Sunday, May 26, 2013

Power







The most prolific fans on skating message boards also know nothing about skating. For them, ice dance is a vehicle to deliver a performance, and the performance is what the judges evaluate, with the skating a secondary component.

The performance isn't a vehicle to deliver the skating. Which, of course it is, but they don't know enough about skating to judge it on that basis.

I think they don't want to know more than they do about skating, just as many don't really want to believe Virtue and Moir are married. Actual information would restrict 90% of all discussion on skating boards. What is that 90%? Pet theories rooted in ignorance - theories about skating, theories about relationships, theories about training centers.

Good skating is actually pretty black and white, no matter how reluctant the figure skating industry is to let us know that.

You'd think, though, that even for fans, "power" would be something easy to see. Yet a popular point going around now is that Virtue and Moir have lost power since Vancouver.

Of course, the opposite is true. This would be a point very very easily made by Virtue and Moir, but they seem to prefer to let DW have the field to themselves, with implying that they've long since caught up to and passed Virtue Moir. Virtue and Moir and their various stooges seem unwilling to say the obvious, which is they've become far more powerful since Vancouver.

A couple of side notes: one very prolific, high profile fan decided to worry about Scott doing "high lifts" in SOI instead of dance lifts. Of course this fan fretted about that, since high lifts are much easier on the back, shoulders and arms than dance lifts.

Another note - in the performance of Worlds 2013, after she's out of the twizzles, Tessa touches her foot down prematurely when she and Scott hit the exit pose. She does, though, exit on that one edge, which is more than Meryl normally does. Meryl and Charlie's exit generally consists of immediately hopping off their twizzling edge. Even putting a foot down fractionally before she intended, Tessa still has more of an exit edge than either Meryl/Charlie - and she's already out of the element anyway.

109 comments:

  1. Aren't PJ Kwong and Tracy Wilson the most well-known figure skating commentators in Canada, the ones also considered to know what they're talking about? It's reasonable to have expected them to be the ones explaining to the audience these things about VM's skating, such as having much more power now than 4 years ago.

    I don't see how VM can get the message out if the Canadian figure skating reporters don't get on board. We know Skate Canada won't bother. It looks as if people like PJ and Tracy feel they have to go along with both SC and the ISU's agendas. I can't imagine this scenario in any other sport.

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  2. 2:14 again -
    I want to amend - Tracy Wilson does do a good job in commentary when it comes to VM's skating. What has been missing is saying VM do this better than anyone else. I also wish she (or others) would come out and defend VM's skating in all these underlying assumptions put out by the DW press. Specifically, that VM have supposedly regressed and/or stopped advancing when it comes to speed, power, technique and that another team (i.e. DW) is so close to VM, even better in some things (all lies).

    All the DW press has been getting away with any and all messages with no push back. While I don't think VM personally should be doing the push back, obviously someone that's considered authoritative in figure skating media needs to be doing that. I was just watching a clip of VM with Tracy doing commentary. She's very positive, but IMO she's very careful not to say that VM are actually better and stronger than ever or that VM are miles ahead of any rivals. And of course, no one has dared come out and call DW on their bs.

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  3. People need to call out D/W on their supposed strength, their so-called "speed". Their "speed" is BS speed, because its not really skating or edging, they are picking across the ice. That is not skating and that is not ice dancing.

    Also, they are routinely lauded for their "speed" into their twizzles (I think one of the Eurosport guys referred to it as "mind blowing"). Again, that is not real speed, that is a BS hop into their twizzles to generate fake momentum. Also, their second twizzle (they can't be bothered to do a third twizzle like V/M and virtually all the other teams in the top ten) don't cover much ice.

    Same with their spin...again, a BS hop into to generate BS "speed".

    Why is nobody calling them out in this shit? So infuriating!

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    1. Surely you realize that D/W's entry into their twizzles means they don't need to do a third set to fulfill level 4 requirements.

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    2. I bet that changes as soon as D/W retire. It's as phony a Level 4 requirement as the rest of their skating is phony. It doesn't enhance difficulty. It makes the move easier for them and for others who hop or jump into it. It creates rotational momentum.

