Lastest Phil Hersh column

[museksk8r]

Well Its pretty hard to argue against overscoring when Joannie Rochette in Skate Canada got 4 points higher in PCS alone than Joannie Rochette in Cup of China. I mean hello who else gets 4 points higher for skating worse.

Joannie Rochette who landed 5 clean triples could not beat Joannie Rochette with 3 clean triples. Go figure...

This is what skating in the 1st LP group after a flawed SP does to a skater. Joannie was 7th after the SP at Cup of China (only top 6 after the SP made the final LP group), but 1st after the SP at Skate Canada. This is why it's so crucial for skaters to skate a clean SP. It has a tremendous impact on what PCS they receive in the LP.

 

[janetfan]

This is what skating in the 1st LP group after a flawed SP does to a skater. Joannie was 7th after the SP at Cup of China (only top 6 after the SP made the final LP group), but 1st after the SP at Skate Canada. This is why it's so crucial for skaters to skate a clean SP. It has a tremendous impact on what PCS they receive in the LP.

Yet another 6.0 flaw that CoP failed to improve on.
Supposedly the CoP points scoring system was supposed to eliminate this problem.

But it feels the same or even worse.

ETA: Here is Alissa's LP from '09 Worlds and an example of CoP getting it wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIqNbpteais

Here is Laura's Worlds LP that beat Alissa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aALaaqobHJo

 

[KKonas]

Go Mathman!

Phil needs to stop talking with his butt cheeks and stop pretending like he knows anything about figure skating. We all know he extracts posts from figure skating forums and translates them into his assy language and tries to pass it off as "journalism."

Can't believe I'm defending Phil. But he has been covering the sport for over 22 years and does know quite a bit. He knows his jumps, he knows the skaters and has more entree into the ISU and USFS than any other sports journalist. He may read skating forums but I seriously doubt that he "extracts posts" from them. And he is often a pain in the "you know what" in the press room. That said, I don't often agree with him, especially his opinion of ice dance. But none of the top sports journalists in the US, except perhaps from Canada, ever watch ice dance. They usually go out to dinner en group during the final FD.

 

[Bennett]

Well Its pretty hard to argue against overscoring when Joannie Rochette in Skate Canada got 4 points higher in PCS alone than Joannie Rochette in Cup of China. I mean hello who else gets 4 points higher for skating worse.

Joannie Rochette who landed 5 clean triples could not beat Joannie Rochette with 3 clean triples. Go figure...

Couldn't help laughing aloud.

 

[prettykeys]

That said, I don't often agree with him, especially his opinion of ice dance. But none of the top sports journalists in the US, except perhaps from Canada, ever watch ice dance. They usually go out to dinner en group during the final FD.

I don't know what Hersh's opinion of Ice Dance is, but I suspect I agree with him.

The only reason Ice Dance remains in the Olympics is because of the countries that lobby for it to remain because they have competitive athletes in the event (I refuse to call it a sport.)

How else would you explain why there isn't a Dance event in the Summer Olympics? I'd love to see some Olympic-calibre Hip Hop.

JMO

 

[R.D.]

I don't know what Hersh's opinion of Ice Dance is, but I suspect I agree with him.

The only reason Ice Dance remains in the Olympics is because of the countries that lobby for it to remain because they have competitive athletes in the event (I refuse to call it a sport.)

How else would you explain why there isn't a Dance event in the Summer Olympics? I'd love to see some Olympic-calibre Hip Hop.

JMO

Can't argue with that.

(Damn, and I thought I was the only one that agreed with Hersh here!)

 

[janetfan]

Couldn't help laughing aloud.

Maybe the judges found the quality of Joannie's double jumps irresistable at SC and felt she needed to be rewarded for daring to be different.


I hope Mirai learned her lesson at SC and will not land as many triples in the future. :yes:

Apparently CoP judges think a big smile is worth a whole lot more than competent skating.

 

[Mathman]

How else would you explain why there isn't a Dance event in the Summer Olympics? I'd love to see some Olympic-calibre Hip Hop.

"Dancesport" (ballroom dancing) is on the International Olympic Committee's list of "officially recognized sports." Sports on this list are monitored in some fashion by the IOC and have the right to petition to be included in future games. For instance, golf (is golf a sport? ) and rugby will be added in 2016.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_sports

I see that one of the recognized sports is Lifesaving. So if you are drowning, don't tell the guy who jumps in to save you that he is not a real athlete.

