Me, A Sports Writer?

Those who know me wouldn't consider me a sports enthusiast. I'm one of those people who comes up with excuses why not to attend most popular sporting events. I look forward to the Superbowl commercials, I pretend not to know the difference between soccer and lacrosse, and I refuse to watch any basketball except the Kansas Jayhawks (who somehow revived their football team this year in surprise to many). This is simply because it's more of a religion than a sport when you grow up in Kansas.

Well, now I'm going to be reporting about the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships next week for BlogHer in their Sports and Fitness area, and I realized that technically makes me a sports writer. Who would've thought? As a freelance writer, I've written about skating before for newsletters and here (see skating category; see also my post about last year's nationals), but this will be my first professional project and I can't be more thrilled.

I've been skating since I was five, I competed some as a kid and then more as an adult including winning medals at national and international events in my age and test category, and one of the most major accomplishments of my life was passing my Adult Gold Figure Skating Test. That took a lot of time and dedication. I've worked behind the scenes on countless figure skating events, I've done a little judging, and now my two year-old is taking to skating so I'm moving into the role of skating parent. I understand most of the angles and pressures involved in the sport as well as the physical mechanics involved and the number system as to why some things are ranked with more difficulty than others. So I'm looking forward to infusing some of my knowledge into what I write about the event.

For the Nationals TV schedule, current news and an online skating challenge, check out the U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) site. And to get more coverage of the event for figure skating fans, it's inexpensive to join icenetwork.com and see the events from the whole 2007-2008 season online.

Tailgating with Sandra Day O'Connor

I was late arriving to a "tailgate" at the Stanford Law School on Saturday and nearly tripped over two members of the Secret Service. For those of us in the Bay Area (vs. D.C.), that usually means there's a presidential candidate in the room, but in this case, it turned-out to be two Supreme Court members - or one former and one current, to be specific. Stephen Breyer is the current Justice and Sandra Day O'Connor, first woman appointed to the Supreme Court and recently retired, was of course the one who caught my eye.

First, I should rewind and say that what was called a tailgate at the Stanford Law School was really a pre-game party for the Homecoming footaball game that occurred in the court yard at the law school where they served Kansas City-style BBQ chicken and some fabulous ice cream sandwiches among other items in the well-presented buffet. And the fully stocked bar (with wine and really good margaritas) did not reek even remotely of cheap beer and chips. Having never been much of a football observer (so sue me, I know it's heresy for a UofM grad to say this), I'd never been to a tailgate before but I'm guessing this one doesn't really count anyway.

I ended-up at this soiree at the invitation of my dad - it was his birthday - who graduated from Stanford Law School in '62. He invited my sister, her partner, (both of whom are also Stanford grads), me and my husband to come with him and his wife to the tailgate and then to the game. It was mostly an activity for alumni to catch-up with each other. If I had come earlier, perhaps I would've said hello to Sandra O'Connor. I certainly thought of things to say and ask, but mostly I wanted to thank her for her service and for helping break the glass ceiling. I didn't know how to come across as not cheezy - I'm a little shy when it comes to in-person meetings like this. I figured she wanted to just talk with friends. She clearly had her fill of people coming up to her and talking to her, and then suddenly she was gone, probably whisked away to the game or some other event.

What I did learn while I was standing in line for my chicken (not eavesdropping, I swear), was that she's still a sharp woman. She was partaking in discussion about tax law and policy and had opinions on what may or may not pass with Congress. I'd rather not write what I heard specifically because she didn't know I was there, but nevertheless, just her presence at an event like this shows that she's still making a difference through her service, and I'm sure her legacy will continue. I'm hoping our next Supreme Court Justice will be a woman appointed by a woman, and I really hope she's around to see it. All I can say is next time the law school has a tailgate, I hope I'm invited back. They know how to party.

Help Save Berkeley Landmark Ice Rink!

If you're a figure skating fan, could you picture figure skating history without Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano, Rudy Galindo, and even Sonja Henie? Of course not, that's absurd! Well, the Berkeley Iceland (in Berkeley, CA) was home to all of these skaters at one time or another - some only on occasion but it has been around for 65 years. It's now closed - land to be sold to the highest bidder and demolished for whatever purposes they choose.

Berkeley Iceland is one of the largest, most beautiful rinks I've ever seen. Tucked in a hidden pocket close to campus, the rink spans Olympic size 200'x100' and includes grand stands for viewing hockey games and performances. The family who own it ran into financial troubles (rinks are expensive to maintain) after having some cooling equipment issues. So now a nonprofit group has banned together to Save Berkeley Iceland. Let's hope they can be as successful as saving Kepler's Bookstore here in Menlo Park has been so far.

Yes, there are rinks in Oakland, San Francisco and Dublin now that aren't too far away for skaters, but none of them is quite like this one. It truly is a historical building. This Thursday, a group meets in the City of Berkeley to determine whether the building can become an official landmark. Whether that has much bearing on its fate remains to be seen, but if you love figure skating, please consider helping Save Berkeley Iceland turn it into an environmentally sustainable rink that will last another 65+ years.

