Tuesday, September 9, 2014

AAP Optics

AAP is Sport Canada*'s Athletes Assistance Program.

Athletes Assistance Program

The link should provide answers to questions about eligibility, compliance, how the financial support is received, etc. The AAP exists to financially assist Canada's high performance athletes whose NSOs (National Sports Organizations) are AAP-eligible, and who have had a top sixteen or above finish at the previous World Championships or Olympics, or who demonstrate the potential for such placement in the next World Championships or Olympics. It is not a reward for past results. It exists to subsidize an athlete's current training and living expenses while training for upcoming international events and World championships and/or Olympics.

Athletes carded for and receiving AAP support as of August 1, 2014.


Kaitlyn Lawes is also S1, and receives $18,000.

According to how AAP administers financial assistance to its carded athletes as specified in its Policies and Procedures manual (relevant examples below), and unless Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue have renounced their eligibility since August 1, 2014, their shared household currently receives $3,000 a month ($1,500 each*) in living and training allowance money from Sport Canada's Athletes Assistance Program.




There are exceptions to the residency requirements (see document link above) that anyone at Scott and Tessa's level could easily meet.

At Skate Canada, Mike Slipchuk (Skate Canada's High Performance Director) would be responsible for compliance oversight. An NSO's AAP-related responsibilities include (but are not even close to being limited to), the following:


The carded athletes themselves must sign the AAP agreement affirming that they understand and are in compliance with AAP policies.


More policy:


This is athlete assistance for Olympic, para-Olympic, and certain qualified categories of non-Olympic sports. It's not assistance for a couple of ice dancers watching from the stands at HPC as they transition from competitive athletes to mentors/advisers.

It's not a subsidy for show skaters whose days and nights consist of golfing, going to school, shopping, hanging out at the nonexistent family farm, walking red carpets, having girls night outs, enjoying musical theater, or pretending to golf or camp with the fake girlfriend. It's a subsidy for high performance athletes in training.

I suspect there's something Scott and Tessa aren't telling us. What are the odds?

Unless the athlete is injured or pregnant, in which event, a) the athlete in question can take off four months, during which time it appears AAP considers the athlete's training status to be the NSO's purview, not AAP's (so in Scott and Tessa's case, that's Slipchuk), or b) if the athlete has to curtail a full training/competitive schedule for a longer period of time due to illness, injury or pregnancy. In the latter event, they will continue to receive their full AAP assistance as long as they set themselves up to return to full high performance training at the earliest possible date, as per these guidelines:

Scott and Tessa receive the monthly living and training allowance awarded S1/S2 carded athletes.




From what I've been able to read so far (haven't found Skate Canada's own AAP document yet), most winter sport carding cycles end after the sport's competitive season concludes (often spring to spring), for each of the nomination period's two eligible years. It would certainly be odd if Skate Canada's cycles began/ended somewhere in the middle. But, whenever the given sport's cycles run, AAP compliance must be maintained month-to-month.


If Scott and Tessa aren't sure what they're doing, they don't stay carded. They do this:

Do the math, look at the training requirements. Sochi was six months ago. If they've decided to retire, it had to have been after they told Skate Canada, and Skate Canada confirmed to the AAP, that they intended to train for and compete at the 2015 Worlds.**

It's conceivable that, some time this summer, but in any event, no earlier than June 1, 2014, they decided to retire permanently, are in their two-month transitional period allowed by AAP, and they'll be off the next list.
 
But if, after Sochi, they didn't tell Skate Canada and AAP that they were competing at Worlds 2015, they wouldn't be getting money now. The money is for current training for upcoming World Championships (and Olympics, if an Olympic year). As said above, compliance must be maintained month-to-month, not cycle to cycle, and it's not a reward for past results. Of course there are reasonable training breaks per each NSO program, but figure skating doesn't have a six month training break, or a ten month training break (as Virtue and Moir don't intend to compete in the fall through the GPF). Virtue and Moir would no longer be eligible for AAP funding if they were on a high performance training break that long. They'd have to withdraw, temporarily, or permanently.

There are allowances for injured and pregnant athletes, and Virtue and Moir have the track record to keep receiving AAP in full and be ready to compete at Worlds 2015. But one way or another, they've been preparing for Worlds, and Tessa's twitter is the biggest shitload since Scott's facebook.
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*Sport Canada is a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Sport Canada develops Federal sport policy in Canada, provides funding programs in support of sport and administers special projects related to sport. wiki/Sport_Canada

**During Olympic years, AAP eligibility is geared to Olympic results, not Worlds'.

P.S., here's the AAP carding criteria:


Paige, Rudy, Dylan and Kirsten are all National Criteria. As Kirsten gets what looks like SR1 funding despite her SR card, it appears she meets Skate Canada's criteria (in accordance with AAP guidelines) for the funding. Makes sense, she had a top five Olympic finish and is the only one raring to go with a new partner.

230 comments:

  1. I am not sure what you are getting at here, the AAP was designed to help our athletes, remember the years of moaning on how underpaid our athletes were?
    If you are suggesting they don't deserve it, then I think you are wrong. If you are suggesting they should not be paid now while not competing, I would have to agree, however unless you can show the year expired you are just speculating. You should a list of Aug 2014, on the government page there is a list as of Feb 2014. ( http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1391712243432#t787 ) There is also a declaration in the application in which the person can decline financial support or apply for it, regardless they need to be carded. Being carded does not mean getting financial support.
    You will also notice part of being carded is being available to meet NSO obligations , in fact many of the golfing events are sponsored, the reason why so many athletes do these. As far as going to wedding and camping, shopping whatever, no one expects 24/7, no athlete can go 24/7.
    I think you are an intelligent person and I do like reading your commentary, but I have to wonder do you get paid for blog hits? Not criticizing if you do, but its kind of like calling the pot calling the kettle black.

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    1. OC's point was not that VM don't deserve the funding. Her point is she thinks VM are currently training to compete.

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  2. Seriously 7:59?

    The August 1, 2014 list says "Athletes Receiving Support" not "Athletes Eligible for Support" as of August 1, 2014.

    "If you are suggesting they don't deserve it, then I think you are wrong. If you are suggesting they should not be paid now while not competing, I would have to agree, however unless you can show the year expired you are just speculating."

    I'm suggesting they are actually training and intending to compete at Worlds 2015, while in social media, they're making out like they're mentoring, golfing, camping and going to Broadway shows and hardly ever together.

    IOW, they're pretending to NOT be training when they ARE training. Pretending they haven't made up their minds, when they intend to be at Worlds 2015.

    The documents even specify that the athletes are required to participate (as athletes, not as mentors) in their NSO high performance camps.

    An athlete can't take an extended period of time away from training and still be carded for AAP. The exceptions are if the athlete is pregnant or injured, and can demonstrate that they will resume high performance training at the soonest opportunity. The other exception is if the athletes permanently retire and are awarded transition money, which is two months.

    Yes, athletes can take a vacation (the traditional May training break, or other vacations, especially under the supervision of their NSO which is monitoring their training and their preparedness for Worlds and Olympics and determines they're on track and a vacation won't impact their preparedness). And can participate in the sponsored activities you mention. But athletes receiving support are meant to be in high performance training for their upcoming World Championships (or Olympics, if it's an Olympic year). Scott and Tessa's upcoming World Championships are 2015.

    The payments are month to month, not cycle to cycle. The eligibility is cycle to cycle, and you stay eligible as long as you're compliant. Compliance is month-to-month.

    Therefore, suppose the figure skating cycle is August to August, not spring to spring. Unless Scott and Tessa continued to train throughout the spring and summer (and the Beijing tour and whatever vacation can be sanctioned by their NSO as not impacting their training, preparedness, because ... obvious) they would not be eligible to receive their monthly support from AAP. Sochi is six months ago. They can't stay eligible for AAP for six months of no training, unless it's pregnancy or injury under the circumstances and conditions described in the documents. They have to be training for the specific purpose of attending their upcoming World championships (or Olympics), not maintenance training while they figure out their future. If they were still eligible in August 2014, they have been training for Worlds 2015. You'd never know it.

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    1. Maybe Scott is pregnant (rolls eyes) .
      You can speculate all you want, after all you have done it here for 2 years on this blog, and still with all the slip ups you accuse them of, there is still no proof.
      The bottom line is its business, Tessa and Scott are high profile names, and they represent the sport in general, they have been team leaders and players and if you included every rule in you list, one only has to be nominated and while criteria is set out for eligibility with most things in life its up to the discretion of someone (or committee) to say yes or no. Do you honestly think Tessa just shows up on the red carpet, no she was invited because events want high profile people there it makes their event look more legit. It works both ways, sports get something from them, they get something from sport.
      I also notice you forgot the section which says they can apply for tuition, after all we sure know Tessa is returning to school.

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    2. You forgot to notice that the tuition is a separate subsidy from the training and assistance allowance received by carded athletes. Tessa and Scott are receiving training and assistance.

      Section 8.2:
      Eligible Athletes approved for carding by Sport Canada will receive a monthly living and training allowance according to carding status. This allowance is usually paid in advance every two months.
      Carding Status
      Monthly Allowance
      Senior Card (SR1, SR2, SR)
      $1,500
      First Year Senior Card (C1)
      $900
      Development Card (D)
      $900

      According to the recipient list current as of August 1, 2014, Scott and Tessa are receiving Living and Assistance, carded at SR1 and 18K each per cycle ($1,500/month).

      Tuition is an entirely different type of subsidy - separate from Living and Assistance, and

      "The maximum amount payable is $5,000 per carding cycle up to a lifetime maximum of $25,000."

      Tessa is receiving 18K under living and assistance. Even if you can't comprehend that tuition is a different, separate subsidy than Living and Assistance, surely you can comprehend the difference between $5,000 and the $18,000 Tessa and Scott are each receiving for this cycle.

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    3. No, it is not up to the "discretion" of a "committee" to say yes and no. The rules require that each athlete receiving assistance fulfill the high performance training commitments and be preparing for high performance competition, exceptions being injury, illness or pregnancy OR they've retired permanently and are getting two months transition. Every other circumstance, including the one Scott and Tessa imply they are in at the moment, requires withdrawal.

      You can make up additional policies, but they don't exist.

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    4. yes anyone can make up policies , beliefs, thoughts, but they don't always exist either...

      The fact is you are asking the readers to believe one thing while offering no proof, taking half of the information making it truth when you admit yourself you cannot find Skate Canada policy. That is unless you have proof in this case that you also cannot share...again.
      Do you have the patent on Jessica Dube's name?

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    5. In the case of Scott and Tessa's subsidy, look at their subsidy, then look at the criteria for receiving the subsidy. That's not made up, that's public domain. If Scott and Tessa's situation is as they (and Skate Canada, on its webpage HPB article) present it, they are not entitled to, and have no right to, the money they are currently taking from the government. That money is for athletes in high performance training for the current competitive cycle. The exception is if the athlete is pregnant, is ill, or injured, and has agreed to resume high performance training as soon as possible.

      Scott and Tessa, and Skate Canada, would have us believe the two of them are on hiatus from training and competing. However, they have not withdrawn from AAP, as they're supposed to do. So either they're in violation of AAP policy and noncompliant with the commitments required to receive the 36k they've been awarded for this cycle, OR they are lying to us about their plans, mindset and status. They can't be telling the truth AND entitled to any of that money.

