope she doesn't dumb down the F/W.

Shizuka/Romeo and Juliet
As everyone else has said...this is a Hard program, and she had a number of stumbles due to the fact it's new to her. The costume is awfully distracting.
If she nails everything, she will repeat as champion, unless Michelle or Sasha upgrades their program and nails it.

Miki/
The 3lz3lp2t looked ugly because of the prerotation and short rotation of the 3lp. I think it would score better as 3lz2lp2t, unless she can clean it up. Dick is right; her spiral needs work. And she should drop the Sasha B.C. spin..Even Sasha has dropped it. She is very, very talented.

 

[bleuchick]

I love reading all these comments and agree with alot of them.

IMO, at this time...choreography and programs is it....

- Shiz and Sandhu - seems to be ready or at least complete. All they gotta work on is the other stuff...jumps(Sandhu) and polish/presentation(Shiz). She is so COP- jammed...it is so funny.

Sasha and Michelle - programs are a work in progress. I love their choice of music...even though it is overuse... What I like about Bolero is that it is a very MK kind of program rather than a T&D program. At least, no one will say she tried to be like T&D. Thanks to Chris too...

 

[hombre t]

Hello. First time poster, long time lurker.


Sandhu
My favorite program of the competition. And one of my favorite Men's programs of the last few years. His line, his musicality and his strong technique are evident in all of his programs. But in this one, Sandhu not only skates with these quality, but puts them on display. The music and choreography flow and his body follows. The elements are put together seamlessly. A very COP-friendly program. If he has one of those magical skates with this program, I will pass out from joy. But with Sandhu, one cannot expect such miracles. Hope, perhaps, but not expect.

Joubert
I am not a fan of this skater, but I saw some improvements. He flows across the ice more. I saw more edgey moves instead of just steps. His camel spin improved slightly. And he does more than mediocre sit spin after sit spin. He had a real combination spin. Last year his arms "flapped", this year they move better.

But this program does nothing to dispel the criticism that he is an Ersatz Yagudin. Both footwork sections were simple and perform sloppily.

Weir
I wish he would have chosen different music. I love Otonal and I like the program, but last year both of his programs were soft and had a slow tempo. But the transitions, spins and overall quality of skating were as great as last year. I love the catch foot spiral into a triple lutz. The footwork sections were a let down.

Sebestyen
Yes, I am crazy. I like the costume.

Meissner
Very promising skater. She landed most of her jumps and looked unfazed by the pressure of skating with the major players. Judged by the standards of the other ladies, however, she has several areas to improve. Her presentation is one-dimensional. She does not skate to the music. There are no changes in speed or movement to bring out the nuances of the music. The height of her jumps needs to improve. I can't wait to see her in the future.

Cohen
The choreography is a step back compared to last year's Swan Lake (TT version), but I will wait until the season progresses to make a final judgment. I loved the spins. Cohen dropped her leg when she transitioned from the flying camel to the Biellman. I don't remember her doing so last year. I loved the final combination spin. Her positions are as sharp as ever. The spiral combination could use more speed and edging, but I love the placement to the music. The footwork is unremarkable and placed during a transition section in the music that undermines its impact. The landings of her jumps don't flow as much as they did last year at Worlds and Marshall's. Her form during the landings looked insecure. Her free leg stayed close to the ice. I am sure everything will improve in the coming months.

Kwan
A concerted effort to change. The patterns, placement and spins have all changed since last year. I don't think a skater can do more to change without doing something radical (a la Miraculous Mandarin). The double loop looked bigger than the double in the lutz-loop combination in Schez. Her second and third spiral position are as flat and slow as those of Sasha. I hope she adds more variety in the speed of her movement. Because of the music, her skating looks very monotonous. But I suspect that her footwork was supposed to explode with speed and emotion like last year. I will also wait to make a final judgment. The best skated program. Still the best overall skater, in my opinion.

Arakawa
I liked the dress. Good choreography, okay interpretation. I will enjoy this program more when she skates it to its full potential. Her spins still need to improve. I have to put my hand up every time she lands a jump. The speed, flow and edging are beautiful, so I only have to cover the top half of the screen with my hand. Her free leg, as always, hangs like a dead weight. She does not point her foot. Sometimes, the free leg swings and shortens the landing. I hope TT fixes this. I loved both of her Biellman spirals and her Ina Bauer.

