GP Showdowns to Watch, Pt. 2

Why isn’t a boxing ring called a boxing square?

I was just wondering… maybe because of my self-appointed theme this week, maybe because it sounded like something George Carlin would ask in one of his cleaner monologues… like the one comparing football and baseball. Sigh. I miss him already.

But anyway… the list of MOST INTERESTING SHOWDOWNS continues. If skating rinks were square, these competitors (well, most of them) might come out swinging from opposite corners in the final three Grand Prix events:

For Trophee Bompard: Kerr/Kerr (ranked #10) vs. The Podium. If you were won over by them and their out-of-this-planet free dance at the most recent Worlds, you might like to know that these two seem to have a real shot at a medal here. Delobel/ Schoenfelder (#1) could probably phone their performance in right now and win the event, but cross your fingers that the Kerrs will get some podium love come November. (They sorta kinda have a shot at Skate America, too, but that would likely keep an American team from a medal. So we won’t hope for that. Not so close to Independence Day. Doesn’t seem right.

For Cup of Russia: Joubert (#1) vs. Verner (#7). On paper, it looks like Joubert will wipe the floor—I mean, ice—with his closest competition. But Verner topped him at Europeans last year… and neither one of them turned in a particularly satisfying performance at Worlds. Mmmm… do I smell vindication brewing?

For NHK Trophy: Takahashi (#2) vs. Oda (unranked). Wow, the ISU worked hard on this one. By my count, this is the only entry (and chance for a comeback) that Oda has in the entire series. So they a) send him to his home country’s event, and b) pit him against Dice-K, his primary rival who c) essentially just lost his coach to Oda (not to hoist my meager opinion into this, but isn’t that what happened?). What a dramatic finish to the series this could be. Unless Oda fumbles it, and Johnny Weir (#6) steps in as the true contender. (After beating Takahashi for the bronze medal at Worlds, perhaps a Johnny/Dice-K sort of sub-rivalry is developing anyway.)

And if I’m miles off on these predictions, and the showdowns dissolve before the compulsories and short programs are complete… we’ll just pretend this week’s posts don’t exist. Fair enough?

I’ve got to go to the Kerr/Kerr free dance from this year’s Worlds for the Clip of the Day!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HicC203oUEY