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  4. Three years onwards, "Mahler" still takes my breath away. And then just when I thought that couldn't be topped, they give us "Carmen". Best.ice.dancers.ever.

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  5. d/w are so overrated

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  6. the canadian media is full of fucking fail like for example http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Steamy+silver+Virtue+Moir+dancing/8110858/story.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+canwest%2FF299+%28The+Gazette+-+Sports%29

    "Moir had been snappish after the short program, when his comments about being happy with their skate, despite the marks, was taken as a criticism of the judges — or of Davis and White." no one thought he was criticizing them except for maybe 1 or 2 m/c stans who irrationally hate everything v/m or scott says/does. why mention this?

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  7. Anon 7:56
    You're right, that's horrible. No one took Scott's remarks in a negative light except the usual suspects. Scott could say 'have a nice day' and they would holler that it proves he's a douchebag.

    The reporting in Canada re VM is a disgrace. It seems they're either busy writing about VM's unique couplehood that's not a couplehood, or they're serving up this other kind of garbage.

    But honestly, I can't say I get the impression VM or Moirville is all that fussed about the general reporting. What can you do when they themselves are ok with it all.

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  8. Heather the twitter who knows all about Scott - through a cousin - says she'll find out about Tessa. Oy. So nice. What would we do without these tweets that tell us like it *really* is. Without these helpful clarifications we would be so mistaken. Thank you Heather.

    https://twitter.com/skater_heather9/status/339082150827667456

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    1. That person really just likes talking and talking.

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    2. "That person really just likes talking and talking."

      Lol, first she says she knows stuff because of knowing someone who knows Scott. Soon followed up with tweets that sound like she knows them personally (ooops, forgot she was supposed to only be a third-hand party). She doesn't know anything about Tessa but she knows how VM act around each other...if you saw them it's obvious...although twitter girl supposedly doesn't know them personally. She is more and more inconsistent. Now she knows when/where both of them are vacationing. And when they started working new programs.

      It's just amazing how chatty Scott must be...these friends of friends know everything!

      Yep...it's sounding like an earlier speculation is right. This is another one of those attempts at backdoor shamming. It's been announced they're both on vacation! Gee, I wonder what will follow (photos? No, you don't say! They're such private people!).

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    3. Everyone in and around Ilderton receives a daily report on Scott's life and innermost thoughts and feelings, didn't you know?

      I like how she knows things but conveniently isn't able to actually provide any useful information.

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    4. "I like how she knows things but conveniently isn't able to actually provide any useful information."

      Well, don't you know, she's respecting their privacy. Seeing as how Scott and Tessa are so prudent and discreet and stuff.

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    5. I like how Tessa's dating status is something you can just "find out." Regular people, their personal life isn't as available.

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    6. oc 12:39

      And the dating status is available, in spite of Tessa not talking much and being a private person. And regardless of Tessa's personal privacy, it *is* possible to know how she and Scott feel about each other and to know where she went on vacation.

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  9. Tessa is making a photoshoot now. So Scott is vacationing without her obviously...don't know what to think

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    1. They've vacationed together in the past, the proof is out there, so I'm quite inclined to believe they did again this year. Perhaps they're both doing a photo shoot. Tessa for the sports magazine(??) and Scott with Cassandra. I don't think Heather knows wtf she's talking about.

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    2. Do we really have some actual proof of them vacationing together in the past? Like pics or what? I don't qiute remember

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    3. @1:04, it's complicated proof but yes, there are some pics that seem to point to them being on vacation together. I wish there was a way to private msg people on here.

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    4. Maybe you'd email oc? If only that can prove smth

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    5. No conclusions can be made by bits and pieces of information. Tessa doing a photoshoot right now is fact, as reported by reliable sources. Some person claiming to know things saying VM are vacationing is a good guess, as this is the time of year they normally do take a little break. It's also, btw, the time of year Scott has customarily allowed himself to be photographed at some beach with a gf and then made sure said photos make it to social media. But these bits and pieces never tell a whole story.

      When it comes to VM, no photos/photo album is ever the real story. No matter what kinds of SO photos they release we know the reality is quite different. If we also saw photos of all the rest of the people around them or of Scott/Tessa in the vicinity (which IMO they almost always are, no matter what they want the photos to imply) it would immediately be obvious what's really going on.

