CBC's comments on Alina Zagitova | Page 13 | Golden Skate

CBC's comments on Alina Zagitova

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GrandmaCC

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
this basically:laugh:


its their opinion & obv they're free to express it

we can watch OR not
Basically like TSL
everyone is biased

I prefer watching with Yulia & Adian now:biggrin:

What about the comments that were completely wrong? I mean, whatever you feel re backloading, it is permitted. So, the guy ranting on about how there HAS to be a jump and spin in the first half is just...what, a case of lying to the audience and attempting to cause a revolt against that evil little Russian who was blatantly allowed to cheat?
I really don’t get it. He would know what a “balanced program” means according to the rules - if he doesn’t, then what the heck is he doing commentating?? May as well have someone else on the team declaring that a bun with a sparkly hairnet earns 10 extra bonus points 🤦🏻*♀️
If he doesn’t like the rule, or how Alina has constructed her first half, fine! Say, “now there is a lot of debate about whether this program does indeed meet the requirements of being “well balanced”, the rules can be kind of vague *talk about what rules ACTUALLY are*, and really can leave a lot open for interpretation...”

“personally, I don’t feel this does constitute a balanced program, I don’t understand how anyone can without there being a jump in the first half. I guess that’s why I’m not a judge *laughs*

“I might get criticised for saying this, I know that it does take a lot of fitness to execute all those jumps in quick succession so late on, but you know what? I want the rules changed. I just do. That’s how I feel.”

*cross back to “good cop” announcer for the scores etc*

Be as critical as you want, but be accurate, and teach the audience what the requirements actually are instead of...I really don’t know what it was he did, apart from demonstrate either a lack of skating knowledge or that he had a hold of a different rule book.
 

andromache

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
If this is the de facto criticize/defend Alina thread....

I love her jumps and spins. Marvelous.

The choreography goes well with the music, and the balance/unbalance of the programs doesn't bother me at all. I think it goes fine with the music, and her elements are timed very well with the music.

Because she has so many difficult transitions, I don't think they are performed as well as they could be. Quantity versus quality. There's definitely a rushed/staccato quality to her skating that I don't think has as much aesthetic appeal as some of the other ladies. Her edges are shallow and lack flow, though I appreciate that she is doing a lot of work with them given the complicated skating she is doing.

Don Quixote is an incredibly difficult program to skate well - I realize that. Emotionally, it's a junior-level program. It feels pageanty - all she has to do is smile through it. I don't feel that she is building a connection with the audience and putting them under a spell. She's too busy rushing through the complicated skating and choreography.

While we often see "consistency" cited as a reason for building high PCS through rep, Alina has not been consistent - she hasn't skated a clean SP all season.

I think part of the reason we see Alina getting such high PCS is because they (the powers that be) want to set up an Alina/Evgenia rivalry for the Olympics, even if Alina's PCS shouldn't be anywhere near Evgenia's. Fine, whatever, there will be suspense, which is always good. But if the creation of this narrative results in a junior-level LP winning OGM over Evgenia, I'm going to be mad. I won't say there was cheating or that anything unfair happened or say something like "Alinflation". Those kinds of complaints are annoying and ridiculous. But I'll feel like everyone did when Tara won in Nagano over Michelle - like an immature upstart (sorry Alina -
I want to see you grow up a bit first!) was rewarded over a legendary grand dame.

(OGMs are not lifetime achievement awards - but in our hearts, we want them to be.)
 

moriel

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
What about the comments that were completely wrong? I mean, whatever you feel re backloading, it is permitted. So, the guy ranting on about how there HAS to be a jump and spin in the first half is just...what, a case of lying to the audience and attempting to cause a revolt against that evil little Russian who was blatantly allowed to cheat?
I really don’t get it. He would know what a “balanced program” means according to the rules - if he doesn’t, then what the heck is he doing commentating?? May as well have someone else on the team declaring that a bun with a sparkly hairnet earns 10 extra bonus points 🤦🏻*♀️
If he doesn’t like the rule, or how Alina has constructed her first half, fine! Say, “now there is a lot of debate about whether this program does indeed meet the requirements of being “well balanced”, the rules can be kind of vague *talk about what rules ACTUALLY are*, and really can leave a lot open for interpretation...”

“personally, I don’t feel this does constitute a balanced program, I don’t understand how anyone can without there being a jump in the first half. I guess that’s why I’m not a judge *laughs*

“I might get criticised for saying this, I know that it does take a lot of fitness to execute all those jumps in quick succession so late on, but you know what? I want the rules changed. I just do. That’s how I feel.”

