Unpopular Opinions

[canbelto]

My unpopular opinion is I actually didn't mind most of the Eteri skaters as skaters. The choreography might have been bad, but in terms of skating skills and artistry I liked Kamila Valieva, Alina Zagitova, Alena Kostornaia, etc.

 

[olympic]

My unpopular opinion is I actually didn't mind most of the Eteri skaters as skaters. The choreography might have been bad, but in terms of skating skills and artistry I liked Kamila Valieva, Alina Zagitova, Alena Kostornaia, etc.

I actually thought while watching the 2022 Olympics that KV was more pleasant to watch than Zagitova, but maybe because it’s been discussed forever, I can’t unsee the hideous lurch between jumps in the combos performed by all of Eteri trainees

 

[On My Own]

The men's discipline was the worst to watch the last entire quad, and I thought the only reason people kept hyping it was because there were contenders from two of the big skating countries + the commentators could add fuel to the "rivalry" between Hanyu and Chen.

Tara and Johnny >xN Ashley Wagner as commentators, but the lot of them suck. Will also forever laugh at defenders of Wagner's commentary on social media being like "you hate her!" and then tearing down T&J and saying things like how Scott Hamilton made sex and constipation noises. Three of the least empathetic and most abhorrent personalities I've had the displeasure of listening to.

"It is okay for this person to mispronounce the skater's name because everyone else does too" is a dumbass take. (yes, I've seen this on reddit, tyvm)

I'll take TSL's biased gossipy bs over ANY funyun "information" video over on english or chinese social media. Even koola king >x∞ funyuns.

Hanyu should be ashamed of his cult following and he has a duty towards the sport to call out the body-shaming and racism a big section of his fans engage in.

Dick Button is goat.

 

[TheresMaude]

Dick Button is goat.

Huzzah!! (As if there’s any question.)

 

[Fiero425]

The men's discipline was the worst to watch the last entire quad, and I thought the only reason people kept hyping it was because there were contenders from two of the big skating countries + the commentators could add fuel to the "rivalry" between Hanyu and Chen.

Tara and Johnny >xN Ashley Wagner as commentators, but the lot of them suck. Will also forever laugh at defenders of Wagner's commentary on social media being like "you hate her!" and then tearing down T&J and saying things like how Scott Hamilton made sex and constipation noises. Three of the least empathetic and most abhorrent personalities I've had the displeasure of listening to.

"It is okay for this person to mispronounce the skater's name because everyone else does too" is a dumbass take. (yes, I've seen this on reddit, tyvm)

I'll take TSL's biased gossipy bs over ANY funyun "information" video over on english or chinese social media. Even koola king >x∞ funyuns.

Hanyu should be ashamed of his cult following and he has a duty towards the sport to call out the body-shaming and racism a big section of his fans engage in.

Dick Button is goat.

I can only go by what I've seen and heard, but I already have cut back my need to watch FS events to begin w/ these days! If I had to deal w/ that self-entitled brat, Wagner I'd be done, done, done! Even though no fan of Kwan, Wagner always seemed the most spoiled of mean girls in her era that cared little for other people's feelings! She was gifted Nagasu's spot on the Olympic team of 2014 & lobbied for it to be done again in 2018 even though well behind Mirai's scores both times!

 

[sap5]

I like C/B's David Bowie RD.

 

[LilJen]

I am thoroughly sick of East of Eden. It was old like 25 years ago.

When I see Chock's RD dress, all I can think of is the Sneetches (Dr. Seuss), who argued over who had "stars on thars." The star on the butt needs to GO. (Also, if the star is trying to reference Ziggy Stardust, uh, C&B, you lose. This was WAYYYYY after the ZS days, mid-80s for the Serious Moonlight Bowie album. His image was completely different then. But I'm ranting.)

 

[TheresMaude]

I think Bradie’s SP dress is strikingly beautiful and a sophisticated breath of fresh air. (Glad she has a new hair do too.)

 

[Fiero425]

I am thoroughly sick of East of Eden. It was old like 25 years ago.

When I see Chock's RD dress, all I can think of is the Sneetches (Dr. Seuss), who argued over who had "stars on thars." The star on the butt needs to GO. (Also, if the star is trying to reference Ziggy Stardust, uh, C&B, you lose. This was WAYYYYY after the ZS days, mid-80s for the Serious Moonlight Bowie album. His image was completely different then. But I'm ranting.)

Michelle Kwan just about wore it out, using it for just about everything over a few yrs.; short-P, long-P, & Exhibition performances!

 

[Gris]

Okay my unpopular opinion today is that I'd have Zingas / Kolesnik ahead of Carreira / Ponomarenko at US Nationals. And I'm NOT a fan of Shpilband's choreography AT ALL.

 

[On My Own]

I truly hate what COP has done to spins and how skaters put them in programs that I prefer 1990s style spins. That’s saying a lot when they were way under appreciated, and still developing until the baby ballerinas of the 2000s came and raised the game. The evolution of spins were moving along fine until COP killed them. The unpopular part of this is me thinking spins were better utilized in the 1990s and more awe-inducing when you saw a great one.

