Required Elements

GLAAD Versus Stars on Ice

2010-03-12T18:06:28Z

We talked about the petition to get Johnny Weir on Stars on Ice the other day. Today, there is news that a Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) blogger is accusing the tour of not hiring Weir because he is "too gay."

Upon hearing that Stars on Ice decided not to offer Weir a spot because he is not "family friendly" (NOTE: Does anyone know where this quote came from? I have read it attributed to the tour and its sponsors, but I don't have the exact quote and I really want to find the origin), GLAAD blogger Lauren Mattias has responded:

To say that Weir is "not family friendly" would be a clear jab at his perceived sexual orientation. Weir is extremely involved with his family. He is putting his younger brother through college, and supports the family financially because his father’s disability prohibits him from working. Weir’s dedication to his family can be clearly documented in the Sundance series, Be Good Johnny Weir, which follows him and his family and friends through his life and career as a championship skater.

Weir responded to the controversy on Access Hollywood:

“I understand I am a little outrageous but I wish I could perform for the fans,” he continued.

But Johnny has a possible backup plan with another irreverent performer.

“Maybe right now, just artistically and creatively, I’d love to have my own show, with musical acts, like maybe getting Lady Gaga!” he said.

I would love to see him Stars on Ice. Although I am hoping this Lady Gaga collaboration comes to life at some point.

On the other hand, it probably hurts American spectators more than it hurts Weir for him not to be on Stars on Ice. He often participates in shows abroad and rumor has it they pay more. And those fans get to see him, but we don't!

Canadian Vaughn Chipeur Withdraws from Worlds

2010-03-11T17:11:12Z

Canadian Vaughn Chipeur Withdraws from Worlds

Canadian Vaughn Chipeur is out of the world championships with a torn ligament in his foot. He will be replaced by Kevin Reynolds.

Thoughts on Weir's Worlds Withdrawal

2010-03-10T13:25:09Z

As you've read, three-time United States national figure skating champion Johnny Weir has withdrawn from the upcoming world championships in Torino, Italy. Here are some of my thoughts.

The "duh" factor

Weir has been on television or in every other type of media every time you turn around. He's been interviewed by dozens of outlets, he's been photographed at numerous parties. Normally when skaters do this much media post-Olympics, they are not planning to skate at the world championships (in part because there has been no time to train). So, it was no surprise when Weir dropped out.

The uncool factor

I don't like that Weir stated in an earlier post-Olympics press conference that he was definitely going to worlds, and that it would be a statement to the world and the judges. And he added some unnecessary shots at other athletes:

Weir ended his comments with a vow: he won't play coy about his attentions. If he intends to compete next season, he will say so definitively, and soon.

"I'm not going to pull a Sasha Cohen or Michelle Kwan and say, 'I'm coming back, I'm coming back, I'm coming back' and then not do it," he said. "I mean, thank God, Sasha finally did come back. But I'm not going to do that to people. I think it's rude, especially to my fans. If I'm going to skate, I'll tell them I'll skate."

Now, I was happy Weir said this at the time, because I don't like to be teased. But Weir has now turned himself into a liar by backing out of worlds when he explicitly stated he would be there, which is way worse than being a tease. Not cool. I understand why he's withdrawn and I assume it's the best decision (no one should go to a world championship when they are unprepared or they don't want to be there), but maybe this is why skaters should not speak about others and only worry about themselves - everything you say comes back to bite you!

The understandable factor

Johnny Weir stated the following in his withdrawal announcement (via Entertainment Weekly):

"And while I am still embracing my Olympic memories and have the momentum to move forward, I have decided that it is not advantageous at this time for me to partake in the World Championships in Torino, Italy. After my sixth place finish in Vancouver, I believe that I must take time to reassess my strategies and goals. While I understand the importance of competition, I feel that a short break at this time would be personally beneficial to me. I know all may not share my stance, but I can assure everyone that I will be re-energized after I’ve had time to rework my technique. I want to be a better competitor and win medals for my country and I hope everyone can respect my decision to take this time off.

