Sunday, April 8, 2012

The Easter Bunny's Favorite Things



A great pair: Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev's Don Quixote



The most evil compulsory beam routine ever.  Imagine any of the girls from today doing this routine.  It is how we'd weed out the uglies.  Take your picks.





Perhaps my favorite Michelle Kwan moment E-V-E-R!


Two old friends!



An Olympic Champ like no other.



The next American World Champion



Mad about Ukrainian legs!


My latest adopted daughter: Julia Lipnitskaya



Katherine Healy at Madison Square Garden: Age 6.  She turned professional at 11.

Katherine Healy Fluff and Don Quixote


The program that might've been.


I was here.   Editor's Note:  I work on her opening back slide from right to left every day at the rink. (:14-:17)

12 comments:

  1. Thanks, AJ, have missed your blogging like Carolina Kostner misses her triple lutz! (Actually, I take it back, that would imply I don't miss it that much, since she obviously didn't need it to win Worlds.) Is there any better testament to the general suckage of IJS than watching MK's '96 short? In other words, that's a short program you would actually go back and watch on purpose. It has "moments," it has drama, and mercifully it does NOT have an awkward stop and go footwork sequence. I can't think of any short program in recent years that I'd make an effort to go back and watch...?

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  2. Thank you, Easter Bunny!

    I don't think any woman figure skater has ever been as good at 'listening' to the music as she skates as Michelle - although Oksana was very close!

    I wonder if any of these hyped Russian girls (other than Polina K) has ever seen any videos of Michelle (or if they've seen them, understood them). I can't bear watching Liptenitskaya because as beautiful as her positions are, she does not listen, and I wonder if she ever will. It's like watching a robot.

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    Replies
    1. Maybe it's the choreography. There is no softness in
      Liptenitskaya program. And I know they want to showcase
      her flexibility, but it's a bit overdone. Too many times of quick leg
      stretching, it's more like acrobatics than skating.

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  3. I actually think Julia feels the music quite well. Much better than any of the other Russians.

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  4. I just love Michelle's 96 programs. They are my favorite. I know most would say Lyrca Angelica and being in person at Nationals that year it was something of beauty, but Salome remains my favorite. Anyhow, this post lead me to my favorite performance of all time and that is Fields of Gold by Michelle at the 2002 Olympic exhibition, where she is visibly crying. I cannot stop myself from crying while watching. So heart-wrenching and beautiful in so many ways....Love Lipitnskya ( don't care to look up spelling) and think it's between her and Gracie for the Gold in Sochi, seriously.

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    Replies
    1. Gracia, yes. Lipitnskya, it's very hard to say. Just
      hope she can survive the puberty. Back injury, Knee injury
      are the common problems among skaters in this age group.

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  5. My favorite part of the Michelle video is that the American judge was the only judge who put her second. USFSA, get your shit together!

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  6. Michelle all the way. I like all the posted videos minus one.

    Yeah the US judges usually get it wrong and don’t support the right skater at a crucial time. For example…putting Irina over Michelle at the Olympics and in my opinion karma hasn’t brought them another Michelle like they thought. They kept wishing she would move on because she was obviously in the way of greatness (sarcasm). Now they appreciate her like no other…too late imo. One of the reasons I think Michelle doesn’t skate as much.

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  7. i miss compulsories in gymnastics. bring back the elegance!

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    Replies
    1. agreed.. definately would bring back the artistic component as well as show us who can do the basics!!!! Back to basics people.. and not chuck!

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  8. How about Shannon Miller's compulsory and EF beam routine? Shannon did win gold!!

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  9. Lilia's routine was overrated on beam.Compulsories included. Miller's was much better and so was Marinescu.

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