topic Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating! in Community Chat

What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Tenners — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 18:56:53 GMT

Is it just me or aren't the Olympics supposed to be about individual achievement? It seems to me that this competition will only tire out the competitors for their individual events. Can they opt out of the team competition?

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

faeriemoon — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:07:38 GMT

I don't get the team competition either.

On another note (rant), I used to love to watch figure skating when there was more focus on artistry. Now all they care about is landing triple jumps (which they seldom manage to do under the pressure of competition.) I find it rather boring, personally.

Adding: I enjoy ice dancing the most.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Yuban3 — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:08:16 GMT

There are other team events in the Olympics.

2 Man bobsled

4 Man luge

hockey

pairs skating

Not every event is an individual event.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

EmmaBunting — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:08:38 GMT

Well....I would suppose it's like team gymnastics.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Clover29 — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:20:52 GMT

Isn't it like synchronized swimming, but on skates?

I don't see why it has to be about individuals. Someone I went to school with got a bronze medal in the 1980 Olympics for the 200m relay, which is about the team.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Tenners — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:23:13 GMT

I think you're missing the point. This is new and only an attempt by TV to add more figure skating to their line-up. The sports you list were never individual events.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

RedHeadedWench — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:28:05 GMT

Team figure skating is not a bunch of people skating around at the same time.

There are several events in skating..individual, dance, pairs, men, etc etc. They compete..the highest total for the entire TEAM wins gold..silver..bronze.

I hope that helps.

The only reason I know this is, Matt Lauer explained it on the Today Show the other day. I am not an Olympics fan, and really don't watch.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

ninjawife — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:34:31 GMT

On 2/8/2014 EmmaBunting said:
Well....I would suppose it's like team gymnastics.

Exactly. Competitors can opt out of the team competition or opt out of individual events.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

boby — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:50:57 GMT

Several posters have gotten the concept exactly right, but don't feel bad if you're still a bit confused. You have to realize that they all have their own coaches, and from what I heard the first day of competition the team captains were a little baffled as to what their own roles were. Kind of like trying to build something from a bunch of big parts, and then they don't fit.

And yes, the poster who effectively said it was "made for TV" got it right too. Skating is always the biggest ratings draw of the Winter Games, especially the women.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

bikerbabe — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:06:14 GMT

Doesn't matter to me since the only ice skating I watch is speed skating.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Cyndog — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:16:53 GMT

I didn't get the team thing either. It's not adding additional on air time for skating, is it? Isn't it just adding up individual scores of skating for a team total? Do they get a team medal?

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Tenners — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:26:05 GMT

The individual figure skaters didn't go into the Olympics thinking, "gee, i hope I win as part of a team event!" They got an individual coach and spent loads of money on training so they could maybe win a gold medal...for themselves and yes, for the USA too. Gymnastic was always a team sport with the same coach for all and the opportunity to win an individual gold in whatever their strength was within the rotation. Ice skating has a team offering already - it's called pairs skating. One could also include ice dancing, but that's not really the same thing. I'm simply saying that if I were an individual skater I wouldn't want to take the chance on injury in a made up event to satisfy some TV network's ratings. In my opinion that would not fit the agenda i had worked so hard for. Everyone remembers the individual winners' names. In this era of socialistic - let's make everyone equal and spread the wealth around whether you've worked for it or not type of thinking, the individual is getting lost.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

pitdakota — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:50:14 GMT

On 2/8/2014 Tenners said: I think you're missing the point. This is new and only an attempt by TV to add more figure skating to their line-up. The sports you list were never individual events.

Wow. So US TV along with British, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, and other TV corporations all agreed and were able to convince the Olympic committee? Sign that TV group up for the United Nations!!

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Tenners — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:19:45 GMT

On 2/8/2014 pitdakota said:
On 2/8/2014 Tenners said: I think you're missing the point. This is new and only an attempt by TV to add more figure skating to their line-up. The sports you list were never individual events.

Wow. So US TV along with British, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, and other TV corporations all agreed and were able to convince the Olympic committee? Sign that TV group up for the United Nations!!

Summer Olympics have always outshown the winter version. Why else would they be adding new events? I think it's a mutual thing. Scratches both backs. Figure skating is what people want to watch. When they're over people stop watching the Olympics for the most part. You never hear people talking about the luge or bobsled unless it's an Olympic year.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

brewhaha — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:20:36 GMT

I hope the curlers don't tire themselves out.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Cyndog — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:24:23 GMT

I'm asking again, are the teams going to skate together on air? I thought it was just adding individual scores to make a team total and not an actual skating event. Anybody know?

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

SANNA — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:27:50 GMT

The more figure skating the merrier for me!!!! Do not want to see curling. And Johnny Weir as a commentator. Is a bonus.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Sushismom — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:31:39 GMT

An attempt by TV? Made for TV? Some don't understand what it takes to get a particular event added to the Olympics.

While it will definitely help in ratings, there are also several other new events that have been added. This includes Ski Halfpipe for men and women, Women's Ski Jumping, Luge Team Relay, and the Biathlon Mixed Relay. The last two listed are also team competitions.

As for how the skating team competition works, here's an excerpt that explains it:

Ten countries compete and each sends a male skater, a female skater, a pairs team, and a dance team for the short and free programs. A country can have a skater perfrom in the short and free program or have different skaters perform in two events.

Performing the same routines as they will in individual competition, the skaters are scored in the usual fashion to determine their placing. Then, skaters are awarded points based on the place: 10 points for first, nine for second, eight for third and so on.

After all the short programs are completed, the top five countries move on to the free program. The team with the most points after the free program wins gold.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

pitdakota — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:35:53 GMT

On 2/8/2014 Tenners said:
On 2/8/2014 pitdakota said:
On 2/8/2014 Tenners said: I think you're missing the point. This is new and only an attempt by TV to add more figure skating to their line-up. The sports you list were never individual events.

Wow. So US TV along with British, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, and other TV corporations all agreed and were able to convince the Olympic committee? Sign that TV group up for the United Nations!!

Summer Olympics have always outshown the winter version. Why else would they be adding new events? I think it's a mutual thing. Scratches both backs. Figure skating is what people want to watch. When they're over people stop watching the Olympics for the most part. You never hear people talking about the luge or bobsled unless it's an Olympic year.

I can't speak to what most people in the country are talking about in terms of all different kinds of winter sports. I usually like to watch part of the Winter Olympics when I can and also like to watch the luge, bobsled, downhill, and many of the other events.

This was obviously a decision by the Olympic committee. They didn't ask me and personally I don't have an opinion on it, one way or another. They make the decisions and I can choose to watch, or not. I choose to watch the events that I prefer in both the summer and winter Olympics.

Re: What the heck is Team Figure Skating!

Alter Ego — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 21:47:36 GMT

On 2/8/2014 faeriemoon said:
I don't get the team competition either.

On another note (rant), I used to love to watch figure skating when there was more focus on artistry. Now all they care about is landing triple jumps (which they seldom manage to do under the pressure of competition.) I find it rather boring, personally.

Adding: I enjoy ice dancing the most.

I agree - I don't really watch much figure skating, but I like the artistry of the ice dancing as well.

I understand from a fan that the female from South Korea (the favorite to win) is supposed to mix the technical with the artistry. She is one that I am really looking forward to watching.

Otherwise, I don't know if this is how the event was added, but I thought that the host country could add an event to the Olympics (there's criteria though). Anyways, I wouldn't be surprised if Russia added it because it's an opportunity for them to win another medal. I also wouldn't discount Tenners' comments - money talks. Whether is it television and sponsors or even the demand for tickets.