ESPN has been showing alot of professional shows lately and I realized it's time for figure skating again. I swear I am so hyped that I actually watched Stars Skate to Burt Bacharach. It was awful and so cheesy and reminded me why I hate those professional shows. I am ready for the Grand Prix to start. Discuss.

There are some new competitions on - I saw one earlier this month. Check ABC sports - they seem to do the most. Anyway, figure skating without Dick Button doing commentary are not worth watching IMO. I always keep an eye out for Emmanual Sandhu (Canada) and our own wonderful Sasha Cohen.

I much prefer the amateur competitions. The professional ones are too cheesy, and have all the more difficult elements taken out (or at least it seems that way to me). And I hate the use of music with vocals.

The commentary drives me crazy -- way too much yapping, and I think I'd enjoy it all better if every single, little, tiny flaw wasn't being pointed out. Those announcers are like a news show -- report all the bad news they can find, no matter how little we need to know it.

I'm already counting down the hours until the first broadcast. (44 if anybody cares.) But I have no clue how ABC will fill up all the time withour Sasha and Michelle to do fluff pieces on. They may actually have to show skating.

Eh? Are neither of them competing this year? I missed something.

Michelle withdrew for the fall/Grand Prix season. Sasha pulled out of Skate America with a back injury, technically she's still in for her other competition (Cup of China?), but we'll see.

Personally I'm kind of bummed that this thread popped up the season there's no Lifetime coverage. It's shameful, since I actually skate and should be pissed that they turned the sport into a soap opera, but I really got a kick out of it. They were great at highlighting all the ice dance drama. I guess as it is I'll have to settle for Terry Gannon's Random Trivia Bits like, "In her spare time Sasha likes to make chocolate ganache" or "Albena and Maxim are both college graduates." I also really enjoy now that he is starting to know something about the sport and will gasp in horror at a bad jump takeoff or spout something totally random like, "I have ants in my kitchen that do that footwork."

I still can't believe a guy I crushed on in high-school who played basketball for N.C. State now does figure-skating commentary.

I hadn't heard about Michelle withdrawing for the fall season. Damn. Why?

Did you actually know Terry in high school or just crush on him from afar? I'd be totally busting with jealousy if you actually knew him. I'm shamelessly in love with Terry. Drool and swoon.

I can't remember exactly why Michelle withdrew. My general memory is that she just sort of decided it wasn't really in her best interests. And I'm too lazy too look it up.

I hate Dick Button. Really, I think he's just awful. Does he have to point out every single little microscopic flaw? I find myself groaning when he talks. Shut up!

BWAH! I kinda feel sorry for ABC. I mean, they have shown theyr support for figure skating for many years and for Michelle to withdraw and Sasha as well, they will lose viewers, like me.



Michelle withdrew two weeks ago. She basically said that she wanted to concentrate on the U.S. Nationals and World Championships. Rumor has it that she has a back injury, which is why her layback spin was so short during her performance a few weeks back on ABC.

Yesterday's Skate America broadcast had to be the least amount of time ABC has ever spent on ladies. I guess they used the time to show us Michael Weiss stripping for Peter Carruthers, but they should have shown Susanna Poykio-- she was fabulous. And she won the long program. I was amused by the stunned silence at the realization that Cynthia Phaneuf was in first, and at all the pronouncements that Angela Nikidinov is back, bay-bee! even if her final jump in her long program was a single Axel.

Terry Gannon's Random Skate America Tidbit: Alissa Czisny is a freshman at Bowling Green on full academic scholarship.

Well, they have Maria Totmianina's really really nasty fall to talk about. I saw the fall again tonight during the pairs/ice dance coverage tonight on ESPN2. They also showed an interview she and Maxim and their coach did on GMA. She's got a nasty black eye.

Yikes, that was a hell of a fall. I'm only interested in pairs when they fall, so it was all good to me. I saw her being interviewed wearing shades but you could see the shiner. She wants to start practicing right away, but they're making her wait.

Since Michelle isn't competing, the only things I'll be watching this year are nationals and worlds.

That fall scared the crap out of me. She bounced. On her head.

I think that the pairs this season seem to be missing something. I'm usually really into pairs skating but the routines aren't getting me this year.

Well I have to speak up for Dick Button. He was a gold medal winner twice and he does know what he's talking about as opposed to some of the folks on other networks that know squat about skating. I like him pointing out why a jump or spin was wrong - it helps me know what's correct and what isn't. And he does make positive comments - lots of them - but not unless they are due to actual skating skills.

Dick does know what he's talking about, but he's also a pompous ass a lot of the time. Still, I'll take his critique based on actual figure skating knowledge over many of the creampuffs they stick next to him. And if the answer to the question "How did it feel out there today?" is "It felt good. I just go out there each time and try to skate my best." we don't need to see the interview.

The interviews on the Skate America coverage last night were fairly decent, I thought. The one question to Tanith Belbin that more or less amounted to, "You used to suck, and now you don't so much. What up?" cracked me up. And Tatiana Totminanina continues to display humour and grace in what was really a terrifying situation (well, she doesn't seem to remember any of it, so maybe it's actually less scary for her than for anyone): "How are you doing, Tatiana?" "I'm okay. I'm still alive!"