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    6. I said I could not find Skate Canada's CYCLE calendar. The cycle calendar doesn't impact the AAP criteria. Nor can Skate Canada's policies be in conflict with AAP's policies. AAP's policies govern the NSO policies or the NSO is ineligible. The NSO can't say, we have decided that athletes on hiatus are eligible for this money, and so we will nominate them. That would make the NSO in violation of AAP policies.

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    7. ^HPC article.

      The bottom line is Scott and Tessa receive 18K each in Federal Funding for 2014-2015 this year for WHAT?

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    8. Skate Canada's article presented Scott and Tessa's situation to us as being much the same as Patrick Chan's. But Patrick Chan isn't receiving any AAP money this season. Why are Scott and Tessa receiving it? How are they compliant?

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    9. Well then you better send a letter demanding that the AAP, and all associated explain, better yet why not send a letter to the Ministry asking why your tax dollars are being used this way.
      They are part of the National Team and also according to what you have written normally athletes that train outside Canada are not eligible, yet they trained in the US and were, so obviously there are exceptions to some of the rules. You are not presenting the full facts on this matter, you are selling half a story. When you have the full facts I will listen, but good luck on that because we all know how secretive Skate Canada can be..

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  3. hmm makes me wonder if scott's the one injured this time. he has had his share of injuries as well. maybe thats why he has been MIA lately

    i dont know if this makes sense but maybe they've been so silent over whether they're competing or not is because they don't want the results to be rigged in advanced again? if one of them is injured and they're planning on coming back, maybe the reason they've been so silent is because they don't want the narrative that they cant fully train to hurt them again?

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    1. I'm thinking one of them is pregnant, not one of them is injured. One of them certainly looks exactly as she did the last time she was pregnant.

      If the results are rigged in advance, it doesn't matter how VM play it. It didn't matter last time. Last time it was decided DW were going to get gold in Sochi and then they made up stories to go with it. Stories don't produce decisions - decisions produce stories, and the stories are total crap (look at the stuff said about Carmen versus Notre Dame).

      It was actually kind of funny, in a gross way, that by the time we got to the 2014 Olympic season it was like the DW side had shot their wad trying to put down Carmen vis a vis Notre Dame. I can hardly remember a damn thing said about the next season's Olympic programs once the season got under way. It was all sort of "Davis White are better people and it's their turn." What did anyone say about their skating? That program stunk and the Olympic skate was a slog. Even Davis White fans knew Virtue Moir blew them out of the water in the GPF and in Sochi. They just pretended it was unfair and DW should get the gold anyway.

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    2. If they plan on competing at nationals, they need an excuse to explain their lack of preparedness (instead of the actual reason - pregnancy). I feel I've been watching VM's games long enough to know when they're up to something and I agree with OC that they've most likely been training.

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    3. They HAVE to have been training*, however it is worked out among Virtue Moir, Skate Canada, and AAP so as to assure compliance.

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    4. They don't need to compete at Canadians to be compliant.

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    5. Unless we're referring to pregnancy as "being injured" now, then no. Don't think injury is an issue, lol.

      I wonder if a compliance issue was in play during the 2010-2011 season and had anything to do with why V/M came back so quickly after sitting out for the first pregnancy. I've always wondered what Scott's "they think we're faking it" comment was all about it. Of course, he also knew he was on camera when he said it and everybody knows he never takes that sort of thing into account when he makes comments...

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    6. They're like children. They always tell us when they're lying. Scott's remarks are typically them. If you want people to believe it, stop being so quick triggered and defensive.

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    7. And overcompensating.

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    8. I don't think the 4CCs was necessary to assure compliance. When I read the AAP document, it's all about Sport Canada's support for World Championship level and Olympic competition. Everything else seems to go to preparedness.

      Due to commitment requirements for carded athletes, it's not possible for Scott and Tessa to tell AAP, after Sochi, that they're skipping the entire 2014-2015 international season, but WILL compete in 2015-2016, and continue to receive assistance. Yet there they are on AAP's recipient list as of August 2014.

      If they didn't tell AAP they were training for Worlds 2015, their presence on the recipient list would mean that AAP had agreed to provide over eighteen months of AAP support without VM competing (nor, for all we know from Tessa's September 2014 twitter - training), in a sport that has annual, not biannual, World Championships. They'd have to withdraw and then reapply when back in training with a definite competition commitment for the upcoming season.

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    9. It's like whenever we want to know what's going on with them, just check with them:

      "Back in training after a month of wine and pastries!"

      Takeaway: Got it. Pregnant.

      "Look at my packed social calendar - friends, family, golf, school. In the stands at HPC, a little weird. Now, back to theatre, school, friends and fun!"

      Takeaway: What was the HPC feedback for your programs?

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    10. I definitely think you're on to something here... the information that you've found basically leave only two possibilities.
      Pregnant or not, they're still intending on competing next year. I happen to believe she is indepent of this. Also, if she isn't, I don't understand the point in taking "time off" and pretending like they're not training/competing, while they still plan on it. Especially given this is what was done last time, even if under the excuse of surgery alone. I know they do some (mostly) stupid PR moves, but that makes no sense. I also agree that the whole HPC thing was set up. I don't know much they skated there this year, but between her nostalgic, definitely not skating tweet, and the article that specified Scott was there sans Tessa AND skates, raise the suspicion more than squelch.
      Or, they're in the 2 month transition period.

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    11. Well, the point is, if, as I think is just about certain, she's pregnant, but obviously pretending she's not (for public consumption) the public would expect to see/hear reports on their programs at HPC, see photos maybe, hear at the least about the music, and wonder why they're sitting out the first half of the season if they intend to compete at Worlds and are preparing to do so. What would be the reason? Last time she was pregnant, they had surgery as the reason. It was all - we'd be there - hate to miss the Grand Prix, hate to miss Canadians, but we guarantee we'll be there for Worlds!

      This time it's what - oh we want to go to Worlds, but we figure we'll skip the Grand Prix and Canadians. I'm not sure they can do that and still get funding (absent pregnancy/injury). Not if the reason they pretend to have is "Oh, we don't want to get back to the grind until later".

      They don't have a good reason to let us know they're training and planning to compete at worlds, but not competing the rest of 2014. Actually they do have a great reason - she's pregnant. But if we're not supposed to know that, they don't. Better to pretend they haven't made up their minds and then act like being at HPC or whatever inspired them to get back to it.

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    12. ^And there you'd have another set of people who'd know about Tessa's pregnancies. The good folks at AAP, including clerical staff.

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  4. And who's their elite skating coach? Aunt Carol?

    They need to move to another town to make it serious

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    1. @10:27... just because we haven't seen them working with others doesn't mean they're not. Yes, they've been around long enough, and are good enough that they can be more self-sufficient, but they also have pretty much all the resources in the skating world available to them if they so choose. They've been all over the place this summer, so they could very well have been tapping into elite coaches and friends here and there. Also, and most likely, they could certainly have people coming to them.
      Between her presence on social media, alerting us of all the crazy, amazing things she's doing to keep busy 24/7... and his virtual silence that were supposed to take as always being with KL, they couldn't possibly be training, especially not together!
      It's all about perception with them. Always has been. Even knowing that they're together and lying about half the stuff they do, it still *feels* like skating/training is far from their radar and they are both (separately) keeping super busy everyday. Previous history and pattern shows otherwise. You have to really break it down and look at what they're saying and actually doing, and how much time they're not. That's the important part.
      They've built a nice little sham here with KL this time. Scott pops up here and there with her (or actually, not really *with* her, just happens to be at the same event), thus establishing the pattern of him traveling and following her schedule everywhere like he has nothing better to do. Therefore, when she throws out a trip or series of events and subsequently is absent from social media (or just silently disappears for 5 days around his birthday), the presumption is they're off together. Since he's MIA too, he must be off the grid with her, since almost every other time we "see" him, he's with her. Anything to get away from that needy, annoying partner of his, right?
      In reality, I suspect his mia-ness has to do with some project he's working on, we don't know about/can't see, skating, and probably taking care of his daughter when Tessa really is at some of these events.
      I also think their "we"/people think of them as one entity is working out nicely for them this summer in terms of overall perception. She's all out there, traveling and keeping busy, but if you look at it on paper there's hardly been a peep from him. Other than SK, I believe there have been 2 pictures of him since his little caddying experience, and just about the same number of "sightings". However since people think of them together and she's everywhere, it's not as glaringly obvious he's been completely flying under the radar.

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    2. "They've been all over the place this summer, so they could very well have been tapping into elite coaches and friends here and there. Also, and most likely, they could certainly have people coming to them. "

      That's what they'd like us to think but in reality, except for the trip to Saskatchewan, their events have all been around Toronto/London. My guess is that they've been training in Detroit and driving down to the various events when needed. They did it in 2010 and could easily do it again this time.

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    3. They could be in Canton every week for all we know.

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    4. They've also (on the record) been in AB, Montreal, Quebec and Detroit. Plus, wherever the (? week) lake vacay was... Then there's the potential of stuff/places we don't even know about. For instance, during her month-long stint in Europe with Ryan. I do think they took a week or two together/family, but not the entire time.
      Not to mention, and perhaps most importantly, they did a 2 week tour (with only 4 actual shows) with Shae (and other elite skaters), where programs could very easily have been developed, as well.

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    5. You think they've been hopping from coach to coach? They had lots of events in 2010 as wellI and as far as I know they didn't consult with a bunch of other coaches. Also Shae as choreographer doesn't sound like a good fit to me but I guess it's possible, especially if they're training at the DSC.

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    6. Tessa and Scott both seemed to be all over the place in 2009. Tessa in NYC, Tessa in France and in Monaco, Tessa in Toronto for Much Music, Tessa at a concert with Fedor, and I'll have to go back and look at what Scott purported to be doing. Lo and behold, they were ready for Vancouver.

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    7. Yes, they probably skate once a week at the Moir's rink but that's it.
      They didn't have time to travel to Detroit every week, too many appearances elsewhere and elite coaches didn't have time to travel to London area every week as they have others to coach.

      Also hopping from coach to coach doesn't seem to be likely, its not how's it operated in skating as an amateur sport. Maybe it fits for pro's and preparing for shows

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    8. 9:31 AM you are ignoring timelines and where they actually are. Of course they have time to be really training.

      Skating isn't an amateur sport. It's an eligible sport.

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    9. I don't think they've been hoping from coach to coach per say, just that they've had the opportunity to have input from a variety of sources if they wanted. They may have used all our none of those locations to enlist opinions or constructive input on programs developed earlier in the year. Doesn't matter if Shae is a good fit or if one likes her or not, she's still a legitimately used choreographer that has competed in ice dance at the World and Olympic level, whom they had at their disposal for a large chunck of time.
      Yes, they are perfectly capable of taking large amounts of time off and still being ready. They *are that* good. But I don't think they have. Not before Aug 1 at least. That's more than 4 months (the allotted off time) from Sochi. What they're doing now, I don't know. But if they were training at the beginning of the summer and lying about it, I'm not sure why they would stop now, or changed from lying to not.
      Remember, they like to put stuff out there that implies certain things (they're this and that and everywhere, but definitely not skating or even barely seeing each other, and attending HPC on different days, watching in the stands, without skates, etc.), but then come back and say, who said we weren't training our butts off, while pregnant, to get ready for competing as soon as she can come back? Who says I ignored his birthday? Who says he/she is my bf/gf? Not me! You all just assumed.

