Figure Skating

[Irlandesa]

1 minute ago, MostlyC said:

*Either that, or I want some of what he's having.

I believe he said his elixir of choice is Xanax and a drink.

[Snow Apple]

Ok so you get more points for backloading, however it makes the routine boring and clunky so the artistic points should be lower. IMO.

[Thumper]

Please explain what is a "Tano?" I tried googling, but too many to dig through.  Something about Brian Boitano and hands above head?

Edited February 12, 2018 by Thumper

[NUguy514]

A Tano is when a skater jumps with one or both arms above his/her head, and it's named after Brian Boitano, for whom it became a signature move.

[COESpiral]

Brian Boitano was the first to do a lutz with one arm over his head, so that's how it got the name 'Tano Lutz.  

[Moxie Cat]

Rhapsody in Blue fans: check out the first 5 minutes or so of the old Woody Allen movie "Manhattan," which is literally that song set to beautiful scenes of New York City. Another excellent use of that song. (Apologies for the skating interruption!)

[stealinghome]

6 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

Yeah, and with good reason -- he's a good interview. Charming, friendly and well-spoken.

Go ShibSibs!

Yeah, I think that tonight, Rippon has pretty much ensured that he has a talk show career after this if he wants one. Very articulate, very personable, very positive energy, and he actually says very substantive things.

[COESpiral]

Adam Rippon got ROBBED being behind Kolyada.  Bullshit.  

MIRAI NAGASU!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I'm sorry, but Zagitova having all her jumps in the last two minutes is more bullshit and should be banned.  But I've ranted about that already.

[GeminiDancer]

And the interesting thing... The two arms overhead is the Rippon.

[mehtotheworld]

Adam Rippon's Instagram stories are also pretty fun if you want more Adam (one of my favorites was a series of videos on Ashley Wagner's and his accounts that detailed how he was spending his time looking into his astrological sign). 

Edited February 12, 2018 by mehtotheworld

[Dots And Stripes]

Mike Tirico just said the US is in silver medal position. Wikipedia says he is wrong. I assume they aren't emphasizing how secure the bronze looks right now to keep people from tuning out.

[MaKaM]

1 minute ago, Dots And Stripes said:

Mike Tirico just said the US is in silver medal position. Wikipedia says he is wrong. I assume they aren't emphasizing how secure the bronze looks right now to keep people from tuning out.

I thought he said they were trying to put them in Silver position. but even if the US won (not happening) and OAR came last (also not happening) they would tie in points and there is probably some tiebreaker that would favor the Russians.

[COESpiral]

At this rate, the only way the US is winning silver is if the Shib Sibs win the FD and the Russians finish last.  We've got like five points to make up and that's not going to happen without serious help.  

[Moxie Cat]

So, number crunchers: my head hurts trying to figure this out, but if Nathan had won the short, could the U.S. have earned silver? I'm actually hoping not, for Nathan's sake, but it would be nice to know if we could have potentially be even closer, especially with the obvious skating-while-Russan bonuses going on (looking at you, Kolyada). 

I'm totally OK with the Canadians winning - they have great skaters - as long as the Russians ("OAR") don't. It's total BS they're in the "team" event. Aren't they supposed to be just individual athletes?!

And while Canada has great skaters, did they only sub their ladies because Chan, V/M, and D/R don't have anyone competitive with them? Not a good bench for the futures that's the case.

[Snow Apple]

2 minutes ago, Dots And Stripes said:

Mike Tirico just said the US is in silver medal position. Wikipedia says he is wrong. I assume they aren't emphasizing how secure the bronze looks right now to keep people from tuning out.

Thanks. His comment confused me.

[CherryMalotte]

11 minutes ago, Jeddah said:

Adam and Mirai are roommates in the Olympic Village! I love it!

And I'd love to be their roommate!  I can't even imagine - no matter how well mannered they are in public, they look like away from it all they probably have a lot of fun.  

