I have been very critical of rotation credits because you can't see it with the naked eye and can't prove that they are taken consistently between skaters. This is indirectly related to skater reputation which is a broader topic that deserves it's own thread because it includes factors such as whether the judges like the skater. I never thought of federations lobbying to adjust the BV of elements to benefit the federation. It raises questions about the exchange of $ and other perks. I never thought a scoring overhaul was the answer. Any scoring system can be manipulated -- how well is it hid is the question. With the COP it is easier to hide the manipulation. All it did was change the sport to the point where artistry is secondary which takes away what was special about the sport. This is what caused viewership to fall.
Even with the falls, the American girls did well. None of them fell apart which the could have. Sometimes, it's not about a perfect program, but how you deal with an imperfect program. When a skater is constantly perfect, I always wonder if the jumps weren't there, how would they react? Bradie and Karen showed they could keep it together after a mistake. This is especially good for Bradie because of her well-chronicled inexperience. In the case of Marai, I gather from the comments on the board that 2014 Marai would have fallen apart if she wasn't perfectly on. That shows how she has matured as a competitor. She wins the medal for most growth. A lot of emphasis gets put on the medals, but there is something to be said for growth. On Olympic Ice, even the most seasoned, consistent competitor can go to jelly (Smucker's strawberry, hopefully). I mentioned before that the one good thing about this system is that it is easier to come back (which may also explain the behind the scenes chess matches -- figure skating seems to like to maintain a pecking order as much as it can). I think there's a chance of at least one having a top 5-6 finish. There is always an outside shot at a medal, especially if there's a splatfest outside of the top 2. I expect a lot of falls because of the high tech content.
Now for the Ice Dance. My only issue with Virtue and Moir is that they already had a gold medal. Move aside and give someone else a shot. The Shibs should stay and challenge for the gold next cycle. Although they managed to use the one Coldplay song I actually like, I still wish they chose something else. I think music choice does play a role in how the program is scored.
The other 2 teams should come back with unfinished business, but especially Hubbel / Donahue who can challenge for a medal.
Even with the falls, the American girls did well. None of them fell apart which the could have. Sometimes, it's not about a perfect program, but how you deal with an imperfect program. When a skater is constantly perfect, I always wonder if the jumps weren't there, how would they react? Bradie and Karen showed they could keep it together after a mistake. This is especially good for Bradie because of her well-chronicled inexperience. In the case of Marai, I gather from the comments on the board that 2014 Marai would have fallen apart if she wasn't perfectly on. That shows how she has matured as a competitor. She wins the medal for most growth. A lot of emphasis gets put on the medals, but there is something to be said for growth. On Olympic Ice, even the most seasoned, consistent competitor can go to jelly (Smucker's strawberry, hopefully). I mentioned before that the one good thing about this system is that it is easier to come back (which may also explain the behind the scenes chess matches -- figure skating seems to like to maintain a pecking order as much as it can). I think there's a chance of at least one having a top 5-6 finish. There is always an outside shot at a medal, especially if there's a splatfest outside of the top 2. I expect a lot of falls because of the high tech content.
Now for the Ice Dance. My only issue with Virtue and Moir is that they already had a gold medal. Move aside and give someone else a shot. The Shibs should stay and challenge for the gold next cycle. Although they managed to use the one Coldplay song I actually like, I still wish they chose something else. I think music choice does play a role in how the program is scored.
The other 2 teams should come back with unfinished business, but especially Hubbel / Donahue who can challenge for a medal.
