<p>Plushenko has such a big ego, he just can’t stand that he lost. It will be a bitter four years for him if he just trains for revenge.</p>
<p>I had a dark blonde wedge. I paid $50 at Bergdorf Goodman to have my very long hair cut at the same salon as Dorothy Hamill. I loved it and tried to keep the style for a couple of years but my hair doesn’t cooperate. Too much body and a couple of cowlicks. I still wish I could have it.</p>
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<p>Business interests are present in the Olympics just like everywhere else. Here’s an example. Tatiana Tarasova, a Russian figure skating coach, has trained Shizuka Arakawa, Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan, and of course Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek (not to mention all the Russian and Ukrainian skaters). Who wouldn’t take the opportunity to get paid well for something they do well? </p>
<p>I browsed through the Russian blogs. Some people are really upset and you can’t blame them for that. They believe that their national team means and represents a lot, not to mention that Plushenko was a huge celebrity who constantly sat in the TV set, hosting an ice dancing show on the prime channel at prime time. Others are just happy Russia got silver and agree with the results. I wouldn’t advise taking the quoted officials and politicians too seriously… :)</p>
<p>Thanks Lostanddelirious, I have been sitting here biting my tongue because it really bothers me when people start finding excuses or blaming someone because they didn’t win. I believe most of the athletes are happy about making it this far and the statements are more representative of their governments or sponsors than of themselves. Every country has at one time or another done it and unfortunately it is the athlete who ends up looking like an idiot. The States have had there own fair share of excuses why they didn’t win at times also. I try to not watch the interviews after because they are talking to someone who in the height of the moment may say something they do not mean. After that it becomes the words of their sponsors or government. I think Jen Heil said it best when she was asked about losing the the Gold (and she was a contender) and answered by “I did not lose the Gold – I won the Silver” I think professionalism has ruined the Olympics and that started when the USA had to bring their Dream Team to the summer Olympics basketball or possibly not play at all in protest. At any rate I try to enjoy the games for the pure dedication that each and every athlete brings to it knowing full well that I could never do it. I have the utmost respect for them whether they win or not as they have gone to a place in their lives that I will never see.</p>
<p>I watched a little bit of the skeleton luge. Totally cool! Headfirst!! Wow.</p>
<p>I’m watching curling - Canada vs. Denmark. What a fascinating game! </p>
<p>I agree - skeleton is fantastic (says a woman who is missing a tooth due to traying headfirst :D)!</p>
<p>Men’s super-G - :eek: I’m so glad Bode completed the race without wiping out, the medal is just the icing on the cake ;)! Keeping fingers crossed for his next race!</p>
<p>Evan’s heartfelt graciousness makes Plushenko look small and unsportsmanlike by comparison. Let’s see: “Whiner”? “Sour grapes”? “Sore loser”? “Poor sport”? “Ingrate” (for the silver which may have been something of a gift, as consolation prize for his landing the quad despite an otherwise imprecise and inelegant performance)? “Jerk”? Any other words come to mind to describe Plushenko’s public posture on this? </p>
<p>Yet Evan talks only about how much he likes, respects, and admires the guy, and what a phenomenal skater, competitor, and role model he is, and what a fabulous record he’s compiled. Like a stiletto in a velvet glove. Give it up, Plushenko, before you permanently stain your name in the eyes of sports insiders, journalists, and the broader global Olympics-watching public.</p>
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<p>Bunsenburner–that is not necessarily correct. Plushenko and Yagudin had gone back and forth in winning events for several years–in fact, in the year before the 2002 Olympics, I believe that Plushenko beat Yagudin in every event the two entered into. In the Olympic year, it was reversed, but no one knows what would have happened in 2006 had both been healthy.</p>
<p>In addition, for those of you upset with the Russian statements, there is a backstory that may explain some of their bitterness. It has been reported that a short time before the Olympics, a very well known U.S. judge sent an e-mail to 50-60 friends (including numerous judges) saying that Plushenko was being marked too generously and that people should not give him such high marks, particularly on the skill known as transitions. Many people (not just Russians) feel that his e-mail might have impacted the scores.</p>
<p>Finally, there are those who feel that while most sports have been pushing athletes to achieve greater feats, that figure skating, with the new judging system, has taken a step back. For a non-partisan view of this, here is an article by Canadian Olympic silver medalist Elvis Stojko [The</a> night they killed figure skating - 2010 Olympics - Yahoo! Sports](<a href=“Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games - Yahoo Sports”>Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games - Yahoo Sports)</p>
<p>^^Elvis Stojko is hardly “non-partisan” in this debate, because in his day he was a Plushenko-type skater - big on jumps but low on technical skill and artistry. For him, Lysacek’s win represents a victory for the “wrong” sort of skating in the battle for the direction of the sport.</p>
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<p>Actually, I liked Putin’s comment. He limited his remark to complimenting his skater, and didn’t put the US skater down - he said the silver was “as good as the gold”, but didn’t say that Evan didn’t deserve his gold. If I were a Russian, I would expect my country to say something supportive, and Putin did that. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I agree that Evan showed soooo much class that he made Plushenko look even worse than Plushenko’s own gracelessness did. The Russian was completely classless. </p>
<p>On another point, I went to youtube and watched Brian Boitano’s performance in 1988. I’m not a skater, so you skating fans can correct me, but it sure seemed to me that Boitano’s performance back then, would have still won the gold in 2010. What do you think?</p>
<p>I remain so impressed by Evan Lysacek’s gentlemanly behavior after his win. He has had only appreciative words to say about Plushenko, such as “He’s a really nice guy.” No matter how much goading Evan is polite and positive.</p>
<p>Remember the scandal of the pairs judging when Jamie Sale and David Pelletier did not win the gold despite their clearly superior performance? They were stunning and skated in beautiful, understated costumes that looked like cashmere turtlenecks. It turned out the Russian judge and the French judge were in cahoots. Eventually the Canadians were declared co-winners. There is a lot that goes on that the public doesn’t see. Judges watch during the practices too, not just the performances. This is a judged sport so there will always be subjectivity.</p>
<p>The skaters body types have a big influence on their artistry and athletecism. The commentators (Peggy Fleming especially) used to seem a bit more biased toward their own style of skating and probably the judges are as well.</p>
<p>Another Olympic Memory. So much for his 15 seconds of fame…:o</p>
<p>[Lago</a> Heads Home Early After Risque Pictures on Web - ABC News](<a href=“http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=9894801]Lago”>http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=9894801)</p>
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Personally I think you’re about 30 years too late … IMO it started when communist countries started having scores of “military personel” whose full-time job was to train for olympic/world level sports … much of current sports training and medicine (including steroids) was first highly leveraged by the communists countries. During the 60s and 70s having our true amatuers compete against these “army officers” was anything but what the olympics was intended to be. All amatuers or allow pros … either would work … but allowing pros versus true amatuers was ridiculus.</p>
<p>Plushenko sounds like a little girl. In a sport where the men aren’t exactly…how can I say this tactfully…very ‘macho’…it’s kind of embarassing.
