I know who I'm cheering on for the Pairs Figure Skating

[LynneSin]

That Chinese couple that did their short routine to Kashmir. That was awesome and a good instrumental version of a Led Zeppelin classic!

[LostinVA]

1. They suck

HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHA!!!

Zhang/Zhang were good -- but I GOTTA go with Shen and Hongbo.... just because he just started skating again two weeks ago.

The Russians are supposed to be EXCELLENT... we shall soon see...

[LynneSin]

2. I did like that American couple that used music from "The Mission"

that's one of my favorite movie soundtracks

[LostinVA]

3. Yeah -- they were pretty good, too.

[colinmom71]

6. Hinzmann and Parchem.. And yes, they performed quite nicely....

They're still relatively new to the international scene, but they have a lovely, soft quality to their skating that I dearly miss since the Code of Points scoring system was adopted. That music is well suited to their style, although it is a rather overused selection within the figure skating world. Italian Ladies' skater Carolina Kostner's short program is performed to "The Mission" soundtrack. ;)

Then again, I'm joining the cheers of "wuz robbed" for Inoue and Baldwin. While I love Shen and Zhao and am thrilled that he seems to be holding up so well after his injury, I/B should have been placed over S/Z. The Pairs' long programs should be quite interesting! ;)

[CBHagman]

15. I'm sorry I missed that.

You're right. The Mission is definitely one of the most beautiful and haunting soundtracks ever.

I did catch that rather endearing Polish couple who skated to "La Vie en rose." They did a really wonderful lift during their routine.

[bumblebee1]

39. The female half of the Polish pair

reminds me of a 1920's or 1930's movie star.

[JI7]

4. why was the host or commentator critical of them ?

i thought they were good as did the audience .

[LynneSin]

8. Because they're chinese - not allowed to say nice things about China

:shrug:

[northofdenali]

5. Lynne, it was Zeppelin that got me, too...................

Pretty gutsy.

[chimpymustgo]

9. OMG - style points for using Zeppelin - great routine too.

Couldn't believe Dick Button was ragging on them for not having "energy". The crowd went wild, so did I - I was screaming - it was too cool. And the judges liked it too.

I think I liked ALL the skaters last night, but that really won me over.

[gizmo1979]

7. I really hate

figure skating!

[Darth_Kitten]

10. it's a snooze fest this olympics....

and I love pairs skating, but my country isn't in contention to skate brilliantly and then have their gold medal stolen from them from an insecure french judge & other corrupt characters only to have it re-enstated after an international outcry and media campaign. :)

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Yay to you on your country's Gold Medal yesterday though!

:toast:

[Darth_Kitten]

13. Oh, thanks for noticing MrsGrumpy!

:D it's nice to get one the first day. :)

[yvr girl]

12. The good ol' days

Canada always had a strong skating team before. I don't think we have anyone favoured to win a medal in any of the disciplines this time around.

[Darth_Kitten]

14. Well, in men's perhaps.....but...

yeah, all the disciplines seem to be a little bit more "open". Except ice dance that is. ;)

[hopein08]

18. I thought they were saying that ice dance is relatively "open."

Especially since Belbin and Agosto are allowed to compete. I saw one commentator (Tracy Wilson) post a list of who her favorites were for dance and it had like six teams on it. I was quite excited that my favorites, Drobiazko and Vanagas, are still considered favorites.

It actually seems to me like ice dance is the most open. But maye that's just me.

[Darth_Kitten]

21. It'll be Russia, then two other non-american teams for the other medals..

there's just too much "protocol" that will make sure that there are no real surprises.
In terms of TALENT, yes I think that it is indeed quite open, but this is ice dance so I'm very cynical. ;)

[hopein08]

22. Good point...I just don't want Navka & Kostomarov to win...

they seem to be next in line for the Russian gold. But I haven't liked them since I heard about her part in the whole Pasha/Sasha thing from the mid-'90s.

So I'll root for the Americans and the Lithuanians.

[Darth_Kitten]

26. Thing about Navka.....

Platov at one time was hooked up with her and didn't want to skate with her, didn't think their team could make it. But then Kostamarov is the much better part of this team anyways..