I would agree it's not advantageous for Weir to skate at worlds, as much as I would love to see him there (I think he actually would have had a shot at a medal). He skated his best performances of the year at the Olympics. He has been basking in the media's obsession over his being robbed of a medal (disclosure: I think Weir was underscored but I thought Takahashi deserved his bronze). It is unlikely Weir would skate as well at worlds as he did at the Olympics, and he has nothing to gain at this point...it's much better to have seen him skate amazing and assume political forces kept him down (which may very well have been the case with Weir) then to see him go on a month later and (potentially) not skate as well.

The "Is this it?" factor

Weir successfully rode a wave of "my skating is for the people, not the judges" momentum into the Olympics. This is a smart talking point that Weir has been pushing for awhile, as is evident to anyone who saw his mother say essentially the same thing in a recent episode of his reality series "Be Good Johnny Weir." I think it's very possible that Weir may be done with ISU competition, although I'm sure he won't turn down a good old retirement press conference when he makes that decision for real. UPDATED: In the U.S. Figure Skating version of Weir's announcement, they don't mention that Weir said he wants to continue winning medals. In the one above, he does mention that. Still...I am unsure that we will see Weir competing next season, unless he suddenly becomes much less in media demand than he is now.

Weir has stated that he plans on continuing to skate in shows, and I hope he does. He's such a beautiful skater that it will be sad if audiences don't get a chance to continue seeing him even if he quits competing.

So, I am kind of sad that we won't see Weir at worlds, but good luck to him on his other endeavors. And it is a great opportunity for Adam Rippon, who is viewed as the future of U.S. men's skating. Rippon recently won the Four Continents Championship, and hopefully he can follow that up with a successful senior worlds debut.

Johnny Weir Withdraws from Worlds; Adam Rippon is in

2010-03-10T00:37:57Z

Johnny Weir Withdraws from Worlds; Adam Rippon is in

I just read on Axels, Loops and Spins that Johnny Weir has withdrawn from the World Championships and Adam Rippon will take his spot. I will have a full blog post on my thoughts soon. For now, this is a great opportunity for Rippon!

Deja Vu: Lambiel Retires

2010-03-09T18:51:21Z

Deja Vu: Lambiel Retires

Stephane Lambiel is officially retiring from competitive skating once again. A lot of skaters never "officially retire," so it's interesting that Lambiel has done it twice now. Thankfully, we will still be able to see him. Lambiel will be competing in Thin Ice on ABC later this month (which would have made him ineligible from ISU competition, anyway, apparently). Additionally, he will be in many shows.

Checking in on our Olympians

2010-03-09T12:56:31Z

What are the figure skaters who represented Team USA at the Olympics up to in the weeks since the Olympics ended? Let's check it out.

Pairs

Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig: Well, we heard over and over again on the NBC broadcast about how poor Mark is, but thankfully, things are looking up. According to the Herald-Tribune:

Another welcome but unexpected change in Ladwig's life was news of a funding increase from the United States Figure Skating Association.

The organization funds skaters depending on their potential to perform well at international competition.

There are three tiers of annual funding; Ladwig and Evora have moved up to qualify for the highest funding possible in the next fiscal year.

"I'm so grateful for that," Ladwig said. "The increase basically secures that I'll be able to pay my mortgage and continue skating."

I'm so glad that they got more funding and can continue on - they just started coming into their own at the Olympics, where they finished 10th. The article mentions that Evora is looking into how she can start giving back to people. "She is considering running marathons and helping to promote nonprofit foundations." Evora and Ladwig are scheduled to compete in the upcoming world championships, which begin in less than two weeks.

Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett: The article states that Denney and Barrett will be skating in some Florida stops on the Stars on Ice tour (to be honest...I would almost rather see Evora and Ladwig because of those amazing lifts!). They will also be promoting skin care products in Florida as part of the Pure Chemistry line.

Denney has received a scholarship to an online academy, although it's unclear if she's accepting it. She's also developed a new interest in broadcast journalism (if I had a nickel for every skater who wanted to be a broadcast journalist...). Denney and Barrett are planning on competing in the world championships as well.

