Saturday, October 1, 2016

More later




I'll expand on this post tomorrow, but for now - Virtue and Moir remain light years ahead of everyone else competing. There were glitches that, for every other team save VM, are hand-waved, but VM are measured against their best selves. This is especially true of Papadakis and Cizeron - glitches, stumbles, slightly off-time - who cares.

I don't think ice dancing, as a sport, cares anymore about unison, or how close a team skates together. Nor does ice dancing care much about direction changes and close hold.


Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR FD 2016 Autumn... by diodio0013

I'm currently reading through the skating forums.

I don't know what the ISU was setting up by putting a journeyman team on the top of the world championship podium two years running, whether it was in anticipation of Virtue Moir's comeback or not, but for me, personally, the idea of actually having to discuss Papadakis and Cizeron vis a vis Virtue Moir and their respective chances is exhausting. One theory, I supposed, is that all of the other teams were soundly defeated by Virtue and Moir in the past, while Papadakis and Cizeron weren't even in the picture, and so the sport can pretend anything it wants about them. That's the depressing angle. The angle that these teams will take turns beating each other until the Olympics is another depressing angle. The somewhat not depressing angle has to do with something like - Skate Canada sold out Virtue and Moir from 2010-2014 in exchange for establishing, post-2014, a Canadian rink as the top ice dance training center in the world, which was done using P&C. Now VM are there to legitimize this deal.

So far, reading the forums, I see some participants think already Virtue and Moir look happier compared with how they looked skating the music Marina Zoueva of course FORCED upon them in 2013-2014.

59 comments:

  1. Excellent fd but lacking zoueva's refinement with far too many redundancies of same pirouette or emotive bending - did the eliminate circular dance ?

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    1. "emotive bending" hahahaha that's perfect

      No, the circular step is still there, although I certainly don't blame anyone for not being able to pick it out. Look for the part that looks as complicated as one of their old transitions.

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  2. https://twitter.com/tessavirtue/status/782579737264852992

    Fans are eating it up.

    But Marina clearly didn't ghostwrite this FD for them. Maybe it's true. Maybe they are stupid enough to think this is a good trade.

    Either way this makes them look like petulant children.

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    1. I have a feeling someone's going to post saying "They're just expressing they're happy! Let them be happy!". Please. Nearly every single interview they've done since announcing their comeback - and some before that - has mentioned, in some form, how they can trust D/L and couldn't trust Marina. This is PR. They know exactly what message this tweet is sending. And the fans are reacting exactly how you'd predict.

      It's not real life or smart business to keep throwing shade like clockwork about a past working relationship. Even if there's some truth that they were no longer on the same page with Marina, they've kept this front and centre in such a soap-opera fashion on purpose. It's not something you just put out there because you're "honest".

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    2. Yeah idk. I do know with the exception of their spins and two lifts this fd is not technically what they did with marena. The quality and speed is there and there's some nice new stuff but like the

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    3. Did people actually think Marina was going to ghost-write their choreography?!

      I remember OC posting about it, and also putting out some praise for David Wilson - basically, giving people permission to credit him (if not phantom Marina) if they ended up liking their choreography, because Marie-France can do no right in these posters' eyes.

      Maybe some of these commenters will now understand how people felt when they admired VM's skating but didn't think highly of Marina's work... although I doubt there will be that level of self-reflection here.

      If this place is seriously going to become butthurt central over something as simple as VM posting a photo of themselves with their new coaches, I'm so out. As Oct 2 at 3 PM said below, much more diplomatically than I, this place used to be a refuge where we could discuss VM's skating without the FSU-style pettiness, drama, and over-analysis of every photo and K&C for invented backstory. It feels like the comment section has been taken over by a group of 4-5 fans who had a loyalty to Marina that supersedes their appreciation for VM. I'm not that big of a fan of DL's choreo either - ironically enough they have a lot of the same weaknesses as Marina, and this FD is not everything I could have hoped for (but neither was Seasons), but I'm still damn well going to enjoy every second of VM's blades on the ice.

      Too bad that Paul Islam didn't go to Marina, so that these fans would have their fully fleshed out VM replacements at the ready.

