Message #23357

[spitfire78]

Execsec, I hope in future years it will be your daughters I'm rooting for!!!  I know there's been all kinds of talk on changing the method of judging.  Obviously it cannot be totally objective because grace and artistry are all a part of the sport.  However, I hope they can find a way to level out the playing field.  It seems to me that judges base a lot of their scores on reputation.  I watched Sarah Hughes through the entire Grand Prix series, and for most of it she was not give the scores I felt she deserved.  I think it was because she didn't have the "name" behind her.  Maria Butryskaya (sp??) and Michelle Kwan were given better scores than I felt they deserved several times, and I think it was just because the judges know they can do it so they score them well even if they didn't do it that day.  One of the things I heard mentioned was that they might ban the judges from the practice sessions.  I think that would be a good thing because I think sometimes they make up their minds based on what they see there.  I feel it should be based on what the skaters do for that particular performance.  In skiing, for instance, it doesn't matter if you're a world champion or a novice, if you get down the slope faster than anyone else on that particular day, you win.