I have to agree about the Russians.  It's still very much a machine in their training, and yes they can hit all the technicals, and yes, aren't they pretty skaters - but they don't feel the music.  Very very rarely have I seen a Russian skater truly have a connection with the music.  It's all script and no soul.  There are a few exceptions, I always liked Ilia Kulik, but yes - very cold, all the colors are in the lines.  

Lord help me, I can't unsee that chartreuse monstrosity - pass me the eye bleach quick!   

[blackwing]

The United commercial music really isn't THAT old, is it?  I took a flight a few months ago and I swear they are still using it.  I thought I heard it during the safety video, the hilarious and cool one where various United employees are depicted in foreign locales and incorporate the safety demo into various activities.  

[COESpiral]

Why on earth are Virtue and Moir skating in the team FD?  Who did Canada have skate the SP in pairs if Duhamel/Radford skated the LP?  Chan skated both SP and LP and they swapped women for the ladies part.

[MaKaM]

4 minutes ago, Moxie Cat said:

So, number crunchers: my head hurts trying to figure this out, but if Nathan had won the short, could the U.S. have earned silver? I'm actually hoping not, for Nathan's sake, but it would be nice to know if we could have potentially be even closer, especially with the obvious skating-while-Russan bonuses going on (looking at you, Kolyada).

I don't think so. That would only be 3 more points and the US is 5 points behind OAR right now. ETA: now if Nathan had won and Adam had been appropriately scored ahead of Kolyada, then, the US would be tied and in the running for silver. But it looks like the judges had their plans. /conspiracy theory!

Edited February 12, 2018 by MaKaM

[Dots And Stripes]

2 minutes ago, COESpiral said:

At this rate, the only way the US is winning silver is if the Shib Sibs win the FD and the Russians finish last.  We've got like five points to make up and that's not going to happen without serious help.  

Even that is not enough help. The points are 10 through 6. 

[Growsonwalls]

Remember the gorgeous pairs like Gordeeva and Grinkov? Idk where that tradition has gone ...

By the way here is a cool article about Natalia Mishkutionik:

https://www.ifsmagazine.com/natalia-mishkutionok/

[healthnut]

4 minutes ago, Moxie Cat said:

So, number crunchers: my head hurts trying to figure this out, but if Nathan had won the short, could the U.S. have earned silver? I'm actually hoping not, for Nathan's sake, but it would be nice to know if we could have potentially be even closer, especially with the obvious skating-while-Russan bonuses going on (looking at you, Kolyada)

Yes. They would be one point behind the Russians coming into free dance where the Shibs should beat the Russians.

Edited February 12, 2018 by healthnut

[Dots And Stripes]

Just now, COESpiral said:

Why on earth are Virtue and Moir skating in the team FD?  Who did Canada have skate the SP in pairs if Duhamel/Radford skated the LP?  Chan skated both SP and LP and they swapped women for the ladies part.

Canada is not using one of their substitutions, which is silly given their lead. I think they should have rested Patrick since falling so much is rough on the body. I guess they made the game plan before the comp started and just stuck to it.

[blackwing]

I looked at the summary of scores and the thing that stands out for me is the 6 for Bradie Tennell.  Why is NBC and other media saying how great she did?   She was 5th place.  Arguably, Mirai could have gotten 3rd and the gap would be less.  I guess they felt like they needed to use her because she is the US champion?

[Moxie Cat]

3 minutes ago, healthnut said:

Yes. They would be tied with the Russians coming into free dance.

Well, that's all kinds of frustrating, given that it would be likely the Shibs would beat the Russians - absent, of course, some interesting "scoring" that my suspicious side says might happen in that scenario.

[Dots And Stripes]

2 minutes ago, blackwing said:

I looked at the summary of scores and the thing that stands out for me is the 6 for Bradie Tennell.  Why is NBC and other media saying how great she did?   She was 5th place.  Arguably, Mirai could have gotten 3rd and the gap would be less.  I guess they felt like they needed to use her because she is the US champion?

