Unpopular Opinions

[Vagabond]

Without radical changes to the judging system and rules,this sport is in its death throes. Happy Monday.

-BB

Copying Ottavio Cinquanta's public statements from 2002 and pasting them here, are you?

 

[screech]

I wish there were a non gender segregated singles competition with everyone’s PCS factored the same way so I can see Trusova and Valieva take on Chen and Hanyu. I think that would be epic

If PCS were factored the same, Valieva would have been within 1 point of Nathan's FP score (and with one less quad!).

It's time that ladies are allowed to do quads in the SP and for PCS to be factored equally. Yes yes, I know it's 'unfair' to all those who can't do them, but when men were allowed quads in the SP, most were not attempting them either. I won't be surprised if that change is announced after the Olympic season ends.

 

[Elisheba]

If PCS were factored the same, Valieva would have been within 1 point of Nathan's FP score (and with one less quad!).

It's time that ladies are allowed to do quads in the SP and for PCS to be factored equally. Yes yes, I know it's 'unfair' to all those who can't do them, but when men were allowed quads in the SP, most were not attempting them either. I won't be surprised if that change is announced after the Olympic season ends.

I’d love to see this, especially the change in the factoring to women’s PCS so that the female equivalent of Jason Brown can be competitive without quads.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Not sure if this will be popular but if NFL and NHL and NBA reporters are allowed to go inside the locker room then we need to have reporters in the men’s locker room at the very least

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

Not remotely unpopular.

I firmly believe if you poll 100 skating fans "is figure skating in its death throes?" less than 50% would say yes. In my book,I have stated an unpopular opinion.

I'm not sure if you're supposed to be a parody account or not

Rest assured I am very real,my dear. The only thing parodistic about this account is my picture—sadly,I am not Miss Collins. However,I have always bore a striking resemblance. I hope this is not too shocking a reveal to the patrons of this forum.

-BB

 

[tony]

I firmly believe if you poll 100 skating fans "is figure skating in its death throes?" less than 50% would say yes. In my book,I have stated an unpopular opinion.


Rest assured I am very real,my dear. The only thing parodistic about this account is my picture—sadly,I am not Miss Collins. I hope that does not shock patrongs of this forum. However,I have always bore a striking resemblance to Miss Collins.

-BB

I'm surprised after all the Tuktamysheva talk by one poster that you haven't ranted about how sensual Eldredge's 'Walk on the Wild Side' was!

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

I'm surprised after all the Tuktamysheva talk by one poster that you haven't ranted about how sensual Eldredge's 'Walk on the Wild Side' was!

Indeed. Todd was alluring and sensual and arousing without resorting to cheap tactics like bare midriff or excessive oscillation of the hips and arms. I admire and respect skating that is sensual. I disdain the cheap sexcapades on ice.

-BB

 

[skateboy]

I am a big fan of Jason Brown's skating (we even share the same birthday!) and he has such a winning personality, however...

After he was so upset and depressed (his words) not to make the 2018 Olympic team, I'm sorry to see he has not taken advantage of getting his quads in order. All he needed were toe and salchow. I mean, he's a top level skater and has had eight years. He could have been a multiple world medalist. And now he's in danger -- again -- of not making the team.

(I'm sorry... but this IS called "Unpopular Opinions.")

 

[LoopCombo]

I am a big fan of Jason Brown's skating (we even share the same birthday!) and he has such a winning personality, however...

After he was so upset and depressed (his words) not to make the 2018 Olympic team, I'm sorry to see he has not taken advantage of getting his quads in order. All he needed were toe and salchow. I mean, he's a top level skater and has had eight years. He could have been a multiple world medalist. And now he's in danger -- again -- of not making the team.

(I'm sorry... but this IS called "Unpopular Opinions.")

I feel like Brown has really tried to get the quads, but so far what we’ve seen is the best he can do. I have loved him since his Riverdance days, but I do hate to see him beat good performances that have quads in the free skate WHEN he falls on the triple axel and has no proper quad. Too much! The judges should wait for that scoring upset until he lands the quad and doesn’t fall on the triple axel in the same free skate. I think he will do it later this year when he peaks!

 

[misskarne]

I am a big fan of Jason Brown's skating (we even share the same birthday!) and he has such a winning personality, however...

After he was so upset and depressed (his words) not to make the 2018 Olympic team, I'm sorry to see he has not taken advantage of getting his quads in order. All he needed were toe and salchow. I mean, he's a top level skater and has had eight years. He could have been a multiple world medalist. And now he's in danger -- again -- of not making the team.

(I'm sorry... but this IS called "Unpopular Opinions.")

Because obviously he's been sitting on his butt for the last four years and hasn't even tried. Clearly.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I am a big fan of Jason Brown's skating (we even share the same birthday!) and he has such a winning personality, however...

After he was so upset and depressed (his words) not to make the 2018 Olympic team, I'm sorry to see he has not taken advantage of getting his quads in order. All he needed were toe and salchow. I mean, he's a top level skater and has had eight years. He could have been a multiple world medalist. And now he's in danger -- again -- of not making the team.