Dick and Peggy definitely know what they're talking about. They can be a little irritating, but I'd definitely take the ABC team over the NBC team, so I just laugh and roll my eyes. The NBC team I just scream and cover my ears.

Let me add my qualified support to Dick Button. He can be a pissy little bitch but he is right to point out the errors, both small and large, that skaters make and that affect their marks. Too many fans think that their favourite skater is perfect and does their triple jumps assisted by invisible angel wings. Meanwhile, these fans think that any skater who outscores their boy or girl is a skanky, flutzing cheater who bribed and/or boinked the judges. Dick may be a mean old fart but he is an impartial mean old fart who knows what he is talking about and calls 'em as he sees 'em. Dick Button is the best at explaining why skaters got the scores they did although Kurt Browning is good and does it without making you want to smack him.

How about when Button comments that a perfectly graceful, dynamic and stylish Chinese skater has "a ways to go artistically", then goes fawning when that slump shouldered Timothy Goebbel throws his arms around like a teenage tin soldier?

Well, he probably has a thing for Timothy, just like he did for Rudy Galindo. Hee!

{{{{{shivers}}}}}

Anyone see Skate Canada on Monday night? Paul Wylie's voice was not made for broadcasting at all.

He may not be good at broadcasting but I'll never forget Paul Wylie's silver medal performance - he had worked so hard for so long and come so close - had me cheering!

Maybe my eyes are getting worse with advancing age, but does anyone else think that Peter Carruthers is looking a bit hotter lately?

Just me then? Okay. [slinks back to corner]

I was never much of a Paul Wylie fan - he always seemed like too much of a priss for me. Give me Kurt Browning any day.

Very very sorry to read that Scott Hamilton has a benign (but slow growing) brain tumor which has caused him some vision problems. He has had to overcome so much in his life! But I'm sure this very classy fellow will handle it with his customary style and grace. Our thoughts are with you Scott!

That is sad news. Does this guy live near a power plant or something? Didn't he have testicular cancer a few years ago?

He sure did.

If the commentators don't point out the mistakes, how will the viewing public understand the results? If anything, I think the commentators are too quick to gush over a mediocre performance.

I wouldn't worry about Michelle Kwan - she frequently skips the Grand Prix series - it's a lot of competition and travel during a relatively short period - can be quite exhausting. She is only keeping a toe in the eligible world so she can hang in for the 2006 Olympics anyway.

ABC seems to have thrown all their coverage to ESPN - I think I heard Terry say that ESPN would be the "new home" of even the Nationals and Worlds.

It looks like we'll be heading back to the pre-Tonya and Nancy era of skating coverage - minimal at best, with a slight upswing every four years.

I know I'm probably the only person in the country who laughed at Peter Carruthers talking to a person in a television set costume on the NHK coverage last night. "We thought you were an ice cream sandwich." I was totally amused. I hang my head in shame. That must be the 15 seconds they had planned on updating us on Tatiana Totmianina's condition, but decided it wasn't worth it.

Anyway, I was so thrilled that they actually showed dance from NHK, since it was sort of a surprise result. Also because I am consistently amused at Susie Wynne's attempts to pretend she likes, or even just respects, Denkova/Staviyski. I was almost literally rolling on the floor laughing when Terry was gushing over them like they were up for a Nobel Peace Prize and Susie's response was literally "Mmmhmm."

Also, I think she'd lick Olivier Schoenfelder, given the chance. Although I note she's moved on from last season's "he's very skilled" to swooning over his knees.

Last note, I think a lot of people don't like Paul Wylie's voice, but I think he's doing a pretty good job. My eyes almost fell out of my head when he actually attempted to define what a bracket is when Terry asked. I hope they continue with the email questions. And that the emails get more entertaining.

Nationals will be on ABC but everything else (Grand Prix, Europeans) except for the cheesefests (Marshalls World Cup of Figure Skating in December and Marshall's Figure Skating Challenge in April) will be on ESPN. Which completely sucks for me because I don't have cable. I guess I need to hope for some new melodrama to develop interest again.

Figure skating, much like gymnastics has seen better days. It was that damn Soviet sports machine, they knew how to find and cultivate talent. I don't think we'll ever see the likes of Gordeeva/Grinkov or Dimitriev again. And fortunately without the Russians to push them, both Pairs skating and Ice dancing has suffered tremondously.

I hate Terry Gannon. He is so obnoxious and so frickin' annoying.

Anyway, it's interesting that there is more spreading of the wealth in the figure skating world now than in years prior. In addition to the Canadians, Russians, and Americans, you have the Japanese women, the Chinese pairs skaters, France's men and ice dancers, and even relative minnows like Italy, Hungary, Finland, Poland, Ukraine, and Belgium are cranking out world-class skaters, many of whom have the potential to medal at Worlds and Olympics.

Terry Gannon didn't even commentate Monday Night's coverage of Cup of China on ESPN - instead Paul Page took over. And for those of you who thought Terry was bad....

