Hello and thank you for being a DL contributor. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. Please click here to update your account with a username and password.

Hello. Some features on this site require registration. Please click here to register for free.

Hello and thank you for registering. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. If you can't find the email you can resend it here.

Hello. Some features on this site require a subscription. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month.

Figure Skating 2018, Pt. XII

Continued discussion of the skating season.

Let's prepare for the Exhibitions... and as these Olympics draw to a close may we remember what skill it really takes to win a Gold.

Never Forget!!!

I, Tessa

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 600March 4, 2018 12:30 PM

Link to previous thread for reference.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 1February 23, 2018 3:50 PM

Honestly I don't know why you are all still arguing over the girls when ladies singles is literally the most boring fs category with no evolution for years and always the same kind of controversies at every major competition. At least over in ice dance we have some fun.

by Anonymousreply 2February 23, 2018 4:00 PM

Canadian Figure Skating results:

Ice Dancing - Gold

Pairs - Bronze

Individual Women - Bronze

Team - Gold

by Anonymousreply 3February 23, 2018 5:55 PM

Not the first time you've posted that, R3. How many years will it be, do you think, before Canada again comes anywhere close to that level?

Canadian figure skating is about to hit rock bottom. All the money invested for Vancouver seems to have played itself out. The top tier talent is retiring. Only Osmond is realistically able to hold on until Beijing. (Though hard to see her actually medaling again.)

But, it was nice that you were able to have some success to take away from the Curling and Hockey catastrophes.

by Anonymousreply 4February 23, 2018 6:22 PM

Medvedeva is a beautiful girl, and I thought her Anna Karenina performance and skating skill was much better than that 15 year old robot in a red tutu.

by Anonymousreply 5February 23, 2018 6:31 PM

Piper and Paul are the only Canadian skaters are really like. With V/M and hopefully (?) W/P retiring, i would like to see them climb the rankings a little bit. Their James Bond FD really was nice.

by Anonymousreply 6February 23, 2018 6:35 PM

* I really like

by Anonymousreply 7February 23, 2018 6:36 PM

THanks for that, R592.

Beautiful shade of blue.

And, no, my name is not Joey.

🙄🙄🙄

by Anonymousreply 8February 23, 2018 6:51 PM

All the American ladies qualified for the finals. Too bad for the Canadian ladies.

by Anonymousreply 9February 23, 2018 7:10 PM

Will all the Americans be performing in the Exhibitions?

by Anonymousreply 10February 23, 2018 7:34 PM

And by "all" I mean, the Pairs, Shibs, Bradie, Mirai, Adam and Nathan?

by Anonymousreply 11February 23, 2018 7:35 PM

R11 The exhibition list was posted in the last thread. The only Americans performing are the Shibs and Hubbell/Donohue. Nathan Chen is sick and no one else placed high enough.

by Anonymousreply 12February 23, 2018 7:41 PM

I missed the womens final, was Daleman a splatfest?

by Anonymousreply 13February 23, 2018 7:53 PM

I expect Soucisse/Firus to pass Gilles/Poirer as Canada top dance team by 2022

by Anonymousreply 14February 23, 2018 7:56 PM

R13 Yeah she fell FOUR times! LOL

by Anonymousreply 15February 23, 2018 7:56 PM

[quote] Will all the Americans be performing in the Exhibitions?

I would feel cheated having to pay top price tickets and having to watch that filler.

by Anonymousreply 16February 23, 2018 7:57 PM

So getting a team medal doesn't get you an exhibition slot?

by Anonymousreply 17February 23, 2018 7:59 PM

No. They invite Marchei/Hotarek before you

by Anonymousreply 18February 23, 2018 8:02 PM

Osmond was lovely and my favorite of the night.

I felt really bad for Daleman.

Watching the two Russians warm up, the hype the media was giving them, and seeing Zagitova's face when she won gold, all I could think of was All About Eve!

by Anonymousreply 19February 23, 2018 8:09 PM

Haha Marai calling out Daleman LOL, what a bitch.

by Anonymousreply 20February 23, 2018 8:11 PM

How did Daleman place 19th? That means she beat out 5 other skaters. I don't remember anyone else falling 4 times. Her only clean jumps were her double jumps at the end. That's even worse than Hubert in 92.

by Anonymousreply 21February 23, 2018 8:19 PM

I wish Mirai had been making these sort of comments before the Games and throughout the games. Sport is at it's best with characters to love and hate. Though, as others have suggested, her comments might not be the result of her actually having a definitive bitchy character, but rather that she's basically retarded.

by Anonymousreply 22February 23, 2018 8:22 PM

Daleman's PCS were 10 points higher than the skaters below her. She was 23rd in TES, beating out only Isadora Williams who landed just one clean triple.

by Anonymousreply 23February 23, 2018 8:23 PM

Gala is

Top 4 in Individual competitions Plus Top South Koreans in all' disciplines Plus Misha GE Bobrova/Solovien Cappellini/La notte Marchei/Hotarek Ryom/Kim

by Anonymousreply 24February 23, 2018 8:23 PM

Is Mirai a mean girl, stupid or does she really just have a snarky sense of humor? I could see myself saying some of the things she has but totally in jest.

by Anonymousreply 25February 23, 2018 8:26 PM

Why even bring up Daleman unless Mirai is a mean girl? She's trying to excuse how bad she was by bringing up Daleman.

by Anonymousreply 26February 23, 2018 8:30 PM

I thought she brought up Daleman defensively, not to be mean. Sort of, "look, you can be a good skater and have a bad night; look at Daleman, she's a gold medalist (in team) and she had a bad night." It was a bizarre way to excuse her own performance, but it sort of makes sense.

by Anonymousreply 27February 23, 2018 8:32 PM

Have seen that promo video 23 questions with? Obviously Mirai is dumb as fuck

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 28February 23, 2018 8:32 PM

My favorite comment by Mirai is "in my mind, I went for it" in regards to her 0.5 Axel which should have been a 3A.

by Anonymousreply 29February 23, 2018 8:33 PM

She has cute dogs.

by Anonymousreply 30February 23, 2018 8:34 PM

It doesn’t make sense in any way r27. Dale man humiliated herself in front of millions all over the world and she knew it, didn’t make excuses like there I haven’t had a warm shower since coming here, I have to go to bed early when so much is happening at night, and on and on. Then Mirai has to remind the world AGAIN of what Daleman did. Deflect, deflect

by Anonymousreply 31February 23, 2018 8:37 PM

The gay NBC reporter (no, the other one) tweeted that Mirai comforted Daleman after her performance.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 32February 23, 2018 8:42 PM

Losers. US women skaters are such losers!

by Anonymousreply 33February 23, 2018 8:45 PM

I think the Russians could LEGALLY be using beta-blockers. I.e. propranolol used to combat the nerves, stage fright that a North Korean shooter was once banned for in 08. They're prohibited in archery, auto racing, billiards, darts, golf, shooting, etc basically sports where concentration and nerves are king. Used to be prohibited in gymnastics until 2011 when the FIG asked for them to be allowed. Beta blockers are also prohibited in the skiing and snowboarding trick disciplines--aerials, halfpipe, big air. How different is landing a triple lutz from a 1080 though (i.e. a trick most elites can do in practice but most will mess it up in competition)? But they're NOT prohibited in figure skating, so why not use them? Maybe some savvy Americans are too--just probably not the ones blabbering away to the media and on IG.

It probably also helps that the Russians just consider the Olympics another competition, whereas the Americans treat it as some lifetime achievement gala with every single horse faced relative and gay BFF in attendance.

by Anonymousreply 34February 23, 2018 8:45 PM

Ha, the NBC site has a video up of the most overused music this year (can't link it). Includes Carmen, Black Swan and Moulin Rouge.

by Anonymousreply 35February 23, 2018 8:51 PM

r32 I first read that as Nagasu confronted Daleman and I was like OMG she's a hardcore bitch. LOL

by Anonymousreply 36February 23, 2018 8:54 PM

R36, LMFAO!!!

by Anonymousreply 37February 23, 2018 8:59 PM

Some Senior Z competition in the Netherlands

Ladies SP tonight

Higuchi 69.25

Hongo 62.07

Honda disastrous 48.21

by Anonymousreply 38February 23, 2018 9:05 PM

I hope Marin changes coach asap

by Anonymousreply 39February 23, 2018 9:48 PM

Womenn medal ceremony

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 40February 23, 2018 9:51 PM

THE FIRST TIME WE MET!

This is some home video shot by our Dad of the first time we met! You guys really seem to like the throwback stuff we've been posting on Instagram, so we thought we'd start uploading some of it here, too!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 41February 23, 2018 10:01 PM

I read it the same way, R36, ha. Funny how if she did she'd somehow become a DL Fave.

by Anonymousreply 42February 23, 2018 10:01 PM

I'm with R27. I think it makes sense that that is what Mirai meant when you take in to account that Mirai has a history of not expressing herself well and often not in any sort of coherent manner. She's just not a bright person.

She can't even figure out that her BF is gay.

If she were just a bitch she wouln't be as well liked as she is by the other skaters. She's not Maia. She's actually friends with the others.

by Anonymousreply 43February 23, 2018 10:04 PM

None of them are likeable.

We need a new crop of American figure skaters.

Get rid of the whole lot, and bring in some fresh faces who don't choke in the big competitions - like the Olympics.

by Anonymousreply 44February 23, 2018 10:06 PM

The thing is that apart from the overhyping of recent couple of weeks ,10th place is a respectable finish for Nagasu. That's what she was likely to place anyway. Apart from Dabin Choi, the others in top 8 were likely to beat her in the majority of competitions.

by Anonymousreply 45February 23, 2018 10:11 PM

Awww Mirai, your boyfriend is so cute, can we have a double wedding?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 46February 23, 2018 10:11 PM

R46 is proof (for the millionth time) that closet cases all date asians.

Cluelessness on one end, and calculation on the other. The only question is, which is which?

by Anonymousreply 47February 23, 2018 10:34 PM

I was elated that NBC's Olympic coverage where pretty gay. Figure Skating is still the crowning jewel for NBC Olympic coverage and they were definitely targeting women and their gay BFFs. Adam Rippon and Gus Kenworthy, two losers (underperformer in Gus' case), were strongly featured in NBC's coverage even after their competitions were over.

Gus especially is extremely marketable.

by Anonymousreply 48February 23, 2018 11:10 PM

was*

by Anonymousreply 49February 23, 2018 11:11 PM

The Shibs sibs are the ice dancing version of Karen and Richard Carpenter complete with incest.

by Anonymousreply 50February 23, 2018 11:20 PM

I'd LMAO if both Russian girls tested positive for something. Then it would be Osmond-Gold, Miyahara-Silver and Kostner - Bronze.

Two Russians were already caught doping - a curler [WTF?] and a bobsledder. But they're not advertising that, which seem a little fishy. The fact that 2 Russians get caught even after the big drug scandal that suspended so many Russians shows that Russia doesn't give a crap about getting caught, they'll still go ahead and dope up.

by Anonymousreply 51February 23, 2018 11:23 PM

Maia & Alex = Cathy & Chris

by Anonymousreply 52February 23, 2018 11:24 PM

Some of us prefer spice, no rice. Heterosexually, ahem.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 53February 23, 2018 11:25 PM

I read somewhere that Alina Zagawhatever lost 4 hours training time due to extensive urine and blood tests (the day before one of the contests.) I assume she passed but wth? I don't remember them saying anything about this about the other skaters. Why 4 hours?

by Anonymousreply 54February 23, 2018 11:27 PM

Do Americans forget that they've been caught doping in any number of sports over the years? Only when Americans lose do the doping allegations fly. And, yes, I'm aware that Russian doping took it to whole other level with state involvement. But, there's no proof the Russian skaters were doping.

by Anonymousreply 55February 23, 2018 11:28 PM

She couldn't pee

by Anonymousreply 56February 23, 2018 11:29 PM

It didn't happen only to her

Cappellini/Lanotte and Weaver/Poje also lost a practice session because WADA came in to test them

by Anonymousreply 57February 23, 2018 11:32 PM

It's very hard to pee in 4 hours.

by Anonymousreply 58February 23, 2018 11:34 PM

It was Poje that were testing. Not clear which Italians they were testing during practice session

Jackie Wong @rockerskating I've been told that doping timing at this Olympics has been unlike other major competitions; Zagitova had to miss a big part of her practice yesterday for doping; Cappellini or Lanotte missed an entire practice, Poje was 10min late to practice - both also because of doping timing

by Anonymousreply 59February 23, 2018 11:34 PM

Someone should skate to something from The Greatest Showman at the exhibition just to get us used to hearing that damn music a LOT at competitions from now on (pun intended).

by Anonymousreply 60February 23, 2018 11:37 PM

Hey, russian comrade, Russia was proven to have state-sponsored doping, they were banned from the olympics thats why they are called OAR. You cant even clear them tomorriw. They dont have to dope yesterday, but if they were taking meldonium 5 months ago they can do jumps 14 hours a day. They are suspicious until proven otherwise, and labs cannot even identify every single substance right now, so they cannot really be cleared until a few years from now.

by Anonymousreply 61February 23, 2018 11:37 PM

Keep hoping, R61.

by Anonymousreply 62February 23, 2018 11:39 PM

R53, ha, I love Elvis. So cheesy, but so fun to watch.

He's a manly man, with his manly drums. And marital arts. And v-neck. And gold chains. And mullet. Manly, man.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 63February 23, 2018 11:41 PM

Russia gold medals Sochi from 33 to 11 after doping disqualifications OAR gold medals pyeongchang 1 ( sad face) Whatever russian comrade, hopefully putin feeds you well and you have your freedom unlike Adelina "where is she? Is she in the safehouse?" Sotnikova

by Anonymousreply 64February 23, 2018 11:48 PM

Nathan Chen said he was stunned to see how much the Russian girls were capable of doing - jump after jump after jump. They have Alina on tape doing 5 triple jumps in a row. Scotty Hamiton said nobody else could do that. She didn't even look winded after.

by Anonymousreply 65February 23, 2018 11:50 PM

Elvis has to be one of the ugliest skaters ever. So glad he and Midori Ito didn't get married. A figure skating dynasty of gargoyles.

by Anonymousreply 66February 23, 2018 11:53 PM

Sorry to be so obtuse but what is a "safehouse"?

Adelina was able to compete in Dancing with the Russian Stars, so why not the Olympics? (she was runner up) After she went with her partner and his family to Disneyland (California). I guess they don't defect anymore - just the North Koreans?

by Anonymousreply 67February 23, 2018 11:53 PM

R63- Lots of quads, no artistry. Browning might not have landed everything but he could skate to any piece of music and make it work- classical, Casablanca, Bonzo's Montreux etc.

The sport needs more Brownings --and even Bowmans--- before they need more Chens.

by Anonymousreply 68February 23, 2018 11:53 PM

[quote] Jackie Wong @rockerskating I've been told that doping timing at this Olympics has been unlike other major competitions; Zagitova had to miss a big part of her practice yesterday for doping

Which makes her gold medal winning performance even that much more impressive.

I'm not a fan of Russia, but these two girls are the real deal.

The skaters representing the US don't even come close. Just look at the scores.

by Anonymousreply 69February 23, 2018 11:55 PM

I thought Nathan Chen studied ballet for five years - I think he's sorta artistic and could be a lot more - he's only 18. Maybe he's reluctant to show that side of himself ahemmm. Read somewhere is father made him quit that ballet nonsense.

by Anonymousreply 70February 23, 2018 11:55 PM

Will the two Russian women be competing at Worlds?

by Anonymousreply 71February 24, 2018 12:03 AM

Yes I will be!

by Anonymousreply 72February 24, 2018 12:04 AM

R68, there's no more room for the kind of programs Browning created in this point-collection system. They are shortening the men's long program soon, which will only make it worse.

by Anonymousreply 73February 24, 2018 12:07 AM

Aren't they going to limit the jumps?

by Anonymousreply 74February 24, 2018 1:27 AM

They should keep the 10% bonus for the second half, but limit the number of bonuses. However many jumps they do in the first half should be equal to how many bonuses they can get in the second half.

by Anonymousreply 75February 24, 2018 1:50 AM

Good idea, R75.

by Anonymousreply 76February 24, 2018 1:56 AM

R74, they are only eliminating one jumping pass. So 30 seconds less, and 7 passes instead of 8 for the men. Even less room for choreography.

by Anonymousreply 77February 24, 2018 1:58 AM

At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Bejing, I hope NBC gives a heads up when they're about to change channels. I'm assuming the viewing times will be similar since China is 13 hours ahead of the US and South Korea is 14 hours ahead.

by Anonymousreply 78February 24, 2018 2:35 AM

Kurt Browning says he has heard that there is a young girl doing quads in the Russian competitions now.

by Anonymousreply 79February 24, 2018 2:42 AM

I'm surprised that NBC didn't make a deal to ensure that some Americans were invited to the exhibition.

by Anonymousreply 80February 24, 2018 2:43 AM

R79, Alexandra Trusova.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 81February 24, 2018 2:46 AM

[quote] I'm surprised that NBC didn't make a deal to ensure that some Americans were invited to the exhibition.

You can't polish a turd.

by Anonymousreply 82February 24, 2018 2:48 AM

But you can snip a strap!

by Anonymousreply 83February 24, 2018 3:05 AM

Will these figure skating threads go dormant after the Worlds or will they go on? I love all the inside dirt.

by Anonymousreply 84February 24, 2018 3:05 AM

I wonder if the Russian Robots will let loose and bring some fun to their gala numbers.

by Anonymousreply 85February 24, 2018 3:15 AM

Maybe they should raise the age limit - say the women can't skate in the Olympics unless they're 18 or older. All of these robotic jumpers are young and that probably makes it easier for them to jam in the jumps because their bodies haven't changed yet. But at 18, they'd be forced to concentrate more on choreography and they'd be mature enough to put some meaning into it.

by Anonymousreply 86February 24, 2018 3:27 AM

Their gala numbers will be just skating around lazily for 3 minutes, then doing 12 jumps in the last minute.

by Anonymousreply 87February 24, 2018 3:27 AM

I missed the team competition. Did all the skaters from all the countries do both their short AND long programs?

by Anonymousreply 88February 24, 2018 3:28 AM

The exhibition is always a bore. Skater flit around. No one does tough jumps.

Just stupid

by Anonymousreply 89February 24, 2018 3:35 AM

It's interesting that someone keeps clearing their cookies to post in here.

by Anonymousreply 90February 24, 2018 3:36 AM

R88- No, I think it was the top 10 that skated all of the short programs for men's, ladies, pairs and dance---then for the long programs you had to be in the top 5 to skate it. Plus a substitution was allowed - I think twice- so if you wanted a skater to skate the short, you could have a different skater do the long.

by Anonymousreply 91February 24, 2018 3:45 AM

R89- the pairs usually do something showy. Like a head-banger or something like it.