(I'm sorry... but this IS called "Unpopular Opinions.")

Not making the team to who? I’m pretty sure he is also gonna be making the Grand Prix final, what other US man (don’t say some of the juniors going seniors) do you think going to make the US Olympic team?

Vincent and Nathan I would say r solid at 99.9% and I would say Jason Brown is 99.7%.

There is zero suspense for me in who is going to make the US men’s Olympic team. But there is plenty of suspense in who’s going to make the US women’s team

 

[skateboy]

Because obviously he's been sitting on his butt for the last four years and hasn't even tried. Clearly.

Again... check the title of the thread.

 

[misskarne]

Again... check the title of the thread.

Yes, it's the unpopular opinions thread. But your opinion isn't unpopular, it's just factually incorrect. You state it like Jason hasn't bothered trying, when he clearly has been trying.

 

[skateboy]

Yes, it's the unpopular opinions thread. But your opinion isn't unpopular, it's just factually incorrect. You state it like Jason hasn't bothered trying, when he clearly has been trying.

Yeah... okaaaayyy.

 

[Escarbille]

I love free dances that start with the spoken words "Love is ..."

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Russia has ruined ladies skating. Skinny girls back and forth doing 3A's/4's. 1 1/2 - 2 years they're gone, replaced by a new batch. The winners are not doing free skates; they're doing floor exercises. A little reference to music being on, a little dancing around, but the action is the tumbling passes. Women's skating is now this with funny shoes on.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Russia has ruined ladies skating. Skinny girls back and forth doing 3A's/4's. 1 1/2 - 2 years they're gone, replaced by a new batch. The winners are not doing free skates; they're doing floor exercises. A little reference to music being on, a little dancing around, but the action is the tumbling passes. Women's skating is now this with funny shoes on.

Well you’re not wrong. I went back to watch Kamilas performance and there really isn’t a performance...she’s thinking the entire time, does not look to the audience, does not bring me in, it’s just difficult element to the next difficult element to the next element. Not much of a program I want to go back to rewatch.

She even looks nervous/worried/very deep in thought in the opening pose so already I’m not invited into her performance. Give me Michelle Kwan please

And you’re right about the replacement.... I mean even Kostonaria will prob never even go to an Olympics or even a worlds? Her moment could possibly be done. The ones in juniors are scoring 150 in the free program and over. It’s like thanks for your one trip to the Olympics Med, thanks for your one trip to the Olympics Zag... that’s all you’ll be having lol

 

[MsZem]

I am a big fan of Jason Brown's skating (we even share the same birthday!) and he has such a winning personality, however...

After he was so upset and depressed (his words) not to make the 2018 Olympic team, I'm sorry to see he has not taken advantage of getting his quads in order. All he needed were toe and salchow. I mean, he's a top level skater and has had eight years. He could have been a multiple world medalist. And now he's in danger -- again -- of not making the team.

"All he needed".

I think we expect too much from some skaters, especially those who came up the junior (even senior) ranks before skating became a complete quad fest.

I'm not sure if wanting slightly fewer quads is an unpopular opinion or a popular one. Skating is a sport and should be pushed forward, but harder jumps are not the only way to do it.

 

[On My Own]

I think we expect too much from some skaters, especially those who came up the junior (even senior) ranks before skating became a complete quad fest.

Jason didn't even have a stable 3A when he became a senior... and landing quads and 3As to win world medals was very much a thing in the quad leading up to his senior debut.

Skating is a sport and should be pushed forward, but harder jumps are not the only way to do it.

It's the only way to do it, from what I can see. All the "artists" have not innovated even a single new spiral or spin position, unfortunately, despite being very much free to do so, in the past two quads.

I don't really care for the phrase "unpopular opinion", but I guess my "unpopular opinion" is this: I hate Brown's programs this season. And his skating is mawkish. Utter mismatch to the kind of depth needed for the topics and music he chose. Sinnerman needs to be viewed as satire in order to digest it.

Russia has ruined ladies skating.

Instead, I'd say they've ruined Pairs skating, and are on their way to ruining Ice Dance. Ladies can at least perform. Not sure, even remotely, what I'm supposed to be watching when it comes to Mishina/Galliamov or Boikova/Kozlovskii, as they plod across the ice, entirely unaware of how to use their knees, or treating the music as something more than a garnish.

 

[VGThuy]

Maybe skating should take a page out of track and swimming and have medals awarded for all kinds of competitions. Have a single jumps only competition. A double jump only competition. A triple jump only competition and a quads only competition. A skater can only choose to qualify for one of those meets. Then we can have a relay style competition.

 

[Lemonade20]

Maybe skating should take a page out of track and swimming and have medals awarded for all kinds of competitions. Have a single jumps only competition. A double jump only competition. A triple jump only competition and a quads only competition. A skater can only choose to qualify for one of those meets. Then we can have a relay style competition.

