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Jamie Sale & David Pelletier
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TONIGHT FIGURE SKATING GOT IT RIGHT!...
February 21, 2002. What a suspenseful night! Judges had figure skating fans sitting on the edge of their seats and biting their nails as they waited to see if sixteen year old Sarah Hughes from New York would get the gold medal she deserved after outskating the two women who have been credited as the biggest gold medal contenders since the Olympics began. Hughes, who skated second in the last group of elite skaters, delivered a performance full of grace and perfection. It was also more difficult than Michelle Kwan's performance and more artistic than Irina Slutskaya's of Russia.
There was a sigh heard ran the world as Michelle Kwan fell on a jump and failed to complete a triple/triple combination. My heart was in my throat when the scores for Kwan first went up. I feared that the judges would once again place Kwan over Hughes when it was undeserved. I have seen Hughes outskate Kwan at several events where she was held down for being "only sixteen" and "still new to the skating world". Luckily, Slutskaya beat Kwan in the long program (even though she failed to deliver a clean triple/triple combination) tying all three girls and giving Sarah the gold. This gave Slutskaya the silver and Sarah's undying gratitude.
Perhaps the judges knew they would be under more scrutiny at this competition. Unfortunately, Kwan did not give them much to work with. So, for now, Kwan's dream of going back to the Olympics and winning the gold that so eluded her in Nagano has turned into the nightmare of earning the Bronze. One wonders what Frank Carroll is thinking at this moment. Maybe it was not so smart for Kwan to can her coach of ten years and try to go it alone. Perhaps the skating world so inflated her ego that she thought she had become "super skater" able to win a competition just for showing up in the building. Michelle Kwan is a wonderful skater - one of the most beautiful I have ever seen take the ice. She is a skating icon in her own right, a very gracious and sweet lady off of the ice. This just wasn't her night and the judges scores reflected that.
I'M SO HAPPY IT'S OVER...
"This was better than I expected," Pelletier said. "The four of us were part of history. It was a tough few days, but now we're happy to put some closure to it and we can go on and be happy with our gold medal."
February 17, 2002.Okay, this is the last I will write about the pairs medal controversy. It was a very nice ceremony and I did get teary eyed watching. Much credit must be given to both sets of skaters. Both Canadians and Russians walked out to the podium holding hands.
ISU President Cinquanta awarded specially made gold medals to the Canadian team. Then both the Russian and Canadian flags were raised followed by the playing of first the Russian National Athem and then the Canadian National Anthem. Both couples sang along with the anthems as they played.
The smiles from both teams lit up the room and it was wonderful to see Berehznaya and Sikharulidze finally get to enjoy the accomplishment that was denied them last Monday night. Even tough fiery Russian coach Tamara Moskvina had tears streaming down her face.
I am happy for the Canadians too. Like Elena Berehznaya said after the ceremony, "I'm so happy it's over." And I am happy that the Canadians displayed to the crowd that Anton and Elena should not be blamed for what the French judge did. I still stand behind my thought that, misconduct aside, B&S could have still won over the Canadian pair. So happy that both pairs are happy now and we can finally move onto the rest of the Olympics!!
More on this subject...
Rosie O'Donnell Give It A Rest! 2/27/2002
French Official Denies Wrongdoing (BBC) 2/26/2002
Canada Pressured Skate Judge (AP) 2/24/2002
French Judge Denies Making Deal (Yahoo Sports)
French Judge Wants to Tell Her Side (ESPN)
Russian Official Blames Media for "Skategate" (ESPN)
Skating Faces a Judging Overhaul (Yahoo Sports)
Confronting the Pairs Controversy
FRENCH WIN ICE DANCE...
February 18, 2002. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat won France's first gold medal in ice dance. Skating a program in tribute to America "The Land of Liberty", they hung onto first place. Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh of Russia were won silver,followed by the 2001 world champions-Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio of Italy.
Both the bronze medal winners as well as fourth place finishers, Bourne and Krantz of Canada took spills on the ice during the final skate of the competition. Four time American National Champions, Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev, finished in 11th place. Their first Olympic appearance, Russian born Tchernyshev was thrilled to represent the United States having just become a citizen last year.
ROSIE O'DONNELL GIVE IT A REST...
February 25, 2002. Come on Rosie. Enough with calling the Russian pairs team of Berehznaya & Sikharulidze cheaters on your show! You are usually such an advocate for protecting people's rights. Enough already. No matter how you felt the outcome should have been, no matter what impropriety may have taken place with the judges, you cannot turn the skaters themselves into villians! Did you even watch figure skating before the Olympics??
Elena Berehznaya and Anton Sikharulidze had no more to do with vote swapping than you did. They've been busy training for the last four years beside our USA pairs team of Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman right in Hackensack, New Jersey! They are even trained by the same coach! Anton and Elena did nothing...NOTHING...but go out and skate the best they could. I am so SICK of hearing comedians such as yourself call them cheaters! You've made the Canadian team seem like saints and I didn't see them have a huge attack of conscience when they won the 2001 Worlds over Shen and Zhao after Jamie Sale singled a double axel! So enough already!
