...or the Eurosport highlights thereof....please bear in mind that I've not
been online today and that I have no clue what anyone is doing, planning or
wearing, except for Plushenko, thanks to that photo that Donna kindly made
me look at at 4.59 on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Isn't she
wonderful....anyhoo, rapidly changing the subject...for me, this might as
well be live, so excuse any bloopers! Also might I take the opportunity to
say thank you to everyone who's read these and given feedback....if you've
stuck with me through my sleep deprived ramblings this week...well done!

and now the end is near...and so I face....the final broadcast....my
friends...I'll type it weird...

oooh! it's Louis Stong in a conductors outfit! and opening titles! many of
them not from this year but care I not! ooooh! we never get this on
Eurosport! oooh the memories! ooh the joy of going through this on pause
later!

start with Maria Butyrskaya
in a black dress with one sleeve....sparkley....and Chris reaches over and
borrows my drool bucket....lookee at the slash down the front of that
dress.....are you watching jennifer lopez? nice spiral to start...as a
soprano shrieks...and no, it's not Chris, don't think things like
that.....single axel....into a camel spin.....around the ice....looking
soulful but not doing much else....there's aone footed glide...and more
soulful staring....and we have a layback spin!...whee.....which
travels....what looks to be a straight line step but stops at stra......and
she glides and she's done....well. Okeedokee then.....Chris is in full gush
and drool mode....someone get him a dribbler....

Shae and Vic! Shae and Vic! Shae and Vic!
He's in black...you know how I feel about men in black..and short
sleeves...Chris I need my bucket back. She's wearing a sassy little red
sparkley number...fairly backless...but enough about her, back to Vic! Mack
the Knife! I love this song...even if Vic looks like he's spnet a little too
long in the tanning booth....you drape your self over him girl...I know I
would!..she pings his suspenders....thats' one thing to do with
them,...although not my first choice.....they begin to schmooze..I'm sorry,
move....and even if his hair looks like it's wearing the entire grease
content of our local chip shop, he still looks hot....she drapes herself all
over him....as he dances in front of her.....drool....dont pull those
suspenders like that you tease Vic,....straight line step....great low moves
there.....s/s spins...great!...she goes under his leg....nice s/s
steps....she jumps on him and they glide backwards....a girl after my own
heart.....she's nearly in a death spiral there gazing adoringly at him....oh
no that's me.....and she pulls the suspender down ...dont stop there! keep
going ! and they do...to the barrier and off the ice....

eurosport go to ads...not a bad thing.... Itry to remember to breathe
again...it's in and out right?

they're back....and I'm kinda...no Yags due to injury....

Timmy Goebel
Kinda tiedyed blotchy tshirt and black trousers.....American Pie...and i've
see nthis and like it!...triple toe....and he does steps (i want to say
bracket but I'm not 100%)..and he does single sal to spreadeagle....back
glide....flying sit thing to upright that looked easy....steps as the crowd
clap....and I begin to sing along....was that music glitch there or on
Eurosport.....was that a quad?? chris where are you...he points to the crowd
and dances.....triple flip....more turns...I really like this ....great
steps there and fast adn in time to the music...hydroblading...cut in the
music....crossfoot spin....slow chorus....more steps...and I can't sway and
type at the same time but I'm trying...and it speeds again and so does
he...crowd clap and I want to but cant.....stars into a flying sit to
scratch spin....and fade out and he's done...I loved loved loved that.....as
Chris reels off his accomplishments...he has a quad loop in practice ya
know!

Petrova and TIkhonov
All black....israelian folk dance....say it ain't so! actually it's not
black it's kinda shiny greeny black.....s/s mimes to start....and glide
slowly back....ooookay....mvoe where sh'es wrapped around his knee and he's
in spiral...pretty cool....star lift...to side lift with him in spead
eagle...although this aye-aye-aye singing is getting on my nerves and my
fingers stray to the mute button...stopped by a great overhead lift...and
move where he spins with her out in front and her arms around his
neck...kinda reverse headbanger....death spiral which is nice and low....he
pushes her away from him, kneels on ice she comes back....with tylenol for
me? hedex? throw triple sal....and they look heavenward...clasp their
hands...and return to starting positions. they look happy. Chris calls it
wonderful. I call it sponsored by Panadol...but it was good skating.


