Ice Wars

[LizzieBeth]

Shizuka was divine. Angela was fabulous - so glad to see her back. I can't believe that they chacked a routine by Rory (who is also wonderful and someone we don't get to see very often) to show anything featuring Oksana.

I am worried about Oksana's sanity - she is so strange. I have to mute her interviews. Judging by the look of her skin, some of that tan is from the sun or the tanning booth. I get very annoyed with professional "skaters" who just stand around and make faces on the ice. Next year, hire somebody else.

Who was that annoying person with the metalic voice who did the interviews?? I did feel kinda sorry for her during the second interview with Oksana when Oksana got a brain wave malfunction and could not say anything!!

On a happier note, the men all skated great programs.

 

[Dee4707]

My mom felt the same way. She kept saying how she Oksana was closer to 40 than 30.

I really thought so too until I started figuring her age. Poor Girl!!!

Dee

 

[Teenes]

Eh? Kurt's never done Brickhouse at Ice Wars...oh I see. He did Play That Funky Music, that was just the performance where he threw in a bit of Brickhouse music for fun, since PTFM was supposed to be "Brickhouse Pt 2".

1999 - had to pick the year with the biggest teams, eh? =)

 

[heyang]

Oksana's got higher marquee value than Rory. They need name recognition to get the sponsors. Therefore, we will be seeing more of Oksana, especially since most of the other marquee ladies are semi-retired (i.e. Nancy, Kristi, etc.)

 

[dutchherder]

Kurt Browning and Brian Boitano are always amazing-- particularly Kurt! Shizuka's programs were lovely. In fact, I was never much of a fan of hers, but consider me converted. Michael Weiss has always fallen a little flat with me; that continues. I was really angry that they cut one of Rory's programs, but that we were forced to watch Oksana, whom I honestly think must be mentally ill. I've never met anyone with that little self-awareness that wasn't. The other skaters looked downright uncomfortable when she was around, and Scott Hamilton did the best he could to sound encouraging when she was on the ice: "She skates with such speed!" I honestly don't think that she knows she's embarrassing herself.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Kurt Browning is in a class by himself. Nobody but no body can put skating tricks together with the music as he can.

Brian to me, has always been skating as if he has osteoparosis(sp). He can not do crossovers without bending the body and looking likes someone is chasing him JMO.

Joe

 

[SeaniBu]

Kurt Browning is in a class by himself. Nobody but no body can put skating tricks together with the music as he can.

Brian to me, has always been skating as if he has osteoparosis(sp). He can not do crossovers without bending the body and looking likes someone is chasing him JMO.

Joe

So agree with Kurt comments!

I think that is a great way to explain it - maybe a little harsh but the right notion for sure. Seems stiff?? Not over the years for I really haven't watched him that carefully, but Ice wars there was something to me saying your body just is not into it as much as your mind is Bri. Nice to watch but unsettling in a way. Still impressive to me.


SP osteoporosis, really close Joe:agree:

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Seanibu - I was going to look up the spelling. I could feel my typing fingers were wrong but that's me Thank you and hopefully I will remember the spelling.

Joe

 

[SeaniBu]

Acutely Joe, I was impressed legitimately, My type-in was not as close as yours. I was honestly trying to give you a compliment.

Such an interesting thing to me now is the average age of skaters increasing or just coming back to what it was in the 30 - 40s???

 

[attyfan]

It was so good to see Angela back out on the ice. For me, that was the highlight.

 

[Spun Silver]

ITA with what all have said re Kurt and Oksana. I just felt sorry for her, and to think she's not even 30 yet.

This is a cruel sport, where an incomparable skater like Alexei wins the OGM at, what, 22?, destroys his body, and it's all downhill from there.

 

[chania36]

Each time I see Oksana skate, I find it riduculous, I always wonder why she chooses some program like she use, she could choose something more gentle, maybe this will help, when she skate, I always feel out of breath each time, it is always like she is running instead of skating... it is so fast, her skating is nothing like soft, her landings of her jumps are heavy, there is nothing I like about her now... Sometimes, results are strange, She and Sarah Hughes got a gold medal at the olympics and did not much after that, and we see a Michelle Kwan who is unable to capture the moment at the olympics but we will always remember her but she deserves to have a gold medal because of all her achievements, is it really necessary??? it is better to be remember for all you did, then being remember for just one thing you did... I hope that Suzuka will stay a while in the ranks of professionals, because the last 3 gold medals in ladies, they stop pretty quick after... Baiul in 94, then Lipinski after who turned professional right away and then her body gave away... then we had Sarah Hughes in 2002 who we barely see no more....

