Olympics: Ladies' Long Program

[arabian]

Last one before the exhibition where I may (or may not) wax poetic some more. Anyhoo, on with tonight's thoughts on the skating and results. With some overall skating thoughts for the Olympics too.

Comments

[sarah_p]

Re: the commentators, Hammond's LACK OF ANY SINCERITY is what drives me nuts. At least I BELIEVE Scott Hamilton, you know? He's a PERSON up there. And his reactions to Joannie's skating were just really genuine and real and I'm impressed with him putting himself out there like that.

Yu-Na's score was INSANE (!!!!). I mean, I knew she skated well, but, WOW.

Mirai Nagasu is the most charming little skater EVER. She did an amazing job!

[arabian]

Yes, it was like Hammond was either reading from some index cards, or just waiting for the opportunity to throw out one of his soundbites. Ugh.

At least I BELIEVE Scott Hamilton, you know? He's a PERSON up there.

I admit it, for the most part, I love me some Scotty Hamilton and he's generally my favorite commentator in skating. (I also love Dick Button.)

Yu-Na's score was INSANE (!!!!). I mean, I knew she skated well, but, WOW.

I KNOW! I was expecting something in the mid-30s, but DAYUM!

Mirai Nagasu is the most charming little skater EVER. She did an amazing job!

Yes, this! She's so very, very charming. I just adore her.

[sourisvho]

All in all, it was a great skating Olympics, with the medal winners all doing really well and nothing being a splatfest. I love it when everyone does well

[arabian]

It really was some great Olympic skating. I think it may have been the first ladies portion since 1994 that wasn't a splat-fest (I think). I didn't get back to really watching the Olympics again until Torino after Lillehammer, but I remember reading about plenty o' splats.

I really love Mirai and am thrilled she ended up fourth. Her spins are to-die-for. It would have been fabulous if she'd medaled, but at the same time, I wouldn't have wanted to knock out any of the medalists to get her on the podium. And she seemed so thrilled with fourth, that I think it's just fine.

My thoughts exactly.

Re: Yu-Na, yes, I'm happy for her because I can't even begin to imagine what would have awaited her had she not won, so yay for her. And she did deserve it.

I hope that in the days/weeks to come, Asada (and her country) can be consoled by the fact that she DID make Olympic (and skating) history.

I do think Rochette was probably overmarked, but like you, I'm fine with it, given the situation. I don't think that she messed up enough so that

[drops0fjupiter]

Her spins are to-die-for.
Yep! I was mesmerized!

[arabian]

She's actually known for having the best spins. Rightly so. :)

[kaffy_r]

Kim Yu Na's performance may have been the most beautiful, strong, and gorgeous performance I've seen in years. Just as Mirai Nagasu clicked for you, Kim Yu Na clicked for me. I do like Nagasu as well. And I cannot agree with you more strongly about how ... common (is that too classist a term?) Rachael Flatt's performances are. She's apparently nice; she's an intelligent 17-year-old bound for Stanford. That's great, and I hope she hangs up her skates permanently and finds another field in which to be fantastic.

Joannie ... I am so glad she made the podium, and I admit that's my Canadian bias, and my incredible respect for what she's done.

It's interesting about how perception can differ between viewers: I was so happy with the relative quiet that Bezic, Hamilton and Drummond provided me. Compared with other years, and compared with commentators for some of the other Olympic sports, they were extremely restrained.

What is it about Bezic that you don't like? (I'm neutral about her for the most part, so I'm just wondering.)

[arabian]

See and that's the thing with Yu-Na (and Nagasu), I think you can understand why Mirai clicks for me, and I can completely understand why Yu-Na clicks for you. To me, those are the best skaters, when even if you don't get it yourself, you completely get why *others* get it because the skater is THAT special.

Oh, no, don't get me wrong, I was happy with the quiet and quite shocked actually. It was just, erm, when they did speak that I wanted to throw something at the tv.

What is it about Bezic that you don't like?She always sounds so superior to me like she knows everything and she's pointing it out as a favor to all of these stupid viewers. Of course, I know that she isn't thinking that, but it comes across that way to me. Also, I feel that she spends too much time being negative about the skaters (to the point where when a routine like Yu-Na's happens, she can barely contain herself -- which is the one thing I do like about her (she reacted much the same way to Oksana's program at Worlds in 93 when she won). Other than that,

[leosgreens]

Agree with all your posts, and do you know how annoyed I was to discover Bezic still commentating?! CRIPES!

[arabian]

I'm pretty sure we've bitched about Bezic in the past. Uh huh.

[sorryno]

Oh my goodness, I LOOOOOVE MIRAI! That girl is just tooo cute and so full of energy -- and it shows in her skating! She was the MOST interesting skater out there to me. I LOVED her genuinely happy response to her scores, LOVED her little smile before her skate (b/c her coach told her to smile). Adorable!

Kim - eh.
Mao - nice jumps... and I really felt for her when she saw her scores :(

Exhibitions?! When??

[arabian]

The Skating Exhibition Gala is today. :)