DO TWO GOLDS MAKE IT RIGHT?...
February 15, 2002. What I have feared has happened. The ISU, after what I am sure was enormous pressure from the IOC, suspended French judge, Marie-Reine Le Gougne, and exsponged her votes from the pairs competition creating a tie. Please do not get me wrong. Having proven inpropriety with a judge, I think the correct thing was done. I still, however, feel awarding a second gold medal is just asking for trouble. This whole situation has been troublesome. Here are my concerns...
A new precedent has been set in which the public and North American Media have chosen winners of an Olympic competition. This same public and media, for the most part, are not qualified to make such decisions. My own local paper, one in which an article written by myself was scheduled to be printed in the Saturday edition until it was "yanked" after Friday's decision was made, has a section called "The Buzz". In it, The Buzz takes offense at ISU President Cinquanta's comment that amateur viewers and media are not qualified to judge skating. Their problem with that statement was that the public bought skating show and competition tickets, so they should have a say. I could not disagree more.
Why? Because skating will suffer greatly. Not knowing elements and requirments, these novice viewers could vote to put me in first place at a competition if I just went out and skated back and forth on the rink and did not fall down, even if Michelle Kwan came behind me and executed more difficult jumps and spins, but her program contained a flaw.
This decision sends a message and it may not be the one that skating needs to hear. I know I've said this a million times, but Sale and Pelletier's "Love Story" program was so easy for them because they've skated it so much. Even Sale said in an interview on NBC Friday night, that they were so comfortable with the program that it felt "like an old sweater". Does this mean that we can look forward to skaters recycling the same programs over and over? They find a program they can do really well and stop there. They never continue to grow and push the envelope in their skating? Why not, it worked for the Canadians, didn't it?
I have been really disappointed in the media's coverage of Anton and Elena. They have been the ones acting with grace and dignity. Even if their fellow Russians have been angered by the decision for two medals, Sikharulidze has said to "let it be" in regards to the assertion that their program was newer and more innovative than the Canadians older program. And while the press fussed over the Canadians and the decision he said simply, "Two great countries, two great pairs." The Russian team have also offered to participate in a new medal ceremony for the Canadians provided the Russian flag is raised as well and the anthem played also.
I still cannot help but wonder if this would have been an issue if, given the very same circumstances, an American team had won the gold medal. Would our press have supported the Canadians with the same vigor?
YES YAGUDIN!...
February 14, 2002. What an exciting Mens' competition! With four perfect 6.0's for Thursday night's long program to "The Man in the Iron Mask" Russia's Alexei Yagudin earned the only medal he did not yet have...Olympic Gold! Evgeny Pluschenko (Russia) took home the silver after skating an electrifying program to "Carmen" and America's Timothy Goebel took home the bronze. Way to go Timothy! Especially after his first Olympic appearance.
It isn't hard to imagine that Pluschenko might be sporting some bruised feelings after his long time rival with Yagudin to prove who would skate better: a Russian skater now enjoying the benefits of training in America (Yagudin) or a Russian who refused to leave home in hopes that enduring the hardship training there would make him more focused and dedicated(Pluschenko). Pluschenko should be very proud of his accomplishment and his luck. Had Takeshi Honda not made a mistake in his long program, Pluschenko never would have had the opportunity to move up from his fourth place finish after the short program to capture the silver. I couldn't be happier for Yagudin who has had his own ups and downs and really pulled his focus together this season to achieve his goal.
And what about our Timothy Goebel? The "Quad King" went to Salt Lake City and delivered landing his famous quads with ease and confidence.
The men's long program was just the boost figure skating needed to get it's mind off of the pairs' controversy and get back to what we all love...watching champions step up to the plate and bring their win home!
CONFRONTING THE CONTROVERSY...
February 13, 2002. My heart weeps for figure skating at this very moment. But not for the reasons you may think - against the general popular opinion I think the judges placement in the pairs decision should stand as is. Let me tell you why.
Crowds have never awarded medal placements, that has always been the judges' job. Judges who have been tested over and over for their knowledge of figure skating and unlike the figure skating viewer who's only contact with the sport is every four years during the Olympics, are continuously studying the sport. I have been struck over and over by the fact that most of the people who have complained to me that the Canadians were "robbed", can't tell the difference between an axel or salchow jump or a sit spin and a camel. They see one program, the long program, skated cleanly and think, "Wow! That was the best skate of the night!", without realizing all that goes into scoring figure skaters. These same viewers rely on the TV commentators views on what is good or bad. Unfortunately, Sandra Bezic and Scott Hamilton set the crowd up for a huge disappointment. They were practically predicting the Canadian's gold medal win before they had even skated. And Bezic's bias for her "home team" really infected the attitude of the evening. It was poorly done of both of their parts and I am disappointed in Hamilton who in the past has been well known for his objectivity while reporting.
