Monday, January 27, 2014

Episode 4, Part Deux






I have nothing bad to say.



Get hold of yourselves, ladies, you're just making shit up here.
("[Scott and Tessa] don't know how much they'll miss each other!")

Think of the last time you humiliated a bunch of sincere
supporters of your kids' skating and cheer up.

Alma confesses she thinks the ending of "Seasons" is "about us."

Does she think Scott and Tessa are saying "Thanks for everything - and now we're going to try and have our own lives?"

Well no wonder she's a mess.

And did Alma actually get drunk on camera or is this just behavior she can summon on autopilot?

Back to the skating. Oh what a surprise, Scott and
Tessa report they sucked at Skate Canada.
Kaitlyn and Andrew didn't make the World podium last year,
but Scott and Tessa are nervous about them because of their
incredible connection, chemistry, rapport, and ability to perform.
That's how you set yourself up for Sochi.  "Meryl and Charlie are perfect and we're just worried about competing against people who didn't make the Olympic team in 2010."

To my relief Scott briefly seemed to have a moment of rationality and explained, politely, that as much as they respect Kaitlyn and Andrew they don't like having the scores this close, and it's not because they're afraid of Kaitlyn and Andrew, but because they are a whole lot better than Kaitlyn and Andrew and the scores shouldn't be anywhere near each other. He didn't say it, SAY it, but he said it.

I love how Johnny Johns sort of tries to keep his
lying virginity. Like, the first time he appeared, he didn't pretend
not to know the HPC feedback - he just said "Remind me what it was."
I just get the feeling there's a limit to the stupid he can even fake.
Johnny and Marina need to get on the same page with Scott and Tessa. Scott and Tessa keep saying seasons is about the seasons of their partnership. Marina and Johnny keep saying that Seasons is about the seasons of a relationship between man woman. That's why Johnny and Marina are flirting up there when wondering what season they're in. It's not the seasons of lift coaching they're cooing about.



Part three coming up.

176 comments:

  1. The part where Tessa said she watches Meryl and Charlie and she sees perfection was just sad, because that is the narrative being forced down everyone's throats. Fans are being (mis)led to believe this crap. Ugh.

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    1. She said "perfect at what they do", but that's a nuance that's going to go right past just about everybody, so she may have simply said "perfect."

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  2. Oh how sweet - that first set of pictures. Tessa and Scott *working very hard* at that connection that is so fleeting for them. They just don't understand how teammates like Kaitlyn and Andrew have such a *strong* connection. Oh, if only Tessa and Scott could do the same. It's all just so mysterious. (*baffling*)

    But thank goodness *once in a while* they find that connection. Yay.

    Now that they "connected" Scott can run back to his GF. Tessa is such a bore.

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    1. i hope u realize that the show is skate canada's vehicle to show off their other skaters. ever wondered why w/p score so much closer to v/m on home competition than internationally?

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    2. I love WP but agree they were overscored at nationals and at Skate Canada. I don't think they should be scoring in the 9s on their PCS.

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    3. Agreed...much as I love WP and wish them continued success, PI killed it at Nationals...I think they are VM's heir apparents, not WP. If they keep healthy and keep improving, I predict PI will win the OGM in 2018.

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    4. I agree. PI are the complete package. If they can stay healthy and continue conquering their nerves they can win it all next quadrennial. Hopefully the icedance politics don't hold them down. They are a wonderful team.

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    5. It will be interesting to see how Carmenlengo/Krylova package WP, HD and PI in the upcoming season. Four years is a long way off to predict anything. I think one of the challenges for the next quad is for teams to develop their own personalities and take chances. VM have an impressive body of work because both Tessa and Scott bring so much to the table. All you need to do is watch VM's 3 skates at the 2010 Olympics and you say wow...and to think that they have improved since then....

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    6. I love Carmenlengo/Krylova, but I feel most of their programs are either copycats or not particularly innovative/boundary pushing (although beautifully skated; all their teams have good basics). PI's FD this year is exceptional, but HD's is similar music to Crone/Poirer's 2010 FD, Aldrige/Eaton's Bollywood FD this year is too similar in theme to D/W's 2010 OD, and much as I love WP's tango this year, let's be honest, a tango is not the most original theme in the world.

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    7. I like Carmenlengo/Krylova's programs for P/I, but I find Kaitlyn and Andrew's programs hit or miss, as programs. I think lyrical programs are their strength - it encourages long curves from Kaitlyn. When Kaitlyn has to do a lot of quick, dance-y movements, her feet can get sloppy and she can lose some unison of line with Andrew. I don't love the tango long program for W&P because I think it throws some of their shortcomings into relief - same with the tap program. They're fun for the audience but not superior as skating.

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    8. Agree with your whole post - anon at 7:20 am. Not only is this a problem for Carmenlengo/Krylova but it will be a problem for Zoueva and Sphilband. In terms of Weaver/Poje - it will be interesting to also see if they can come up with new lifts...we really did get spoiled with VM in so many different ways including the lifts and the different positions and entries that Tessa hit and that Scott provided a solid base for. Another reason that I have enjoyed PB over the years is that they also seem to be part of their choreography process.

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    9. Agreed...Weaver/Poje really need to up their game in the lifts department, they've been essentially rotating variations of the same lifts over the last quad (although all their lifts kick D/W's ass). I also feel that their footwork sequences can sometimes be laboured (moreso Kaitlyn than Andrew; he's the overall more skilled partner), although this year they are really making an effort to execute them in closed and varied dance hold, which is much more than I can say for D/W.

      They don't have the natural ability of VM or PI, but I think they are the most improved team this past quad, and will continue to improve, and for that, they should be commend.

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    10. Weaver/Poje work quite extensively with outside choreographers -- usually Shae-Lynn, along with Geoffrey Tyler for this year's SD. Alison Holker for the first draft of last year's FD is another example.

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    11. OC @7:37, I get what you're saying about more lyrical programs being more of a strength for W/P, but OTOH, doing programs that put their weaknesses on display, so to speak, force them to work on those weaknesses. It maybe might not show them at their best for a particular season, but it could be something that could pay off in the long run.

      @7:20, what applies to VM vs DW also applies to every other team out there: It's the skating that matters above all. The theme and the music are just the framework to show off the skating and dancing skills. AE are doing a bollywood theme? So what. DW don't own the rights to the theme, and what matters is how well AE skate. HD had similar music to CP in 2010. So what? It's the skating that matters. If music is your criteria for groundbreaking, then I guess VM's Carmen wasn't groundbreaking last year because Carmen is one of the most frequently used pieces of music in skating.