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    10. "Yes, they are perfectly capable of taking large amounts of time off and still being ready. They *are that* good. But I don't think they have. Not before Aug 1 at least. That's more than 4 months (the allotted off time) from Sochi. What they're doing now, I don't know. But if they were training at the beginning of the summer and lying about it, I'm not sure why they would stop now, or changed from lying to not.
      Remember, they like to put stuff out there that implies certain things (they're this and that and everywhere, but definitely not skating or even barely seeing each other, and attending HPC on different days, watching in the stands, without skates, etc.), but then come back and say, who said we weren't training our butts off, while pregnant, to get ready for competing as soon as she can come back? Who says I ignored his birthday? Who says he/she is my bf/gf? Not me! You all just assumed."

      That's them. And I agree.

      Because they're carded for AAP, they can't take large amounts of time off. High performance training for figure skating follows a certain schedule/protocol. As long as Virtue and Moir are observing that, they can remain eligible. Spring is when figure skaters usually vacation a bit, gear down, recharge, set themselves up to begin proper training and develop their competitive programs. June through now is when those programs are being put together with some intensity.

      When they were doing Funny Face, they said they had taught themselves to train smart. They described three day weekends. If they were telling the truth and that's how it still is, it's fine, it's compliant, as long as there's oversight and they're developing/training for optimum performance at Worlds.

      The spring schedule isn't time off per se, it's built into the figure skating training year as the gear down, recovery, recharge, setting up for the new season period. Skaters do shows, go on vacation, and AAP allows them to make sponsor appearances, promotions, etc. All in compliance.

      The main thing they can't do is take AAP money while being undecided about competing again. If they're taking AAP money in August 2014, then they and Slipchuk told AAP they're competing at Worlds 2015 and will be ready to deliver, no pun intended.

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    11. 10:27 - AAP requires they make it serious, so we can be sure they're complying. The training isn't whatever they feel like doing. The training has to have oversight and comply with the training program Skate Canada provided AAP in order to be an eligible NSO. There are all kinds of markers/requirements for high performance training for elite athletes, and they don't include skating once a week at the ISC under the supervision of Aunt Carol.

      Scott and Tessa are carded, so that's not what they're doing. They can't do that. They have to be in compliance. She's pregnant, one of them is injured, or they're training their asses off just as in previous late summers/autumns and simply not telling us.

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  5. Everything about V/M's social media presence & messages being given out through the media indicate they're working overtime to convince the public that the opposite of what they're really doing is true. So they're hitting people over the head with "sightings" indicating they're always in separate places, have separate significant others, Tessa's slow and consistent pregnancy-like weight gain is due to eating pastries and drinking wine, and they are NOT competing. They repeat, NOT COMPETING WHATSOEVER IT'S SO WEIRD TO NOT BE COMPETING DID WE MENTION WE'RE NOT COMPETING?!?




    ...




    NOT COMPETING!

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    1. They best be competing - AAP doesn't give money for nothing.

      There's also the policy about retroactive eligibility. I'll have to review that part, but what it looks like is an athlete's NSO can nominate them after the current cycle has started, and if they meet the criteria their status is retroactive to the start of the cycle.

      But whatever the logistics, Scott and Tessa haven't competed since Sochi and are on the current AAP recipient list. For them to be on the current list, they have to have committed to Worlds 2015 at some point, even if they decided to retire permanently five minutes later and are in the transition period now.

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    2. Let's contrast Davis White, who were on the USFSA Team Envelope last season (Envelope A), and aren't on it this season (The A envelope ice dancers are the Shibs, Hubbell & Donohue, and Chock & Bates).

      I don't think the loss of Envelope money will keep either the Davis or White family up at night should they decide to make a comeback for Worlds 2015. They can always have more $899/per couple Meryl and Charlie Experiences at the Ritz to make up the difference. I still don't know what that's for. I feel as if it's obvious and just one of those can't see it right under your nose situations.

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    3. Anon at 10:35 am - your last line is killer, lmao...thanks!

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    4. Interesting - people called out Ashley Wagner on twitter and she addressed it? A gazillion fans didn't throw themselves between the question and Ashley? #hatersgonnahate.

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    5. Thanks 10:25 - after googling Exclusive Member Events I see it's part of that membership rewards program providing "exclusive invitations to extraordinary events" and "once in a lifetime access."

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  6. Tessa and Ryan looked so awkward at the the 2nd day at TIFF event, don't know if they get nervous about the camera on their faces or they can't barely stand each other, seriously their smiles and their faces... it made me laugh a little, Tessa must be a great actress if she can pose all lovey-dovey with a man who's not her hubby and has a discusting obsession with asses #ew #howdareyouTess?

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    1. She looks crazy in that picture ! Maybe she is trying so hard to look happy and in love with Ryan that the result is the opposite...
      I was so excited for Tessa and Scott on twitter...But now she seems just an ordinary silly girl who act like she is 15 and not 25. Look at my shoes! Yes I have a sexy (bleah) bf ! Wow my streaptease on the airplane !!! First day of school...My butt !!! It's a little bit sad for an athlete of her level...

      Delete
    2. I agree 11:57. It is sad for an athlete of her level. She's not an idiot, so I conclude that since she's not allowing herself to share anything about her real life, she's left with silly portrayals of the *fun* single fashionista leading a privileged, country-club life. It's all quite pathetic.

      And could she please stop with the "inspiring quotes". As if all our twitter, facebook, pinterest and other sites weren't already overflowing with that stuff. They're coming out of our ears as it is. If I need an inspirational quote I know where to find one, thank you very much.

      Delete
    3. She has transformed herself into the perfect girlfriend for Mr. Semple aka #vaginasailor #hotgirlssss #damnshesquats etc...

      Delete
    4. Seriously, how can anyone look at the photos of Tessa and Ryan, then look at photos of Tessa and Scott and actually believe that she’s with that Neanderthal? And yes, I know, we’re not supposed to buy it, they just do it for the hell of it, but there are people out there who do actually believe this shit they’re being shovelled. They come on here and rant about psych wards and meds and sexless, fat, single, over 30s and yet – they have two eyes in their heads and they can’t see what a load of crap this is with Semple?

      Delete
    5. Yeah, That picture was pretty hysterical. Talk about awkward... At least they tried on the red carpet, and in the (what? 4-5) pictures they had to touch each other, they were smiling and looked somewhat natural... But that one? She's got the deer in the headlights look. He's only one muscle twitch off of a scowl. Talk about the smile not reaching your eyes.
      Wonder if he was cautioned on where to touch her after the previous night... I mean, I always have my significant other barely hold my arm awkwardly, as I stay stiff as a board and smile crazily...

      ITA with the above posters taking about her Twitter. It's WAY under her intelligence and ability. But it's exactly what they want out there for her. Look at the interviews and bios. This is who she's supposed to be. I'm not saying every single thing is a lie, or not something she's genuinely excited about... But I am saying nothing is put on there without an overall agenda, or known perception. She's completely selling herself short, just like is done with him. Heaven forbid they really show us some truth about their everyday lives and personalities, then of course everyone will know they're married and parents... actually that quote from yesterday might be one of the truest things she's posted, lol.

      Delete
    6. I don't know when Tessa developed the crazy woman smile, but for me, I noticed it first in the reality show. I don't remember it always accompanying her lying.

      Delete
  7. Anon at 4:39 am - good points about the perception. It was interesting that she had time to tweet about a fashion statement about a glove in a pocket at the golf tournament benefitting Right to Play - but guess who else was at this golf tournament. Marnie McBean. A mentor and someone who Canadian Olympic athletes look up to. Perhaps having a picture with her wasn't the right demographic...and yes I am being harsh...but you know that if Kaitlyn Weaver was at the same event with Marnie McBean - she would have a picture up...just saying...kind of like Mike Babcock's golf tournament..no picture...

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    1. Don't forget it was really a picture if her ass, under the guise of a glove.

      But, yes, instead of a picture with long-time friend and respected mentor Marnie, or taking time to give major props to a well-known and legitimate charity (why she was really there), we get a picture if her butt. Classy.

      I know it's your own fault, but you're better than that. Use your talents and influence to accentuate the positive, important things, not promote your fake agendas and sham.

      Delete
    2. Maybe Tessa should have tweeted about the "Right to play" program...that's what celebrities are invited for, surely not for their cute outfit...but lately she seems so narcissistic and full of herself

      Delete
    3. the only stuff she tweets about is stuff she doesn't give a shit about, or outright set-ups. Notice she launched her twitter with Scott. Baited the hook. Hasn't mentioned him since.

      Delete
    4. Tessa did give lip service to Mike Babcock's charity, but otherwise she treats everything she does as superficial or social. There's nothing real. It comes off as snobbery, actually, that anything that matters to her, even as non-personal as a charity, is off-bounds to fans even on a public twitter, which is ridiculous.

      Delete
    5. Guess it's better for people to think you're a rich, shallow, ditzy, socialite, who doesn't give a crap about your chosen sport, getting out of shape with overindulgence, with a disgusting scumbag boyfriend, rather than a smart, loving and devoted wife and mother, who can balance family, school, business opportunities, and still be the best in the world in said sport, staying in incredible shape while pregnant.

      Delete
    6. 9:32 AM - it comes across as a status thing. We lack the status to get any part of the real them, not even a genuine thank you for a public happy birthday on public twitter accounts they set up themselves. The people who matter know the real, awesome Scott and Tessa. We're in steerage class. They know the nonsense they "share" with us isn't the real them. It's crap. We're skating fans, it's on purpose. We don't deserve better.

      Delete
  8. Anon at 7:32 am it does appear that way...instead of having a film crew, it appears that Semple is the cameraman...wonder what her besties originally from London think...

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    1. Social media is their trash dump. If they're sharing on social media, it means it's crap with no value. Anything remotely genuine stays off, which is ridiculous. Genuine isn't "personal". They don't seem to get the distinction.

      Delete
    2. I agree whatever they share on social media is crap. But one thing that has surprised me, and it shouldn't have, is Tessa's thirst/love of attention. It's all about *Look at meee!!*

      An example is her tweet to Joannie about the skydiving. It's not about Joannie. It's about Tessa....Look how Joannie appreciates me; look how sick I was thinking about Joannie skydiving. Where is Tessa's former charming kindness and focus on others? A response tweet to Joannie should have only been congratulatory, leaving Tessa herself out of it. Her new twitter toy is not showing her in a good light.

      Although she shares crap, I fear this Tessa is real. As much of an attention whore as Scott's fake girlfriends. Self-involved, focused on herself. It's so disappointing.

      Delete
    3. @9:08 I felt the same about that response tweet to Joannie and was thinking I would probably be the only one. I actually cringed when I saw it. Also wondering if Joannie gave her ok for their chats to be posted on twitter. Tessa is becoming unlikeable to me all of a sudden.

      Delete
    4. All of a sudden?

      Tessa's been unlikeable for the past four years.

      Delete
    5. @9.08 @9.28 glad I'm not the only one !!!
      Even her cute cover pic is now annoying me...it seems that it's just there for keep the attention on the new Tessa Virtue...a society shadow of the gorgeous athlete

      Delete
    6. I agree she's completely annoying on Twitter, but I still maintain the person were seeing on there is the persona were supposed to believe she is. I'm sure to her family and friends, she's lovely and probably closer to the person we initially perceived her to be... Now, this doesn't mean she's really the opposite prefect little angel goddess... far from it. For the simple fact being that she's playing this game of making people think this is who she really is, amongst other "games". If she didn't have anything wrong with her, she wouldn't be pulling this crap. So while I think she's all kinds of messed up in her little game, I don't think for a moment she's this person being shoved down our throats. In fact, that makes me believe even more she's not. You know when you were a kid and played opposite day? I feel like that's how I "play" with them the majority of the time... At least, that's my first instinct.

