not exactly. only the winner of nationals was guarenteed an olympic spot. the other two spots were determined by the skating committee.

Like I said, they screwed her. The team shouldn't be determined by some douchbags in a boardroom.

I think you're right about the grade levels, though I think The Star is Grade 6, not Grade 5. Any idea what the Post is?

I have no idea what the post is. I would venture a guess that it's probably similar to that of the Globe.

Congrats to the USA womens hockey team for staying undefeated by beating Finland 7-3 today...I got kinda scared when I turn the game on less than a minute into it and we were down 1-0...but they fought back from an eventual 3-1 deficet...the first three goals they have given up in the olympics by the way...a matchup between the US and Canada should be fun to watch

First, it's Sasha Cohen, and Kimmie Meissner. If you're going to argue about figure skating, get the names right first. Sasha Cohen is a beautiful and great skater - technically and artistically - but she lacks the "oomph" that Kristi Yamaguchi puts into a program.

Kimmie Meissner doesn't have a consistant triple axel, and although she's a hard worker, she's not scheduled to try one in the Olympics. It took a 3 1/2 rotation axel for her to take third in the Nationals - so how's she so much better prepared?

Emily Hughes is a wild card. Of course, she's good, or she wouldn't have made it as far as she did - but nobody knows much about her. She would have to land a triple-triple and have two of the cleanest skates of her life to even be in the Top Five. As I said before, that was determined weeks ago, and I guarantee you, Emily Hughes wasn't even on the Top Ten list. Sure, this will give her Olympic exposure, and maybe in four years, she'll be good - but it's set the USFSA back eight years.

just think what would happen if the skaters in that national competition were under age 15 and made top 5. they would then have to go back down in the rankings and pick the sucky ones older enought to send to the olympics.

I wasn't even going to watch skating last night but my mom called (and woke me up) saying "phantom of the opera" and of course I'm like "what the hell". She demanded I turn on NBC and I got the end of the long program, so I kept watching. Anyways, I was shocked that they (Zhang and Zhang) were trying the quad (especially when the announcers said that they only successfully completed the quad like 40% during practice, which to me aren't great odds to be attempting an extremely diffcult throw). The way she landed. OMG. I felt so bad for her and I'm 7,000 miles away.

I was happy that they were still able to recieve a medal. It makes me wonder though if falls where someone is possibly injured at docked less than a fall where someone isn't injured? (If that made any sense at all).


BTW does anyone know the music the Russian Pairs couple skated too? I know I've heard it before, but for the life of me I couldn't figure it out. When I'm humming along (and ahead), know the music. I think it might be a soundtrack of some sort. GRRR I hate that I can't remember the name. :D

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong (as I'm sure they will!), but Michelle Kwan was 13 the first time she qualified for the Olympics.

I also was thinking that Tara Lipinski was 14 when she won gold...the 16 age-limit could be a recent rule or a rule for other countries :confused:

(ETA: Went and checked - Tara was 15 when she won, and Michelle WAS 13 in 1994 when she was an alternate for the team)

I was watching the Olympic Ice Program today on USA, and the two commentators (Sele and Pelletier (I may be misspelling his name here)) were mentioning that they were lucky that they didn't miss any of their planned elements during the time until they could "restart" their program - that may have helped them maintain their medal position, based on the new scoring system, more than the possible "docking less" of a fall where someone could potentially be injured (although, there still is some objectivity in the "presentation" marks).

Just saw this on another message board, and I heartily agree:

"Sasha better not choke and has to medal, or we're screwed for 2010!"

For those who don't know, only the countries who medal can send three figure skaters; the rest can only send two.

wow, quite the negative nelly, eh? ;)

Kwan is a popular skater and has name recognition but name recognition and olympic tv ratings doesn't do jack for the medal count.

They changed the rule after Tara won the Gold.

question: do the athletes have to pay for their own trip to turino (plane tickets, housing, etc)? or is that paid for?

also, what is the difference between the luge and skeleton events? they look the same to me. this morning i saw a preview for 2-man luge, umm thats kind of....yeah

Skeleton is head first, lie on stomach, luge is feet first, lie on back.