Re: Lead Pipe Award for 2003
Some more nominees:
skating:
The pink panther program of Scott and Dulebohn (this is only a 3rd place nomination, since they had the sense to not use it at worlds). All that was missing was an ad for insulation.
2nd place to Shizuka Arakawa, who while skating her Worlds SP in her topheavy swan costume fell over during her camel spin, (I had never seen this before at a senior level competition) thus getting deduction number one for failing an element. To compound the dumbness, she then got up and Repeated the Spin, which is a second mandatory deduction, which some of the judges took, thus taking herself completely out of contention. (And too darn bad, because I really like her skating.)
Honorable mention to Sasha for following Shizuka's example and also falling on a camel spin by letting the circle get way too wide and then blaming the fall on the ice (or the deep edges of previous competitors) when she said it was like a synchronized skating team had been using it.
First place to L&A, whose first mistake was using a rock and roll program, apparently to appeal to an American audience, but not taking the time to have smooth editing done, then him dressing in dayglo chartreuse jacket with Cyrillic letters all over it (what was that about?), having a Black Hawk Down moment with their helicopter lift, messing up the second dance lift as well, and then blaming the loss on the audience.
Honorable mention in commentating to Dick Button for the ice not mattering a rusty hoot. Also for explaining during T&M's LP "this is called a stag lift because it is supposed to resemble a stag jumping over a fence or a wall. That would be a stone wall." Unless this was a jab at the expressionlessness of Marinin while being jumped over by the stag Tomianina.
Honorable mention to Weiss as recorded above, for the bed, the Hummer, the hypnotist, and most of all for not knowing when to keep his mouth shut!. (His placing would be higher, except that he always does this)
Administration:
First place to Phyllis Howard for leading the WSF to believe the USFSA was supporting the WSF and then withdrawing support publicly.
Second place to WSF for believing Phyllis Howard, and announcing USFSA support without having PH beside them saying it herself.
Third place to Piseev for saying, "We only got 2 medals in an article, when in fact his team got 5 medals (1 gold (Plush), 3 silver (L&A,T&M,ES) and 1 bronze (P&T). There is no way to get 2 out of that. He also blamed the results on the audience.
Honorable mention for the ISU having Balkov, Korytek, Danilenko and Alpern all judging at the same event, especially when that event was scheduled to have a major unfair judging demonstration at it(Skatefair). Nothing like proving the point of the enemy.
Honorable mention to all the USFSA officials who pointedly left the Ladies SP at Nationals before Yebin Mok skated, when she gave a standing ovation worthy performance. They made it clear how much they don't care about their up and coming skaters.
dpp
urple;font-family:times new roman;font-size:medium;">Speedy-for everything that he's had a hand in screwing up
