Ice skating and other extreme sports (was Re: Defending ice dancing, the ISU and judging)

[Neil Ward]

Cindy revealed a keen and informed interest in ice skating and then decided:

<< Actually, I'm sufficiently cranky tonight that I'd like to show the door
to several other Olympic sports.  Synchronized swimming.  Rhythym
gymnastics.  Ballroom dancing (did they ever allow this in?).  Outta here!
>>

I love the ice skating events too.  I like the Men's event best, for the
sheer thrill of the athletics, although I get annoyed if they wear trousers
and shoes of the same colour.  You know, those package-revealing stirrup
pants that hook around the skates?   Gah!  But don't get me talking about
the poor dress sense of male ice skaters...

I guess the main criteria for inclusion of a sport in the Olympics are
athleticism and control, but sports such as rhythmic gymnastics and
synchronised swimming also include that rather vague thing, "artistic
impression".  That's such a subjective thing, and I've noticed that those
who get the higher technical scores always seem to get the higher artistic
scores, as if the judges begin from a higher baseline.  Do they?  In my
opinion, it's quite possible for someone to create a wonderful artistic
impression without being flawless technically.  It seems unfair.

As someone who attended dancing school (only an amateur thing, during
childhood... don't get excited), I can assure you that ballroom dancing
requires as much athletic prowess and control as, say fencing.  Rhythmic
gymnastics and synchronised swimming, on the other hand, do seem rather
ludicrously contrived.  Who decided that prannying around with a ribbon
could be honed into a competitive sport?  Why do synchonised swimmers have
to do a 'Stepford Wives' cheerleading routine before they jump in the pool?
Why can't they just jump in and get on with the routine?

I don't expect you to answer these questions.  I've been drinking too much
coffee again.

Neil/Flying Ford Anglia, who expects to be glomped by someone wearing a nose
peg.