      Delete
    7. I agree that it's a fake persona on twitter, and suffers from the same handicap as the facebooks and social media output of Scott's girlfriends.

      There WAS no relationship between Scott and his girlfriends, no shared experiences, no shared activities or lives. Therefore they could only repeat variations of I love him, because he's my boyfriend, and he's the best boyfriend. He's here! I'm happy! He's gone! I'm sad.

      Kaitlyn's twitter is obviously 100% for promotional purposes and that's what it looks like. Out goes any individuality and personality, in comes, to quote Garry Marshall in "Soapdish", "Peppy and cheap."

      Tessa's the same. It's all inane sound bites.

      Delete
    8. Tessa's not actually sharing anything, not even anything apart from Scott or her daughter (or her skating). She seems to want everything on her twitter to be fake.

      Delete
  9. I love the idea that they're still training, and I agree that saying they're not while they are is very them, but there's enough there to still make me wary. Basically this proves that at some point, they communicated to Slipchuk, SC, and AAP that they would train and prepare for Worlds 2015.

    As OC pointed out, they could have retired 5 minutes later and are now within the two month grace period. Or they could be within the four month "preparing for Worlds, but pregnant and therefore exempt from serious training" (and it sounds like it could go longer if Slipchuk approves and says they're still on track for Worlds) right now, and then they could retire 5 minutes after the baby is born and get their two months grace period.

    Or they could have never intended to go to Worlds, signed up anyway, and then they can "have a change of heart," and voluntarily withdraw, as per the last screencap. Since the withdrawal wouldn't be timely, they would have to return the money. Maybe it's been sitting in their accounts untouched because they know they're returning it.

    In other words, this could be their most elaborate troll yet. They're liars and hoaxers of the first degree. Maybe they got more sophisticated with it, so now it's "let's make it look like we're not training, but put our names on the national team and get carded by AAP, so people will think we are just misdirecting and hiding that we're secretly training, but we really won't be!"

    I always liked to think that when it comes to the skating and their career they're a little more honest and they wouldn't pull stunts to get the fans' hopes up and then deflate, but I really have no respect for them anymore.

    Nothing would surprise me.

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    Replies
    1. Anon at 10:49 am - you bring up some good points and several plausible scenarios. It would have been easier to just say - let's take the year off a la DW and Chan and take it from there. I am hoping that they do stick around for a bit longer - because they are both in their prime..but if not - I am okay with it too.

      Delete
    2. When have their little games ever been sophisticated? They're easy to read and always have been.

      They've set up two presentations in late October/mid-November and will most likely show up at nationals, prompting fans to say she couldn't possibly have been pregnant. They need to skate to "prove" she wasn't pregnant and I'll be very surprised if they don't.

      Delete
    3. Their games have been twisted into themselves - maybe that's their version of sophisticated. For example, I think "then I'd have a beautiful daughter" was an attempt at being sophisticated that shot Scott in the face.

      They don't have to prove anything. The only place that articulates the belief that she's pregnant is here. Even at the 4CCs 2011, I don't think they skated to prove she wasn't pregnant (even the blog hadn't come out and said it at the time). I think they skated to get short dance feedback vis a vis DW, because it was a brand new phase they'd never competed before.

      This pregnancy stuff and "I'm not pregnant!" is gamesmanship with them, it's how they toy with fans and, I suppose, "prove" how fascinated everybody is with their relationship. But it doesn't impact their skating.

      Delete
  10. If VM come back at worlds and stay in for another season or more, do you think DW will do the same ? I always had the feeling they were done with skating but if VM keep competing they might want to rub it in some more just for the sake of it.

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  11. Looking at the list of skaters receiving funding, three of them currently don't have partners and therefore can't compete at all (Asher Hill, Paige Lawrence and Ruidi Swiegers). How does this happen? I'm confused.

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    1. Paige, Rudy and Dylan Moscovitch are all receiving 6K, not the18k Scott and Tessa receive. Asher has a D card (Development class), and receives 3.6K. Kirsten Moore Towers gets 18K even though, like Dylan, Paige and Rudy, she is SR class (Senior National) and not, like Scott and Tessa, SR1 (Senior International).

      The difference in class between these skaters and Scott and Tessa appears based at least in part on the changed partner situation, with Kirsten's currently viewed as having the most potential, even though, absent a Worlds placement with her current partner, her class has been downgraded but her money is the same. That suggests NSO nominated her as having international potential per AAP's guidelines. The others are up in the air but placed high enough with their previous partners to receive some support while their partner situation shakes down.

      According to the 2010 document I found, figure skating's carding cycle starts on July 1 and runs through June 30. If that's still true in 2014, a new cycle (year long) started July 1, 2014.

      I'd be curious to find out if Vanessa Crone was an AAP recipient for any period of time after Paul dumped her as a partner, and, if so, at what point the plug was pulled, and by whom (the skater or AAP).

      Delete
    2. I'm going to add a screen cap showing AAP's explanation of senior international, senior national and development card criteria.

      Delete
  12. There's a new Twitter account called @vmsuck . It looks a lot like one of the Scottmoirfuckedmyfriend Tumblr accounts ( Tessa is a whore, Scott got arrested again last night and now he's apparently into sheep as well ), just this time they're actually directing their tweets at Tessa and Scott for them to see.

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    Replies
    1. i didnt know kaitlyn lawes was a sheep

      Delete
  13. LOL
    Flashback breakfast #couldntresist #airportcuisine #toucansam

    I see what you did there. So subtle and clever! Airport again.

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    Replies
    1. Of course. Immediate response to the speculation on this blog.

      Delete
  14. The difference between VT and VM is that Euros will be in January and Worlds not until March for the former. For VM, 4CC is being held at the same time and the ISU does have restrictions on appearing in shows when competitive events are also being held.

    I've been thinking too that VM were coming back, but with this development, I don't see how that would be possible thanks to Art on Ice being held at the same time as a competitive event.

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  15. You don't think they could withdraw when they "change their minds" about competing?

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  16. 6:33 a.m., exactly. Why are we paying attention to what they say they're doing?

    If memory serves, Scott Moir bitched a lot in 2009 when he had to go to the 2009 WTT. He let it be known that it was last minute (not true, the skaters all knew about it long before). I think what he really meant was they found out the ISU actually took WTT seriously and actually seriously would not let them do Yuna's shows the next week if Virtue Moir skipped WTT.

    This part from Wikipedia on the 4CCs:

    "Skaters must belong to a non-European member nation of the ISU. Each member country may enter three skaters or teams in each discipline. National governing bodies select their entries according to their own criteria."

    Seems to give VM and SC an out. If memory serves, WTT wants the top skaters, so the top skaters can't do a show in that time frame if they skip WTT. If the Feds select 4CC entrants according to their own criteria, it does seem as if Scott and Tessa are free.

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  17. Do you really think they would do a show in Europe a month before worlds? That's asking for the judges to mark them down, not to mention they'd need every possible minute of training to be truly ready. I'm 6:33 and what I meant was that they could withdraw from the show once they announced they'd decided to start training to compete. I realise I said the opposite of that but it was a mistake.

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  18. If I had to guess Tessa and Ryan will continue their wedding circuit this weekend with another skier's wedding in BC - Manny Osborne Paradis. Shall be fun...

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  19. Flying cross-country while supposed pregnant is an awful lot of work just for some sham, no? Anyone in Invermere? Keep an eye out for Ms Virtue and her sweetie.

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  20. For some sham with no pics. This theory is ridiculous

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  21. I don't think that if VM were going to be competing at worlds after over a year out of competition that they would be doing a show instead of 4CC. They would be training because they would need every single minute to be ready. Yes, VT are doing the show, but VT will be at it on the GP circuit this fall. They'll presumably also have the GPF, Russian Nationals, and Euros too. They'll have the competitive and training miles on their programs by February. Tatiana isn't also pregnant and won't be coming back from giving birth at that time.

    I'm not sure that SC and VM have an out on doing a show instead of 4CC. If my memory isn't failing me, a big part of the reason there are the windows, etc. around shows and competitions is that there was a season that Kwan bailed on the GP, saying she was going to school, and then skated in shows. The ISU cracked down after that. Remember how much trouble Plushenko got into with the ISU in 2010 when he skipped worlds? Naming someone else to the world team wasn't enough to keep him out of hot water.

    I'm not sure how or why VM ended up on that funding list, but I think it's pretty clear there's no way they're competing this season. As narrative and politics trump the skating these days, taking a full year off means the sport will move on without VM. Especially if WP have an undefeated season, which is entirely possible with the current field, VM will be considered replaced. No one looks at the skating or circumstances. The mass media and most fans only look at the titles and medals won, and an undefeated season and GPF win will have people saying that WP have exceeded what VM did in their senior career.

    I also say this as someone who detests GP's skating and know that none of WP, PI, or GP are anywhere close to VM's ability, but, yes, I do think it would even be unfair to GP, if they're third at nationals with WP and PI ahead in 1st and 2nd, for VM to skip the entire season, do a show in lieu of 4CC, and then take the spot at worlds.

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  22. why would anyone say w/p have surpassed v/m when they couldnt even beat v/m while v/m were competing?

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  23. Based solely on narrative of an undefeated season and winning the one title VM were never allowed to win, the GPF. A lot of dumb stuff gets said by the mass media and clueless skating fans that's based solely on a teams medal count without taking anything else into consideration.

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  24. who says they were going to have an undefeated season?

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  25. Maybe they were planning on competing next year, and have since decided (recently, so they're still in the 2 month transition), to go ahead and take the rest of the year to spend time with family, do some shows, chill out a bit, and then re-evaluate for next year. While I agree that it definitely world be like them to "all the sudden" decide to compete the latter half of the season, I could also see them deciding it wasn't worth it for one competition, knowing they'll be back next year. They may have decided they're enjoying having this time with family and regret not being able to be with their daughter as much after she was born... Or just know it's gonna be harder this time around with another kid at home and readjusting. That way it gives their friends chance at some medals too.

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  26. 9:39, with the current field and who has political backing and how doesn't, WP could easily, maybe even rightfully, have an undefeated season.

    9:41, VM are going to lose a lot of narrative ground that they'll never make up. Skating has no bearing on the narrative and the narrative trumps skating. It would be futile for them to return to competition because they'd never win anything, no matter how well they skated.

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  27. i hope they come back for 2015 words so they can beat dw at their home worlds. now that dw got their medal, usfsa will probably dump them and focus more on GG.

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  28. 9:12/9:15, just because she may attend a wedding of a skier (if that's indeed where she's going or even going anywhere), doesn't mean she (and Scott) wasn't independently invited to the wedding(s). Most of their shams are stuff they're already doing of their own accord, and they use as opportunities for "sightings" or pictures. If there aren't pictures together doesn't make it more legit... Yes, that's how Scott's generally operate, but she (and/or because of Scott's input, lol) usually limits her "photo ops". I don't know if the KL kissy-face stuff they're holding, or if she's agreed to help out on other conditions than the past gf's. Or of it has to do with their daughter getting older.
    Sightings also do not always = reality.