      As for the future of North American ice dance, specifically with the Krylova-Camerlengo teams, I think it is very possible that WP will be surpassed by both PI and HD in the coming seasons. WP have improved tremendously and continue to work hard, but they don't have the natural talent and skating and dancing abilities that PI and HD seem to possess. When you watch WP, it's still clear that Kaitlyn is having to pay conscious effort to her skating. Both PI and HD still have things they need to work on, but no one in either one of those teams is having to pay attention to their skating because it's all sound and innate at this point for them.

      All of that said about WP's issues, I do still think they are outdancing and outskating DW at present.

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    12. Anon 8:25, I'm Anon 7:20, and I absolutely agree that the skating and dancing is most important and said so, albeit in parenthesis. The skating and dancing trump all else, but you look at team like VM and why they were such trailblazers, its because they tackled so many themes/music and gave it their unique twist, and we now associate those themes/music with them: Valse Triste, Umbrellas (even though other teams before them have danced to it, but there's is the most memorable rendition), Pink Floyd (too bad we never saw it go head-to-head with Del/Schoen), Mahler (even if it was originally Katia Gordeeva's music), Latin, Funny Face. Their Carmen will stand out from the million other Carmens because their intrepretation took a cliche theme and completely turned it on its head, from the elements to the choreography to the costumes. Seasons is a stunning piece, and not likely to be copied anytime soon, so it will be music always associated with VM (especially since the program is very personal to the story of their partnership).

      I guess my point was that each of these teams, in addition to continually improving their skating, will have to forge their own unique identities. In the case of the Bollywood music, I think it is a bit too soon after D/W to tackle that theme (even though AE do a fantastic job of skating/dancing it).

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    13. "I guess my point was that each of these teams, in addition to continually improving their skating, will have to forge their own unique identities. In the case of the Bollywood music, I think it is a bit too soon after D/W to tackle that theme (even though AE do a fantastic job of skating/dancing it)."

      I guess I fail to see what's so special about the Bollywood theme or music or DW's performance that 4 years later is too soon for another ice dance team to be doing a program with that theme. We wouldn't be saying that about any other form or style of dance.

      What made VM trailblazers was not tackling different kinds of music, but tackling different dance rhythms. I will admit to wanting to see a bit more range from PI right now, but I think we've already seen WP tackle different rhythms over the seasons, and although only skating together for 3 seasons, HD have come out with something different each time with their FD's.

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    14. Anon at 9:28 am - I think that HD in particular Donohue is actually a very good dancer. I actually prefer him to Andrew Poje.

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    15. Anon@ 9:46 AM: Agreed about Donohue. I wish Hubbell/Donohue had made the Olympic team and not Chock/Bates. They remind me of Gilles/Poirer: talented male partner, not-as-talented-but-attention-seeking female partner.

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    16. We all wonder about whether Paul Poirier has regrets about Vanessa Crone...you have to wonder if Evan Bates has any regrets about Emily Samuelson. Let's face it - Bates/Samuelson - if they had kept improving - I think had the potential to be top 5.

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    17. D/W's Bollywood theme OD was overhyped back in 2010 just like their FD this year is overhyped. People have done Bollywood way before D/W.

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    18. @Anon 10:46: agreed. See Kurt Browning's SP from 1991. Would still hold up today.

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    19. Great discussion all around. Wishing all the skaters - solid performances especially those that will likely retire this year - cuz we are going to lose many of them...damn depressing...but at the same time many thanks to them for sticking around for another quad after 2010 (ie. Kim, Mao, Kostner, Takahashi, Suzuki, SS, PB, VM, Joubert, Abbott, PT, Ando etc) and providing some beautiful moments...

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    20. There were a couple of discussions in threads below about P/B's transitions. Can someone explain to me what's good about P/B's transitions compared to a team like D/W? They seem to have a lot of two footing and not holding their edges. Their skating skills might be great, but you can't really tell by their FD.

      (And I'm not a D/W fan btw. I want P/B to be the better team, and I do think they're as good, just curious what people think of their actual programs rather than their theoretical skills.)

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    21. @3:18

      PB use their edges whereas Davis uses her flats. Charlie uses his edges but often looks out of control. Also, Pechalat doesn't rely on her partner to move her around the ice whereas Davis does. Charlie pulls her or holds her up or in position.

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    22. 9:10 from 1/28
      "The skating and dancing trump all else, but you look at team like VM and why they were such trailblazers, its because they tackled so many themes/music and gave it their unique twist, and we now associate those themes/music with them: "

      But that's not why they were trailblazers. They tackled so many RHYTHMS, not "themes/music". Themes/music are irrelevant.

      RHYTHMS. They proved they could dance any rhythm using superior skating skills. They proved you could dance while skating, not dance in between the skating. They expanded what pure skating skills could accomplish in ice dance if you were as gifted as they are as athletes, skaters and dancers. They synthesized/harmonized all three more than any dance team prior to them. Stuff like "gave it their own twist" is just meaningless.

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    23. Thank you for your response 5:31, but it doesn't really answer my question. Where in P/B's FD transitions does it show Nathalie using her edges more than Meryl? I probably do give P/B the edge on blade run, but they hardly stay on one one foot long enough to tell. I made this video a couple of weeks ago - http://youtu.be/IcMdyO7P034 - not to prove that P/B were better, only that they were on par, but then after watching it, I decided that some P/B's transitions were more complex (stationary bits notwithstanding) because of some of the changes of hold and an overall impression of more smoothness. But then a friend pointed out to me that I wasn't watching their skates enough - and once I did, I saw that it's kind of a mess down there. If I'm missing something, I would love to know about it. I suspect that P/B are the stronger skaters, but a team has to actually show that in their choreo for it to count. And the claim that P/B are the obviously second strongest team in the world gets repeated often enough that I'm just curious about why people think so, relating it to what they do in their programs.

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    24. Why are people making up all this stuff about them? What kind of satisfaction do you get from hating on people and posting the most false and hurtful things? Tessa and Scott never did anything to you. They are simply doing what they love (skating) which has resulted in some media attention b/c they are so talented, and yes they kind of decided to try a few new things because of that like the show and all but that doesn't make them bad people. And who cares what kind of relationship they have. They are not married and do not have secret children- that's absolutely foolish. It's really disturbing to find a blog that has so much of their private stuff posted along with unnecessary criticism. Its hard to believe that some people go to such extents to stalk someone. (Seriously? looking up their exact location at a particular time and trying to find out where they live) Other innocent people get hurt too when someone goes through their twitter and facebook to find personal things about T and S. I'm not an crazy fan of theirs but i still believe that they deserve better than this hate/stalk blog.....no one deserves this. They are humans too with feelings and have every right to make mistakes. The worst thing is you don't even know them! The TV and media doesn't show who they are on the inside! So can we all just be nice to each other and keep our comments to ourselves, especially hurtful ones. And can we give each other privacy? Let's all just focus on our own life and spend time with our loved ones and ourselves rather than hurting other people. Thank you.

