Skaters you just don't "get"

[BravesSkateFan]

So we all have skaters we like, skaters we dislike, and skaters we're indifferent too. Most of the time even if we don't particularly like a skater we can understand why so many like them...but sometimes we just don't 'get' it. So which skaters do you just not get?

For me

Carolina Kostner
Belbin/Agosto
Alexander Abt
Johnny Weir**

**Jonny gets a star, because I do see something there that I get, but I don't get him as a total package.

 

[RIskatingfan]

I don't "get"

Alexander Abt
Jennifer Kirk
Belbin/Agosto
Langlois/Archetto
Kevin VDP (it makes me when people predict Kevin can medal)
Jennifer Robinson
Elena Liashenko
Takeshi Honda
And maybe Viktoria Pavuk after Europeans

It's not that I don't enjoy to watch them. I just don't get why do they have so many people who absolutely adore them LOL

Forgot about Pang/ Tong - major, major

And forgot about Meno/ Sand too...

 

[shine]

I'd have to agree with BravesSkateFan on her choices. Skaters that I've read tons of raving about but just can't get the "fuss" (excluding the ones that I just plain don't like):

Weir
Abt
Kulik
Joubert
van der Perren
Arakawa
Kostner (though I'm beginning to like her a little, since just watching her stroke is exciting enough by itself)
Grishuk/Platov
Navka/Kostomarov
Gordeeva/Grinkov
Shen/Zhao

 

[thvudragon]

Langlois/Archetto

I would agree, but first there would have to be something "to get" about them. Maybe if Patrice would get an emotion, and they would perform some actualy choreography. I'm glad the judges are finally placing them were they should be (skating clean too!).

Hmmmmmm.... skaters some people like but I find dreadful.....

S&P
B&K
Pavuk
B&A
Gregory and Pethukov

Well, it's not like I don't get these skates, I just find them dreadfully boring . So I do get them, I just find them highly overrated. After this revelation, I'm not going to add anymore skaters.

 

[Kasey]

MATT SAVOIE!!! Whhooosh, good to get that off my chest! seriously, I've been watching him for years, waiting to 'get' him....never have, probably never will.

I also don't 'get' Sasha Cohen, but I think it's more that i don't like her. I can see parts of her, talents of her, that would draw people into her. i just don't like her.

kasey

 

[Lcp88]

Anissina and Pezroit (sp). I never understood what the big deal was about them. Emotionally and presentation wise, they always looked liked every other over the top dance team to me. Maybe if I had seen them more (I only began to follow dance the 00/01 and 01/02 season), I would have grown to like them more, but just never saw anything there.
Others:
Miki Ando (Sorry - but she really does nothing for me, and I just don't see how everyone can think she's an absolute favorite for gold in 06)
Beatrisa Liang - Same as Ando
Emanuel Sandhu - Basic skills, yes, anything else...not yet.
Laura

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I try very hard to see something good in all skaters, so there are very few that I can't see why people get all gooey over.

But here we go: Miki Ando - good jumper, but her exhibition program bored me senseless

I like Joubert, but he also needs better exhibitions, because that thing at Worlds was zzzzz (and while I loved his Time program at SA 2002, it is now "time" to let this program go...)

I am not a fan of Sasha C, but I can see why people are.

I am completely baffled by people who don't get Alexander Abt. I could watch him do crossovers while wearing nothing but a Hefty bag....

Laura

 

[Gipson]

Stephane Lambiel is the biggest puzzler for me. I've even watched his programs more times than I would have because of the praise he receives but I still don't get it.

 

[BronzeisGolden]

Karolina Kostner: I don't dislike her, but I certainly don't
understand the fuss that some make over her. She is so
unfinished and akward. The jump combinations are wonderfully
impressive, but even those seem to have an akward qualty to
me. Maybe it is because she is so leggy and I just can't get
past that! I don't know. Maybe she'll have a transformation
next year and I'll finally get it!

P.S. I still can't believe she was placed above Sebestyen in the
long program at 04 Worlds...that was outright robbery!

 

[Kateri]

I think this is a dangerous thread! Please don't take anything personally here!

I don't get:

Sale & Peletier
Bourne & Kraatz
Brian Joubert
Elena Sokolova (tho I do think she's cupcake, I don't get her skating!!)
Mike Weiss
Tim Goebel (sorry tim)
Inoe & Baldwin
Winkler & Lohse

and, kinda - Kwan and Cohen. I do enjoy them a lot, but I'm not a "real" fan of either.

bizarrely, I love most of the skaters others don't get! Especially:

I am completely baffled by people who don't get Alexander Abt. I could watch him do crossovers while wearing nothing but a Hefty bag....

couldn't agree more. *dwells on mental image....*

I think I have a genuine emotional issue here - underdog loving syndrome. (uh...katakynophilia???) I just always seem to fall in love with the skaters who are gonna break my heart, time and again....*sigh*.

kat.

