Unpopular Opinions

[Brenda_Bottems]

Sui/Han are overrated. Give me the Russian pairs anyday.

They are all overrated. Aside from jump consistency,the Knierims do everything just as well or better than the Russians and Chinese.

And I will take an extra dry martini,thanks.

-BB

 

[~tapdancer~]

I like exciting "warhorse" type music. My fave FDs so far this season are Logan/Bye's "Hunger Games" and Fear/Gibson's "The Lion King". Movie soundtracks and musicals are my jam. And drums. Also I have never liked a single performance from P/C (pretty sure that will definitely be an unpopular opinion).

 

[maatTheViking]

I think Trusova is great and while I’m not a fan of ‘early retirement’ I love women who is not afraid of showing power. If she can with with quads and no pretty pictures, let her.

I mostly like costume changes and think they’re fun.

 

[Vash01]

I like exciting "warhorse" type music. My fave FDs so far this season are Logan/Bye's "Hunger Games" and Fear/Gibson's "The Lion King". Movie soundtracks and musicals are my jam. And drums. Also I have never liked a single performance from P/C (pretty sure that will definitely be an unpopular opinion).

At least you are on the mark about 'unpopular' opinions, with P/C- LOL. Many opinions here are actually popular.

 

[Marco]

Urmanov and B&S should have royally and non-controversially won their Olympics.

P&T should have won 2010 Olympics.

There hasn't been a watchable top Russian woman skater since Butyrskaya. [honourable mention to Pogorilaya]

There hasn't been a watchable top Russian man skater in the last 3 decades.

US should stop celebrating mediocrity like Kerrigan, Flatt, Nagasu and Tennell.

Hanyu was overrated as his horrific posture and line were often overlooked.

I like IJS.

 

[Lemonade20]

Stars On Ice is overrated and filled with has-been skaters. It used to be so good, but it's run its course about 20 years ago.

 

[Karen-W]

Stars On Ice is overrated and filled with has-been skaters. It used to be so good, but it's run its course about 20 years ago.

Oh, SOI was still good 20 years ago. It ran out of steam about 15 years ago, I'd say.

 

[Habs]

I find P/C somewhat pretentious…

I agree with this.
I've tried really, really hard to like them. I've tried to enjoy their programs. I just can't. It always feel like they take themselves too seriously trying to be arteeeeests.

I still think V&M's best FD ever was Pink Floyd.

Grishuk and Platov should not have won either of their Olympic golds. Podium, yes. Gold, no.

 

[Vash01]

I always preferred COI to SOI because COI had real skating. SOI had some silly group numbers.

 

[Lemonade20]

I always preferred COI to SOI because COI had real skating. SOI had some silly group numbers.

Agreed, COI set the standard!

 

[aka_gerbil]

COI was long over and done by the time I lived somewhere skating tours came and I had the income to afford to go. I’ve been to SOI a few times, entirely because I wanted to see H/D live. They did not disappoint—those smooth knees of theirs are a wonder, but overall, the shows were underwhelming.

The best show I’ve been to was V/M’s Rock the Rink in 2019. There was a cohesive them and save a couple of participants, top notch skating with some from Europe, like Kostner and V/T. I know v/m are done skating, but I wonder if we ever reach a post-YNW point where it’s feasible if they’d ever go the route of producing shows.

 

[screech]

I agree with this.
I've tried really, really hard to like them. I've tried to enjoy their programs. I just can't. It always feel like they take themselves too seriously trying to be arteeeeests.

And the fact that they do a similar style FD every single year. I honestly think that there should be a penalty if there is a lack of variety in a skater's repertoire. Heck, I fully believe that if the RD didn't require a specific rhythm, they'd do the same thing for that program as well.

 

[giselle23]

Carolina Kostner!!!!

Tee-hee

Yu Na Kim underrotated her triple lutz in her long program at Sochi.

 

[sap5]

And the fact that they do a similar style FD every single year. I honestly think that there should be a penalty if there is a lack of variety in a skater's repertoire. Heck, I fully believe that if the RD didn't require a specific rhythm, they'd do the same thing for that program as well.

I don’t think PC do a similar style FD every year. How is this year’s FD like their 2016 one? They seem totally different to me.

 

[Lemonade20]

COI was long over and done by the time I lived somewhere skating tours came and I had the income to afford to go. I’ve been to SOI a few times, entirely because I wanted to see H/D live. They did not disappoint—those smooth knees of theirs are a wonder, but overall, the shows were underwhelming.

The best show I’ve been to was V/M’s Rock the Rink in 2019. There was a cohesive them and save a couple of participants, top notch skating with some from Europe, like Kostner and V/T. I know v/m are done skating, but I wonder if we ever reach a post-YNW point where it’s feasible if they’d ever go the route of producing shows.