Ice Dancing

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto: Belbin and Agosto haven't officially hung up the skates yet, but they will not be competing in next month's world championships. They seem satisfied with the Olympics marking the end of their career. Belbin and Agosto will be touring with Stars on Ice. Additionally, according to the Associated Press, Belbin would like to become a broadcaster (DRINK!) and Agosto would like to go to school for physical therapy. I wonder when those plans are going to take place?

Meryl Davis and Charlie White: Despite Davis and White's silver medal at the Olympics, I have read less about them than I have about both Belbin and Agosto and Virtue and Moir. These two need new agents or something. Anyway, they are back at work in Michigan, training hard for the upcoming world championships, per the Detroit News. They are also joining the Stars on Ice tour. They have also been celebrated in Canton Township, where they train, as well as featured in various articles about Bollywood and their Bollywood-style original dance.

Ladies

Rachael Flatt: Not too much information on Flatt's activities since the Olympics. I'd assume she's been writing essays and training for the upcoming world championships. She had a few endorsement deals coming into the Olympics and some are saying that she might be on tap for more leading up to Sochi, including the New York Times. I assume she'll be attending [insert name of prestigious university] in the fall, and I wonder what effect that will have on her skating?

Mirai Nagasu: Nagasu was also mentioned in the Times article. She too will be attending the world championships in a few weeks. Nagasu will be honored tonight along with Evan Lysacek at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California, where she has trained.

Men

It's the first time in recent history that the men who competed in the Olympics for the United States are receiving more attention than the ladies! So weird.

Jeremy Abbott: Abbott will be performing in the Stars on Ice tour. He is also scheduled to compete at the world championships this month. Abbott also has the Jeremy Abbott Boys Fund to promote skating in Aspen among boys. My hope is to finally see Abbott skate to his potential at the world championships.

Evan Lysacek: Lysacek appears to be the number one media presence among the skating Olympians post-Vancouver. He'll be on Dancing with the Stars, he's been on more television shows than I can count, and he made the rounds at the recent Oscar parties. Lysacek will also be touring with Stars on Ice and is not competing at the world championships.

Johnny Weir: Weir is planning on competing at the world championships. He has also been on numerous television shows and was photographed on the Oscar circuit (apparently with his new best friend who he just met, Kelly Osbourne). Weir's reality show wraps up this month and it's unclear if it will go another season, but I would love to keep watching it. In a recent LA Times article, Weir said he hopes to study at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology following his skating career. I really respect that he wants to learn about fashion and not just capitalize on his celebrity to "launch a line" of clothing or something. Weir has also lobbied for a spot on Dancing with the Stars in the future, per this InsideTv interview.

Evan Lysacek on Lopez Tonight

2010-03-09T01:45:27Z

Evan Lysacek on Lopez Tonight

Evan Lysacek will be on Lopez Tonight...tonight. It is on TBS at 11pm.

Dancing with the (Ice) Stars

2010-03-08T13:07:58Z

Well, last week in the frenzy of news about Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars, there was also an article about a potential upcoming ice dancing show.

Entertainment Weekly reported that BBC Worldwide is planning an ice dancing reality show. It will feature six celebrities paired with ice skaters. And sounds exactly like that old Celebrities on Ice or whatever show it was. Do these shows do well? I guess they have to try after every Olympics and see whether skating competitions can be viable in the States again. Ice Wars 94, I will never forget.

Olympic Broadcasting Hits and Misses

2010-03-05T13:06:52Z

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are over. I wanted to take a look at some things I thought were great and some things I thought could be improved from the Olympic broadcasts. Please leave your thoughts, as well.

Hit: I can't count the number of friends who have told me how helpful Tracy Wilson's demonstration on under-rotation of jumps was.

Hit: Universal Sports' review/preview show. At first I wasn't sure if I would like it but after a few days I was hooked. The hosts had fun and the guest lineup was amazing - with everyone from Tamara Moskvina to Dick Button to Johnny Weir. I also enjoyed the fashion reviews by Nick Verreos from Project Runway. I was so sad when it ended!