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  3. Look at this pic http://web.stagram.com/p/639155051509997921_809512455
    It's the same bed of the famous photo posted from Bed in Canton from Ryan Semple...https://twitter.com/SemplySkiing/status/132577311336841216/photo/1

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    1. Cool. I wonder what Tessa ever saw in that guy in the first place. Glad that they didn't seem to last long. He was a bit of a neanderthal.

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    2. Just as Cassandra is a fake girlfriend and Jessica was a fake girlfriend, Semple was a fake boyfriend. The only guy Tessa has ever been with is Scott.

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    3. You can click on the ( from Canton, MI ) link, it will lead you to the exact location on google street maps. Here : https://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.27666038%2C-83.50190670&z=15

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    4. he obviously was there...Don't tell me they're so brilliant to fake this

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    5. Yep, it's so difficult to sit/lay on the bed in someone's guest bedroom for a photograph or quick camera shot. No one can be brilliant enough to pull that off. Especially not with strategic editing that takes all of ten seconds.

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    6. 1:19
      I was looking at the picture that comes up when I clicked on that Canton link from Semple's picture. Isn't that the house that according to the show belongs to Marina? Also, didn't they say Tessa lives in a condo in Canton? Yet according to the decor in Tessa's picture linked above, that's supposedly from the house in London?

      Imagine that. The stories surrounding VM don't match up. Who would have thought so.

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    7. good catch, 1:19.

      Marina's house (ep1, 9 min 53 sec) looks similar but it's house # 236?. The one in the photo that 1:19 posted looks like house # 4055.

      It doesn't look at all like the house where Kate visits Tessa (ep3, 7 min, 19 sec)

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    8. maybe there was a kickass sleepover at marina's house

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    9. In every article and interview where Tessa or Scott's place in Canton comes up they say they live either in an apartment or a condo. I'm sure even the show said Kate visits Tessa in her condo? (So convenient to forget that the last two years Tessa said she and her mother share *an apartment* in Canton. Lol)

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    10. Scott owns a townhome in Canton. He bought it in Jan 2011.

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    11. PS - a condo is basically the same as an apartment, except you own rather than rent.

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    12. That depends on the geographic location. In NY, a co-op would be an apartment (usually) in which you own shares of the building and do not rent, and a condo would be more like a townhouse or semiattached two story type deal (condos can be rented or owned).

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    13. Also interesting ... on the map someone posted above, if you click on it that house is only half a mile from Scott's house. He could walk there in 9 min. Both are 5 min drive from Arctic Edge.

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    14. Good point, Anon 6:36, but in Michigan the definition I gave is correct.

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    15. And, the house in Scott's name is the exterior for Tessa's townhouse in episode 3 of the show.

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    16. How do you guys know where his house is?

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    17. ^^ same. im so confusd

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    18. OMG 7:04 - I think you are right. But the interior is COMPLETELY different, which makes me think those scenes are actually Tessa's mom's house? But the exterior is a dead ringer for the Canton townhome in Scott's name. PS - Scott's house is a matter of public record. From there if you google the address, Trulia has pics of the exterior and interior from when it sold. Also, the other house mentioned as Tessa's (or used to be) has been owned since 2007 by a man from India. Could be a rental, of course.

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    19. Yes, the interior is completely different, so those were shot elsewhere. The brand of flour Kate was using to make that pie is a Canadian brand, so I'm guessing that scene was shot in Canada.

      The outside though? The same house.

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    20. trulia link please?

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    21. Adding on to the LOL's, I think from what little we saw of the dark kitchen Scott made his pb and toast in during episode 4 matched the kitchen shot on trulia. Same wall color, same countertop color, and the same baseboard-looking trim at the junction of the wall and countertop.

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    22. In episode 4, they show a shot of the townhouse/condo again right before they cut to Tessa packing.

      One of the bedrooms in the trulia listing for the house is the same room that Scott did this skype interview with PJ Kwong with in 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsr3PbSmzOw

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    23. Do you have this pictures? Of Scott's townhouse?

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    24. Apologies for letting the recap of Episode 4 lag until Episode 5. I am actually for real going to try to wrap up Episode 4 in one post tonight.

      For me, Ep. 4 was mostly notable for Scott dropping some of the macho bullshit and expertly wrangling Tessa's insanity.


      David Duchovny alluded to this phrase: "She's his human credential" when describing the relationship of Mulder/Scully. Mulder being socially off-grid, eccentric, oddball, Scully being a (presumably) more evolved, more connected person who, via her strong connection to Mulder, demonstrated that he was more than a weirdo. Duchovny didn't attribute this phrase; just said he'd heard it somewhere.

      It used to seem as if Tessa were Scott's human credential. This is when Scott was CRAZY. Not ordinary crazy, but the adrenalin of maybe ten regular people. A bit eccentric. Moody. Hard to classify and pin down. Tessa seemed polished, social, calm, self-possessed, and she seemed to have perspective.

      As presented in this "reality show" and as Tessa has conducted and promoted the sham in the past many years, it is TESSA who appears in need of a human credential and Scott who works to tap into Tessa's brain and get her to break out, occasionally, of whatever is locking her in. That girl is a lunatic.

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    25. I don't know about how the other person posting with regards to the information about Scott's house feels, but I am not going to "out" Scott's address. As I stated before, it's a matter of public record. If we can find it, you probably can too. But I'm not going to be blamed for posting it and then some crazy arrives on his doorstep.

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    26. I'm at least one of the other people posting on it (allowing for there to possibly be more), and I'm on the same page as you 6:26. I'm not point-blank outing their address either. Yes, it's public record and you can find this stuff with a little ingenuity, but I feel uncomfortable posting it. Forget just being blamed for crazy showing up, this sham drives me nuts, but I honestly do not want crazy showing up at Tessa and Scott's house, especially considering Little Moir also lives there.

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    27. 6:45 again.

      6:26: how do you feel about posting the photos from the listing (not links to the actual listing though--I'm talking uploading the images elsewhere)? I'd wanted to post some along with screencaptures from the show showing how everything matches.

