Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

Figure Skating

OriginalCyn

By OriginalCyn
in Sports

  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 9.3k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

ChicksDigScars
ChicksDigScars

“I wish the Shibutanis were [in Milan] because last year I gave them my medal,” Donohue said, “and I don’t plan on doing that this year.” Uhhh..what? Yeah, and they gave you their National title

absnow54
absnow54

I get that figure skating is a jumping sport right now, and Alyssa Lui is the best chance for competing with the Russians, but damn, Mariah Bell’s free skate is the reason I find this sport so compell

Jeddah
Jeddah

I do love the Shibs, but it still would have been an obnoxious thing to say about any team, not just them. It implies that they didn’t earn their medal. That they didn’t work for it. That their two cl

Posted Images

annzeepark914

annzeepark914

53 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

It annoys me that he calls Terry "Terrance." Nobody else does, and it feels so pretentious.

Johnny *is* pretentious.  I sure wish he and motormouth would be replaced as commentators. They were even yakking away during the gala and that's supposed to be solely "show time" for the skaters and the audience.

I read an interview someone did with Terry, maybe 8-10 years ago. He said that figure skaters were not thought of as "real" athletes by his fellow retired athletes and sports commentators. He said that he let them know how incredibly fit skaters are, and all that they go through each day to be so strong (or something like this, can't recall exactly what he said). Terry said that he too was surprised  when he first began working at competitions and saw skaters constantly working out in between practice sessions and performances on ice.

  • Like 9
Maelstrom

Maelstrom

I will say that I enjoy Johnny's perspective as someone who actually competed under the current scoring system, and I find that *on occasion* he does offer some interesting insights. But more often the pretentiousness, the cattiness, the chattering, and the general "a lot-ness" is tiresome at best and incredibly frustrating at worst. And it pisses me off every time he judges a skater's music bad just because he personally doesn't care for it. Shut up, Johnny!

That is really cool about Terry spreading the word to other commentators about how hard figure skaters worked train. Another reason he's the best!

  • Like 8
Avaleigh

Avaleigh

7 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Johnny *is* pretentious.  I sure wish he and motormouth would be replaced as commentators. They were even yakking away during the gala and that's supposed to be solely "show time" for the skaters and the audience.

I enjoyed listening to Adam and Ashley at nationals. I'm hoping they're going to be the B team I get to listen to when the Olympics rolls around. 

It's funny that I very much prefered listening to Johnny and Tara back when they were the B team at Sochi. They were much better to listen to than Scott and Sandra. Now though I'd like to see them replaced. My perfect team would be Adam and Polina, but I'd settle for Adam and Ashley. 

With Johnny, I'm a little tired of his bias towards the Russians. It even extends to favoring Russian Americans and skaters who are coached by Russians and/or former Soviet skaters. Like he thinks no other skating school styles have anything to offer. 

  • Like 6
carrier76

carrier76

18 minutes ago, Avaleigh said:

I enjoyed listening to Adam and Ashley at nationals. I'm hoping they're going to be the B team I get to listen to when the Olympics rolls around. 

It's funny that I very much prefered listening to Johnny and Tara back when they were the B team at Sochi. They were much better to listen to than Scott and Sandra. Now though I'd like to see them replaced. My perfect team would be Adam and Polina, but I'd settle for Adam and Ashley. 

With Johnny, I'm a little tired of his bias towards the Russians. It even extends to favoring Russian Americans and skaters who are coached by Russians and/or former Soviet skaters. Like he thinks no other skating school styles have anything to offer. 

Last night I watched Jason Brown’s Riverdance program from 2014, and I have to say we are MUCH better off with Tara and Johnny (and Terry).

I also just wanted to ask how others felt about Lindsay Thorngren’s skating. I know she is dealing with an injury, but man, I just watch her and all I can think is, “There’s no ‘there’ there.”

  • Like 1
Avaleigh

Avaleigh

1 minute ago, carrier76 said:

Last night I watched Jason Brown’s Riverdance program from 2014, and I have to say we are MUCH better off with Tara and Johnny (and Terry).

I also just wanted to ask how others felt about Lindsay Thorngren’s skating. I know she is dealing with an injury, but man, I just watch her and all I can think is, “There’s no ‘there’ there.”

Agreed that Johnny and Tara are better than Scott and Sandra, but after ten years I'd like to see a new lineup. Terry can stay though. I think he's great. 