      Also, we don't really know the time-frames. Just because at this precise moment it looks like they're vacationing separately doesn't mean that's really the case.

      For all the Scott-Jessica photos released, including beach photos, they were never alone. There were always other family members along or a big group of other friends. I feel pretty safe saying that no way Scott is alone with Cassandra at some beach.

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    6. Amen 1:18. The photos never do tell quite the whole story. Someone steps out of frame, someone is mostly obscured from view by someone else, a photo is shared but is re-purposed and labelled as something different or even simpler, the real photos are never uploaded to the internet. It's not difficult to not share photos taken of both Scott and Tessa. You just don't do it.

      It's easy to play with the facts and details because we see such a small snippet of their lives. This isn't playing out entirely on Twitter or anywhere in the public's view.

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    7. They don't "vacation" without each other unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as when she went to France/Monaco with her mother and sister in 2009. They're a family.

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    8. Would Scott and Tessa really spend every single second of their lives together ? Even married couples don't do that, especially not when they're working together. It's important to keep a little privacy even from your spouse. It wouldn't be weird at all if Tessa and Scott would spent their vacations apart from each other. No relationship could survive it if the two people involved were joined by the hip twins.

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    9. 1:23
      It would certainly be weird if a married couple vacationed separately for the purpose of the guy going to a resort and taking photos with another woman...in a bikini. I'm sure the wife is ok with that.

      Most married couples don't go to social media to announce and showcase the separate vacations with fake SO's. The fact that Scott does that shows what a fraud it is. It has nothing to do with some private time away from each other, otherwise why take along a fake SO and publish photos?

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    10. 1:23 - I think it depends on the couple. I know couples who would never even consider vacationing apart, I know couples who could never work together. The nature of V/M's work relationship leads me to suspect they are quite happy being joined at the hip.

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    11. I'm with 9:02, I think that most of the time, they are quite happy being joined at the hip. I think they need each others presence in their lives and have come to rely heavily upon that. Having said that, I think they definitely do enjoy separate nights out with friends and the ilk.

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  10. Firstly, to the actual topic: everyone, even the ones who watch Figure Skating only occasionally, can see that Virtue and Moir improved their power and speed. And that are not their only improvements: they became very mature performer or their skating skills, Carmen covered more ice and was way more technical demanding than Mahler. I think for 2009/10 Mahler was according to their abilities which were beyond everyone elses. They needed three years of growths to pull off Carmen.

    Secondly, them not talking to media about their skating: They actually do it and sound very excited then. Watch the Finlandia interview in 2011 were they talked about their Skating Skill training and how they prepared for Funny Face. I don't know how much power they have to brief the media before an interview, but it seems they are marked with that one topic. They brought it on themselves before, but it seems everytime they try to change the topic to skating, they are cut off.

    Lastly, what is the source that says that Virtue is doing a photoshoot? For what is she doing it?

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  11. Tessa doing a photoshoot:

    https://twitter.com/AmyBethDuclos/status/339091314182344704

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  12. Anon 1:50

    I think a big problem with the media reporting, as far as VM's skating, is that the media for DW has essentially been giving out a bullet list of things DW do better than VM: speed, technique, power. Lately they've also included artistry or creativity, saying that now, finally, DW have caught up to VM in this last area that was viewed as belonging to VM.

    So now DW are better at everything. Meanwhile, what about VM? Oh sure, they're great. But since DW have become so awesome and wonderful, what is left to assume but that VM have regressed and/or have stopped growing in all those areas (speed, power, etc). Adding to all that, the judges are saying the same thing. VM never beat DW this season - what is left to say but VM just aren't that great anymore?

    The reporting not only has to be about VM as great skaters, it must analyze and report what the rivals are doing and why in fact VM are still better, no matter what the judges did. This would also help shine a light on whatever hinkiness is going on with the ice-dance judging.

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  13. Out of curiosity, what would you be happy with D/W saying in interviews? Should they not promote themselves at all, or should they be kowtowing to the amazingness that is V/M?

