writer rips kwan in relation to chanflation, and implies that nationalism is a factor

[iarispiralllyof]

an excerpt from the article:

The word "Chanflation" -- an old Internet chestnut first applied several years ago to the consistently high marks the 22-year-old Canadian gets for his program components -- actually appeared in headlines in some editions of the Los Angeles Times, and in a number of stories.

The kind of inflation Michelle Kwan could always count on, the 5.9 and 6.0 artistic marks, back in the day, my writer friend said, before memories got short.

So maybe not so much has changed, after all. Except that back then, nobody was drawing a parallel between the malfeasance of judges and the popularity of the sport. American women were strong, and so were attendance and TV ratings. All was ducky.

It wasn't killing figure skating when an American was the beneficiary.

read the full thing here:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/w...443/story.html

an almost identical article (except for slight differences in 1 small section)
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/A...594/story.html

[luenatic]

Oy Vey

[Sylvia]

Aside: Did the term 'Chanflation' originate here on FSU or elsewhere, anyone know? The earliest usage of the word here was by Rob during 2010 U.S. Nationals, and I believe it referred to Chan's nationally inflated scores at 2010 Canadians?

ETA:
1 Patrick Chan CO 90.14 177.88 268.02
(No quad attempts in either program and the competition took place in... London, Ontario.)

[Jenny]

Blah. All this talk of figure skating needing saving - let's start by getting rid of these stupid reporters and their sensationalist headlines, constant need to create controversy, and imaginary rivalries. There's so much to talk about in skating, and yet this nonsense is what gets all the attention. Blah.

[Vash01]

Kwan was not winning titles with 4 mistakes. Her strength was in delivering a near perfect SP& LP every time. That's what won her those 5 world titles. This is not even close.

[my little pony]

this article smells a little desperate and defensive

[falling_dance]

Even in the new scoring system, the judges can still fudge the second set of marks. If it's not along nationality lines so much any more, they can still be carried away by their hearts, by the connection they feel with a skater, by the "soul" -- as Chan put it Saturday -- of the program.

It was evident in the propping up of Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, four-time world pairs champions, who had two poor performances here and still finished second.

Savchenko and Szolkowy skated poorly in the short?

[overedge]

I wonder if the American writer friend was Christine Brennan.

ETA: And if being able to land a throw triple axel in the last few seconds of a program is a "poor performance", I want to do that badly too.

[iarispiralllyof]

I wonder if the American writer friend was Christine Brennan.

ETA: And if being able to land a throw triple axel in the last few seconds of a program is a "poor performance", I want to do that badly too.

doesn't brennan always worship michelle though

[jamesy]

Oh hell to the no!

[nlyoung]

Savchenko and Szolkowy skated poorly in the short?

If they were beaten by D/R they certainly did by their standards...

[hirshey girl]

I wonder if the American writer friend was Christine Brennan.

ETA: And if being able to land a throw triple axel in the last few seconds of a program is a "poor performance", I want to do that badly too.

Maybe it was a writer who wasn't invited to her wedding.

[triple_toe]

Honestly, I haven't read the article in it's entirety or any of the other Chan threads so I apologize if this isn't completely on topic. But you know what? That's an indicator in and of itself. I usually try to read articles and threads before posting. Now I don't give a damn. I've been mulling about this for a few days and it's just not leaving my mind. This absurd result is killing figure skating. It's a tragedy when someone like me, who has been passionately involved in figure skating almost my whole life, whether as a competitor, fan, or coach, doesn't even want to bother with it any more. I'm well versed in COP. I know where the numbers came from. I've seen Patrick skate. I've shared ice with him. I still don't agree with what happened.

People complain about sensationalistic headlines and all that nonsense but is a bonafide controversy, not just someone stirring the pot. This is a travesty and I'm devastated that a sport I love so much is going down the drain like this. So many people I've spoken to over the past few days, in person or on facebook, share the same opinion, whether it's non-skaters, kids at the rink, long time coaches, or high-level competitors I've met over the years. I've yet to meet one who thinks this result is good for the sport. So many people are upset and outraged over this.

