Henry Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 First of all, props to the American Snowboarders for winning 4 of the 6 medals. I'm don't really consider it a sport, but I gotta give it up to the boys for the sweep.<br /><br />Secondly, the figure skating. For years I've had this arguement with my wife that figure skating, while an impressive display of physical prowess, cannot be considered a 'sport' due to the completely subjective nature of the competition. Well, against my better judgement I watched the 'competition' last night and somehow, despite the fact that they botched a jump and looked generally very stiff, the Russians took the gold. The Canadians looked very sharp and nailed all their difficult moves, but still only got the Silver. Now I'm no expert, but this seemed like a big joke to me. Did ANYONE else see this? I'm curious to hear what the rest of you think.<br /><br />I came away thinking I was right all along. No way this sort of event can be considered a sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Die Hard Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 You should hear the uproar over here about it. Funny thing though... it's the same damn thing every Olympics for Canadian figure skaters. I don't watch the sport for the very reasons you mentioned.<br /><br />And Amercians should be proud of their snowboarders... it used to be a 'Canadian' sport <img border="0" title="" alt="[smile]" src="smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Ahh... at least we still kick@ss in speed skating and hockey <img border="0" title="" alt="[big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <br /><br />And Henry.... pink username?!?!?!<br /> <br /> <small>[ February 12, 2002, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: Die Hard ]</small> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 now there are rumblings that the European judges (surprise, surprise!) were cutting a backdoor deal so that the French judge would go with the Russians in pairs in return for the Russian judge going with the French couple who are favored in the ice dancing competition..........<br /><br />i am leery of any activity in which there is not a clear, objective winner.<br /><br />you know who wins a hockey game. you know who is the fastest down the mountain in downhill.<br /><br />figure skating is like auditioning for a part in a play. it's all up to how the director or judge 'feels' about you that given day.<br /><br />and your whole career rests on that judgment?<br /><br />not for me brother. not after all those years of working and sweating. <img border="0" alt="[finger]" title="" src="graemlins/finger.gif" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 I don't get the attraction of figure skating, but it is supposedly the most popular event. As far as the winter games go, I just like the skiing, particularly the downhill, and sledding. Something about going 80 mph on ice that is just attractive to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golgo-13 Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 The Russian mafia paid the judges off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 12, 2002 Author Share Posted February 12, 2002 DH, say what? <br /><br />I changed the color, but on my browser it still looks gold. On my PC at home it looks blue. In any case, pink is defniately not what I was going for. I think I'lljust change it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 When Scott Hamilton says he's embarrassed for his sport, you have to listen. I guess. <img border="0" title="" alt="[smile]" src="smile.gif" /> <br /><br />No question I felt bad for the Canadian pair ... to the untrained eye, they certainly LOOKED to have outskated the Russians. About the only thing I've heard that might speak to the Russian's cause is that the degree of difficulty in their routine was considerably higher. Still, the whole thing definitely failed the smell test. <br /><br />I was reminded of the Roy Jones, Jr. blow job in Seoul, where he beat some Korean stiff up for 3 rounds in the gold medal fight ... and lost a "split decision" (which was about as preposterous as the '72 basketball final. We all remember that, right?).<br /><br />Since the Jones fiasco, I haven't been able to take any 'sport' that settles its' winners and losers subjectively very seriously.<br /><br />See, what skating obviously needs is a computerized system, run by independent software wizards, that mathematically takes into account all imaginable variables, and ultimately insures the best matchup and a worthy, undisputed champion. <br /><br />You know, like college football. That's worked out well so far ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 The ISU is gonna hold an inquiry, as the W. Post is <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64316-2002Feb12.html" target="_blank"> reporting here </a>.<br /><br />It's likely just a formality to get the fans off their backs, but at least they recognize that they have to acknowledge the unwashed masses every once in a while.<br /> <br /> <small>[ February 12, 2002, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Terry ]</small> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 I watch figure skating for the skirts. If they wore pants, that sport would go by the wayside real fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 I enjoy watching for the beauty of the whole thing. I didn't see last night's long program, but the Russians were clearly better in the short program. I don't know if that factored in.<br /><br /> I thought we got some home cooking in the snowboard competition (I take it 'Farting in the Bathtub' will soon be recognized as an Olympic sport). It appeared to me that our bronze medalist landed on his butt at least once. <br /><br /> I'm just waiting for the manly sport of curling to take off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPare Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 If reports are to be believed, the results for the ice dancing competition have already been determined specifically (and I'm doing this from memory now)<br /><br />1. Italy<br />2. Russia<br />3. France (not sure about this one)<br />4. Lituania (maybe one of the other <br />5. Canada<br /><br />The fix was also apparently also in prior to have the Russians place ahead of the Italians is the pairs team didn't win.<br /><br />The funny thing is that the Russian pairs team didn't answer any questions in Russian, supposedly because the Russian media were going to be taking the stance "how do you feel wearing medals that you didn't earn" Kinda interesting....<br /><br />The only way to clean up the sport is to take the back room deals out of it. The problem is not necessarily the fact that it's subjective. That's just why it's difficult to conclusively prove that fishy stuff is going on. The way that you clean up the sport is:<br />1. countries with top 5 or 10 rated skaters in a competition may not have judges present on the panel.<br />2. you pick the judges from a pool, 15 minutes prior to the event, so that the composition isn't known beforehand, and the deals can't be made (you also guarantee that there's no ability to make a you scratch my back in this competition and I'll scratch yours in teh next)<br />3. Can the ice dancing outright<br /><br />'nuff said<br /><br />oh, except that I should mention, the assumption about the "orientation" of male skaters is pretty much what you've assumed. There are a few exceptions, and those guys are REALLY lucky. I know this because of a really lucky friend from high school (definitely no first hand knowledge, for good or ill) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 Well, for what it's worth, it has been the talk of the town locally. Haven't had the chance to really ask some of the vistors from other countries that are staying nearby their opinion yet. However, I've picked it up in a few conversations at the local grocery store. I watched the competition shortly after the American pair and saw the Russians routine. It was more difficult but according what I saw and heard there were 4 mistakes in the program. The Canadian routine was not as difficult but flawless. Big controversy came from placement scores. five 1st and 4 2nd for the Canadians. After scoring very high(higher than Russians?) in the 2 previous categories. OOps. Telling picture was of the Russian male skater shaking the hand of the Canadian males hand at the medal stand and shaking his head at the same time, as if to say"nah, I don't really know what that's about either"<br /><br />Om, I was a lad of 10 years when I watched that Basketball game in 72. Still haven't forgotten that(nor the boxing fiasco, I believe that was reversed years later). Apparently, neither have the players on that 72 U.S. team. Correct me if I'm wrong, but most still refuse to accept the Silver Medal<br /> <br /> <small>[ February 12, 2002, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: Park City Skins ]</small> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.