and we break again...the great Anadin search begins....

found some! just in time for Sarah Hughes....and it's her Fosse
routine....which again I've seen and wasn't sure about...so let's see if
it's improved....backless top and trousers and netty gloves...starts off
vamping down the ice to finger clicks....little leap...shoulder
rolls....double axel was easy....triple loop.....into a layback...which is
really nice....litle leapy things in a circle.....splt jump and
another...triple lutz....and a nice little spreadleagle there...and
spiral...camel to sit change sit to shotgun spin...right up, that was
great.....and she stops and the music changes....and little dances and nice
expression to someone in the front row....more steps mock boxing....really
flirty this..spin with illusion and again and a thrid time....into fliyng
thing....and she's donw...and she's not...she charlestons....hot honey
rag....triple toe....she's on tonight!...back spiral...a charlotte
acutally..flying camel to illusion.....and she runs and does the splits and
she's done! that was fab! the flirty bits were done great she really sold
them...only complaint is that in the non-flirty choreographed bits, she
looked more serious...too serious in the context of the rest of the program,
but hey, it was great! normal people forget about those things!

Lobacheva and Averbukh
gold tassley dress for her....much flesh coloured net...leather trouser s
and black tshirt for him...Some Sun is the music.....is she the sun or is
that too obvious? he kneels annd she pulls him around...then a rotational
lift with her looking at the ice....steps....nice lift with her in upside
down cross position...s/s steps...is this Chris de Burgh? It sounds like
him. steps wehre he spins her around....lift with her on his back upside
down...kinda like a firemans carry but more elegant? steps where he spins
around her.....her in death spiral position wrapped around his
leg......another rotational lift where she's on his back legs in
arabesque....steps again....lift from their final move in JCS....this is a
nice rountine I must admit....anotehr lovely spin to finish....and they're
done. ANd I'm convinced that that was Chris de Burgh..not really my cup of
tea but that was a nice song...and it could have been worse....lady in red
anyone?

I've just realised they;re not showing D&V! Poop!

Todd Eldredge
and the crowd love him.....and he's wearing his free program costume
because that's what he\s doing. I kid you not. You've been touring semi-pro
for two years, and you couldn't ressurect anything else? a jump that was a
triple that I missed while ranting....steppy things....slides on the
ice...and lies on the ice...bangs the ice...a protest abour the judges? the
marks? a slightly different performance Chris allows.....only chose it two
weeks before.....and a huge triple axel! looked like a double! but it wasn't
I;m just enthused! he skates around the ice....and slides souldfully into a
triple lutz...and a flying camel....music changes ...this sounds an awful
lot like Elvis cut of 1492....slow footwork sequence.....nicely
done....triple loop with one heck of a lean in the air....huge flying sit!
to scratch spin! you shoulda seen the AIR under that!...around into a camel
to sit cahnge sit.....such speed! and a scratch spin...and we see Americans
jumping up and down even before he finishes! and they love him! great
performance....just would have rathered something other than his free
music....but sure, what do I know? I'm picky.

Shen and Zhao
oooh my dear good god. It's a good job all the fashion police are in LA for
the oscars or these are going down for crimes against costumes! beethovens
last night...in tracksuityshiny things...like a four year old crayoned them
with blues and purples and headbands on their heads...they look like rejects
from Flashdance...and death spiral....he slips on footwork but they get it
back....hiuge throw triepl sal...flying spins....in to the moonlight
again.....s/s footwork...lift where he swings her up and down whiel he
turns....banana lift...which never gets off the ground, think they meant
that.....music speeds....axels half loop double toes....lift where she's
ipside down....and thing like a headbangers where she holds his hand and he
holds her leg.and that's them. and the crowd lovve them too!