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  29. Yeah this pretty much puts the nail in the coffin. This is not Tessa just tweeting about AOI. It's up on AOI's facebook page. Presumably contracts have been signed, or at least representations made. If VM start messing around with "oops, we changed our minds, now we're going to compete" and breaking contracts/promises that's going to effect their career. They are already pretty much going to be blacklisted from any US shows thanks to DW, Canada basically only has CSOI, so it would be dumb to piss off the organization of one of the bigger European tours for absolutely no reason. VM are big kids, they had enough time by now to decide, and they'll look like flakes if they back out of the tour last minute because they decided to compete.

    I also can't see how they would do the tour in lieu of 4CC... with Nationals being close to the birth, that would make Worlds their only competition of the season. I don't see that happening. This year there are new rules and elements (creative steps, choreographic spin), and they can't show up never having competed them. They'd be marked down a la Finlandia 2013. You just know they'd get the "strict panel" knocking down their "untested elements."

    For me it sucks. Even if they're coming back in 2015, which, eh. I wanted them so skate this year, these dances. 2015 SD is another waltz. We've seen that so many times from them, always so beautifully, but I wanted to see their interpretation of Spanish with JMG. The more time passes the less necessary the same, the more other couples start to gain titles of their own, the more couples regularly get PCSed into the 9s and 10s and they aren't going to down just because Tessa and Scott come back. Tessa and Scott will be considered the same level as several mediocre/shitty teams, instead of just DW.

    If they were going to take this season off they should have at least gone in 2014 and cinched that third world title. If they decided to skip because she was pregnant/trying and they wanted time to prepare for the next season then that was a waste, huh?

    9:15 to clarify, according to the ISU, it is within the fed's sole discretion whom to send to championships, regardless of Nationals results. WTT is different and has some criteria that the top skaters are supposed to go, although they were lax about it last season. In the case of Plushenko in 2010, Plushenko actually signed up for Worlds, withdrew, and then skated in a show. That's why he got in trouble, for withdrawing and doing a show. Johnny Weir was in shows at the same time, maybe even that exact show, but he didn't get in trouble, because USFS did not put him on the World team.

    I paid close attention, and in 2014 when V&T and Sotnikova weren't sure whether to go to Worlds, the Russian fed actually didn't name them to the World team. They named them as first alternates. That way had either of them decided to go to Worlds, another skater would have been withdrawn and they would have been in as alternates. As it turned out Sot and V&T decided not to go to Worlds, so they never had to withdraw, and they were able to do shows without penalty.

    So, theoretically, SC could choose to name VM to the World team only, and VM would not get in trouble for skipping the 4CC. I do not think this will happen or be advisable, but it is legal under the ISU rules.

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  30. oops, I meant VM coming back for 2015-16 (the year that the SD will be waltz).

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for the clarification 10:18.

    I think this is an excellent point: " The more time passes the less necessary the same, the more other couples start to gain titles of their own, the more couples regularly get PCSed into the 9s and 10s and they aren't going to down just because Tessa and Scott come back. Tessa and Scott will be considered the same level as several mediocre/shitty teams, instead of just DW."

    We already saw teams that shouldn't have earn 9's and even a few 10's for PCS at worlds last year. PCS is not being marked according to CoP. It's being used as a ranking like 6.0 marks were. Once a team gets into the 9's and 10's in PCS, those numbers are not going to go the other way. In the future, particularly as more teams win more titles and pass that PCS threshold into the 9's, it would just be VM getting beat by multiple mediocre teams instead of just DW.

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  32. Is there a reason why V/M couldn't have signed up for this show in order to prove that they haven't yet decided if they're competing? We don't know what's in the contracts they're signing, it's possible they could withdraw later when they decide they would rather train for worlds. As for potentially being blacklisted, I doubt it, and regardless VM have shown that they'll do anything for the sham and pay no attention whatsoever to long term consequences.

    I know it can come across as wishful thinking, refusing to admit V/M will retire, but there are too many signs that point to something being up. Signing up for shows in February, Tessa taking classes in London, articles on W/P that make it sound like V/M won't be competing, Tessa largely ignoring the skating world on Twitter, except to tell us she isn't skating at HPC, an article about Scott mentoring the next generation of champions,...they're doing everything they possibly can to show they aren't competing and yet no announcement and Tessa supposedly tells someone they're still in the process of deciding. I know leaving a door open to returning is something that's often done by skaters, for obvious reasons, but what's the point in pretending you haven't made a decision for this year when everything you do screams that you've already decided?

    It's overkill and that's always a sure sign that they're lying about something. It's also useful to remember that their quotes in 2010 hinted heavily at retirement and then guess what! they didn't.

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  33. 10:18 AM Also v/m have stated how BADLY they wanted to do art on ice in the past.

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  34. Maybe they're taking advantage that some of us are on to how we usually suspect the opposite when they start acting a particular way to make people think they're thinking of competing even though they're not so they'll have something else to play gotcha with.

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  35. "I also say this as someone who detests GP's skating and know that none of WP, PI, or GP are anywhere close to VM's ability, but, yes, I do think it would even be unfair to GP, if they're third at nationals with WP and PI ahead in 1st and 2nd, for VM to skip the entire season, do a show in lieu of 4CC, and then take the spot at worlds. "

    This is a sport. It's not "pay your dues and get a medal." If the others want the spot, they can be better than VM. That's how you do it. If VM can only compete at Worlds, and win Worlds, they're entitled. There's nothing unfair about it.

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  36. And please don't forget that with all of this speculation, you are ignoring that according to AAP, VM are receiving eighteen thousand dollars this cycle. That's not the subsidy skaters get for maintenance. That's the subsidy they get when actively preparing for international competition, specifically, Worlds and Olympics.

    Certainly with Tessa almost certainly pregnant, there are ways they could game subsidy compliance. With pregnancy, they have four months when it's between Slipchuk and VM, so anything could happen there. After that they have to show good faith, and it's clearly articulated what that is, that they intend to resume high performance training geared towards optimum international performance at the soonest opportunity.

    These are Federal grants VM are receiving.

    VM skipped everything but 4CCs and Worlds in 2011, and got a silver medal. W/P aren't in their class. Nor are any of the other Canadian ice dancers at this point.

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  37. What Tessa told that girl (or what that girl said Tessa told her, and there's a difference) about still deciding is their official position. They can't actually still be deciding if they're taking 18k this cycle.

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  38. Also, you can't take the money and keep it in your bank account and then return it later. The money is received on a monthly basis. On a monthly basis, Slipchuk is meant to be monitoring VM. Let's for argument's sake pretend that Tessa isn't pregnant. That means she and Scott HAVE to be training daily, per Skate Canada's clearly articulated national team program based on year-round training principles, including significant daily training activities.

    The only problem with that is they've announced they're not competing the first half of the season. So why are they receiving a full season's subsidy in the SR category?

    AAP says if an athlete is temporarily can't commit to the requirements of carding, the athlete can withdraw and the money returned. This isn't an accumulated amount of money - compliance is vetted MONTHLY. Each payment must be compliant.

    If Scott and Tessa are not preparing now, they don't qualify for the 18k that is meant to subsidize SR1 skaters for an entire cycle. If VM, not pregnant, not injured, have decided to sit out half the year, which includes sitting out training, they don't qualify for the full year of money AAP tells us VM are currently receiving.

    Don't forget Scott and Tessa signed an agreement and sign one for each cycle they receive AAP. There's no downgrade in their subsidy for this season, no financial adjustment for a couple of athletes who are not currently in high performance training.

    If they are simply waiting to make up their mind, waiting to see if they have "the fire" to compete, there is the retroactive option. Let's say somewhere in the GP season they tell Slipchuk - hey, we think we want to go to Worlds! Slipchik then nominates them retroactively and they can be retroactively on the recipient list. It appears to me that means they will get the full year's subsidy as a retroactive nomination is retroactive to the beginning of the cycle. So they don't lose money by "waiting and seeing", if in the end they decide to go for it.

    What they can't do is take the money now and not train and compete.

    The exception is pregnancy or injury.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Someone upthread has already mentioned how, with pregnancy, VM could conceivably (no pun intended) play fast and loose with their AAP subsidies, and, in the end, not compete.

    Without pregnancy (or injury) they can't.

    Let's take Virtue Moir at their word.

    They're not pregnant. They don't know if they still want to compete. They don't know if they have the fire. They're waiting and seeing.

    There is NO AAP subsidy for that. There exists the mechanism of a retroactive nomination, whereby their NSO can nominate them after a given cycle has already started, and I believe that if accepted, their eligibility is then retroactive to the beginning of the cycle, and they get the money they'd have received if they'd been nominated at the beginning of the cycle. That's the option for your "wait and see" athletes (as I read the guidelines. There may be more criteria.)

    They can't get the money until that happens, if they're not pregnant.

    If they ARE pregnant, it seems to me they say - we're pregnant, but it's going well just like last time, and we are doing the same schedule we pursued last time, training on and off the ice under the supervision of our doctors and high performance directors, coaches and trainers. Our intention after she has the baby is just like 2011, where we won silver at Worlds. Slipchuk follows the protocol for this and the money comes in, in full, monthly, as provided for in the guidelines for pregnancy or injury.

    They're on the current list. Let's see if they're on September's list. And October's.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Finally, Davis White also haven't officially decided about the back half of the season, but we don't see them in the USFSA's envelopes, do we?

      Delete
    2. DW are skipping the entire season: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_25913645/davis-white-skip-2014-15-figure-skating-season

      Forgive me if this has been covered, but where does it say that AAP publishes a monthly list? I thought the list was for the year. Since it started in July, does that mean an August list was published? I was under the impression we wouldn't be getting a monthly list of who still receives AAP funding.

      Delete
    3. I ought to have said if there's a September list and October list. I saw a (as of) July 2014 list and the (as of) August 2014 list, which was surprising as I wouldn't have guessed it would be monthly - more like six months would have been my guess, but July and August suggested it could be more frequent.

      The criteria for funding in AAP is clear, even if the oversight is less than diligent in practice.

      It's possible that Scott and Tessa aren't pregnant, aren't in high performance training, and, with the aid of Slipchuk, applied to receive the monthly 3k (combined), just socking it away in case they feel inspired to come back. They can always return it. That scenario explicitly violates AAP's policies and procedures, but what are policies and procedures when you're Scott and Tessa? Even if they're policies and procedures governing the allocation of Federal Funds (tax dollars).

      The policy for athletes in what Scott and Tessa claim is their current situation is to not apply for AAP for this cycle, and retroactively be nominated if, later in the year, they decide to compete this cycle at Worlds. The policy for athletes who applied at the start of the cycle thinking they would train/compete, but later decided to take a load off, have a fun summer and make up their minds a little later is to withdraw, optimally before receiving any subsidy for the first month they've opted into indecisiveness/non-high performance training. If they received a subsidy for a noncompliant month, they have to return it. It doesn't go into some escrow fund in case they resume training down the road.

      Delete
    4. AAP does not permit collecting the money every month and socking it away while you think about it, and if you don't return to training/competition that cycle, return it as a lump sum. That's why Slipchuk is supposed to check in with them every month - to confirm each month's compliance. He's not supposed to watch them be noncompliant month after month, collecting the money to use later, maybe. As long as they return it in the end, it's okay, right?