To mix it up, they should have some of the men's medalists skate with the women. Or mix up the pairs and the ice dancers.

by Anonymousreply 92February 24, 2018 3:47 AM

Some skaters do amazing things like throw triples with umbrellas in their hands.

by Anonymousreply 93February 24, 2018 3:49 AM

So why does NBC control when events are performed. The US got to see all the skating in Prime Time while Europe had to watch in the middle of the night and Asia in the early AM. Why does the Olympic Committee permit the US broadcast network to dictate the timing of events. That is bias.

by Anonymousreply 94February 24, 2018 3:52 AM

Brasseur and Eisler usually had some fun exhibition programs, like their "Patricia" number.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 95February 24, 2018 3:53 AM

"So why does NBC control when events are performed."

$$$$$$$$$. They probably pay the most for broadcast rights and therefore influence the schedule to maximize their revenue.

by Anonymousreply 96February 24, 2018 4:00 AM

Do countries like Australia watch the winter games considering they don't have many athletes?

by Anonymousreply 97February 24, 2018 4:03 AM

R94 because they pay for those rights. The Olympic committee puts those rights up for auction and NBC pays it.

by Anonymousreply 98February 24, 2018 4:03 AM

[quote]Maybe they should raise the age limit - say the women can't skate in the Olympics unless they're 18 or older. All of these robotic jumpers are young and that probably makes it easier for them to jam in the jumps because their bodies haven't changed yet. But at 18, they'd be forced to concentrate more on choreography and they'd be mature enough to put some meaning into it.

I vaguely recall that there were people petitioning for raising the age limits to 17 or 18. I think it was in the late 90s/early 00s.

by Anonymousreply 99February 24, 2018 4:21 AM

[quote]To mix it up, they should have some of the men's medalists skate with the women. Or mix up the pairs and the ice dancers.

Been there, done that.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 100February 24, 2018 4:49 AM

And don't forget us.

Ccccc'mon everybody!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 101February 24, 2018 4:50 AM

Well, this shows how delusional the USOC was about figure skating medals. They thought the minimum would be 2 medals - I guess Chen and Bradie? The "target" was 3. So who else did they figure to medal?? Ice dance, I guess. And the "stretch", what they could get if things went better, was 4. FOUR??? What? Maybe they hoped for more women?

Talk about big expectations.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 102February 24, 2018 5:17 AM

That seems about right though.

They got their minimum, Team and Dance.

Target (3) would have been Team, Dance, Men's. Again that was do-able.

And Stretch (4) which would have been a stretch: Throw in a bronze for the ladies which wasn't out of the quesiton.

by Anonymousreply 103February 24, 2018 5:29 AM

Love how R102 just forgot about the Shibutanis

by Anonymousreply 104February 24, 2018 5:40 AM

Interesting. So I just read that article (SI) that was posted in the other thread that tore in to Mirai for some of the statements she made. Did that person who wrote the article actually interview her or did he take bits and pieces he got from other interviews?

If it's the latter, I think he did misconstrue a lot of the stuff she said. I came across this interview where she talks about a lot of the stuff mentioned in the article. If the writer did pull from other sources it does seem like he misrepresented some of the stuff she said. For instance, she does seem to acknowledge she didn't skate well, she acknowledged she didn't hit the 3A (makes a joke about how she got a big fat zero for it), etc.

The part about DWTS, the way it's explained in the video is that she was nervous and asked Adam for advice and he told her to go out and skate like it was her audition for DWTS...

About the part where the writer claims she threw her other teammates under the bus and tried to make it sound like she saved the medal for the team doesn't sound accurate either. She said that she, along with Adam and the Shibs, saved the medal because they were in danger of losing it/medaling. That is accurate, isn't it? After Nathan skated, didn't they need solid skates from Adam, the Shibs, and Mirai?

Link to the video below. She sounds like she's both not very bright and also exhausted.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 105February 24, 2018 6:14 AM

Yeah, two was the minimum and that was right--the U.S. was very likely to get the Bronze in both Team and ice dance. No one seems to care about ice dance, but the U.S. had three of the six teams in the Grand Prix final--ranked 3,4 and 5. Odds were very high that one of those teams would have a good skate--turned out to be the Shibs.

Nathan Chen won the Grand Prix--so while he wasn't really the favorite for the Gold, he should have been able to medal. It took a seriously disastrous freeskate to put him out of contention.

Long shot fourth medal--One of the Ladies (could have been any of them) had a miracle skate and other skaters didn't. Remember Bradie Tennell came in ninth even after skating first and with mistakes in both programs. She probably would have higher scores with a later start. So, if she'd skated clean and later and Osmond did her usual unclean FS and Miyahara got knicked for URs, she could have been there. Similar story with a Mirai who actually landed her triples.

I still consider it a damn shame Polina Edmunds got injured--nerves of steel and her PCS has improved. She, not Ashley who peaked in 2016, is the skater whose absence I felt.

by Anonymousreply 106February 24, 2018 7:00 AM

Heterosexuals

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 107February 24, 2018 7:50 AM

What songs should they skate tonn the gala?

For example,

P/C - "The Stripper"

V/M - "Sabotage"

and so forth.

by Anonymousreply 108February 24, 2018 8:24 AM

Are we going to gather here to watch the Gala tonight? I would love it if our skating experts, both American and Canadian, would "score" the various performances! Fun!

by Anonymousreply 109February 24, 2018 8:27 AM

Gotdamn the Swedish curling team is hot

by Anonymousreply 110February 24, 2018 8:30 AM

I'll bring the popcorn.

by Anonymousreply 111February 24, 2018 8:33 AM

V/M should skate to either "Fever" Peggy Lee version or "I'm Your Man" by Leonard Cohen.

If they want to wash away the audience in a puddle of tears, then they have to skate to "You're Beautiful".

P/C need to show off their jazzier side with something.

by Anonymousreply 112February 24, 2018 8:34 AM

Does anyone still seriously believe Hanyu is straight?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 113February 24, 2018 8:51 AM

Ten million Japanese teenage girls.

by Anonymousreply 114February 24, 2018 8:52 AM

Gala music

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 115February 24, 2018 8:59 AM

[Quote] Ten million Japanese teenage girls.

All the hysterical "aunties" that travel all over the world to see him, dress in his costumes and shower him with poohs are not teenagers...

by Anonymousreply 116February 24, 2018 9:17 AM

I thought the gold medalists usually get to do 2 numbers?

by Anonymousreply 117February 24, 2018 9:22 AM

It's called an 'encore' dear...

by Anonymousreply 118February 24, 2018 9:27 AM

The video is even better!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 119February 24, 2018 9:41 AM

GALA

1 Opening Performance & Skaters Introduction The Voice of Pyeongchang

2 MIN Yura / GAMELIN Alexander KOR Lollipop by Big Bang & 2NE1

3 CHA Junhwan KOR Peanut Butter Jelly by Galantis

4 BOBROVA Ekaterina / SOLOVIEV Dmitri OAR Ice Dance Vdvoem by Nargiz feat. Maksim Fadeyev

5 UNO Shoma JPN See You Again (feat. Charlie Puth) by Wiz Khalifa

6 SHIBUTANI Maia / SHIBUTANI Alex USA That's Life (feat. JAY Z) by Frank Sinatra

7 CHOI Dabin KOR Jeongseon Arirang Rhapsody

8 RYOM Tae Ok / KIM Ju Sik PRK Bangabsumnida (Nice to Meet You)

9 CAPPELLINI Anna / LANOTTE Luca ITA The Kid, Modern Times, City Lights (Charlie Chaplin medley)

10 TARASOVA Evgenia / MOROZOV Vladimir OAR How Long by Lionel Richie

11 OSMOND Kaetlyn CAN g Hallelujah performed by Tori Kelly

12 SUI Wenjing / HAN Cong CHN Run performed by Leona Lewis

13 FERNANDEZ Javier ESP Skating Aerobics Class

Intermission

14 Opening Performance 2nd half When you believe by Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston

15 KIM Kyueun / KAM Alex Kang Chan KOR I am The Best by 2NE1, Red Flavor by Red Velvet

16 HUBBELL Madison / DONOHUE Zachary USA The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice

17 MIYAHARA Satoko JPN En Aranjuez Con Mi Amor by J. Rodrigo performed by Nana Mouskouri

18 DUHAMEL Meagan / RADFORD Eric CAN Piano Man by Billy Joel

19 JIN Boyang CHN Spider-Man Thema (Jankie XL Remix) performed by Michael Buble

20 PAPADAKIS Gabriella / CIZERON Guillaume FRA Pray You Catch Me by Beyonce

21 MEDVEDEVA Evgenia OAR Kukushka performed by Polina Gagarina

22 MARCHEI Valentina / HOTAREK Ondrej ITA Barbie Girl by Aqua

23 GE Misha UZB MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix) by BTS feat. Desiigner

24 VIRTUE Tessa / MOIR Scott CANLong Time Running by The Tragically Hip

25 ZAGITOVA Alina OAR Afro Blue by Jazzmeia Horn

26 SAVCHENKO Aljona / MASSOT Bruno GER Carry You (Acoustic Version) by Nick Howard

27 HANYU Yuzuru JPN Notte Stellata (The Swan) by Il Volo

28 Thank you from the skaters

29 Finale This is Me (from The Greatest Showman Soundtrack) by Keala Settle

by Anonymousreply 120February 24, 2018 9:57 AM

I'd believe Eric Radford was straight before I believed Hanyu was.

by Anonymousreply 121February 24, 2018 10:22 AM

Yuzu is my skating wife! And now we have a pet named Shoma. Sorry Miki!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 122February 24, 2018 10:26 AM

Javi is doing a "Skating Aerobics Class" in the gala?

by Anonymousreply 123February 24, 2018 10:27 AM

R123 he resurrected this thing...

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 124February 24, 2018 10:30 AM

Re: OP's photo of Lipinski in the last thread--why the he'll did she wear so many rings on her fingers? It looks so ugly and trashy...

by Anonymousreply 125February 24, 2018 12:32 PM

Tara did her witchcraft against me and made me make that idiotic typo in R125. But it still doesn't answer the question---why so many rings?

by Anonymousreply 126February 24, 2018 12:34 PM

Well, she was just a kid, and skating does lend itself to hyper-accessorizing - have you noticed how many bracelets and necklaces Yuzuru wears? I saw an interview and he was asked about it and his reason was that his mother loves stones. (yeah right) He did say they didn't interfere with his jumps. Well obviously not...

But anyway, then there's Johnny Weir... When I think of him and Tara as a duo (and I love them as a commentating duo btw!), it's usually HIS wardrobe, hair, and accessories that I'm fixated on, and not her plain short sleeveless dresses and de rigueur bleached blonde long hair - she's definitely mainstream now. But I'm delighted his extravagance is being taken by mainstream audiences with good grace - at least I assume that's true - they seem popular. Adam too. Maybe the needle has moved a bit in the right direction, even in the dark times of Trumpism.

by Anonymousreply 127February 24, 2018 1:34 PM

R100, aww they looked so beautiful together, they should have gotten married!

by Anonymousreply 128February 24, 2018 1:50 PM

At the end of the article linked in R102, there is a hilarious slideshow of "awkward faces of figure skating."

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 129February 24, 2018 1:53 PM

Thanks, that was kind of cute, R125. A chance to feature his butt.

by Anonymousreply 130February 24, 2018 3:46 PM

Philip Hersh @olyphil The Canadian judge knows no shame. The Canadians whined long and hard about the (correct) pairs result in 2002 but no one does more backroom politicking now than Canada.

Philip Hersh ‏ @olyphil Compare the elegance and grace with which @JannyMedvedeva handled her incredible disappointment when speaking with media afterwards to the excuse-mongering of the second and third US women, who are now doing damage control on Instagram and Twitter.

by Anonymousreply 131February 24, 2018 4:44 PM

R131- I thought the replies to Hersh were interesting:

“Knows no shame” is a little dramatic don’t you think? Her, (CAN judge) marks are in line with several other countries. Many would say Osmond deserved top PCS marks. It certainly was a more balanced program."

"I actually think this time the Canadian judge was right. Kaetlyn isn't one of my personal favourites but thought her programs were performed with more speed & finesse. Her jumps were stellar in height & coverage of the ice."

"What?! You think the Russians deserved gold with their clunky skate in 2002? No way."

by Anonymousreply 132February 24, 2018 5:07 PM

WTF is Hersh talking about? The CAN judge had her PCS first.....so did CHN, USA and GER. Yeah, RUS had her 4th so looks like they can be just as political.

by Anonymousreply 133February 24, 2018 5:15 PM

The point R133 is the Russians make no pretense of being political and looking for every tactical advantage they can get, even those which cross the line. The Canadians pretend to be oh-so-innocent so the hypocrisy oozes off like an ugly Roots parka.

by Anonymousreply 134February 24, 2018 5:18 PM

Speaking of 2002, am I the only one who finds the whole outrage/blowup suspicious? Not that judge boosting and trading and blocking wasn't and isn't a serious problem, but of all the examples of it, it makes no sense to me why the 2002 pairs result was so scandalous.

by Anonymousreply 135February 24, 2018 5:23 PM

The CAN judge actually gave Satoko HIGHER PCS levels than all the other judges. Most of them gave her less 4th place finishes and more 5th placements. One country gave her some 6th place finishes. So from that, there's a stronger case that the CAN judge was the least political and more objective since Satoko was the one who could take the bronze.

by Anonymousreply 136February 24, 2018 5:25 PM

Or maybe Can judge just wanted to give her the high so it could get thrown out. r136

by Anonymousreply 137February 24, 2018 5:26 PM

R137- How would she know whether another judge would vote Satoko with higher PCS straight across the board - then the CAN judges' score would stay.

by Anonymousreply 138February 24, 2018 5:31 PM

Canadian judge put Osmond in the lead overall. She wasn't alone though. China judge did the same.

She put Satoko 4th overall in FS. Russia and France put Satoko third over Osmond in FS

In FS PCS Canada along with everything esle placed Satoko 5th. Only Belgium did place her 6th (because she put Sakamoto 5th)

R137 If she marks high to be thrown out, she guarantees the other highish score to be kept in. I mean, at Golden Spin, the Belarus judge was looking at Russian judge's score to be thrown out and keep her marks in th score.

by Anonymousreply 139February 24, 2018 5:36 PM

R135- It was scandalous because no one could figure out how the Russians won with the skate they gave - until the British chair of the committee talked to the French judge and that's when it came out that she was told to put the Russians first no matter how they skated because it would help the French ice dancers.

The real question is why Didier Gailhaguet is anywhere near the sport.

by Anonymousreply 140February 24, 2018 5:37 PM

So the conclusion is figure skating judging appears to be still as corrupt as it ever was.

by Anonymousreply 141February 24, 2018 5:38 PM

At least it looks like Zagitova got slammed by all the judges for that backloaded program. I didn't realize how many 4th and 5th place finishes she got for her PCS.

by Anonymousreply 142February 24, 2018 5:43 PM

All of the judges had Satoko's PCS score in 5th place, except Belarus had her 6th place. And the majority had her TES in 4th place. So the scoring for the bronze seems right.

by Anonymousreply 143February 24, 2018 5:48 PM

R125

1) Because it was the 90s.

2) Because she was 15

3) Figure Skaters are prone to superstition so "good luck charms" are aplenty.

by Anonymousreply 144February 24, 2018 5:51 PM

If it wasn't Canada (or another big federation), they would probably not changed the result in 2002.

At Nagano 2002 Worlds , they didn't do anything about the bronze controversy in Ice Dance because no-one cared about Lithuania.

Who was the skater that told Galit Chait in the locker room "how much your dad paid for this bronze?"? was it Albena Denkova?

by Anonymousreply 145February 24, 2018 5:54 PM

I don't get that last tweet by Hersh. I checked both Mirai and Karen's tweets and IGs and don't see any "damage control."

by Anonymousreply 146February 24, 2018 5:58 PM

R140, yes I know the roof came off when the French judge supposedly had her outburst, but it's bizarre to me that "no one could figure out how the Russians won" in the first place. Pretty much every Olympics/Worlds has at least one controversy over where the more technically difficult program should win over the more cleanly skated one, and vice versa. This result wasn't particularly egregious. It just felt like the outrage was orchestrated even before the French judge fessed up.

by Anonymousreply 147February 24, 2018 5:58 PM

R145 Ah no, the one suspected to have confronted Galit in the locker room was US dancer Noemi Lang. She was coached by Zhulin. And Papa Chait stormed into the official hotel searching for him and an altercation

Denkova was the one organizing the petition to have the result changed. Signed by 40 ice dancers.

by Anonymousreply 148February 24, 2018 6:03 PM

R146 I think he means this post by Karen

"T ALL A BLUR. Seriously. I have so much to say, but I guess at this moment it really doesn't matter. I have no excuses, sure I had some significant boot problems, but regardless, I should have been able to skate to my potential. I have nothing to say except that I feel like I let myself and everyone down. I'm sorry"

but I don't know what she said in the post FS interviews

by Anonymousreply 149February 24, 2018 6:05 PM

Yeah, R149. I saw that but that doesn't really seem like damage control in the way he's trying to make it sound? Just sounds like an athlete saying she's disapponited, had issues, and should have done better.

As far as post interviews? Did anyone even bother with her?

by Anonymousreply 150February 24, 2018 6:12 PM

I wanted Carolina to make the podium by PCS overscoring only to see Hersh's head totally explode!

by Anonymousreply 151February 24, 2018 6:18 PM

Who are these judges anyway? Are they former championship skaters or just some low level skaters who take "courses"? Because maybe there wouldn't be as much controversy if you had people on the panels who were medalists at world championships. Yes, there might still be bias, but because these skaters are so well known and more like public figures, they'd probably have to answer more as to why they marked a certain way.

by Anonymousreply 152February 24, 2018 6:45 PM

R152 There are some low level skaters who skated at Worlds/Euros who are now judges/technical specialists. However, I think the majority probably didnt even internationally competitive skaters.

There are some former medallists though, especially as technical specialists. For ex:

Vanessa Gusmeroli (did she get a World bronze once, right?) is a technical specialist. She was on the Ladies Sochi panel.

Ponomorenko is a technical specialist for ice dance. When he is on the panel, Igor Shpilband's skaters usually do well...

Margaglio is also a technical specialist but he doesn't judge often as he coaches (he was on Junior Grand Prix panels this season)

Todd Sand is a technical specialist in Pairs. He was in the Pairs panel in PyeongChang.

The full list of international judges and technical controllers/specialists for 2017/18 is in the link below

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 153February 24, 2018 7:04 PM

For example, the Technical Panel who decided the Silver in Men not calling any under-rotation to Shoma:

Raffaella Locatelli, a retired teacher from Italy

Riccardo Olavarrieta from Mexico. 27th at Calgary Olympics, 29th in Albertville

Konstantin Kostin from Latvia. 20th in Albertville. Top results at Worlds: 13th in 1993. 4th at 1993 Euros.

by Anonymousreply 154February 24, 2018 7:12 PM

There's been some chatter about making a more clear distinction between the 2 programs, one being purely technical the other being artistic. I think if they did this and did it well it could be great. Make the technical program a little longer that the current short and up the technical requirements. Let that one be a jumping/spinning/etc. competition. They could even choose specific jump combos and/or spin sequences that every skater has to do for a fairer comparison (similar to the old gymnastics compulsories). Then impose really strict restrictions on the long program so that skaters are forced to focus on choreography and artistic elements. How they weight the 2 programs depends on how ISU ultimately decides their priorities--whichever they value more they weigh more. Or they can decide they want to reward skaters who are a solid balance of the 2 and weigh them equally.