Dolphins Stadium Site Wide Open For Hackers

I don't want to say I'm glad that something Superbowl related got hacked, but here's the thing: when major web sites like Dolphins Stadium get hit with known attacks for Windows security holes, it raises awareness. And frankly, this is such small potatoes in the scheme of things - it wasn't our water system hacked or our electrical infrastructure or something controlling train lines that could kill people. Sure, it's inconvenient for the people running the site and for the fans who visit the site, but they should have updated their web servers months ago in preparation for this event. If it teaches them a lesson and gets others in corporations and government better educated about security, then something good will come out of this. Thinking about the big picture and preventing real terrorist threats is much more important. Here's the story from ZDNet.

US Nationals Retrospective - This Week In Figure Skating

I don't have the opportunity to blog about figure skating as often as I'd like but tonight I had to write about how exciting some of the new skaters on the scene are and how much potential they have. I was a bit worried for a while that the Japanese and Chinese teams were going to dominate in 2010 but I think we have some major contendors coming up in the ranks - even without veterens like Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen.

First off, I was incredibly impressed by Evan Lysacek's performance in both of his programs. He's finally got everything working in his favor and the best part is - I don't think he's peaked yet. Maybe has this year, but not career-wise. He can add a second quad if he needs it, and he can strengthen his spins and artistry. He is incredibly talented and he can give Brian Joubert some tough competition. Then you have his incredibly gorgeous girlfriend, Tanith Belbin along with her partner, Ben Agosto, creating a wonderfully intricate new program and posting some fantastic scores to win their fourth gold at Nationals. Gregory and Petukhov looked great, by the way. It's nice having two strong dance teams for once. And the bronze medalists, Davis and White, were impressive too. They have a definite future.

For the pairs, a new couple is on the scene and they - according to Peter Carruthers (and I believe him) have the talent to play in the same field with the Chinese pairs. That's Brooke Castile / Benjamin Okolski. Naomi Nari Nam and Themistocles Leftheris (sounds like a Greek philosopher, doesn't it?), another new team, had a shot at the gold but they need a little more training. John Baldwin Jr. and Rene Inoue, on the other hand, are looking tired. I would be surprised if they make it to 2010 with these newer teams hot on their trail.

But back to the men - Ryan Bradley earned his bronze, it wasn't handed to him from years of medals. He skated well and deserves to be on the World team. He probably has no chance at medaling there but that won't be his goal. He's got the best deal of anyone - just to have fun in Tokyo. I think Johnny Weir is one of those US mens' champions who will never get the Olympic gold because he doesn't have the nerves for it. I don't think he'll capture the World gold either unless it's one of those odd years when everybody else just bombs and he has a fabulous day. He's an incredible skater, but he doesn't have the long-term concentration I think he needs at this point. Senioritis may be setting in.

For the ladies, I really wanted Kimmie Meissner to win, I'll admit it. And I really wanted Alissa Czisny to get that bronze. I have nothing against Emily Hughes - her jumps are huge and she's improving artistically but Kimmie has the whole package more consistently and even without the World title, she was ready to be US champion. Of course, even with the silver medal, Emily still placed higher than Sarah Hughes ever did on the national level. I expect Emily can still improve as can all three of them. But Alissa is the only one who has artistry that comes close to Mao Asada.

I can't wait to see nationals the next two years with Mirai Nagasu and Caroline Zhang, both of whom are clearly good enough to be on the Senior level. I'm excited that ABC decided to show both of their programs in their entirety as the Junior ladies' champions (1 & 2, respectively). They could both be the next Mao Asada easily. Thirteen years old and they possibly could have contended for medals on the Senior level. (It's hard to know since the points are different, programs are shorter in Jr. level and they don't do as many jumps.) That's what I miss about not having attended one of these competitions in person in several years - seeing the entire field of competitors shows how good the top tier skaters really are. And it's always nice to have a reminder of how high the jumps can be.

So Worlds will be in April. That's three months - a quarter of a year - from now, which makes a big difference in where skaters are as to the polish on their programs, how tired they are from training, how strong they are physically and whether they have sustained injuries or other setbacks. Some skaters peak earlier in the year. Michelle Kwan was one of those - always peaking at Nationals and rarely holding onto that level of performance by Worlds. Kimmie Meissner wasn't ready to peak last year at the Olympics but she peaked late and won Worlds. We'll see what happens to her this year. Perhaps since she wasn't at her very best at Nationals, that's actually a good sign. Evan Lysacek has peaked at seemingly random times in the past, but seems to be steady so far. I think he'll be back on the podium again.