*cross back to “good cop” announcer for the scores etc*

Be as critical as you want, but be accurate, and teach the audience what the requirements actually are instead of...I really don’t know what it was he did, apart from demonstrate either a lack of skating knowledge or that he had a hold of a different rule book.

I would say for me even this is overkill.
They should take Ted as golden standard. He manages to find something nice to say about every skater, to highlight some qualities.
 

lavender

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Yeah, those PCS are utter trash. Basically, they are saying she needs nothing to work on regarding her artistry and presentation, which is a joke of a statement. The inflated PCS are not helping her grow as a skater at all.

That's why these skaters win big and disappear. Skating just doesn't know how to build a real champion anymore. You just keep getting the next child skater ticking off jumps with great potential that never fully materializes.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Backloading is permitted under current rules. If commentators are looking for something to criticize, how about Alina's bent-over posture? She is piked over so much of the time that her butt is on display more than her face is.
 

lyndichee

Medalist
Joined
Sep 16, 2014
Backloading is permitted under current rules. If commentators are looking for something to criticize, how about Alina's bent-over posture? She is piked over so much of the time that her butt is on display more than her face is.

Maybe people should be more focused on criticizing the system that rewards things that they don't like rather than the skater themselves. Commentators should probably say that balance should be redefined in the rulebook.

Something about that butt comment seems a little distasteful given Alina's age.
 

Alex D

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Not encouraging that they didn't even have the respect to pronounce her name correctly.

This happens more often than you might think. Not just in TV, but also at live sports events. Given, I am not perfect either, when I worked at the radio or hosted shows, I did not have a clue either about names, but that´s why you research and ask in advance.

The biggest victims of false pronounciations are East European Athletes, but also the French. I do understand the Americans though, I believe they find it difficult to pronounce slavic names. Some letters have a different spelling, even if written the same.

Pogo is so often pronounced wrong, it´s not an O but an A!
 

Mista Ekko

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
I think part of the reason we see Alina getting such high PCS is because they (the powers that be) want to set up an Alina/Evgenia rivalry for the Olympics, even if Alina's PCS shouldn't be anywhere near Evgenia's. Fine, whatever, there will be suspense, which is always good. But if the creation of this narrative results in a junior-level LP winning OGM over Evgenia, I'm going to be mad. I won't say there was cheating or that anything unfair happened or say something like "Alinflation". Those kinds of complaints are annoying and ridiculous. But I'll feel like everyone did when Tara won in Nagano over Michelle - like an immature upstart (sorry Alina -
I want to see you grow up a bit first!) was rewarded over a legendary grand dame.

Find me a judge who actually admits that and we can both go and remove them for life,
And we shouldn't be saying that deciding in advance to just create a rivalry that paints nicely
by boosting someone's points is "Fine, Whatever".

And if that was true we could go even deeper, Why does it have to be Zagitova who's boosted?
 

Shayuki

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Find me a judge who actually admits that and we can both go and remove them for life,
And we shouldn't be saying that deciding in advance to just create a rivalry that paints nicely
by boosting someone's points is "Fine, Whatever".

And if that was true we could go even deeper, Why does it have to be Zagitova who's boosted?
What do you mean "Why does it have to be Zagitova"?

Osmond's boosted, Kostner's boosted, Satoko's boosted... I guess Wakaba is the only one who isn't boosted.

It's not Zagitova only.

They clearly want to create a situation where it's not completely obvious Medvedeva win, and as such they'd be boosting all the competitive skaters - Zagitova being one of them.

Now, she probably is easier to boost convincingly simply because she actually has very strong tech, objectively stronger than Medvedeva. How far higher do you think Osmond or Kostner could even be boosted? Neither can beat a clean Medvedeva even with 80.00 PCS.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
But I'll feel like everyone did when Tara won in Nagano over Michelle - like an immature upstart ... was rewarded over a legendary grand dame.

:rock: Where else but in figure skating can we find a 17-year-old legendary grand dame? (Or an 18-year old legendary grand dame, in the case of Evgenia?) :)

(OGMs are not lifetime achievement awards - but in our hearts, we want them to be.)

Well said.
 
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cell

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 11, 2006
I think part of the reason we see Alina getting such high PCS is because they (the powers that be) want to set up an Alina/Evgenia rivalry for the Olympics, even if Alina's PCS shouldn't be anywhere near Evgenia's. Fine, whatever, there will be suspense, which is always good. But if the creation of this narrative results in a junior-level LP winning OGM over Evgenia, I'm going to be mad.