Of course this doesn't address the shady judging problem, but it will go a long way to clarifying just what figure skating is supposed to be.

by Anonymousreply 155February 24, 2018 7:23 PM

Challenge Cup (somewhere in the Netherlands)

LADIES final result

1. Wakaba Higuchi, 203.94 (134.69 FS today)

2. Rika Hongo 168.79

3. Marin Honda 160.19

4. Nathalie Weinzierl 159.15

5. Nina Povey 150.74

Higuchi is the second Japanese lady for Worlds. SP clean. FS: One fall in the FS and a wrong edge called.

by Anonymousreply 156February 24, 2018 7:42 PM

Can’t wait for Adam to make a surprise appearance as the Bearded Lady in the “This is Me” finale!

by Anonymousreply 157February 24, 2018 8:38 PM

[Quote] Higuchi is the second Japanese lady for Worlds. SP clean. FS: One fall in the FS and a wrong edge called.

How much did Sakamoto score at OG? Are they still gonna alternate? I know Higuchi was named to worlds but Kaori is 1st alternate. If I was Japanese fed I'd be scared that Higuchi would bomb again and not get 3rd spot back.

by Anonymousreply 158February 24, 2018 8:59 PM

same, R151

by Anonymousreply 159February 24, 2018 9:00 PM

[quote]So why does NBC control when events are performed. The US got to see all the skating in Prime Time while Europe had to watch in the middle of the night and Asia in the early AM.

Because the US Olympic rights are the most important and expensive tv rights in the whole world of entertainment. The rights for US Olympic coverage are in the 20+ billion range. It is what finances the Olympics and indirectly other sports.

by Anonymousreply 160February 24, 2018 9:08 PM

So ironic that NBC paid for those events to start early enough so that the east coast could watch the entire skating event before going to bed, then none of the American ladies even got into the final flight.

by Anonymousreply 161February 24, 2018 9:13 PM

Other countries got some good times for other sports. For example biathlon events were all held at 8PM in Korea to get a decent airtime in Germany and Norway where the sport is popular. Same for ski jumping held at 10-11 PM in Korea to allow Germans and Polish to watch it

by Anonymousreply 162February 24, 2018 9:18 PM

Sakamoto got 209 at Olympics, R158

by Anonymousreply 163February 24, 2018 9:18 PM

Disappointed to see that a Canadian skater will use "Hallelujah" as their music in the gala.

I have already reached critical mass in my Hallelujah tolerance level.

by Anonymousreply 164February 24, 2018 9:19 PM

NBC is now showing Witt vs Thomas. You could see Debi was terrified.

by Anonymousreply 165February 24, 2018 9:19 PM

Papadakis will be French flag bearer at closing ceremony tomorrow

Kostner will carry Italy flag

by Anonymousreply 166February 24, 2018 9:24 PM

[quote]NBC is now showing Witt vs Thomas. You could see Debi was terrified.

They had Boitano on earlier in that program. I GASPED!!!! I have not seen him in decades.

by Anonymousreply 167February 24, 2018 9:24 PM

This mini doc is fantastic! I especially enjoyed the Brian vs Brian part.

by Anonymousreply 168February 24, 2018 9:24 PM

You know the Olympics aren't officially over until a Canadian ski cross racer gets drunk and steals a car.

Well, it's happened!

by Anonymousreply 169February 24, 2018 9:26 PM

R166- Wow, I thought they'd give it to Fourcade because he won 2 gold.

by Anonymousreply 170February 24, 2018 9:30 PM

video from the gala practices. From Japanese TV, so focused on Hanyu. In that ensemble number they are all so out of synchro that we already know it will be crap

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 171February 24, 2018 9:32 PM

R170. Yes. Fourcade (who has been the flag bearer also in the opening ceremony) said that in agreement with French Olympic Committee and presidents of other sport associations, he wanted to pass the honor to Papadakis as symbol of an athlete who represents the future of French sport.

by Anonymousreply 172February 24, 2018 9:35 PM

I have so much admiration and respect for both of the Brians after watching the piece on them vis a vis the Calgary Games.

I was at peak Olympic fan stage for those games, and I bet I didn't miss a moment of the televised skating. But I had forgotten how handsome Brian Boitano was; and I was not aware of what a wonderful person Brian Orser was and is. Apparently the fact that he coaches everyone who is anyone is no coincidence. People were saying that he hasn't an unkind bone in his body, and that everyone adores him. And after re-watching his skate, it was clear that he was only a whisper less perfect than Brian Boitano. They made a big point of saying that had the compulsory figures been eliminated before Calgary, he would have won.

As an American, I wish there could have been an exact tie.

by Anonymousreply 173February 24, 2018 9:58 PM

I watched that Calgary 88 documentary too. It made me feel sorrier than ever for Debi Thomas. They have never repeated that episode of her on "Iyanla, Fix My Life." Her life is not exactly fixed, that's for sure. I .thought Katarina Witt was very gracious about her in her interview.

And the two Brians thing was great - I can't believe they shared the same dressing room and were in such close proximity the whole time. And thanks to the poster above for that clip of Lloyd Eisler and Isabelle Brasseur - I LOVED them! She was so tiny and he would just FLING her across the ice - they were really spectacular.

Tonight's gala looks like one great big snoozefest - what awful music.

by Anonymousreply 174February 24, 2018 10:09 PM

Looking forward to seeing Zagnut do a quad to the “ME!” part in “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman.

by Anonymousreply 175February 24, 2018 10:19 PM

I still get annoyed at that Canadian reporter who trashed Brian Orser by saying he'd always be remembered as a loser. If he's still reporting, I hope he's got the decency to admit how wrong he was.

by Anonymousreply 176February 24, 2018 10:19 PM

Poor Debi Thomas--even though she imploded in the FS, she still had the bronze and a world championship. A friend of mine was one of her TAs at Stanford. She went off to medical school. You'd think she'd have been set for life, but she ended up in what looks to be a semi-abusive relationship in a trailer in the South. You'd think she could practice medicine or teach kids to skate, but her lack of self-esteem (and I think bi-polar illness?) seems to have destroyed her.

by Anonymousreply 177February 24, 2018 10:21 PM

Will Zagitova wear her tiger catsuit for the Gala tonight? or has someone told her the family friendly crowd don't see it appropriate for a 15 year old?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 178February 24, 2018 10:28 PM

[quote]People were saying that he hasn't an unkind bone in his body, and that everyone adores him.

They obviously don't know him.

by Anonymousreply 179February 24, 2018 10:29 PM

So just papadakis and not cizeron? Umm ok

by Anonymousreply 180February 24, 2018 10:50 PM

R180. Not clear to me. They wrote something that sounds like " naturally Cizeron will accompany her". IOC press release about closing ceremony is not out yet, so I don't know who is officially listed

by Anonymousreply 181February 24, 2018 10:55 PM

Down is up and up is down.

Re: the Calgary '88 skating mini-doc, what if someone told you(back then) that the USA would not medal in 2018 men's or women's skating, the US would grab gold in curling and women's hockey, and that The Donald's little girl(this was in the midst of the Marla scandal) would be the US's representative to the Closing Ceremonies?

Truth is stranger than fiction. I fully expect that the US will have the biathalon and cross country skiing medals on lock by 2048.

by Anonymousreply 182February 24, 2018 10:57 PM

maybe he could lift her while she carries the flag

by Anonymousreply 183February 24, 2018 10:57 PM

Damn missed the docs. Anyone know if they're online?

by Anonymousreply 184February 24, 2018 10:59 PM

R184, yes, they are--NBC Olympics site.

by Anonymousreply 185February 24, 2018 11:13 PM

Great, thanks, R185.

by Anonymousreply 186February 24, 2018 11:15 PM

Found the link to Calgary '88 if anyone else needs it.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 187February 24, 2018 11:20 PM

Thanks. Those were great times for skaiting. It seemed more fun, more artistic and more entertaining then. You didn't need quads to have a great time.

by Anonymousreply 188February 24, 2018 11:24 PM

link to livestream of the gala for those who are not USA based and can't access NBC

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 189February 24, 2018 11:30 PM

The Gala doesnt even seem interesting enough to watch. Im watching the Calgary doc instead.

Did the two Brians ever fuck? Which would top?

by Anonymousreply 190February 24, 2018 11:32 PM

the SOuth Korean skaters are already the worst dressed (all Kpop ex). All of them. The North Korean pair follow closely

by Anonymousreply 191February 24, 2018 11:37 PM

^Only because I'm not on the ice.

by Anonymousreply 192February 24, 2018 11:40 PM

No Savchenko/Massot

by Anonymousreply 193February 24, 2018 11:42 PM

Jesus, Scott Hamilton really looks like a ghoul.

by Anonymousreply 194February 24, 2018 11:43 PM

Cha makes Rippon look butch

by Anonymousreply 195February 24, 2018 11:44 PM

Exhibitions are so dull

I wish Chock/Bates were here to do theirs

by Anonymousreply 196February 24, 2018 11:45 PM

Cha Jun is like a bootleg version of Hanyu. Not impressed.

by Anonymousreply 197February 24, 2018 11:48 PM

Cha is coached by Orser

Meanwhile, Soloviev has strangled Bobrova

by Anonymousreply 198February 24, 2018 11:51 PM

The Shibs have recicled last year's SD

by Anonymousreply 199February 25, 2018 12:01 AM

The North Koreans had a very charming performance

by Anonymousreply 200February 25, 2018 12:10 AM

The North Koreans got new costumes compared to last time I saw them skating this

by Anonymousreply 201February 25, 2018 12:11 AM

Hubbel/Donahue have withdrawn from the Gala. She is ill. So the Incenst Twin are the only USA representative. They won at the end. The only one left

by Anonymousreply 202February 25, 2018 12:18 AM

The Russians much less uncomfortable with this than with that candyman routine

by Anonymousreply 203February 25, 2018 12:19 AM

^ A little ex-lax in a water bottle is just as good as a little snip snip!!!'

by Anonymousreply 204February 25, 2018 12:19 AM

Oh, great, another Canadian skating to Hallelujah. Haven't heard enough of that.

by Anonymousreply 205February 25, 2018 12:21 AM

Where are y'all seeing the skating? The link above does not work, and NBC and NBCSN is showing curling and some other yucky sport.

by Anonymousreply 206February 25, 2018 12:30 AM

Watching the Calgary documentary... and it's interesting just how in denial Debi is about her life. Now she's claiming that the Iyana episode didn't portray, "everything."

I'm surprised they didn't include Witt's story about how she knew Debi was going to fail (because of the missed high fives) that is always included in all these stories about them.

by Anonymousreply 207February 25, 2018 12:30 AM

Fernandez's yoga class is done over the notes of Physical and Maniac

by Anonymousreply 208February 25, 2018 12:32 AM

R206, it's on the NBC website.

by Anonymousreply 209February 25, 2018 12:34 AM

Javier is so charming, I really will miss him

by Anonymousreply 210February 25, 2018 12:37 AM

In the backstage Papadakis has just offered Maia some biscuits (per Maia's IG Story)

by Anonymousreply 211February 25, 2018 12:37 AM

Imagine the wardrobe malfunction happening to the Shibutanis. Maia's nipples out in Alex's face would have covered at least 5 full threads here

by Anonymousreply 212February 25, 2018 12:39 AM

R212 we'd never see it. Alex would have dutifully covered it with his mouth to save his sister the embarrassment.

by Anonymousreply 213February 25, 2018 12:42 AM

[quote]In the backstage Papadakis has just offered Maia some biscuits (per Maia's IG Story)

Oh, shit. Everyone wants in on this now.

by Anonymousreply 214February 25, 2018 12:43 AM

Cappellini/Lanotte were cute.

I've been having fun joking about them, but I really am completely creeped out by the Shibs.

by Anonymousreply 215February 25, 2018 12:49 AM

Who made the decision that only the Shibs would ID for the US in the Team Event? Wouldn't the current US champs have been considered? Just curious.

by Anonymousreply 216February 25, 2018 12:58 AM

Shibs are in because they were medal winners. Chen was invited but apparently he was sick, same with hubbel. Of all the other Americans, who on earth would you invite? I'd say Adam but I think he didn't wow people over there the way he did people in the US.

by Anonymousreply 217February 25, 2018 1:02 AM

R216. The Shibs.

It's been recounted a few times. USFSA apparently wanted H/D to skate as well as the Shibs and wanted Nathan to skate both the short and long.

The Shibs campaigned hard to skate both.

Nathan didn't want to skate both and therefore they could only have one Ice Dance team compete. Following their selection criteria (if actually followed), the Shibs, as the highest ranked team got to skate.

by Anonymousreply 218February 25, 2018 1:03 AM

Frankly, I don't think Adam is even wowing people in the US... he's just sort of being crammed down our throats.

by Anonymousreply 219February 25, 2018 1:05 AM

R216, oh you said team event and I spoke about the gala. Being illiterate is hard, thank you all for bearing with me.

by Anonymousreply 220February 25, 2018 1:13 AM

Scott need to stfu so I can listen to the music.

Not that it's all that but still.

by Anonymousreply 221February 25, 2018 1:14 AM

Yuzuru something else as always

by Anonymousreply 222February 25, 2018 1:49 AM

I think i would hate Hanyu in real life. He is so starved for attention and wants so bad for everyone to love him. Those kind of people are usually insufferable. Same for Misha Ge.

by Anonymousreply 223February 25, 2018 2:11 AM

That was actually a nice program from V/M. Zagitova looks ridiculous in that cat suit.

by Anonymousreply 224February 25, 2018 2:17 AM

Zagitova is trying her best to show an artistic side but...it's not happening.

by Anonymousreply 225February 25, 2018 2:19 AM

CBC is showing Duhamel/Radford's gala number and they're doing their big swing and throw. Finally something interesting.

by Anonymousreply 226February 25, 2018 2:22 AM

R225 I thought she was doing her best to show her future oligarch husband that she isn't an ice princess.

by Anonymousreply 227February 25, 2018 2:25 AM

P/C need to get a better gala number.

by Anonymousreply 228February 25, 2018 2:29 AM

I don't think most of these skaters know what a gala number is supposed to be about. It's got to be something entertaining with some moves that the audience doesn't see in their competitive programs.

Do a backflip if you're a single skater or a bounce spin if you're a pairs skater.

Even Philippe Candeloro knew how to entertain.

by Anonymousreply 229February 25, 2018 2:33 AM

Medgevyeda is so incredibly expressive, That is her gift

by Anonymousreply 230February 25, 2018 2:35 AM

LMAO at Leslie Jones watching the gala and telling Zagitova - "what...is she putting a fucking candle on the ice? You can come out here dressed like a cat and roll around on the damn ice? Ice Capades been added to the fucking Olympics?"

by Anonymousreply 231February 25, 2018 2:39 AM

Loving these tight pants on Yuzu

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 232February 25, 2018 2:40 AM

Zag is 15. Give her a break.

by Anonymousreply 233February 25, 2018 2:54 AM

The Hanyu skate at the gala was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen on ice. It brought tears to my eyes — and to his. Perfect. Chen may have better jumps but could never perform that level of artistry we saw tonight. Stunning.

by Anonymousreply 234February 25, 2018 2:58 AM

Do you think either Chen or Yuzu will be in Beijing 2022?

by Anonymousreply 235February 25, 2018 3:02 AM

Ugh, thank god we don't have to put with ferret faced Yuzuru any longer. Enjoy your retirement bitch, no way this whore makes it all the way to 2022.

by Anonymousreply 236February 25, 2018 3:13 AM

R236 he’s beautiful what are you talking about. How is he remotely ferret faced ? Probably another DL guy who dismisses Asians out of hand .

by Anonymousreply 237February 25, 2018 3:17 AM

Yuzu is best male skater of all time. No debate on that. He is nearly perfect technically and absolutely perfect artistically. Some excel at one or the other (eg Chen and Zhou technically), Rippon (artistically). Not many can do both. And

by Anonymousreply 238February 25, 2018 3:22 AM

As for whether they'll be in Beijing - as for Yuzu, I think he's got a serious case of OCD. Says he has over 50 pairs of earphones and says he knows which pair to use for which songs for just the perfect sound. There's a video of him taking 12 pairs out of his backpack and putting them on a table, discussing each (in Japanese.) And people say Shoma is Aspergers!!

Anyway, all that is to suggest that his obsession with the quad axel will do him in, as far as joints and back. He also said he thinks Boyang will be doing quints -- so will Yuzu be far behind in trying that? Yet more torture. Oy.

Chen is 5 years younger so I'd say yes, he'll be back, looking for redemption. Unless it's med school or something, led by Tiger Mom and Dad. Those Asians are something. Once China gets its entire population into the 21st century, they'll probably be the real superpower.

Oh and you need new specs R237 - Yuzu is fabulously beautiful. It's Chen I'm on the fence about - sometimes I think he's cute, sometimes ugly. I think he might could bring the artistry, given time (and permission) - I keep wondering what took him into ballet for five years (and also, wth happened to it? but I think it's in there somewhere and could be nourished. Maybe he's been warned about not looking effeminate) - oh welll... I look forward to seeing Shoma in 2022, at least, please?? I just hope Yuzu will be ok mentally - too much too soon can be a killer but hopefully he'll be ok. Japan can be a demanding place - not as much as Korea, but close.

by Anonymousreply 239February 25, 2018 3:22 AM

R239 all credible. Except let’s not rush the med school for Nathan. He’d have to do four years of regular college before that.

by Anonymousreply 240February 25, 2018 3:27 AM

I love this interview with Robin Cousins and his take on quads and on Yuzu - in the gala Yuzu showed his amazing talent at producing a "moment":

“We saw triple axels, and I could do triple axels. You might have saw a quad, but it wouldn’t be that pretty,” Cousins said.” Butnow you have 14-year-old girls doing them. You kind of go, ‘Wow. What is it?’ ”

Cousins wonders if it has all gone too far, but thinks that Hanyu program components are so special that he can win where others can’t. “At some point, the insanity does have to stop,” Cousins commented. “But then you look at Hanyu, and you go, ‘But actually you don’t need them all.’

“You have something else. There is something. He is almost an ethereal being in the way he skates. It’s interesting, because he is not that accessible when he performs.”

Singular focus on the ice

Cousins thinks that Hanyu is in his own world when he is competing on the ice.

“Javi was like me. I wanted to skate for the crowd,” Cousins stated. “I wanted to know exactly how many people were watching me. “There are other skaters, and I don’t know him that well, but I would say that Hanyu is that person who doesn’t need to know who’s in the audience,” Cousins continued. “He needs to know what he wants and he makes them come to him. It’s a different dynamic, but it absolutely is mesmerizing."

by Anonymousreply 241February 25, 2018 3:29 AM

Oh that article was in "Japan Today" and that's probably why they've got the grammar wrong: "You might have saw a quad..." I doubt Robin said it that way :)

by Anonymousreply 242February 25, 2018 3:30 AM

I'm a sucker for Japanese men and I don't find Yuzuru to be attractive in the least. He's obviously a bottom but I don't feel the urge to stick it in him.

by Anonymousreply 243February 25, 2018 3:33 AM

also this gem from Mirai:

@mirai_nagasu I wanted to nail another triple axel on Olympic ice but unfortunately I didn’t even get a chance to when I hit a rut in the ice. Sometimes you just have to take it all in with a smile on your face.

by Anonymousreply 244February 25, 2018 3:36 AM

also lol @ her comment about choosing to smile in the middle of her free program. Girl obviously don't give a shit about her PCS.

by Anonymousreply 245February 25, 2018 3:40 AM

Is there video of her freeskate up? It's interesting because I remember watching her enter the 3A and thinking something weird happened like she was skidding.

by Anonymousreply 246February 25, 2018 3:45 AM

Well, here we go - Yuzu the perfectionist not satisfied with her performance. Someone translated an interview from Japanese:

"I've just rewatched this again and noticed that he said he started feeling "kuyashii (regretful)" again because there were things he was not able to do for this competition such as 4Lz and 4Lo, he said he could do more difficult layout of the program (if he was healthy)."

by Anonymousreply 247February 25, 2018 3:45 AM

r247 That must be a Japanese trait to be regretful for not doing everything your capable of. You won't here anyone In the west bitch after winning a second gold medal.

by Anonymousreply 248February 25, 2018 3:49 AM

Here you go R246

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 249February 25, 2018 4:52 AM

Ugh, fucking NBC only showed bits and pieces of the gala.

