Armchair Figure Skater - AKA Everybody's a Critic

Well, we spent most of this past weekend watching the US Figure Skating Championships. It's always a favorite around here. Just to be clear, I probably couldn't stand up on a pair of figure skates if my life depended on it, but I still love to watch (and so does Smoky).

It was redemption time all around, and I am so happy for both Alissa Czisny & Ryan Bradley! Both of them had such heart-breakers last season, I was soooo happy to see them win. (Plus, Ryan Bradley has got to be the cutest thing on skates, just sayin'...)

While I totally love to watch the figure skating, it does make me a bit qualmy to support a sport where people often peak at age 15 and are washed up by 20. It just doesn't seem terribly healthy to me. So I was completely thrilled this year when the ladies and mens titles were won by actual adults! Young adults, to be sure (Alissa is 23 and Ryan is 27) but adults none the less. Woo Hoo! Perhaps there is hope that this sport can be salvaged from teenibopper obscurity after all!

As much as I enjoyed the competition, there was one thing that bugged me... Not the costumes - although I still think that Rachael Flatt needs a wardrobe intervention (this coming from the woman wearing a stained sweat shirt that's at least 20 years old... I know, everybody's a critic) - nor the music, nor the judging... OK, I'll give you a clue. What's wrong with these pictures?

 

Did you get it? Disposable plastic water bottles!!! OK, now I admit that figure skating is a sport with a HUGE carbon footprint so getting all in a huff about the water bottles is a bit, well... picky and pointless. But still... they are on international TV, couldn't they at least make an effort, for symbolic value if nothing else?

There were a few bright points though... Major kudos to Ashley Wagner for her re-usable water bottle... it even matched her outfit! (OK... the bottle was plastic, but it's a MAJOR improvement over the disposable ones).

And what's this? Mr. Wonderful, Ryan Bradley himself sporting a reusable water bottle!

I knew I liked that kid! Oh wait a minute... he's not a kid... he's a MAN!  YES!!!!