Outrageous judging in Pairs Figure Skating

24

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 71
    bellebelle Posts: 1,574member
    The judging has certainly always been the interest in figure skating. I'm pretty certain it nearly caused an escalation of the Cold War on more than one occassion.



    But I have to agree, why is it considered a sport? Surely it should fall into the same category as other forms of dance.



    Hmm, if figure skating is a "sport" at the Winter Olympics, perhaps ballroom dancing should be at the Summer Olympics? Or perhaps some sort of dance marathon?



    Mind you, it annoys me that an event where contestants are more interested in their clothing, hairstyle, next supply, and sounding like a retarded 70's movie pimp in TV interviews than contesting is considered a "sport". (Snowboarding).
  • Reply 22 of 71
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Arakageeta, how could you possibly deny the clear lines between Eastern Bloc and everybody else? They don't have to conspire with each other after a performance, they can do so well in advance. China obviously scored down the Canadian pair in hopes of leaving ever so little breathing room for the final skate of the eveing...which happened to be a Chinese pair. This has always been an issue and it is only now more controversial. Judges can shake hands before the first marks are ever written down.



    I think Sale and Pelletier handled the situation fairly well considering they had just received the biggest shaft in the history of figure skating.



    As for why China got the bronze, The top 3 pairs are definitely a class ahead of the rest. Their skating is my dynamic and more explosive. They can afford more mistakes than other pairs...to a point. When any of the top 3 teams skates flawlessly as Pelletier and Sale did, it's near impossible to win gold unless you to skate flawlessly.



    The conduct of NBC and the Canadian pair reflected the opinions of everybody in that arena and watching the competition on TV. NO WAY.
  • Reply 23 of 71
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    [quote]I think the Canadians' reaction was unsportsmen like and does a disservice to skating as a sport and spirit of the Olympics. Instead of being proud and having the honor of representing their country at the Olympics and winning silver, theses twits can't get over their own pride and self-righteousness.<hr></blockquote>



    Sorry, but you are out to lunch on this one.



    I for one, couldn't believe the restraint shown by Sale and Pelletier. They basically said they did the best they could to, and they're proud of that. They skated the best skate they could, and controlled what they could control - their skate.



    Unsportsmanlike? Give me a break.



    [ 02-12-2002: Message edited by: murbot ]</p>
  • Reply 24 of 71
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    [quote]Originally posted by Belle:

    <strong>The judging has certainly always been the interest in figure skating. I'm pretty certain it nearly caused an escalation of the Cold War on more than one occassion.



    But I have to agree, why is it considered a sport? Surely it should fall into the same category as other forms of dance.



    Hmm, if figure skating is a "sport" at the Winter Olympics, perhaps ballroom dancing should be at the Summer Olympics? Or perhaps some sort of dance marathon?



    Mind you, it annoys me that an event where contestants are more interested in their clothing, hairstyle, next supply, and sounding like a retarded 70's movie pimp in TV interviews than contesting is considered a "sport". (Snowboarding).</strong><hr></blockquote>





    Belle,



    normally (actually always) you make smart posts and I agree 99% with them but this one was just dumb.



    figure skating not a sport? if that's not a sport I have no idea what is. If you don't think that takes amazing athleticism and fitness then you are blinded by something I can't identify.





    BTW, I think ballroom dancing is in the summer olympics?

    :confused:
  • Reply 25 of 71
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    [quote]Originally posted by Belle:

    <strong>Hmm, if figure skating is a "sport" at the Winter Olympics, perhaps ballroom dancing should be at the Summer Olympics? Or perhaps some sort of dance marathon?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I thought ballroom dancing WAS coming to the summer Olympics next time around...
  • Reply 26 of 71
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    In a sense it isn't a sport. It's a competition on many levels. Important manouvers are required off the ice for anyone to have success. Sure the best dozen or so get to the top, but there is an uncomfortable subjectivity about the whole thing which isn't eased at all when judges act with less than good faith.



    I think these 'judged' disciplines can only earn an honest space in sport if they can somehow furnish a culture of objectivity and fairness in their judging. Right now they have a culture of collusion, and it isn't good for 'Sport'. If this continues the best thing to do would be to get rid of all these 'performance' disciplines (gymnastics, figure skating, snow-boarding). Yet these are huge draws and the organizers know it, so they'll just keep on keeping on. However, they continually slip away from a proper notion of sport.



