Nick McCarvel's Best and worst of 2014 for Ice Network

[ice coverage]

... Skating will never be widely popular if the media continues to promote really only American skaters, popularity of the sport will live and die by how good the American skaters are. And skating is not a 'national' sport like the NFL, it's a global sport and in my opinion it's doing a great disservice to it to confine it to a certain nationality because of who you are talking to.

Completely unfair to single out a U.S.-based website and point your finger.

It is only natural for Japanese media to focus more on Team Japan than on other skaters; for Russian media to focus on Team Russia more than on other skaters: for Canadian media to focus on Team Canada than on other skaters; etc.

If icenetwork is doing a great disservice to focus more on Team USA than on other skaters, then the non-U.S. media should be held to the same standard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forgot to say in my previous post:

(1) De gustibus non est disputandam, obviously.

(2) The IN list represents the opinions only of Nick McCarvel, and I'm not sure how much his imprimatur is worth anyway.
As we all know, he did not start covering figure skating until last season, and by his own admission, he had a lot of "catching up" to do.​

 

[TuTU9678]

Best comeback:
Mao's Sochi FS after the disappointing SP.
Yuzuru's GPF performance after COC/HNK and all he's gone through this season.

 

[sunnystars]

Best SP: Carolina's Ave Maria
She was simply an angel on ice. A grand SP to end her career and for all the other skaters to look up to.
sorry yuna but I have to unbiased for this

 

[karne]

I feel bad for Ashley Wagner. The results of last season and this one proved that the selectors made the correct decision, but she still gets rubbish for it.

 

[sabinfire]

I almost posted this article here last night, myself.

Interesting read. It's definitely been quite a year in the figure skating world. Sochi, Worlds, retirement (or "unofficial retirement') for so many long-time favorites, the legions of talented young Russian ladies, Plushenko's bizarre Olympic withdraw, the Yuzuru Hanyu rollercoaster ride...

What would figure skating be without all the drama?

 

[skaterr]

Best Short Program: Yu-Na Kim, Sochi Olympic Winter Games :agree:

http://2014.twitter.com/moments

http://yearinreview.fb.com/

 

[sabinfire]

Best Short Program: Yu-Na Kim, Sochi Olympic Winter Games :agree:

"Send In the Clowns" is definitely one that sticks with you. She will be missed.

 

[Alba]

Best Performance: Virtue&Moir
Honorable Mention: D&W
Honorable Mention: Carolina Kostner
Honorable Mention: Stolbova&Klimov in both team and individual events
Honorable Mention: Yuna Kim and Carolina Kostner in Sochi
Honorable Mention: Mao Asada LP in Sochi
Honorable Mention: Yuzuru at the GPF

Best Free: Yulia's European Championship and team event
Honorable Mention: Mao Asada Sochi

Best Short: V&T SP in Sochi
Honorable mention (could be also the best): Carolina Kostner in Sochi
Honorable mention: Mao Asada Worlds

Breakout Star: Yulia
Best team: Russia
Honorable mention: Canada

Best Costume: Mao Asada SP
Honorable mention: Yulia LP
Honorable mention: I&K FD
Honorable mention: V&T SP

 

[Interspectator]

I almost posted this article here last night, myself.

Interesting read. It's definitely been quite a year in the figure skating world. Sochi, Worlds, retirement (or "unofficial retirement') for so many long-time favorites, the legions of talented young Russian ladies, Plushenko's bizarre Olympic withdraw, the Yuzuru Hanyu rollercoaster ride...

What would figure skating be without all the drama?

A perfect description of his season so far.

 

[Krunchii]

Best Performance: Virtue&Moir
Honorable Mention: Carolina Kostner
Honorable Mention: Stolbova&Klimov in both team and individual events
Honorable Mention: Yuna Kim and Carolina Kostner in Sochi
Honorable Mention: Mao Asada LP in Sochi

Best Free: Yulia's European Championship and team event
Honorable Mention: Mao Asada Sochi

Best Short: V&T SP in Sochi
Honorable mention (could be also the best): Carolina Kostner in Sochi
Honorable mention: Mao Asada Worlds

Breakout Star: Yulia
Best team: Russia
Honorable mention: Canada

Best Costume: Mao Asada SP
Honorable mention: Yulia LP
Honorable mention: I&K FD
Honorable mention: V&T SP

I agree with this list but I would switch out Mao and Yulia for the best LP, I'm surprised her dress didn't get an honourable mention in the article when she became known as the girl in red. How could Yulia not be the breakout star when one of the most celebrated (American) directors of all time, Steven Spielberg wrote her a letter for SL?

 

[Alba]

I agree with this list but I would switch out Mao and Yulia for the best LP,

I did love most Yulia's program tbh. I's a special theme and worked great for her. But I love both girls and both programs. So I'm not against it.