They didn't even show it at all on the sport network.

Showing that damn, ridiculous curling again.

by Anonymousreply 250February 25, 2018 5:05 AM

The gala is boring as fuk, why do ya'll want to see it. It's like getting excited for the NFL pro-bowl, they athletes aren't even trying so why do you care?

by Anonymousreply 251February 25, 2018 5:07 AM

you can watch all the Gala performances here R250

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 252February 25, 2018 5:08 AM

yeah the galas are all the worst in pro skating rolled into one

by Anonymousreply 253February 25, 2018 5:10 AM

Okay, thanks, R252.

by Anonymousreply 254February 25, 2018 5:10 AM

So...everything is wrapped up? No more luge....no more curling....no more bobsled. I can't believe I'm kind of depressed.

by Anonymousreply 255February 25, 2018 5:33 AM

You know, I wonder how how things might’ve turned out if Gracie Gold hadn’t crashed and burned at 2016 worlds. If i recall correctly, she won the short and Medvedeva was 3rd. If she had pulled it together for the free and won or at least medaled, might that have affected the outcome at the olympics? Seems like by giving her the marks in short, the judges were showing that they were willing to let her be he annointed one. After that is when she began falling apart and that was the beginning of Medvedeva’s winning streak. Something to wonder about.

by Anonymousreply 256February 25, 2018 5:39 AM

The Russians went ahead of the Germans in the gold medal hockey game and I turned it off -- earlier the commentators said the goalee cheated - goal tending or something - just fuck it. What does it mean to ban a country's team and then have all their athletes' there anyway?

by Anonymousreply 257February 25, 2018 5:40 AM

Don't these young Russians basically disappear after they win the Olympics? Once they start growing and their bodies change, I think it probably throws off their jumps. No wonder they've got an assembly line going - there's probably about 20 13-year-olds waiting in line to take Zagitova and Med's places.

by Anonymousreply 258February 25, 2018 5:46 AM

R256 thank Frank for that.

by Anonymousreply 259February 25, 2018 5:46 AM

Who are thie Yuzuru fansgurls that ended up in DL?

Ferret boy ain't hot, nor is his hunch back in the second half of the program.

by Anonymousreply 260February 25, 2018 8:38 AM

Obviously Yuzuru isn't "hot", he doesn't have a "hot" face or body. He's cute in that emasculated Japanese way that his fangurls find so appealing

by Anonymousreply 261February 25, 2018 8:42 AM

He's cute because he's emasculated?

Poor ferret boy, his fangirls don't think he's much of a man.

by Anonymousreply 262February 25, 2018 8:47 AM

[quote]Piper and Paul are the only Canadian skaters are really like. With V/M and hopefully (?) W/P retiring, i would like to see them climb the rankings a little bit. Their James Bond FD really was nice.

Yes, Gilles & Poirier skated well at this Olympics.

They beat Weaver & Poje in the TES (technical mark) in the Free Dance.

by Anonymousreply 263February 25, 2018 8:54 AM

Deniss has been busy

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 264February 25, 2018 9:09 AM

Stay mad abt Yuzu and his ferret face. Boy is cute and can get more hot skating dick on a daily basis than you ever will in your lifetime.

by Anonymousreply 265February 25, 2018 9:28 AM

Can the pathetic Yuzu fangirls go back to golden skate and twitter to sing how hot and perfect he is?

by Anonymousreply 266February 25, 2018 9:48 AM

Aussie commentator Belinda Noonan described Yuzuru's skating as being like 'liquid gold'. I think that's apt. He is mesmerising on the ice, like no skater I've ever seen.

His gala performance made me sad that jumps have come to so dominate the men's competition. Of course he can do the quads, but look what he can do artistically when he doesn't have to be so concerned about landing the hard jumps!

by Anonymousreply 267February 25, 2018 10:03 AM

I am not a Yuzu "fangirl," but I think he is adorable. Not sexy, but cute as a button. I don't see the ferret bit at all.

Nathan is very good looking even in his awkward stage. Mark my words, he is going to be handsome as hell by 26. He may even sprout another couple of inches by then.

I mentioned this on the night of the men's FS: Nathan looks and speaks so much like the Asian teen who played the brother of the bride in "The Hangover Part II." The kid was a student at Stanford at 17, and he was a cello virtuoso. Even though his part wasn't all that big, he was at the center of the plot.

Poor Shoma. He is never going to be taller or handsome. But I won't shed any tears for him...I imagine that he will be seen as a god in his country, and being dwarf-like there is not a real problem.

Finally, I really fell in love with Medvedeva. What a gracious loser she was! And her skating was gorgeous. I hear what y'all say about the Russians having 2 more 15 year olds in the pipeline to take the place of her and Zagnut, but I really would like to see Medvedeva get another shot at gold.

by Anonymousreply 268February 25, 2018 10:09 AM

Gracie Gold can come back. She would be 26 for the next Ols. I think missing this Ols will take the pressure off of her if she chooses to compete again. Gracie's athletic talent is the greatest of any American woman, j=yes even Tonya Harding. She needs to find music she loves to skate to. Lori Nichol did her no favors. That horrible Phantom and The Opera program was just as bad as Daphne and Chloe. You couldn't see her interest in either. She rocked The Firebird - that's what she needs.

by Anonymousreply 269February 25, 2018 10:15 AM

Stolbova/Klimov withdraw from Worlds. She injured her foot

by Anonymousreply 270February 25, 2018 10:46 AM

Is he desperately searching for new followers?

Alex Shibutani @AlexShibutani I’m just going to put this out there while I have a captive audience and the platform of the Olympics. I like other sports. I like tweeting about basketball, baseball, hockey, and football and I need more followers who care about these things. Find me! 🙏🏼

Alex Shibutani @AlexShibutani I’m also into sneakers, streetwear, and fashion... Also passionate about filmmaking, movies/television, and photography. I’ve got a lot of interests outside of just figure skating so hopefully you’ll bear with me when I tweet about other stuff!

by Anonymousreply 271February 25, 2018 10:56 AM

Alex is shameless.

by Anonymousreply 272February 25, 2018 11:06 AM

can those 2 attention whores just fucking retire already?

by Anonymousreply 273February 25, 2018 11:14 AM

^Hear Hear

by Anonymousreply 274February 25, 2018 11:21 AM

Madison H, we sincerely hope you are recovering well. And anyway, does Zach know he is supposed to stay vertical during the FD?

Madison C, as we are so generous, we can give you and Evan some tips on how to show sexual chemistry on ice. Contact us through out agent

by Anonymousreply 275February 25, 2018 11:38 AM

Alex and Maia were twitting about BTS and Kpop to attract their rabid fans before the olympics. They even brought American hats for the singers because they are such fans lol. Twitted about it of course.

by Anonymousreply 276February 25, 2018 11:42 AM

lol that queen Thomas Bach always have to add 'Olympic champion in fencing' in his address.

by Anonymousreply 277February 25, 2018 12:30 PM

What does Alex look for in a man?

by Anonymousreply 278February 25, 2018 12:34 PM

So is Alex gay? Or is he an incest twin?

by Anonymousreply 279February 25, 2018 12:41 PM

Shoma literally fell asleep after the gala

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 280February 25, 2018 12:57 PM

Shoma looks like a toddler napping on one of those preschool mats.

by Anonymousreply 281February 25, 2018 12:59 PM

Shoma also skipped the ceremony apparently. I find that pretty funny how he doesn't give a fuck about the olympics. Also that position doesn't seem super comfortable to sleep.

by Anonymousreply 282February 25, 2018 1:17 PM

I love the cuntiness of Shoma. Yuzuru looks and sounds like he's trying way too hard.

by Anonymousreply 283February 25, 2018 2:19 PM

"Strange" judging at Senior Bs....

PCS at European Championships FS in January

Montoya 64.36 (with a 56.13 TES)

Virtanen 61.16 (TES at 60.38)

Sondre Boe 60.64 (TES at 49.15)

PCS today at Challenge Cup

Montoya 68.00 (TES 50.31. One fall and 2 jumps gone into Repetion because he couldn't attach the combination)

Virtanen 68.52 (68.27 TES....plus a -5 deducation because he stopped the program to adjust his broken laces. He landed the Quad but he has 4 jumping passes with negative GOE)

Boe 55.38 (TES 59.60. Neutral GOE on all jumps)

So even with a solid TES (for his ability), Boe's PCS are now 13 points behind Montoya and Virtanen while he was close to them last month

by Anonymousreply 284February 25, 2018 2:35 PM

How does one sound like they are trying too hard? I think Yuzu genuinely goes all out on the ice, in his affection with other skaters because the rest of the time he lives a monk life under the watchful eye of his helicopter mom. Let the guy let loose once in a while. We don't want another Joubert.

by Anonymousreply 285February 25, 2018 2:41 PM

The runner up in Pairs at Japanese nationals...with a new excuse to show his butt on IG

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 286February 25, 2018 2:43 PM

[Quote] How does one sound like they are trying too hard? I think Yuzu genuinely goes all out on the ice, in his affection with other skaters because the rest of the time he lives a monk life under the watchful eye of his helicopter mom. Let the guy let loose once in a while. We don't want another Joubert.

He is jut annoying. God forbid the attention is not on him for 10 seconds. He has to insert himself in everyone's pictures, be sure to leave the ice dead last, makes sure to do a lift to stand out in the finish picture etc. What's the point? He already has the most fans (and the most annoying too so it's fitting) and everyone from all other skaters to the commentators suck his dick every occasion. Even that cunt Patrick Chan was not as obnoxious.

by Anonymousreply 287February 25, 2018 3:09 PM

So what were the 5 best performances of this Olympics?

by Anonymousreply 288February 25, 2018 3:14 PM

R288 I don’t know about BEST, but my personal favorite Olympic moments were Adams long P/C long Aliona/Bruno long Medvedeva long Javi short

...and because I’m an ass, Gabby Dalemans long. 😈

by Anonymousreply 289February 25, 2018 3:30 PM

R287, you are ridiculous. The guy doesn't even use social media. He wouldn't even make the top 30 of attention whores in skating.

And no, I'm not an uber or crazy Yuzuru fangurl...not even a little bit.

by Anonymousreply 290February 25, 2018 3:32 PM

Sui/Han short was magnificent

by Anonymousreply 291February 25, 2018 3:32 PM

I mean, you could call out Ondrej for being a major attention whore since he & Valentina are constantly posting pics of their fucking lifts. I doubt Yuzuru begged him to pick him up. So those two would definitely be on my attention whore list along with the Shibs, Ashley, Adam, Misha Ge, & several others. Yuzuru spends 95% of his life sequestered without any contact to the real world, let him have a moment, goddammit!

by Anonymousreply 292February 25, 2018 3:37 PM

You are just jealous Radford and Javi will never look at you like that.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 293February 25, 2018 3:38 PM

To avoid back-loading they should have a rule where if the program is back-loaded, the skater doesn't get the 10% bonus.

by Anonymousreply 294February 25, 2018 3:40 PM

I loved the way Radford reached his hands up for a minute in case Yuzu fell out of Ondrej's hands. They were all having fun with him - and seeking him out for selfies and just to rub elbows with him. Face it, he's the star of this year's Olympics. Next year it'll probably be Nathan Chen or Jin Boyang (is it the other way round?)

Anyway, these Olympians have a minute in the sun, and not that many of them at that, surrounded by agonies before, during and after their sports, so it's nice to see them happy every blue moon.

by Anonymousreply 295February 25, 2018 4:18 PM

Someone brought something up that I'm wondering might explain the splatfest that was the Olympics. Did the competition schedule throw a lot of the skaters off? How many of them were able to adjust to competing at 10 AM instead of in the evening?

by Anonymousreply 296February 25, 2018 4:37 PM

I thought it was less of splatfest than expected. Maybe because I had the worst expectations, especially for men. Men event in some Grand Prix was a total mess.

yes, skating at 10AM doesn't help. However, they knew it well in advance. This fall some Senior Bs in Europe had competitions in the morning to give them a test.

I think it may have been more of a problem for American skaters who had to qualify through Nationals with competitions usually held in the evening. Japan, USA and Canada were the last to have Nationals IIRC.

Many European countries had Nationals in early to mid December. So skaters knew 2 months before Olympics if they were qualfied and could have then changed their working schedule accordingly.

by Anonymousreply 297February 25, 2018 4:49 PM

I'm sure the schedule didn't help for sure. But this olympics wasn't a splatfest! Have you seen Sochi????!!! Hanyu won there with 2 falls! Ten was 9th in the SP and won bronze because everyone splated so hard in front of him (and also because Fernandez zayaked). Chen was the only one that underperformed here in the men but that SP wasn't because of the time schedule imo. For the ladies, Daleman had a meltdown but she also had a meltdown in Sochi and performed well in the team event so again, not the schedule. The Americans were at their level tbh...

by Anonymousreply 298February 25, 2018 4:59 PM

I feel bad for Tennell, perfect all season and then splat right at the Olympics.

by Anonymousreply 299February 25, 2018 5:10 PM

Was the team event held at the same time? For some reason I thought it was a little later.

by Anonymousreply 300February 25, 2018 5:11 PM

The Calgary 88 documentary showed the terrible relationship Debi Thomas had with her coach; by the time she skated it had virtually unraveled. It reminded me of the relationship between Gracie Gold and Frank Carroll. Why on earth did she stay with this ghoul for so long? He would send her out on the ice with a scowl and then scowl through her scoring. It was horrible to witness.

by Anonymousreply 301February 25, 2018 5:33 PM

I don't think Debi's coach can be blamed for that. Debi is and has obviously always been a hot mess. It sounds like she always boyfriends to disrupt her life.

As far as why she kept him on as a coach, it was obviously working up until the Olympics. What was the new factor in Debi's life? The boyfriend.

by Anonymousreply 302February 25, 2018 5:37 PM

Considering what's become of Debi I doubt it was the coach who was the problem.

by Anonymousreply 303February 25, 2018 5:44 PM

It's pretty shocking how little introspection Debi seems to have about the whole thing. She comes across as "oh well, it wasn't meant to happen" when it really should have happened.

by Anonymousreply 304February 25, 2018 5:47 PM

It's probably the only way Debi knows how to cope. It was sad seeing her schill that gold currency shit. Thankfully they didn't let her go full in on all her conspiracy theories.

by Anonymousreply 305February 25, 2018 5:49 PM

Evidently she's estranged from her son as well. She exudes sadness.

by Anonymousreply 306February 25, 2018 5:59 PM

A real exhibition!!!

Do you think Kristi would have let Tonya help her get dressed like she did Nancy?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 307February 25, 2018 6:11 PM

Favorite moments-

Virtue/Moir FD, Savchenko/Massot winning after it looked like they had no chance, Medvedeva, Osmond - who knew she'd almost go clean?, Javier Fernandez and got to give it to Yuzuru Hanyu for being the first man in 66 years to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

by Anonymousreply 308February 25, 2018 6:44 PM

My favorite moments: Adam and Shoma team FS, aliona getting her gold, Javier's everything, Yuzuru doing much better than I expected (I seriously thought his injury set him back much further), Shoma fighting through his FS, the German ice dance team that did pride and prejudice, that Italian lady who used the eyes wide shut orgy music for her short, the osmond short.

by Anonymousreply 309February 25, 2018 7:25 PM

R309 here my apologies, I meant Shoma's short program during the team event

by Anonymousreply 310February 25, 2018 7:29 PM

- Queen Aljona finally winning Gold

- Shibutanis winning that Bronze they were desperately aiming for. I feared in a whole family suicide if they had finished 4th.

- Hurtado/Khaliavin's Don Quixote setting their PB without needing to buy half of the judges (a live cam on Olivia Smart sticking the knife in a Khaliavin's voodoo doll during the whole performance would have been priceless )

- Lukas Csolley making to the Free Dance. Actually, I was just happy he managed to get to PyeongChang after looking like he was set to lose out again by 0.something at Nebelhorn like in 2014

- Shoma's coach beeing super happy and Shoma having the same attitude of when he won the Coupe de Printemps in Luxembourg.

- Giada Russo's final step sequence on Eyes Wide Shut (she will never learn how to do some decent jumps)

by Anonymousreply 311February 25, 2018 7:29 PM

Why do people think that the French don't like me? They totally do!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 312February 25, 2018 7:35 PM

what is Cha doing? Is he going to steal your biscuits?

by Anonymousreply 313February 25, 2018 7:38 PM

Future poet laureate right here

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 314February 25, 2018 8:40 PM

Giada Russo's orgy program was a true moment ahah. It's unfortunate she can't jump because it fell really flat then without the jumps. Her red violin program at Euros 2 (?) years ago was such an artistic and esthetic success because she managed to land some jumps. Still sad she didn't make the free skate because her FS is good too. Would have taken her over Mae, Isadora, Kailani.... a few of them

by Anonymousreply 315February 25, 2018 8:47 PM

So let me get this straight, Russia was banned from the Olympics so that they could win:

Gold - Ladies Individual

Silver - Ladies Individual

Gold - Men's Hockey

by Anonymousreply 316February 25, 2018 10:39 PM

R316, I know no one on DL cares about ice hockey, but it did tear me up a bit to see those fugly Russians beating the Germans in the last 10 minutes. You can bet the whole team was doped up on something.

The Russians are going to keep brazenly doing this since the IOC has shown them there will be no real consequences. I don't trust victories from ANY Russian athletes anymore. This is worse than what the East Germans were doing in the 1980s, because at least that was stopped eventually.

The hockey team even sang the Russian national anthem over the Olympic song during the medal ceremony. No shame.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 317February 25, 2018 10:55 PM

Aliona LP (won over even though I'm a Sui/Han fan), Sui/Han short (stay uninjured guys), Hanyu SP (laying it down and then some), Osmond FS (what a time to finally go clean), Kaori Sakamoto's skates--I just find her charming. Medvedeva's skates were gorgeous, but they make me sad--you knew she knew she'd skated her heart out on the FS, but that it wasn't going to be enough.

by Anonymousreply 318February 25, 2018 11:12 PM

Wonder if male Shib is begging for followers to satisfy sponsors or get cast in something. Actresses with the most IG followers get cast over more talented competition. Maybe the DWTS producers told the USA team they'll invite the members with the most followers. So he's got to try and top Adam by any means necessary.

by Anonymousreply 319February 25, 2018 11:14 PM

Please Maia/R312, we all know you were you responsible for Gaby's costume malfunction...

by Anonymousreply 320February 25, 2018 11:42 PM

R317 I really believe those East Germans had no choice, just hearing some of the stories of the women, many of them had no idea what they were taking. They had no access to information and probably would've been punished just for asking.