Thinking on old commentators, I also can't say that I miss Peter Carruthers. I still remember the way he seemed more preoccupied with certain skaters looks as opposed to their skating. 

Regarding Lindsay Thorngren, my biggest issue with her is that she seems miserable out there. It's entirely possible that skating is her greatest joy and I'm totally reading it incorrectly, but she reminds me of the kind of skaters who are skating because they feel they have to, not because they particularly want to. 

As far as her actual skating, the jumps need work and the UR issues with her are pretty constant--that being said, I do see a big improvement this season with her overall skating skills save the jumps. I think her spins are, to quote Uncle Dick, first rate and her footwork has definitely improved. Next season I'd like to see her with programs that she really enjoys and maybe that will help. 

Starr Andrews skating skills aren't quite as good as Lindsay's (IMO) but the joy she has for skating is obvious and it makes her programs fun to watch even when she makes mistakes. Part of the appeal to me is that she generally chooses music she connects to. 

  • Like 3
annzeepark914

annzeepark914

1 hour ago, Avaleigh said:

I enjoyed listening to Adam and Ashley at nationals. I'm hoping they're going to be the B team I get to listen to when the Olympics rolls around. 

It's funny that I very much prefered listening to Johnny and Tara back when they were the B team at Sochi. They were much better to listen to than Scott and Sandra. Now though I'd like to see them replaced. My perfect team would be Adam and Polina, but I'd settle for Adam and Ashley. 

With Johnny, I'm a little tired of his bias towards the Russians. It even extends to favoring Russian Americans and skaters who are coached by Russians and/or former Soviet skaters. Like he thinks no other skating school styles have anything to offer. 

Wow! I'm so surprised to read such nice remarks about Ashley & Adam. Over at Golden Skate, their commentating has been trashed ad nauseum.  I've always liked A & A, so it was good to learn they did well.

  • Like 1
annzeepark914

annzeepark914

15 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I thought they talked too much and took away from the performances. Yes, even worse than Johnny and Tara. I wasn't impressed. They need time and are best left on the B team for now.

You'd think someone from the NBC sports dept would train them (& re-train Tara & Johnny!) There have to be complaints coming in about the excessive talking during each skater's time on the ice. 

  • Like 1
Avaleigh

Avaleigh

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

Wow! I'm so surprised to read such nice remarks about Ashley & Adam. Over at Golden Skate, their commentating has been trashed ad nauseum.  I've always liked A & A, so it was good to learn they did well.

Yeah, I'm im the minority about Adam and Ashley although I will admit to enjoying Adam's commentary over Ashley's. That's why I said in a perfect world my new line up would be Adam, Polina and Terry. 

It's a fair point that they talk a lot, but I think for me the content of what they have to say doesn't grate on my nerves the way Johnny's commentary does. At this past nationals he particularly annoyed me during Jason Brown's long. 

Hey, it wouldn't be the first time I've disagreed with people over at Golden Skate. They can be extra savage with the commentary over there. That's why I only lurk. 

  • Like 1
Avaleigh

Avaleigh

On 1/29/2024 at 10:47 AM, annzeepark914 said:

It was shocking to see how thin our pairs competition/program has become. Some teams were competing at senior level who really didn't belong there.

I wanted to reply to this before the forums went down. 

Yes, it was a little hard to watch how thin the pairs field is right now. I'm guessing some of these teams didn't have much competition at sectionals because there were only 10 teams. Gone are the days when there'd be 12-15 pair teams at nationals. 

Honestly, the field isn't that deep internationally either.

Even though I don't enjoy admitting it, I can be fair enough to acknowledge that pairs is the only discipline where I absolutely feel the absence of the Russians. Men, ladies, and dance are still incredibly deep. There are multiple top notch exciting skaters who keep the competition interesting and make it feel like it isn't set in stone who will win. I don't miss the Russians in those disciplines at all.

That being said there are some notable bright spots in pairs that keep me watching. 

Miura and Kihara have been a delight to watch the past three years and are hopefully inspiring the next generation of pairs skaters. 

Conti and Macii are getting better every season and I look forward to seeing how they do in the team event at the Olympics in two years. If Italy gets the right woman they could have a real shot for the bronze in 2026.

Deanna Stellato is beyond fierce and inspiring. I love how many men and women in figure skating are proving that age really is just a number. 

