REFLECTIONS

I hope conservatives won’t feel compelled to root for Johnny Weir out of their disdain for animal rights groups.  Weir tried his best to offend Republicans, or rather the imaginary boogeyman Republicans.  He dressed in high heels and wore feather boas.  And just to emphasize how outrageous he is to Republicans he said; “I know [...]

For the next six weeks the skating press and internet fan groups will speak gleefully of the idea that the Russians will be shut out of the medals in figure skating at the Vancouver Olympics.  Furthermore these groups will continue to insist that the Russian shut out PROVES that the horrific new judging system works as [...]

Mirai Nagasu’s reign as US National Champion ends this Saturday.  From the way she skated in the fall no one is expecting her reign to be extended.  This is skating, the most unpredictable of sports, so anything can happen, but most likely Mirai will be replaced as National Champion in 6 days.  When Rudy Galindo [...]

I got two whole predictions right last year, so I am feeling cocky. It doesn’t matter who wins the men’s event at Nationals, NBC’s coverage will be propping Evan Lysacek and Scott Hamilton will get out the slow motion to prove that Evan should have won.  Hamilton makes money off of Lysacek and that is [...]

Megan Mahdi is a 13 year old skater in the Orange County area. She has started a project called Project Joy Skate A Thon, which raises money for abused and neglected children in Orange County. The next skate a thon is on November 11. If you would like more information about the project or how [...]

Ever wonder what it would be like to figure skate while dodging Hezbollah bombs.  Well wonder no more and go read about Israel’s ladie’s skating champion, Tamar Katz.  http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081017&content_id=53570&vkey=ice_news  She is training in NYC now, I wonder if they ever repaired her rink in Israel. 

I won’t be around for a few days because as I am sure you all already know today is the start of the Southwest Pacific Regional Figure Skating Championships.  There are a lot of young skaters eagerly awaiting to hear me cheer myself hoarse for them.  I feel so sad for these kids.  They have [...]

John Derbyshire has an interesting article today about the history of Chinese Olympians http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MTc1OWYzYWU5YjE3NzRkZjdhNTA5M2QyZmU2OGMyYTg=   It reminded me of my favorite Chinese Olympians and one of the greatest skating performances in history.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kql3sf_crA

This was in today’s NY Post:   http://www.nypost.com/seven/06292008/gossip/pagesix/icebreaker_117620.htm OKSANA Baiulisn’t shy. The adorable Olympic gold medalist ice skater stripped down to her skivvies at Wednesday’s YRB Magazine “How You Rock It” party.” “She crashed the fashion shoot going on, so YRB let her get in on the action,” our spy reports. “She made sure everyone in [...]

Over at http://www.gaypatriot.net/  they connected to a story of the usual Howard Dean nonsense about Republican bigotry http://badgerherald.com/news/2008/03/26/dean_future_bleak_fo.php   They can’t become more diverse,” Dean said. “Who in their right mind, if they were African American or Hispanic or Asian American, if they were gay or lesbian, would join the Republican Party?” His mentioning Asian Americans [...]

Lordy figure skating is corrupt.  You have to hand it to Cinquantta in his desire to remain firmly in power, as head of the International Skating Union, he came up with the most labyrinthine judging system imaginable.  Code Of Points is so complicated and overflowing with minutiae that the judges can cheat as much as [...]

Ah so one of my predictions did come true, Mao Asada of Japan won the lady’s competition at the World Figure Skating Championships.  Bravo Mao!  I knew she would be World Champion one day the first time I saw her skate as a Junior back in 2004.  The pigs flying moment was a great one [...]

For the first time in the history of the World Figure Skating Championships a lady from Israel has qualified for the free skate in the Lady’s competition.  Tamar Katz landed  a couple of very big jumps today to finish 24th in the short program and move onto the Free Skate.    http://www.isufs.org/bios/isufs00006326.htm  Bravo Tamar have a [...]

Well another of my predictions has failed.  Dommina and Shabalin are not going to win the World Championship in Ice Dance; they have withdrawn due to injury.  Even the Russians haven’t figured out a way to cheat a victory in a contest they don’t enter.  This makes the US team the favorites to win.  The [...]

I should have posted this after Nationals and here we are only 11 days till Worlds.  But unlike all the other bloggers who post their predictions and run away I will rate my own predictions and fess up where my prognostications have been failures.  Here is what I said way back in 2007. Emily Hughes [...]

After a dazzling performance that included the triple lutz Victoria Rackohn is in 4th place in the Jr. Lady’s competition at US Figure Skating Nationals.   Earlier this season I would have said no way Victoria would even be at Nationals and now here she is close to the podium.  She had such a rough start [...]

Some truly lovely performances by our Jr. Lady’s today at Nationals.  Three of the young lady’s had triple/triple combinations and two landed the triple lutz.  If only they weren’t all risking permanent damge by doing Bielmans.  Cinquantta says we must have age limits for the health of our young skaters.  He could do far more [...]