Rachael Flatt tries to work out kinks

[macy]

i really can't believe the plain mean, judgemental posts in this thread. NO ONE here sees what her days/weeks consist of as far as school, traveling, training, etc are concerned. i think many people should know the facts before saying she's fat and judging her attitude about skating. as someone else said, i see a struggling skater. this is her first semester in a high-ranked university, in a different state, different coaches, different rinks, different schedule. why do so many people think this isn't a lot to handle? it's a TON to handle and adjust to, and it doesn't happen overnight. as far as rachael's weight is concerned, it's no one's business to be talking about it. so what if she isn't stick skinny like so many other skaters? not one person has the same body type as everyone else. just because the girl doesn't have muscle showing so much doesn't mean she's not strong. some people are just born with those kind of genes. even when she was younger she never had much tone to her, but it doesn't mean she's a bad skater. i give the girl a lot of credit for adjusting to everything new in her life and still competing at the same time. i believe that once she is settled in more she can get her training under her feet again.

 

[DianaSelene]

I haven't been following this thread too closely because I knew it would turn out to be a bashing thread, in the end.

But this latest interview by Alexei Urmanov, lol, just another reason for me to have never remembered his name nor his skating till now.

Serioulsy though, I have always found the Russian culture to be harsh, they speak their mind and don't hold back. Yegods, the insight I got from watching Johnny Weir being coached by Galina Zmievskaya, via his reality show, versus Priscilla Hill was something else. My heart bleeds for what Oksana Baiul had to endure. She had no choice, was an orphan, whereas Johnny was a grown man and knew what he was getting into, he even said so himself. Yes, it made Oksana a World & Olympic Champion, but at what cost? She paid highly imho...

Back to Rachael, there's a way one can say she's not in competitive shape ~ nicely, or like Alexei Urmanov ~ I choose the former.

Now, we're turning to the Russian culture that is "harsh"? Oh, where are we going? Please refrain from stereotypes even if you give me a few examples of harsh Russian coaches. Thanks.

 

[Mathman]

Now I'm glad Urmanov tripped over his cape trying tobe the phantum of the opera in one of the world pros.

 

[Nadine]

It is my opinion, and I will not refrain, thank you.

Back to Rachael, or should I say Alexei? Lol.

 

[DianaSelene]

It is my opinion, and I will not refrain, thank you.

Back to Rachael, or should I say Alexei? Lol.

But it is a very unjust opinion which I was pointing out. If you want to continue being rude, go ahead.

 

[Nadine]

It is your opinion that my opinion was unjust, I choose to differ.

Now do you have an opinion on Rachael and said article(s)? I don't.

Therefore I'm out of her until another opinion strikes me, lol.

Toodle-oo!

 

[evangeline]

Serioulsy though, I have always found the Russian culture to be harsh, they speak their mind and don't hold back. Yegods, the insight I got from watching Johnny Weir being coached by Galina Zmievskaya, via his reality show, versus Priscilla Hill was something else. My heart bleeds for what Oksana Baiul had to endure. She had no choice, was an orphan, whereas Johnny was a grown man and knew what he was getting into, he even said so himself. Yes, it made Oksana a World & Olympic Champion, but at what cost? She paid highly imho...

Galina and Oksana are Ukrainian, not Russian. My Ukrainian friends would be SO upset if they saw your post,

Say what you will about Galina, but Galina also took Oksana in and also clothed and fed her when Oksana was left alone with no resources of her own. And given what happened after Oksana's OGM, I think a bit of strictness/harshness on Galina's part would have been perfectly in order.

 

[Poodlepal]

I always liked Alexei Urmanov. He was always considered a nice guy, and I've felt sorry for him for years, ever since he missed the memo that the exhibition at 1996 Worlds was to be a somber event and he skated a comedy routine that left a bad taste in the announcer's mouth. (If anyone else remembers this, please mention it.)

Different cultures do have different ways of being direct, especially about weight. I don't know about Russian culture in general, but that came up in the Tiger Mom controversy of last year, when the Asian mother couldn't understand why it wasn't considered good parenting to call your kids "tubbo" or something like that. Without hearing the words in context (with tone of voice, in the original language, etc.), it's hard to say if he meant it to be mean or was really concerned about her. It looks bad in print, though. I feel sorry for his wife.

 

[DianaSelene]

I always liked Alexei Urmanov. He was always considered a nice guy, and I've felt sorry for him for years, ever since he missed the memo that the exhibition at 1996 Worlds was to be a somber event and he skated a comedy routine that left a bad taste in the announcer's mouth. (If anyone else remembers this, please mention it.)

Different cultures do have different ways of being direct, especially about weight. I don't know about Russian culture in general, but that came up in the Tiger Mom controversy of last year, when the Asian mother couldn't understand why it wasn't considered good parenting to call your kids "tubbo" or something like that. Without hearing the words in context (with tone of voice, in the original language, etc.), it's hard to say if he meant it to be mean or was really concerned about her. It looks bad in print, though. I feel sorry for his wife.

Why was it somber? I don't remember.

 

[dorispulaski]

I don't either-1997 was somber because of the death of Nicole Bobek's coach, Carlo Fassi, in the middle of Worlds. However, I don't think Urmanov was there. In 1996, it was in Canada & Urmanov was 5th.