But don't you fret, looks like Terry will be back for Trophee Eric Bompard (formerly, Lalique). But really, it's not as if the hosts are even at the competition location (Tokyo, Beijing, Paris, etc.) anyway, they're all at the studio in Los Angeles (or wherever).

Oy, that Paul Page was getting on my last nerve. Shen and Zow? Zang and Zang? There were a few other non-Chinese names he was screwing up as well. Is it too much to ask that they learn correct pronunciations before they open their mouths?

oh yes. i thought that was annoying as well. the way paul page kept misspronouncing all the skaters name. why couldnt they just stick to terry gannon? i thought he was finally getting the hang of it. i dont like all this change.

Caught some figure skating yesterday on ESPN. Thought Paul Wylie was doing a very good job for a beginning announcer. He does know what he's talking about and he'll polish up his announcer skills as he goes along.

Shen and Zhao - wow they are terrific! Also interested to see in stats that Emanuel Sandhu is leading in the "technical" points for the series. Love to see that guy skate - he's so incredibly artistic and very nice to look at as well.

Irina Slutskiya (sp?): great to see her make a comeback and do so well.

::: me, sobbing with relief :::

Thank God -- Terry is back tonight!

haha. i am glad he is back too. i heard he had to cover college football last week, so he couldnt cover the grand prix event. but now hes back and pronouncing everyones name correctly. yay.

Saw the skating last night, too. (Since they were in Paris, I assume this is the competition formerly known as Trophee Lalique? Why the name change?)

I loved Paul Wylie back in his skating days, so it was good to hear him commentating. Agree with everyone who said that he knows his stuff. He actually broke down elements and explained why Johnny Weir's footwork is more complicated than Brian Joubert's. Uncle Dick (he's pissy, but I love him) does this, too--it was just good to hear someone else do it.

Susie Wynn, on the other hand, sucks ass. I couldn't believe some of her comments. For example, during one of Carolina Kostner's slooooooow spins, Susie explained that the slowness was because Carolina usually spins the other way and she doesn't practice that spin as much. Fine. But then Susie went on to say something to the effect of, "It's like writing with your left hand if you're right handed. Why would you want to practice that if you didn't have to?" WTF? I'll tell you why, Susie! Because you're skating at an ELITE level and should be able to spin! Gah.

Peter Carruther's little piece on horrible skating costumes was pretty funny. Dick's cackling while that one skater's sleeve was caught in his partner's skate was hilarious.

ETA: Because it cannot be said too many times: Julia Sebestyen's costume is terrible. Between the fluorescent orange and fussiness of the design, I felt like I was back in the 80s.

You know, I love watching figure skating as much as the next fan, but 3 hours of coverage is too damn long. I was half asleep by the time they got to the guys, who are the ones I like the most.

Well, in fairness to Carolina, most people don't spin both directions. I can only think of two people off hand who do it really well. Caro just needs more mileage. Her spins her normal way are fine. Spinning really is like handedness-- you only do it one way most of the time.

I was totally amused at Terry's observation on Level 4 in dance: "Everyone else only goes up to Level 3, but the dancers are like Spinal Tap cranking it up to 11." Or something. Kisses, Terry! Never go away again!

ETA: The name changed because Lalique is no longer the sponsor. The actual name of the competition now is Trophee Eric Bompard de Cachemire, I don't know why ESPN insisted on calling it "Grand Prix of Paris" or whatever.

Anyone watching Ice Wars? I'm home sick and this is the only good thing that is on. I had no clue Kristi Y. had a cute daughter and was married to a hockey player. Hope Team USA wins!

Yes, watched Ice Wars last night. It was pretty good. Kristi Yamaguchi is and has always been a favorite of mine, so whenever she's one of the featured skaters, it's a treat for me. Too bad Nicole Bobek and Oksana Bauel (sp.) appeared to be on a down cycle, but the other woman skater (her name escapes me at the moment) did a great job.

I can't believe I missed Ice Wars! Bad Tivo! I love Kristi Y!

I am now suffering through Holiday on Ice, Las Vegas Style. Nancy Kerrigan did a brief intro, but I haven't recognized a skater yet. And the ice is smaller then the pond I learned to skate on. I think I may need to fast forward - someone is hula hooping on ice {{shudder}}.

Eldredge totally rocked in Ice Wars. Glad to see a male skater perform without props!

All I saw was Oksana emoting all over the ice and barely completing a jump (did she land any cleanly?). I hated her as the Ukranian orphan, the drunken screw up, and now as the has-been comeback attempt. Thanks for reminding me why I never watch pro skate events.

Oksana sounded like the was on something - her comments were just from outer space.

As far as pairs - I think it's no coincidence that China is the new powerhouse nation, they are the only country that still maintains total control of their athletes.

Did anyone see the Marshall's World Cup of Skating today? I missed it because I'm an idiot and I forgot it was on. Can anyone tell me who was in it and how they did?

Did anyone else catch the World Team Figure Skating Challenge?

After the artistic program I think I have a crush on the male Russian pair skater, Anton Sikharulidze.