Look People,

I was just trying to point out the fact that there was not just one (as someone had stated) but SEVERAL skaters in Bronze I who looked as good as many top level Silver or Gold skaters. I was also pointing out that I was told personally that she didn't skate Silver because she didn't have an axel not because of an injury.

I am also sorry for not remembering nor probably even knowing about this board last year and not knowing this had been thoroughly discussed.

I do not think it is right at all to see people of this caliber in Bronze. So sue me. It is still not right. A person who has been skating a few years in their 20's or 30's cannot compete against a 30 year old who has been skating since childhood. And why should they ever have to compete against each other if everyone plays fairly. And why if no one really cares that people sandbag do you hear so much complaining in the stands about it every year?

WORD!

Tell it, jazzpants! I like your attitude toward your skating!

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No one is bashing the "true" adult gold men. They are adult skaters , not masters or standard track skaters. Those are just the facts - not interpretation.

Hmm. Interesting points. As someone in that zany Bronze I event last year, I can't disagree with the second point. I have serious issues watching the disparity of the bronze level grow to the point that a mid level bronze (me) has the jump-and-spin skills to pass silver fs. I can't pass the stinking moves, though.

And that's part of the problem....there are very good skaters who can't do a slide chasse or backward cross roll. It's the nature of the beast. However, at Mids this year, we had no "test level" bronzes--everyone was competitive and skilled advanced beginners, all of whom will probably test silver this summer. It would be rather frustrating to compete in that group if you didn't have a consistent flip, lutz, camel, or sit change sit. Now, we all had reasons for competing Bronze, none of which was "I want to medal at Nationals." Seriously--the top two won't even be in KC. That's the nature of adult skating--life gets in the way of our progress, so sometimes a "silver" will be skating "bronze." Or a "masters" will be skating "gold." Whatever. All I can control is my program.

The other problem is that the current grandfathering of standard tests do not accomodate for the pre-juv level. Not a big deal now, but I know teenage pre-juvs with five different doubles....why, in ten years, would they be competing against skaters who have only three consistent _singles_? That just seems a bit like putting Michelle Kwan in gold ladies.

Speaking of the Gold level, however, it is a different ball of wax. Whether you started skating as a kid or an adult, you are an advanced level skater to pass the Gold fs and skate Gold. (And it provides a good example of this point--one of the Champ Gold qualifiers at Mids this year came back to skating three years or so ago after a 30-something year layoff. She's a bit better than the people I know who have been skating for three years....) Transitioning from gold to masters is hard, for two reasons: 1. Some of these skaters are taking moves tests for the first time--starting with the intermediates, no less and 2. these skaters are jumping from the adult track to the standard track, and as coskater64 so well described, the judges are looking for nuances in the standard track that they may let slip on the adult track (i.e., the slide chasse which is on Silver and Intermediate moves...same steps, different passing criteria).

Just my $0.02

If anyone also hears of the results of the adult Silver ladies events at either Midwestern or Pacific sectionals, please let me know

May I please remind everybody of the following facts:

• You can't control what other skaters do
• You can't control what the judges think
• All you can do is go out there and skate to the absolute best of your ability. This is what you have trained for, prepared for, sweated over, whether you're a preliminary-level 50-something in his or her first ever competition, or the current Olympic men's singles champion. We're all skaters, we're all in exactly the same boat.

Muttering and moaning about other skaters who shouldn't be in the same class, or are too good for the class, or how unfair it is that X only skates at this level..... well, frankly, it makes you sound like bad sports!

That's not what skating is about - let's hear a lot more about our skating, please, and a lot less about other people's.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Hi all

I just thought I would address this item personaly. Since march I have gotten a ton of e-mail about this issue. Quite frankly I think it is sad that someone would claim a title that was not awarded to them. I remeber Burton from the event and he seemd like a nice guy and I am I am sure he is. Nevertheless, It seems strange to me that it would be a topic of discussion and I do apprecatie the comments by those went to bat and set the record straight.

I haven't competed since 2002 @ the Gay Games Sydney but the fond memories I have from 1997 in Lake Placid and talking about it most recently have me thinking about dusting off the boots and giving it a go for 2007! Ya never know.

Good luck to you all and Happy Skating!

John-Patrick Hull

hehehe, that shut some people up

Good job for researching the real title holder for that Nationals.


I doubt that Burton will move up to Masters next year. I'm quite sure that he will come up some mess why he cannot test before January of 2006.

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Tim David's Website

Hey people, it's done, it's over with, so GET OVER IT AND GET READY FOR NEXT SEASON!!!
Can the moderator lock this thread please- I've had enough and sure quite a few others have!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

I TOTALLY AGREE Terri.

What happened with the website and the Skating magazine article on that site is done and passed. We've already commented on that, and the results of AN 2005 are as they are. But to start speculating on next year and trashing Burton on what he may or may not do in the future is really unfair to him. Yeah, he may move up to Masters, or he may stay in Gold, or he may open a studio in Albuquerque holding Pilates seminars for chimpanzees. We simply don't know, so let's not attack him on things that haven't even happened yet.

Dennis,
You crack me up!!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

I have nothing better to do these days.... sorry

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Tim David's Website

TIM DAVID - You are obsessed with me for some reason. I wouldn't doubt if it was you yourself that made all this trouble for me.

You have better watch your back and make sure you are lily white and perfect, because things have a way of coming back on you when you least expect it.

I will get to the bottom of things. Very shortly a report from my private investigator will prove who is the one who actually did this.

In the meantime you can #*&%$#!

Make no mistake, this is BURTON

Maybe I will stay in Gold, just to piss you off!

Man, dcden -- good thing I wasn't drinking my Starbuck Caramel Machiatto at the time that I've read that. (Especially since I just did pilates with my pilates trainer yesterday... and no, not with chimpanzees either...)

Ummm.... yes you do!!! How about maybe go back to the rink to skate, or go to the gym and do your off ice training... (or maybe even choreograph a new program for next season instead of improvising for once.)

In any case, if I were you, I'd leave Burton alone!!! It doesn't do you or him any good to trash him... and certainly won't help you with your skating or your future medal standings. And remember, what goes around, come around.

I'm writing a PM to a moderator soon ... she should be around soon to lock it...

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Go ahead and investigate, you won't find anything on me.
1. A lot of competitors (even a few of your own competitors) who I am not good friends with are bashing you behind your back during Nationals (Kansas), so don't even put all the blame on me!

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Tim David's Website

Tim,
I'd watch it if I were you- a few folks have questioned YOUR eligibility!!!!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

not anybody I encountered.

Stop the bashing. It's not becoming to adult skating.

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

And that makes it acceptable?

Here's something more acceptable: rather than talk about you behind your back, I'll tell it to you like it is right here, right now:

Seriously, TimDavid, you are 100% pathetic. You stir up trouble for no good reason. I hope nobody at your old or new job reads your blog, because you'd be in serious trouble with Human Resources.

I'm not saying Burton is completely off the hook here, but going around and trashing other competitors in this petty manner is so 5th grade. Grow up. Adult skating (any skating actually) is better off wthout the bitterness from other competitors. Why don't you get off your ### and go practice your own skating for a change.

Okay, I don't know what's going here, and I really don't care.

Quit it, all of you. If I see another thread related to this, anyone posting on it will be warned and possibly banned.

Locked.