Elite Russian athletes today have plenty of access to the internet, they train abroad, consult foreign specialists, etc. The majority of the Russian hockey team (if not all) are multi-millionaires, the KHL has a reputation of paying players with "bags of cash," it's run by the thugs (and Putin BFFs) Timchenko and the Rotenbergs (fun fact: Roman Rotenberg's daughter Arina is a student at Angels of Plushenko). There's no way any of the hockey players are victims of a state-run doping scheme, they're greedy enough to participate with enthusiasm.

Maybe 15-year old figure skaters are clean, maybe they are far away from home and really feel unable to defy their coach, or maybe their own parents encourage them to do whatever their coach thinks is necessary to reach the top. I'm sure Daddy Zagitov, former mediocre hockey player and current coach in the VHL (2nd tier Russian hockey, feeder to KHL teams) knows exactly what a big difference making it to the elite vs. not making it has on the rewards you get to reap.

by Anonymousreply 321February 26, 2018 12:00 AM

Saturday, Nagasu told People Magazine her time in South Korea has been stressful.

“I think I’ve literally cried my way through these Olympic Games," she said. “It’s been an experience that I will never forget.

“I feel really, really awful about the things I said. I feel bad that people think that I was throwing my teammates under the bus because I never wanted to come off that way.”

Nagasu said she was especially disappointed her comments had not represented her country well.

“I don’t know if I can stress enough how mentally exhausting this all is, and to have gone out there and attacked every single element even though it wasn’t enough — I feel especially bad that my comments weren’t a good representation of me and I came off really poorly,” Nagasu said.

“I think above all else our job here is to represent Team USA to the best of our ability, and I didn’t do that yesterday and that’s something I have a lot of regret about.”

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 322February 26, 2018 12:02 AM

Yes r318 Medevdeva looked so happy after her FS until she saw her score. That was sad.

by Anonymousreply 323February 26, 2018 12:18 AM

From the way Mirai has been talking you'd think this was her first/only Olympics. Even from the beginning of the games when she was Instagramming her room she seemed so excited by everything as if she'd never been in an Olympic village before. You're one of the few veterans in the event, act like one. Kostner didn't have her ideal games either, but you don't see her spewing word vomit.

by Anonymousreply 324February 26, 2018 12:27 AM

Wait, what? Debbie Thomas is trying to sell a gold currency system? I know she was a successful doctor for a while before it went to shit, and I knew she was in a tough situation, but I had never heard this.

by Anonymousreply 325February 26, 2018 12:33 AM

He-Shib wants to be the next Spielberg, never mind that his artistic vision is more akin to Reading Rainbow.

by Anonymousreply 326February 26, 2018 12:34 AM

Why do successful figure skaters always seem to think that their next stop is the silver screen? Especially when there are so many failed silver screen aspirants over the years from previous olympics. Is it just too depressing for them to realize that a great percentage of them will remain rink-rats in some form or another i.e. coaching, skating show organizers, etc.

by Anonymousreply 327February 26, 2018 12:50 AM

Tara is evil for posting a pic of Johnny looking like this

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 328February 26, 2018 12:51 AM

Because I went to Hollywood and became a stahhhh!

by Anonymousreply 329February 26, 2018 12:53 AM

The only one I'm surprised didn't go into film was Kurt Browning. He had the personality for it.

by Anonymousreply 330February 26, 2018 1:00 AM

R324 in some ways I get it though. The first time she went she was 16 and under Frank's eye. She most likely didn't experience the actual Olympics or Olympic village. I think because the games were in Vancouver, they didn't even show up until a day or two before her events.

by Anonymousreply 331February 26, 2018 1:10 AM

Didn't Chris Bowman appear in "The Lost Boys" and Tonya Harding in "Breakaway?"

by Anonymousreply 332February 26, 2018 1:10 AM

I was in Jerry Maguire and Ronin!

by Anonymousreply 333February 26, 2018 1:14 AM

I was in Ice Princess, Ice Castle and Mulan 2!!!!!

by Anonymousreply 334February 26, 2018 1:15 AM

R325... Debi's doing a lot of things. And if you cared you could donate to her so she can get a Reality Show so she can share with you all of her conspiracy theories.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 335February 26, 2018 1:18 AM

Ilia Kulik was so hot in Center Stage!

by Anonymousreply 336February 26, 2018 1:19 AM

I was on the Young and the Restless!

by Anonymousreply 337February 26, 2018 1:21 AM

And how sad for Michelle at R334. While she was doing that, I was starring in REAL movies.

by Anonymousreply 338February 26, 2018 1:22 AM

I was also in Seventh Heaven!!!! Don't ask me why I spend so much time around Pedos... first my coach and then Simon's dad.

by Anonymousreply 339February 26, 2018 1:22 AM

"Guys, it's a heart!" Award-winning commentary by Tara Lipinsky from the closing ceremony.

by Anonymousreply 340February 26, 2018 1:23 AM

From 1938 to 2006 (68 years) American women made the podium 61 times. That is a 90% success rate

From 2007 to 2017 (ten years) American women only made the podium once in a ten year period. That is a 10% success rate

To go from a 90% success rate to plummet all the way down to 10%

Why can't the American women get it together?

by Anonymousreply 341February 26, 2018 1:26 AM

Hi Woody Allen! My parole has been over for a while! I heard some actresses are boycotting your movies, is that part you offered to me still available?

by Anonymousreply 342February 26, 2018 1:26 AM

As the above hockey fan said, I am in no way trying to derail the thread, buy I thought you guys who are skaters IRL might have some insight into this question. I watched just a tiny bit of the US women's Gold metal hockey team, and when the took off their helmets and were fixed up for the medal ceremony I was astonished by how girly girl and pretty they were. I mean half of women's soccer and lacrosse is made up of lesbian P.E. majors, and the women in the WNBA...well the less said the better. The women's bobsledder who won was extremely manly in appearance and voice.

So what is it about ice hockey that apparently draws the cheerleader types? My theory is that almost all of them are from Minnesota, and their parents stick them in hockey from a very young age. So there doesn't seem to be a connection between the PE major types and the hockey girls and being butch. I keep thinking about "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and I am picturing those pageant girls as hockey team members.

Do any of you skaters have a clue? Someone here explained so clearly why almost all men's skaters are gay, and why many pair skating men are not gay. Do any failed ladies skaters change to hockey att a young age because they love to skate but they don't have "IT?"

by Anonymousreply 343February 26, 2018 1:40 AM

R343 With all that hockey gear on, no chance of getting a whiff of vag when you bump into another player. Real lezzies go for sports where they wear shorts.

by Anonymousreply 344February 26, 2018 2:02 AM

R330, he also had the looks for it. He was foine.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 345February 26, 2018 2:12 AM

Sadly he's aged into Scott Hamlton's twin.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 346February 26, 2018 2:12 AM

I haven't been watching this year, but I've seen some really pretty female speed skaters in the past, as well R343.

by Anonymousreply 347February 26, 2018 2:16 AM

Do you think that Terry Gannon has made some late night drunken passes at Johnny Weir, late night at the hotel?

Terry's a hot daddy, and he and Johnny seem to have a thing going on with each other.

I love how Terry calls Johnny "John," and Johnny calls Terry "Terrence."

The thought of it turns me on a bit.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 348February 26, 2018 2:32 AM

Terry Gannon's bio says that he used to announce golf, basketball, rugby, football, and cycling.

How in the hell did he end up announcing figure skating?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 349February 26, 2018 2:35 AM

Terry was kinda cute back in the day...

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 350February 26, 2018 2:37 AM

If you're Medvedeva do you ask your coaches why the fuck they didn't backload your programs too?

by Anonymousreply 351February 26, 2018 2:41 AM

[quote]Do you think that Terry Gannon has made some late night drunken passes at Johnny Weir, late night at the hotel?

Thinking Johnny was a woman?

by Anonymousreply 352February 26, 2018 2:41 AM

So from today until February 4, 2022, skating goes back to being watched only by skaters and gay male fans?

by Anonymousreply 353February 26, 2018 3:00 AM

R351 The coaches thought Medvedeva would win based on PCS. They weren't expecting the judges would suddenly award Zagitova high PCS from nowhere.

by Anonymousreply 354February 26, 2018 3:01 AM

R353, No there are some older women fans who remember when the U.S. used to actually win Ladies. There are even a few who *liked* those terrible ice shows.

Re: girly hockey players--wasn't always this way. The first U.S. women's team that won gold was definitely the Doc Martens crowd.

by Anonymousreply 355February 26, 2018 3:15 AM

I liked the ice shows that were "Tours of Champions" or whatever they were called. They weren't overproduced productions like Ice Capades; they were more like the exhibition galas.

by Anonymousreply 356February 26, 2018 3:31 AM

Hold on a minute. Gillis Grafström won 3 Olympic gold medals in a row in men's figure skating: 1920, 1924 and 1928. Also the silver in 1932. (Figure skating was part of the summer Olympics in 1920.) So if Hanyu wins the gold in 2022, he will tie Gillis Grafström's record and then would have to win a 4th in 2026 to break that record.

by Anonymousreply 357February 26, 2018 3:48 AM

R357 No

by Anonymousreply 358February 26, 2018 3:54 AM

Hey! I starred in "Snow White and the Three Stooges!"

by Anonymousreply 359February 26, 2018 3:57 AM

Mirai's "apology" sounds like Trump talk. I'm sorry my comments WERE TAKEN... They don't represent me... Oh God I've just been so stressed it's not my fault that YOU people are taking these things the wrong way.....

I hope the fat faced bitch fades into nowhere.

by Anonymousreply 360February 26, 2018 4:00 AM

I am an older woman, and you are correct, many of us developed a real love for skating starting at a young age with Peggy Fleming. She was a total goddess to me. I wasn't too big on Dorothy Hamill(my age) but usually I was glued to the Olympics and pulling for the US skaters like I would the Steelers.

My parents took me to see the Ice Follies in Philly when I was 6, and I was so thrilled. It was a bigger deal to me than being taken to see My Fair Lady, Camelot and Sound of Music on Broadway. I saved the colorful large program for many years, and I would read it over and over just for the descriptions of the various numbers. The costumes were so beautiful...there was one number called "Beneath the Sargasso Sea" that I can still remember today. The sparkling costumes were very much like Adam's top in the FS last week. I never saw the Ice Capades or Disney.

by Anonymousreply 361February 26, 2018 5:11 AM

R357 - what they keep saying is Hanyu is the first man SINCE Dick Button to win back-to-back Olympic gold in '48 and '52. They don't say that Button was the first man EVER to do that (or even more back to back medals)v- what came before Button isn't relative to the claim about Hanyu.

BTW, just found this quote from Hanyu about 'our' super skater (if Nathan hangs in there and breaks through as the next star):

"At a news conference, Hanyu complimented Chen as “a wonderfully talented person who does great jumps with a balletic expression.” “I need to practice more and more,” Hanyu said.

Why all the Hanyu hate? He really seems like a nice guy to me. Johnny Weir said he would show up at 5 am to rehearse for charity galas in Japan because raising money to give to disaster-stricken Japanese was more important to him that competitions and he felt he owed the people his very best. Hanyu has also said he suffers from "survivor guilt" because so many people died but he was able to run outside his skating rink (in his skates) when the earthquake hit his hometown on Sendai when he was 16 -- so he "owes" the people and the memory of the dead... I mean, sheesh, compare him to our Mirai and Tonya Harding, etc., would ya?

by Anonymousreply 362February 26, 2018 5:44 AM

During the closing ceremony Rippon was busy socializing with a Slovak skier. They exchanged jackets. The Slovak is still wearing the Usa jacket at the airport. Guess Adam is coming back dressed in a Slovak uniform. Or maybe he met some other guy to exchange a new jacket and something else

by Anonymousreply 363February 26, 2018 7:06 AM

[quote]We don't want another Joubert.

What was the problem with Joubert?

by Anonymousreply 364February 26, 2018 7:46 AM

Zagitova on Wagner and backloading comments

AZ: I saw it on Instagram. I can say that it only spurred me on to be stronger and made me want to prove that this is not true. But there's no proving anything to such people. She could try skating such a program at the Olympics and I'll be happy to watch her do it and I won't give the same reaction.

by Anonymousreply 365February 26, 2018 8:16 AM

I love Ashley, but she does herself no favor for her commentating career if she can't filter herself and alienate a huge figure skating fanbase by criticizing Alina's program so explicitly.

by Anonymousreply 366February 26, 2018 8:43 AM

Since this thread is relatively dead until worlds, can someone explain pairs skating to me? 99% of the teams do the same easy 3T and 3S, the same twist and lifts, and especially the same awkward spins. There's very little innovation it seems like, and yet pairs programs are the schlockiest/artistically shallow programs as well. It's so boring to watch for me, except for the top 2/3 teams (S/H, S/M), but that probably explains why there are much fewer pairs competitors compared to the other disciplines.

by Anonymousreply 367February 26, 2018 9:22 AM

I love the pairs because of the interaction and possibilities. They can have the romance and story that the ice dancers have, but are allowed to do more things. Obviously they can do more things than a single skater can. And it's the only sport I know of where men and women ccompete together in a regular event which is not called a "mixed" or "team" event. For so many years Russian skaters dominated in pairs, winning every Olympic gold from 1964 to 2006 in pairs skating. Irina Rodnina won 3 in a row. Gordeeva/Grinkov won twice and Artur Dimitriev won twice. I think skaters from Russia have 22 Olympic medals in pairs compared to 5 for the U.S. (and no golds). The last Olympic medal for the U.S. in pairs was a bronze in 1988 for Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard. Thirty years ago! Pairs skating doesn't seem to be a "thing" in the U.S. Russians won gold and silver in Sochi but didn't win any medal in pairs at this year's Olympics. As far as the innovation and artistry, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot any more and the focus lately seems to be more on acrobatics. I did like the winning program by S/M this year though. I wish figure skating would de-emphasize the jumps and acrobatic moves and get back to artistry and beauty.

by Anonymousreply 368February 26, 2018 11:53 AM

Could you post your favorite pairs skating programs here R368? Watching current pairs skating, I really hate the same damn stupid spin where they spin one way and then come back up and spin the other way. I also fast forward through the death spirals and the lifts because they look the same across all the teams and seem to drag on forever.

by Anonymousreply 369February 26, 2018 12:07 PM

Lol Zagitova proved nothing to Wagner though? Like she skated her program with her 7 jumps in the second half and no interpretation whatsoever and won, just like Wagner said. Good for her. But what Wagner said was still correct, the fact that she could never do it herself since she can't even jump 3-3 at all doesn't negate the fact she was right.

by Anonymousreply 370February 26, 2018 12:14 PM

Well, it's untrue that Zagitova does nothing in the first half of the program. She does a bunch of transitions which Ashley would never be able to do. Ashley's programs are all the same, a bunch of crossovers with her making O-faces and shaking her ass, with some mediocre UR jumps in between. Whose program is more empty, at the end of the day?

by Anonymousreply 371February 26, 2018 12:23 PM

I wonder what's Ashley gonna do after the Olympics. Girl might as well pull a Kostner given the abysmal US ladies field. She's easily the most compelling US ladies out there even though gurl can't ever rotate a 3-3 to save her life. At least she won't implode like the girls did this Olympics.

by Anonymousreply 372February 26, 2018 12:27 PM

I will be on Ellen on March 1

And on Today Show on March 7

by Anonymousreply 373February 26, 2018 12:33 PM

R369, this one to Liebestraum was one.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 374February 26, 2018 12:38 PM

[Quote] Well, it's untrue that Zagitova does nothing in the first half of the program. She does a bunch of transitions which Ashley would never be able to do. Ashley's programs are all the same, a bunch of crossovers with her making O-faces and shaking her ass, with some mediocre UR jumps in between. Whose program is more empty, at the end of the day?

I don't really get that way of thinking. YEAH Ashley was a mediocre skater in everything : jumps, skatings skills, transitions. Her interpretation was superior to Zagitova and the small choreography she had was too. Even though those things were never that great either for her. Still Zagitova's skating is mediocre too. So Ashley is right.

by Anonymousreply 375February 26, 2018 1:02 PM

R369 I feel the same way about the singles skaters. Outside of the jumps, everyone is maximizing points by doing the same spins and moves. I can't remember the last time I saw a skater do a fast scratch spin; every spin is now slow as molasses with the same ugly positions.

by Anonymousreply 376February 26, 2018 1:35 PM

R376 Uno does fast scratch spins

by Anonymousreply 377February 26, 2018 2:26 PM

Speaking of asses... Artur Dmietriev's is legendary.

by Anonymousreply 378February 26, 2018 3:44 PM

Worlds is next? In Milan? I can't remember if Javi is planning to perform there as his last event, being close to home and all (and if Yuzuru doesn't do it, and it sounds like he won't because his ankle needs attention, then he's got a good chance of winning.) I'd hate it if Nathan Chen edges out Javi after all the times Hanyu has done it. Or Oma, for that matter, who took the silver away from him at the Olympics. One last Worlds Championship would be so nice for Javi, saying goodbye. (and probably good riddance to those damned quads)

by Anonymousreply 379February 26, 2018 3:50 PM

This is Artur Dmitriev today (shudder)

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 380February 26, 2018 3:51 PM

* I keep calling Shoma "Oma" and I don't know why. Asian names get all mixed up in my mind. Guess I better get used to it, as a skating fan.

by Anonymousreply 381February 26, 2018 3:51 PM

By far, the most boring skaters at any Olympic Winter Games in my recent memory. Adam Rippon didn't do Jack squat - WTF is a team Bronze medal? And they are touting him as some great skating god. The entire US team was wretched, the worst ever. US skating has been on a downward spiral since Salt Lake in 2002. In both ability and attitude skaters from America are lacking.

by Anonymousreply 382February 26, 2018 3:55 PM

Javier isn't going to Worlds and will be moving back to Spain, essentially putting an end to his career (apart from maybe Europeans). That's the reason why Yuzuru was crying a river on his shoulder before the victory ceremony last week. And Yuzuru himself is also likely not going as his ankle is still fucked up and he hasn't been off painkillers until now. It leaves Worlds open for Shoma, Nathan and Boyang.

by Anonymousreply 383February 26, 2018 4:00 PM

R379 Fernandez said he won't go to Milan.

Spanish team for Worlds is

Pairs: Laura Barquero & Aritz Maestu

Dance: Olivia Smart & Adriá Diaz

Men: Javier Raya

by Anonymousreply 384February 26, 2018 4:01 PM

Junhwan Cha withdraws from both Junior and Senior Worlds. He is ending his season. He needs rest after all the injuries he had this season.

Matteo Rizzo is doing everything: Europeans, Olympics, Junior Worlds, Senior Worlds.

by Anonymousreply 385February 26, 2018 4:04 PM

Damn, I wanted to see Cha at Worlds

by Anonymousreply 386February 26, 2018 4:31 PM

That's so true R367

I find Pairs to be the least interesting discipline. IT's not as artistic as dance. Some of my fave programs below

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 387February 26, 2018 4:35 PM

Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 388February 26, 2018 4:37 PM

I quite enjoy Rizzo, there is something elegant about him.