Let's take a look at some of the facts. Yes, Sale and Pelletier did skate a cleaner long program. Let's also take into account that they've been skating this same program for years. The fact, however, is that they did it without any mistakes. Their technical marks reflected this. The Russians received much lower technical marks than the Canadians. Very fairly done. Berehznaya and Sikharulidze, however, came to the Olympics sporting a brand new technically superior designed long program. Continuing to push their skill in skating, they delivered a very difficult performance..with an error. They deserved and were given higher presentation marks. Like Gordeeva and Grinkov who won the gold medal in 1994, Berehznaya and Sikharulidze were in first place after the short program. Remember the short program? It came two nights before the long program and is worth one third of a skater's final score.
Many are now crying "foul" and insisting that the way these events are judged be changed. But what is the answer? Should we soley judge the skaters on how technically clean they were? I should think not! Giving up a presentation or "artistic" mark would ruin the sport and strip it of the artistry the sport is so well know for. You would end up with skaters who are like machines; only concerned with going out and hitting their jumps while skating the most generic of connecting steps between them. Besides, if we are going to start judging solely on technical merit, then we are going to have to go back and give the Chinese pair of Shen and Zhao their just due. They have come in second behind both the Russian and Canadian teams in dozens of competitions over the last four years after out skating them with technical precision only to be held back by poor "artistic" marks.
So now we wait as accusations are thrown in the air. Investigations proceed and an appeal has been filed by the Canadian Olympic Team. There has been speculation that a second gold medal maybe issued for the Canadian team or worse yet, the Russians will be stripped of the gold medal they earned (yet haven't been permitted to enjoy) and the Canadians put in first place. I am highly opposed to both options. In my opinion, if you created a second gold medal you will make both medals worthless. And if you take back the gold medal and give the Russians a silver the sport loses all integrity. Not that it isn't suffering seriously black eyes now.
Was their corruption in the judging? Nothing would surprise me. But lets wait for it to be proven before rumor and innuendo take down this wonderful sport and cause us to lose an invitation back to the Olympics. Amid a flood of accusations from media at a press conference yesterday I thought ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta responded eloquently who responded to reporters spouting a "lack of credibility" in figure skating by saying, "Those are your words. I must reject this categorically. I would like to see you pass a test on figure skating to see if you are really qualified."
THE RUSSIAN REIGN CONTINUES...
February 11, 2002. Despite any controversies surrounding tonight's Pair Free Skate Competition, one thing cannot be denied...it was one of the most exciting events in history. Russia's Elena Berehznaya and Anton Sikharuldize won the gold medal skating a wonderful and skillfully difficult program albeit tarnished with a "baubble" on Anton's part. Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada were very excited when they finished skating. They were sure that their flawless performance of the "Love Story" routine (one we've seen many times as it is an old program) had snagged the gold medal. Alas, they were judged second and Sale could not contain her tears of disappointment. The bronze medal winners tonight were China's Zhen and Xao who wowed the crowd with their attempt at a quad throw salchow (they were so close!). America's Ina and Zimmerman finally acheived a clean program in competition, but sadly lost all chances of a bronze medal when the youngest Russian team skated. With Shen and Zhao's performance, it wasn't really likely that they had a chance at Bronze anyway.
The medal ceremony for this competition was very hard to watch. Who's heart did not go out to both Sale & Pelletier, as well as Berehznaia & Sikharulidze who both felt disappointment and sadness at their placements. It is rather reminiscent of the 1994 Olympics in Lilehammer. Gordeeva and Grinkov came back from Professional status to win the gold with two flaws on jumps by Sergei even though another Russian team, Dmitriev and Mishkutenok, skated flawlessly. G & G even received luke warm applause while receiving their medal while Dmitriev & Mishkutenok received deafening cheers and applause. A Canadian couple also found themselves tied up in the controversy. Brasseur and Eisler skated a flawless performance also worthy of a gold medal only to receive the bronze. I can remember at the time myself thinking, "G & G made mistakes. Why did they receive the gold medal?" But we all know what happened after. Grinkov died suddenly and tragically of a heart attack and the skating world lost his brillance forever. I think we all looked back and were glad that he did win the gold at his last Olympics. I've also scrutinized the sport intensely since those days and can now understand, though not always agree with, controversial judgments such as these.
All I have to say is...buck up Sale & Pelletier! In my opinion, if you stick around for four years and continue to skate well, the gold medal is yours. The Russians really don't have any "golden" couples coming up in the ranks. In fact, the newer pairs seem rather "mediocre". I wouldn't be surprised if Berehznaya & Sikharulidze take their gold medal and turn pro (unless they decide to come back and prove they are gold medal "worthy"). I would think the main pair you have to keep your eyes on are Shen & Zhao. Just always know that in your hearts you skated a performance worthy of a gold medal. In the end, that's all that matters.