I've defended skating for a long time and I hate those people who make a big drama of how over it they are every time their favourite loses. This isn't like that... but I do want to say I'm pretty much over the whole sport at this point. It really pains me because of how much I truly love it. But with this judging I can't. This keeps happening time and time again and it's just getting worse and no one is doing anything about it. I'm sorry people think this is melodramatic or over the top or whatever, but I can't help it. I'm crushed.

[nlyoung]

ETA: And if being able to land a throw triple axel in the last few seconds of a program is a "poor performance", I want to do that badly too.

It was a gutsy move and in terms of the points it gained was the reason for their silver medal. Despite a slightly shaky performance themselves, without it D/R may have ended up with the silver so yes, it was a less than stellar performance from S/S by their standards...

[overedge]

doesn't brennan always worship michelle though

Hmmm...come to think of it, Phil Hersh has used the term "Chanflation" on Twitter and in some of his columns

[falling_dance]

If they were beaten by D/R they certainly did by their standards...

By their standards, sure. I still think that was pretty sloppy on Cole's part, especially given how well D/R skated in that phase. Anyway, medals aren't handed out on the basis of individuals and teams meeting their respective personal bests, they're given on the basis on point totals awarded on the days of each phase of competition.

[euterpe]

When did Michelle Kwanwin a World Championship after having fallen twice in the FS? IIRC, she never won Worlds with anything other than two clean performances.
Bad, bad comparison.

[falling_dance]

I wonder if Cole was referring to 5.9s and 6.0s that Kwan received at other competitions--GP events, US Nats--rather than at Worlds. The only 6.0 for a performance with a fall I can think of was for her otherwise wonderful free skate at 1999 Skate America.

[iarispiralllyof]

I wonder if Cole was referring to 5.9s and 6.0s that Kwan received at other competitions--GP events, US Nats--rather than at Worlds. The only 6.0 for a performance with a fall I can think of was for her otherwise wonderful free skate at 1999 Skate America.

In this (almost identical except for 1 section) article he specifically references her world championships:
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/A...594/story.html

His article slams the apparent American double standard when it comes to score inflation, but the thing is..most of Michelle's 6.0's were from nationals so I don't see how that fits into his narrative. If most of her 6.0's were from international events it would support his theory of an American double standard more, since that would actually affect non-American skaters. After all, most skaters receive inflated scores at their national championships vs international events

[judgejudy27]

Kwanflation only took place at the National level, and even there she deserved the 6.0s she received for some of the performances she got them. At the World level she was hardly showered with 6.0s even sometimes for outstanding performances that I feel deserved them (eg- 2000 Worlds and 2001 Worlds LP where due to her main rivals skating later she did not receive a single 6.0 for a 6.0 worthy performance). Discounting the Worlds in 2004 where all marks are discredited for obvious reasons, she received only about 6 total 6.0s at Worlds in her career (still amazing) and never more than 2 for a single program. More importantly than the 6.0s though she fully deserved every title and medal she won; well I thought Chen should have won the 96 Worlds slightly over Michelle, but that doesnt mean it was a ripoff, it obviously could have gone either way in that case. She skated absolutely beautifully for all her World titles, didnt put a foot wrong, and in 2000 and 2001 had to skate out of her skin and wait for her main rival(s) to make mistakes to win. Only one occasion she won, she made a mistake or two at the weakish 98 post Olympic Worlds where she was clearly the best over the 2 programs of anyone that event regardless. Her only ever controversial medal was the 99 Worlds, but even there she only had a fall in the short, one real mistake (a step out of her 1st triple lutz) while landing 6 triples in the long, and still barely placed 2nd in the long to barely win the silver. Never was Kwan falling 4 or 5 times and being showered with 5.9s and 6.0s and titles. Had she skated the way Chan did at the last 2 Worlds she would have only 1 or 2 World titles today. To compare Kwan to Chan is a pure insult.