Shooting From the Lip-Russian Female Gold Pairs Skater Leaves Salt Lake, Whines Over Sharing Medal

The Canada National Post ^ | February 25, 2002 | National Post Staff

[rbmillerjr]

F16 has now offically iced his medal for the Midget coming out of a Cannon Image we now must all endure...you get a teeny itsy bitty Midget Medal.

[F16Fighter]

"You get a teeny itsy-bitsy Midget Medal"

LOL, ooooh -- and it IS the Gold-plated Midget Medal I presume?

[Jaded]

Well, whatever your little opinion, I suppose in the spirit of female superiority, you will be allowed it, BUT just this once. Has the asbestos proven to be flameproof? Have a great evening. Remember it's just a game!!! I doesn't affect the way the sun comes up tomorrow.

[pgkdan]

Now the French judge says she was pressured by the Canadians

I've heard that rumor too and that's just plain nonsense on it's face. Why would the Canadians pressure the French judge to score the Russian Figure Skaters highly in exchange for a Russian high score for the French Ice Dancers? Pure nonsense.

[ladyinred]

I agree. While the media were praising the Russians for their grace, I had heard an interview with the Russian male where he said, "We are the champions, the judges voted for us."
This interview was held AFTER the second gold medal was announced, yet the media was acting like the Russians were just wonderful about it.
I clearly think the Canadians were far superior to the Russians, and that the skating judging has been a joke for years.
I don't have much faith that will change either!

[Polybius]

Well, whatever your little opinion, I suppose in the spirit of female superiority, you will be allowed it, BUT just this once. Has the asbestos proven to be flameproof?

It seems that Freeper women take a little kidding a lot better than the Liberal women at work who have no sense of humor whatsoever. :-)

[celtic gal]

I don't think Anton is complaining. He had good things to say upon his return to Russia. Yelena (sp), I agree seemed strained on the podium and not happy to share the gold. But the truth is, as far as the long program went, the Canadians skated a near perfect skate. The Russian pair stepped out of one of the firs moves.. watch the replays that are shown. This same jump was done by both pairs at the opening of the skates. Later, Yelena " held on" to a couple of the jumps while Jamie landed them with " the soft knee" and without wobbles.

While I admire the courage it took the Russian Yelena to come back to the sport after such a horrible skating accident about 5 years ago, her attitude was less than sportsman like. It is interesting that during her recovery, Anton was there to help her and for awhile they were an " item". Not so now.. they are skate partners only according to the chat that was going on during the competitions. Perhaps she has an attitude that Anton does not like. But from all that I saw, he was gracious to the end. At least give him credit.

[Jaded]

Heck if ya can't laugh at yerself who can ya laugh at? Oh, men.

Just hope never to take my self so seriously as those overbearing liberals.

[1rudeboy]

Simply consider this: The Yankees win the World Series. The players celebrate. It comes out later that one of the umpires was asked to "look the other way." The whole thing turns into a media circus. The Yankees players are deluged with reporters asking them questions that question the legitimacy of their effort. Some players are forced to spend a week-and-a-half in a dormitory room, missing out on all the festivities.
"Sour taste?" You bet.

[tiki]

If they bought off the French judge they must have thought they needed to break a tie and so they knew where they were going to get the other favorable marks. No one judge could give anyone the win by themselves.

[dalebert]

The only thing I can think of is maybe the Canadians pressured the French judge to say she had been pressured. I heard it from more than one source. We will probably never know. If they have an investigation it will be privat and they will issue a ruling without explaining anything.

[discostu]

No you don't. The overall score that decides who makes the winner is a weighted total of the short and long programs (short counts for 1/3 long for 2/3). Also in case of a tie (like happened in the womens event towards the end) then the long program score is the first tie breaker. Because of these rules 99% of the time the winner of the long will win the gold, but the short program does count and if someone does well enough there and squeaks a loss out in the long they can win (kind of like how if you squeak a win in the right states and get blown out in the rest you can really get crushed in the popular vote but still be president).

[afraidfortherepublic]

I have to admit, I liked the Children of Light also

Their happy faces and beautiful voices will be the memory that will carry me to Turin in four years (not literally). They were good skaters and excellent singers. I loved their coats and hats, too.

I just found out last night that one of our Aldermen (a close friend) and his wife got to go to the games for 5 days. (He's a manager at a local Chevy agency, and they won the trip as a prize.) They just had a wonderful time. They couldn't say enough about how well they were treated in SLC.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Josh Groban sang with Charlotte Church, doesn't he have a wonderful voice?

Yes, but I don't know who he is. Background? They were wonderful together.

[FixitGuy]

I agree with your sentiments about Michelle. The pressure on her was beyond what anyone should have to endure.

Sarah had absolutely nothing to lose. I've seen this so many times, and as she said, "I just went out there to skate my best and have fun."

Michelle went there to get the gold she lost to another "kid", to save face etc. Way too much pressure to skate clean.

I gotta tell ya though, I was so happy to see that she stayed for the closing, and she looked happy anyway.

I also saw a camera shot of her clapping in the background as Sarah finished her program.

Altogether an enjoyable Olympics.

(I watch sports every 4 years.)