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    1. I'm not who you directed your question towards, but the answer for me is I'd be happier if D/W actually fixed their skating. But if that were possible this topic wouldn't exist. I think they have fundamental issues that simply can't be fixed while competing at this level, not if they're to maintain the impression they're neck and neck with VM.

      They're in a business, basically, and business people don't advertise how much worse they are than the competition. Still, it's frustrating that this is a sport, but a sport that 99% of the media that covers it and most fans know nothing about. It's because of that that they get away with their media crap. I think neither Charlie nor Meryl are brain trusts (despite Meryl being multi-lingual) and like most skaters their perspective is blinkered. Still, at this stage, VM have been much more whole hearted, direct and generous about DW while DW have been backhanded about VM, and that's what I'd change. The implicit sanctimony in how DW position themselves vis a vis VM.

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    2. 6:02
      First of all, this:

      "at this stage, VM have been much more whole hearted, direct and generous about DW while DW have been backhanded about VM, and that's what I'd change. The implicit sanctimony in how DW position themselves vis a vis VM."

      In total agreement with oc about this.

      Second, it's not so much about DW not promoting themselves. All athletes will talk about how hard they work, how they're improving, how they love what they do -- all the expected things. It's the media touting DW as the most magnificent team in the world and surpassing VM that rankles because I believe it's not true. What I wish for is VM-favorable media that would counter all that bs and report on VM's skating with the actual facts re. what both VM and DW (and others) are putting on the ice and how it lines up with the ISU's own rulebook - regardless of the judging.

      The media for DW has been about holding up a team based on nothing - it's all hot air publicity. I think the media for VM could hold them up based on their actual skating. The problem seems to be if any figure skating media exists that would do that instead of "reporting" constant updates about dating and relationships. I do realize none of this is DW's fault.

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    3. They should stop being arrogant and spiteful and two-faced. Everyone knows they are not the saints the American media and the USFS paints them to be.

      imo this picture perfectly shows the difference between d/w and v/m https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLTz1ujCIAEeqly.png:large

      Like when was the last time D/W complimented V/M? I remember Scott saying last year that he respects them and he said the same thing this year. D/W have been quiet. Last time I heard them compliment V/M's skills were in 2010.



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    4. "Still, at this stage, VM have been much more whole hearted, direct and generous about DW while DW have been backhanded about VM, and that's what I'd change. The implicit sanctimony in how DW position themselves vis a vis VM."

      THIS. Exactly. One thing of the things that has always positively impressed me about V/M is their praise and respect for all of their fellow competitors, D/W included. I have not, at least not for a very long while, seen D/W do the same. They begrudginigly acknowledge V/M, but they don't even say anything about anyone else.

      Just like the rest of the inside/out, black-is-white, upside-is-down craziness, D/W seem to be painted as the good sportman and V/M the bad whereas I think it's pretty much exactly the other way around.

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    5. someone should tweet d/w to stop being so sanctimonious and two-faced and finally be honest about their skating.

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  14. I would love to see links to articles with the comments that have been mentioned. I must have missed D/W's backhanded, grudging compliments toward V/M.

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    1. One was the interview they gave where they said people came up to them in 2012 and said they should have won Worlds. Since the entire tone of that piece was that the judging at Worlds was corrupt, VM made mistakes and DW were perfect, DW were enabling that POV.

      Secondly, when DW don't win, or don't get the monster scores they usually get no matter how they skate, they always act like - gee, were were pretty surprised not to get the levels we were expecting. Scott and Tessa tend to point to where they felt they left points on the ice. DW never ever do that. They are always, gee, look at the levels, were were sort of surprised about that, but we'll screw our halos back on and continue to work hard!

      In the past Scott has called them great element skaters, he's shouted out a step sequence, he thought they should have been ahead of the Russians after the cd. He has said they deserve everything they get.

      DW do not return the favor in kind. And they never critique their own skating the way VM critique their skating. It's always exactly the tone Andrea Joyce used at 4CC's - sort of "Oh - they didn't get it." I.E. - read between the lines, they should have gotten it.

      oc,

      p.s., if you're going to ask a question, why not ask it instead of front-loading it with a dismissal WHILE asking it.