Hit: Dick Button. I know some people don't like his cantankerous style, but I thought it was more effective to hear Button compare Evgeny Plushenko's skating to a sledgehammer than to hear Scott Hamilton groan for whatever reason at the end of Plushenko's program. I love that Button points out what is ugly and beautiful about a program...too often Hamilton and Sandra Bezic seem so fixated on a certain narrative about a skater that they won't dare criticize too harshly or praise too high.

Hit: The commentators were sometimes silent.

Hit: NBC showed full medal ceremonies, even for events the United States did not medal in. It was nice to see the receptions that the skaters got.

Hit: Showing three-year-old Rachael Flatt. ADORABLE.

Miss: NBC's broadcast team overplayed Rachael Flatt's and Mirai Nagasu's medal chances to the point where all the casual fans I spoke with thought Nagasu was ripped off when she didn't win the bronze. They were not reminded enough during the broadcast that Nagasu came into the night in sixth place and about at least one, if not two, major mistakes worth of points behind Rochette. It would also have been helpful if they had explained that Rochette's errors were fairly minor and she did pay for them in the judging on the technical side. Turning out of a jump landing is nowhere near as bad as a fall or an under-rotation, but everyone I spoke with still seemed to think Nagasu should have vaulted past Rochette.

Miss: Not trying a bit harder to explain Rachael Flatt's downgrades in the free skate. Even in the aftershow, the commentators were as clueless as the audience. Maybe they should have asked some colleagues or something for a different angle - I personally could not see it, either. But now it just sounds like the judges are out to get Flatt and NBC didn't do anything to change the viewpoint, which hopefully is not the case.

Miss: Showing gold medalists looking needlessly grumpy (although it can be kind of funny)! Maria Mukhortova wanted to skate to "Love Story" because Jamie Sale is her idol, so don't tell us that and then show Sale looking disgusted at the program afterwards. It's not even a bad program, when performed without so many mistakes. That was just needlessly snarky to both Mukhortova and Sale.

Miss: The commentators were silent through some programs, but for others, like Daisuke Takahashi's free skate, they essentially ruined the moment for me with unnecessary criticism at the end that I didn't quite get. If you are going to pinpoint a certain move and criticize (ala Dick Button), then so be it. But don't just decide at the end that the program wasn't as good as it looked on television or something and you feel the need to put that on the viewers. Viewers need help in identifying a triple lutz. They don't need help deciding whether the life was sucked out of a program that is very much still alive and kicking.

Miss: Totally ignoring Laura Lepisto. Ok, maybe you didn't have time to show her with the crunch of the final six skaters. But, don't just ignore the fact that she had a good skate and vaulted into sixth place past Rachael Flatt. Maybe mention it and show her triple/triple in replay or something. I understand why Nordic Combined was important to show (although it was taped and I believe only the medal ceremony was live), but it's too bad the viewers missed some great skating in the second to last group.

Miss: Not showing us Nagasu's personality. We all know by now that Nagasu is gold for reporters, and the commentators mentioned how fun she is, but show some more clips or something so the folks at home can get the picture.

Some top moments for me:

The gasp heard round the world, when Shen and Zhao's lift nearly came crashing down (not a good moment, but oh, so memorable)

Seeing Shen and Zhao when they realized they won the gold medal.

Lysacek's skates and seeing Frank Carroll when he realized Evan Lysacek won the gold medal.

Mirai Nagasu's realization that she was in fourth place.

Evora and Ladwig's beautiful and clean short program.

Davis and White and Virtue and Moir's entire competitions and the heartfelt emotion Davis showed for her training mates when they won.

Kim Yu-Na's perfect free skate.

Joannie Rochette's short program.

Daisuke Takahashi's short program and score - and knowing then that Plushenko was beatable.

Lambiel's spins. Wherever and whenever.

Johnny Weir skating the way he wanted to at the Olympics.

Asada landing all of those triple axels following unbeatable Kim.

The fact that I agreed with 11 out of 12 medals.

Don't forget, the world championships are in a few weeks! I'll be covering them here.

