Jim Holt related to this article in Sports Illustrated:
Ah, the old system, where perfection was a (10) — remember? …
The prime purpose of the new and unimproved scoring system was to better quantify the various elements in a program — required jumps and spins— so that the famously nefarious judges would have less latitude to cheat.
Alas, this created a scoring system so arcane that, by comparison, it makes computing the Standard and Poor’s index child’s play. Moreover, by emphasizing compulsory obligations, the new system diminished the emphasis on artistry. …
Frank Deford in Sports Illustrated – … Go figure
Bottom line: Frank argues that the scoring system has “destroyed the popularity” an Olympic Sport.
Sound familiar?
Frank is talking about Figure Skating.
Mirai Nagasu (left) skated a pristine program last month in Spokane, but lost out on gold to Rachael Flatt by ... 11.33 points?
3 comments ↓
Fire all the judges in every sport and hire new ones.
“Unfortunately, instead of trusting that they could change the judges, they changed the whole system, and thereby destroyed the sport’s popularity.”
For gymnastics, I always felt they should’ve concentrated on the judges. It’s always the judges that mess everything up.
It seems worse in figure skating then gymnastics to me, but I don’t follow figure skating much. I guess any sport that’s left to a subjective evaluation (diving, cheerleading, dressage, project runway ) is going to be in this mess at some point.
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