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    2. ugh and people accuse scott of being arrogant. there is one thing i hate more than arrogant people and that is sanctimonious two-faced people.

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    3. That article, btw, was a perfect opportunity to say Scott and Tessa are beautiful skaters and deserving World champions. Nope. Not a word about Scott and Tessa's skating.

      Yes, they allow others to do the dirty work but they open the door for it. There are obvious moments where they could show good sportsmanship and don't. For them it's more "Yes, we're such good sports even though we were robbed."

      oc

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    4. their fd last year was so overrated anyway. if you compare it to funny face its quite obvious that they were struggling with GOE and the transitions were shoddy as hell. it did not have the flow funny face had.

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    5. I find it interesting also that the one team Tanith showed enthusiasm for on her twitter was Gilles & Poirier (her praising Piper for her demeanor) - the team Skate Canada built up at VM's expense (stripping points from VM so as to make GP's scores closer to theirs). Tanith's remarks about the Shibutanis have also become extremely muted.

      I think the comment here is right - DW very begrudgingly mention any team that is actually GOOD. And they never critique their own skating, ever. Which, btw, is something VM do a lot - and maybe they should cut it out.

      The problem is that once you start critiquing DW's skating, you realize they're not actually doing a lot of skating, and the whole thing falls apart.

      oc

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    6. Furthermore - Tanith. She's the girlfriend. There is no way to downplay that. She kept her trap shut during most of Carmen the first time VM skated it. She didn't acknowledge anything about the program. Not the athleticism. Not the incredible level of risk. Not the new material. She only speaks up when they do a lyrical section. That's where she suddenly can say something positive - to wit, this is the best of Scott and Tessa, that comforting intimacy.

      Really.

      oc

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    7. @Anon 9:56: Their FD was overrated? Carmen was a technical and artistic masterpiece that never got its fair due. That program had more difficulty, sophistication and intricacy than all the competitors at this year's Worlds combined.

      The transitions were totally keeping with the character of modern dance and the music: more staccato movements.

      The lifts in the program are unreal. In the lift at 4:10, Tessa is basically doing a one-armed handstand on the same side of Scott, all the while Scott is in a spread eagle position. That take incredible balance and core strength to get the lift up, and then the speed and smoothness of the rotation on the exit is beautiful in and of itself.

      The at 5:30 blows my mind: I remember first seeing it at Skate Canada and was in disbelief, and seeing it now, I'm still in disbelief. It is simply the most difficult lift I think I have ever seen in all the years that I have been watching ice dancing.

      OC, I really hope you cap and GIF all the Carmen lifts so we can further appreciate the genius of them.

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    8. Not Anon 9:56, but I think they might've been referring to D/W's FD last year, AKA Die Fledermaus?

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    9. Opps, gotcha...misread the post! But I do hope OC will still cap and GIF all the Carmen lifts :-)

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  15. omg, that Heather girl has absolutely no borders. She's kinda worshipping Cassandra on twitter now. Literally for nothing

    I can't even laugh at her anymore. This is so disgusting.

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    1. Well, whether she's going rogue or not, she's certainly full of herself. She fits right in with Moirville. The first level of public relations with Moirville is to outright mock the fans. There are plenty of ways to deal with rumors - if they're not true - other than belittling and ridiculing and calling out fans as naive.

      In this case, since Scott and Tessa are married, and do have a child, Heather's routine is as inappropriate as everything else that comes out of Moirville. But it never occurs to anyone there that there's a way to communicate other than by mocking something.

      I love how up their own asses they are. I also love that Miss Heather's position is that she's experienced with celebrities (as evidenced by her incredibly professional twitter account) and fans believe Scott and Tessa are together because fans don't get it about celebrities. Meantime the reason the sham is such an embarrassment is due to an unfortunate ratio of arrogance and cluelessness/inexperience that afflicts Moirville. They're self-deceiving.

      oc

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    2. "Tessa's pretty but she's got nothing on @casshilborn. Seriously, if you were Scott, which would you choose?"

      "@SkateCanadafan @casshilborn ahh ok. Like I said, tessa is pretty but a bit too princessy."

      how dare she even ATTEMPT to insult queen tessa!

