Winter Olympics 2010

[Not Afraid]

Personally, I like the aesthetic part of sports - I actually like that aspect more than sheer physical prowess. A ski jumper who not only jumps great distances but does so with style, grace and a great landing are a thrill. A figure skater who not only can preform the jumps under presser, but who weaves these jumps into a aesthetically pleasing routine.

Surya Bonaly is a perfect example of this. She was a fantastic jumper but in between her jumps she looked awkward and unprofessional on the ice. Her career foundered, she never got the high marks needed to be a serious contender and she is not able to have a successful professional career either.

You cannot take the aesthetics out of figure skating without hurting the sport. I can't imagine figure skating without music, choreography, theming, costumes, a story and aesthetic movement woven between required elements. It would become "how many consecutive quads or twizzles can so and so perform". Yawn.