One note about choreography - the more years I watch figure skating as well as dance, I learn how important both music and choreography are to skaters' programs. This year, I would give choreography awards to Beatrissa Liang's short program, Kimmie Meissner's short program, Evan Lysacek for both of his programs, Johnny Weir's short program, Belbin and Agosto's new free dance, and Gregory and Petukhov's free dance program. These all stood out. There were a few others well choreographed who didn't receive medals but what stood out for me in these were the intricacies in footwork, edge control, arm motions as well as facial expressions. The pairs got close - they get points for trying, but their programs I don't think were quite as beautifully conceived choreographically.

Music choice is also key. A few skaters chose abominably whereas others picked great music for them. One of the dance teams in the top ten chose the Beatles and although they didn't have the speed of the champions or the complexity in their moves, the music still moved the audience and made a difference in their scores. I saw way too many bland music choices this year. It makes me miss Michael Weiss's Van Halen and Metallica because so many programs blended together in the bland department. I wish I could remember which ones irked me the most. If I get a chance to review the recording again later, I will.

Vera Wang On Ice

Style.com has a video of Vera Wang skating and talking about her love for figure skating, and how it connects with music and fashion. (For skaters - don't get too excited - she does a scratch spin; nothing too difficult.) Skaters know Vera Wang for designing Michelle Kwan's dresses. Brides know her for her wedding gowns. Fashionistas know her for her relatively new collections including everything from cocktail dresses to fine china.

Sports Metaphors

Most people who read this blog probably don't give a hoot about hoops and I'm not a big sports fan in the way most Americans (especially men) who watch baseball, football and basketball (or hockey) are. But most of my family watches Jayhawk basketball like a religion, so I watch when I spend time with my family (like this past week) and I usually get sucked-in, particularly when there's a good game. Jayhawk basketball is like a cult on top of the sport and it includes a great deal of ritual as well as thrills.

Last night, the Kansas Jayhawks upset the #1 team in NCAA basketball, Florida. Most of the game, Kansas was ahead of Florida except at the very beginning and the very end. Then the teams tied and the game went into overtime during which the Jayhawks squeaked by and barely won. It was nail-biting and suspenseful, like a really good film.

I didn't watch the whole game because I was back home unpacking from our Thanksgiving trip to Kansas, but I found myself glued to the TV for the last part of the game and it reminded me why sports metaphors are useful - it's a universal subject most people understand and can associate with on some level, even if they're not sports fans. We've all been to a game once upon a time and we've seen that the underdog always has a chance, hard work and teamwork pays off, perseverance is important, and it's never until the bitter end. These are good lessons for everyone to see in action now and then.

Fantasy Fashion League Begins Again

For many, clothing is a requirement, nothing more. I'm not one of those people. I like to think of fashion as wearable art. Through color, cut, texture and style, fashion can create an incredible visual effect and always makes an impression whether we like it or not. It's also interesting because the same piece can look entirely different on one person vs. the next. And it's fun to combine things the way no one else has.

I blame it on my freshman college roommate. She introduced me to fashion magazines and modeling. Then when I dabbled in the latter, I learned how to mix and match clothing and accessories (today's fashion is more about mixing) and I learned how to create a look for any occasion. Rather than being one of those people who dreads special events, I look forward to the opportunity of putting a new combination of items together. I always liked fashion as a kid, but having some education on the subject allowed me to develop into a lifelong collector.

Through my interest in fashion, I've become increasingly more in tune with designer collections, trends and fashion outlets - the Style channel, fashion magazines, online merchants, and various vendors. I don't know if I would call myself a fashionista, because I'm more concerned with lasting style than momentary trends, but I definitely follow the sport. I like to see how outfits look on people and I find it interesting who chooses to wear what.

Enter the Fantasy Fashion League, the fashion watcher's version to the fantasy football league. Each participant chooses a slate of clothing designers, accessory designers, and celebrities who they believe will get press each day, week, month and special event. It runs from the Emmys to the Oscars, starting this year with last night's 58th Annual Emmy Awards.

It was confusing to sign-up at first, because I expected more celebrity choices than designers and I also expected some sort of point scale relating to ingenues vs. established stars. Gwynneth Paltrow, for example, locked in a huge number of points last year despite being out of the spotlight, whereas Scarlett Johansson, an emerging style icon, gained less points overall. I would've assumed Johansson would have some sort of 6:1 odds vs. Gwynneth's 2:1 to encourage choosing lesser known stars.

Instead, each game "card" allows you to choose which celeb you think will amass more points and give that person a higher multiplier. Points are accrued through coverage in major fashion magazines, TV event coverage, and web sites like Women's Wear Daily's wwd.com and elle.com.

They have public and private game cards so you can start your own fantasy league pools with friends. I haven't attempted any private cards as I was a last minute signup, but it's a way to use the system the way office basketball pools are run. So if you're a fashion fan and want to participate, it's not too late to sign up for either type. Yesterday was just the first day. This league year runs through the 79th Annual Academy Awards held on February 25th. And if you are hosting an Oscar party, you can always run a private pool for one night only. Check it out.