On another note, Yuzu and Javi's dynamic is interesting for sure, especially in the context of Javi basically telling Spanish media that they are not that close.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 389February 26, 2018 4:48 PM

[quote]I will be on Ellen on March 1 And on Today Show on March 7 —Adam

Already over you.

by Anonymousreply 390February 26, 2018 4:57 PM

Maybe if Yuzuru's fangirls weren't being dumbfucks spamming Javier's insta/Twitter with comments about Yuzu 24/7 even on posts with his girlfriend, he wouldn't have to pretend to almost dislike the guy just to be left alone.

by Anonymousreply 391February 26, 2018 5:07 PM

R389 I really like Rizzo's LP to Beatles medley. His short less so

by Anonymousreply 392February 26, 2018 5:08 PM

Dimitriev still has the same hairstyle.

by Anonymousreply 393February 26, 2018 5:30 PM

Dmitriev was spectacular in white tights. Their program begins around the 2:30 mark.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 394February 26, 2018 6:13 PM

Yuzuru and Javier have had messy chemistry for years, no one is going to believe that they don’t actually like each other, which makes Javi’s “not friends” claims both hilarious but mostly sad.

by Anonymousreply 395February 26, 2018 6:18 PM

Yes, I agree, R395.

by Anonymousreply 396February 26, 2018 6:29 PM

[quote]Fernandez said he won't go to Milan.

I think that will surprise some people.

Worlds is in Europe, close to Spain, and people thought Fernandez might want to skate there.

by Anonymousreply 397February 26, 2018 6:34 PM

From 1938 to 2006 (68 years) American women made the podium 61 times. That is a 90% success rate

From 2007 to 2017 (ten years) American women only made the podium once in a ten year period. That is a 10% success rate

To go from a 90% success rate to plummet all the way down to 10%

Why can't the American women get it together?

by Anonymousreply 398February 26, 2018 6:34 PM

R398 referring to the podium at WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

by Anonymousreply 399February 26, 2018 6:34 PM

Because Americans had very little competition then.

by Anonymousreply 400February 26, 2018 6:37 PM

Whether or not they have chemistry or you believe they are fucking behind closed doors, the fact that dumb fangirls feel the need to push their convictions into their faces (in this case only Javier since thanks sweet Mary Yuzuru doesn't have social media) is what contributed to them being awkward for years and to Javier having to pretend they aren't close. Honestly that's sad.

by Anonymousreply 401February 26, 2018 6:38 PM

[quote] Because Americans had very little competition then.

They had no competition for 68 years?

by Anonymousreply 402February 26, 2018 6:40 PM

As much as I dislike Tara/Johnny's commentaries, the thought of having a Adam/Ashley team replacing them at some point in the future is even scarier. Are there no non attention-whoring, decent people left in the US skating community to do the job?

by Anonymousreply 403February 26, 2018 6:44 PM

[quote]Are there no non attention-whoring, decent people left in the US skating community to do the job?

We're ready and waiting!!!!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 404February 26, 2018 6:48 PM

[Quote] They had no competition for 68 years?

Well not much? Russians were focused on pairs skating. The 1st Russian ladie's world champ was in 99. I guess you can put Baiul 93 in there too. Asians were not skating. You have to wait the 90s to see Asian world champs and only 4 of them before 2006 (Ito, Chen, Sato, Arakawa) when they dominated for 8 years after 2006. East Germans had a good run at one point with Seyfert, Potzsch and Witt which actually reminds a bit of the Russian dominance so far after 2014.

by Anonymousreply 405February 26, 2018 7:27 PM

I just realized that Michal Brezina set his PB in total score at Olympics. Really! That sums up how figure skating changed. His score was better than when he was finishing in top 5 a decade ago.

by Anonymousreply 406February 26, 2018 8:09 PM

R405 that is one country, there are three spots on a podium.

by Anonymousreply 407February 26, 2018 8:12 PM

I think the scoring system change was the biggest factor. Russia used to dominate in pairs and ice dance. I'm trying to find an old article where one of the Russian coaches complained about the rise of V/M and D/W. The coach was saying that Russia was losing control of the direction of ice dance. It wasn't one specific Russian team losing; it was the Russian-style of ice dance that was falling out of favor.

by Anonymousreply 408February 26, 2018 8:29 PM

Ice Dance has definitely moved to North America. USA based main Ice Dance coaches are from Soviet Union while recent fast raising Montreal isn't.

Out of 24 teams at current Olympics, the only not based in USA/Canada are Bobrova/Soloviev (5th, Russia), Cappellini/Lanotte (6th, Italy), Guignard/Fabbri (10th; Italy), Hurtado/Khaliavin (12th, based in Russia), Zagorski/Guerreiero (13th, Russia), Polish team (14th, Poland) and Msylievckova/Csolley (20th, based in Italy)

by Anonymousreply 409February 26, 2018 8:41 PM

Obviously NBC is pleased with the Terence/Johnny/Tara team, or they wouldn't have had the three of them call the Closing Ceremonies.

Adam Rippon deserves a good media job, maybe for NBC and whatever entertainment show they own (the one Natalie Morales works for- Is it Entertainment Tonight or some other one?) and then he can go to other events and be a correspondent for Today or NBC Sports or whatever.

The person who might want to rethink his future on the network coverage of the Olympics, as I see it, might be Mike Tirico. He's been great as a sportscaster at ESPN, but to put it mildly he's no Bryant Gumbel, let alone Jim McKay.

by Anonymousreply 410February 26, 2018 9:01 PM

R410 Yeah, I can't remember anything that Tirico did at all during the Olympics. I'm not sure if that is his fault or the producers for giving him nothing to do.

Honestly, I'm not sure that Adam would work as a regular correspondent on a show. Maybe he can carve out a TV career like Ross Mathews.

by Anonymousreply 411February 26, 2018 9:50 PM

Brasseur and Eisler had a nice, fun, flirty short program in 1992 - too bad this was the only time Isabelle landed the jump.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 412February 26, 2018 10:57 PM

Willie Geist should have been the main host. Love him.

by Anonymousreply 413February 26, 2018 11:59 PM

[quote]Stay mad abt Yuzu and his ferret face.

We ain't mad about ferret boy, in the end he's the one who has to look in the mirror with that face.

by Anonymousreply 414February 27, 2018 12:06 AM

I can see Adam as a guest judge on Project Runway or Drag Race. His voice is too annoying for a regular commentating gig, and I don't know if anyone cares about reality tv enough to give him a show now. I actually quite enjoyed Johnny Weir's show, but he was a lot more down to earth back then. I can't stand whatever he's morphed into with Tara.

Ashley's in trouble when her 15 minutes are up...what kind of jobs are out there for such a self-absorbed, unintelligent basic bitch?

by Anonymousreply 415February 27, 2018 12:13 AM

The story of Javi more or less playing down his relationship with Yuzu has made me so sad.

God I hope Yuzu doesn't hear of it. I believe he is extremely sensitive, and it would be hard for him to take...even if it is only a PR deflection.

by Anonymousreply 416February 27, 2018 5:39 AM

So what did Javi say and why would need to downplay his friendship with yazu?

by Anonymousreply 417February 27, 2018 5:49 AM

Yuzuru Hanyu had a press conference with foreign correspondents in Tokyo and said quite a few interesting bits.

Hanyu: "I'm gonna say something very real now" & then he talks about how going to watch figure skating events is VERY expensive, so the fans that are there are only representing a small privileged group, and he knows there are many fans like students who cannot afford to go.

Also said that he knows Asians are considered to be less expressive and that's specifically why he went for such a Japanese free program.

Finally he said that he is sure that he wouldn't have won without Javier by his side.

by Anonymousreply 418February 27, 2018 6:26 AM

Also from Yuzuru's interviews - in the past, he's been asked and said he'd like to have a wife and children by age 25 or 26. His tone has changed:

"...the question was "You've talked about facing with the loneliness, but to us you've gained all what you want already (Yuzuru laughed). Is there any wish in private life like having family or being a father?" And Yuzuru ended up with saying he wanted to cherish the happiness that he could share with everyone now. (in a word.)"

by Anonymousreply 419February 27, 2018 7:43 AM

Why isn't anyone talking about ME???!

by Anonymousreply 420February 27, 2018 8:20 AM

[Quote] Why isn't anyone talking about ME???!

Who are you?

by Anonymousreply 421February 27, 2018 9:27 AM

I'm the one who could skate, while you merely flirted with judges.

by Anonymousreply 422February 27, 2018 10:31 AM

I think Adam would be a hoot. Maybe as one who interviews skaters like Andrea Joyce does.

I like Tara fine now as a commentator. She's grown into the job. I think Johnny's putting too much effort into his appearance and not enough into making remarks that are informative or insightful.

by Anonymousreply 423February 27, 2018 10:37 AM

Mmm sorry still can't quite recall.

by Anonymousreply 424February 27, 2018 10:58 AM

R380's photo makes me almost glad Grinkov died before he also aged into a walrus

by Anonymousreply 425February 27, 2018 11:44 AM

I doubt Grinkov would've let himself go to that extent. He was also 20x hotter than Dmitriev ever was, even in his prime.

by Anonymousreply 426February 27, 2018 11:49 AM

Are there any Russian men that don't age badly?

by Anonymousreply 427February 27, 2018 12:15 PM

Those of us who like Adam hope that he will be getting good advice now that he's back in the States. He could def leverage this into something if he doesn't go for quick money, overexposure, and demeaning shit like that Lochte show. The fact that he turned down the NBC Olympics gig and is going back on the Today show are good signs that he may be understanding this.

by Anonymousreply 428February 27, 2018 12:25 PM

Is Adam with Yuki or David Baden? If it's Baden, that guy doesn't do much for his clients imho

by Anonymousreply 429February 27, 2018 12:32 PM

Rippon now lists Scott Henderson at WME Entertainment for professional contacts

He used to have Baden.

by Anonymousreply 430February 27, 2018 12:49 PM

Who's that twink...oh, never mind, it's Meagan Duhamel.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 431February 27, 2018 12:50 PM

r431 I literally thought "who's that dude" before figuring out it was Meagan and her dwarf dykeness

by Anonymousreply 432February 27, 2018 12:52 PM

Can Adam do DWTS and also be signed to NBC (genuine question - I know nothing about DWTS)

by Anonymousreply 433February 27, 2018 1:01 PM

[quote]I'm the one who could skate, while you merely flirted with judges.

You could skate, Caryn? I thought all you did was lay up in a hospital bed pretending like you were sick.

by Anonymousreply 434February 27, 2018 1:25 PM

R427 I think Raf Arutunian is pretty hot in the style mafioso with a dad bod. I know he is Armenian but it's the same.

by Anonymousreply 435February 27, 2018 2:05 PM

R415, it's really too bad that Celebrity Big Brother just finished its season. Ashley would have been perfect for it. I would have loved seeing her mix it up with Omarosa.

by Anonymousreply 436February 27, 2018 2:39 PM

Ashley peaked years ago. At least she has a world medal, which is more than any other current American skater outside of ice dance. I didn't watch figure skating that year, so I honestly have no idea how Ashley got that silver medal.

by Anonymousreply 437February 27, 2018 3:11 PM

[quote]I honestly have no idea how Ashley got that silver medal.

It was held in Boston. Mystery solved.

by Anonymousreply 438February 27, 2018 3:27 PM

The athletes the most tweeted about in Pyeonchang : 1) Hanyu 2) Uno No other figure skater in the top 10, Shawn White only in 8th place.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 439February 27, 2018 8:04 PM

Rippon is the second most-mentioned Team USA athletes on Twitter behind White and ahead of someone called Chloe Kim

by Anonymousreply 440February 27, 2018 8:16 PM

R437, Yep, Worlds in Boston and record-long medal drought for American Ladies. And the U.S. had a great contender--Gracie Gold, who'd just won Nationals by having the skate of her life in the FS--both she and Ashley screwed up their short skates and Polina Edmunds was in first place with a terrific "Moonlight Sonata".

Three months later, Polina Edmunds has had her weird foot injury (from wearing a boot not properly broken in) and withdraws. Mirai Nagasu fans get Mirai in her place. Gracie and Ashley, too. Gracie does a terrific short and is in her first place after the short. Looks like she may finally live up to her name. Ashley has performed well--in fourth--though she's not as good a skater as the top three--Medvedeva and Pogosplat. Mirai is Mirai--good jumps, waning artistry.

And Gracie bombs the long--not quite Nathan Chen SP level of bomb, but badly--particularly since skate fans had seen her skate it brilliantly at Nationals. Ashley has the skate of her life--still clomp, clomp, but she's on fire as far as charisma/crowd-pleasing go. Pogosplat also does brilliantly and Medved is her usual rock-solid self.

Now, figure-skating's popularity's been on the decline in the U.S. and figure skating needs that big U.S. audience and the U.S. audience cares about Ladies more than any other discipline. So, judges are generous with Ashley's PCS and she gets silver. Medved's much better, so she has gold. Pogo probably should have silver, but gets bronze. Poor Gracie gets fourth. Mirai's is tenth, I believe.

So Ashley was damned lucky--if Gracie hadn't imploded she wouldn't have medalled and if Polina hadn't injured herself, she might not have medalled. Ashley gets credit, though, for rising to the occasion. It's not at all surprising, if you know skating, that she hasn't done so since.

When people bitch about the American Ladies this Olympics, they don't take into consideration that the U.S. lost not one, but two of its top skaters. A healthy Gracie had the ability to outskate the top (though Zagitova's backloading might have made her unbeatable). Polina would have been solidly in the top 10 (URs are an issue for her, but she can handle competition.), possibly more. We'd be going into Worlds with little concern about losing three spots.

Instead, the B team went--Mirai and Karen Chen are both talented, but known for their competitive flake factor. Bradie is very green--though she might have been the bronze medalist at Nationals tagging along as the up-and-comer like Vincent Zhou.

by Anonymousreply 441February 27, 2018 8:49 PM

Polina had severe UR and change of edge problems though. She wasn't called in the US but she certainly was internationally. I'm not as convinced as you she would be a sure top ten.

by Anonymousreply 442February 27, 2018 9:16 PM

R441 It's true that the US lost some top skaters, but so did Russia. There isn't a pipeline of new skaters in the US like Russia has. This has been a problem since at least 2006.

Hmm, I'm looking through the list of past World Champions, and I completely forgot about Kimmie Meissner until now. I can't remember anything about her except she landed an underrotated triple axel and she appeared in a Subway commercial with Jared.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 443February 27, 2018 9:50 PM

"Are there any Russian men that don't age badly?"

Baryshnikov has held together fairly well.

by Anonymousreply 444February 27, 2018 9:52 PM

Sorry - who is Pogosplat?

by Anonymousreply 445February 27, 2018 9:57 PM

Is Polina Edmunds going to try to come back to competing?

by Anonymousreply 446February 27, 2018 9:58 PM

[quote]Is Polina Edmunds going to try to come back to competing?

She did try...she was on the GP this season and she skated her SP at US Nats in her hometown, but dropped out of the FS due to injury again (or was it to save face?)

by Anonymousreply 447February 27, 2018 11:52 PM

She probably dropped out to join some frat party from the looks of her Instagram

by Anonymousreply 448February 27, 2018 11:58 PM

R445- I think that refers to Anna Pogorilaya who had a lot of weird looking falls in her programs.

by Anonymousreply 449February 28, 2018 1:06 AM

I hope Bradie gets asked about sitting next to Ivanka forever like I keep getting asked about having George W. Bush phone my mom in Salt Lake City.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 450February 28, 2018 1:15 AM

Scott Moir really is an ass. He's now all pissed off because the media are questioning him about his personal relationship with Tessa Virtue. Well Scotty, don't run around looking for a bucket of water when you're the one who poured the gasoline and lit the match. Maybe you wouldn't have the media on your ass if you hadn't done a Bridal photo shoot with her or maybe instead of saying to reporters 'none of your business' , you should have said 'we're only friends/more like brother and sister'.

Using cheap emotional manipulation must have been his idea of how to win - because other couples didn't have to skate to some overblown sexcapade in order to get the audience invested.

He'll be begging for media attention once people get fed up with his act and focus on some real talent like P/C.

by Anonymousreply 451February 28, 2018 2:42 AM

R450. Ugh, Bradie. What a republicunt.

by Anonymousreply 452February 28, 2018 3:05 AM

I had no idea Christopher Bowman died

by Anonymousreply 453February 28, 2018 3:29 AM

[quote]I had no idea Christopher Bowman died

The Carroll curse.

by Anonymousreply 454February 28, 2018 3:39 AM

R442, URs were an issue, but Edmonds did pull off a 4CC win, so she was getting some judge love internationally.

R447, The SL guys say that Edmonds hadn't practiced her FS for a month before Nationals. She and her coach said that she couldn't do her toe jumps without shooting pains. I think there's some truth to that. She was doing her free program at competitions and she got better through the season, but she couldn't do a flip or lutz. Polina said, and it's true, that without those jumps she's not competitive.

So, I think she worked on polishing her short so she had something for her hometown fans and then withdrew since she wasn't going to have a viable free skate. She says she plans to continue, but let's see what's up in the Fall.

by Anonymousreply 455February 28, 2018 4:17 AM

[quote]I had no idea Christopher Bowman died

LOOOOOL! I knew that! Even as a junior he was so much hotter and more talented than I ever was, the ladies and men loved him, so I was terrified that he would one day beat me. I prayed every night to God to help me, and He did! The greatest morning of my life was when I woke up and found out that Christopher Bowman had started using marijuana, the gateway drug! I just knew he'd never beat me! Isn't that hilarious? (Glenn Beck didn't think so, what a spoilsport!) Please don't judge me, I'm a Christian! JUST SAY NO!

by Anonymousreply 456February 28, 2018 4:27 AM

Tell me that the photo @R450 doesn't look like Ivanka sitting next to a somewhat younger version of Chelsea Clinton. It's staggering to me how similar they look.

I remember Bowman the Showman, but I didn't think he was from the Scott Hamilton era. Honestly I thought he was from the 90s.

by Anonymousreply 457February 28, 2018 4:46 AM

The photo @R450 looks like Bradie is thinking, "Bitch, your pussy stinks. Please go sit next to Tessa or Ashley."

by Anonymousreply 458February 28, 2018 4:58 AM

Yeah, she doesn't look thrilled.

She's just looking at her like "bitch, what're you doing here?" Or she's really looking at her up close to see how much plastic surgery she can detect.

by Anonymousreply 459February 28, 2018 5:11 AM

Bardie looks like Chelsea dipped in a vat of bleach.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 460February 28, 2018 6:50 AM

Short Dance next season in Tango Romantica.

The Tango can be paired with other rhythms as long as the pattern in on the tango.

We will rock it

by Anonymousreply 461February 28, 2018 7:15 AM

The Shibs doing a tango? That should be good for a laugh.

Bowman was supposed to be the next champion after Boitano retired in 88. CBS did a big profile on him and his main rival, Victor Petrenko. Browning spoiled the fun by doing two great programs and coming from nowhere to win.

by Anonymousreply 462February 28, 2018 7:25 AM

World Entries are up on ISU website.

Rippon has withdrawn. Jason Brown takes his place

Patrick Chan is replaced by Nam Nguyen

Virtue/Moir are replaced by Soucisse/Firus

Duhamel/Redford are replaced by Ruest / Wolfe

France have Lecavelier instead of Meite and Ponsart instead of Besseghier.