Ando
I have to remind myself that although she performed at last year's Worlds, she is more of a contemporary of Meissner than Arakawa or Kwan. She also skates one-dimensionally to the music. But, like Meissner, she has tons of potential. Actually, Ando executes more difficult combinations, seems to skate with better speed, covers the ice better and has deeper edges than Meissner. I can't wait until the next Ando-Meissner showdown. These two will be fighting for the top spots in the future.

 

[show 42]

I enjoyed your assessment of the competition, hombre, and glad you made your first post...... 42

 

[Vash01]

Here are my brief impressions.

I enjoyed watching the new programs. I am starved for FS and starved for new programs. I was so happy for Tim! I found him to be much improved from the disastrous last year, although he did not land any quads, and he still has a very curved back on his spins. Overall I thought he skated very well, for someone that has been off the ice for so long.

I would have placed Sandhu higher than Joubert. I just love watching Sandhu when he is not falling all over the place. Joubert had way too many mistakes and he still looks like a Yagudin clone. I want to know what Joubert is. I could not believe that the Canadian judge gave Joubert 5.8's. What was he watching? Interestingly, the French judge gave him the lowest marks (5.4). Weir is a wonderful skater but this was not his best skate. Popping two jumps into singles is a bit too much. However, it is early in the season.

I am not quite sure what all the raves about Michelle's Bolero were about. Except for the last footwork (on which she stumbled) and one 'Sasha move' she had the same moves as before. Her jumps and spins do look a little better, and she always commands the ice. I expect the program to really take off later in the season though. IMO the buzz is more about skating to T&D's music and Dean choreographing. Hopefully we will watch just Michelle skating an LP without thoughts of the past.

However, same can be said of all the other ladies. Sasha's Nutcracker has the potential to be very good. She is such an elegant skater! This is a perfect piece of music for her (IMO it was the wrong choice for S&Z last year). I would have liked to see more footwork on some sections, instead of spins.

Shizuka looked like she was not yet used to that program, and that is quite natural. I expect her program to be much better by GPF. It has some nice choreography. I love the Ina Bauer-triple toe combination. Miki has all the jumps. Her spiral is positively ugly and needs a lot of work. She even lost balance on the spiral- that's a no no for a top skater. She looked happy with her performance but I get bored watching her. I expect she will develop into a top skater in a few years. I thought Dick Button's comment about her catch foot spin being ugly was uncalled for. That spin looks ugly on everyone, including Sasha.

Right now I really see Michelle, Sasha and Shizuka in a class by themselves. The only skater that can come close is Fumie Suguri- JMHO. I don't know what shape Irina is in, so I am not including her. May be I will be pleasantly surprised.

Kimmie Meissner looked very good for her age but that is typical of the US ladies. What I like about our ladies is that from a very young age they work on all aspects of FS- the jumps, the extensions, the expression. Even if they can't do quads or 3-3's (Kimmie can do the 3-3's) their programs are always interesting. I don't always get into the programs of the young Japanese ladies, except for Yukina Ota. She is wonderful, and I wish she was in this competition.

That's all for now.

Vash

 

[Mathman]

Hombre, thanks for a thoughtful and knowledgable post, and welcome!

What I didn't like about Sasha's music is that it is a duet, and, indeed, one that we have certain expectations about, having seen it in so many versions on stage. I kept expecting the prince to rush onto the ice and lift her when the music starts calling for it!

I thought Tim Goebel did fine. He seemed the fastest, also the most secure of the men.

Having seen Michelle live, it is hard to appreciate, from watching on TV, just how strong the connection is between this skater and the audience. From an entertainment perspective, I thought Michelle saved the show.

I got a kick out of her comment to Peter Carothers, "I haven't been in front of an audience for two months!" Like -- I gotta have that fix, LOL!

To me, Sandhu's performance lacked cohesion. Some beautiful elements as usual, but he seemed distracted and without a central focus to the program.

I was pleased that ABC showed the top four men and the top six ladies without playing favorites. I expected that they would show Jenny and Amber just because they were Americans, and leave out Sebestyen. Now it makes me wonder if Jenny's and Amber's performances were so bad that ABC chacked them on purpose.

I agree with Vash that Dick Button could have used some other term than "ugly."

Show 42 -- Is it good or bad to be "fuller of face?" Are you saying Michelle and Sasha are fat, LOL. I thought they both looked fantastic. To me, what distinguished Michelle's performance was her total control over her body.

Mathman

 

[show 42]

Mathman, I would never call anyone "fat", let alone Sasha or Michelle... .Fullness of face just means they both enjoyed their time off this summer, and will soon be back to their "fighting figures"....... 42