Ah, I just threw that in for effect. I don't know if that's true or not, really. http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/redface.gif

The rest is, though.

heheeeee

the only reason the audience liked the canadian's performance better was because to americans, canadian = american.

that's all it was. you cheer for the home-town team. heh. i'm real tired but i'm vaary tempted to stay up and watch them on leno. they talk like freaks. man.

and yeah. canadians are the only people i consistently root against. i don't know what it is???

You've got to be kidding.

That's the stupidest theory I've ever heard.

don't be a dumbass.

Everyone worldwide agree we should have won.

And yeah about canadian gold medallists and controversy. I was actually talking about this to someone earlier. You forgot frechette. How she got a silver medal because of an ADMITTED error from a judge. They gave her her gold medal later though. But i think it was just symbolic.

This thread cracks me up. You all are arguing as if you know a second thing about figure skating besides what they tell you during the Olympic coverage, and maybe national and world championships.

However, one thing tweedy said has been ignored that is factual: the judging isn't based on subjective emotion but on objective technical ability and the presentation of a performance THROUGH how well somebody performs technically. Thus rendering Shaunna's entire argument in favor of the Russians moot.

The funny thing is, if it weren't the Olympics, nobody would care.

Exactly. You don't judge based on your personal reaction to each routine.

as for the second point... well no shit.

Well, all the real experts are saying what we're saying, so I don't see your point. We have national pride, we're cheering for those representing our country -- that's the essence of it -- you don't need to be an "expert" in the sport to cheer your country on. You don't even need to be an expert in the sport to know that they should've won Gold because there were glaring mistakes in the Russians' performance. What am I missing?

Case in point.
We've all been saying that.

OBVIOUSLY.
If they were skating in their backyards, it would be inconsequential, wouldn't it?
What are you trying to say here?

The Olympics are important to some people -- a lot of people -- that's why we care.

Heh.

All I keep on seeing is silver looks better than gold.

This isnt a fucking fashion contest. Gold=your the best. The canadians were the best, why? cause they didnt fuck up. The russians missed on at least 2 landings. That should have been the end of the story right there. Why else do you think that the ISU is going to do a investigation. Because of possiable Block Voting Thats where basically everyone votes according to the original cold war blocks, although France threw everyone off by voting for the russians as well.

Everyone who enters in the Olympics is there for one reason, and one reason only, To win the gold, everything else is secondary.

When you train and train for 4 years, for one night of glory, and having that glory, and then having it taken away by some biased judges, then yes, I too would piss and moan.

Its all about being competitive folks, if your not competitive, you wont be in the olympics.

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livejournal

ottorogers.com

That's a School?

Where are all the damn Dennys!

w3rd. figure skating is like a pageant anyway...nothing is set in stone! it's always gonna be arbitrary when there are judges. where did the stupid canadians forget their sportsmanship? don't make a big stink about it you greedy bitches.

The Russian pair was far more superior in style & they've consistently been better over the years. They won the silver medal in the last Olympics. It was their shot this year and for good reason. For the Canadians to win would have been a fluke!
Real skating is in Russia.

Take it from an insider!

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I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night, And still have begged for more. I could have spread my wings, And done a thousand things, I've never done before.

If you're not properly informed, please refrain from commenting.

The only thing Sale and Pelletier themselves have done is comment on how they were surprised at the result, but that they tried their best.

It is the media that has turned this into a giant fiasco (whether you agree with the result or not). Now, even Jay Leno has jumped on board.

Bottom line: the inquiry is being launched by the ISU themselves, not at the request of any Canadian authorities or the skaters themselves.

Sale and Pelletier have handled themselves well, showing sportsmanlike conduct in the face of immense disappointment.

Again, refrain from posting your so-called "insider" opinions until you get yourself informed.

I just saw their interview and they said something like, "our silver should have been a gold," etc.

You Canadians, keep lying to yourselves!

Past results should have no bearing on this years results whatsoever.

Although, there is somewhat of a dynasty, it doesn't necessarily involve these skaters so the point is moot.

It's like how Montreal Canadiens fans harp on the "we've won the most Stanley Cups" argument. Who cares? Not one current player that ever won a cup with that team is still on the team. Therefore, what's the same except the patch on the jersey?

No, he said "sometimes a silver medal is won by a gold medal performance."

not matter what you think of their scores, and who should've won, you gotta admit that this silver medal is sure giving them a lot of media exposure, most of it good.

i'd feel awkward if i were the russians.

I just read that whole thread. Who knew that so many netphorians cared so much about figure skating.

*does double axel*

Well one actually http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/smile.gif Patrice Brisebois.


Everyone in this thread who said they'd rather get Silver over Gold because it looks better....you're an idiot.

Everyone who said they should be happy with Silver...you're right...IF they had put up a Silver performance, and were beaten. But they weren't, simple as that. They skated better. Everyone can see that and that's why there's such a big fuss about it.

I feel bad for the russians.

In '94 something similar happened when Gordeeva and Grinkov outsted Mishkotonouk and Dimitriev, but nothing came of it because both pairs were Russian.

I need to be handed the fool's gold medal like John Tesh.

I stand corrected http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/smile.gif

But, gee, it was a LONG time ago, wasn't it?