Irina Sluteskaya
Chris talks about her accomplishments....she's in navy blue shiny
pantsuit...no back....very little front...Timeless is the
music....wow...spin to start....I can't get over how different she looks..in
a good way.....steps around the ice...fyling sit....she's been taking flirt
lessons from Sarah....turns into atriple loop and nails it! so hard!...steps
into atriple lutz?? flip??? not sure....steps backwards including a little
hoppy thing...camel to sit to layback spin to biellman....change
biellamn....that\s incredible...and looks great wit the suit....more steps
around to a circular step....layback....where her skate touches her
head....she kneels on the ice...waves her arms...lies on the ice...and she's
done. Wow. That were great that were! Chris whips out the drool bucket for a
brief spot of gushing....bless him, he's nearly as gushy as me!
the announcer schmooses the crowd into clapping Irina for an
encore.....which she does, bless her! on her way out , she gestures to the
crowd to make some noise...music restarts again....crossovers for
speed....steps into a triple lutz double toe...more steps....crowd are
clapping ...into her biellman/ double biellman combo spin and all the
positions that that entails...and steps into the layback with the skate
touching the head and she's done. big beaming smile from her. chris tells us
she's the first lady to land triple lutz / triple loop. I remind my tv that
damn few men have done it...anyone able to think of any?

Anissina and Peizerat
Yes! The susanna costumes! You know his..the nice black trousers, the nice
tight black tshirt and the grey sports jacket....and look at him...I'd give
a six for the smile alone! And he's on the phone.....to me...in my
dreams...look at that head of hair! oh what I'd give to run my fingers
through it. she's wearing the backless sparkley top..she
schmoozes...wouldn't we all when faced with him girl? admit it..and drapes
herself over him...you go girl....hydroblading type move....lift where he's
crouched and carrying her....he puts arms around her shoulder...runs his
fingers through her hair......she carries him..nice face from him...what's
new??? phone rings...as they spin.....she pushes him over and over on the
ice..steps on him....s/s steps..those are great.....steps again...right in
time to the music...he lists her....the jacket goes...keep going...as they
bump and grind...I fan meself...he does the splts on the ice as she slaps
him....dance spin....she skates away from him....and he says no! and I love
me a ,man in a black tshirt....he lifts her upside down.....and beings her
out of it....famous lift with him in the splits....and ends with him lying
on the ice and her turned away from him...as they takes their bows he wraps
his arms around her waist and spins her...ooh me....look at that smile!
those eyes! that hair! the announcer asks if they'd like to seee a little
more. Absolutley....get him to take the shirt off! music restarts....she
lifts him....aling on her hip you know the one....and they take their
bows...he's on the phone again as they go off....

Eurosport take a break, and I realise that in my next life, I want to come
back as Marina Anissina. Imagine the fun I'd have....ok...this is a family
list right?

Michelle Kwan
Gold lame dress...Beautiful World.....nice glide starts off....2ax with a
lean...double loop....triple lutz or flip....charlotte spiral....she's just
gliding out there....and he famous spiral with the change edge....have I
mentioned I love that...sit to Y to chagne sit to upright spin....and she
stops....off again into an easy flying camel...triple sal....splt
jump..spreadeagle...to inside spread eagle...Michelle, I command you to put
those in your program next year! they're great! do more! spiral....and down
the ice to triple toe...layback spin....and she's not budging an inch! and
she's done and the crowd are standing. What needs to be said? What more can
I say, other than to rave abotu the speed, the flow, the jumps, the
artistry, the spirals, the exquisite beauty of her skating? I'm a fan again
,what can I say? Consider the rave typed and call it even!
Encore...East of Eden.....you know the start pose....spiral...I always loved
this program.....double axel...love her hand position hwen she lands
that....change edge spiral...again, pretend I raved about
it...backspiral.....and she's stopping there....minor pet peeve
alread.y....does anyone else remember the days when champions used to do TWO
different NON competetive programs? I'm just wondering.

