Olympic Channel Figure Skating Galore

[caseyedwards]

I don’t get how someone who really became a legend (almost) worldwide is considered a total no talent by all the elites of American Skating! hamiltons comments are the worst! “ Plushenko makes the judges seem smart” so their job is to prop up all Russian skaters and give them victories so when Plushenko does quads consistently they have great cover for their basically illegitimate work? Slutskaya faced the same thing! But it’s really amazing no one North American press felt Plushenko ever had any talent

 

[A.H.Black]

I don’t get how someone who really became a legend (almost) worldwide is considered a total no talent by all the elites of American Skating! hamiltons comments are the worst! “ Plushenko makes the judges seem smart” so their job is to prop up all Russian skaters and give them victories so when Plushenko does quads consistently they have great cover for their basically illegitimate work? Slutskaya faced the same thing! But it’s really amazing no one North American press felt Plushenko ever had any talent

I'm one of those who never liked Plushenko - not from the time he was very young till the time he finally was done. Unlike Dick, Plushenko never mesmerized me. I spent all those years mostly skipping his skate because I didn't enjoy it. Biased? Probably; but there are Russian skaters I do support and do enjoy. I don't think I would have liked Plushenko if he had been North American either.

 

[lala]

I don’t get how someone who really became a legend (almost) worldwide is considered a total no talent by all the elites of American Skating! amiltons comments are the worst! “ Plushenko makes the judges seem smart” so their job is to prop up all Russian skaters and give them victories so when Plushenko does quads consistently they have great cover for their basically illegitimate work? Slutskaya faced the same thing! But it’s really amazing no one North American press felt Plushenko ever had any talent

No matter, Casey. This is the reason why I'm watching the Eurosport videos in general. If you listen their comments about Plushenko's skating you feel you watch totally different program. And according some Aussy Fs fans the Aussy commentator also praised him in 2006. I read many enjoyable comments on American commentators under Plushenko's Godfather videos. They didn't "respect" Dick and Scott.
But I disagree if you watch Plushenko's old videos he was everything from the beginning in American commentaries: talented, artistic, athletic, unique... (Plus he was on SOI in US for months notonce in his very young age)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQPXPf14JQw probably you know this montage you can listen some American commentaries
and north American commentary on Godfather at GPF 2004 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ0S6NPTPI8 ESPN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNIENLK-tfM - "only he" ESPN they were amazed by him...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5CxQq1vsRU Dick Button himself on Godfather at MarshallsWC -different opinion. According the audience he received so many 6.0s! And yes, the judges also thought that! 6.0s...
Not to mention Buttton's commentary on the St. Petersburg 300 at GPF 2003.
edit:
Roberto Bolle one of the greatest ballet dancers today was in the hall in Torino. He said after the program:
Bolle, what did you noticed in Plushenko’s performance?
- "Apart from the competition, that was very exciting, is not just the quality of exercise that excite me. His real strength comes from charisma, personality, by the presence on ice. He demonstrates how much he’s good, by showing the high consideration has about himself, and this effects his opponents. You could see that others were not so sure, he told them right away, from the first movement: "I am the number one
"There are many skaters who have a strong body, and many are flexable and have softness and extreme extensibility in their movement. Honestly, I’m not an expert, I don’t notice one element that stands out the Russian. It is his artistic vision, the quality of dance and of how he presents himself , he has completeness."

So I believe that was policy in 2006. He was too unbeatable for years.. In October he was in NY the audience simply adored him... as everywhere in the world... Thus I repeat who cares of some biased comments?

Dick in 2014 after the SP

Dick Button ‏@PushDicksButton 6h

Re: Plushenko. In my book, #PushDicksButton, I explain I only criticize skaters I think are really talented. (1/2) #Sochi2014

Dick Button ‏@PushDicksButton 5h

Plushenko has theater in his blood. That's why we watch and comment on him. (2/2) #PushDicksButton #Sochi2014 #figureskate


I would like to hear their opinions on Medvedeva...

 

[mollymgr]

It is 2006 Ice Dance tonight...so many memories. Tom is so snarky. Barbara and Maurizio I think their FD outfits are just enhancing the hilariousness of it all.

