| If you don't like the new scoring system
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| | finished last in the public voting just
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| recently introduced into the world of
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| | behind third place Tim Goebel.
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| figure skating, you could make up your
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| | On the women's side, Sasha Cohen and
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| own on Sunday and help choose the winner
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| | Michelle Kwan advanced to the final round
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| of the Marshall's Figure Skating
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| | by easily outdistancing Alissa Czisny and
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| Challenge.
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| | Emily Hughes. The panel of judges voted
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| Presented by ABC television, fans from
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| | Cohen the best, although she finished
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| all over the country were able to pick
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| | behind the veteran Kwan who was skating
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| the winners during the first-ever live,
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| | for the first time since a September
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| interactive, fan voting during a
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| | injury sidelined her.
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| nationally-televised ice skating event.
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| | In the men's championship round
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| Fans were able to vote via a 900 number,
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| | skate-off, Weir overcame a fall in the
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| cell phone text message, or online voting
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| | first round to receive 64% of the vote
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| at The US Figure Skating Association web
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| | over Weiss. For the ABC panel of
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| site. The 900 number and cell phone text
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| | experts, it was the only time that it
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| message costs were .75 per vote.
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| | agreed with the 900 number, text message,
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| In addition, 2000 fans at Boston
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| | and internet voters who also gave Weir
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| University's Agganis Arena were able to
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| | the title and $50,000 in prize money.
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| vote from their seats with a handheld
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| | The ending of the show seemed similar to
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| device. But, the Marshall's Figure
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| | most of the women's figure skating
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| Skating Challenge did not totally abandon
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| | competitions that we've witnessed over
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| traditional judging. The ABC panel of
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| | the past decade when Kwan has copped nine
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| experts-Peggy Fleming, Dick Button, and
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| | national titles. Kwan won the event, but
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| Peter Carruthers-were there to offer
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| | it was bittersweet, because the panel of
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| their expert commentary based on more
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| | experts all voted for Cohen who is still
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| than just who wore the cutest outfit.
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| | looking for her first national title.
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| In the men's preliminary, Michael Weiss
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| | In all, according to the New York Times,
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| thrilled the crowd with a back flip he
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| | 104,418 votes were cast via the 900
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| dubbed a "tornado" and advanced to the
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| | number, text message, and the web site.
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| championship round. Favorite Johnny
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| | Advanced Telecom Services (Wayne, PA)
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| Weir, whose 900 number message indicated
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| | handled the 900 number voting. Spark
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| a vote for him was a vote for the fact
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| | Network Services (Des Plaines, IL)
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| that he was "hot," also advanced to the
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| | provided the text message voting through
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| final round. Interestingly, however, the
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| | its system. WinnerComm (Tulsa, OK)
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| panel did not agree with the public. It
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| | tabulated the online voting.
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| unanimously named Matt Savoie, a late
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| | One thing is for sure, with over 100,000
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| replacement for the injured Evan
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| | votes, each costing .75, it was pretty
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| Lysaceck, as the overall best. Savoie
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| | difficult to rig the judges.
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