Do online fandoms weaponize skating tech analysis?

[4everchan]

So, did you mean "the less we know, the less we complain"? I bet you didn't

Complaining is not about information. It's about attitude. "Complainers will complain" just like "haters will hate". We can't change that.

However, people choose sports and entertainments that compliment their attitudes. Is figure skating as a sport attractive for complainers? What makes it attractive for complainers? Or, for the "h" word people? Because this can change. Better policies can lead to better fandoms.
Actually, the soccerverse has some positive examples of that. In England, by simple policy change from lenient "boys will be boys" to "bad boys go to prison", soccer got transformed from "a hooligan sport" to a family friendly sport in less than a decade.

The OT question of this thread doesn't go as far as that; it's just asking "Do you think it is a problem?" - well, no change is needed if there is no problem. I personally am not yet convinced about "yes" or "no". That's why I'm asking

I am not so sure that people choose sports based on attitude. I mean, I watch SO MANY different sports. Maybe that's my attitude ??? I find something attractive and interesting in variety ?

I do complain about the judging. Sue me . But I am not complaining about the judging in other sports. So what does that say ? It says that in the best case scenario, I complain about the judge because I cannot comprehend the decisions nor the judging system and its particularities. In which case, the ISU could fix that by simplifying things and clarifying rules for the common mortal. This being said, I know the sport more than a casual viewer. I have even evolved from completely mystified by ice dance to being able to call elements and sometimes even levels (more in lthe this is not a level 4 because this doesn't look right way though than being proficient in seeing all turns being executed perfectly)

In the worst case scenario, I tend to believe that people complain about judging when they find it unfair even wrong. It sometimes doesn't affect the order of skaters (like the crazy Patrick Chan like PCS Ilia Malinin receives) but it certainly is a good reason to complain in my opinion.

So what can the ISU do to make it look like judging is fair and equitable... first, they could start by suspending evil judges who cheat for life instead of letting them come back to judge at worlds or the Olympics.... How can I trust the entire panel when I know there is a convicted cheater on it ? So yeah. I complain... never complained in my life watching swimming curling, tennis, diving, gymnastics or track and field...
Just for figure skating..

Of course, just my personal experience.

 

[Anna K.]

I am not so sure that people choose sports based on attitude. I mean, I watch SO MANY different sports. Maybe that's my attitude ??? I find something attractive and interesting in variety ? [...] So yeah. I complain... never complained in my life watching swimming curling, tennis, diving, gymnastics or track and field... Just for figure skating..

That's what you think about yourself based on what you know about yourself. But think about how it looks like from aside (or, from the ISU side ):
You watch and complain about judging. No reaction to your complains, but you come back watching and complaining even though you know that nothing will change. So you watch and complain for decades. How should it look like from aside? Apparently, you like complaining

 

[4everchan]

That's what you think about yourself based on what you know about yourself. But think about how it looks like from aside (or, from the ISU side ):
You watch and complain about judging. No reaction to your complains, but you come back watching and complaining even though you know that nothing will change. So you watch and complain for decades. How should it look like from aside? Apparently, you like complaining

Or I am desperately vocal about wanting an equitable sport for all. I mean is Greta Thunberg just a complainer? To some people. She might be.Now of course, she does more than just complain. I don't. Or maybe I do. How would you know?

 

[4everchan]

Also, some skaters were vocal this year about strange judging. Some did mention the fan support
So perhaps by complaining for decades there is awareness raised

 

[Jeanie19]

Its a judged sport. So we judge the judges.

 

[el henry]

Its a judged sport. So we judge the judges.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

 

[Diana Delafield]

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Admiratores vel fautores

 

[noskates]

I think people complain about judging when their favorites lose! As long as humans are judging there will always be room for doubts and some people thrive on criticizing the judges at every competition.

 

[4everchan]

I think people complain about judging when their favorites lose! As long as humans are judging there will always be room for doubts and some people thrive on criticizing the judges at every competition.

Fans of the sport can have many favorites and then simply complain when judging is all over the place and seems unfair. Equitable judging for all makes a better sport

 

[Arigato]

Fans of the sport can have many favorites and then simply complain when judging is all over the place and seems unfair.

And who is held accountable for smearing a judge's name to the point of suggesting their score was responsible for someone losing, knowing full well it isn't true?

Edit: It's been rumored the ISU is considering making a move to prohibit skaters and coaches from publicly criticizing judging. While it remains to be seen if the rumor is total BS, I think attacking the judges because someone doesn't like the outcome is a blight on the sport. Imagine if they did that in Football after every game - suggesting the refs are corrupt. No one would trust the sport. But that won't stop the fans . . .

 

[Mathman]

Imagine if they did that [blame the officials every time their team loses] in Football after every game...

Many football fans do. In baseball, it is a tradition for fans to shout "kill the umpire" after every pitch.

Figure skating does, however, suffer from decades of suspicions about corrupt judging, whether justified or not. It is an onerous burden for our sport.

 

[Arigato]

The only tech analysis I will get into are posting screenshots or super slow motion videos of jump landings because that is indisputable evidence

Posting a screenshot or posting super slow motion is your toy. Nothing more. The only thing that matters is what the judges use to view the skaters.

 

[4everchan]

And who is held accountable for smearing a judge's name to the point of suggesting their score was responsible for someone losing, knowing full well it isn't true?

Edit: It's been rumored the ISU is considering making a move to prohibit skaters and coaches from publicly criticizing judging. While it remains to be seen if the rumor is total BS, I think attacking the judges because someone doesn't like the outcome is a blight on the sport. Imagine if they did that in Football after every game - suggesting the refs are corrupt. No one would trust the sport. But that won't stop the fans . . .

@Mathman beat me to it...

the issue is that since as long as I have followed figure skating, there have been corruption, alleged and proven in our sport. That's the biggest issue to me... not the calling out of such corruption.

For the records, I do not personally write letters to the ISU or demand rescoring or write petition to change results in ice dance. I actually don't think the judging these olympics was that bad... At worlds, I had no issues with the scoring either...except for the really high PCS someone did get which didn't affect the results but the perception of the sport . Other debate.