Yukari Nakano Set to Retire: Kyodo News

2010-03-03T19:21:14Z

Yukari Nakano Set to Retire: Kyodo News

It's being reported that Japan's Yukari Nakano is set to retire from competitive skating. While it will be sad to see the 24-year-old Nakano go, it seems evident that the Japanese team is too competitive for Nakano to stand out. She hasn't been able to make an Olympic team and she did not qualify for worlds last season. She's one of the few women in the world to land a triple axel, and she's been in the medal mix for years in international competition.

Weir and Lysacek on Television

2010-03-03T14:08:02Z

Here is Johnny Weir on Joy Behar's show (via Entertainment Weekly). He talks about the comments from sportscasters stating that he should get a gender test. I think Weir has conducted himself well through all the terrible comments he's gotten.

Here is another short excerpt of Weir on Larry King Live (also via Entertainment Weekly).

Aaaand Weir on Live! with Regis and Kelly. Kelly is quite a fan.

I think Weir is doing well in the post-Olympics PR game.

And Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek presented the Top Ten list on The Late Show with David Letterman (via Insidetv.aol). It was the top ten thoughts going through Lysacek's mind during the Olympics.

I think that we should start lobbying for Weir to do video blogs assessing Evan Lysacek's showings on Dancing with the Stars. I think that would be kind of AMAZING.

Asada Aims for Quad

2010-03-03T13:39:24Z

Chosun Ilbo reports that Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada has been toying with the idea of attempting the quadruple jump, and she is inspired by Evgeny Plushenko. Plushenko also stated that he would like to work with her.

Plushenko was quoted as saying, "Although she seems to have trouble with landings, she has sharp rotations. I can help. I would love to train with her if she wants to." The foremost goal for Asada is to perfect her triple axel; the quad comes next. It is still uncertain whether she will be able to do a quad with Plushenko's help, but if she does, she will be one of the favorites to win gold in 2014.

It seems like the message of jumps not being everything has not quite gotten through to some of the skaters. I would love to see Asada perform the quad, but I feel like there are areas where she could garner points as well. I wonder if she would still do two triple axels and a quad? This seems like pure speculation, even though Asada stated that she wants to learn the quad for Sochi in 2014.

Kim/Asada Cyber Attack Dramaz

2010-03-02T16:45:38Z

Kim/Asada Cyber Attack Dramaz

According to CNNgo, a cyber attack is being blamed on the Yu-Na Kim/Mao Asada rivalry:

"And lo and behold, Japanese BBS 2ch suffered a massive cyber attack on March 1 from what was later identified as Korean web users. Timed to coincide with the March 1 national holiday celebrating Korea's 1919 rebellion against its colonial overlord Japan, Korean netizens banded together to silence 2ch after a thread on the site offered comments suggesting that Kim had bribed the judges. A clip from NTV claiming that Mao should have had a higher score also is believed to have fueled the Korean anger."

Sadly, it's not the first time cyber attacks have been linked to this skating rivalry. Such a crazy escalation of a fanbase rivalry!

Evan Lysacek to be on Dancing with the Stars; read Top Ten List Tonight

2010-03-02T13:11:20Z

Evan Lysacek has been named to the next cast of "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC. The show starts on March 22 on ABC. I am surprised that Lysacek signed on to do this so quickly after his gold medal win, because doesn't he have to do Stars on Ice? Which is touring...like right after worlds...which is at the end of March? We'll see how that all works itself out. I also thought Lysacek might wait a bit longer until he's not in the news so much and then thrust himself back into the spotlight with this show. But I was wrong! The man wants to ballroom dance and will not be denied!

Needless to say, I will be recapping Lysacek's every tango and foxtrot, as I did for Kristi Yamaguchi when she was on the show.

Much more importantly, the figure skating world championships start competition on March 23, and I will blogging all about it! Lysacek will not be there.

Lysacek is also reading David Letterman's Top Ten list this evening.

Stephane Lambiel Joins "Thin Ice" on ABC

2010-03-02T13:01:17Z

"Thin Ice" is a professional skating competition that will air on ABC on March 19 and 21. Judgment on the winner will be split between viewer votes and a panel of judges that includes Dick Button and Kristi Yamaguchi. The hosts are Kurt Browning and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, with her dulcet tones. But, the show just got a little bit more exciting because Stephane Lambiel will compete, according to UPI.

