Schadenfreude proves unruly.

[mosca]

It's interesting how skaters I never liked all that much (Sasha Cohen, Elvis Stojko) have jumped on the Plushenko train, while skaters I have more love and respect for are saying some smart things in defense of Lysacek. Timmy Goebel, I am sorry I rooted against you in '02, you were totally robbed at 2000 Nats, you are fabulous at explaining why

Comments

[mosca]

Belbin & Agosto and Davis & White based their ODs on specific dances from specific cultural traditions. Davis & White worked with a dance instructor specializing in Bollywood and Indian folk dance. Davis studies anthropology at Michigan and has talked about getting excited about doing research for their programs in general and this one in particular.

DomShabs... did not do any of that. In fact, I feel like their OD doesn't meet the demands of the rhythm designation for this season, which states that the OD should be based on a folk or country dance. (And, by implication, not on some vague Noble Savage fantasy involving leafy skirts.)

In IM, my friends and I were talking about how nervous Tanith and Ben looked. Like it's gone to their heads that they're at the Olympics. That might have cost them a point or two; I think stiffness interfered with the quality of their lifts.

Can't agree with you on Virtue & Moir; I thought they were dead even with Davis & White, whom I prefer stylistically. It's really not a patriotic thing (although I admit to being swayed by thinking Davis & White are much prettier).

[arabian]

Oh, when it comes to figure skating, I'm all about my favorites, not nationalism. I don't know if Virtue/Moir would normally get me so going, but I loved the routine itself. And I think that was why I preferred them to W&D, because while the W&D program is fantastic, I like the fiery passion of V&M so very much.

As for Tanith and Belbin, they did seem a little nervous. I don't know if it's the Olympics themselves so much, as more that for the first two years after Torino it was pretty much a given that they were coming to Vancouver to get their gold. And then came the injuries, and W&D beating them, and this is their last Olympics and it's just all of that is getting to them. I hope they can just put it out of their heads and deliver an amazing routine.