But dish the dirt on the Pasha/Sasha thing, was she involved in it? :popcorn: I couldn't respect any woman who would willingly take up with a wife beater. :(

[LostinVA]

29. Gawd, I hate Pasha...

[hopein08]

35. Navka was involved 100% in the Pasha/Sasha thing...

I don't know how much you already know, so please forgive me for writing too much if you already know it;);)

So...Sasha (a.k.a. Alexander Zhulin) was married to Maya Usova and skated with her. He started having an affair with Pasha (when she was Oksana) (who was skating with Platov) around the '92 Olympics I think. By the '94 Olympics and shortly thereafter, Sasha and Maya were still married and Sasha was still sleeping with Pasha. But that apparently wasn't enough for him, so he started cheating on his mistress with Navka. I think she was only in her early 20s and he was mid to late 30s. Anyhow, I don't know how far their relationship went then, but after Pasha and Platov broke up after the '98 Olympics...Sasha and Maya followed suit and they all switched partners. Which left Pasha/Sasha and Maya/Evgeny and Navka (who I think was skating with Morozov at the time). By 2001 or 2002, Navka was married to Sasha and they have a little girl who is about 5 years old. Alexander Zhulin is, of course, Navka & Kostomarov's coach and choreographer.

That's the short version of the story. I can look for some links to more details if you'd like. I know there are articles out there about it.

It's quite the soap opera.:shrug::shrug:

I have trouble paying attention to Kostomarov...Navka kind of overshadows him. Plus she reminds me of an actual soap opera character that annoyed me to no end.

[LostinVA]

36. And, to make it even more Jerry Springer:

They got in a fight in Spago. One of them banged the other one's head on the bar counter (the women -- I think it was Pasha whose head was slammed). All of those Russian ice dancers are so trashy. Geez, let a nice Canadian win for goodness sake...

Ah, for the days of Torvill and Dean...

[hopein08]

37. I can't believe I forgot Spago!!!

I think it was Maya that smashed Pasha's head into the counter.

[LostinVA]

38. I was just informed by the SO that it was indeed Maya

How could you forget Spago? That just adds an even more surreal LA vibe to the whole thing.

I'll say it again: trashy!

[Catchawave]

16. I like this team....

[Darth_Kitten]

20. Yes, but does the new scoring system favour....

their kind of skating? ;)

[LostinVA]

24. I think the new system will favor whomever the judges

want to favor... I HATE the new system. I'm afraid it's going to not only take away the very best of figure skating, but it will also be ripe for abuse. Already, skating insiders are saying skaters will soon know what they have to do to "play" to the new system. It's a start, but I'
m afraid not a very good one.

[Darth_Kitten]

27. I like the new system.....

no more giving 5.9's to obviously flawed programs. :)

[LostinVA]

28. I like what it stands for

But, I've been watching skating for way too long: I guarantee it will be at least as flawed as the old system.

[Darth_Kitten]

31. They haven't gotten rid of the corrupt judges.....

just the honest ones which cannot help. It's only as good as the people backing it up, I suppose. :)

[LostinVA]

33. That's what I mean

I feel it's still skewed... but, it's a step in the right direction.

[Catchawave]

40. Probably....

:rofl:

(Chris Farley and Nancy Kerrigan in a SNL sketch, not sure if others caught it?)

[DS1]

17. The limits of shallow have just been breached

:eyes:

[LynneSin]

30. Like posting pictures of scantily clad woman isn't the pinacle...

of shallowness

:eyes:

[DS1]

32. Not next to this

:eyes: :eyes:

[tjdee]

19. Why do I always miss everything? Anywhere to catch that?

If I would have been watching, everyone would have been skating to the same tired classical/Yanni-riffic songs. Dang. Any chance it'll be replayed/recast?

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

23. Lynne, when I was watching the SPs last night on NBC

and heard their music begin, I immediately thought of you.

[ChoralScholar]

25. I'm cheering for local station difficulties.

just kidding. I'm not going to watch it, but I hope you enjoy it.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

34. I loved that song!

:D :D I didn't actually see the routine, but I heard the song.... Great version!