I have to say I find Evgenia's Anna Karenina program rather juniorish as well in expression. Not as juniorish as Alina's, but still... I think there is a lack of maturity in interpreting the music. Evegnia's short program is better.
 

Crossover

All Hail the Queen
Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Maybe people should be more focused on criticizing the system that rewards things that they don't like rather than the skater themselves. Commentators should probably say that balance should be redefined in the rulebook.

Something about that butt comment seems a little distasteful given Alina's age.

Regardless of skaters' age, commentators can't be free to directly talk about skaters' "butt" on media, but their job is to guide viewers with informative commentaries. They still can criticize one's noticeable bad posture in moderate tones.
 

Puchi

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
But I'll feel like everyone did when Tara won in Nagano over Michelle - like an immature upstart was rewarded over a legendary grand dame.

I felt the same when an immature upstart beat grand dame Lu Chen in 1996 World Championship. ;)
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Maybe people should be more focused on criticizing the system that rewards things that they don't like rather than the skater themselves. Commentators should probably say that balance should be redefined in the rulebook.

Something about that butt comment seems a little distasteful given Alina's age.

Alina's tutu calls attention to her bad posture. The skirt is all one piece and stiff; because she bends over so much, the skirt gets pushed down in front, which makes it stand up in back. So yes, the audience does get a view of her backside throughout much of her performance, and that is not a good thing.

The first thing I noted about Alina was her poor posture rather than the backloading. If backloading gets tossed when the rules are revised, more comments will be made about her posture, which is actually a problem that she needs to address. Many of the complaints about Alina's backloading are because of the point advantage she gets. But even without backloading she will continue to have an edge because she is able to complete a clean 7-triple FS when other competitors can't.
 

moriel

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
If there was any problem with audience seeing the backside, figure skaters would wear different costumes. Gymnasts would wear different costumes.
Bad posture is not a good thing, there is nothing wrong with showing the backside, or the legs, or the arms, or the face...
 

Shayuki

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Well, I for one have always disliked Zagitova's tutu outfits just for that reason. Especially the FS one has always been horrible for me. It just doesn't look good at all.

Would like to see how she looks with a beautiful dress.
 

Alex D

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Backloading is permitted under current rules. If commentators are looking for something to criticize, how about Alina's bent-over posture? She is piked over so much of the time that her butt is on display more than her face is.

I listen to the German commentator and the women there noted, how her program would have nothing but jumps in the second part. She however, also noted how brilliant her expression would be.

As for the "butt" comment.

This is what concerns me about her programs most. It´s just too sexy, too revealing and it´s not happening as an accident, but on purpose. They even made the dress shorter over time, officially because it helps with the elements, but I don´t know about that.

There have been huge discussions about skaters posture and outfits in the past, at programs where I felt nothing was done wrong. But Alina now where it really is a worthy topic, nobody seems to care about it, which makes me completely speechless. I hope for her, that she will be able to skate different from next season on. Away from those outfits that make her too sexy, away from ballet and more into programs that are different and less revealing.

She has so much talent as a skater and artist, but it´s all hidden behind that sexy ballerina theme, she currently has.
 

madison

Record Breaker
Joined
May 2, 2015
I listen to the German commentator and the women there noted, how her program would have nothing but jumps in the second part. She however, also noted how brilliant her expression would be.

As for the "butt" comment.

This is what concerns me about her programs most. It´s just too sexy, too revealing and it´s not happening as an accident, but on purpose. They even made the dress shorter over time, officially because it helps with the elements, but I don´t know about that.

There have been huge discussions about skaters posture and outfits in the past, at programs where I felt nothing was done wrong. But Alina now where it really is a worthy topic, nobody seems to care about it, which makes me completely speechless. I hope for her, that she will be able to skate different from next season on. Away from those outfits that make her too sexy, away from ballet and more into programs that are different and less revealing.

She has so much talent as a skater and artist, but it´s all hidden behind that sexy ballerina theme, she currently has.
I don't find that she expresses sexiness. Yes, she's very beautiful, but what she expresses it's feminity mixed with a kind of childish attitude. You can look sexy - external attribute, but this doesn't mean that you express sexiness (internal), the attitude is all.
I think that the only 2 ladies in the world who can express sexiness are Ashley Wagner and Liza Tukt.
 
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