The rest of the competitors are: Jamie Sale, Patrice Lauzon, Shizuka Arakawa, Shae-Lynn Bourne, David Pelletier, John Zimmerman, Michael Weiss, Elena Berezhnaya and Marie-France Dubreuil.

I'm a bit confused how this works since we've got ice dancers and men and women and pairs (one seemingly without a partner)...but you know I will be recapping it when it comes on.

I guess this means that Lambiel has chosen not to compete at the world championships~~? If anyone know for sure, please let me know.~~ Lambiel's web site confirms that he is not competing at worlds this season.

Johnny Weir on Larry King Live Tonight; Regis and Kelly Tomorrow

2010-03-01T22:08:03Z

Johnny Weir on Larry King Live Tonight; Regis and Kelly Tomorrow

U.S. Olympian Johnny Weir will be on Larry King Live tonight at 9pm eastern on CNN. Weir has had an eventful few weeks, from his great performances at the Olympics to addressing derisive remarks from various broadcasters. Hopefully he'll get to talk about it all tonight. UPDATED: Weir will also be on Live with Regis and Kelly tomorrow morning.

The Olympic Figure Skating Fashion Review

2010-02-28T23:45:31Z

A look at 2010 Vancouver Olympic figure skating fashion highs and lows. We'll review some of the wackiest costumes, and then I'll name some of my favorites...and my least favorite.

One thing that struck me was that so many of the skaters seemed to want to be anywhere but at an ice rink.

They'd rather be playing Farmville....

Anais Morand and Antoine Dourzat: In the case of this overall-loving Swiss team, their farm would be located in an upscale section of London.

Samuel Contesti: Contesti's farm would be located in the early 1990s, when people were too lazy to strap both of their overall straps (as I've pointed out in an earlier fashion blog).

They'd rather join the circus...

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy: Too easy.

Florent Amodio: Amodio may have thought he was a "marionette," but I thought he was a "sad clown."

They'd rather be auditioning for Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room...

Evan Lysacek: The first man I've ever seen cry into feathered gloves. Thank you, Vera Wang.

Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski: They were flying in these costumes. Flying. Like the Firebird-sized anvil they dropped on my head.

Elena Glebova: There were no feathers on Glebova's costume. But she still seems like a tropical bird to me.

They'd rather be hanging out on the dashboard of your car...

Christina Beier and William Beier: Festive.

They'd rather be getting a "mom" tattoo on their biceps...

Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev: Oddly enough, they changed from one sailor costume to another through the season. And yet...the pain is the same.

They'd rather be at the country club, sipping highballs and lamenting high taxes...

Maria Sergejeva and Ilja Glebov: "It takes two to make an accident." - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Michal Brezina: I love a good argyle sweater-vest. And a pink one paired with dapper khakis? Splendid!

They would rather be posing as scenery in an elementary school play...

Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat: I think he is literally supposed to be a clock. "Goodbye to clocks ticking." - Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Goodbye to Requiem for a Dream, goodbye to this outfit.

Maylin Hausch and Daniel Wende: This German pair's outfit was meant for Rome but would also work in any medieval play....or even this episode of The Cosby Show.

They would rather be haunting your dreams...

Adrien Schultheiss: And his straight jacket. And that crazy look in his eyes.

Mao Asada: Sure, she looks normal....you think. But she has a certain affinity for chokers. Remember the scary story from when you were little, "The Green Ribbon"? The summary is that this lady wore a green ribbon around her neck her whole life and her husband always asked her why she wouldn't take it off and she would always say she'd tell him later, until finally, on her deathbed, he asked again. And she told him he could finally untie the ribbon and see why she always had to wear it. And he unties it and HER HEAD FALLS OFF.

Yeah, that's what Mao reminds me of.

Kevin van der Perren: I was so sure he would retire the bones after last season. I was wrong. And I know I'm not the only one who was secretly hoping they would turn out the lights in the arena so we could see whether or not he glowed in the dark.

Johnny Weir: The red rose killer - he'll smother you with love.

