Cold War
Most of you know this about me, but I was a competitive figure skater for 10 years back in the day. I wasn't Olympic-caliber or anything, but I could land all the double jumps (minus the axel--that thing's a bitch) and I competed all over the Midwest. I was skating four days a week for at least 2 hours a day and then I decided to quit because I wanted to play other sports in high school and, um, have more of a life.
Anyway, all of that is by way of saying that I feel the need to comment on last night's debacle, otherwise known as the ladies' free skate. I have watched every free skate since Katrina Witt's dying Carmen in 1988 and they have never disappointed. Until last night. No one was perfect, but also, no one was even good. I was completely uninspired and that just made me pissed off because I stayed up until midnight (thanks NBC) to see it through to its conclusion.
The problems weren't just the skaters' faults. The commentators, Sandra Bezic, Scott Hamilton, and Dick "I was the first to land a triple in competition" Button made the night wholly unpleasant with their constant harping. Sandra Bezic's a choreographer so she spent all evening griping about everyone's lack of fluidity, interesting steps, and that "choreography is an emotional commitment that these girls aren't willing to make." Gag.
Scott Hamilton is a former Olympic champion who was able to win gold in 1984 despite a disasterous free skate because he won the compulsory figures portion of the competition. That's right, figures. Scott Hamilton traced a better figure eight pattern than Brian Orser, so even though Orser dominated the free skate, Hamilton won the gold. The compulsories were banned in 1990 after this debacle but Hamilton carries these demons with him, so all night he was stressing how all these competitors were anxious, "suffering from Olympic adrenaline," and "that no amount of practice can prepare you for your Olympic free skate." Scott, I love you, but GET OVER IT!! You won and you're a great skater. Yeah, you blew the free but under the archaic compulsory rules you did win. We know the Olympics are pressure, stop annoying us.
And now, the Grandaddy of them all. Dick Button. I loathe him. He is a mean-spirited, crusty, traditional, nit-picky old man. One girl's laces weren't tied tightly enough. Another girl's arm position wasn't pretty. The amount of the jumps (7 passes) that all the skaters did seemed to strike him as vulgar and not about the "complete package." He views women's skating the way that society used to view women: as pretty packages and nothing more. Skating is a demanding and a physically taxing sport and he was quick to pounce on any athleticism that was displayed if it hindered the program composition. I think that artistic merit is important, sure, but it is only half of the consideration. But the worst part about him is that he plays favorites. Sasha Cohen, yes. Our new Olympic champion, Shizuka Arakawa, no. And this is how it will be for eternity.
Oh yeah, and no Michelle Kwan. Worst. Olympics. Ever.
Anyway, all of that is by way of saying that I feel the need to comment on last night's debacle, otherwise known as the ladies' free skate. I have watched every free skate since Katrina Witt's dying Carmen in 1988 and they have never disappointed. Until last night. No one was perfect, but also, no one was even good. I was completely uninspired and that just made me pissed off because I stayed up until midnight (thanks NBC) to see it through to its conclusion.
The problems weren't just the skaters' faults. The commentators, Sandra Bezic, Scott Hamilton, and Dick "I was the first to land a triple in competition" Button made the night wholly unpleasant with their constant harping. Sandra Bezic's a choreographer so she spent all evening griping about everyone's lack of fluidity, interesting steps, and that "choreography is an emotional commitment that these girls aren't willing to make." Gag.
Scott Hamilton is a former Olympic champion who was able to win gold in 1984 despite a disasterous free skate because he won the compulsory figures portion of the competition. That's right, figures. Scott Hamilton traced a better figure eight pattern than Brian Orser, so even though Orser dominated the free skate, Hamilton won the gold. The compulsories were banned in 1990 after this debacle but Hamilton carries these demons with him, so all night he was stressing how all these competitors were anxious, "suffering from Olympic adrenaline," and "that no amount of practice can prepare you for your Olympic free skate." Scott, I love you, but GET OVER IT!! You won and you're a great skater. Yeah, you blew the free but under the archaic compulsory rules you did win. We know the Olympics are pressure, stop annoying us.
And now, the Grandaddy of them all. Dick Button. I loathe him. He is a mean-spirited, crusty, traditional, nit-picky old man. One girl's laces weren't tied tightly enough. Another girl's arm position wasn't pretty. The amount of the jumps (7 passes) that all the skaters did seemed to strike him as vulgar and not about the "complete package." He views women's skating the way that society used to view women: as pretty packages and nothing more. Skating is a demanding and a physically taxing sport and he was quick to pounce on any athleticism that was displayed if it hindered the program composition. I think that artistic merit is important, sure, but it is only half of the consideration. But the worst part about him is that he plays favorites. Sasha Cohen, yes. Our new Olympic champion, Shizuka Arakawa, no. And this is how it will be for eternity.
Oh yeah, and no Michelle Kwan. Worst. Olympics. Ever.
posted by Libberash at 1:30 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Libby
I'm a friend of Leah's and Kim's and I read your blog - I like it! Anyways, I used to skate, not competitively but for fun (I only did single jumps), but I have watched figure skating since 1988 (I still have it all on VHS!).
I couldn't agree more about your comments about Dick Button - it reminds me of back in 1988 with Gordeeva and Grinkov how Peggy Fleming was bitching about how "if only she'd point her toe" in the death spiral. Of all the things to nitpick about on an otherwise gold medal program.....At least she's not commentating anymore - thank god. That and "they've left the door open" makes me want to puke.
Nicki
PS I'm still partial to Kristi Yamaguchi - she rocks (though not in the pre-primetime commentating special).
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