She skated clean, which is more than can be said for Nathan. I'm not so sure Marai would have gotten third. Bradie got the top score for a US lady of the Grand Prix season and beat Marai at nationals. The four skaters who beat Bradie all come from countries that have a lot of talent in the ladies event.

Japan messing up makes the US that much more secure for bronze.

[Shades of Red]

Given the point spread, it would have been nice to give another Canadian dance pair (Andrew and Kaitlyn perhaps) a chance to get metals as well.  The more on the team, the nicest it is in my opinion.  Share the wealth.  I'm not sure how far in advance you have to do the substitutions so possibly it was better to go with a safe bet vs taking a chance?

[MaKaM]

1 minute ago, Moxie Cat said:

Well, that's all kinds of frustrating, given that it would be likely the Shibs would beat the Russians - absent, of course, some interesting "scoring" that my suspicious side says might happen in that scenario.

Am I mathing wrong? OAR has 58 and the US has 53. Nathan got 7, he would have gotten 10 for winning. That is only 3 more which makes 56 and not tied.

[COESpiral]

5 minutes ago, Dots And Stripes said:

Canada is not using one of their substitutions, which is silly given their lead. I think they should have rested Patrick since falling so much is rough on the body. I guess they made the game plan before the comp started and just stuck to it.

What a nice Eff You to the other dance teams, Canada.  

[healthnut]

5 minutes ago, Dots And Stripes said:

Even that is not enough help. The points are 10 through 6. 

I really hope at some point they change the scoring in the long programs to 2-4-6-8-10 so there can be more movement and more suspense. It was worse in Sochi, all three medals were a foregone conclusion after short programs. 

[Souris]

I can't overstate how proud of Mirai I am. The skating world seemed to indicate it was done with her, her edges & rotations were always examined with a fine-tooth comb, but she WORKED & WORKED to get that triple axel.

In-N-Out should put Adam and Mirai in a commercial.

[specialj67]

I admit I did like Zagitova’s jumps. But the first half of her program is interminable:

 

[healthnut]

2 minutes ago, MaKaM said:

Am I mathing wrong? OAR has 58 and the US has 53. Nathan got 7, he would have gotten 10 for winning. That is only 3 more which makes 56 and not tied.

No, my math was wrong, I was thinking it would’ve affected the Russian’s placement, but I forgot he was near the bottom.  They would’ve been 2 points apart.  

[blackwing]

6 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

Remember the gorgeous pairs like Gordeeva and Grinkov? Idk where that tradition has gone ...

By the way here is a cool article about Natalia Mishkutionik:

https://www.ifsmagazine.com/natalia-mishkutionok/

I remember really liking Natalia Mishkutionik.  Although I swear back then her name was spelled Mishkutenok in English.  I particularly remember that amazing spin where she did an upside down split and put her head at her ankles and one leg straight up.  They won in 92 and got silver in 94 when Gordeeva and Grinkov came back.   I seem to recall that her partner dumped her because he said she got too fat and he didn't want to lift her anymore.  I thought he even called her a cow.  He showed up in the next Olympics with a new partner.  Am I making this up or am I thinking about a different pair?  This article makes it seem like  she voluntarily retired after 94.

[Silver Raven]

Now *this* Italian dance pair were gorgeous.

[Minneapple]

Wow, I really liked the Italian ice dancers! A very emotional program. That's how you connect to the music, Russian ladies!

[Growsonwalls]

15 minutes ago, blackwing said:

I remember really liking Natalia Mishkutionik.  Although I swear back then her name was spelled Mishkutenok in English.  I particularly remember that amazing spin where she did an upside down split and put her head at her ankles and one leg straight up.  They won in 92 and got silver in 94 when Gordeeva and Grinkov came back.   I seem to recall that her partner dumped her because he said she got too fat and he didn't want to lift her anymore.  I thought he even called her a cow.  He showed up in the next Olympics with a new partner.  Am I making this up or am I thinking about a different pair?  This article makes it seem like  she voluntarily retired after 94.

