The Who’s classic tune “The Kids Are Alright” has been playing in my head, ever since the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the favored Vancouver Canucks Monday night to advance to the NHL Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1995. The song seems to be a fitting tribute to the young, upstart Hawks, who are the youngest team in the league at an average age of 25.5. But don’t let their youth fool you. They are playing at a level well beyond their years.
I don’t think anyone expected the Hawks to get as far as they have this postseason. With each victory, they are discovering just how good they are and what their potential is. It's like watching a child learn to crawl and then begin to walk -- you want to applaud every step he takes. With each success, the Hawks are beginning to believe more in themselves. Belief plus talent can be a potent combination for success. Anything is possible. It is not only magical to watch for fans, it may be dangerous for their opponents.
For many Chicago fans, this playoff run by the Hawks is a dream come true. If that’s the case, I’m not ready to wake up from this dream just yet.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 04, 2009
Skate Canada Wants to Change Figure Skating Image
With the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics less than a year away, Skate Canada has decided it’s time to change the image of figure skating. With declining attendance and television ratings, Canadian skating officials believe that rebranding the sport as more masculine will draw new fans from hockey, football and baseball, according to the Wall Street Journal. Officials also want their male skaters to refrain from wearing sequins, ruffles and other frills in favor of simpler, more uniform outfits. They have also requested their skaters to talk up their injuries and training regimen to showcase how tough and macho the sport is.
It is no surprise that these rebranding efforts have outraged gay advocacy groups, who call it an attack on skating’s sizable gay audience. And the controversy made its way “World News with Charles Gibson” on ABC-TV.
This controversy has been going on for decades, and Skate Canada has always been somewhat sensitive to this issue. After all, it was a Canadian skater, Toller Cranston, along with Great Britain’s John Curry, who routinely wore frilly costumes in the late 1970s to express the artistry of their programs. Then along comes Kurt Browning in the early 1990s, who performs the first quadruple jump in competition and skated to rock music – moves that helped make the sport more macho.
The truth is both Skate Canada and gay advocacy groups are overreacting. This is not an attack on any particular audience, but on the sport’s artistry.
While I can understand Skate Canada’s desire to expand their fan base, it is taking the wrong approach. They can call the sport anything they want and they can try to change people’s perception of it, but they cannot change the reality of it – that it is a beautiful but physically demanding sport that requires athletes to skate to music. The sport will never draw fans from more aggressive, macho sports like hockey and football – they represent two different fan bases.
While I am not a fan of some of the frilly, sequined costumes that some of the male skaters choose to wear for their programs – I think they tend to distract from the program rather than enhance it – it’s unrealistic to expect male skaters to adhere to a more uniform look. Ultimately, the costume decision should be left to the individual skater and his coaches with the music and program in mind.
It is no surprise that these rebranding efforts have outraged gay advocacy groups, who call it an attack on skating’s sizable gay audience. And the controversy made its way “World News with Charles Gibson” on ABC-TV.
This controversy has been going on for decades, and Skate Canada has always been somewhat sensitive to this issue. After all, it was a Canadian skater, Toller Cranston, along with Great Britain’s John Curry, who routinely wore frilly costumes in the late 1970s to express the artistry of their programs. Then along comes Kurt Browning in the early 1990s, who performs the first quadruple jump in competition and skated to rock music – moves that helped make the sport more macho.
The truth is both Skate Canada and gay advocacy groups are overreacting. This is not an attack on any particular audience, but on the sport’s artistry.
While I can understand Skate Canada’s desire to expand their fan base, it is taking the wrong approach. They can call the sport anything they want and they can try to change people’s perception of it, but they cannot change the reality of it – that it is a beautiful but physically demanding sport that requires athletes to skate to music. The sport will never draw fans from more aggressive, macho sports like hockey and football – they represent two different fan bases.
While I am not a fan of some of the frilly, sequined costumes that some of the male skaters choose to wear for their programs – I think they tend to distract from the program rather than enhance it – it’s unrealistic to expect male skaters to adhere to a more uniform look. Ultimately, the costume decision should be left to the individual skater and his coaches with the music and program in mind.
Bulls Look Ahead After First-Round Defeat
Most people expected the Bulls-Celtics series to be a yawner and a laugher. Instead, it turned into one of the most compelling and thrilling playoff contests in recent memory. Overall, the teams played seven overtimes during the series, including two overtimes in game 4 and three in game 6. After the thrill ride during the first six games, Game 7 seemed anticlimactic, with the Celtics winning by a 10-point margin.
The seventh-seeded Bulls pushed the Celtics to the limit and played with an intensity no one expected. In the end, the Celtics endured, thanks to playoff experience, home court advantage, and a little luck. If the Bulls finish off Games 2 and/or 5, they – not the Celtics -- would be preparing to face the Orlando Magic in the second round rather than packing up for the summer.
I doubt the Celtics will go much further than the second round. These overtime games exposed several weaknesses – age, slower legs, and a weak bench. Without Kevin Garnett, they are simply an above average team.
The Bulls, on the other hand, showed what a gutsy bunch of players they are. They will lose some players during the off season, most likely Ben Gordon who becomes a free agent. And rookie head coach Vinny Del Negro made a few mistakes along the way, but proved that he’s worth keeping around next season.
The Bulls may have lost the series, but they achieved a moral victory. And that’s something they can build on for next year.
The seventh-seeded Bulls pushed the Celtics to the limit and played with an intensity no one expected. In the end, the Celtics endured, thanks to playoff experience, home court advantage, and a little luck. If the Bulls finish off Games 2 and/or 5, they – not the Celtics -- would be preparing to face the Orlando Magic in the second round rather than packing up for the summer.
I doubt the Celtics will go much further than the second round. These overtime games exposed several weaknesses – age, slower legs, and a weak bench. Without Kevin Garnett, they are simply an above average team.
The Bulls, on the other hand, showed what a gutsy bunch of players they are. They will lose some players during the off season, most likely Ben Gordon who becomes a free agent. And rookie head coach Vinny Del Negro made a few mistakes along the way, but proved that he’s worth keeping around next season.
The Bulls may have lost the series, but they achieved a moral victory. And that’s something they can build on for next year.
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