Sometimes I'll be chatting about skating with a "youngster" and when I mention Todd Eldredge (see right) as one of my favorites, one of the best spinners, someone with great body line, I get a blank stare. Hereeee's YouTube to the rescue. Say what you want about YouTube (How many times can I watch an exploding bucket?), it's an invaluable resource for figure skating history.
I am a huge Todd Eldredge fan. In addition to winning the 1996 World Figure Skating Championships, Todd also won the U.S. National championships six times. I caught up with him in New York City when he was attending a benefit gala for Figure Skating in Harlem. Todd is still popular amongst us skating fans and has toured with Stars on Ice for seven years. He currently makes his home in Florida and also assists Richard Callaghan in coaching Kimmie Meissner. I was curious to find out what he thought about the state of U.S. figure skating and the apparent decline of skating's popularity. Todd definitely had his opinions and it was a real treat to talk to him.
It's pretty hard for a sport to have much interest when you never can see it performed! I haven't been able to see very much of it-and my interest *hasn't* declined-for several years. I don't have cable and the "Big Three" don't carry the competitions except for NBC carrying maybe one or two. Compliments of this digital conversion, I couldn't see NBC from Feb-June so missed what little they may have carried. It is never advertised as being carried so if you catch it, it's just by "luck". I don't have the answer but I'm tired of the way figure skating is treated. It is the only one of the "popular" sports that require any *real* skill and it's treated like a poor relative. How are the children coming up to have any interest in skating when they can never see it?
Posted by: Janis Owens | July 31, 2009 at 04:22 PM
That sounds good!1
Posted by: Coach Outlet Online | November 30, 2011 at 04:12 AM