Deadspin: Figure Skating

Here's A Thing That's Important: Someone Finally Completed The Storied Quadruple Lutz

Barry Petchesky — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:50:00 EDT

Stand back from the body of Alois Lutz, Austria: he's spinning in his grave! More »

Figure Skating Is Much More Tolerable When Routines Are Super Mario-Themed

Emma Carmichael — Fri, 06 May 2011 10:25:00 EDT

Here's Tatiana Volosozhar and partner Maxim Trankov doing their graceful skating thing at the 2011 World Championships in Moscow earlier in the week. No Beethoven. No Handel. No terrible 70s ballads. Just Mario. More »

Figure Skater Gracefully Elbows The Shit Out Of Her Partner's Face

Emma Carmichael — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:30:00 EDT

At the world figure skating championships today, Canadian Eric Radford took the full force of his spinning partner's elbow to the face at the start of their routine. The graceful attack came at the end of a triple Lutz-twist lift, which is apparently a thing that people know about — and even with a broken nose, the Toronto Star reports, Radford "never considered stopping." More »

Nine Chinese Figure Skaters May Not Be The Age China Said They Were

Emma Carmichael — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:15:00 EST

After the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the IOC launched an investigation into the ages of China's women's gymnastics team, because it seemed very possible that a few members were not women at all, but actually pre-adolescent girls. The '08 gymnasts were eventually cleared, but it came out that a '00 Olympian gymnast — Dong Fangxiao — was only 14 years old when she competed in Sydney. More »

Former Olympic Figure Skater Learns That Crystal Meth is a Helluva Drug

Brian Hickey — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 10:15:00 EDT

I'll take "Before & After" for $100,000 cash bond, Trebek. More »

Today In Ostracizing Johnny Weir's Gayness: Stars On Ice

Barry Petchesky — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:15:00 EDT

Stars On Ice, the touring show that lets its skaters be as creative and flamboyant as they want, has turned down Johnny Weir. GLAAD says it's because of his sexual orientation. We say it's because they can't handle the fabulousness. More »

Last Night's Winner: Scott Hamilton's Tear Ducts

Tommy Craggs — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:40:56 EST

In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like Hamilton and everyone else who had themselves another happy cry last night over Joannie Rochette, winner of a bronze medal that looks golden from here. More »

Australian Figure Skating Announcers Criticized for Homophobic Broadcasting Style

Gourmet Spud — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:50:43 EST

Sample on-air exchange between Channel 9's Mick Molloy (pictured) and Eddie McGuire: 'They don't leave anything in the locker room these blokes, do they?' 'They don't leave anything in the closet either, do they?' More like a triple LULZ! More »

The Cold War Is Officially Back On

Barry Petchesky — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:15:00 EST

Evgeni Plushenko: "I was positive that I won. But I suppose Evan needs the medal more than I do. Maybe it's because I already have one." Oh, your plan all along was to un-retire to be runner-up, then? Burn. [WaPo] More »

Last Night's Winner: People Who Don't Play Football

Dashiell Bennett — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:15:44 EST

In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like athletes who are suddenly going to get a lot more attention now that football season is drawing to a close. You've heard of "sports," right? More »

Psh, I Guess This Counts As Knocking Off No. 1

Barry Petchesky — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:30:00 EST

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Because no one reads the newspaper, and SportsCenter's anchors are too perky for this early in the morning, Deadspin combs the best of the broadsheets and the blogosphere to bring you everything you need to know to start your day. More »

Russia Turns The Dreamtime Into A Nightmare

Barry Petchesky — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Aboriginal Australians are none too pleased with the routine the ice dancing favorites have planned for the Olympics, and it's not hard to see why. Look at them. They look like Mardi Gras came to Ferngully. More »

Former Bubbly Blonde Olympic Figure Skater Is Now Meth-Running Brunette With A Bob

A.J. Daulerio — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:12:31 EDT

Nicole Bobek, who appeared at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, was in a Jersey City court today on charges she played a "significant role" in a massive meth operation. [NJ.com] More »