Too long! Go Habs! http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/biggrin.gif

Stupid Olympics!
Cold War is over!

The media exposure was self-perpetuated -- not the fault of nor caused by Sale and Pelletier. [He says as he watches Leno make jokes about this whole thing . . .]

Yep. As I said before.

It must've sucked all the joy out of that Gold for them. It's a shame. It's just not in harmony with that Olympic spirit.

Ah well. Leave it to the media . . .

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-> fighting Netphorian stupidity since 04-24-2000 <-

The russians live in hackensack NJ and the woman almost died 2 years ago when she got cut inthe head doing side by side spins. It is not their fault this is happening they don't look like they passed the judge any benjamins or anything. I will say this all the costumes so far have been really horrible.

Jay Leno has just slapped Canada in the face.

(If you saw the Tonight Show intro, you know what I mean. WTF?!)

They're always bad...the sequins always look silly. I thought Sale & Pelletier's looked nice though...very clean and not outlandish.

sorry to say this, but i haven't seen a decent costume since Nancy Kerrigan. Vera Wang worked wonders for her.

the canadian pairs costume was alright. He looked like he was wearing normal clothes. Aren't tights banned now, like the ones Brian Boitano used to wear. & I heard you get severe deductions for doing offensive moves because for some time it looked like sex on ice.

curling better fucking be gold.

No doobt eh.

I am sure michelle kwan will have something tasteful her ice blue 1998 ensemble was nice but yeah youare right. The russian pair were not even color coordinated! anyway...

I would trade the exposure, for the gold, No one remembers who finishes second.

Heh :-) Except this time.

Actually, skating (in my mind) has been like that. The only placements I know of are all silver medals: Nancy Kerrigan, Elizabeth Manley, Elvis Stojko . . .

Weird.

well this case is quite the opposite. everyone will remember who finished second.

and i was just reminded tonite the name of that oxana chick who won gold that time nancy kerrigan won SILVER.
but i digress.

Oksana Baiul (didn't deserve it & her pink fur was just gross),
Katarina Witt (& her retarded sezzuality),
& Alexei Urmanov (Another Fluke. The tights and the blouse worked though!)

Oh, and who remembers Ilia Kulik and his giraffe outfit? His good Russian mother made it.

Sources say Russian and French judges made deal

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By Cynthia Faulkner
ESPN.com


SALT LAKE CITY -- Sources within the International Skating Union have told ESPN/ABC Sports figure skating reporter Christine Brennan that a collaboration between the French and Russian judges helped spark the controversy that has the skating world and the Winter Olympics abuzz.


The Canadian Olympic delegation on Tuesday requested an investigation into why Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze won the gold medal when many observers feel that Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were more worthy.

Brennan, one of the world's leading authorities on figure skating, says that reliable sources within the ISU told her that a collaboration between the French and Russian judges did happen.

"When (figure skating officials) investigate, I think they're going to find out that the French judge worked a deal with the Russians," said Brennan, one of the world's leading authorities on figure skating.

"There's absolutely no doubt that the Canadians should have won. Their 'Love Story' program was just marvelous. The performance was perfect.

"The Russian pair made small errors including a small mistake on one jump. To me it's clear. It should have been crystal clear for the Canadians."

Brennan said she watched the tapes again and the Canadians' performance only gets better.

"I was shocked the moment I saw the scores and I'm still shocked," she said. "I ran into three international judges, all of them judging at the Olympics, within three minutes after the competition. 'This is an outrage,' they said in unison. I've never seen judges come up to a reporter -- as opposed to going away from them -- and say this is an outrage."

Until Monday, only a few diehard figure skating fans in North America knew who Sale and Pelletier were. That's all changed.

"Their agent told me he's had about a hundred calls," Brennan said. "I'm guessing they are now a household name, which never would have been if they'd won the gold medal with no controversy. I would imagine that they became millionaires in the last 24 hours. The sympathy factor is huge."

The scandal already is drawing comparisons to figure skating's most famous pair of all -- Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. The story could grow if the United States were to get involved because it's conceivable that if Sale and Pelletier should have won gold, Americans Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman could have won bronze, Brennan said.

"This is really starting to remind me of Tonya and Nancy, but it's not there yet," Brennan said. "There's something about this that's starting to build and there's the sense that the pace with which it's starting is like it was with Tonya and Nancy. Now there's an investigation and the story has legs."

Cynthia Faulkner is the Olympics editor for ESPN.com.


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livejournal

ottorogers.com

That's a School?

Where are all the damn Dennys!

Well I remember that contest very well, Nancy Kerrigan Skated awesome, and I thought had a awesome run. But Oksana Baiul(sp) had a terrific program too. This does not compare to what happened yesterday.

you'd be surprised. Baiul two footed her triple toe and doubled a lutz whereas Kerrigan nailed all her jumps. & Baiul didn't have a triple combination.

This is nothing new in the World of figure skating.

Someone kill me now.

I do recall that (can you tell I watch the olympics?) one of the russian men this year has a bad mullet ew...)

He has a child now with ekatarina gordeeva.

Alexander Abt! The boy with the aluminum foil outfit.
Personally, I find this disturbing.



[This message has been edited by tick (edited 02-13-2002).]