Fusar Poli and Margaglio
If his shirt comes off again, I'm gone. I'm just telling you. And that big
old jacket he has on him don't look promisng. Music from the mask....and
matching hats....and that jacket aint' gonna stay on her either....bsiness
of love.....turns to eachother, dancing on spot...she goes over his arms,
whee!..she spins kneeling in the ice...holds the hat in her teeth....goes
undeer his leg while it's up in the air...throw hat at him andvamps away
merrily....beckons him to her...he goes under her leg, lifts her in tucked
position and spins...s/s steps....back to back steps and her jacket ogoes
into the crowd...and his jacket started off to reveal a black string
vest...music changes the crowd clap and I try to forget I saw that...spins
and lift into s/s step....nice unison, and he looses his hat....and thye
spin and the'yre done. And his jacket stayed (mostly) on. thank you. thank
you. I thank you. from the bottom of my happy little heart. big smiles. and
her hairs not half as scary when it's down like that, whatever she's done to
it. Keep it likethat. Seriously.
Announcer incites the crowd to whoop...Barbara claps them..a.nd out they
come....they incite the crowd to whoop....claps and waves...music from their
quickstep...were champions not allowed to do two full routines or something?
Putting on the ritz...nice steps....and turns...and that's that. as they go
off, he teases the crowd, beginning to take off his jacket, only to whip it
back on again. I thank you. Verily. Maybe his mum was in the audience.

Evgeny Plushenko
ooh my god..it's true...red leather jacket....and gold lamay shirt and black
leather trousers...sex bomb...as he gyrates a girl in the audience covers
her eyes...I feel ya honey....steps...sat night fever stuff....stop that! no
hipe swivells...and there goes the jacket......words fail me....and that
never happens! little hip thrusts...and he does a jump that I' m too freaked
out to name....and more! thrusts and shoulder rolls and the shirt goes....as
he makes muscle man poses....well the boys got a sense of humour...kisses
his bicep...double axel....grabss his crotch...eeew....looks for
something...gets the jacket and finds a comb...and the trousers go! no!
evgenyt no! he covers himself smiling bashfulll...and he keeps the gloves
on! incites the crowd to scream...and he's into the audience! a=he hugs
someone...more muscle man poses.....straight line steps.....he slides across
the ice, arm flexed....flying sit to ned...more steps...and he's
done.....and that ....ready for it,...was ....prepare yourself....that was
great...one of those I'm ashamed to admit I enjoyed it....it takes you to a
place some where between abject horror and shrieking amusement the more you
get into it....oh me oh my I'm so freaked out right now....
and he knee slides on the ice ,still in muscle shirt.....and hips swivell
again....hip thrusts to the audience....and shoulder rolls.....triple toe
triple toe.....and more of the thrusting...stop that!...blows a
kiss....double axel....blows kisses to the audience ,and that's the end of
that.
announcer asks if they make more noise we might see more of him...I think
we've bloomin' well seen enough thank you very much!
and he comes out again....still nekkid save for gold lamay swimming
briefs...and does three triple toe in combo.....

Jamie and David
This will save me....the blessed Jamie and David to make me forget.....and
she's in a violet ruffly wrap with what looks like a matching little top and
skirt under it....he looks resplendent. in blue....gets the crowd
going....as Jamie sees something on the ice ......Daivde jitterbugs over to
her...asks her if she wants another cigarette....he skates around
her....that wraps not gonna stay....double twist from a stand!...he
dances....badly...but he can dance with me anytime....really bad
cha-cha...huge split triple twist....move where she flips upside down...lift
where she's in a stag position....into arabesque on his front...wow....he
chases her around....throw triple sal..he does more bad dancing....she joins
him....straight line step.....oooh..nice view of David...flying
sits.....music changes...looked like she rubbed his butt there...and
wouldn't we all? him in spreadeagle her leg on his shoulder....she dances
now as music speeds....combo lift with loads of changes of postion....death
spiral that starts with him in spreadeagle her at back then pulls her
around...and that's that and the wrap did stay on...he kisses the top of her
head...I love when he does that...sigh.....

I've just realised we never saw Elena and Anton! Why not!

The audience scream for more...so do I but you can't hear me.....and out
they come.....she talks to him...la vie en rose....sigh....aww....banana
lift....with one arm from david....death spiral from the back then to
forwards....gawd I love that move....they rub noses....he could rub my nose
anytime...mores steps...and he leans her back and they're done...and he
kisses the tip of her nose then the top of her head could they be any more
adorable? And if they were could I stand it? Probably not....they wave to
the crowd....who are standing for them...c'mon, let's see some more! either
skating or of him, I mind not!

But no, they're done with more of Louis Stong conducting.....I'm so going
through this on pause...wow.....

And that's it for this season gang! It's been a blast!