No Giada Russo for Italy. Elisabetta Leccardi will take second spot.

by Anonymousreply 463February 28, 2018 7:47 AM

Neither Rippon and Besseghier are even listed as reserves. I guess they are both considered as retired.

by Anonymousreply 464February 28, 2018 7:50 AM

Misha Ge is still doing worlds? I thought Olympics was it for him.

Honestly he should make a comeback in 2022, it's not like there will be any other Uzbek man. Then he will have competed in the Olympics in all 3 of his ancestral countries.

by Anonymousreply 465February 28, 2018 7:53 AM

37 men entered

Slavik HAYRAPETYAN

Kerry

Larry LOUPOLOVER

Messing -Nguyen

Boyang

Tsao

Nicholas VRDOLJAK

Brezina

the Doctor part-time skater from Finland

Ponsart

Moris

Fentz

Harris

Bychenko - Samohin

Rizzo (Righini is not even the alternate. They have Zandron as replacement)

Hanyu-Uno-Tanaka (Mura and Tanomo are the alternate)

Ten

Deniss

Yee

Carillo

Igor REZNICHENKO

Kim

Aliev-Kolyada

Walker

Majorov

Burak DEMIRBOGA

Pavlon (after SPs both at Euros and Olympics with a jumping pass clean, Paniot has been dropped)

Brown-Chen-Zhou

Ge

by Anonymousreply 466February 28, 2018 8:00 AM

Bobrova/Soloviev are listed but Zhulin just announced their withdrawal

by Anonymousreply 467February 28, 2018 8:03 AM

No Jorik

No Yan Han

No Danish Ice Dance team

by Anonymousreply 468February 28, 2018 8:19 AM

R455 Kanako Murakami also won 4CC once! Sometimes the planets align.

by Anonymousreply 469February 28, 2018 9:26 AM

Oh man, Bowman was skating in 1988? That might be the most horrifying bit of info (to make me feel my age) I've heard in a long time.

by Anonymousreply 470February 28, 2018 9:41 AM

So V/M out, this should make the battle for silver more interesting. You just know that the ShibSibs are gunning for it--hope it goes to H/D and that C/B have a clean skate.

by Anonymousreply 471February 28, 2018 9:59 AM

We had to endure them until and at the olympics and we are not even rid of Medove, Zag and the Shibcests. They all want to keep going! Tragic. At least we are rid of V/M and Ashley! Small consolation.

by Anonymousreply 472February 28, 2018 10:11 AM

I sent Bowman to rehab weeks before the 88 Olympics and he still placed 7th there, better than some lazy Americans in Pyeongchang who were still placing 10th despite having all the preparation in the world.

by Anonymousreply 473February 28, 2018 10:16 AM

Med and Zag will be gone soon enough, some Russian 12-year-old girl is doing quads.

by Anonymousreply 474February 28, 2018 10:16 AM

I don't mind Medvedeva and Zagitova. I'd rather watch them than the sad American ladies, creepy little Satoko or the old gray mare Carolina.

by Anonymousreply 475February 28, 2018 10:26 AM

[quote]some Russian 12-year-old girl is doing quads.

good luck making to your 15th birthday, hun!

by Anonymousreply 476February 28, 2018 10:27 AM

[Quote] I don't mind Medvedeva and Zagitova.

Cursed post. But agreed the ladies field is in a extremely sad state.

by Anonymousreply 477February 28, 2018 11:11 AM

[quote] So V/M out, this should make the battle for silver more interesting. You just know that the ShibSibs are gunning for it--hope it goes to H/D and that C/B have a clean skate.

Cappellini/Lanotte at home World in their last skating of the career....how much bonus by judges will they get?

by Anonymousreply 478February 28, 2018 11:37 AM

R478 I wouldn't mind if they took the bronze. I don't love their skating but they are like old relatives i'm fond of as they have been competing since the Protopopovs times

by Anonymousreply 479February 28, 2018 12:14 PM

I feel old when I realize I remember when C/L were the young third Italian couple.

by Anonymousreply 480February 28, 2018 12:18 PM

I guess Canada will lose the third spots in Pairs. Not that they need it for next season. 2 spots are enough for Seguin/Bilodeau and Moore Towers/Marinaro and the gap between them and the other Canadian pairs is still significant.

Can they hold the third Dance spot? With the raise of Soucisse/Firus, Canada probably need them. Sum of placements of W/P and G/P should be no more than 13 to keep 3 spots. It will be close. At Olympics they were 7th and 8th. So 15.

No V/M and they would both gain one position. So 13 as total. No Bobrova/Soloviev. So another position gained. 11 in total.

However, Chock/Bates were behind them at Olympics, if skate cleanish, they should beat at G/P but possibly both of them. Stepanova/Bukin will also be present and they would likely beat G/P (to Carole Lain's despair). So back to 13. If Chock/Bates beat Weaver/Poje and W/P don't beat the Italians (they can beat them but Worlds are in Italy) meaning 6th place for W/P and G/P are 8th (Stepanova/Bukin in between the 2 Canadians couple), the sum is 14 and therefore 2 spots

by Anonymousreply 481February 28, 2018 3:48 PM

ta-da!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 482February 28, 2018 5:26 PM

^so they've got 12 year olds on the juice already!

by Anonymousreply 483February 28, 2018 5:41 PM

Yes, R470. The story goes that he was in the bathroom with Boitano when Boitano found out he won...

by Anonymousreply 484February 28, 2018 5:47 PM

Number of entries at World Championships

37 Men

39 Ladies

30 Pairs

31 Ice Dance

Ashley is still listed as Alternate. LOL. I guess she takes the title of First Alternate seriously.

by Anonymousreply 485February 28, 2018 5:57 PM

[quote]Ashley is still listed as Alternate. LOL. I guess she takes the title of First Alternate seriously.

She should! Now if only someone would let her move the beat board, well, I guess in her case, she needs to help set their blades.

by Anonymousreply 486February 28, 2018 6:06 PM

The Russian medallists, including Zagitova, Medvedeva and all those from team event, were received by Putin today. Looks like they all received a car as gift

by Anonymousreply 487February 28, 2018 6:35 PM

In Spain the Prime Minister received directly the whole Olympic delegation as they were fewer than Russian medallists anyway

Fernandez must have found that pair of jeans he left at his parents' house in 1999.

Someone must have written the Insta post by Khaliavin in Spanish and he just cut and pasted it. Clue: it is not written with all capital letters unlike all his other posts.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 488February 28, 2018 6:43 PM

Kudos to the Spanish team for bringing back two medals while they were a delegation of 7 it seems. That's efficiency.

by Anonymousreply 489February 28, 2018 7:18 PM

Who's the bear next to Javi? Would love to see them flipfuck.

by Anonymousreply 490February 28, 2018 7:26 PM

He won bronze in snowboard cross

by Anonymousreply 491February 28, 2018 7:36 PM

R488 Spain sent 13 overall to Olympics: 4 figure skaters, 2 alpine skiers, 2 cross country skiers, 1 skeleton, 4 snowboarders. Still efficiency! Some must have missed the PM audition.

by Anonymousreply 492February 28, 2018 7:37 PM

I'm guessing the others might be Catalan. They would never go to a Rajoy event.

by Anonymousreply 493February 28, 2018 7:48 PM

[quote]Stepanova/Bukin will also be present and they would likely beat G/P (to Carole Lain's despair).

Gilles & Poirier skated very well at the Olympics.

I hope they beat Stepanova/Bukin at Worlds.

by Anonymousreply 494February 28, 2018 8:13 PM

Me too. Stepanova/Bukin FS music is a thing of nightmares. Besides I know ISU doesn't give a fuck since they are Russians, but they were barred from the olympics for doping.

by Anonymousreply 495February 28, 2018 8:20 PM

If Stepanova/Bukin have been doping, shouldn't they be banned from Worlds, too?

by Anonymousreply 496February 28, 2018 8:22 PM

Well yeah. But I guess it depends of the proofs they have against them. If their names are only in the database of the people that were part of the doping program but that WADA doesn't have the actual urine samples, maybe it is not enough to disqualify them legally.

by Anonymousreply 497February 28, 2018 8:29 PM

I remember at the 2000 Worlds the Russian team of Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze were suspended for testing positive for a banned substance.

by Anonymousreply 498February 28, 2018 8:50 PM

C/B's fall in the FS was kind of a freak event. My guess is that they'll skate clean-ish at Worlds, which means they'll beat G/P and W/P. At the Grand Prix, the Americans were 3,4,5. So maybe 2,3, 5 or some variation--with the Italians or Russians sliding in--maybe C/L for a bronze with the Americans going 2,4,5. I don't think C/L have the technical content to pull off good-feeling silver.

This is the problem with how the Canadians treated Weaver/Poje after Virtue/Moir came back. They basically ignored them and let them slide internationally. The Americans have, meanwhile, pushed all three of their teams, so W/P slid behind the pack and even, at times, behind G/P.

The U.S. men should be able to hold two spots since we've now established that even a disastrous Nathan and a floppy Vincent can quad up their scores. American Ladies are going down to two. It was a fluke that they had three this year.

by Anonymousreply 499February 28, 2018 9:06 PM

[Quote] I remember at the 2000 Worlds the Russian team of Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze were suspended for testing positive for a banned substance.

from wikipedia : In February 2000, the pair won gold at the 2000 Europeans but were stripped of their medals after Berezhnaya tested positive for pseudoephedrine, a substance whose ban was lifted temporarily between 2004 and 2010 before being banned again. This resulted in a three-month disqualification from the date of the test, and the medal being stripped.She stated that she had taken cold medication approved by a doctor but had failed to inform the ISU as required. The pair missed the World Championships that year as a result of the disqualification.

That substance is indeed in some cold/allergies medicines but it's also considered a stimulant that's why it's banned for sports.

by Anonymousreply 500February 28, 2018 9:15 PM

[quote]The U.S. men should be able to hold two spots since we've now established that even a disastrous Nathan and a floppy Vincent can quad up their scores

R499 Hopefully that stops next year with the scoring system tweaks. It looks like a fall on a quad will be worth less than a clean triple next year.

by Anonymousreply 501February 28, 2018 9:45 PM

How?

by Anonymousreply 502February 28, 2018 9:52 PM

I think a clean triple axel should be worth more than a fallen quad.

by Anonymousreply 503March 1, 2018 12:59 AM

Why did C/L choose the awful red dress instead of the white dress for the FD? It just looks so cheap.

by Anonymousreply 504March 1, 2018 3:31 AM

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen have switched from Denmark to Canada. Denmark have released them.

by Anonymousreply 505March 1, 2018 12:17 PM

Apparently Adam and Mirai are going to the Oscars... and they're extra kissy kissy huggy huggy BFFy in Mirai's latest IG story. Ashley must be pissed.

by Anonymousreply 506March 2, 2018 12:27 AM

Will they run into Tonya there? She was at the Golden Globes.

by Anonymousreply 507March 2, 2018 12:34 AM

Why would they switch countries?

by Anonymousreply 508March 2, 2018 12:38 AM

Funny R507 in one of Mirai's other IG stories she talks about how they got a new pet because it randomly showed up at their house... she pans back to reveal it's a bird that's sitting on her shoulder and I think she referenced herself as Lavona.

by Anonymousreply 509March 2, 2018 12:39 AM

It's prestigious to skate for Canada, Denmark not so much.

by Anonymousreply 510March 2, 2018 12:39 AM

She can't get Danish nationality since she doesn't live there. That's why they couldn't go to the olympics. Him getting Canadian citizenship will be easier. They took a leap of faith they will be able to go to the next olympics as Canadian number 2 or 3 team

by Anonymousreply 511March 2, 2018 7:24 AM

The Danish team is pretty good, the no. 3 Canadian team now that V/M are retired (again) or not. Also, don't know whether Weaver/Poje will hang around an entire quad.

by Anonymousreply 512March 2, 2018 7:56 AM

[quote]They took a leap of faith they will be able to go to the next olympics as Canadian number 2 or 3 team

That will only happen if Weaver/Poje and Gilles/Poirier leave.

They will also be competing with Soucisse/Firus.

Plus there are a few other Canadian dance teams like Arnold/Williams and Sales/Wamsteeker who will not want them moving in on their territory.

by Anonymousreply 513March 2, 2018 9:16 AM

Coomes/Buckland have withdrawn from Worlds. They are replaced by Fear/Gibson

Tiffany Zagorski / Jonathan Guerreiro replace Bobrova/Soloviev. To recap Z/G season:

- Katsalapov injured himself half way the FD at Nationals and Z/G (who were leading S/K after SD but they had a poor outing of their crappy FD) secured the third spot for Euros

- Bukin got barred by IOC and therefore Z/G get the second Olympic spot

- Stepanova/Bukin can go to Worlds. But Bobrova/Soloviev call an end of their season (career?) and Z/G get to go to Worlds too.

Thank God the season is over. Otherwise, they would start to decimate also the foreign teams and find their way to the podium through withdrawal of the whole Ice Dance field.

by Anonymousreply 514March 2, 2018 9:36 AM

R513 Do you think W/P will be sticking around? I don't see them staying but that's maybe wishful thinking on my part.

I was thinking Gilles/Poirier become Canada number 1 team and will be challenged in 2 3 years for that spot was Soucisse/Firus who are better skaters (especially Firus) but who need to improve their performance and get better programs.

The Danes could be N°3. I don't think any other current Canadian team could be a factor at this point and even in juniors they don't have like a fantastic team coming up.

by Anonymousreply 515March 2, 2018 10:13 AM

Are Soucisse/Firus with Dubreuil/Lauzon like the (ex)Danes?

by Anonymousreply 516March 2, 2018 10:25 AM

Jorik Hendrikx also dropped out of Worlds. I don't even feel like watching at this point (not that I'm a fan of him per se, just the huge amount of withdrawals in general makes it seem like a pretty lackluster event overall).

by Anonymousreply 517March 2, 2018 12:10 PM

R516 Yes

by Anonymousreply 518March 2, 2018 12:12 PM

Without Jorik, Adam and Eric, the number of out gays is deeply reduced at Worlds. Only Joti and Javier#2?

Anyway, Worlds in Olympic year are often such a mess. I would expect a couple of more withdrawals to come next week.

by Anonymousreply 519March 2, 2018 12:36 PM

Here we go...I couldn't even finish typing

Tom Zakrajsek just tweeted that Max Aaron will go to Worlds

So who withdrew?

Jason Brown?

I assume Miner didn't take up his alternate spot (as alternate number 2)

by Anonymousreply 520March 2, 2018 12:38 PM

Jason Brown went in as the alternate, so I doubt he withdrew. My bets are on Nathan who caught the flu and is also injured (as per Raf).

by Anonymousreply 521March 2, 2018 12:50 PM

Is Bottom Kevin ready to take his place after 100 skaters withdrew?

by Anonymousreply 522March 2, 2018 12:55 PM

Well, here's a clever dodge (press conference in Japan with Yuzuru after returning from Pyeong Chang). I love his sigh after the question (in the video):

Well...this is awkward. A journalist decided to ask him a question that many of us want answered - whether he wants to create his own family and have kids.

A rough translation by Cynnnn (WhatsApp) state that he said many people (fans and others) supported him this time and if he started a family people may feel "betrayed", even though he's not strictly speaking an idol. But in any case he's thankful for the support given to him.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 523March 2, 2018 3:22 PM

Confirmed by USFSA that Aaron is replacing Brown who was replacing Rippon

Shibutanis have withdrawn too. Hawayek/Baker will go to Worlds

by Anonymousreply 524March 2, 2018 3:41 PM

[quote]Shibutanis have withdrawn too.

Did they give a reason?

by Anonymousreply 525March 2, 2018 3:42 PM

Does this mean the Shibs are finally retiring??? I was going to say with I, Tessa not competing with her partner it was a chance for them to move up to Silver but they probably realized the other two Americans were going to come back and kick their asses.

by Anonymousreply 526March 2, 2018 3:45 PM

Yeah, I thought the Shibs would have wanted to try for the Silver, but maybe they don't want to risk losing to one of the other teams after winning their Olympic bronze.

by Anonymousreply 527March 2, 2018 3:48 PM

I am not surprised that S/S withdrew. Like Rippon, they are all over the media and not at the rink.

by Anonymousreply 528March 2, 2018 3:48 PM

[quote]Confirmed by USFSA that Aaron is replacing Brown who was replacing Rippon

Wonder why Brown is withdrawing?

by Anonymousreply 529March 2, 2018 3:50 PM

R529 Isn't the rumour (Skating Lesson) that he's coachless at the moment?

Also confirmed that Miner declined to take up Adam's spot.

by Anonymousreply 530March 2, 2018 3:53 PM

Brown left Kori Ade and is trying with new coaches right? So it means trying new coaching and training styles, maybe reworking technique etc. he is probably not trained for worlds.

by Anonymousreply 531March 2, 2018 3:54 PM

Despite the incest-troll (who might be projecting himself) there really was no way the Shibutanis were going to continue after the Olympics. They have 3 world medals and two Olympic bronze. I am elated that Hawayek and Baker are going to worlds. Finally! Flopubell/Donohue should skip it too and allow Mcnamara/Carpenter to go. The international judges must be through with them. Flops.

Aaron going to world is a nice sendoff. The US should keep their tree male spots with Chen, Zhou, and Aaron. <3

by Anonymousreply 532March 2, 2018 4:00 PM

Because, r529, he isn't used to being a top.

by Anonymousreply 533March 2, 2018 4:01 PM

Hawayek/Baker should get top 10 in Milan

They should be 9th after P/C, H/D, C/B, C/L, W/P, S/B, G/P and G/F.

by Anonymousreply 534March 2, 2018 4:09 PM

It's funny that someone would say there's only one "incest troll."

by Anonymousreply 535March 2, 2018 4:14 PM

[quote] Brown left Kori Ade and is trying with new coaches right? So it means trying new coaching and training styles, maybe reworking technique etc. he is probably not trained for worlds.

Considering his current coaching situation, Jason thought Max would be a stronger competitor at Worlds.

by Anonymousreply 536March 2, 2018 5:53 PM

So (and I defer to those of you more informed, but still) why bother with World Championships a month later in an Olympic year? Obviously all the retirements and withdrawals make it almost meaningless?

by Anonymousreply 537March 2, 2018 6:18 PM

SHIBSIBS FOREVER!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 538March 2, 2018 6:18 PM

[quote]Flopubell/Donohue should skip it too and allow Mcnamara/Carpenter to go. The international judges must be through with them. Flops.

This is Hubbell & Donohue's best chance at a Worlds medal. With V&M and the Shibs out, the door is open for them.

The judges put them in 3rd after the short at Worlds last year and at the Olympics, so I don't think the judges are through with them just yet.

by Anonymousreply 539March 2, 2018 7:28 PM

The countries drawn for Ice Judge judging panel at Worlds are

Azerbajian

Canada

Czech Republic

Finland

Georgia

Germany

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

South Korea

Spain

Turkey

Ukraine

Same system as at Olympics. 9 of them will be drawn before SD and then another draw before FD will decide the 4 to be replaced by the 4 who didn't judge SD

It will be a Europeans led panel anyway

Let's wait and see who the Technical Controller and Specialists are.

by Anonymousreply 540March 2, 2018 7:37 PM

Brigitte Wendt is the judge nominated by German federation for Ice Dance.