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    28. 6:50 - I am ok with that, if as you say you upload the pics separately elsewhere and then post them. Make sure all the identifiers are removed. I am glad we feel the same about publicizing his address. Just didn't seem right to me.

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    29. Oh for God's sake people, it's a public record! If Scott cared so much about privacy, he would have bought the house in the name of some anonymous trust and then not let it be seen on a public tv show!

      http://www.trulia.com/homes/Michigan/Canton/sold/22637731-47519-Pembroke-Dr-Canton-MI-48188

      I'm really tired of how people on this site (and others) get information and then refuse to share it for ridiculous reasons. It's enables the sham. Take the sham itself -- Scott and Tessa have never tried to keep it secret, and yet everyone who knows about acts like they're privy to a state secret and can't reveal how they received "special access" to it. If it were a true secret, no one would have a source to it, because the source would never reveal it in the first place. Revealing stuff about the sham isn't going to block anyone from access to other "skating secrets," because the sham was never a secret in the first place.

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    30. Yeah, they're definitely getting renamed and uploaded elsewhere.

      I think the pics in and of themselves are fine, even the external view, because they showed the same shot on the show themselves. I'll get them uploaded and posted in a comment here tomorrow.

      Publicizing the address certainly didn't seem right to me.

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    31. 7:33, could you not have used your brain for a moment? This isn't about refusing to share for a ridiculous reason. Yes, it's public record, but you had to do a little sleuthing to track it down. Do you really think it's a good idea to point blank post VM's address in Canton like that? Especially when a little kid lives there too?

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    32. My address is a matter of public record, but I don't go blatantly, point-blank posting it publicly on the freaking internet!

      The fact that you had to work for it just a little bit to find it was a bit of a deterrent FOR SAFETY REASONS. There are crazy people in this world. Yes, the house is on tv, but there's nothing in the show that identifies the address. In some shots of houses used on the show, they've blurred the numbers out, or from inside, made it so you can't see out for identifying features.

      Again, there are crazy people in this world and a little three-year-old also lives there. Use some common sense.

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    33. Fyi, a friend of mine lived on the same street in the neighborhood and these homes became available for little to nothing during the housing bubble. Just random info.

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    34. So 7:33, since you are so gung-ho about transparency, why are you posting as anonymous? Why not post with your real name, so you can be properly credited when some crazy starts stalking Scott Moir? Have you heard of a little thing called ethics?

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  4. Just came over from the compulsory dances blogspot (VM fan site). I was reading all these quotes made by different people (coaches skaters etc) about Scott and Tessa during their senior career, and IMO, I think I could see the difference between Carmen season and Olympic season. I think the way the insidious DW narrative has taken hold in the FS world was evidenced by the fact that not all the people who were praising VM to the skies back in 2010 (and as recently as Carmen) are listed for 2013-2014. They've drunk too much of the ISU-USFSA-DW kool aid. Sad.

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    1. If I hear that D/W "have improved and closed the gap since Vancouver!" one more time, I'm going to fucking scream.

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    2. I think a lot of these people don't like V/M's programs this year and apparently that's all that matters when evaluating their abilities. D/W's FD is more what you'd expect in an Olympic FD and they can't get past that idea.

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    3. But I don't get what's so Olympic worthy about D/W's FD, especially since the music has had mixed success for American skaters in the past: Blumberg/Seibert, Michelle Kwan, and Evan Lyscack (even if did win gold with it, it was not a memborable FD from a skating or artistic point of view).

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    4. It's funny how there is very little talk about DWs dancing or skating skills - but everyone is now talking about Jason Brown and even how Gracie Gold has improved her overall presentation. Hell even Patrick Chan has improved his overall presentation since 2010...DW not so much..

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    5. If there's any talk of DW's actual skating, it's just to frame what is actually a negative or no-no in their skating as a positive.

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    6. Anon@ 10:41: Exactly. See that stupid Sports Illustrated article. They are "skipping" their way through the foxtrot and quickstep patterns. Intentional choice words, I'm sure.

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    7. And the "dynamic" entrances to their lifts.

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    8. there is nothing dynamic about flinging your partner like she is a sack of potatoes.

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  5. I have my local NBC affiliate's midday news on right now. They did a report from Sochi on the safety and the fact that they're finishing up the ice in the arena the skating competitions will be held in. The reporter from NBC point blank asked the lady in charge of the ice about the Americans who are going to win being happy with the ice.

    The fix is so in, and no one is even trying to hide it. Disgusting.

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    1. do these americans and dw fans care about ice dancing or skating at all? or do they only care about the first gold medal for usa? shame that the first gold medal has to go to two crappy skaters.

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    2. @Anon 10:57: They only care about the first ice dance gold. Otherwise, they would be horrifed to know that D/W's "win" was earned by pure corruption.

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    3. And ironically looking back at that DW fluff at Skate America a couple of years ago where Meryl Davis was basically implying that the judging system was corrupt to always favour the Russians...well touche Meryl...this quad..how propos.. the judging system has been corrupt to favour you and Chuck...I want you to start looking people in the eye like PB, CL, Ben Agosto etc and say that there is no corruption in the system now...

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    4. Sadly, they think they really are the best and worthy of those over-blown marks. Whenever they are interviewed or quoted, you really get the sense they believe their own hype.

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    5. the DW win is a hit and run. They stay on their feet, they win. Then ice dance proceeds to judge every other team going forward by real rules, not DW rules. Judging has been upended in order to deliver the gold to DW.

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  6. I heard Eurosport lost their license for Olympic figure skating. Is this true ? I googled it but couldn't find anything.
    I can't say I'd miss Nicky Slater.

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    1. That was reported on FSU also. The BBC should be airing it. Robin Cousins is more pro-V&M than the British Eurosport guys, anyway.

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    2. If this info cannot be found via google, where on FSU was it reported? Inquiring minds, ya know?

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    3. Here's the full list:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2014_Winter_Olympics_broadcasters

      I really hope Robin Cousins hasn't drank the D/W kool-aid and calls it as it is.

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  7. https://twitter.com/jacqwhi
    Background pic.

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    1. ^^ **profile pic**

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    2. The coordinates! ÃœT: 42.542011,-83.289933

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    3. wtf wasnt that taken at worlds

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    4. I think so. But the picture was posted quite recently.

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    5. well now we know where charlie gets his unwarranted self-importance/egotism from. i hope that ends up jinxing them.