You People Are Not Helping Molly Oberstar Defeat Her Overconfidence Problem

A.J. Daulerio — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:15:57 EDT

Remember this girl? Molly Oberstar? No? Me neither. But! It appears her "Exotic, European look" was enough to overcompensate for her self-absorption to win St. Paul Magazine's Real Model contest. [RandBall] More »

Canada Would Like To Invite You To The Rugged, Not-Gay World Of Male Figure Skating

Rick Chandler — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:15:15 EST

Canada is trying to butch up figure skating's image with a controversial new marketing campaign that begins next month, in order to attract more boys to the sport. To which I say: Fabulous! More »

Johnny Weir Never Had Scottie Pippen To Help Him Shine

A.J. Daulerio — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:15:19 EST

"It may sound like an excuse, but you have to remember that Michael Jordan had a whole team around him. I'm a single, skinny, sparkly boy standing by myself." [WaPo] More »

The French Judge Gives Them A 10

Rick Chandler — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:30:52 EST

Something that wasn't mentioned in Tuesday's inaugural address: The Russians are way ahead of us in boob slip technology. (Following link NSFW). More »

Humble Minnesota Figure Skater Wants To Remind People How Pretty She Is

A.J. Daulerio — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:45:33 EST

"My eyes are large, my lips full, my legs long. Many have told me that I should be a model. Some have even told me that I have an exotic, European look." [RandBall] More »

And Suddenly, Figure Skating Is Fun Again

rickchand — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:15:58 EDT

Just in case you haven't heard, Kristy Swanson was arrested Saturday night in Kingston, Ont. after a fight with Marcia O'Brien, who is the ex-wife of Canadian figure skater Lloyd Eisler. Swanson is dating Eisler. People magazine has the details, of course, and says that O'Brien filed a complaint, leading to Swanson turning herself in and posting $500 bond. But Swanson says that it was O'Brien who did the attacking, which would take a lot of guts, because Swanson is, after all, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. More »

It's Poetry Day!

Leitch — Mon, 08 May 2006 16:15:14 EDT

Because we're all about the high culture here, we're bringing you the poetry funk today. So we hope you're ready. More »

Figure Skating To Scare Your Grandmother

Leitch — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:45:06 EDT

Evgeni Plushenko won the gold medal in men's figure skating earlier this year, and as this video proves, when you win the gold medal, you can pretty much do whatever you want after that. More »

All Opera Singers Should Wear Boxing Gloves

Leitch — Wed, 03 May 2006 15:45:46 EDT

The only way Tufts University is going to make it on a sports blog? Staging an opera about Tonya Harding, of course!. More »

The Johnny Weir Blackball

Leitch — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:00:57 EDT

We've always had some fun with "flamboyant" and "unconventional" men's figure skater Johnny Weir around here; during the Olympics, we found him one of the few high-profile athletes with legitimate personality. (Or "flair," if you will.) More »

Ali G Hooks You Up

Rick Chandler — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:30:04 EST

If you're like us, you had only one thought as Sasha Cohen was accepting her figure skating silver medal on Thursday: How would Ali G describe it? Check out Ali G's possible take on Cohen's silver at The Sports Pulse — which includes the line: "Me is not into batty boy bruvers so Johnny Weir stop callin me." More »

Intimate Fantasies About ... Aw, Jeez, HER?

Leitch — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:00:19 EST

Inspired by a look back at Tonya Harding's career a couple of days ago, a reader, who must be the sports fan equivalent of a cutter, did some research into Tonya and found something so disturbing that pointing it out to you makes us feel like we might be a bad person. More »

Johnny Weir Goes Shopping

mjdeadspin — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 13:26:39 EST

"I love to shop," says Johnny Weir. Color me shocked. More »

NBC Resorts to Child Porn for Olympics Ratings Boost

Leitch — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:08:46 EST

Or, at least, it would seem that way. Why else would the Olympic website feature some, um, questionable photos of figure skater Sasha Cohen? Hey, I'm no prude, but for the love of Jon Benet Ramsey this just seems a little...creepy. Maybe this is strategic network synergy? You know, NBC gets people to look at these photos a little too long and then next thing you know Stone Phillips is waiting by your mailbox with a Dateline camera crew to call you a deviant. Sneaky bastards. More »

