Why is skating so Weak?

[Tamwheel]

This has got to be the weakest, most unexciting start of a season in many years. Many of the big names are either out or not performing well. We have yet to see most of the world medallists. We are left with relative unknowns, at least in the singles, doing mediocre performances. Well, I didn't get to see Skate America but even Joubert was apparently uninpsiring.

I'm not getting a good feeling about this season.

[Alexa]

I am right with you. I have not seen a bit of competitive fire in any skater yet this season. And the lack of clean programs is very unsettling.

[3ggi3]

Firstly, with the new judging system, comes a need for more balanced skating. With any challenge will come a down period, and I think the best performances we have seen for a while, are going to come this year!

Secondly, Instead of criticising athlete's efforts, you should see how strenuous and motivated their efforts are to take advantage of CoP!

[Peter_K]

Interesting how in another thread the major complaint was that all the networks ever show are the "name" skaters and that new, upcoming skaters don't get any air time.

You just can't win! :roll:

--Peter

[fadedstardust]

Maybe you're bored because the "names" aren't there, but especially in the ladies field, those unknowns ar trying harder stuff than any of the "names" do. I've seen more triple/triple attempts, harder footwork and spins and overall more creative programs in the past few weeks that I have from Michelle or Sasha in the past few years!

[Mel On Ice]

I'm not disappointed in what I've seen at all, how nice to actually see Ryan Jahnke on TV. How great was it to see 3 Canadian men! I am refreshed by seeing some new blood on the screen. As for the weak skating, it's also early in the season and it is a competition. I'd rather see some stumbles in a harder program than a professional watered-down cheesefest.

[Alexa]

For me, it isn't that I have been disappointed in seeing some new competitors, because I like that. I think it is more that there seems to be lacking the Plushenko or Kwan factor that pushes all of the skaters to have a clean program. That feeling of knowing you need a clean program to win... Right now everyone is just doing so-so--noone has really had a top notch program.

So, when the skaters get used to their programs a bit more and start performing better I will be more sold on the effect of the COP. I do like that they are trying to add more to the programs to earn points, but they also need to be consistent in all of their elements. Just because they have added more on their in-betweens does not mean that they should no longer be able to land all of their jumps.

That has always been an important part of figure skating, as it help adds to the "sport" aspect. And if you look at gymnastics or diving, they too are trying to receive a large number of points, but it would be rare that they could miss a major element and still win.

[bleu]

Actually, I LOVE this year because we get to see the B-list skaters "pushing the envelope choreographically and trying new music" in order to get international recognition. It makes for an exciting season when the top skaters have to work just as hard to keep up.

IMO, skating evolves. We just went from an era where the men skated on movie soundtracks back to the classics with several styles and creative choreography 8-) . So yes, the future of mens skating is great. Now if the women can follow the men.

[doubletoe]

Personally, I'm enjoying seeing some new skaters for a change! I was getting a little tired of the same old moves from Michelle Kwan, and even Sasha Cohen and it's kind of exciting to see who else is out there pushing their way up to the top. Plus, Shizuka's triple-triples and Miki's quad sal set the Ladies' standard higher than it was a year or two ago. :)

[Fruit Loops]

I think what makes figure skating popular is its performance side. Gymnastics has some of the same sort of acrobatic tricks but it doesn't have the same following among the general public outside of the Olympics. Random flips and twists get repetitious and dull after awhile. So while pushing the technical envelope for jumps is great, it's annoying when the performances are lost in the pursuit of the quad or triple-triples. COP encourages skaters to have both the jumps and the artistry and I imagine that's difficult to accomplish. I'd say to give it a couple of months. And by the Olympics next year I'm sure the current tops skaters will at least be up to snuff and hopefully regain the attention of the general fans to the sport that it had about 5 years ago.

I personally enjoy seeing new faces and the different skating styles. It's exciting to see NEW names being made. They have to be made sometime. Kwan, Cohen, Plushenko, etc are not going to be skating forever. I'd rather see someone TAKE the spotlight away than inherit it. But we can't blame the newcomers if the names don't even show up. IMO, these victories are only going to serve as confidence boosters and the "top names" just might find it that much more difficult to defeat them come the big dances. The jumps might not all be there yet, but their programs are already mesmerizing to watch and their determination indicates they'll do everything in their power to be ready for Worlds. I think the anticipation for a potential changing of the guards to be thrilling.

In messageboards people love to complain, making it seem that they don't enjoy anything. Let's bash all of the winning skaters. Kwan obviously sucks. No wait, Cohen does! But if neither is entered than we can dismiss the eventual winner with a "she didn't beat anybody". :roll: No one is ever happy with the results. If you're just going to look at the negative then that's your perogative. :giveup: I have skating to watch...and to enjoy.