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    6. I was Facebook-creeping Jacqui, and that scumbag judge that always lowballs V/M, Shawn Rettstatt, is one of her friends:

      https://www.facebook.com/jacqui2

      How fucked up and incestuous is this ridiculous sport??!!!

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    7. Also friends with the Australian judge (Mark Storton, he judged ice dance in Vancouver 2010), Australian Tech Specialist (Monica MacDonald, she did a few GP events this year), Judy Blumberg...

      Delete
    8. im more curious how much jacqui paid mr rettstatt to lowball v/m and overscore her son. what a beautiful sport fs is! also wasn't that conference that stated d/w are better than v/m held in like australia or something? iirc that judge on fsu that stated d/w are "ticking more boxes" than v/m or whatever is from australia. anyhow did jacqui pay for that too? things just keep on getting curiouser and curiouser ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      Delete
    9. 9:20 PM, I noticed the "..." does that mean you recognized other names on the list? Please share.

      Delete
    10. the moms actually take pics with the ISU officials.

      Delete
    11. Do you have links to those pics?

      Delete
    12. Something about Semple:

      I believe when you tweet the location is where you tweet. It's just assumed that the photo you tweet was taken at that location.

      Delete
    13. When you tweet a pic, the pic doesn't have to match the location. You can tweet a pic made in Mexico from your home in 2,000 miles away. However, I don't think people were going off of that "from Canton, MI" tag. Unless the option has been turned off, smart phones embed the geographic coordinates of the location the photo was made into the file.

      They are clearly mixing and matching house interiors and exteriors on the show. The house the Semple pic was made in was only 1/2 mile from Scott and Tessa's house in Canton. I wonder if Kate has a separate place down there and the Semple pic was made there in 2011 and the shot of Tessa packing for SC shot there more recently for the show.

      Delete
  8. "i hope u realize that the show is skate canada's vehicle to show off their other skaters."

    Really? Well, it's a crappy avenue for showcasing any other skaters, if you ask me. I have so much second-hand embarrassment for the skaters who are just being USED to promote a hoax.

    Skate Canada gives evidence it's an organization run by morons, otherwise they would run as far as possible from this trashy, second-rate show. No one associated with this garbage is doing themselves any favors.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Its pretty damn clear its run by morons. Both staff and volunteers. Was looking at the SC website, there are now 12 senior directors. They are advertising for a 13th. I think I heard they employ around 50 people so they are approaching 30% of work force as directors or above??? WTF?? It has almost as many senior staff as the US Golf Association which signed a 1 billion dollar deal with TV. Either empire building or complete incompetence. Either way the members should revolt and toss them and the whole board out for being so wasteful with member money. Oh, and on the volunteer side, nice to see the canadian judge at the olympics is friends with Shawn Rettstat. Of course SC is in on the fixing of the result. VM don't have a hope. Its depressing.

      Delete
    2. They have no hope at all in Sochi.

      I know others will disagree, but I just wish VM would walk away right now. IMO, there is no shame by refusing to be a participant in a game that's rigged against you.

      Delete
    3. I feel like a storm is brewing. Somebody/something is going to go off script, either one of the judges will not toe the line, or DW have obviously shitty skates that can't be spun away with bullshit rhetoric. I hope a huge controversy blow up.

      VM have to skate lights out like they did at GPF.

      Delete
    4. What's going to happen is that VM will skate lights out like at the GPF but even better. DW will slop through their FD, it'll be declared the best FD ever, then they'll skip off with the most undeserved OGM in the entire history of the Olympics while no one says a thing.

      Delete
    5. The one thing that could throw a spanner in the works is if Chan implodes in the men and doesn't win the gold or worse. Maybe then SC will go behind VM then...but it will be too late... And the result will be a sub standard olympics with no one to blame but themselves (and sorry, any team medal doesn't count, that's just a dumb event that is a straight money grab).

      Delete
    6. "VM have to skate lights out like they did at GPF."

      Doubt it. If anything, I predict VM will deliberately mess up an obvious element, like the twizzles, to make DW's win clear.

      I think VM are just as much in on the fix as DW are. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if part of the reality show was bankrolled by USFSA and/or DW themselves.

      Delete
  9. OMG: http://www.bustle.com/articles/13758-sochi-olympics-meryl-davis-charlie-white-ice-dancing-duo-returns-to-take-olympic-gold

    "Move over Kimye — Marlie’s the new “it” couple in town — at least on the ice. They’ve been ice skating together for 16 years, and now Team U.S.A.’s Meryl Davis and Charlie White (a.k.a. Marlie) are back in familiar territory to compete in Sochi’s 2014 Winter Olympics. The dancing duo won silver back in 2010’s Vancouver Olympics and set a U.S. record with a sixth-straight national ice dance crown.

    Their graceful moves, turns, and acrobatic lifts are the result of years of hard work. Since they were children, Davis, 27, and White, 26, have relied on each other for consistent improvement in their expressive ice storytelling to the point where they just know each other’s actions. They grew up 10 minutes from each other in Michigan and their parents are best friends. They even finish each other’s sentences. As perfect as it may sound and as beautiful as they are together, it’s all platonic —the two aren’t dating.

    Davis first started skating at the age of five and was known to be a shy, quiet girl while White, who also began his skating career at 5-years-old, was more outgoing and confident. They ventured into ice dancing for different reasons: she didn’t want to skate alone; he wanted to improve his posture as a hockey player. They were able to put aside their differences as they grew up together and put in grueling hours of practice. Some of their seemingly effortless lifts have taken two years to perfect.

    As a pair they boast two world championships and five consecutive grand prix finals. No U.S. team has won an Olympic gold medal in ice dancing. Davis and White are hoping they can take home the prize.

    “We feel like we’ve left no stone unturned. We’ve continued to grow as skaters … and tried to gain more speed and have more charisma and everything,” White said. “In every aspect we’ve tried to be the best we possibly can be.”"

    They forgot to mention Meryl's struggle with compartment syndrome, winning the OGM on home ice, being the youngest team to ever win the OGM in ice dance, and their controversial Carmen FD.

    Oh, wait....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow Charlie: charisma and everything? Is that your sexy moves or is it the all purpose head fling/magical hair toss, or perhaps it's the intense eye contact, or maybe, yes the sexy moves.

      Delete
    2. I'm literally sick of the word "speed" used in ice-dance..it's not about speed Chuck - it's about control and edges - hell speed skaters have more edges than DW...charisma - hell no - that wouldn't define DW on the ice and "everything"...wow - big word coming from a guy who is studying at the University of Michigan in political science...these guys can't even describe what they are SUPPOSE to be doing...oieee....