  • Like 6
annzeepark914

annzeepark914

8 hours ago, Avaleigh said:

It's a fair point that they talk a lot, but I think for me the content of what they have to say doesn't grate on my nerves the way Johnny's commentary does. At this past nationals he particularly annoyed me during Jason Brown's long. 

Hey, it wouldn't be the first time I've disagreed with people over at Golden Skate. They can be extra savage with the commentary over there. That's why I only lurk. 

I wasn't listening to John 😎 during Jason's LP because I'd hit the mute (I've never liked Impossible Dream & wondered if Jason, the man who skated to Sinnerman!! just slapped this program together). Yes, indeed. A lot of the folks at GS can be savage. They've been particularly brutal toward Chock & Bates. It's not so bad at FSU.

  • Like 4
ChicksDigScars

ChicksDigScars

(edited)
On 2/6/2024 at 1:37 PM, Maelstrom said:

I will say that I enjoy Johnny's perspective as someone who actually competed under the current scoring system, and I find that *on occasion* he does offer some interesting insights. But more often the pretentiousness, the cattiness, the chattering, and the general "a lot-ness" is tiresome at best and incredibly frustrating at worst. And it pisses me off every time he judges a skater's music bad just because he personally doesn't care for it. Shut up, Johnny!

That is really cool about Terry spreading the word to other commentators about how hard figure skaters worked train. Another reason he's the best!

I have noticed that since the doping scandal at the Olympics, Johnny has toned down his worship for all things Russian. Whether that was a personal decision or one based on "we're not going to glamourize cheating" by NBC, I don't know, but I notice the lack of the rapturous and orgasmic over-pronunciation of Russian names, and I thank 8 pound 6 ounce newborn infant Jesus who don't even know a word yet, for that. I mean, he still does it, but not as often or as obvious as he used to. 

As far as GS and their trashing of Chock and Bates, I remember someone commenting that they're mostly G/P fans. So, we're back to the Canada vs U.S., V/M fans trashing D/W, now? I guess if I went over there and asked why Piper has her mouth open like a blow up doll when she skates, they'll get pissed off? :D 

 

Edited by ChicksDigScars
  • Like 4
  • Applause 1
  • Love 1
Maelstrom

Maelstrom

4 hours ago, ChicksDigScars said:

I have noticed that since the doping scandal at the Olympics, Johnny has toned down his worship for all things Russian. Whether that was a personal decision or one based on "we're not going to glamourize cheating" by NBC, I don't know, but I notice the lack of the rapturous and orgasmic over-pronunciation of Russian names, and I thank 8 pound 6 ounce newborn infant Jesus who don't even know a word yet, for that. I mean, he still does it, but not as often or as obvious as he used to. 

Funny, I've been thinking that Johnny's making up for the lack of Russian names to overpronounce by overpronouncing *everyone's* names. It's been driving me bonkers. Then again, I think I'm at the end of my patience with him and Tara both between watching Nationals and 4CC coverage back to back. And no Terry at 4CC to babysit them! 😭 #ShutUpJohnny #ShutUpTara

  • Like 4
specialj67

specialj67

My gift to myself for my 40th birthday is going to Montreal to see the last day of the world championships—free dance and men’s free skate! After seeing how well Yuma did at 4CC, I am so excited to (hopefully) see him skate in person. Really, the talent is so deep in both fields, I’m looking forward to seeing so many of these competitors. I don’t think anyone in my meatspace life fully appreciates how much figure skating is a Special Interest of mine and how much I’m looking forward to this!

  • Like 10
annzeepark914

annzeepark914

Is anyone else reading Gracie Gold's book? Several people over at GS said they couldn't put the book down. I sure can even though I've only gotten up to 2013. I just need a break from her depression that comes off the page (of my Kindle). One thing I learned is that judges are watching the skaters (& their families!) at events...all the time. Even in restaurants. I'd never heard of this from other skaters' comments (retired skaters, of course). 

 

 

 

  • Useful 1
Salacious Kitty

Salacious Kitty

Gracie's book was a sobering reminder of the pitfalls that can come from skating. She seemed to find every one. I'm glad she's come out the other side with a positive, healthy mindset. 

She was definitely right to warn readers that they might not like skating much when she was done with her story. Her letter to skating was so poignant. 

Chapter 17 was a tough read. 