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    4. @8:36 Where's the soap opera? When they're asked for dirt on Marina in interviews they always sidestep the question. Tessa never mentioned Marina in her tweet and neither do any of the fan responses. You're the one who's making everything about Marina (along with maybe 2 posters on FSU who hate her with a passion).

      Talking about how you love your new coaches is standard PR. And, I know it's hard to believe for some but maybe it isn't only PR and Tessa truly loves training with D/L. Is she supposed to not say it in case she hurts Marina's feelings? By that logic, you shouldn't post "couply" pictures with your boyfriend because that would be disrespectful of the long-term boyfriend you broke up with 2 years ago. Aren't they allowed to move on? It's unfortunate that they didn't part on better terms but it is what it is. Marina seems to be doing ok, maybe her fans should take a cue from her and move on, cheer on the shibs. All this bitterness can't be fun.

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    5. Thinking Marina and D/L have the same weaknesses is like thinking because D/W kept busy doing stuff they were similar to V/M. Lots of people got fooled. Lots of V/M fans didn't realize D/W were so much weaker until this very blog laid it out in painstaking detail.

      I know you won't consider what I'm saying because you're too sure this is coming from a place of bias, rather than having assessed the quality of programs with an open mind. But I'll put it out there for anyone wanting more background to this viewpoint.

      Marina's work demanded so much of V/M, in terms of connection, musicality, using their full body to dance in character with music more specific than vague contemposhit. Maybe you appreciate and understand V/M's glide and overall talent, but you clearly don't even begin to understand what they accomplished with Marina if you think what D/L are doing with them is in a similar vein. I don't know if someone needs to do a D/W-style breakdown of what's wrong with all of what D/L have put out there in the last couple of years vs Marina's V/M like skill as a choreographer, but maybe that's what V/M fans need to get it.

      Also, people who are annoyed that people here are fans of P/I need to get over themselves. To think anyone would somehow cheer for P/I over V/M because of coaching is not getting that this IS NOT ABOUT choosing Marina over V/M. Just because someone doesn't either believe or deeply emotionally care that V/M are happier in this training environment does not mean that we don't appreciate their skating and want them to succeed. Of course that's the only way to explain away criticism of D/L and praise of Marina as bias rather than just commenting on what we see as the reality of a major downgrade in coaching team.

      There were fans on Twitter who didn't respond directly to Tessa, there's someone on Tumblr talking about the "circle of trust" they're now in, there's this which I don't believe for a second isn't referencing that they said they were uncomfortable with marina: https://twitter.com/tina_tm14/status/782580589945843712 and I'm almost certain that one of the replies to Tessa's tweet did mention Marina and I wonder if it got deleted, but I'm not 100% sure on that. And yes, there's more on the boards.

      And I have no idea if you two accept that V/M are lying to their fans about other things, but just because V/M say there was a falling out, or say they are happy with D/L, or say anything, it doesn't mean it's true. That's the case for all public figures even if they aren't hiding a relationship in the same way. And this isn't about Tessa saying she loves the new coaches. It's about how V/M continually have said that Marina wasn't trustworthy or there for them. That is the difference between being positive about your new training environment and the soap opera.

      "When they're asked for dirt on Marina in interviews they always sidestep the question. "

      They are not asked about Marina without wanting to be asked about Marina. They could take it off the table. And they do throw shade. All the time. Not going into great detail about what happened is not "side stepping" the question if you make sure to imply that something was suspicious about the previous arrangement.

      I just love how much of this comes down to "V/M are clearly super happy with their training environment because they look happy" as if that's all it comes down to. And it might be completely true that they're happy, even about the camp specifically rather than just loving to compete again or being content with their off-ice lives. But there's a lot of supposition that is going into that assessment of their well being.

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    6. P/I would not be better than V/M with Marina. But P/I with Marina would be better than P/I with Gadbois. V/M with Marina would be better than V/M with Gadbois.

      That is the point. You can disagree, but it's not about picking sides between Marina and V/M.