Agree, although I didn't like how they opened the show. 20-30 mins of just the band playing, no skating at all. Then intermission and that's when all the skating happened.

 

[aka_gerbil]

Agree, although I didn't like how they opened the show. 20-30 mins of just the band playing, no skating at all. Then intermission and that's when all the skating happened.

I didn’t care much for the band either. I figured part of that for me might have been due to being from the US and completely unfamiliar with them.

The actual skating part was fantastic though.

 

[Vash01]

And the fact that they do a similar style FD every single year. I honestly think that there should be a penalty if there is a lack of variety in a skater's repertoire. Heck, I fully believe that if the RD didn't require a specific rhythm, they'd do the same thing for that program as well.

I think every skater has his/her style that works for them. They usually use what works for them, because they want to score well. I see nothing wrong in it. Their programs were different each year though. In ice dance in particular the teams are required to have innovative lifts, moves, etc. I do t feel that P/C skate the same program each year. For trying sonething different skaters have the exhibitions.

 

[VGThuy]

Mao and Akiko Suzuki were the last Japanese ladies skaters whose programs I felt were distinctive enough for me to remember. I kind of think despite their excellent skating skills and knee bend to die for, all of their programs sort of run the same and don’t much have impact. Miyahara’s skating was beautiful and I remember dance positions she had but not entire programs.

Same with the Korean ladies but it seems the Korean fans like that the Korean ladies are super manufactured in the Yuna Kim tradition.

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

Five pages in, and no one has dared to say this yet?

What Eteri’s young students do on the ice, though technically impressive, to me seems closer to gymnastics than to skating. I don’t find it aesthetically pleasing, and I don’t enjoy it. I especially dislike Dani G’s choreographic style.

 

[Kateri]

Five pages in, and no one has dared to say this yet?

What Eteri’s young students do on the ice, though technically impressive, to me seems closer to gymnastics than to skating. I don’t find it aesthetically pleasing, and I don’t enjoy it. I especially dislike Dani G’s choreographic style.

Because it's not an unpopular opinion, and people say it all the time?

 

[misskarne]

Five pages in, and no one has dared to say this yet?

What Eteri’s young students do on the ice, though technically impressive, to me seems closer to gymnastics than to skating. I don’t find it aesthetically pleasing, and I don’t enjoy it. I especially dislike Dani G’s choreographic style.

Isn't this literally the popular opinion? You can't go anywhere near a thread for a comp they're in without someone whining about the Russian girls.

 

[Vash01]

So the unpopular opinion must be-

I like how Eteri's students perform well, challenge themselves, and win medals. I respect Eteri as a coach.

 

[clairecloutier]

I think this board, on the whole, skews toward being pretty invested in the Russian women. As shown by the fact that they have their own separate thread.

Those who may happen to have a different opinion are rather in the minority at this point. That doesn't mean their opinion is any less valid than anyone else's or deserves to be called "whining."

 

[Wyliefan]

And then there are quite a few who like Eteri's students without being thrilled with some of their coach's methods and techniques. Which is also a perfectly valid opinion.

 

[On My Own]

It's always funny when a Russian stan starts bitching about how they can't watch their Russian skaters without someone "whining".

And by funny I mean "just sad". Maybe learn Russian and go post on a Russian forum, certain Plushenko stans - whoops the learning part is probably the problem.

 

[skylark]

Unpopular opinions:

I loved Madi and Evan's RD "There's No Business Like Show Business" and FD to "Les Miserables"

I loved Evan Lysacek's 'Carmen.' It made me his fan for life.

I always felt that Scott Moir only wanted to return to 2018 Olympics to have the last word against Meryl and Charlie.

Naming anyone the GOAT makes absolutely no sense.

Nathan Chen is every bit an artist, just as much as Yuzu. Totally different styles of artistry, different approaches to skating.

It's boring to hold up one skater as the ideal. Diversity in style and taste is what makes figure skating worth watching.

I love the number seven, so I have to think up another one. Ah! I loved Bradie's program to the live action 'Cinderella.' Anyone who dismisses it as "Disneyprincess" isn't listening to the themes of time, deadlines, and 'performance counts' in the music.

 

[canbelto]

Ok going to be really unpopular here but ... I eventually tired of MK's East of Eden. Like I thought it was charming at first, but when it became used and re-used and re-used and held up as THE MK program ...

 

[Wyliefan]

@skylark I think you and I were separated at birth!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

@skylark I think you and I were separated at birth!

It’s quite possible all three of us were pulled from our mama at once!!!

 

[Immortelle]

I find it really irritating when skaters have gold blades on their boots.