Some Feds have only one judge with the ISU requirements for Ice Dance anyway.

Georgian judge must be Salome Chigogidze

Latvian judge must be Roberts Krutkramelis

Lithuania judge will be Krauziene Laimute (this one was one of the judges who were talking between themselves at Pairs event of Nepela Trophy 2016. Lithuania and Russian judges. With the Belarus referee overseeing the whole discussion and making jokes to the Slovak judge. ISU punishment was to reprimand her....)

Turkey judge will be Tanay Ozkan as their other International judge is currently suspended

South Korea will be Chi Hee Rhee

Irina Medvedeva will be Azerbajian judge

by Anonymousreply 541March 2, 2018 7:54 PM

I think the Incest Twins withdrawing means a few things. They need to keep mediawhoring to win that Dancing With The Stars spot over Adam and Mirai. Getting on that show and making it far guarantees these greedy hos at around half a mil. Not bad. I don't know why a couple of bland bronze medalists should get to do morning show appearances, but I guess they hired a good agent.

Maia may have her eyes set on bigger targets. There's no guarantee they'll ever do better than an Olympic Bronze. She was gushing over getting the attention of The Rock on social media. The Shibs will probably take a season off, play coy about whether they'll make a comeback, then spend a good couple of years trying to break into Hollywood. Male Shib thinks he's a filmmaker, and She Shib probably wants some dick she isn't related to.

by Anonymousreply 542March 2, 2018 10:07 PM

Adam "I am everywhere" Rippon schedule for next week

March 6h Bravo's Look at What Happens Now - Live with Andy Cohen

March 7th Today Show

March 7th The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

March 8 The View

by Anonymousreply 543March 2, 2018 10:22 PM

I'm surprised at the ShibSibs withdrawal, given that they're young-enough for another quad, but they're more realistic than I gave them credit for. They won't be beating P/C and they already have a silver worlds medal. While their Olympics medals are bronze, they're also the only individual medalists in figure skating for the U.S. this time 'round. Go to Worlds and they do risk being beaten by Hubbell/Donohue.

Good news for Cappellini/LaNotte. I'm thinking an American team moves into silver with clean skates and C/L takes bronze. Great news about Hawayek/Baker--they are definitely ready for Worlds and their FS is exquisite.

So the men are Nathan, Vincent and Max? I assume Nathan will not try to please his parents during the short and stick to his program? If so, what are the odds that the U.S. retains three spots? Seems pretty good since Nathan and Vincent placed fifth and sixth at Pyeongchang.

So, most likely results--3 spots in ice dancing and mens, down to 2 in Ladies (Japan deserves that third spot, anyway.) and 1 in pairs.

by Anonymousreply 544March 3, 2018 12:11 AM

Why do Adam and Mirai get to go to the Oscars? Where are our invitations?

by Anonymousreply 545March 3, 2018 12:28 AM

Alex and Maia aren't going to Worlds because they know their Bronze was a fluke. The other two American teams would have kicked their asses if not for flukes. Funny how everyone and by everyone I mean, Belbin, says P/C would have done better if they had skated in the Team event... but everyone looks that over when thinking about the other American Dance teams.

Regardless, the other American Teams aren't going to let themselves have those same problems so the Shibs are fucked and don't want to lose their false rep when they lose to the other two teams. They don't have a chance in hell, especially if I, Tessa isn't there to help I, Maia with any snip snips.

by Anonymousreply 546March 3, 2018 12:52 AM

R537 up until 1992 most of the Olympic champions and medalists would go to the world championships. A number of things changes, more relaxed rules for amateur athletes, for a time wanting to make as much money as possible on the professional circuit (that’s no a thing now as pro skating is dead), but the money grab element is still there as these skaters have a very slim window to make $$ or get some kind of short term endorsement. With the number of big jumping passes and combos a lot of skaters are injured/burned out at the end of the season.

More than a few of the modern champions lucked out at the olympics or skated a “performance of their life” at the olympics and don’t want to try and replicate that at the worlds.

by Anonymousreply 547March 3, 2018 3:17 AM

Um... wtf?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 548March 3, 2018 3:20 AM

The Twincest is getting desperate

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 549March 3, 2018 5:01 AM

They need to stop name dropping Derek Hough. He consulted for Meryl and Charlie because he knows champions when he sees them. The Shibs had to settle for Corky Ballas choreographing their embarrassing Michael Jackson medley in Sochi, and notice all Derek did for them was offer generic advice. Meryl was surprisingly sexy and personable on DWTS, but Maia has the sex appeal of Play-Doh. The less said about Alex the better.

They're certainly acting like Dancing gig is set in stone, aren't they? Besides the money I don't know why they want to do the show. There are cameras on them at all times and sooner or later it will be apparent they have no personalities. It's such a twist of luck that out of the whole American figure skating team they walked away the only ones with individual medals.

by Anonymousreply 550March 3, 2018 5:17 AM

So, the Shibs have the medal v. Adam and Mirai with the personality and the sob story. Any reason why DWTS wouldn't go after Chloe Kim instead? She's cute, has style and an actual gold medal. DWTS seems to prefer Gold medal athletes.

by Anonymousreply 551March 3, 2018 7:27 AM

[quote]So (and I defer to those of you more informed, but still) why bother with World Championships a month later in an Olympic year? Obviously all the retirements and withdrawals make it almost meaningless?

Worlds after Olympics aren't meaningless.

It's an opportunity for the next generation of skaters to make their mark and position themselves for the next quad.

by Anonymousreply 552March 3, 2018 7:48 AM

Agreed R552, it's actually one of the more interesting world championships for that reason. Ice dancing, weirdly enough, should be the most interesting.

by Anonymousreply 553March 3, 2018 7:55 AM

Let's predict Ice Dance at Worlds

1) Papadakis/Cizeron

2) Hubbell/Donohue if they skate clean. Gadbois keep the top 2

3-4-5) Cappellini/Lanotte in their farewell skate, Chock/Bates and Weaver/Poje (who will get the Canada#1 bonus again?)

6) Stepanova/Bukin who will get the Russia #1 bonus...would this enough to push them in the mix with C/L, C/B and W/P?

7) Gilles/Poirier

8) Guignard/Fabbri

9) Hawayek/Baker

10) uhm, Zagorski/Guerreiro?

11-12) Smart/Diaz and the Polish duo

13-14) Muramoto/Reed and Soucisse/Firus

15-22) the big group with Nazarova/Nikitin, Lorenz/Polizoakis, Min/Gamelin, Agafanova/Ucar, Mysliveckova/Csolley, Wang/Liu, Torn/Partanen, Yanovskaya/Lukacs.....2 of them won't make the FD

by Anonymousreply 554March 3, 2018 8:37 AM

My dream podium is P/C, H/D, and a farewell bronze for C/L. Twincest's SD is a poor man's version of C/L's short. BTW here's the full interview of the Twincest if you can survive through the cringe (I couldn't).

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 555March 3, 2018 2:13 PM

I've never noticed before but Maia's face is HUGE in that still. Post Olympic carb high, injections, or poor genetics? Who knows.

Is Chen going to World's or no? I've heard so many conflicting reports.

Nagasu and Rippon heading to the Oscars...if Adam takes Ashley has his plus one that'll be awkward.

by Anonymousreply 556March 3, 2018 3:36 PM

R556 Nathan Chen must go to Worlds now because USFSA has finished all the alternates entered and they can't field anybody else if there is one more withdrawal. Well, in theory Brown and Miner are still listed as substitute entrries in the ISU system, so they can be entered if USFSA is so depserate

Someone on GoldenSkate noticed that Ashley is not following Adam on Instagram anymore and she's not liking her pics in the last 2 weeks...

by Anonymousreply 557March 3, 2018 3:49 PM

[quote]Someone on GoldenSkate noticed that Ashley is not following Adam on Instagram anymore and she's not liking her pics in the last 2 weeks...

Payback is an Ashley.

by Anonymousreply 558March 3, 2018 4:02 PM

Why is Adam going to the Oscars???

by Anonymousreply 559March 3, 2018 4:05 PM

Because Nathan fucked up and Adam is our only Olympic darling?

by Anonymousreply 560March 3, 2018 4:17 PM

....

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 561March 3, 2018 4:22 PM

R561 they're such annoying, desperate, cunts.

by Anonymousreply 562March 3, 2018 4:35 PM

How old are the Shibs? I'm not sure Hollywood would embrace them - but DWTS might. It caters to rightwing viewers (Derek Hough is a Mormon and his father was the chairman of the Republican Party of Utah). I know they've had crazies, Steve O - Gary Busey - etc. - but their ratings are in the toilet so I think, like Trump, they're desperate to keep their "base" of the so-called "Moral Majority" and that ain't Adam - though maybe they'll surprise me. Tom Bergeron is a pretty out liberal on Twitter and they haven't fired him yet.

by Anonymousreply 563March 3, 2018 4:45 PM

R563 SheShib was born on July 1994. SheShib was born in April 1991

by Anonymousreply 564March 3, 2018 4:54 PM

**1991 is HeShib

by Anonymousreply 565March 3, 2018 4:54 PM

Nah, that someone on GoldenSkate is wrong. I just checked and they both still follow each other on Instagram.

by Anonymousreply 566March 3, 2018 6:42 PM

Has the male shib had a nose job?

by Anonymousreply 567March 3, 2018 6:44 PM

R566 She started to follow him again this morning. She may have unfollowed him by mistake last week. I did it a couple of times without realizing that I clicked on unfollow.

by Anonymousreply 568March 3, 2018 6:50 PM

Francis Boudreau-Audet/Sumire Suto have split. Unsurprisingly given they have disappeared since NHK.

He says he will continue skating. And that he won't represent Japan. I assume he will skate for Canada.

Any idea on which girl?

However, I think Canada will drop to 2 spots for Worlds though and Seguin/Bilodeau and Moore Towers/Marinaro should be the 2 pairs for the next quad.

by Anonymousreply 569March 3, 2018 6:55 PM

I just can't with the delusional Papadakis/Cizeron fanbase on FSU...

by Anonymousreply 570March 3, 2018 7:24 PM

R570 = I, Tessa

by Anonymousreply 571March 3, 2018 7:28 PM

The sad thing is I actually enjoy P/C skating ; some of fanbase is however as unbearable as the crazy V/M fans...

I know the blog below is created by a crazy V/M fan and obvious P/C hater, so obviously to be taken with a huge grain of salt, but I do have to wonder if there is at least some truth to her commentary on P/C's skating

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 572March 3, 2018 7:39 PM

HeShib expects people to find this attractive?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 573March 3, 2018 7:42 PM

To cleanse your palate, here’s Felipe with some of his daddies. ¡Muy caliente!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 574March 3, 2018 7:44 PM

R574 Felipe's reaction to the Olympic qualification still ranks as one of the most wonderfully over the top moments of the Nationals season. It beats even Ashley's bitchy comments after the FS.

One of his coaches was basically trying to lipkiss him.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 575March 3, 2018 7:52 PM

I like Francis, he is a very solid partner in my opinion and also pretty handsome. That's too bad his partners could never jump. I feel he might not have too many problems finding a new partner in Canada?

by Anonymousreply 576March 3, 2018 9:21 PM

R554, So you think Hayawek/Baker will be behind the no. 2 Italians? I'm thinking they might be ahead, but, otherwise, I think your ranking is pretty on. *If* Worlds weren't in Italy, I'd give Bronze to Chock/Bates, but I think the sentiment factor will give it to Cappellini/LaNotte. I do like C/L's FS this year, so I can live with it, though C. needs to wear the white dress.

Italy gets bronzes in ice dance and Ladies, I'm guessing.

Anyone see the SL interview with Tom Dickson? He makes some good points, I think, about Medvedeva and Zagitova's skating. The lack of lines, flow and element pile-on so that nothing lasts bugs me too. The powers-that-be need to adjust the scoring so that this kind of skating isn't rewarded so heavily. Dickson (Miyahara's choreographer) thought Osmond should have won. I think he's right.

And the DL Olympic crowd has drifted away, hasn't it? We're back to the skating regulars.

by Anonymousreply 577March 3, 2018 9:55 PM

R577 At Golden Spin in December Guignard/Fabbri outscored Hawayek/Baker by almost 15 points.

But ok, Golden Spin was rigged as hell (more than usual....and the US judge there put G/F clearly ahead of H/B. Actually the US judge put G/F ahead of Bobrova/Soloviev.....). I expect to be close between G/F aan H/B. At 4CCs H/B outscored Muramoto/Reed by 10/11 points and at Olympics G/F outscored the Japanese by 13 points

by Anonymousreply 578March 3, 2018 10:12 PM

Good points, R578, but that was before H/B nabbed the 4CC championship, which I'm assuming will give them a boost. But, given that it's Italy, you're probably right. At this point, breaking into the top 10 would be a decent achievement for H/B.

by Anonymousreply 579March 3, 2018 10:18 PM

R577, I enjoyed Osmond a lot more than Medvedeva and Zagitova , but doesn't she lack transitions compared to those 2?

by Anonymousreply 580March 3, 2018 10:20 PM

R579 You are right about the 4CC title raising their status among judges. I think they will comfortably be in top 10. I can't see Zagorski/Guerreiro or whoever will be 10th being close to H/B.

I think Guignard/Fabbri have been a bit underscored in the last couple of years. I guess it's because Italy Fed is not big enough to push more than one team at the same time. I am intrigued what their scores will be next season. They are likely to continue judging by the wording of Italian Fed press release on the Olympic results. They will become Italy top team...but they are 30 years old, they are not a young team that judges can pretend they have suddenly improved in the summer when they become the top team of their country. Will their score get a bump next year at random only because they will be Italian Fed' top priority and are we suppose not to find it strange?

by Anonymousreply 581March 3, 2018 10:30 PM

R580 Honestly no she doesn't. Osmond has a lot of transitions. Maybe a bit less than the Medzag but the quality of them is much higher. She has better posture, better extensions, better control, better skating skills and edges, better quality of execution, better speed, it fits her music better etc.

Besides, i'm a bit tired of this old thing about the transitions. yeah the transitions are important, you don't wanna be Max Aaron, but what really makes a program are the actual elements, in which once again Osmond had so much more quality that the russians.

It funny because both Tom Dickson and Doug Haw in the skating lesson thought Osmond should have won and i really think that's accurate.

by Anonymousreply 582March 3, 2018 10:56 PM

Where is Doug Haw from again? You know those people never have a bias!

by Anonymousreply 583March 4, 2018 12:08 AM

Yeah it's easy to dismiss Doug Haw as just being a biased Canadian but his assessment of both the ladies and the men was pretty fair.

by Anonymousreply 584March 4, 2018 12:26 AM

They always are!

by Anonymousreply 585March 4, 2018 12:27 AM

I think I've figured out why Adam has switched to Mirai as his new BFF.... he's obviously fucking Mirai's boyfriend. If there was any doubt that he's a homosexual all one has to do is watch Mirai's latest IG story. It's a shame Mirai's too dumb to realize it.

by Anonymousreply 586March 4, 2018 12:31 AM

R572- Actually, there's some good analysis in there. What I wonder is who chose Moonlight Sonata for P/C when it's so closely associated with G/G? I know it's a completely different discipline but it's like giving them Bolero to skate to. And when you compare the artistic interpretation of it, G/G is just miles ahead of P/C. I think MS was just a bad choice for P/C and there was only 1 time I saw them nail it - I think it was the Cup of China.

by Anonymousreply 587March 4, 2018 1:24 AM

R582, I agree with you on these points, but I've heard complaints that she Osmond does a lot of crossovers between jumps... whereas Zagitova/Medvedeva literally have no resting in between jumps

by Anonymousreply 588March 4, 2018 1:32 AM

R587, what about the 2 foot skating criticism / skating in"open hold"of P/C and Gabriella being dragged by Guillaume? Do you agree with that?

by Anonymousreply 589March 4, 2018 1:34 AM

Yeah, I'm a plebe Canadian (enjoyed V/M), but I can't really support that Osmond should've won over Zagitova/Medvedeva. I imagine if you change the rules, Z/M would skate to the new rules and still probably win. I enjoyed all three of their skates.

by Anonymousreply 590March 4, 2018 2:15 AM

If they changed the rules and Z/M changed their skating to fit it and won, I'd be fine with that. Eteri is playing the game to maximize points, but I think there is an issue with scoring protocols that reward cramped, cluttered skating. I don't blame Eteri or Z/M for doing what it takes to win, but what it takes to win should be changed. The bent extensions, cramped jumps aren't pleasant to watch. I knew the Russians would win, but I enjoyed Osmond and the Japanese girls more. As a viewer, I'll take some underrotations with good flow and extension and musicality to what wins.

I think skating needs to come to terms with the split between what looks good and what wins. The balance is off right now.

by Anonymousreply 591March 4, 2018 2:26 AM

Link to new thread for when this fills up.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 592March 4, 2018 5:32 AM

[quote]Why is Adam going to the Oscars???

To support my triple axel attempt.

by Anonymousreply 593March 4, 2018 6:25 AM

Why does Italy ruin the hot pairs/ice dance guys (Fabbri, Guarise) with gangly horseface girls? They need better partners or even better skate together (a boy can dream).

by Anonymousreply 594March 4, 2018 6:28 AM

R588 Again I don't think that's really true. Osmond has crossovers in her free but I don't think you can say she has "a lot" and she has transitions in and out of every element. Besides, the crossovers she has have quality, they are well executed and actually bring her a lot of speed and ice coverage, which is kinda the point of figure skating, not doing some weird looking jumps in the middle of the rink with no speed or flow. BTW Zagitova and Med also have crossovers, everyone has crossovers. Theirs don't bring much speed though since they can't really use edges and rely on their arms to gain momentum, just like for their jumps actually.

by Anonymousreply 595March 4, 2018 7:38 AM

I did a photoshoot for InStyle on Friday and one for Rolling Stone yesterday

Just in case you have not heard enough of him in the last few weeks and you want to catch up. I am half naked in both of them.

by Anonymousreply 596March 4, 2018 7:52 AM

[quote]I am half naked in both of them.

Any pics available?

by Anonymousreply 597March 4, 2018 8:04 AM

R597 do you like my medal?

In the other one, I am on the beach

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 598March 4, 2018 8:06 AM

The Twincest would dream to have the combined personality that of Adam's right eyebrow. Here's a clip of him on Ross' podcast.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 599March 4, 2018 8:44 AM

I read that Johnny Weir had a hissy fit when NBC offered Adam that job, in the middle of the Olympics. I hope Weir/Lipinski remain as a team, covering events - I really like them. I do think Johnny almost has a deathwish, going over the top with his hair and ensembles though. I mean I'm fine with it, but I can see some NBC execs tiring of it. He keeps pushing the boundaries, maybe a soupçon too far.

He's very intellectual though - I'm not sure about Rippon. And Tara has a warmth about her that I came to appreciate during the Olympics, initially thinking she talked too much, Johnny too little, but I think the balance suits them. I can't possibly fathom Adam and Mirai (egads) being better - and can easily see them being a disaster, as commentators.

by Anonymousreply 600March 4, 2018 12:30 PM
Loading
Need more help? Click Here.

Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.

×

Become a contributor - post when you want with no ads!