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    3. So her self-control is unravelling and she's exposing herself as a troll?

      oc

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    4. Yeah she is probably a troll. I wouldn't be suprise if she is a D/W fan.

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    5. I'm failing to see even the slightest hint of purpose behind that account. What is up with all the ass-kissing of Cassandra?

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    6. Or just a well-known troll. She's starting to sound like one.

      oc

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    7. I find it laughable that this Heather girl seems so eager to promote an upcoming wedding between Scott and Cassandra after Sochi when he's only " dated " the girl for a few months ...

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    8. Ah but Scott and Cassandra were friends before they started dating. So that's why the relationship was super serious right from the get-go. In fact, Scott probably even had his eye on Cassandra when he was still dating Jessica. She's just that stunning, gorgeous, amazing etc etc.

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    9. "In fact, Scott probably even had his eye on Cassandra when he was still dating Jessica."

      Really? Wow, douchebag BF, eh?

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    10. That's how Scott is portrayed. He's the douchebag bf who can't keep his eyes and his hands off his partner will simultaneously engaging in relationships that are so serious that marriage is being considered.

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  16. So, what are the chances that Mama Hilborn will ever post something like this ever again? http://oi40.tinypic.com/2wq4vt0.jpg

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    1. You mean back then the Hilborns realized Scott didn't skate alone?

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    2. Crazy, right? They don't seem to realize now unless it's explicitly pointed out to them.

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  17. So am I understanding correctly, there are expectations of some vacation photos of Cassandra at a beach, and perhaps even with Scott? And Tessa just did a photoshoot for sportsnet, presumably in bikini?

    Lol, does Moirville realize it looks as if Scott's gf, who has modeling aspirations, is competing with Tessa?

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    1. They have to realize it because they always set it up that way.

      Even look at Heather, who is looking like a troll. First she's adament that Scott and Tessa are happily platonic. She's unraveled to where she's saying Cassandra is prettier and Scott would choose her over Tessa. According to Heather's original persona, there was no choosing involved - he and Tessa didn't relate "that way". And how ridiculous to position it like they're items in a store and Scott decides which to buy, both girls presumably waiting to be chosen.

      Jessica always looked as if she were competing with Tessa because of the way the Moirs set up social media to counter-balance what they thought was legit media. Virtue Moir tell Barry Mitton about their Mahler program "they're in love, and it definitely came naturally", that spring is the famous "maybe" video, Scott says just being in Paris gets him and Tessa excited and makes them happy. A beat later Jessica posts a Dominican photo as her profile picture and drops the Dominican vacation photos. What does Moirville think that looks like? It looks like they're flaunting in front of Bryce, for one, and for two, it looks like Scott is a passive tool who publicly has the hots for his partner and lets his supposed girlfriend parade her insecurities on facebook at his partner's expense - and at the expense of diverting attention from skating to this shit. It looked like Tessa worked years and years to reach the top of her sport only to have a jealous girlfriend attempt to divert attention to her relationship with Scott.

      Cassandra isn't as prolific but it's the same. She acts like she's competing with Scott's career for Scott. Who is Scott's career? It's Tessa.

      Scott comes off like he cut off his own balls. He also comes off as a guy so insecure he tries to maintain his independence of social media for mainstream media but lets his girlfriends off the leash on social media so we all know he's getting laid. Which - congrats Scott.

      If any people needed to get out of the skating world at least to develop some elementary context and frame of reference, it's these people. Seriously, I've known people from small towns and they're not this kind of idiot - or any type of idiot. Maybe it comes from small town + love skating and not thinking there's anything else they need from life. They should try and remember the people outside that matrix actually are more well-rounded and would probably need a more well-thought out sham.

      oc

      Does Tanith come off like she's competing with Meryl?

      oc

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    2. not really. thats because meryl and charlie have zero chemistry.

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  18. Re: Scott's "beautiful daughter" comment, maybe Toddler Moir is a boy, so he can get away with what would otherwise be insulting if Toddler Moir was a girl.

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    1. Pretty sure that poor Toddler Moir is a girl. :(

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  19. Can this report about Tessa doing a shoot actually be fake? I find it weird that sportsnetmagpix twitter account posted a lot about every recent photoshoot, but not Tessa's.