Patiently waiting for the stars to come out...

[Tamwheel]

Interesting how in another thread the major complaint was that all the networks ever show are the "name" skaters and that new, upcoming skaters don't get any air time.

You just can't win! :roll:

--Peter

The reason why skaters are "name" skaters are because they are probably really good. I don't mind seeing some newcomers, if they are brilliantly good. I haven't seen anything IN SINGLES so far that would seriously contend for a medal at a World Championships. Where are the big guns? Michelle Out. Sasha out. Plushenko out. Slutskaya=washed up? Only Joubert is odds on for a medal possibly gold.

This past Skate Canada reminded me of 1992 when an unknown Maria B came out of nowhere to win and subsequently failed to qualify at worlds. At skate America Yuka Sato upset Nancy K, but neither of them were factors at worlds either. At worlds Unknown Oksana Baiul came out in February and won it all.

[Tamwheel]

Actually, I LOVE this year because we get to see the B-list skaters "pushing the envelope choreographically and trying new music" in order to get international recognition. It makes for an exciting season when the top skaters have to work just as hard to keep up.



Watching the B-list skaters this year I can see why they are B-list skaters. They do not have any significant medal potential anytime soon. The highlight for me has been the chinese pairs and the dancers.

[jenlyon60]

Just remember, to even be a "B-list" skater has taken these individuals a lot of time, money, dedication and effort. For every 1000 little girls in the US who start skating when young, maybe 1 of them makes it to Nationals... and maybe even that percentage is high.

Watching the B-list skaters this year I can see why they are B-list skaters. They do not have any significant medal potential anytime soon. The highlight for me has been the chinese pairs and the dancers.

[Tamwheel]

Just remember, to even be a "B-list" skater has taken these individuals a lot of time, money, dedication and effort. For every 1000 little girls in the US who start skating when young, maybe 1 of them makes it to Nationals... and maybe even that percentage is high.

That'a all very wonderful but it doesn't necessarily make for interesting tv. Or even interesting skating.

[backspin]

So don't watch it. :roll:

[Tamwheel]

Well nobody much else is watching either apparently. That's why it's been dumped onto cable ESPN.

[Mel On Ice]

I don't care what b-list skater I get to watch, I'm just so tired of that shoe commercial.

[bleu]

That'a all very wonderful but it doesn't necessarily make for interesting tv. Or even interesting skating.

well, I wonder what you shall be saying in the year 2007.
Me I am loving it now onwards...

[liljimeo]

I think ladies singles is the only discipline in skating that has not moved up.
The Men and Pairs are all doing harder things, and doing them well.
From what I understand, Dance has moved up in technical difficulty.
HOWEVER
The programs that were done by women in the early '90s would be more than competitive, today. I think the COP would have helped skaters like Ido, Harding, Bonaly, and others even more in the standings.
And Ladies skating is the discipline that they try to sale more. They promote ladies' names for olympic eligible events a heck of a lot more, so that I why It gets extra attention in this thread from me.
Now watch worlds be a really competitive event from the women, since I said all that. I surely hope so!

[Tamwheel]

I think ladies singles is the only discipline in skating that has not moved up.
The Men and Pairs are all doing harder things, and doing them well.
From what I understand, Dance has moved up in technical difficulty.
HOWEVER
The programs that were done by women in the early '90s would be more than competitive, today. I think the COP would have helped skaters like Ido, Harding, Bonaly, and others even more in the standings.


But I think that just in the past year or two, the level of Women's skating has finally GONE UP! WE just aren't seeing the big players right now. Michelle used to start the season doing perfect programs. We're finally seeing ladies doing triple Axels again...it's been what...15 years? Plus the overall level has gone up: two 3-3 are not uncommon. Back in the day, only the top 5 women were capable of doing even ONE 3-3 combination in a program. Arakawa had the most difficult winning free program since...Midori Ito in 1989. Elena Sokolova and Arakawa are finally making the triple Lutz-triple toe a mainstay, even in their short programs, something that hasn't been seen at all since the early 1990s. And we have people like Miki Ando doing quads? Plus she does triple Lutz-triple loop combinations better than Slutksaya and with absolute regularlity even in A SHORT PROGRAM!! That's unprecedented stuff. The rest of her skating needs work though.

COP should push all that back though, at least for some skaters. When skaters like Kwan and Cohen realize they can gain as much points for their less riskier spiral, footwork, and spin bonuses why should they attempt quads and triple-triple combinations? And they haven't.