    And belle, your absotutely right! That half pipe competition was the most disturbingly un-olympic thing I've seen in years. On wonders if the gays in figure skating talked like pimps, hmmm... that could be entertaining! I
  • Reply 27 of 71
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    sport Â*Â*Pronunciation KeyÂ*Â*(spôrt, sprt)

    n.

    1.\t

    a.\tPhysical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

    b.\tA particular form of this activity.



    2.\tAn activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

    3.\tAn active pastime; recreation.

    4.\t

    a.\tMockery; jest: He made sport of his own looks.

    b.\tAn object of mockery, jest, or play: treated our interests as sport.

    c.\tA joking mood or attitude: She made the remark in sport.



    5.\t

    a.\tOne known for the manner of one's acceptance of rules, especially of a game, or of a difficult situation: a poor sport.

    b.\tInformal. One who accepts rules or difficult situations well.

    c.\tInformal. A pleasant companion: was a real sport during the trip.



    6.\tInformal.

    a.\tA person who lives a jolly, extravagant life.

    b.\tA gambler at sporting events.



    7.\tBiology. An organism that shows a marked change from the normal type or parent stock, typically as a result of mutation.

    8.\tMaine. See summercater. See Regional Note at summercater.

    9.\tObsolete. Amorous dalliance; lovemaking.
  • Reply 29 of 71
    When is the ladies? Michelle Kwan is a hottie.
  • Reply 30 of 71
    Sure, figure skating is a sport, but the judging is only slightly less crooked than in boxing.
  • Reply 31 of 71
    aries 1baries 1b Posts: 1,009member
    Why not have the judge from the country of the skater not judge? That way, the appearance of impropriety is removed.



    (In the meantime, let's promise all of the judges homes in the Bahamas if they vote for the Americans? fahgedabboutdit!)





    Aries 1B
  • Reply 32 of 71
    glurxglurx Posts: 1,031member
    Gee. Corruption in the Olympics. Who would have ever suspected.
  • Reply 33 of 71
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    No judging is more crooked that from Iron Chef!
  • Reply 34 of 71
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    There are allegations that the French judge had a prior agreement to vote Russian in Pairs Figure Skating, in exchange for a French vote from the Russian Ice Dancing judge when the time comes.
  • Reply 35 of 71
    Oh man! Don't tell me that.
  • Reply 36 of 71
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    The Canadian chick is hot.



    She wins the Groverat Award.
  • Reply 37 of 71
    The chicks seem to be much hotter in the winter games than the summer games.



    Oh and someone send an othrodontis to China for Gods sake.
  • Reply 38 of 71
    glurxglurx Posts: 1,031member
    <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/figure/story?id=1330977"; target="_blank">Sources say Russian and French judges made deal</a>



    [quote] Sources within the International Skating Union have told ESPN/ABC Sports figure skating reporter Christine Brennan that a collaboration between the French and Russian judges helped spark the controversy that has the skating world and the Winter Olympics abuzz.



    The Canadian Olympic delegation on Tuesday requested an investigation into why Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze won the gold medal when many observers feel that Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were more worthy.



    Brennan, one of the world's leading authorities on figure skating, says that reliable sources within the ISU told her that a collaboration between the French and Russian judges did happen.



    "When (figure skating officials) investigate, I think they're going to find out that the French judge worked a deal with the Russians," said Brennan, one of the world's leading authorities on figure skating.



    "There's absolutely no doubt that the Canadians should have won. Their 'Love Story' program was just marvelous. The performance was perfect.



    "The Russian pair made small errors including a small mistake on one jump. To me it's clear. It should have been crystal clear for the Canadians."

    <hr></blockquote>
  • Reply 39 of 71
    [quote]Originally posted by Scott H.:

    <strong>The chicks seem to be much hotter in the winter games than the summer games.

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    That's because the chicks in the summer games have to be athletes, and the winter games chicks just have to slide around and make pretty poses on the ice, and smile.
  • Reply 40 of 71
    glurxglurx Posts: 1,031member
    [quote]Originally posted by sizzle chest:

    <strong>



    That's because the chicks in the summer games have to be athletes</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Like <a href="http://www.rsg.net/"; target="_blank">rhythmic gymnastics</a>?
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