US Team: 4CCs and Worlds (updated)

[NanaPat]

I wish I had a firmer understanding of what is meant by "boot problems." I certainly don't doubt that Kevin has been plagued by them, and I sincerely believe that he has tried to remedy the situataion.

But I also struggle to figure out what it is that can't be fixed over the course of years.

Is it an equipment problem with the boot itself? Is it some sort of injury or something that makes all boots uncomfortable or doesn't give him confidence?

Edit: If the boots don't fit, why not get a new pair? I'm sure it would take time to adjust, but years?

I suppose if I were a serious skater, I'd understand. But, I'm not. I know you offered some insight, but I'm too green to follow the line of reasoning.

Kevin got several new pairs of boots, both stock and custom made over his years of boot problems.

I think skaters can have several different problems with boots:
- they make your feet hurt (that trivializes it; how about "cause excruciating foot pain")
- they fail prematurely: heels break, boots rip, sides break down, etc
- technique is lost (example: Underhill/Martini: if they had realized there was a problem she wouldn't have worn the new skates at the Olympics)

I think Kevin's boot problems were in all 3 categories.

 

[NanaPat]

Ice dance doesn't count TO FLATTFAN. Flattfan is extrapolating his/her opinions to the universe.

Or maybe FLATTFAN thinks ice dance should get more respect and is exaggerating for effect.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Nothing is forever. I think Meryl and Charlie are as famous as American OGMs can be these days outside having some sort of novelty that makes one stand out, like breaking a historical feat of some sort.

 

[Moxiejan]

Ice dance doesn't count TO FLATTFAN. Flattfan is extrapolating his/her opinions to the universe.

This is exactly what Flattfan said about ice dancers:

"They don't jump so they don't count. General public don't give a crap about Davis and White. No ice dancing team amounts to anything to the general public. Let that be on record."

Speaking for the public.

 

[narcissa]

Flattfan is right though. The public's imagination and memory are captured by pretty girls wearing sparkly outfits doing jumps. I'm pretty sure ladie's skating subsidizes the other 3 disciplines.

Even Mathman himself at one point said the last US gold medalist was Sarah Hughes.
Someone replied, "no, it was Evan!"
To which he replied, "how silly, of course it was Evan!"
Someone else replied, "NO! Don't you remember?! It was Meryl and Charlie!"

In the US? Or worldwide?
And I wonder if this will/has changed, as ladies' skating (to me) has not been very interesting the last few years...

 

[StitchMonkey]

I wish I had a firmer understanding of what is meant by "boot problems." I certainly don't doubt that Kevin has been plagued by them, and I sincerely believe that he has tried to remedy the situataion.

But I also struggle to figure out what it is that can't be fixed over the course of years.

Is it an equipment problem with the boot itself? Is it some sort of injury or something that makes all boots uncomfortable or doesn't give him confidence?

Edit: If the boots don't fit, why not get a new pair? I'm sure it would take time to adjust, but years?

I suppose if I were a serious skater, I'd understand. But, I'm not. I know you offered some insight, but I'm too green to follow the line of reasoning.

One thing he said was that they kept breaking down/wearing out. It can make sense to say "just deal with the boots and adapt" but when they are at the held together with ducttape stage, I just am not sure

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

In the US? Or worldwide?
And I wonder if this will/has changed, as ladies' skating (to me) has not been very interesting the last few years...

I'd say, overall, worldwide. It is THE marquee event of the Olympic Winter Games.

 

[Mrs. P]

FWIW, most of my guy friends know who Tanith Belbin is and they're not figure skating fans. One friend said he'd give up meat for her.

 

[FlattFan]

Tell that to their million dollar bank account!

Let me tell you when we were in the same hotel, I stayed in a named suite and they stayed in a basic room. Tell that to them. .

 

[Mathman]

Even Mathman himself at one point said the last US gold medalist was Sarah Hughes.

Someone replied, "no, it was Evan!"

To which he replied, "how silly, of course it was Evan!"

Someone else replied, "NO! Don't you remember?! It was Meryl and Charlie!"

I guess I lost interest in Olympic gold medals when Michelle Kwan didn't win one.

 

[Icey]

Is Jason not going to have to do a test skate pre worlds?

 

[Mrs. P]

Is Jason not going to have to do a test skate pre worlds?

One that is publicized? Probably not.

But USFS has easy access to Jason -- he lives at the Olympic Training Center (i.e. can meet officials at World Arena) and trains just 25 min away from USFS headquarters.

 

[mrrice]

I wish I had a firmer understanding of what is meant by "boot problems." I certainly don't doubt that Kevin has been plagued by them, and I sincerely believe that he has tried to remedy the situataion.

But I also struggle to figure out what it is that can't be fixed over the course of years.

Is it an equipment problem with the boot itself? Is it some sort of injury or something that makes all boots uncomfortable or doesn't give him confidence?

Edit: If the boots don't fit, why not get a new pair? I'm sure it would take time to adjust, but years?

I suppose if I were a serious skater, I'd understand. But, I'm not. I know you offered some insight, but I'm too green to follow the line of reasoning.

I thought the exact same thing when it happened to Tim Goebel. I traveled to several events during the late 90's and early 2000's. I had seen Tim perform a couple of times. He's a tiny skater and I bet he weighed 150lbs soaking wet. Here's a blurb from his article.

ATLANTA — Doing quadruple jumps with boots and blades not designed for repeated, high-impact landings has put Timothy Goebel's back, legs, hips and feet out of alignment and led the Olympic bronze medalist to withdraw from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. "Coming into this event, I had every intention of competing," said Goebel, who trains in El Segundo. "At this point, I feel I need to go home and get things fixed for the future."

Clearly it's a bigger deal than we can imagine. You'd think there would be an insole or other padding or sculpting that a boot maker could use that would fix the problem. I guess that's not possible in every case.

 

[ice coverage]

Let me tell you when we were in the same hotel, I stayed in a named suite and they stayed in a basic room. Tell that to them. .

Tell Meryl and Charlie that it's admirable and refreshing that they are not spoiled divas ... even though they are World and Olympic champions?

Great, I would love to meet them in person and convey that message :yes:.

---

BTW, I thought Charlie did a good job with his commentary for Four Continents . Articulate and informative.

One of my favorite moments was when Andrea Joyce explicitly referenced Charlie's own experience as a competitor when asking him for his perspective on something (I forget what exactly). He started his reply by saying something like, "Not to make this about me, but ...."

Even if he had a billion trillion dollars, no chance of this guy becoming a diva. Good for him.

 

[SelfOM]

Charlie and Meryl were in Cleveland last weekend and it was 60 degress out, on a poorly heated rink. I think there must of been a half inch or more of water on top of the ice and they still skated!

 

[slider11]

Let me tell you when we were in the same hotel, I stayed in a named suite and they stayed in a basic room. Tell that to them. .

Rich people often don't flaunt it...

 

[karne]

Is Jason not going to have to do a test skate pre worlds?

I'm sure that like all members of the world team, Jason will be subject to monitoring.

But why should he have to do a "test skate"?

 

[Icey]

I'm sure that like all members of the world team, Jason will be subject to monitoring.

But why should he have to do a "test skate"?

To be sure his injury is fully healed and not affecting his skating . Kwan had to do a test skate for her last Olympic run.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I'm sure that like all members of the world team, Jason will be subject to monitoring.

But why should he have to do a "test skate"?

I think the team is the team, unless someone withdraws because of injury. He skated reasonably well last weekend; I'm not sure what he'd have to show in a test skate to prove his preparedness.

 

[Icey]

Maybe do a quad!!! lol