Some skaters actually looked like they belonged on the ice. And of those skaters, some had pretty costumes.

The Best:

Yu-Na Kim: The queen wins a costume medal as well. My favorite part of the costume was the back with the beautiful beading but I could not find a great picture. It was a great color and style for her.

Mirai Nagasu: This costume was perfect. It was age-appropriate, sophisticated, and classy.

Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay: I liked the color and the style here. It looks like his shirt is tucked a little weird but I assume that's because it's at the end of the program.

Cheltzie Lee: A beautiful deep purple costume with gold embellishments that were on the back as well. Gorgeous. The boyfriend thinks she looks like a bottle of Crown Royal. But I think he means that as a compliment.

Takahiko Kozuka: As if I was going to leave the tiger off of this list!

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir: For that dance, this was perfection! And she didn't trip over the skirt!

Patrick Chan: This sedate Phantom outfit was great.

Shen and Zhao: These outfits looked better on television than they do in pictures, but I really liked them.

Tatiana Volosozhar and Sergei Morozov: SIKE! Yeah, right! These two looked ridiculous! Which is a fine segue into...

The Worst.

Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin: There were other costumes that I was going to add here, but none deserved to be in the same category as Domnina and Shabalin's original dance outfits. Not only offensive to the culture they were highlighting, but the entire presentation was also so ugly that it made my eyes bleed. And the additional leaves thrown on Domnina's skates added just that extra touch of class. Thank you again, ice dancing.

Phil Hersh Envisions Mirai Nagasu as Next Olympic Champion

2010-02-28T22:31:14Z

But, hey, no pressure! To be honest, I don't have any idea who will be the next Olympic champion for the women, I'm too busy being excited by Yu-Na Kim's victory. But I do agree with Hersh's sentiments in his Chicago Tribune article where he talks about Nagasu being his most vivid memory of the games.

An excerpt:

In 2007, winning the U.S. junior title, she was a tiny wisp with big potential.

In 2008, winning the senior title at age 14, she was a callow, unrefined skater whose skills deserted her during a growth spurt in 2009.

And now, the 16-year-old Nagasu, the Olympic debutante from Arcadia, Calif., who came onto the ice for Saturday’s exhibition as a young woman with confidence and command as glimmering in the spotlight as her turquoise dress.

We'll be able to see how Nagasu follows things up later in March at the world championships!

Olympic Figure Skating Gala Performances

2010-02-28T19:06:15Z

Olympic Figure Skating Gala Performances

NBC only showed a handful of exhibitions in their telecast, but you can see them online at this link.

Joannie Rochette Receives Terry Fox Award; Will Carry Flag in Closing Ceremonies

2010-02-28T14:34:01Z

Canadian skater and new Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette has received the Terry Fox Award, along with cross-country skier Petra Majdic of Slovenia, who fell in a warm-up prior to her event and competed with bruised ribs and a punctured lung, winning the bronze. According to the Vancouver Sun:

The award was created by the Fox family and the Vancouver Organizing Committee to single out athletes who embodied the same spirit as Terry Fox, the amputee who tried to run across Canada in 1980 to raise funds for cancer research.

Fox died of cancer before he could complete his Marathon of Hope. But the legacy of his courage and determination in the face of daily pain has helped raise nearly $500 million for research in the last 29 years.

Betty Fox said she was grateful to know that there athletes who also had the same grit that her son did.

Rochette received the award for persevering with her Olympic competition following the unexpected death of her mother Therese a week ago. Upon acceptance of the award, Rochette stated:

"I would have liked to inspire people for another reason, but that's the way it is," she said. "It's not even a week since she died and I don't even realize yet that my mom is not here anymore. I don't even realize I have won this medal. My feelings are so mixed."

Her halting and heart-breaking comments, filled with emotion, left everyone in the room hanging on her every word. Many people sniffled and wiped eyes, and Vanoc CEO John Furlong was left in tears.

Rochette also paid tribute to her mother in a beautiful exhibition performance at the champion's gala.

UPDATED: CTV is reporting that Rochette will carry the flag for Canada in the closing ceremonies tonight.