 

  • Sad 1
  • Useful 2
Avaleigh

Avaleigh

On 3/3/2024 at 8:00 PM, Mellowyellow said:

I wonder if part of the motivation is that she doesn’t have to deal with the cheating Russians either. No need to break your bones trying to learn quads when your competitors had an unfair advantage all along.

I think she needed a break to reevaluate whether or not she still has a passion for skating. I think she's coming back with the goal of wanting to compete in the team event in the next Olympics. I say this because if it was really about the Russians then she would have continued to compete knowing the Russians wouldn't be in for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. She was well positioned to be the American frontrunner if she'd stayed for the last two seasons. (Will the Russians be back for the 2026 Olympics?)

I just hope her coming back is what she wants to do and that she isn't being pushed by others. Hopefully we'll get to see programs where her personality shines through and it's less about what other people think she should be as a skater. 

I don't think she needs to worry about quads, but it would be nice if she could hit a fully rotated 3A. It would be awesome if she and Amber could both consistently land them to the point where they could include it in their short programs too. That would give the Americans a real advantage in the team event. 

 

  • Like 4
Tippi

Tippi

Worlds Championships are this week.  Hope some of the peeps here can attend--it's in Montreal this year.

It seems like most here watch on Peacock.  I don't have that, but my cable provider is providing some coverage on the USA Channel starting this Thursday.  I don't see anything airing on NBC, but I might have missed it on the schedule.

I'm hoping for good skates from everyone, but I'd really like to see Amber put together two great programs.  How would a clean Amber with triple axels in both programs score against Kaori?

  • Like 5
Avaleigh

Avaleigh

As much as I love Kaori, I'd like to see Loena bring home gold this year.

Regarding Amber, if she delivers two clean programs and one triple axel, I don't see why she couldn't finish third. I'm pretty sure that first and second are out of the question though unless a lot of mistakes are made from the top medal contenders. AFAIK she isn't planning on trying a triple axel in the short. If she could do it in both programs though that would go a long way towards her being a major threat to the other top tier ladies.

  • Like 2
  • Useful 1
justmehere

justmehere

For those wanting full Worlds coverage:

The basic plan on Peacock is $5.99/month, and you can cancel any time (i.e. after Worlds; I don't know if they offer a free trial). I haven't noticed commercials when watching skating live, though I have encountered a few on replays. They generally have a World feed, which covers all skaters, and a shorter one that is from the NBC feed with just the top groups. Replays are likely to be available only for 24-48 hours.

Alternatively, you can watch the ISU YouTube coverage with a free VPN. I hear Opera browser still works, and Windscribe has a free option (along with a Fire TV/Stick app for TV viewing). There are others. Set the country to Canada or some other non-U.S. location (may need to experiment to find one that unlocks all the videos), and you can watch full coverage of all skaters. Replays available.

Re: Windscribe - the free bandwidth is limited, but you can expand it for just a few dollars. 

The World feed through either of these options has different commentary than NBC - no Johnny & Tara - if that interests you. I enjoy it.

perkie1968

perkie1968

The results link is not up yet, but hopefully by tomorrow since it will show the order of skate.  This is the link it would be on and it would show up as "starting order and results" under the line of 'practice groups'  

https://results.isu.org/events/fsevent00117492.htm

 

You can also find it here once they've updated it.

https://montreal2024.com/schedule-and-results/

 

cbc is streaming live and usually has the videos up for about a week after the event

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/figure-skating/streaming-schedule

 

  • Thanks 1
wintrygal

wintrygal

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Y'know...I would enjoy watching World through the eyes of Canadian commentators (& it sure as heck would be better than listening to Tara!) Is NBC blocked in Canada? 

According to my on screen guide here (Canada) there will be coverage on NBC as well as CBC. This is through Rogers Television tho I assume you would have to be a Rogers customer to access it, not sure tho. 

CBC seems to be covering all of it, so I'll be watching it there, better commentators (IMO). 

Salacious Kitty

Salacious Kitty

9 minutes ago, wintrygal said:

According to my on screen guide here (Canada) there will be coverage on NBC as well as CBC. This is through Rogers Television tho I assume you would have to be a Rogers customer to access it, not sure tho. 

CBC seems to be covering all of it, so I'll be watching it there, better commentators (IMO). 

I don't think Rogers is in the States.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...