Figure Skating Followup

Marai Nagasu, after winning the Silver Medal at the U.S. Figure Skating National competition in Spokane, WA., Jan-2010.

I used a cheap disposable camera. This is during the Victory Lap, and the ice rink is lined with fans, hands extended, as she skates by getting congratulatory hand-slaps -- I clicked the pic just as she was about to hand-slap with me, camera in my other hand.

She gave one of the best competitive skates I've ever seen in my life. I just got these pics developed, and they are really poor quality. Oh well. It's like a bad plot when it comes to developing pics. Good heavens.

Other most memorable competitive skates were performed by Ashley Wagner, and as I mentioned before, Bradley in the Sr. Mens and the couple that skated to Classical Waltzes during the Senior Ice Dance.

Just as Johnny Weir rasied the figurative bar in the world of competitive skating; and as did Mao Assada (Japan) -- so does this Sr. Womens' competitor, Nagasu. The entire realm of competitive ice-skating has further evolved due to her contribution, her existence within it. I think she has a very, very good chance of being a US Olympic Champion, at least medalist, within the next couple weeks in Vancouver, B.C.

It's interesting because when the skill-sets performed by Peggy Flemming to become an Olympic Champion are compared to the skill-sets of today's figure skating athletes, one must realize that even the Novice Level competitors are using higher skill-sets today. That's the figurative 'bar' I'm talking about.

Fewer and fewer are capable of continuing, after not-medaling at Nationals, due to the cost. I urge any/all to support these athletes in any way possible. Even if they didn't medal, the accomplishment to achieve national-ranking at all, to make it to that level of competition, must not go ignored. There were so many, outstanding, memorable performances. A Novice in the Men's competition did some of the highest-velocity spins I've ever seen in my life, then tilted his head back, without becoming disoriented -- it was truly amazing. I'll never forget it.

But he didn't medal. Each contribute their own unique elements -- their 'style' -- their 'approach' to the sport -- and every contribution is significant. The dedication, the amount of work, the ability to find it within themselves to do any of it at all -- is truly worth much more than that which these athletes receive. And remember, ice-skating impacts all other sports, even the technologies of not just sliding on ice, but broadcasting, and cinematography, music, and so much more.

There was a time when Legislators prohibited women from doing any sports. And people with 'dark skin' too. It took the courts nearly two centuries to sort out the quagmire caused by hateful-religionists masquerading-around as 'religious-moderates,' flounting their Higher-Ed big-ticket credentials, monopolizing the Legislative Branch and Education, preventing and actively fighting against women, minorities, equality itself.

After decades of legal challenges, it was determined that, "sure, women are 'equal,' so we are now funding another basket-ball team." As a result, the cost of school athletics DOUBLED. At the time, people with 'dark skin' were still prohibited from attending schools with athletic programs. The Harlem Globetrotters challenged the white-male basketball empire. That may seem like a long time ago, but in terms of court and equality, and legislation, it isn't.

Since that time, taller and taller basketball players were not only encouraged, but literally 'selectively-bread' -- (it doesn't happen by accident) -- disenfranchising more and more men AND women FROM the opportunity to engage in basketball, especially at the college level, to receive any form of scholarship opportunities, and most especially at the professional level.

Think of this: Bobsledding, for example: due to court-challenges against Legislators' inequitable tyranny, women could finally compete at Bobsledding, luge, and other downhill sliding events; but it's not about 'equality' unless they can compete together. Does that mean we need a Constitutional Amendment to 'preserve' the 'sanctity' of two-man bobsledding as between a 'man' and a 'woman'? :lol:

Seriously, if such sleds were fasetened on a ramp, the timing of the run could begin at the moment of release, then nobody could complain about men having 'more strength' therefore a 'competitive advantage' -- and it wouldn't matter if men and women co-existed in the same team -- and there would no longer have to be DOUBLE EXPENSES for yet another athletic event.

Same with pairs skating.

-- if all the athletes are 7-ft tall, 99.9% of women are disenfranchised from the so-called 'equal-opportunity' of playing basketball. And if the types of challenging maneuvers are CAREFULLY SELECTED to exclude anybody over a certain height, or under a certain height, in Figure Skating, then it's all about 'size/shape/color' again, and all others disenfranchised from the 'equal-opportunity' of participation in this beautiful, most splendored thing.

So what to do? Start yet another 'ice skating team' for 'tall people' and then another for 'short people' and then one for 'fat people' and yet another for 'pairs' that are not determined by crotch (what's in it or what's done with it?)

-- then more basketball teams and football and so-forth?

It's fake 'equal-opportunities' to most. So for the fortunate few, especially in the world's most challenging endeavors, such as Figure Skating, those whom do it, deserve the awe, the admiration, the support, the encouragement, the perks and benefits and the financing to keep reminding us about what's important in life -- including the discussions everybody else is too cowardly to have.