      Delete
    3. omg I know I shouldn't, but I can't help but laughing at all of this.

      " ..it’s all platonic —the two aren’t dating." I see no lies. Can't say the same for VM, sadly.

      Delete
    4. Charlie's hair has more charisma than he does.

      Delete
    5. CRINGE, VOMIT, BARF @ the article.

      Delete
    6. I'm not defending D/W's skating or the fucked up way they're overscored, but I find this article about one million times less vomit-inducing than V/M's reality show. I don't even think it can compare.

      Delete
    7. No it can't compare because for those who feel very strongly about what is happening on the ice, all of the DW propaganda is indeed the vomit itself.

      Delete
    8. @Anon 7:12: Totally agreed with you. Regardless of how you feel about V/M's personal lives (and frankly, I don't care, because I don't know them personally and never will), Olympic titles should be awarded on the merits of athletic achievement, not PR spin and politking. V/M are head and shoulders above every other team in the world, and that's what should matter.

      Has any other team before D/W ever mounted such an aggressive PR campaign? No. Because they know their skating sucks ass and it doesn't hold up scrutiny, so they have to distract everybody from their crap skating with all this drivel.

      I hope it blows up in their faces and a huge controversy ensues in Sochi.

      Delete
  10. And Icenetwork propaganda is on overdrive; all their "contributors" are unanimously predicting D/W to win, one knucklehead is predicting V/M will win bronze behind I/K. God help us.

    http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2014/01/28/66995358

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not much worse than winning silver behind DW. IK's programs are empty as fuck with very little dancing and skated miles apart but at least they are strong skaters. DW are good skaters but not great ones, and they skate miles apart , they barely dance and they fill their programs with hops and jumps, which isn't much better than skating empty ones.

      What annoys me the most right now is the whole "DW tick more boxes". How? By missing edges on their key points? By not covering as much of the ice as other top teams? By skating from end to end with few changes of direction? By toe-picking the fuck out of their programs when the rules expressly forbid it?

      Delete
    2. ^you should post that comment on the article maybe the gobshites and their followers at ice network will learn something

      Delete
  11. Nats SD comparisons:

    V/M vs D/W
    http://youtu.be/4-TTcwzGRu0

    P/I vs G/P
    http://youtu.be/EgTYeGkRCjY

    V/M vs W/P
    http://youtu.be/2ZVbMENgZUQ

    D/W vs W/P
    http://youtu.be/P6rTHGFFrW0

    P/I vs W/P
    http://youtu.be/tM33tdL9Q4o

    As well, P/I's improvement - 2011 vs 2014 FD
    http://youtu.be/LztQuqDZ1ng

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks! Kaitlyn is not the strongest skater but she is now better than Meryl...Meryl really is on flats ALL THE TIME. Wow, I always figured DW should be up there on the podium but this season I am really seeing that they don't deserve to be anywhere near it. Several teams have overtaken them (two of them are from the US).

      Delete
    2. Kaitlyn has made a VERY obvious and conscious effort to improve her basic skating, and it shows. After all, that's what Krylova emphasizes all the time, sound basics. D&W aren't working/or re-working basics, they are working around it by substituting gliding with hops, pulls, and jumps, and skating on toe picks.

      If D&W went to Zhulin or Krylova it would expose all their weaknesses.

      Delete
  12. some great reads from the Italian forum's VM and DW comparison thread:

    this one covers DW's "dynamic lift entrances" (click on the link, 'clicca per visualizzare to view the post)
    http://fenice.forumcommunity.net/?t=55168681&p=391779199

    And this one on why Meryl always skates with open legs:
    http://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&hl=it&ie=UTF8&nv=1&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.it&sl=it&tl=en&u=http://fenice.forumcommunity.net/%3Ft%3D55168681%26st%3D150

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And some "sexy touching":

      http://fenice.forumcommunity.net/?t=55168681&st=165#entry391843584

      Delete
  13. even cbc knows the competition is rigged in favour of d/w http://olympics.cbc.ca/news/article/canada-win-gold-medals-sochi.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is just summarizing that AP article, that had all the medal predictions.

      I remember reading an article recently where PJ was predicting VM winning, soley on the basis of the strength of their SD. Never mind that ALL aspects of their skating is brilliant.

      Delete
    2. OMG is PJ back on the V/M train now? It seemed she was singing the praises of D/W for most of the season and like she was picking them as OGM. Sure wish she'd call out D/W for what they really are but it seems the Canadian media won't play dirty and underhanded like the US media have been for the past 18 months.

      Delete
    3. Canadian media are not going to call DW out. Canadian men's gold medal is riding on turning a blind eye to ice dance disgrace.

      Delete
    4. isnt pj's picks a curse though?

      Delete
  14. Anon@ 10:10 AM: I agree about H/D going to Sochi. Hubbell is a better skater than Chock and Gilles, with great edges and footwork. Just needs to fix her posture. H/D are a great match in skating fundamentals, expression, musicality and lines. I hope they're appreciated more when D/W retire.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Scott's lovely family doing their part again to cash in on their famous family member:
    http://www.lfpress.com/2014/01/29/ilderton-readies-for-sochi

    I can't believe they can get the locals over there to continually shell out money *to support Tessa and Scott.* How in the world does giving money to the local skating club support Tessa and Scott. Such a creepy family.

    And the gf also doing her part, wearing red. Awwww.
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152236929361318&set=a.455338361317.235830.506096317&type=1&theater

    Didn't you know, if you wear red these days in Ilderton/London it shows you support Scott Moir. (Rolleyes)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As OC pointed out earlier - the real reason Alma Moir is crying on a dime is because she knows that the Moirs will no longer be able to use VM as status within Skate Canada and their local community. Whatever...

      Delete
    2. I think it's all a game. The locals get to be part of the celebrity game - what passes for it in Ilderton. That's why they show up. The Moirs are actually marketing their celebrity offspring and their celebrity connections - donate money and you'll get to hang with some Moirs.

      "Support Scott and Tessa" = "Support the ISC" just as it did with the yellow sweatshirts.

      Delete
  16. A new interview with Patrice Lauzon: http://www.snowalps.com/sport/figureskating/interviste/news/patrice-lauzon-vogliamo-prendere-il-meglio-dalle-scuole-americana-ed-europea-di-danza-su-ghiaccio

    Mention of VM (I'm assuming by "American" he means "North American":
    ".. I am of course generalising now, but I would define the American skating faster, with more power, and concentrated on the elements, on their perfect execution. Tessa and Scott are an exception here, in my opinion. Whereas the European school is centred on interpretation, telling a story, portraying emotions, showing the theatrical side of ice dance..."