 

[prettykeys]

"Dancesport" (ballroom dancing) is on the International Olympic Committee's list of "officially recognized sports." Sports on this list are monitered in some fashion by the IOC and have the right to petition to be included in future games. For instance, golf (is golf a sport? ) and rugby will be added in 2016.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_sports

I see that one of the recognized sports is Lifesaving. So if you are drowning, don't tell the guy who jumps in to save you that he is not a real athlete.

Hah. It makes a lot of sense to put "Dancesport" alongside competitive Bridge. :agree:

I can see Lifesaving being a sport -- dragging mannequins in various distances in the water and timing people makes it comparable to Swimming.

 

[Mathman]

Strange as it seems, there is an aspect of fitness and physical stamina in chess. Major tournaments and matches are gruelling and exhausting affairs. In events like the U.S. open, by the last few rounds all the old codgers like me start offering each other "gentlemen's draws" just because we can't muster the energy and focus any longer.

 

[dorispulaski]

Seeing that they have shooting events in the Olympics, why not blitz chess?

or duplicate bridge.

As long as they don't do poker or snooker...

 

[janetfan]

Seeing that they have shooting events in the Olympics, why not blitz chess?

or duplicate bridge.

As long as they don't do poker or snooker...

What about Rodeo? It seems to be much more of a sport than synchronized swimming

And fans of "Dancing With The Stars" can hardly overlook the fabulous performances of rodeo champion Ty Murray

I would draw the line at bullfighting though as I find it a barbaric spectacle lacking in sportsmanship :yes:

And besides, those matador costumes are even sillier than what we see in skating.

 

[Buttercup]

What about Rodeo? It seems to be much more of a sport than synchronized swimming

An ESPN writer tried synchro swimming a few months before the 2008 Olympics, and found out it was much tougher than it looks. Synchronized swimming simply suffers from the same problem that figure skating has when it comes to gaining respect: it's a judged sport in which the competitors wear outlandish outfits and makeup, and in which the presentation counts. And if girls do it, how hard can it be, right? That seems to be the public attitude here, and it's ridiculous. I find the constant mockery leveled at these athletes by the public and the media really offensive :scowl:.

I would draw the line at bullfighting though as I find it a barbaric spectacle lacking in sportsmanship

Indeed.

 

[janetfan]

. I find the constant mockery leveled at these athletes by the public and the media really offensive :scowl:.

.

You did not realize that I was mocking the mockers.

Of course sync swimming is one of my very favorite sports!

I love it so much I even tape it so I can watch it over and over. :yes:

It is that boring Curling that should be eliminated from the Olympics and be replaced by the still developing sport of "rodeo on skates." :yes:

 

[Mathman]

Isn't fishing the most popular sport in the world?

 

[seniorita]

It seems to be much more of a sport than synchronized swimming

I know you were joking, but many people still think that and it upsets me.
S. Swimming combines rythmics flexibility, swimming skills, muscle strength, grace, artistry, performing to music, having choreo and all that while you must keep your breath underwater for long. It is collective work. It is not what it goes on on the surface alone. Pretty girls with smiles streching their legs and arms.

It is like some friends I have that they think figure skating is for girls, what they do, they dance, they wear pretty short dresses, they jump a loop and put their leg over the head, what, this is a sport?

 

[janetfan]

Isn't fishing the most popular sport in the world?

A wise man noted:

"some live to fish, and others fish to live."

And what is more beautiful than seeing the synchronized swimming of a school of fish?

I would like to see somebody try and teach a herd of cows to do that

 

[Mathman]

I like synchronized swimming, but what's really cool is that sychronized team artistic gymnastics thing.

 

[janetfan]

I like synchronized swimming, but what's really cool is that sychronized team artistic gymnastics thing.

I like synchronized cookie baking.

Today is such a day at my home and three generations of women from my family will be performing this great holiday ritual.

Just what i need after eating so much turkey the past few days

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

You did not realize that I was mocking the mockers.

Of course sync swimming is one of my very favorite sports!

I love it so much I even tape it so I can watch it over and over. :yes:

It is that boring Curling that should be eliminated from the Olympics and be replaced by the still developing sport of "rodeo on skates." :yes:

Heh. I love curling.