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    1. Do they ever save some photoshoots till it's closer to a big event, like the Olympics?

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  20. Oh, hey, Pj! Never heard of the rumours, right?

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    1. Looool. Oh Pj. Way to get involved in something you never should have.

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    2. omg, I can't believe PJ got involved, and pretending she had never heard such rumours. She won't "give them credibility." Yeah right.

      What has no credibility is PJ alleging she knew nothing of these rumours, thanking Heather for putting her "in the loop." Oh please, give me a break.

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    3. I cannot believe PJ got involved, I'm shocked...from little to ZERO credibility. This is not the social media backwaters. This is the official twitter of a media professional. Unbelievable. I hope the reputations of these "journalists" get demolished. Unfortunately, as OC has made clear, figure skating is such small beans it probably will never matter.

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    4. 4:09

      By addressing this, in spite of her pretense of not knowing, PJ is actually placing the "rumors" in legit media. VM have done everything possible to avoid that but Miss Heather in her zeal has managed to force something VM clearly didn't want to happen. She must be so proud of herself.

      PJ though...what a bone-headed move. Now she's on record with a denial. So unprofessional from someone who knows differently.

      They're all just plain stupid.

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    5. PJ never should have addressed it. Plain and simple. Let Heather rant and rave all she wants, it wouldn't have killed PJ to just let the tweets slide.

      I don't think she was working in cahoots with Heather because I think Heather is just operating on some whackadoodle agenda of her own. I think she has less to do with "protecting" Tessa and Scott and more to do with riling the fans up.

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    6. I'm not on twitter, but I have a hashtag idea. #stopthepj haha

      Delete
    7. I think that this Heather is a friend of Cassandra ... !

      Delete
    8. As if PJ would ever ask a personal question anyway. She would never take that liberty, especially not with Tessa and Scott. This Heather girl should know this since she is so involved in everything ...

      Delete
    9. That's it 1:24...all PJ had to say was, "no I wouldn't ask them that question". Not TWO tweets full of crap.

      Delete
  21. PJ probably does have to deny any knowledge. Her twitter has so many followers, she has to stick to the established status-quo stories. She's not about to go outing anyone on twitter and without VM being on board.

    But it does look like a dumb move to address it at all, even if it was to deny knowing anything. Seriously, is anyone going to believe that? And it also gives credibility to that other twitter account that's been making fun of fans and going on about Scott preferring Cassandra to Tessa and other similar ridiculous statements.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that back-and-forth between PJ and Heather is a set-up.

      Delete
    2. The timing considering OC's "why don't they address is" post is interesting. At the same time, I'd be suprised if they've set this up themselves. Unless they thought PJ's twitter would somehow both count and not count.

      Delete
    3. She should not have addressed it at all. Then she went overboard - never heard of it, doesn't want to give it credibility, and then hashtags #stopthemadness.

      She's an amateur - despite her credentials she is only equipped to operate inside the Canadian "skating community". That community is so self-referential it has no idea where the boundaries are.

      Delete
  22. "Can this report about Tessa doing a shoot actually be fake? I find it weird that sportsnetmagpix twitter account posted a lot about every recent photoshoot, but not Tessa's."

    I doubt it's fake, the person who tweeted the information is a professional. There's no reason for her to lie.

    Maybe fans will be really lucky and sportsnet will release photos of Tessa at the same time someone from the VM camp posts Cassandra photos. That way they can continue the ritual they started with Jessica, where Scott's social-media GF gives every appearance of competing with Tessa, as OC mentioned in a comment above:

    "...and at the expense of diverting attention from skating to this shit. It looked like Tessa worked years and years to reach the top of her sport only to have a jealous girlfriend attempt to divert attention to her relationship with Scott."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, she is.
      But she referred to a wrong photographer. This one is from Chicago and the one who shoots for sportsnet is from Toronto. Furthermore she made a mistake adressing to the mag itself.

