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Why
did I get into figure skating anyway? Hmmm....that's pretty good question. It's
probably all Michelle Kwan's fault, LOL, but I don't think that's a bad thing.
Well, in my view, skating is like any other
sport: you work your butt off, and hopefully, with some luck and talent, good
things will come your way. Don't listen to those people who say that it isn't a
sport. That's plain bull. I'd like to see those naysayers get out on an ice
rink, throw themselves a foot or two (or close to three, if you're Alexei
Yagudin ) in the air, turn three times, and land one-footed on a
quarter-inch blade. In extreme inline skating, a single revolution is a 360 and
people think that's amazing (LOL, and two-footed at that!). Well in figure skating,
every one of the elite skaters can do a 1080.
Sounds pretty impressive, huh? Maybe we skating fans should petition the ISU
to call a triple jump that instead, then maybe people would take this sport
seriously. LOL, the elite male skaters now can do a 1440
as well...(yes, the horizontal G-forces are a factor, LOL...rather painful for
the men needless to say...)
Actually,
maybe skating is a sport of the extremely talented, truly. Not only do you have
to do the moves, you have to make it look good. This is what makes or breaks a
skater with me. Jumps are nice, but if you can't skate otherwise, you're out in
my mind. I actually would prefer watching a skater do a good program without
jumps than just going out there and doing 10 triple jumps. Just my opinion, of
course. I'm a rather artsy sort of person anyhow...
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"I don't know and I don't care."
- Jayne Torvill (Response to reporters asking if she knew what the judges wanted at '94 Olympics)
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Refresh
this page for a new quote!
Quotes provided by the posters at the now sadly defunct FSW and Tracy Veronika's quote
page. Plus my trusty memory, LOL...
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For the knowledge-hungry:
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Skateweb
Everything you need to know, with the jumps, the scoring, events, etc. etc.
etc.
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Figure
Skating Universe, known as FSU
Have a question? Just ask! Someone there is bound to know. Plus, absolute chaos during competitions and laughs all around!
And here are pages that are just
fun!
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Rinkside! For all of your downloading needs! (of the skating program variety, of course) Thanks to this, I've seen programs from the 80's, namely T&D's Bolero, that I had never seen before. Skip that annoying VCR and upgrade to the double-click on your mouse!
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Heather
Winfield's TV schedule!
The source of up-to-date when and where's for catching any skating on TV!
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Skating
Animations!
I really happen to like this
one. You will understand why I adore Alexei Yagudin's deathdrop so much!
(That particular one was about six feet high...the guy isn't even
six feet tall, LOL!) And this was at a competition where he had serious
problems with the altitude...
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My Favorite Skaters
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Jeff Buttle! Kudos to the new Canadian champ! May your beautiful artistry trump all the quadsters! (Wouldn't hurt if you somehow got one on your way to Worlds though..) Keep smiling!
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Michelle Kwan! Never count her out, indeed...Still a joy to watch, after all these years...
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Kurt Browning (FOOTWORK GOD!!)
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Sasha Cohen - fantastic presentation! But lay low on the
quads for now, please?
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Emanuel Sandhu! Has the moves all right. Just wish he had more of a fighting spirit..
My Favorite Skating Moves
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A good, centered, fast spin. Watching Lucinda Ruh spin brings tears to my eyes. Jeff Buttle's spins give me chills. Mhm! Love a great spin!
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Fast footwork (ooh! Chills! Go Kurt!)
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A really good spiral (a.k.a.
Michelle Kwan's change-edge spiral. First time I saw it live, I didn't
breathe at all!)
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Good edges (maybe that should go at
the top of my list, LOL..)
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Deathdrop (only applies to Alexei Yagudin's, LOL...)
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Jumps (I prefer the effortless
kind, thank you..)
My Pet Peeves in Skating
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Chacking of skating by networks in
favor of ::gag:: golf!!
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People thinking figure skating is
just a sport for wimps
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Talkative commentators (though Dick
Button is endearing sometimes!)
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The famous Terry
Gannon quote: "If you're in the top three going into the free skate,
you control your own destiny!"
(Unfortunately, due to the change in the judging system, he will not be able to say this anymore. Awww...NOT...)
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No connecting moves between the
jumps (it IS called figure 'skating'!)
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Weird judging (it is a subjective
sport due to the presentation mark, but sometimes you have to wonder..)
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