 

[Poodlepal]

This is what I remember of that day. I know it must have been 1996 because Rudy Galindo was there. Alexei went first and did some kind of comedy routine with a chair, and the announcer--not Dick or Peggy, but some other man who did color commentary at times, said it was tasteless and left a bad taste in his mouth.

The other routines were very serious--maybe not somber, but they were skating to dramatic ballads. Rudy Galindo came out dressed like a giant AIDS ribbon pin, and the same announcer who didn't like Alexei Urmanov's performance said something like "that AIDS ribbon must feel like a weight around his neck" or something like that. Overall, it was not a light exhibition (like the 1992 Olympics were, when Nancy and Paul tried to skate pairs, and Midori Ito wore a raincoat). Rudy's tribute to AIDS victims seemed to sum up the whole tone of the show.

If anyone remembers this or can find a video of it, let me know. Sorry to get off the Rachael Flatt track, though. I wish her the best, because I do like her a lot and want her to come out of her slump.

 

[jenaj]

More Rachael bashing from a Russian coach. This goes too far...
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80192&page=32

I wonder what he thought about Irina?

 

[dorispulaski]

It does bring to mind the question, "Why are they bothering to attack Rachael Flatt?"

I'm not, for example, seeing US, French, Italian, or Canadian coaches giving "how the mighty are fallen" interviews about Riazanova & Tkachenko (Russian national silver medallists in ice dance)? They did very well last year, and not very well this year...similar to Rachael. They are not going to the GPF, nor are they alternates. Why bother?

I mean if you want to attack someone, surely you'd attack a skater that is doing about the same or better than one of your skaters? And that's not Rachael this year.

 

[skateflower]

I mean if you want to attack someone, surely you'd attack a skater that is doing about the same or better than one of your skaters? And that's not Rachael this year.

Here's my theory. The figure skating fan base consists of lots of people who like to gossip about skaters' appearance, physical beauty, etc. They usually have a vitriolic reaction towards skaters who do not fit into the 'norm'. Once these skaters do not change their physical appearances as per these 'fans''s suggestions, they will attack and attack until the skaters vanish.

Mira Leung and Kevin are two other examples coming to my mind.

 

[skateluvr]

i really can't believe the plain mean, judgemental posts in this thread. NO ONE here sees what her days/weeks consist of as far as school, traveling, training, etc are concerned. i think many people should know the facts before saying she's fat and judging her attitude about skating. as someone else said, i see a struggling skater. this is her first semester in a high-ranked university, in a different state, different coaches, different rinks, different schedule. why do so many people think this isn't a lot to handle? it's a TON to handle and adjust to, and it doesn't happen overnight. as far as rachael's weight is concerned, it's no one's business to be talking about it. so what if she isn't stick skinny like so many other skaters? not one person has the same body type as everyone else. just because the girl doesn't have muscle showing so much doesn't mean she's not strong. some people are just born with those kind of genes. even when she was younger she never had much tone to her, but it doesn't mean she's a bad skater. i give the girl a lot of credit for adjusting to everything new in her life and still competing at the same time. i believe that once she is settled in more she can get her training under her feet again.

both kind and a fair assessment. ITA

 

[Tonichelle]

Now I'm glad Urmanov tripped over his cape trying tobe the phantum of the opera in one of the world pros.

was it the World Pro or was it Ice Wars? (I think the only time Kurt was ever ungracious in commentary was in 1994 and it was about Urmanov lol)

 

[skateluvr]

Urmanov took a lot of hits for his costumes. He remains my least favorite OGM. I don't think he was appreciated much by skaters outside the USSR.

 

[Tonichelle]

I enjoyed watching him skate. One of the first Russian male skaters I enjoyed over the years. He was different, in a good way... his costumes were over teh top, but I preferred them to stuff like Phillipe Candeloro's George of the Jungle routine.

 

[skateluvr]

I enjoyed watching him skate. One of the first Russian male skaters I enjoyed over the years. He was different, in a good way... his costumes were over teh top, but I preferred them to stuff like Phillipe Candeloro's George of the Jungle routine.

Lol, I see your point Tonichelle about that particular program. I must say I enjoyed the rawness of his Olympic programs and he really is a memorable French skater. His jump style was certainly wild - I don't think he'd get much credit under the CoP system. But he was such a character, like Plushenko. I couldn't help but like his joie de vivre. France seems to have the oddest figure skaters. Their best seem to be certain ice dance teams which I mostly am not crazy about.

 

[Tonichelle]

Lol, I see your point Tonichelle about that particular program. I must say I enjoyed the rawness of his Olympic programs and he really is a memorable French skater. His jump style was certainly wild - I don't think he'd get much credit under the CoP system. But he was such a character, like Plushenko. I couldn't help but like his joie de vivre. France seems to have the oddest figure skaters. Their best seem to be certain ice dance teams which I mostly am not crazy about.

I have a few programs of Phillipe's that I like, but for the most part he was either too crude or too gimmicky... I don't like it when it seems unnatural for the skater (like it's natural for Browning and Hamilton to clown around... and even Petrenko... whereas Boitano and Orser should not try that sort of thing, they just look nerdy lol)

my dad loved Phillipe's boot spin, though.