I think this is not really unpopular. I'd say what CoP has done is destroy the theatre of spin - Dick Button (all hail the REAL GOAT) pointed it out in this SP performance from Plushenko: https://youtu.be/0ieMEfklmuI?t=222

What the CoP has done is clutter spins and made them unmusical, and the positions that are classified as "difficult" - well most people can't really achieve them well, and the callers end up granting those to anyone who passes a bare minimum standard for the position (nor do the judges mark the GOE properly). I do think Sasha Cohen during this era did a good job of handling the requirements, and she and a few others during the next quad paid attention to the musical phrasing at least, but even that's gone now.

I'd say that the difficult exit feature is another one that's ruining spins right now. I was actually excited for it, but pretty much everyone is doing a hideous slide, or a terrible illusion turn (sometimes hopping out of it). I wish people would use the acceleration feature more often.

 

[VGThuy]

I think the problem with the acceleration option is that a lot of skaters weren’t getting credit for it even if their spins were accelerating. It was too subjective of a call to leave up to the caller so they go for more sure things.

 

[aemeraldrainc]

I liked McNamara/Spiridonov’s free dance

 

[VGThuy]

I liked McNamara/Spiridonov’s free dance

Now this is a good example of an actual unpopular opinion!

 

[TheresMaude]

I think Bradie’s SP dress is strikingly beautiful and a sophisticated breath of fresh air. (Glad she has a new hair do too.)

Replying to my own post to point out with pride that Fug Girl Jessica agrees with us!!

Bradie’s SP Dress with the chic collar

 

[Laura4]

I don’t miss Yuzuru Hanyu.

I think Ashley Wagner is insufferable.

I’m tired of watching Gracie Gold compete.

 

[emason]

I certainly wouldn’t wish illness on anyone and I hope Isabeau Levito is OK, but she is not all that and a bag of chips. Someone else please win Worlds.

 

[Wyliefan]

Your sense of timing is abysmal.

 

[Wyliefan]

Carmina Burana should have been retired after Paul Wylie did that pro program to it. That was peak Carmina Burana right there.

 

[On My Own]

The Japanese Junior men had completely ridiculous PCS judging at 4CC 2023. Keegan really should have taken it. Quite literally what is the point of this score if anyone can get it without any effort?

 

[olympic]

I liked Rachael Flatt's EoE.

I felt that Flatt's UR calls in the LP at Vancouver 2010 were not justified.

I don't think Flatt's skating was as bad as some people make it out to be.

------

Wylie's skating did not provoke emotion in me. All I saw when watching him skate were tentative landings

 

[skateboy]

I freaking hate smoke alarms.

Why do they ALWAYS have to start beeping at 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning? I have no ladder and it's in a place I can't get to.

I swear I'm going to remove my own appendix with a knife and fork.

 

[On My Own]

That took a turn.

 

[skateboy]

The men's discipline was the worst to watch the last entire quad, and I thought the only reason people kept hyping it was because there were contenders from two of the big skating countries + the commentators could add fuel to the "rivalry" between Hanyu and Chen.

Tara and Johnny >xN Ashley Wagner as commentators, but the lot of them suck. Will also forever laugh at defenders of Wagner's commentary on social media being like "you hate her!" and then tearing down T&J and saying things like how Scott Hamilton made sex and constipation noises. Three of the least empathetic and most abhorrent personalities I've had the displeasure of listening to.

"It is okay for this person to mispronounce the skater's name because everyone else does too" is a dumbass take. (yes, I've seen this on reddit, tyvm)

I'll take TSL's biased gossipy bs over ANY funyun "information" video over on english or chinese social media. Even koola king >x∞ funyuns.

Hanyu should be ashamed of his cult following and he has a duty towards the sport to call out the body-shaming and racism a big section of his fans engage in.

Dick Button is goat.

Agreed except for Koola King. Hated that thing.

 

[Marco]

I liked Rachael Flatt's EoE.

I felt that Flatt's UR calls in the LP at Vancouver 2010 were not justified.

I don't think Flatt's skating was as bad as some people make it out to be.

------

Wylie's skating did not provoke emotion in me. All I saw when watching him skate were tentative landings

I completely agree with your last line, but I also completely disagree with your first three lines.

 

[olympic]

I completely agree with your last line, but I also completely disagree with your first three lines.

Yup. Unpopular Opinion, y'know ...

 

[On My Own]

It is always interesting to see how two choreographers end up having literally the same idea to the same piece of music

Adam SIAO HIM FA / EUR2023 SP

www.youtube.com

 

[olympic]

Another one that may cause some consternation - I thought Kwan's Aranjuez in 2003 was mediocre. In my library, it's the least watched of her programs by season. All I saw when watching it was a downgrade from 7 -> 6 triples and playing to the audience at a time when I was dying to see something new from her. It seemed recycled and mailed-in to me

 

[VGThuy]

Another one that may cause some consternation - I thought Kwan's Aranjuez in 2003 was mediocre. In my library, it's the least watched of her programs by season. All I saw when watching it was a downgrade from 7 -> 6 triples and playing to the audience at a time when I was dying to see something new from her. It seemed recycled and mailed-in to me

I think I’m more surprised that you have watched Tosca or Bolero more.

 

[On My Own]

I think I’m more surprised that you have watched Tosca or Bolero more.

What was wrong with Tosca, and is Aranjuez really not supposed to be popular?