Johnny Weir Is Huge In Kansas. And In The Glute Area.

mjdeadspin — Sat, 18 Feb 2006 17:07:47 EST

Eventually, yes, the Johnny Weir posts will stop. But not today. I think I might be developing a crush on the guy, and I'm not even gay. More »

I Think Johnny Weir Might Be Gay

mjdeadspin — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 09:51:15 EST

Done in by a bus schedule. That is the unfortunate conclusion to the 2006 Torino Games for Johnny Weir, who, as one alert reader points out, looks kinda like Quin Snyder without the impeccable hair care. Here's Johnny, after his 5th place performance: More »

The Dreams of a Gold Princess Are Over

Leitch — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 17:53:53 EST

From what we've heard( and according to the time), Johnny Weir ate it during this afternoon's free skate competition. The "very, very flexible" Weir sat in second position at the start of the day and now sits at...5th. Sigh. God, who didn't hope for a pink Wheaties box invading supermarkets in the near future? 2010 then! More »

Johnny Weir Has Had It Up To Here With Your "Rules"

Leitch — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 10:00:29 EST

So we'll confess: We missed what appears to be a legendary performance by figure skater Johnny Weir last night. We don't mean on the ice, of course, though he is in second place after the short program. We mean during his interviews, in which Weir preened and vowed that he is not a diva, while wearing Southeast Jerome sunglasses and wearing a CCCP sweatshirt. He was In fact, he's rocking the establishment in a truly FAB-u-LOUS! way. More »

The Denouement Of Kwan

mjdeadspin — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 13:13:37 EST

I guess that kinda rhymes. I dunno. Anyway, as you probably know by now, Michelle Kwan has officially pulled out of the Olympics. And perhaps more surprisingly, people care. Hell, I care. It's figure skating, and I care. Either the Winter Olympics are truly magical, or I've got some feelings and curiosities deep down that I have yet to really explore. More »

My Ambassador Of Kwan

mjdeadspin — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 15:16:39 EST

I'm not a figure skating expert - when I think about 'Kwan' in sports, I think Rod Tidwell - but I can't help but feel that the situation that Michelle Kwan finds herself in is a little bit unfortunate. More »

Inside The Mind Of Johnny Weir

Leitch — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 12:15:22 EST

Because we have this fear that the Olympics is going to last two weeks and we're not going to understand a single thing that's happening, we've decided to ride this Johnny Weir fellow for a while. (So to speak.) More »

Let The Games, And The Fussing, Begin

Rick Chandler — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 09:15:11 EST

Time to say hello to our new favorite word: "Princessy." Which sports personality actually used the word on Tuesday? Time for you to guess. Here's the quote. More »

Curious Figure Skating Enthusiasts Rejoice!

Leitch — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 13:45:45 EST

Confused about Olympic figure skating? Can't tell a double salchow from a layback spin? Congratulations — you're a normal, adult male. Now let's go hunting. More »

Support Michelle Kwan's Right To Fall Down

Leitch — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 13:31:26 EST

We're not going to get in the habit of talking about figure skating around these parts, but we will confess, we taken much interest and, yes, enjoyment, in the plight of Professional Face Of Figure Skating Michelle Kwan. More »

Kwan Excited About Choking Again

Leitch — Fri, 27 May 2005 10:51:20 EDT

We don't pay much attention to figure skating — obviously — but we have always been amused and befuddled by the intense popularity of Michelle Kwan. (We once knew a grown woman who had pictures of her all over her wall. She was a sensitive sort.) Yesterday, Kwan announced that she will participate in the 2006 Olympics, trying to grasp that elusive Olympic gold. More »

Even Jeff Gillooly Is Starting To Feel A Little Sick

Leitch — Wed, 25 May 2005 10:00:38 EDT

Harding Ready For Next Fight [Boxing Talk] More »