MKF Strategy

[redvispa]

Okay, I think at the end of the day after reading so many articles, it has become clear that the marks Michelle has received for the short are less reflective of her performance and much more a statement from the judges. This article in particular makes me feel that there is some kind of agenda here...

www.mercurynews.com/mld/m...287695.htm (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/8287695.htm)

I for one, am feeling a bit frustrated about this competition. Is there something that we can do? Write letters? Complain? Ask for an explanation as to why Michelle was undermarked for ending her program 2 seconds too late, and yet Arakawa and Micki were overmarked for cheated jumps! I just think even a simple polite letter would send a messag to the judges about how figure skating audiences feel about what has happened. Any thoughts?

[fredonia]

it sounds like a great idea, count me in....i'm still >: ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[ScoobertDieu]

I think that's a good idea. I mean, if the judging continues on like this, the sport of figure skating becomes less respected, and just bet that it's popularity will wane.

[MKsmiral]

I've been sitting here fuming all day - I would be willing to participate in anything you guys can think of to protest this travesty. Her tech marks even without the timing deduction were just outright unreasonable.

Lets put our heads together and get organized. Is there anything we can do??

[JarJarBinks88]

I cried at work, I cried on my way home, I cried to my husband. The world of figure skating is loosing MK, fans of figure skating and MONEY!

ABC & ESPN won't been giving you too much next year, LOOSERS!

[Aslan's Girl]

Count me in; one problem though is that some of our "ranks" don't even know anything about this since they are staying unspoiled, all thanks to stupid ABC/ESPN not carrying the SP today!

[ScoobertDieu]

Then we definitely need to discuss this tomorrow after everyone is aware of what's going on. This is important.

[beegirllw]

MONEY TALKS

The only way to get their attention is hit 'em in the pocketbook. If you want to use up a bunch of energy, find out who are their biggest sponsors and contributors and let them know that their corporations wont being seeing anymore of your money.

[redvispa]

I'll see if I can draft a letter to post later today, and if a few of you have some extra time maybe you can too and we can maybe post a generic form letter (for those of us who don't have the time to write a letter). I think we can probably bombared the ISU with emails ... nothing too angry (although there certainly is reason to be angry) but rather something that expresses our disatisfaction with the judging today. I think tommorow would be best since most people will have learned of the news. My suggestions for institutions to contact:

1. ISU
2. USFSA
3. ABC
4. ESPN

Any other ideas?

[ScoobertDieu]

Instead of bombarding them with e-mails, well I should say in addition to bombarding, we should definitely have one very strong letter and have everyone sign it, as many sigs as we can possibly get.

I will work on some verbiage in the morning.

[kwansong99]

all i know is the SECOND she hangs up those skates, im done with the ISU and the world of figure skating. Ive had enough! Im only at this point hanging in for MK, everythins else just makes me so angry!

[chipso1]

Well, i probably won't watch it as often after 2006, because starting in the fall of 2006, i'll be at college (2 years of high school left!!!!!!:rollin ), but i think i will still watch so i can cheer on jenny and kimmie!!!!!!!

:RP :IB :TJL :LP :EOE :LP :TJL :IB :RP

[MagicMeTwo]

MKSmiral, I agree with you. My thoughts all evening have been on the fact that I need to protest, to do something, to tell the judges and the IFS what I think about the system and the injustice done to Michelle. If it worked for A/P why not Michelle.

[MagicMeTwo]

Hope you get to writing that form letter for those of us that want to send out a message. Someone else suggested a letter with signatures. At this point I am ready to send out my protest any way I can! I am upset over what happened but still trying to keep my mind on prayer. My prayers are with Michelle and I wish her the best performance ever. There is and never will be anyone like Michelle.

[Shallah]

to prove that our disagreement is not just wacky fans mailbombing them out of childish anger.

I suggest we come up with a basic letter with the points we want to make that then each writer edits to suit her/himself.

In addition to writeing ISU and media {abc, espn, etc} contacting the sponsers would be a very good idea. I can't find the ISU sponsors but here is a page with links to the USFSA sponsors. Remember the main sponsor of 2004 worlds on ABC is Olay:
usfsa.org/event_story.asp?id=24067 (http://usfsa.org/event_story.asp?id=24067)

[lilahupa]

count me in!

[CL]

All TOP four were good.
Cohen were good, no error. But like simon said, You really can skate...But, So What... You are good, so What...

Mk's program is better than National's. Few changes. Tech and presentation are solid.. No error.

Jap s are good, technically should never be 2nd or 3rd. Presentations are catching up.

The fact is that eveyone is catching up MK. She needs to do different program from now on. Cohen can get gold even she used old one becuase she never got a gold yet. That's fact. Other s have same advantages.

Don't feel bad, guys. Michelle is still Michelle. It's just that she needs to have new plan before 2006 or walk way from the competition. That's it.:RB :SAL
:RP

[mrbokchoi]

Hi. I think this is just amazing. I mean who would of known that someone like Michelle can unite so many people together under one cause. This is very exciting for me and in a way despite all that has happened, I'm happy actually seeing the strenght of the MK community. At the end I hope something positive will happen from what I consider a MK crisis. Thank you everyone for giving me this sense of community, support and belonging.

[MKsmiral]

I wanted to bump this thread so it doesn't get lost. Just because Michelle ended up with a medal doesn’t change the fact that her SP scores, even before the timing deduction, were way out of line. We still need to get our voices heard so this doesn’t happen in the future to Michelle or any other skater.

[Forever Loyal]

Count me in too! I also think that the IOC needs to be contacted. Figure Skating should not be in the hands of speedy and the ISU! I have said this before over and over. THE JUDGES NEED TO BE MADE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR MARKS! There was absolutely no reason why deductions were not taken for flawed technique(Sasha's flutz-flip), and the under-rotated jumps by the japanese skaters in the short program. The short is a technical program. These deductions should have been taken! Judges need to be questioned WHY they gave Michelle a 5.2 for a flawless performance. IT STINKS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! The COP proposed by speedy is NOT the answer!

[vixen62025]

As I have stated before, the only way to deal with the ISU is via their pocketbook. Without mentioning ANY skaters name, what we should do is let them know that until the judging is cleaned up NONE of our hard earned money will be spent on one of their events, and that we additionally will write sponsors and broadcasters of their competitions and ask them to reconsider sponsoring events which are rife with corruption. MANY skaters at this competition were over/undermarked. (So I don't think singleing out one or two is a good suggestion.) CoP may (or may not) help somewhat, but the main problem in skating still remains the block judging which showed itsself in mighty, mighty colors at this competition.

If this forum was able to raise 10K for the Make-a-Wish foundation in MK's name, I certainly believe we can make our voices heard - and keep our wallets closed to the ISU. Last week I passed up an early chance to buy tickets for the 2006 Worlds in Canada (after the Olys), as it might be the last time to see MK skate competitively, simply because I wanted to see what the judging was going to be like at this competition. I am glad now I held back and did not commit to giving this corrupt sporting federation a dime.