    Quality *would* recognize quality. I'm not surprised he singled out VM with the implication that they combine the best of both schools in ice dance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent article, thanks for sharing. These also stood out for me:

      "...we worked a lot on basic ice dance skills: skating together, having a good flow on the ice, improving ice dance holds."

      "...but we don't want them to be a team that recycles elements from one year to the other or that performs always the same elements. That's why we change their lifts every year, for example. All of them. It would make no sense to put them into a program if they don't fit the story or the mood of the dance."

      Delete
    2. Would someone please ask Patrice to have a chat with the tech panels and judges for ice dance? These two groups of people certainly seem to be using a different "play book" when marking D/W vs pretty much everyone else. I guess we should say the D/W are very GREEN cause they recycle so much.
      @ 5:30am -- yeah, quality DOES recognize quality while stupidity recognizes and rewards mediocrity.

      Delete
    3. Those comments from Patrice are just death. "Fast and with more power?" that's bullshit. VM are obviously faster and have more power.

      Anyone who pretends to "dismiss" DW by saying - the only thing they have over VM is power and speed - is actually helping DW. Furthermore, it's a lie.

      Delete
    4. OC, I think he was in general speaking of the North American style of skating vs. the European style of skating, not specifically speaking of DW. That was my interpretation anyway. My take away is like that of January 30 at 5:30: VM are the combination of both schools of skating. They have the qualities that embody both, not one or the other.

      Delete
    5. I agree, it was an awkward way to say it, but I think he was saying V/M were an exception in that they were more than that.

      Delete
    6. OC, nowhere in the article did Lauzon mention DW. The article itself did not mention DW. With all due respect, did you read the source? PL was talking about North American ice dance in general. The entire question and answer:

      Interviewer: You have talked about your teams, now let's talk about you and Marie-France: what kind of coaches do you think you are, style-wise?

      Patrice Lauzon: Well, we try to combine together the American and European styles of interpreting and portraying ice dance. I am of course generalising now, but I would define the American skating faster, with more power, and concentrated on the elements, on their perfect execution. Tessa and Scott are an exception here, in my opinion. Whereas the European school is centred on interpretation, telling a story, portraying emotions, showing the theatrical side of ice dance. Marie-France and I are trying to make a mix of all of these aspects, taking something from both schools.

      Delete
  17. How can the people in the Tessa and Scott show be the same two ice dancers who created a masterpiece like Carmen? It blows my mind, and makes me incredibly sad at that same time.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The show is nothing but B.S.

    ReplyDelete
  19. The amount of editing - holycow..you have to wonder also after the airing of the first two episodes - if the editors went back and re-edited their work for the following episodes. Anyways I have to agree with anon at 9:49 pm - this show is nothing but BS all around and to fit a storyboard. What a waste of time...if I had 6 people to invite at a dinner to talk about VM - I think it would be Patrice Lauzon / Marie-France Dubreil, Jennifer Swan, Maria Mountain, Mary Branigan and the choreographers/dance instructors that helped them on their Farrucas OD. I just get the sense that these folks are real and don't have any other agendas. And I would be interested in speaking with Ekaterina Gordeeva to get her perspective on skating right now and how she sees her relationship with Marina Zoueva. I am not implying anything - but it would be interesting to just see how Gordeeva views things now and whether she would change anything.

    ReplyDelete
  20. 7:20
    Instead of getting to hear great conversation about skating we get to hear Scott's friends say they would like a go at Tessa, and to see Scott peeing against a fence.

    This show is all kinds of trash. Besides being nothing but LIES.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon at 7:36 am - agreed. You also really have to wonder about the W network, the editors, producers, camerapeople associated with the show. If this is what Canadians want or who they think we are when they say Pure Canadian - I just cringe. No wonder none of these people work at another network like the CBC or even other specialty channels like HGTV or the Food network - they probably would even screw up editing a hockey game or a performance of the National Ballet of Canada...

      Delete
    2. 8:14--None of those specialty channels lends itself to fanfiction love triangles. Otoh, this show is pure VM. For years they've had their private laughs through their teasing and disgusting sham antics. They don't want documentaries about what's real, they want their PR to be exactly what this Network specializes in, which is moronic romantic "drama."

      Delete
    3. Scott has brought this up before - in his "Gold Medal Celebration" speech he said his "buddies" would "constantly hit on Tessa whenever I brought her out."

      In the reality show he smirked that he got nonstop texts from his "buddies" when Tessa appeared in sportsnet.

      Really? Did Ben Agosto's "buddies" text him nonstop when Tanith posed in her skivvies? Why would they?

      This is his wife. And in part it's as if he likes to show off, in public, that his "buddies" want what he has. That's disgusting.

      Delete
    4. I can understand guys in their teens hitting on girls left and right..but if you are in your mid twenties and out of school and working and still have the same attitude...well what can I say? losers...and OC I agree with the Ben Agosto / Tanith Belbin analogy...

      Delete
    5. likely has to do with this mentality: http://mag.newsweek.com/2014/01/31/olympics-soch-skating-sexuality.html

      Delete
    6. "likely has to do with this mentality: http://mag.newsweek.com/2014/01/31/olympics-soch-skating-sexuality.html"

      That would make sense if the general public thought Scott Moir is gay, *but that's not what they think.* After Vancouver, everyone thought he was in love with Tessa. Not that he was gay.

      Even if Tessa and Scott want to hide their relationship for whatever absurd reason, they can have Scott date a girlfriend and not have him act overly masculine, because there's no reason for it. No one thinks he's gay.

      Delete
  21. OC, how badly do you think this reality show is going to end?

    ReplyDelete
  22. ok. at this point, how are they going to reveal their relationship? bc it's going to have to be at some point.

    ReplyDelete
  23. More Icenetwork BS:

    http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2014/01/28/67046176/potent-canadian-olympic-team-adds-final-touches

    "Virtue and Moir have battled injuries since Vancouver." Oh, really?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. all icenetwork knows how to do is spread lies

      Delete
    2. And VM are too busy hoaxing the public to try to combat the lies icenetwork is putting out.

      Delete
    3. Icenetwork probably learned all it knows about lying from V/M.

      Delete
    4. 2:23 except v/m arent journalists so that does make sense?

      Delete
    5. Icenetwork is not even bothering to appear unbiased towards VM, they are such a farce.

      Delete
    6. Icenetwork is embarrassing, a poor excuse for journalism.