No that was her. It's ironic because here's a recent video of her:

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Young-Skater-Wants-to-Follow-Olympic-Mothers-Footsteps-465237453.html

And she's very in shape. 

Not the same thing can be said about Artur:

Edited February 12, 2018 by Growsonwalls

[MaKaM]

1 minute ago, healthnut said:

No, my math was wrong, I was thinking it would’ve affected the Russian’s placement, but I forgot he was near the bottom.  They would’ve been 2 points apart.  

Ah, well, if Adam had gotten ahead of Kolyada (as he should have been) then they would have been tied (with the Nathan-winning scenario) because then OAR would have been down 1 while the US would have been up 1. And then they would have won silver (knock on wood for Shibs). But since the Men's didn't fall out that way, it isn't anyone's "fault" except for the judges screwing Adam over (and I felt, lowballing Bradie some. Kaetlyn and Carolina both had very obvious mistakes that did not seem to affect their scores much).

[COESpiral]

"Hey, you know what would be a great idea for a dance?  If you were blind!  That'll tug at everyone's heartstrings!"  I'm rolling my eyes so hard I can see into the past.

[Moxie Cat]

Ok - as long as it just wasn't Nathan alone. Plus, it's an assumption he would have won if he hadn't fallen, when Shoma might have won anyway (though Nathan's SP out scored Shoma's at the GPF). 

I do think though that both Bradie and Adam could have been a point higher (both of which easily could have happened) which would also have helped the silver happen. But clearly there are a number of moving pieces that would have had to come into play.

[NUguy514]

I have snorted out loud at the Russians' facial expressions, especially hers.

[Growsonwalls]

So good to see Babs and Maurizio together again! I still remember this fondly:

[MaKaM]

Pretty dress for her. With the Italians, I would have guessed A walk In the Clouds before What Dreams May Come, based on the costumes, but it was pretty too. I am liking all of these better than the SDs.

[NUguy514]

Just now, Growsonwalls said:

So good to see Babs and Maurizio together again! I still remember this fondly:

 

AHHH, Scary Babs and Her Eyes of Death!!!  I've missed you, my love!! <3 <3 <3 <3

[specialj67]

2 minutes ago, COESpiral said:

"Hey, you know what would be a great idea for a dance?  If you were blind!  That'll tug at everyone's heartstrings!"  I'm rolling my eyes so hard I can see into the past.

Of all the current Russian skaters, they do ACTING the best, IMO.

[MaKaM]

Just now, NUguy514 said:

AHHH, Scary Babs and Her Eyes of Death!!!  I've missed you, my love!! <3 <3 <3 <3

I loved that when she murdered him with her glare...

[legaleagle53]

1 minute ago, MaKaM said:

I loved that when she murdered him with her glare...

The thing about that is that she insists she was never mad at him and never blamed him for what had happened -- she was simply mad about the whole situation!

[Growsonwalls]

I remember one commentator saying at the time "Barbara is a mother. You wonder how her kids will react to seeing that." And the other commentator said "Well they certainly won't misbehave." Heh.

[Jaded]

11 minutes ago, blackwing said:

I remember really liking Natalia Mishkutionik.  Although I swear back then her name was spelled Mishkutenok in English.  I particularly remember that amazing spin where she did an upside down split and put her head at her ankles and one leg straight up.  They won in 92 and got silver in 94 when Gordeeva and Grinkov came back.   I seem to recall that her partner dumped her because he said she got too fat and he didn't want to lift her anymore.  I thought he even called her a cow.  He showed up in the next Olympics with a new partner.  Am I making this up or am I thinking about a different pair?  This article makes it seem like  she voluntarily retired after 94.

Now that you mentioned it I remember Artur Dmitriev pulling that shit. Everytime I saw him on TV after that my first thought was that he must have been a real asshole to skate with. I seem to remember stories about him making a partner cry too. Can't remember which one it was. 

[Silver Raven]

Man, those twizzles!