      No. Not allowed.

      AAP funds many athletes across many sports and a lot of trust is put in the NSO (National Sport Organization). Patrick Chan isn't getting any funding - if nobody's really checking, couldn't he have gotten it anyway, nobody the wiser? Slipchuk was sure not to request more than Dylan Moscovitch merited under the guidelines despite his fabulous results with Kirsten, so now he's cut to 6K. Paige and Rudy were 14th at the Olympics but as they're each currently partnerless, they get 6K as well. All of these athletes had their funding adjusted by Slipchuk because their circumstances had changed, and under the guidelines, the carding status/funding also changes in that case. Kirsten is more nuanced - fully funded but SR instead of SR1/2, because she and her new partner have no results, but she and her new partner are considered excellent prospects for high international results.

      According to Scott and Tessa themselves, their circumstances have changed because for the first time they don't know if they're going to continue in the sport. They're not competing this fall. They claim not to have decided about 2015. How come their funding status doesn't reflect their change in status as they present it to the public? Why was Slipchuk scrupulous with everybody else, but not with them?

      If Scott and Tessa's status has truly changed to not training at the level of a high performance athlete gearing up for the coming season's World championships, whether they've made up their mind or not, and they're not pregnant, then a woman who spends something like $600 on a swimsuit, flies around the country golfing, spends almost as much on her cocktail and party attire as skaters spend on their skating costumes, and in every respect leads a financially privileged life, decided, along with her husband, and abeted by Skate Canada's High Performance Director, to apply for and receive 18k she was not entitled to receive and had no right to apply for, because they wanted it and nobody would check. Federal funds.

      Of course if she's pregnant and they've notified AAP under the guidelines, and otherwise conform to the guidelines under the medical exception, they're in the clear. If they're injured, same thing. If they're neither pregnant nor injured and are training and fully committed to compete at Worlds, they're in the clear.

      It could be the way it is with everything with them. Why not take 36K in Federal Funding that we don't qualify for, have no right to receive, because we can, because Slipchuk's our buddy and will sign off on it, and because we're Scott and Tessa, which is all the rights we need? We won't get caught, and that's our moral yardstick.

      I think they're pregnant and using the medical exception. If not, they're not compliant unless we learn they retired (permanently) between June 1 and August 1.

      Delete
  40. We can see by the current list that the recipient list is not obsolete. The money Dylan Moscovitch receives reflects his current situation, not his partnership with Kristen.

    ReplyDelete
  41. So its pretty much confirmed that Tessa's spent Scott's birthday on someone's wedding with Ryan. This family sacrifices a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The wedding was Sat, and his birthday was Tues...

      Delete
    2. That ask.fm person is a skater and that's all we know. Tessa's not dating Ryan, and VM have used all sorts of platforms to sham.

      Delete
  42. “...now they will have the chance to get to know them *personally*..."

    "The *heartwarming* docu-series follows Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s roller-coaster life, on and off the ice..."

    "Distribution360... with a focus on kids, drama and *factual* programming..."

    Bwahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!

    More $$ for their growing family, I suppose.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Just a clarification - Manny Osborne Paradis is getting married next weekend on September 20, 2014....out in Invermere....who knows where she/if she flew to today...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or them. Or flew some other day.

      Who says she flew today?
      Who says she flew alone?

      Delete
    2. Apparently, at least, she flew to Ottawa, and now they're the "lovely Humans". Gag me.
      Funny how they went from his hand around her waist, to barely holding around her arm, to sticking someone in between them.

      Almost 2 weeks since Scott has been pictured anywhere and think the only other mention was the wedding with Tessa? She's really doing the legwork here lately. His sham has pretty much been reduced to look like he keeps disappearing with the GF, per her Twitter. He also seems to be staying close to home. Makes me wonder what he's got going on this summer. I know someone has to take care of the kid, but I feel like he's doing more than just hiding out on the couch having daddy-time.

      Delete
    3. 9:02
      Whatever Scott's really been doing, I think it's guaranteed photos and/or posts will show up to establish he's been with his gf all the time Tessa's been with her bf.

      It's a mistake to assign goodwill to any of these players and assume they will start behaving themselves on social media. IMO until the day this is outed/finished absolutely, they will remain 100% committed to shamming and upping the ante without let up.

      Delete
    4. "Whatever Scott's really been doing, I think it's guaranteed photos and/or posts will show up to establish he's been with his gf all the time Tessa's been with her bf."

      Oh, I'm sure there will be pictures eventually. Most likely whenever she is done with the "spending every weekend with my BF" onslaught, once she gets farther along. They'll just layer it. What I am saying is, he hasn't REALLY been spending all this time with his GF, so I'm curious what he's actually been up to.

      Delete
    5. @ 10:00. I agree. One thing has been clear. They're paying attention to fan narratives, including this blog. Everything has been geared either to run with a fan story (Tessa spent a whole month in Europe with RS!) or push back.

      Delete
    6. 10:06 here again.

      I should have added--VM and Co. are also paying attention to certain locked twitter accounts that discuss VM. Their pushbacks have included things that I think show they have someone monitoring those accounts that these fans rightly assume are locked and safe from VM prying eyes.

      VM are in full, all-out shamming mode right now. With these guys that means these are diversionary tactics. The correct question is "what are they hiding?" Besides the obvious, of course, of the usual hiding of their true personal status. Whatever it is, they've hit new lows in malicious social media antics, directly mocking fans' VM discussions.

      Delete
    7. So, I've made the point on here, (a few times) about how KLawes has always been mentioned by name, *or* by the title of girlfriend, but never as both. It's always, he was such a place with his girlfriend. Or, we met Scott Moir/Kaitlyn Lawes.
      Their "official" social media announcement was a picture of Scott Moir with his nameless "girlfriend".

      It just occurred to me in reading that ask mentioned above, that they're doing the same thing with Ryan. He's been named as posing/attending with her, but not given the "boyfriend" title. It's Tessa Virtue and Ryan Semple. In that ask, it was said that the "groom's friend" was dating Tessa, but with no name. (Of course it's presumed since the groom is a skier, and all the other appearances and "hints").
      Their "official" social media announcement, was, "Are Tessa and Ryan an actual couple/ I'd say they are/ Can't deny they'd make a gorgeous couple."

      #goodPeople #lovelyHumans #etc #etc #etc

      Now, I suppose since I'm bringing it up again, just like everything else on here (especially as of late), it will be amended to clearly state their names with titles.
      *Roll eyes*

      Delete
    8. " He also seems to be staying close to home."

      Usually with them reality is the opposite of what they make it "seem" to be, he could be going anywhere and we wouldn't know about it unless they wanted us to know.

      Delete
    9. Yes, they are opposite of what we're supposed to think many times, but I was referring to the majority of his recent shamming being close to home. Not that he's necessarily actually been close to home this entire time he's been "missing".

      Delete
    10. Well, I think Tessa taking the plane all the way to Alberta is meant to prove she isn't pregnant, same with all her public outings - she needs to put herself out there to show she's "slim", and Scott can't be at the same event of course.

      Delete
    11. 10:20 PM - They're not directly mocking fans, they're pandering to fans to build up their fake twitter personas

      I should know, I'm one of the private twitter accounts they follow.

      Delete
    12. "It just occurred to me in reading that ask mentioned above, that they're doing the same thing with Ryan. He's been named as posing/attending with her, but not given the "boyfriend" title. It's Tessa Virtue and Ryan Semple. In that ask, it was said that the "groom's friend" was dating Tessa, but with no name."

      And when asked directly if Tessa's dating Ryan, the girl gives a vague non-answer.

      http://ask.fm/DarcieRaeHarper

      Delete
    13. Lol, nice. Now she says I don't know to if it's true and the lovey-dovey questions? She made it sound before she was seeing her (and therefore presumably him) all the time the whole weekend... and she doesn't know? But she does know that Tessa and Scott are beautiful together...

      Delete
    14. Just dawned on me that she conveniently said they first met at the bar. Slipped that one in there.

      Delete
  44. "Why not take 36K in Federal Funding that we don't qualify for, have no right to receive, because we can, because Slipchuk's our buddy and will sign off on it, and because we're Scott and Tessa, which is all the rights we need? We won't get caught, and that's our moral yardstick."

    If they're not pregnant, yeah. Hoo boy. This scenario would require some serious hubris on their parts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If they're not pregnant, injured, or fully committed to competing, I mean.

      Delete
    2. We already know they have serious hubris.

      Although, looked at another way, that might be giving them too much credit. They're part of a sport that is corrupt on and off the ice and stocked bottom to top with enablers. If you're taking no risk whatsoever because the culture you live in has a status-based concept of right and wrong, then doing whatever you want, including flaunting federal funding policy, isn't really nervy. It's just the way things are. Rules are for lesser people.

      Delete
    3. A little OT, but years ago, prior to Vancouver, Scott used to speculate about what he might want to do when his skating career was over. It included working in law enforcement. Now, I think by the time Vancouver was on the horizon it was pretty clear he was never going to have a non-skating career even when his eligible career was over, and this talk of law enforcement was more a reflection of his temperment and the things he appreciated, not anything he was every going to actually become. By 2009 he was always looking at a post-competitive life that looked like every other Canadian star skater's post-competition life - a life as a personality/talent. Appearances, business partnerships based on the marquee value of your name, television opportunities, shows, speaking engagements, maybe some coaching. However, I remember after the gold medal he was asked what he might be after skating, and he mentioned that he used to say law enforcement, "but now" and he fingered his medal. For me, that moment came across as "Now I'm a gold medalist and pretty much a superstar, so I'm obviously not going to be having an ordinary job. This is a game changer." He'd moved into elite company. Not just athletically, but socially and financially. The entitlements all of these people seem to believe accompany social, cultural and financial status are something to observe.

      Delete
    4. "The AAP also makes allowance for athletes who may suffer an injury. Provided they meet certain conditions, such as committing to pursue all the necessary rehabilitation in order to return to competition, athletes who are unable to maintain full training and competition commitments because of injury or illness continue to receive full support. The AAP also allows athletes who become pregnant to receive ongoing support, as long as they signify their intent to return to full-time training at the earliest possible date."

      http://www.canada2010.gc.ca/mmedia/stry/110-eng.cfm

      Delete
    5. Notice there is no provision for athletes who voluntarily take time off from training and competition to receive ongoing support until such time as they make up their minds if they want to continue in the sport or not.

      There's no proviso that says, "AAP allows such athletes, provided they are Scott and Tessa,to receive ongoing support while they wait to see if they still have the fire. They can always give the money back if it turns out they're done."

      The support is clearly a supplement for monthly, ongoing, current training and living expenses. It's not a set aside fund.

      Delete
  45. Wait... what???? I loose myself? Who said Tessa flew to Ottowa and who said they were all over them aka lovely humans(?) Was this pointed on social media or something? Sorry but I did belive what the girl from ask.fm said, maybe shes really dating him... maybe but who knows?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's married to Scott. Therefore, she is not "really dating" Semple or anyone else.

      Delete
    2. If thats indeed sham then they brought it to a new level. I know plenty of people who used to believe the blog but then gave up because T and S do much more for this * fake * relationships than they did in the past. That's a lot of travel they both do these days. With Cassandra Scott didn't even have to go anywhere

      Delete
    3. ?? You can be married to someone and dating someone else. Marriage is ultimately an agreement between two people. If T & S agree its okay to date outside of marriage, then no big deal.