I'm surprised her dress didn't get an honourable mention in the article when she became known as the girl in red. How could Yulia not be the breakout star when one of the most celebrated (American) directors of all time, Steven Spielberg wrote her a letter for SL?

Well, you know, apparently for icenetwork she became known as the "girl who could stick her leg over her head". :sarcasm:

p.s. I would also like to add an honorable mention to D&W in Sochi for best performance, and Yuzuru at the GPF.

 

[sheen]

"Send In the Clowns" is definitely one that sticks with you. She will be missed.

This is so true. The music and her moves just got me.

 

[Krunchii]

I did love most Yulia's program tbh. I's a special theme and worked great for her. But I love both girls and both programs. So I'm not against it.



Well, you know, apparently for icenetwork she became known as the "girl who could stick her leg over her head". :sarcasm:

p.s. I would also like to add an honorable mention to D&W in Sochi for best performance, and Yuzuru at the GPF.

Girl who could stick her leg over her head is just so disrespectful and hardly a testament to her performances at the Olympics, many skaters were doing Biellmanns and catch foot camels and I-spins, they could put their feet over their heads too. And Yuzuru unfortunately fell in both his programs, it was good comeback story and message to send the world but they were not perfect performances

 

[Alba]

Girl who could stick her leg over her head is just so disrespectful and hardly a testament to her performances at the Olympics, many skaters were doing Biellmanns and catch foot camels and I-spins, they could put their feet over their heads too. And Yuzuru unfortunately fell in both his programs, it was good comeback story and message to send the world but they were not perfect performances

True he was not perfect, but they were great performances though. Considering that comeback and huge scores, I think it deserves an honorable mention this season.

 

[iceberg]

This article is too subjective and so I give it a skip! No thanks!

 

[dorispulaski]

The author is Nick McCarvel, a freelance writer better known for his tennis coverage.

http://www.nickmccarvel.com/

 

[Matt K]

This article is too subjective and so I give it a skip! No thanks!

It was published by IceNetwork. Take with grain of salt.

 

[Crossover]

Just for your information

It was published by IceNetwork. Take with grain of salt.

I had not noticed that this thread is based on an IceNetwork news until Matt K pointed out that. I though this is just a personal thought since 2015 is coming soon.
So, I would like to share the below sum-up of the news with you all. I both agree and disagree with some of the listings.

Controversies, costumes and Sochi: 2014, a review
The year in figure skating gave fans plenty to remember -- and forget

Posted 12/19/14 by Nick McCarvel, special to icenetwork


Best Performance: Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Sochi Olympic Winter Games
Honorable Mention: Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, Sochi Olympic Winter Games

Best Free Skate: Jason Brown, 2014 U.S. Championships
Honorable Mention: Mao Asada, Sochi Olympic Winter Games

Best Short Program: Yu-Na Kim, Sochi Olympic Winter Games
Honorable Mention: Jeremy Abbott, 2014 U.S. Championships
Also: Yuzuru Hanyu, Sochi Olympic Winter Games

Breakout Star: Jason Brown, 2014 U.S. Championships
Honorable Mention: Julia Lipnitskaia, Sochi Olympic Winter Games team event

Best Team: Russia
Honorable Mention: Canada

Best Costume: Mao Asada, Sochi Olympic Winter Games short program
Honorable Mention: Johnny Weir, Um… Everyday?
Also: Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov, Sochi Olympic Winter Games free dance

Worst Costume: Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi, Sochi Olympic Winter Games free skate
Dishonorable Mention: Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, Sochi Olympic Winter Games free skate

Worst Fall: Jeremy Abbott, Sochi Olympic Winter Games short program
Honorable Mention: Mao Asada, Sochi Olympic Winter Games short program

Worst Crash: Yuzuru Hanyu and Han Yan, Cup of China

Most Shocking Breakup: Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov, ice dance
Not-So-Shocking Breakup: Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, pairs

Biggest Upset: Adelina Sotnikova's Olympic Winter Games gold medal

Most Shocking Withdrawal: Evgeni Plushenko, Sochi Olympic Winter Games

Biggest Controversy: Adelina Sotnikova's Olympic gold medal
Dishonorable Mention: Ashley Wagner's Team USA Olympic selection

Best Career Move: Meryl Davis, Dancing With the Stars
Honorable mention: Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, NBC Sports Commentators/Fashionistas

Best Comeback: Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, 2014-15 Grand Prix Series
Honorable Mention: Carolina Kostner, Sochi Winter Olympic Games

Best Rivalry: Davis & White vs. Virtue & Moir, Everywhere

Best Blast From the Past: The Nancy-Tonya Documentaries, NBC and ESPN