 

[Aceon6]

Yes, 2006, the year of epic splats and Skary Babs.

 

[A.H.Black]

Do we get to see "THE LOOK OF DEATH" or was that in the short - or did I miss it?

Galit Chait's twizzles - yikes She spotted them - boy have twizzles improved.

 

[Wyliefan]

delete

 

[Wyliefan]

And Uncle Dick is going on about Maria Callas and Whitney Houston . . . Those were the days.

 

[tony]

Yes, the best quote:

"And if you're going to sing the National Anthem, you better be Whitney Houston and not Roseanne Barr."



Since Dick was more limited in his commentary on NBC during the skates at this Olympics, he actually came across much better than the mumbling mess he got into in his latter years at ABC.

 

[annie720]

And Uncle Dick is going on about Maria Callas and Whitney Houston . . . Those were the days.

This is all so much fun!

 

[mollymgr]

Do we get to see "THE LOOK OF DEATH" or was that in the short - or did I miss it?

They are only showing the FDs. They showed the fall and death stare as fluff between skaters. Barbara and Maurizio weren't talking to each other backstage before the FD so there was commentary about that.

 

[Wyliefan]

Headbands! Skunk stripes!

 

[tony]

They are only showing the FDs. They showed the fall and death stare as fluff between skaters. Barbara and Maurizio weren't talking to each other backstage before the FD so there was commentary about that.

To the point that Dick Button was over the dramatics and asked something like, "I wonder if that's what she wants to be remembered for when her young child watches this in 20 years."

But then all was forgotten at the end of the FD.

 

[annie720]

Headbands! Skunk stripes!

Greasy guy hair!

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Greasy guy hair!

Boob tassels!

 

[glorybox64]

How in the heck did Grushina manage an Olympic medal with that!? It was even worse than i remembered.

 

[A.H.Black]

Greasy guy hair!

All the straight hair this week looks greasy and dirty to me.

"Extraordinary Positions!!!" It always amazes me how close Dick came to the line over and over and over again - and never quite crossed it. He always checked himself just in the nick of time (word).

 

[glorybox64]

It’s amazing how far dance has come in just about a decade. Many (most?) of these FDs are incredibly clunky with ugly lifts, no speed and no character (imo).

 

[Wyliefan]

Tanith and Ben look so goofy and cute waiting to go on!

 

[mollymgr]

Isabelle and Olivier with gloveography.

 

[caseyedwards]

Isabelle and Olivier with gloveography.

Such great detail!

 

[Braulio]

How in the heck did Grushina manage an Olympic medal with that!? It was even worse than i remembered.

the power of Morozov politicks

 

[rfisher]

Wow. Triple-double. What the intermediate girls are doing in San Jose today.

 

[rfisher]

The lovely Kiira.

Not sure what is says that the most I remember about Sokolova is her posing nude on the fur rug.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

My goodness I miss Uncle Dick. No one could bring the snark like he did.

 

[tony]

Dick Button over the years really seemed to notice and comment on Sokolova's (lack of being in) shape. I remember they all went to town on her during the 2003 Skate Canada and ABC/ESPN showed all of her programs from the Grand Prix series that season even though she ended up like 9th in both events. And I had forgotten he also snarked at her here in the free skate.

 

[tony]

And BTW- this is one of the redeemable reasons for not having an Olympics broadcast live in primetime in the USA. This was on tape delay, and we ended up seeing the majority of the field in the free skate. I (and probably everyone else who cared) still watched it online earlier in the day, but this was a nice surprise to see so many skaters featured.

 

[A.H.Black]

Did Miki Ando always have such bad posture? Bending forward at the waist?

We got to hear the "un-souffled" Dickism - I did burst out laughing.

 

[tony]

'This is either a wake-up call or the end of her career.'

-Sandra Bezic on Miki Ando

And then Ando won Worlds a year later.

 

[rfisher]

Did Miki Ando always have such bad posture? Bending forward at the waist?

We got to hear the "un-souffled" Dickism - I did burst out laughing.

Yes. Always.

I was too busy sobbing that it wasn't Michelle to watch Emily.