The problem didn't start with the new system. It started when compulsory figures were eliminated in 1990, which opened the door for 15-year-old jumping beans to compete on the international senior circuit and win. Lipinski opened the Pandora's Box on this one, not the advent of the IJS.

Regarding Ashley Wagner:

You're right. It's Figure Skating. When, oh, when, are the going to restore the dignity and accuracy of the name by bringing back compulsory figures?

Even if that was the case, and if we were really looking at the athletes' overall body of work, then Nagasu's resume blew away that of Polina Edwards.

As the deliciously bitchy Dick Button likes to say, it's figure jumping now, not figure skating.

I feel like your argument about her belonging because she finished second out of "all" the Americans would be stronger if there had been more than three of them, though?

Umm. The Russian did not fall. And Wagner did not come close to skating clean. She landed once on the wrong edge, she had under rotation on a triple and two footed at least one if not two landings.

Man, if Ashley Wagner wanted to win over some people after her selection drew criticism, her endless bitching about scores all series, memetic frowny faces, and uninspiring performances did her no favors.

I laughed about the cat in bed thing...I have actually seen much of these Olympics on the couch with two dogs!

toot

extreme repetition and emotional detachment.

I already have a massive headache from my sinus infection. I really didn't need to read this. Not with the face necessary to read it, at least.

This is terrifying.

But could Carrol have taken a down on his luck hockey player, and a temperamental and spoiled figure skater, and turned them into champions? Frank Carrol is no Anton Pamchenko.

This was really fascinating. Any additional info on the "tools" Carroll gives to his skaters? Is it mainly psychological stuff?

I grew up out in the country in Georgia and have dozens of relatives and their friends that still live there that proudly wear confederate battle flags, have bumper stickers or the like - and all of them claim they are "celebrating heritage" and "aren't racist".