Figure Skating, Oskar Schindler, and Questionable Taste at the Winter Olympics

The 2014 Winter Olympics have sparked numerous conversations in the United States, from security issues surrounding the Games, to Russia’s stance on gay rights, to Shaun White’s abysmal production for the U.S.  Yet, it is Yulia Lipnitskaya, pictured below, who has provided the signature head scratching moment of this Olympiad.  Endless critique has resulted in rapturous praise on the virtuosity of Lipnitskaya’s solo skate for the team figure skating competition.  (Her routine is here, although it is from the European Championships not the Olympic Games.  Also, be sure to note the commentator's take on the music at the five minute mark of the video.)  It was a flawless Olympic debut for the precocious, fifteen year old Russian.

But was her routine’s inspiration in good taste?  Lipnitskaya used the “Girl in the Red Coat” musical piece from Schindler’s List for her routine.  The sight of the doll like Lipnitskaya clad in a vivid red coat immediately brought to mind one of the poignant themes from Steven Spielberg’s heart wrenching film.  Schindler’s List was shot in black and white save for a little Jewish girl’s red coat.  Throughout the film, the audience instantly sees this most innocent child and is able to track her story because of her eye-catching garment.  As such, it is particularly jolting for viewers when the last we see of her and her red coat is among a pile of dead Holocaust victims.

This is why Lipnitskaya’s musical choice is so vexing.  “Girl in the Red Coat” conjures images of the Holocaust, which took place in Germany during World War II.  It is true that the Soviet Union paid the heaviest price of any of the Allies to end Nazi ambition.  However, the Soviet Union only entered World War II because Hitler violated the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and ended Russian neutrality.  This breach of trust ignited a surge of anti-German sentiment in the Motherland.  A sentiment perhaps equaled by the raging anti-Semitism coursing through the Soviet Union, particularly Josef Stalin.  Stalin’s bloody time in power resulted in some three to ten million people executed.  Countless Jews were among this number.

This is why Lipnitskaya’s routine walks such a delicate line.  Is it tasteful for a Russian child to emulate Spielberg’s cinematic symbol of senseless death?  In particular, does figure skating have the gravitas as an artistic medium to convey the inherent complexities of such a routine?  These questions may be unnecessary hand wringing but it is a discussion worth having.  It is also a discussion that NBC and Fox Sports have conveniently overlooked.

Where Have You Gone Bronson Arroyo?

The Cincinnati Reds have lost a player whose impact is greater than his production.  Bronson Arroyo, pictured below with his signature leg kick, has signed a two year deal with a team option third year with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  On paper, losing a 36-year-old soft toss specialist is not a big loss.  However, Arroyo is not your typical old pitcher.

While many pitchers struggle with a decline in their velocity, Arroyo has long leaned on pitch location and an unpredictable array of pitches.  No one will confuse Arroyo with Clayton Kershaw but in four out of the last five seasons, Arroyo has finished with an ERA between 3.74 and 3.88.  On its own, that little statistical nugget is not eye popping yet Arroyo has managed to be consistent while eating innings, 202 last season, pitching in the Great American Ball Park.

Arizona’s ballpark is not a pitching Mecca and Arroyo may finally show signs of age.  What he does on the diamond is less important than the simple fact that the Reds have allowed a clubhouse leader to leave at a critical juncture.  Cincinnati has a new manager in Bryan Price.  The Reds former pitching coach has moved up and will surely be preoccupied with larger issues than how his former pupils are adapting to a new coach.  Arroyo could have provided his usual calming and steadying influence for a relatively young staff during the transition period.

Instead, one of the talented but young members of the staff will likely dive into that role.  That means that Homer Bailey or Johnny Cueto will feel additional pressure and responsibilities this season.  Would Aroldis Chapman be a possible role model in the bullpen, should Bailey or Cueto fail to become the leader?  That thought alone should have led to resigning Arroyo.  The Reds are a team that has played well in the regular season but failed expectations in the playoffs.  Price’s mandate is to do what Dusty Baker could not, win a postseason series or even two.  Continuing to have success in the ever-competitive NL Central without a key team leader means Price is already facing a hitter’s count and his new team has yet to take the mound.