Take your silver and go home.</p>
<p>Here is a more balanced view of the skating controversy. Two Canadian champions disagree with each other:</p>
<p>[Vancouver</a> Now - Chan, Stojko on opposite sides of judging debate](<a href=“http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/figureskating/story/2010/02/19/spo-figureskating-judging.html]Vancouver”>Chan, Stojko on opposite sides of judging debate | CBC Sports)</p>
<p>Same can be said about the comments.</p>
<p>Plushenko and Lysacek’s final scores were quite close. Pluschenko did a quad. Lysacek did everything else. Pluschenko is complaining that men’s skating should be more about athleticism, but he did all his jumps in the early part of his program, because he did not have endurance. Isn’t endurance part of athleticism? Or is a true athlete only one who can do a couple hard tricks?</p>
<p>I am, of course, biased toward the US. And I did not like Pluschenko’s blantant sucking up to the judges - blowing a kiss to them at the end? Is that what great athletes do? Kiss the judges?</p>
<p>But all my biases aside, Pluschenko has been around skating for more than a week. It should not have come as a surprise to him that men’s skating cares about jumps, AND spins, AND transitions AND artistry. To complain after the fact that only one of those things should count seems a bit disengenuous.</p>
<p>In many ways this whole quad vs. artistry argument mirrors the same argument that occurred on the women’s side n the early 90s when Tonya Harding and Midori Ito were very athletic jumpers and could hit the triple axel. Very impressive. But more artistic skaters, epitomized by Kristi Yamamguchi, triumphed over them by putting together the whole package - excellent jumping ability, artistry, spins, etc.</p>
<p>I did not see the performance, but H and I caught Evan’s interview with Bob Costas and I agree with cartera and bclintonk that he handled himself in an absolutely class way. It was evident Bob Costas was trying to get Evan to diss Plushenko and start a controversy, and Evan wouldn’t bite. He kept it on the high ground, complimenting Plushenko’s mastery and dedication to the sport. We both turned to one another and said, “What a class act.” We even discussed it with our kids as an example of how to behave. What a jerk Plushenko is. He could have had a silver with grace, and now he has a silver with a big old tarnish stain on it.</p>
<p>Both Plushenko and Stojko missed the boat on this. The scoring in skating is different from “back in the day” when they had the most success, and it is reflected in this result. Evan said in his interview that every step in the program is a chance to earn points. He and his coach put a ton of time into developing a program that took advantage of his strengths as a skater and earned the maximum number of points. Plushenko just figured that big jumps would/could get him the most points.</p>
<p>Not to get all political, but it reminds me of a certain Democratic presidential contender who wasn’t paying enough attention to the proportional allocation of delegates early in the race, and lost primarily because of losing sight of that “scoring” system.</p>
<p>If Plushenko and the Russian Skating Federation think that an objective review of their two skating performances against the scoring criteria really does give Plushenko the edge, they should file a formal compliant. The judges have “instant replay”, and the scoring for every element is very clearly spelled out, so I don’t think they will get a different result. But if they really have a case, they should do that. If they believe the scoring doesn’t weight the various elements (eg, the quad) heavily enough, they should take their case to the International Skating Union for a scoring criteria change. I think that is what their real complaint is, they are just making their case in a childish and petulant manner to the press.</p>
<p>Oh, and precussiondad, I agree that whining about losing and making excuses is something athletes from EVERY country engage in from time to time. </p>
<p>Also, I do agree that professionalism has made some sports (eg, hockey, basketball) less fun to watch. But I think it is okay for the less popular sports that don’t have huge professional, televised, big contract lifestyles. If someone can win a buck in a nordic ski race or a half pipe competition or a sponsorship that helps them train for the Olympics, I think that is okay. The skaters can participate in ice shows and make a living while training. All in all, I actually think the professionalism change had made life much easier for 90% of the athletes to pursue their sports without damaging the Olympic experience for us as observers. I thought it would ruin the Olympics when it happened, but really that has only been the case in a few sports. Sorry your favorite sport is one of them, though :(</p>