      Delete
    4. For the love, they're not really dating other people, and "all this travel" is most likely for other reasons/with each other. Just because you see one or two pictures, or they're "spotted together" does not mean they are spending all their time with the fake significant other.
      They're really lucky they have such gullible fans.

      Delete
    5. Scott and Tessa are either taking Federal grant money and not training, and instead traveling around Canada (or leaving that impression) OR they are medically exempted, in which case they're not training at the customary intensity and also have a less regimented schedule than they've had in prior pre-seasons. In any event, Scott and Tessa have mislead on social media a million times - i.e., the two non-Xmas Xmases he pretended to spend with Jessica, the trip to the Dominican where the album showing that her siblings were present went AWOL in favor of an photos showing just Scott/Jessica, and if we think Tessa wasn't in Aruba with Scott and in Florida with Scott when he posed adjacent to Cassandra, we've got another think coming. Same with the Langlois/Hay wedding and the Danny Moir wedding.

      People exist outside the camera lens, you know. Just because they're not in the frame doesn't mean they weren't there. On some level people understand what a sham is, on the other level, they think that Scott and/or Tessa would still pop up in the frame if they were there or around when the sham was happening. No, that's not how it works. Fake mean FAKE - all of it. It doesn't mean performance art. It means fake.

      Delete
    6. 2:17 AM. I agree, this is a new level of sham, they never tried so hard before

      Delete
    7. given tessa and scott's history, they are most likely medically exempted from competition. they probably were at HPC getting medical assessment.

      Delete
    8. I also agree that they are laying it on thicker than usual, for whatever reason.
      However, I wonder if the reason everyone thinks things have changed and now it's all real is because it's Tessa taking the reigns. Her shams are usually relegated to a few pictures or sightings, and a lot of supposition. Kind of how his is currently running, (I do expect this to change). We're used to seeing Scott do this, but not her. Ironically, her little stunt is not even nearly to the level Scott's usually reach. If things were swapped and Scott was behaving the same way with a fake gf, the way Tessa is, it would be considered mild. Now that they've seemed to switch positions (for the moment), it's suddenly tres legit.
      I don't know why they've decided to do it this way this time. Maybe it has to do with giving Scott a break. Maybe he's got other things going on that doesn't allow him to be "out there" right now. Maybe he's started having a guilt trip with their daughter getting older and the new pregnancy. Maybe Kaitlyn agreed to cooperate under different conditions. Maybe Ryan needs help with something right now. Maybe it's convenient to a project Tessa is working on. Maybe they just wanted to shake things up a little. Maybe they're just doing it all to mess with fans. Whatever it is, their plan is it's clearly working, so of course they're gonna go with it.

      Delete
    9. How is their plan "clearly working"? It's exactly like all of the prior plans. ANY "plan" is going to work, exactly how any way DW skate is going to get the Olympic gold. It "works" because it's they're set up not to be accountable. The "plan" can be even dumber ass than this and it still works. The sham has nothing to do with its success. The enabling, and the attitude towards the public, has everything to do with it.

      Delete
    10. "Whatever it is, their plan is clearly working, so of course they're gonna go with it."
      I meant that the fans are getting all riled up and upset, buying that they're with others, and falling all over themselves to become her bff on social media, despite the fact that they're being baited and toyed with.

      Delete
    11. I think the sham looks "busier" than in the past because we're supposed to think of twitter as real time, even though timelines on twitter - pictures, status updates - can be bent just as any lie on social media.

      Just imagine if Jessica Dube's Summer 09 or <3 2009 photos had been injected into social media weekly, instead of in a one time only album dump. There's Scott and Jessica at a Detroit Tigers game. There's Scott and Jessica in L.A. and Santa Monica together in February. A little quiet - there they are doing a photo shoot in the Dominican on Wednesday. Oh look - they're on a boat on Saturday! Oh hey, looks like Scott and Jessica went to a wedding together this weekend! Oh my - Jessica is in Ilderton AGAIN. Wow, are Jessica and Scott doing speaking engagements together? They're both appearing at the Paul MacIntosh thing.

      It's the platform delivery that gives the impression of "busy", not the amount of content. Jessica had even more content, it just came in big dumps instead of piecemeal.

      Delete
    12. 11:58 AM, but that's a self-selecting group, and fairly small.

      Delete
  46. Semple benefits from being seen with Tessa in terms of status. Semple grew up with a group of elite from the Ottawa/Montreal/Mont-Tremblant area and still associates with them. Its all about working connections and increasing your visibility. The charity that Semple is associated with letsbond.ca for mental health is going to have their annual event on October 3, 2014. If you look at some of the organizing committee - they include young guys who have a passion for skiing and who are involved in real estate. Surprise surprise Semple skiing - no brainer. Real estate - is Dad's domain. Is it a good cause - sure...but its about connections, connections, connections...and I think Tessa is definitely interested in developing connections as well and being in the spotlight....my two cents...

    ReplyDelete
  47. OC - I get your post at 8:40 pm about Scott. However my impression is Scott is more low key than Tessa in terms of high fluff appearances. For instance - in 2009 he didn't bother going to the MTV interview with Jeff, Tessa and Joannie. When William and Kate Middleton were in Ottawa - Tessa was there...TIFF...Tessa...remember the Best Buddies run back in 2010..where Tessa, Scott, Joannie and Alex Bilodeau attended...Scott actually ran and participated in not the best weather conditions...I am not saying that Scott is a saint but I don't think Scott is as interested as branding himself....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 5:55, I agree with this to some degree. I think that of the two of them, she's the one more involved and sometimes excited (depending in the event/cause) about getting dressed up and attending these kinds of things and making business connections. She is a girl who loves fashion and the arts. However, I also think that what we see is an exaggeration of her person, because that's who she's "supposed" to be, especially it seems as of late. I do think she's involved in a lot more BTS than we know, (for instance, that lunch meeting), so some of her recent traveling and connections could have to do with whatever she/they are working on. For all we know Scott may be just as involved in something, just on a more individual basis (as I feel he pulls individual people in with his charisma), or be MIA for something completely different.
      What they're NOT doing this summer (or always), is taking multiple separate trips and romantic getaways with their fake significant others.

      Delete
    2. "What they're NOT doing this summer (or always), is taking multiple separate trips and romantic getaways with their fake significant others."

      How can you be so sure, 6:16? You obviously don't follow them around. Things could've changed

      Delete
    3. Let's just say I'm sure, and leave it at that.

      Delete
    4. They could be divorced for all I know (even if I seriously doubt it) but Scott/Kaitlyn and Tessa/Ryan are not real relationships. They've upped the ante, and it's hard to understand why they're putting so much effort into this, but the same kind of patterns, convenient sightings and utterly predictable "coincidences" keep happening. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the purpose of Tessa's twitter is 1) prove she isn't pregnant 2) prove she isn't with Scott but with Ryan (even if she refuses to say it directly or even post a picture of herself with her "friend") Now why work so hard to disprove a rumour if it isn't true? Think about that.

      Delete
    5. K . I hope you really don't follow them around and on the other hand I hope your information is not 3 years old

      Delete
    6. These are not damaging rumours and I'm sure would give her a good laugh if they were completely bogus. In fact, aren't these rumours a sign they're "doing their jobs well" as she likes to say?

      Delete
    7. 9.13 I am really good at thinking but I was interested in getting real information about K and R, from a person who knows for a fact these relationships are fake outs

      Delete
    8. 9:16, you really think that the only way anyone knows anything about them is because they stalk and follow them around? Have you ever read this blog? They don't hide in their house all day. Many, many people know and see them out and about. Just because you haven't, and it's not on social media, doesn't negate the fact that many others have.

      Delete
    9. I could pretend my London cousin is friends with Tessa and that I know everything about her, it wouldn't make it true. Either find the info for yourself or use your brain to think things through. Or accept that you don't know and be happy with that.

      Delete
    10. Wow, 9:37. Rude much?

      Delete
    11. I think Scott likes money and nice things as much as Tessa does, for all his down at the farm public persona.

      9:20 AM - I understand your desire for information. I just hope you aren't someone who has ever come to the blog and ridiculed the blog for the amount of time you believe the blog takes to write and maintain, nor ridiculed anybody who spends time/shows interest in the topic enough to have independent confirmation. It would be a bit hypocritical to then want the information that's result of this interest, and want it easily, without any effort on your part.

      I'm not assuming this is you, but I am pointing it out in general.

      Delete
    12. 9:37 is not rude at all. I do think it's rude to come here and request that people hand over information, and in the process, think you are the one who can decide if it's a good idea to hand it over or not. You have no idea what relationships, circumstances, connections, employment, etc. people have that allow them to know that Tessa and Scott are married with a daughter, you think in the interests of handing it over on demand, there must be no problem with exposing that information on the public web so that you may be satisfied. I think that's pretty rude and deliberately obtuse, as well as majorly entitled.

      Delete
    13. It wasn't meant to be rude. My point was that asking anonymous people on the Internet for "real information" is useless when anyone can make up any story they like. And as for proof, you already know you won't get any and asking over and over isn't going to change that.

      Delete
  48. Maybe Tessa thinks Scott has spent enough years on the cross getting mud hurled at him for his style of shamming, so she's doing it to get herself equally messed up. Maybe Scott isn't comfortable with the direct access style of twitter and the requirement to keep it up.

    I don't think it requires more "legwork" from either of them. I think they've both done the same legwork. It's simply that this time, Tessa's is in the picture instead of Scott's.

    ReplyDelete
  49. If Tessa is pregnant and excused from training without losing AAP funding does it also count for Scott or does he lose the money if he quits until Tessa comes back ?
    If he's still on the ice it could be a reason for why we don't see him as much anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Very interesting project, and totally applicable here. OC, I hope I'm not wrong in guessing you'll find this amusing.

    http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/features/2014/09/12/fake-facebook-trip/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ""I wanted to prove how easily we believe in some sort of distorted reality," she continues. "I wanted people to be more aware that the images we get to see are manipulated. I think everyone filters what we show online and what not. So we should be more careful about what to believe."

      Even if Tessa and Scott refrain at this time from actual photoshop (which can be exposed with forensics), their distortion filter is context, timing and the frame itself.

      Delete
  51. 12:13 again, I should clarify that it's worth listening to her interview (and not just reading the little blurb) - I don't believe VM are photoshop-ing twitter photos, but the premise is the same... you can't believe what you see on social media - an image is just an image.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I wanted to prove how easily we believe in some sort of distorted reality,... I think everyone filters what we show online and what not. So we should be more careful about what to believe."

      That.
      I don't think they're photo-shopping (yet) either. Although, that picture of the cereal the other day did look like she just google image searched.

      Delete
    2. I don't think they've photoshopped anything from Twitter yet, but they did photoshop some of the sham photos in the past.

      Delete
    3. The one with Cassandra on the boat? That definitely looked like photoshop.

      Delete
    4. Definitely that one. If you zoom in on the photo in photoshop, Scott is missing small chunks of his body and one of his legs is not of uniform size.

      There a few others, possibly including the Aruba pics, that may have been, but I can't make up my mind on those. If they photoshopped one photo, they've probably photoshopped more.

      Delete
    5. ^^ That's pretty hysterical. And not shocking... I agree about there being more than one. Why just bother to photoshop one?