      If there was indeed a huge falling out, and Marina had been mean and neglectful and forced them to skate to Seasons, etc etc. If all the evil things V/M fans claim about Marina were true, and any sane person would be on V/M's side in wanting them to get out of that situation.... it would not change the fact that Marina is the more competent choreographer and that Canton, judging by the teams Gadbois has had in their camp so far and what they've done with them, is the stronger technical camp as well.

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    7. "Maybe some of these commenters will now understand how people felt when they admired VM's skating but didn't think highly of Marina's work... although I doubt there will be that level of self-reflection here."

      There's a difference between feeling disappointed because things are no longer to your aesthetic taste, and saying that one coach's work is of objectively of higher quality than the other's.

      I don't know anyone can claim to fully appreciate V/M's skating without thinking highly of Marina's work. We would never have seen V/M's best skating without it. Best skating measured in athletic and dance difficulty rather than pure glide. They did things you never thought possible by putting their skating skills to use. Now they do things *in a way* I never thought possible, but most of what they're doing can be done by other teams. Not all, certainly, some of the elements are crazy, and the SD is getting lost in this discussion as well. No one could do that SD. But much of the FD is very similar to what the other Gadbois teams have managed, just executed much, much better. The last part is key and what matters going forward in the season. But it still won't be achieving things on the same level as when they were at Canton, unless substantial tweaks and additions are yet to come. They said in an interview that Wilson will be working with them again before SC.

      Back to the SD, I wonder who they worked with on the hip-hop. Sam Chouinard is the Gadbois teacher who they worked on with Good Kisser, IIRC, but they haven't explicitly said it was him this time, and the quality seems higher and more integrated than what he's contributed in the past.

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    8. It's about how V/M continually have said that Marina wasn't trustworthy or there for them.

      Outside of the Sochi press conference, when have they ever said that? It's your perception, not reality. They handled things poorly initially but they're now acting like professionals, as is Marina. I understand that you would prefer they compliment Marina profusely but if they are genuinely still upset with her it's understandable that they wouldn't go there.

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    9. I think they have said specific things, but I don't have time at present to sort through the articles to find it, so let's say that's not the case for now.

      Nearly every thing about their comeback has implied that something was off about the training situation, and those things don't end up in articles if V/M aren't pushing that. And this thread started with Tessa's tweet, and "good as I thought it would". How does that not refer to everything that's been said about how they didn't feel good with Marina? That's a narrative that's out there, and Tessa knows that.

      Ah, I just remembered something she specifically said since Sochi. That Patrice didn't miss any of their practices in Sochi. I don't remember if it was implied or outright said, but the subtext was clearly that him doing that was special because they felt no one was there for them in Sochi.

      What about them being upset that Marina walked (with the Shibs, I assume) for the USA, even though they and D/W did not attend the ceremony? That is RIDICULOUS. She was the Shibs' coach too.

      MFD is also being sure to explain how they'll be more supported better than their previous environment in interviews.

      MFD from her TSL interview:
      "We're creating excellence in our center because we're not hiding anything, and we make things available for all our skaters and we're very fair and true to each one of them."

      Maybe stop with the assuming everyone here is needing them or anyone else to worship Marina. Silence would be fine. Even if it's true, they're milking it and it looks very petty.

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    10. These are your interpretations, not a direct mention (or else stuff that was only said in Sochi). I don't think they've even mentioned Marina's name once since the comeback anouncement, which is the silence you're asking for. Are they supposed to not praise their new coaches? Any praise can be interpreted as criticism of the previous coach, because it can imply the previous one wasn't giving you all that you needed. There is no way around that. And yet other skaters aren't accused of "milking it".

      Also, that quote from Marie-France is very similar to some of the stuff Marina and Igor have said in the past. What are they supposed to say? "Ok so I was going to say that we treat everyone fairly but that would be mean to Marina, so instead I'll say that it works out because of magic!"

      Do you not realize how oversensitive you are about this? You take a very cliché coach comment and make it about Marina. You can make everything about Marina if you want and be constantly outraged. But why? I don't understand being so emotionally invested in a coaching relationship as to react like this. You were never part of this relationship and have no idea about the dynamics involved, and yet you react as if you've been personally victimized.