      Delete
  24. I'm sure you guys have noticed that D/W went back to a Die Flederamus lift in their SD at the GPF.

    2012
    http://youtu.be/UOo5fyLMGPE?t=2m53s
    2013
    http://youtu.be/GkLwFvvu6fE?t=4m24s

    vs

    2013-14 GPF
    http://youtu.be/yStrH3MDEuk?t=3m18s
    2014 Nats
    http://youtu.be/XFqwb8NuIqY?t=3m29s

    Anyone notice a difference?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meryl's headlock on Charlie must be one of the improvements they've made this season, I suppose it falls into the category of "charisma and everything"

      Delete
  25. So in this week's Time magazine, there's an article about the Marina/Igor break-up. I can't link to the full article, but it seems Igor was spending more time with the younger teams, final deal-breaker was when D/W expressed that they wanted to stay with Marina. Igor was fired after that.

    So not only are D/W at the heart of the most corrupt judging this soon-to-be-kicked-out-of-the-Olympics-sport, but they were also part of the break-up of one of the best coaching teams ever. Thanks, guys!

    http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2164204,00.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. do you have a hard copy of the time magazine maybe you can make scans?

      Delete
    2. That doesn't surprise me. Isn't Charlie's father on the Board of Directors at Arctic Edge?

      Delete
    3. I think Charlie's father is/was on the Board of Directors at the Detroit Skating Club...

      Delete
  26. I love how you guys want to blame for Meryl and Charlie for EVERYTHING! Of course they would want to stay with Marina; it's closer to home! But nono, let's pretend it's all a big konspiracy, so much easier this way...

    And if, VM wanted to, THEY could have left with Igor--but they chose to stay. You going to blame DW for that too? (I'm waiting to hear your argument on this..)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. iNap (or if you prefer your pseud Boozy), are you deciding to write in fluent English this time? :)

      Delete
    2. Inap: How the hell is staying with Marina closer to home? If D/W chose Igor, MARINA would've got the boot and Igor would've stayed. You understand how the situation works, don't you?

      Not a surprise the USFSA is paying Marina's legal bills.

      Delete
    3. I too read the article, and it indicated that Artic Edge's management asked Meryl and Charlie who they would prefer if the coaches split. They chose Marina, so Igor was fired. During the legal fallout between AE, Marina and Igor, D/W were deposed.

      If this was over Igor and Marina disagreeing on Igor's commitment (or lack thereof) to his current students, why would D/W be deposed? It explains how they were very mum on the split and really never said any nice parting woulds about Igor after the split.

      That's in sharp contrast to V/M's reaction to the split, they seemed genuinely surprised by it, and had only nice things to say about him. After the medal ceremony at Skate Canada 2012, he gives them both a big hug as they got off the ice, so I'm guessing there was no hard feelings there.

      Delete
    4. This is the Time magazine with the Olympic preview? I might buy it - is there any other good fs article in there? I see the international version has Lipnitskaya on the cover but we (the US) get a skier.

      Why would they depose DW, and not VM or the Shibs? And someone on FSU was posting rumors that it was the Shibs parents who got Marina kicked out - a plant?

      Delete
    5. @Anon 8:53: yup, the cover has an illustration of a ski jumper and the Olympic rings covered in barbed wire.

      Delete
    6. i always assume it was it was v/m (i assume it was related to the two carmens/ maybe igor thought the show was a bad idea considering V/M started filming it in 2012) who caused the split but no it was d/w and its so obvious now and explains marina's negligence of v/m

      Delete
    7. @Anon:9:27: your logic makes no sense; if D/W were part in parcel part of the split, why would Marina "neglect" V/M?

      And this Marina bashing nonsense has to stop. V/M are getting screwed politically while the idiots at Skate Canada do nothing, and the equally idiotic media is just regurgitating USFSA speaking points.

      Delete
    8. Here's the Time article; refer to the last page:

      http://www.flickr.com/photos/needsleep/sets/72157640379192366/

      Delete
    9. @Anon 9:57, thanks for sharing.

      If this was a dispute between Arctic Edge, Marina and Igor, why would Arctic Edge hinge their decision on D/W's choice of coach? Something doesn't add up. The skaters shouldn't have to get dragged into it and be made to make Sophie's Choice.

      Delete
    10. if d/w were decent people they would not have made a choice. instead they should of let marina and igor decide for themselves

      Delete
    11. "@Anon:9:27: your logic makes no sense; if D/W were part in parcel part of the split, why would Marina "neglect" V/M? "

      I'm not 9:27 but it makes perfect sense to me. That DW were the ones who were asked indicates that they were considered the top team at the rink, and they showed their allegiance to Marina, resulting in the ejection of Igor. As we can see, despite many teams international teams flocking to Igor, he has not quite got his feet under him yet. None of his teams made the podium in London and he only has a chance of a medal for his students in Sochi. Marina was left with the comfort of continuing on at the same rink, with the same group of coaches, the same facilities and equipment, all of the top skaters, and guaranteed gold and silver at the Olympics. She won't have to worry about rebuilding until after Sochi, and she wasn't blindsided by a firing like Igor.

      It would be totally understandable for Marina to be very grateful to Meryl and Charlie if they had any part in that. Considering they are still with Marina, I imagine they also said good things about her during the deposition, which could have hurt Igor's case and resulted in a lower settlement to Igor (which Marina may not have directly paid, anyway).

      Marina is a professional, surely it would be natural for her to devote more attention to the skaters that helped her professional career in that way, and favoring them over her other highest profile dancers.

      Delete
  27. Anon at 7:08 am - I can only speak for myself. I think the majority of VM fans here in 2010 enjoyed what both teams brought to the table. Honestly I would be fine with DW winning gold - I don't have a problem with it - if they earned it and the skating was there. As someone who has a background in athletic performance - I can tell you video doesn't lie. Once you analyze video in particular footwork, transitions, unison, power, glide etc..DW are not the best skaters out there...and definitely not the best dancers...so yes you are correct that sometimes folks get overzealous and get personal with blaming DW - where the blame should be on the judging etc...but the same can be said with DW ubers - who can get just as nasty about VM...
    I think of majority of posters here are more upset with how DW are the outliers with the lack of judging over this quad rather than VM actually losing. After these Olympics - it will be interesting to see whether ice dancing redefines itself. And if lines, unison, how close you skate to each other. types of dance holds are once again valued - we will now that the fix was in for DW...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. but they don'td deserve it because they have been performing poorly but they still get high marks. their performance has been going downhill since skate america (or is it just v/m's performance going uphilll?)

      Delete