To come back to Oksana, I always felt that she was a drama queen, also, when she is in the K & C area and asked questions, she always seem to be in a daze, sometimes I wonder if the drinking did not damage her brain, because it is so strange when they talk to her on tv she seems to response by something very different then the answer we wait for, she seems lost at times... Maybe she is just nervous....

 

[SeaniBu]

To come back to Oksana, I always felt that she was a drama queen, also, when she is in the K & C area and asked questions, she always seem to be in a daze, sometimes I wonder if the drinking did not damage her brain, because it is so strange when they talk to her on tv she seems to response by something very different then the answer we wait for, she seems lost at times... Maybe she is just nervous....

JMO
My take is she is looking for that "approval" that she once had. The things that will make her feel "Desired" in many ways. Wanting to find some form of "validation of her career and life."

 

[waxel]

Oksana ... I loved her early skating. But now, she is a gimmicky joke. She was dressed as a CLOWN for crying out loud ... 'nuff said.

Sorry, Rory Flack Burghart can do great Russian split jumps ... but is the state of US female pro skating in such disrepair that she's the best choice to put on a prime time special?

Always enjoy watching Brian (even with the errors) and Kurt. Just seeing Angela's layback made the special worth watching.

Alexei was great.

Shizuka was terrific. I'm sure she'll take some heat for doing two slow numbers by female singers, but I hope she'll stick with what she's comfortable with and what she does well. It seems many pro skaters end up with gimmicks ... I never want to see Shiz dressed as a clown.

 

[SeaniBu]

Oksana ... I loved her early skating. But now, she is a gimmicky joke. She was dressed as a CLOWN for crying out loud ... 'nuff said.

I would have to think that there are many skaters who have dressed as clowns in the past - GS's admin's (gsk8) avatar is a prime example. How abot Mike's 70s gig? And I have seen a few outfits this year in am and pro comp that I would classify as "clownish." The hope is that she IS NOT appealing to children with that outfit or idea, I certainly hope the young viewers don't take those 2 routines as being a example of how to skate.... eesh.

Really that is just the world of pros to me, having all different types of "props / messages" and doing what they want. Personally, I don't feel sorry for her or anything, I think she feels sorry enough for herself - and I think it is a cry for attention and "men" to desire her again. "Mid-life-crises." The "premise" of the choreography was not bad to me, just the choreography it self was weak.

I hate to sound like I am in favor of her last routine, I really would have liked to see something better for both. But I will say I feel it is her right to willfully make a "desperate" indication and at the same time try something eye "poping." As well there are people interested in that so the choice to appeal to that crowd is not really the best choice IMO, but still a choice she has made.

I think she needs to hit Vegas and start a show out there with the sexy appeal and leave pro comps a little more serious, but I don't think she is that far off of what some have done before her, just not as blatant. A lot of FSers have made a Joke of their Routines before. I just think it was not as appealing to most when it was Oksi.

All and all, she is still the most fun to poke fun at of the pro.s. I think she likes the attention. Sad or not, that is her choice and I think she is limiting her chance to come back to Ice wars.

 

[waxel]

I would have to think that there are many skaters who have dressed as clowns in the past.

Yes, lots of skaters have done clown acts. And it is simply a personal thing ... I just don't like clowns. My point was that Oksana has become little else but a gimmick wrapped around a two-footed triple.

 

[SeaniBu]

Yes, lots of skaters have done clown acts. And it is simply a personal thing ... I just don't like clowns. My point was that Oksana has become little else but a gimmick wrapped around a two-footed triple.

:agree:

Where is the love for the clowns????

 

[Mathman]

But the problem with Oksana's clown was that she billed it as "the story of my life." She started the program as a clown and ended as a clown and in between she won a gold medal.

Oh well, at least no one has tried to do a mime. (Everybody loves clowns; everybody hates mmes.)

...Although... Josee Chiounard did a Harlequin that was pretty close to a mime...beat Michelle with it in the Canadian Open...fell on her triple Lutz, but those home-town judges gave it to her anyway because they liked her Lori Nichol choreography so much. Frank Caroll was livid. I think that was the last time Michelle ever skated in Canada, LOL.

 

[Piel]

Oh well, at least no one has tried to do a mime. (Everybody loves clowns; everybody hates mmes.)

.

Am I the only one who finds all clowns creepy.........no matter who is in the suit?

 

[dfj]

Am I the only one who finds all clowns creepy.........no matter who is in the suit?

No...I am not a fan either. It is apparently a common fear - so I am told.

I don't like anything that is "masked".