Sadly this would make it more entertaining to watch. It's turning into a jumping competition.

 

[Escarbille]

In French, "figue skating" is called "artistic skating". I see a major difference between women, men and pairs skating on one side, and dancing on the other side. On the one hand, as said previously, it is the technicality, the difficulty of the figures and especially the jumps that take precedence, on the other is the artistic quality, including the history, the atmosphere, the travel that offers us the dancers. If I go to the end, the music is only accessory for the former, and is a major component which supports and guides an interpretation of the other. Why want more difficult and spectacular lifts in dance? You might as well skate in pairs ... It is very often difficult to fit the twizzles into a free dance without interrupting the atmosphere, the narration of the dance. How many times have I said to myself, here are the twizzles ... Like a break or an intermission in the room .

 

[skateboy]

Sadly this would make it more entertaining to watch. It's turning into a jumping competition.

True, but when has it not been a jumping competition?

 

[flyingsit]

Maybe at this point skating, ladies especially, should be divided into events with and without music. Because most of the programs look as if they were choreographed without music playing, and then random music was cut to the appropriate length and assigned.

 

[gkelly]

Sadly this would make it more entertaining to watch. It's turning into a jumping competition.

Depends how it's implemented.

Skaters will probably be able to have the best success if they get a rest between jumps, but a competition format in which each skater only performs one jump at a time will have a lot of down time in which audiences will easily get bored. (At least in non-live broadcasts much of that can be edited out.)

It would also take more ice time etc. than having each skater do everything in one time window.

So what I'd recommend for a jumps-only competition would be to have warmup groups as usual, give each skater 2-4 minutes to execute all their jumps (depending on the number of jump elements required/allowed), with no music and the beginning of the timing indicated by a sound or an announcement. Base values and GOEs only, no PCS, so skaters would be free to glide around on two feet, drink water, consult their coach, etc., while the clock is running before they start setting up their next jump. And they could have two opportunities to attempt each jump element, in case they're not happy with the first attempt. But once the time limit is reached, they're done.

Then the question would be what elements to include. One axel, one solo jump, and one two-jump combination same as the current short program?

Or, say, one edge jump, one toe jump, and one two- or three-jump combination or sequence?

For seniors, they could have the option of doing all triples and/or quads, or including a double axel or one double in the combination, or all doubles if that's what they can do well (but skaters doing all doubles would not earn international-level scores).

Or there could be a required double jump or single axel or any single jump, to encourage variations.

Or a required jump sequence that must include only low-revolution jumps.

If there are only 3 jump passes allowed, 2 minutes should be plenty to let the skaters catch their breath in between attempts. If they're allowed a second attempt at any or all of the elements, then 2:30 or 3:00. If there are 5 or 6 different elements, especially if second attempts are allowed, then 4 minutes might be needed.

No second-half bonus, so they can start out with the most demanding elements while they're fresh.

True, but when has it not been a jumping competition?

Before WWII.

And to a lesser extent before the introduction of the short program, and even lesser before the elimination of figures altogether.

 

[Wyliefan]

Trusova would adore a pure jumping competition. (That's not a slam on her, by the way. No reason she shouldn't enjoy jumping more than anything. I imagine it's great fun if you're good at it!)

 

[screech]

The talk of a jumping competition makes me think of when I was testing my different free skate levels and you'd have to show the ability to do specific elements (with one potential redo) before also doing your program.

I remember when multiple people were testing the same free we all did the same element one at a time before moving on to the next one. For example, I did an axel, next person axel, next person axel, then any redos. Then we moved on to a jump combination, then onto another jump, etc. All skaters doing the specific element, then any redos, then onto the next element. Each person does end up with a bit of a rest between elements, but the whole thing keeps moving. We also stayed on the ice between elements so we could keep our legs moving, but out of the way of the person testing.

 

[canbelto]

The thing about Jason Brown is that there's always been skaters with the most exquisite artistry who for one reason or another did not have the technical chops or consistency to make it to the top of the podium.

Think of Johnny Weir, Karen Chen, Paul Wylie, Carolina Kostner, in some ways Sasha Cohen, etc. In that regard, I actually don't think Jason is THAT artistic. I;'m not comparing him to Nathan Chen or Plushenko. I'm comparing him to the other skaters who were high on artistry and lacking in jump consistency.

 

[flyingsit]

I never thought Sasha Cohen was all that artistic. She was extremely flexible and hit great static positions, but her musical interpretation was pretty one-note.

 

[coppertop1]

Eteri Tutberidze: “It seems that with each gram of weight a gram of laziness is added”

Glamour magazine reposted an old interview with Eteri Tutberidze (from March 2018, rubric

fs-gossips.com

Raise the seniors age to 18, to somewhat mitigate the temptation to starve female skaters, and forestall puberty. Change the name of Rostelecom to Westminster to honor all of the "pedigreed" participants, lol (sardonic reference to article above).

Only women?