 

[Tonichelle]

Michelle Kwan
Plushy
Sasha Cohen
Johnny Weir

 

[Becca84]

Men:
Sandhu
Honda
Klimkin
Weiss
VDP
Savoie
Jahnke

Ladies:
Ando
Suguri
Kostner
Sokalova
Irina S
Viktoria V
Liashenko
Kirk
Robinson

Pairs:
Aside from the Chinese throws, I don't "get" any pairs in competition. This might be partly due to not seeing many of the pairs in comp, but I just haven't seen anything really great about any of the pairs. Why did S&P & B&S have to go pro at the same time??? (even if I love seeing them in SOI)

 

[Rachael]

Sasha Cohen
Matt Savoie
Evengy P
Todd E
Alexei Y
B/S

 

[dorispulaski]

One of the more interesting things to do about skaters you don't get-ask others who like these skaters what particular things they do well. I don't like to say whether I 'get' a skater or not until I have seen them live, and in competition, because there is sometimes a huge difference. Skaters that I love on TV but dislike in person. Skaters that I hate on TV but love in person. The best are those that I like both ways!

Skaters who are very fast and very quiet on the blade are often undervalued by people who have seen them only on TV. Among these are:
Carolina Kostner . Her basic skating is terribly, terribly impressive. Even at Skate America when she couldn't land a jump at all. I rather think Abt may fall into this bucket, but I haven't seen him live
so I can't say. And Michelle and Irina are both better live IMO.

B&A are very young as ice dancers go. I love their skating, but hate Shpilband's programs for them. Give them some time to mature. Their fast stepping is very fast and intricate, but she needs a little more extension IMO.

Given that, I have seen Johnny Weir live, and he is very smooth and skilled and there is something about his whole package that does not grab me at all. Some lack of excitement, personality, enhusiasm on the ice???

Try as I may, I cannot seem to appreciate Liashenko for anything other than her longevity.

And only if I totally ignored her stiffness, and awkward leg positions, and concentrated on her upper body movements could I get into Butyrskaya. I only achieved this level of appreciation by finding out what her admirers saw in her, other than the world's best wedgy. They were looking at her differently than I was.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I think Doris touches on an interesting subject. Seeing a skater LIVE adds a whole different dimension to your appreciation.

I always rather liked Fumie, but after I saw her live (3 times now), I just can't get over how incredible she is. You NEVER hear her skates, ever. And her speedy is amazing.

ITA about Kostner. So smooth on the ice, and so fast and flowing. This doesn't always come across on TV.

Doris, do whatever you need to do to see Sasha Abt skate live...You won't be disappointed.

Laura

 

[Piel]

Matt Savoie - he reminds me of those Gumby type stretchy things. not enough tension

Maria B - Just the opposite my legs hurt watching her land jumps she and Amber Corwin share a similar skating style IMO.

Torville and Dean - and I will probably be sent to FS hell for this but IMO Jane's back looks so stiff and ....I just don't get it. Very smooth and gliding but I like a little more tension and passion in my ice dance. And I especially hate the hat number( I also hate clowns, and circuses)

Irina - lovely personality, tough competeitor but not graceful enough, actually I don't understand how Russia puts out such lovely graceful ice dancers and yet their ladies singles skaters always seem to be lacking in the artistry area, IMO Russian men are more graceful than the women.

Naomi Lang - The stringy hair in her eyes is always so distracting that I can't enjoy her skating wondering how in the heck she sees where she is going.

Petrova and Tichonov, as well as the current World gold medalists BORING.

 

[dorispulaski]

Princess Leppard, Is there any tour in North America that Sasha Abt ever skates with? If not, is there any way we can get a petition up?

Doris

 

[Jhar55]

Amber Corwin
Angela N
Sandue
Honda
most ice dancers

 

[PrincessLeppard]

Doris, Sasha A is not on any NA tour that I know of, but since you're on the East coast, maybe you can see him practice some time.

I'm all about a petition to get him on either COI or SOI. He would be incredible in either one.

Laura

 

[Kasey]

I agree that it makes a difference to see a skater live. I never 'got' Todd Eldredge before, thinking him nice and smooth and rather boring....after seeing him live for the first time (and subsequently), he is one of my faves now.

Kasey