Skating, Again

As we gear up for the '10 Olympics, I'm transferring all our old '06 Olympic VHS's onto DVDs. As I'm watching them, and marvelling that it was only four years ago (two moves, two states, two children ago - no wonder it feels like another lifetime), a few thoughts have come to mind, specifically from the ladies competition:

I miss Kimmie Meisner. She was such a delight. Bubbly, effervescent, talented ... don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled for Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu, this year's US Olympic team, but I do miss Kimmie.

I hope Robin Wagner is coaching someone at this Olympics. She's the best coach to watch - her joy in her students' successes is legendary. Can anyone forget watching her and Sarah Hughes after they found out Sarah won the gold back in '02? (I can't - my reaction was almost as extreme. I fell off the couch in happy shock.)

The US Olympic Committee really gypped Emily Hughes in favour of Michelle Kwan. Fail.

Figure Skating commentary will lose a lot when Dick Button finally fully retires (which, admittedly, will likely not happen until he's dead). I know a lot of people hate him, but he's the salt which keeps the rest from being too bland. (Not that Scott Hamilton could ever be accused of being bland ... but you never hear him saying things like: "She's a buttercup" or "Not only was that her best, it was also very good" or "Well, that was second-rate.")

I don't think I realised, the first time around, how biased everyone was against Shizuka Arakawa. As I'm listening to the commentators after her program, and with each succeeding skater, it's quite clear they were all just waiting for the next skater to beat her. Starting with Sandra Bezic snapping as soon as Arakawa finished: "A cautious program," followed by a grudging "but clean," to the complete ignoring of her beautiful routine in favour of the flawed programs of the other women ... people really didn't want her to win. And that saddens me, because she was the best that night, and she never really got the credit she deserved. I have a theory about that: after Sarah Hughes came out of nowhere to beat the much-hyped favourites for the gold, they were embarrassed that once again, somebody who hadn't even been mentioned as a possibility for a medal ended up winning the gold. And you know what that says to me? That since four years later at the US Nationals, when the media hype surrounding Sasha Cohen's return to competition fizzled to nothing as she was soundly beaten by Rachael Flatt ("Who?"), Mirai Nagasu ("Who?"), and Ashley Wagner ("Do these people even skate?"), the media never learns.

As much as I love the Olympics, and love figure skating, it saddens me more and more the older I get to see how so many athletes wrap their entire lives around the Olympics, as though that's all that gives them worth as a human being. If they fail to win that medal, in some cases even if they have to "settle" for silver or bronze instead of gold, they are completely devastated. That's just such a warped view of the world. I joke about wanting to see my girls as world-class athletes someday, but never, never at the expense of having a proper view of life. The world will not end, you are not a failure as a human being if you do not achieve glory in sports. I'd rather be an obscure mamma of two, loving my husband and daughters, and most importantly growing in the knowledge and love of the Lord, than the most famous and beloved Olympian in the world. 'Course, that's easy to say when I have no discernible talent at sports at all.

That's all for this time (especially since my dvd player is acting up, and after recording five hour of Olympic skating, it decided to damage the dvd at the very end so I have to do it all over again and I'm immensely irritated). To those of you who enjoy my figure skating chats: you're welcome, and to those who barely tolerate them: I'm sorry!

(Don't you think the ISU should send me to Vancouver as the official blogger for the skating?)