      Delete
    6. 6.08 But she really was at the airport that day as she was rushing to Ottawa and Ryan's arms

      Delete
    7. "Definitely that one. If you zoom in on the photo in photoshop, Scott is missing small chunks of his body and one of his legs is not of uniform size.

      There a few others, possibly including the Aruba pics, that may have been, but I can't make up my mind on those. If they photoshopped one photo, they've probably photoshopped more."

      There don't have to be other examples. If they've done this ONCE that means the whole house of cards is false.

      If one of Scott's girlfriends has been fake, then ALL of them are fake. They've faked an appearance once? They are all fake, even if they in fact are physically present at the same event. It's that house of cards. Fake. The end.

      Delete
    8. 2.09 And apparently she still is in Ottawa with him

      This lobster (I mean monster) is probably really good in bed!

      Delete
    9. 8:56. So Tessa was seen in Ottawa. Of course the only possible reason in the whole world is because she is *with* the guy who was with her at a concert a few days ago.

      Tell me again how you accuse blog/blogger of making things up but this kind of statement is considered true and accurate because you *assume* it is?

      *Rolleyes*

      Delete
    10. Of course they'd rather go on assumptions, because it allows speculation. Speculation is participation. There are many people who don't like the blog because they feel shut out from Scott and Tessa's life. Scott and Tessa are done deal, and out of our view, that's the reality. People resist that because they want to participate.

      Delete
    11. OC 9:12. These people are hilarious. They believe as the absolute reality whatever is happening at the moment on social media regarding Tessa and/or Scott. One day they believe their stories are fake because the social media just wasn't that convincing at that moment. 12 hours later they believe a new social media posting is real because, well, it *sounds* real. Therefore it's real. Everyone knows social media doesn't lie. Except for those other times it does.

      It sounds mentally exhausting to me, but what do I know. I believe the truth happens to be separate from all the BS Tessa and Scott are dishing out on social media. Poor me. I'm out of the "in" clique in the fandom...not freaking out over every. single. different. *report.*

      Delete
    12. I haven't scrutinized much for photoshop because it doesn't matter. We don't need to examine the photos for fake. They ARE fake. The girlfriends are fake, the implied context is bogus, Tessa's implied SO are fake.

      I have noticed that, especially with Jessica, they used a lot of filters and tilt to jazz up the photos, which, with filters and tilt removed, looked very static.

      Delete
    13. I agree, whether they stage a sham photo or photoshop a fake photo, it's all fake. I just think the photoshopping is funny, and it's also a demonstration of how it cuts down even further on time spent shamming. I think it's good to point that out to the people who claim that either this takes up so much time or the people who claim Scott and/or Tessa is spending all of this time traveling with fake SO's.

      Delete
    14. But it would be good evidence for those who don't know for a fact that the girlfriends are fake, and are struggling to piece together the public domain stuff. A lot of the people asking for proof are just trying to be defiant because they want to believe that they have full access to VM's real lives, but I think there are a few who are honestly in the grey area and analyzing that would be useful to them. I'm worthless when it comes to figuring out if something was photoshopped but I would be curious if y'all posted the pics that you think were. I used to think the pictures of T looking pregnant were photoshopped, and I was waaay off the mark there, lol.

      Delete
    15. 9:50.
      I agree it's a good thing to keep pointing it out. Anything to undermine and poke holes through the lies. I hate being lied to and I imaging most people feel the same. I'm all for exposing the fake anywhere we can and helping others not to be duped.

      If Scott or Tessa happen to be in the same location as a fake SO, it can be guaranteed it was either close enough to drive there from home (not taking up much time at all) AND/OR Scott and Tessa arrange to take care of other business in the same area. Killing several birds with one stone, including a photo-op opportunity for social media. Like someone said upthread, no way in hell either Scott or Tessa is spending romantic time alone with these SO's. It's a moment in time, no more. What's happening outside of the photo-frame is a different world re. VM.

      Delete
    16. When you backtrack with Jessica, just about every single sham was multi-tasking, which was why Jessica always went to Ilderton, and not to where Scott and Tessa lived while training (which was not Ilderton). Didn't people find it odd that she was always announcing on twitter that she was headed to Ilderton, and it was Alma and Cara who'd respond? Why would a twentysomething constantly be visiting her boyfriend at his parents' home in a town where he didn't live. They were in a long distance relationship, who the hell does that? He goes to your home or you visit his, you don't meet up at his parents'.

      But if Scott and Tessa are visiting family in London/Ilderton, that's what you do.

      Tessa's hours of physiotherapy also goes into the sham logistics with Jessica, particularly in L.A. and Paris (TEB 2009). It's clear looking back that Scott, his parents, Jessica, and her parents did a walkabout type photoshoot near Montmontre/Sacre Coeur while Tessa was at physio, and when she was finished they met up with Tessa so the Vancouver fluff crew could film Tessa and Scott on the carousel at the bottom.

      When Tessa, Kate and Jordan were in the South of France/Monaco, that's when Scott went to the Dominican, which represented a very last minute change of plans for Jessica, who'd been considering Mexico. Her siblings went with her.

      Any idiot could also see that Scott shot the "Xmas" photos for 2010-2011 around the GPF in Quebec.

      I think it's more than obvious the ask.fm skater knows exactly what she's doing. People should stop thinking certain platforms are unlikely or remote. If we find them, then clearly they're NOT remote or unlikely, and the platform was used intentionally.

      Delete
    17. ^The one time Detroit-area sham photos showed up, lo and behold, it turned out Jessica and Bryce were in the Detroit area for choreography for their Olympic short program (Requiem for a Dream).

      Delete
  52. If Tessa is excused from training due to pregnancy would that also apply to Scott or does he have to continue without her if he doesn't want to lose AAP's support ?
    If that's the case this could be a reason why we don't see him much these days and Tessa has taken over the sham business.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're a team. He has to be ready when she's ready. However that looks for them. Last time they admitted to gearing down training, which was her first surgery, he talked about realizing he needed to pace himself. She of course talked about how magnificent he was, and how the pressure was on her to get back up to his level. He talked about how his first impulse was to "train for two", later realizing it made better sense for them to progress at similar rates. We're all huge fans of their skating, and so I'm not sure we all remember what pacing themselves looks like for them, even with her past leg surgeries and her pregnancies. They're animals - including her.

      Delete
  53. So, Joannie and Jennifer Jones are bff's now?

    "@jjonescurl Nice to see you tonight! We'll see you next year for the curling class, we bought tickets! :)"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And don't forget right after Tessa directly tweeted with Joannie, so people are paying attention to the players involved. Nice set up there.
      One big happy family, they all are.

      Delete
  54. This morning I have been watching some ESPN NFL commentators talking about the recent off the field violence and how the NFL commissioners office/teams have handled these situations. Its amazing how on twitter how there are folks that are okay with players and domestic abuse and child abuse. Even with video and pictures, there are people in the general population that condone it...And let's face it if TMZ had not released that video with Rice - he would still be playing in the NFL...point being like Tiger Woods...business is business and a lot of energy and $$$ is spent on image and not ruffling feathers...if the product is making money for you - you go with it Woods, Armstrong, the NFL...and it trickles into college football / sports etc.....yes women have come a long way in sports and working society but dang we still have a way to go not to be treated like sex objects or property..sad but true...I mean let's remember some of the interviews with Tessa and Scott in Toronto after the Olympics...some of the guys...total douchey via a vis Tessa...Semple and his instagrams follows prior to them being sanitized...douche...hmmm perhaps I need to go watch VMs Funny Face FD to put me in a better mood...

    Anon at 7:46 am - yes that was a supportive tweet....lol...

    ReplyDelete
  55. But where is Scott? No messages, no photos. Nobody has seen him. Perhaps training with new partner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tessa is training with a new partner too then? Since she's getting the same amount of money as Scott. Maybe she's teaching Semple how to skate, so they can make a run for 2018.

      Where do these theories even come from. Have you ever even watched or listened to VM talk about each other?

      Delete
    2. 11:51--Why in the world would you want Scott to pop up on social media right now. They have nothing to show for themselves except shamming. I'm happy with him staying away if all he has to show the fans are more asinine lies (with a heavy dose of mockery, to boot).

      Delete
    3. I'm starting to think Tessa and Semple never attented that skier's wedding in Alberta a few weeks ago. Every other time the sham has "told" us Tessa or Scott attended a wedding with their significant other there were pictures of them together and this time Semple is nowhere to be found. The wedding pictures could be from another wedding Tessa and Scott attended, and the picture in the Rockies could be either photoshopped or taken at an earlier time (Calgary is close by and we know Tessa was at least there in July for the Stampede).

      Now I might be wrong but, as was said earlier, don't take everything on social media at face value. For example, we have someone on Twitter reporting they saw Tessa in Ottawa yesterday but that doesn't mean she was necessarily there. I tend to think she wasn't because the sighting is way too convenient for the narrative they're trying to push (look, Tessa's been in Ottawa with Semple since Thursday!!) I'm assuming Tessa isn't a hermit and gets out from time to time, but when she's spotted in her everyday life it's almost always to point out that she's far away from Scott (she's at a restaurant in London while he's in another town spending time with his girlfriend! she's renting a movie while he's out with the girlfriend!), or that she's dating Semple. Quite the coincidence, isn't it?

      Delete
    4. Sorry this was meant to be in reply to 10 AM, quite a bit higher up. Not sure what happened.

      Delete
    5. He could be with Tessa every second, just as she was with him when HE was shamming.

      Stop believing if it's not on social media it's not happening. With them, the opposite is always the truth.

      Delete
  56. Anon at 11:51 am - I would be up for Moscovitch/Moir pairing whether in pairs or dance - they would be bring the fun and the crazy, lol...

    ReplyDelete
  57. 1:14
    As far as what's in Calgary. VM have quite a few friends from Ilderton/London who live there. Also, it's been reported one of Scott's brother's lives there.

    So that's family and friends in the area for starters. Who knows what else but it's not like she went to Calgary without Scott and there's no one there from Moirville, or other friends/family, to hang out with and she's stuck with the skiers.

    ReplyDelete
  58. 1:14
    Regarding her pregnancy, this has been answered and addressed over and over on here multiple times, but I will try again. Pregnant Tessa (per last pregnancy) does not look like a typical pregnant woman. In fact, there is no such thing as a "typical" pregnant woman. Every woman looks different at all the different stages. She looks like she did last time.

    "any business or training details could be revealed in the future"
    Yes, or maybe never revealed to us at all. There is so much that they do out of the scope of fans, that we may never know. Most of their lives are not out for public display. Other possibilities than business/training while she was out there include, but are not limited to, she was invited to the wedding independently as a friend, and RS also happened to be there. Although, I'm not sure if he's ever actually been proven there, jftr. Or that Scott (& daughter) were there, as well. They could have used that event to celebrate his birthday. Just because he didn't fly out there with her, doesn't mean he never was there.
    In addition, many of the details and timelines of that whole trip don't add up right. Which usually = lying and hiding something.

    ReplyDelete
  59. How do we know Scott didn't fly out with Tessa, her Twitter? That's not exactly a good source of information.

    The girl on ask.fm is a plant and not a very good one.

    ReplyDelete
  60. 2:41.
    Exactly. Just like we don't know if Scott is/was also in Ottawa. These guys have friends/family all over Canada. It's not that hard to be in the same city and no one would know.

    As far as Ottawa. It's the headquarters for SC. VM could have business there.

    ReplyDelete