I've been harsh enough towards so many facets of the US for so long that I think I can look at some French thing and say, that sucks.

Watching two people from opposite sides cross verbal swords for two hours can't help but give you an insight into their styles. But is that ALL that should have been accomplished?

In ice skating, for example, you get free style but you also get to perform a number with certain  set pieces in it to show that you have the skill, the discipline and the method.

Same here. We got the free style, but we barely got anything else.