      Taking into account that it's the only report about the photoshoot I find it interesting. But idk maybe it's just me

      Delete
  23. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/17/manti-teo-hoax-sports-journalists

    Except it's worse, because PJ wasn't just lazy - she knows.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sorry OC - can you provide your e-mail address...I know that you provided it a while ago...thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sorry for being out of the loop.

      oycanada@gmail.com

      Delete
  25. wanna hear a joke? http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?88276-Who-is-best-dance-team-of-their-generation-if-Davis-amp-White-win-Olympic-Gold

    D/W will always be remembered as V/M's shadow. the same cannot be said about V/M

    ReplyDelete
  26. Replies
    1. That's a good question. I hope our fearless leader has not abandoned us.

      Delete
    2. "I hope our fearless leader has not abandoned us."

      I don't know the blogger, but why would you think that? Given that VM have not changed their stories, I don't see why after all this time anyone would think the blogger would change his/her mind about exposing VM's lies.

      Delete
    3. @3:44, I was only joking. Of course he/she wouldn't abandon the blog after keeping it going for so long. I'm just anxious to hear their thoughts on the whole PJ versus Heather thing.

      Delete
    4. "I'm just anxious to hear their thoughts on the whole PJ versus Heather thing."

      So am I.

      I'm also interested in blog's thoughts regarding the new Skate Canada CEO.

      Delete
  27. This sounds like a promising development: http://www.skatecanada.ca/AboutUs/NewsDetails/tabid/2157/sni[2797]/2707/language/en-US/Default.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  28. 10:41

    I hope you're right.

    Although this quote, from the above link, is ridiculous. But of course, one of those things necessary to pretend to believe:

    (Skate Canada)..."It is one of the most professionally managed National Sport Organizations in the country"

    As long as Debbi Wilkes and Barb MacDonald are helping to run the show over there it's not professionally anything.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Is no one going to mention Cassandra's new Facebook pics? Poor Scotty and Cass. They went to all that trouble and no one even acknowledges them. Guess she forgot to pack her teensy weensy bikini for this trip. They obviously aren't having sex because they're not posing in swimsuits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 10:18

      Well you just mentioned it, so it got acknowledged.

      Cassandra's facebook pics may seem very non-sexy but we must not forget all that Scott was willing to do in posing with Jessica, and apparently all for the sake of making fans believe he was dating her and not Tessa. So who knows if there are albums of Cassandra and Scott in the teensy weensy swimsuits. They could still be forthcoming.

      Delete
    2. No offense to Scott but I really don't want to see him in a teensy weensy swimsuit. I just don't feel like he's willing to go as far with Cassandra for some reason.

      Delete
    3. "I just don't feel like he's willing to go as far with Cassandra for some reason."

      Maybe because of the kid?

      Delete
    4. He was willing to lip kiss with Jess and pose grabbing her bottom in 2011 when he was a daddy. I think the kid is the reason though. Too little too late when it comes to thinking about how things will look in the future.

      Delete
    5. 12:02

      I'd rather not see it either.

      Who knows what their thinking is at the moment but I wouldn't rule out anything as far as pics. Scott seems to have no problem with the way Cass gushes over him on social media, imo if he crosses one line he can easily cross many others.

      Delete
    6. Is it only her facebook profile pic? you can barely see if it's him

      Delete
    7. "you can barely see if it's him"

      You can barely see if it's her, too. What's the purpose?

      Delete
    8. Anon 12:18
      Exactly. Also, Scott considered the snuggling on sofas and lap sitting with Jess to be appropriate in spite of being in a deeply committed relationship with Tessa, married or not. I hope the opinions that he's more careful because of the kid are right. But I'm not sure I believe that. Just going to the trouble of posing in the first place shows a huge chip missing. Being inappropriate seems to go with the territory.

      Delete
    9. @3:57

      It's the power of suggestion. They dropped the line about Scott lying on a beach somewhere during vacation. The week after vacation break is over with, and the week before the Tessa and Scott golf tournament, the sham gf posts a cover pic of her looking at a beach and a profile pic of a couple on a beach. The fans take care of the rest.

      Delete
    10. I will never understand the point of the Dominican photo shoot. That gets more and more grotesque in retrospect. It says far more about Scott and Skate Canada and their thinking than I want to know. It's icky.

      As to Cassandra's current profile picture, that is gutlessness. This is a crowd that doesn't want to own what they do.

      Delete