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    11. "You were never part of this relationship and have no idea about the dynamics involved, and yet you react as if you've been personally victimized."

      The first part of that is true for every fan. Maybe you aren't one of them, but there are anti-Marina fans who act personally victimized the way they are outraged on V/M's behalf for something that has clear signs of being at least exaggerated (eg. the ceremony issue).

      It's even in their Canadian Encyclopedia entry!
      "In addition, coach Marina Zoueva’s apparent conflict of interest in coaching both the first- and second-place ice dancers provoked questions about whether she had displayed favouritism to the Americans (especially after she chose to march in the opening ceremony with the US team) and had devoted less coaching time to the Canadians. "

      It's not sourced and I can't find it in print, but it was definitely said somewhere, perhaps a video. Think of how absurd what they're suggesting is. Both V/M and D/W were doing the team event. Marina would have been absolutely in the wrong to not march with the Shibs. The team event will probably make this a non-issue, but would D/L both need to march for Canada, even though with Romain marching for France that would leave Spain and USA without a coach at their side? (Presumably Pascal will stay home to take P/I and possibly S/F to 4CC.) One of their examples of Marina neglecting them demands that she neglects another team who is paying her money to be their coach as well.

      "We're creating excellence in our center because we're not hiding anything".

      Yeah that sounds so much like a normal thing a coach would say completely without reference to any other situation.

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    12. Jumping into the fray -- these are a couple of the articles the other commenters might be remembering:

      http://www.insidehalton.com/sports-story/6370845-stars-stop-tune-up-for-virtue-amp-moir

      http://scottandtess.tumblr.com/post/144199742833/ifs-magazine-tessa-virtue-scott-moir-return-to

      On the Sochi practices, I watched some of them as those in the practice rink were streamed by NBC Olympics, and I never spotted Patrice at the boards (I do have a couple of the sessions saved to video so just checked) -- these were when the groups were sorted by country, so it was V/M and the other Canadian teams, along with Zlobina/Sitnikov, who practiced somewhere else, and Huang/Zheng, so Patrice also wasn't there to coach Hurtado/Diaz. V/M, Marina, Oleg, and Johnny interacted extensively and V/M had undivided attention on these sessions. But Patrice may have been off-screen, or just attended other sessions in the main rink.

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    13. LOL, that first link is by the guy who wrote their book. Every single word in that article will be exactly what V/M wanted put out there. In March. Of 2016.

      " Back in the dark days of Sochi, when Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir could no longer keep their uneasiness with Marina Zueva's commitment on a back burner, they did feel the constant, supportive, presence of another coach.

      "Patrice never missed one of our practices in Sochi," Virtue told The Spectator. "It's as if this was meant to happen all along.""

      There are well over a dozen fancams on Youtube of practices at the main rink. I just watched several of them, and all three coaches are present and very attentive at the boards, (also appearing quite affectionate, FWIW). Of the first 5 videos I watched, of only a few minutes each, there is combined total of over 5 minutes of extended interaction between V/M and their coaching team. Patrice is not present.

      Maybe he was in the stands every single time, maybe he was at the boards during one or two practices not on film, there is no way to disprove that definitively, and he is also their friend, so it wouldn't be odd for him to watch. But the phrasing of the first article - of which there is not a chance in hell that V/M got blindsided or didn't approve of the entire tone of the piece - gives the impression that V/M barely had any coaching at all except for good ole Patrice.

      From the IFS article:

      ""It is interesting because here we are, right back in the mix with the current World champions," Moir said in reference to their former base, where they trained alongside Davis and White. "That was one of the first questions that we asked, and they passed the test on that one. They answered it perfectly. We really trust the integrity of Patch and Marie."

      But sure, Scott's quote is not at all implying that Marina didn't have integrity. It had nothing to do with the piece his OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHER put out a couple months before which explicitly stated more than once that Marina hadn't given them enough attention and commitment.

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  3. I think its definitely Tessa that's throwing shade - Scott not so much..

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  4. I decided to watch VMs 2007 Assasination Tango from Nationals. Dancing and skating at its best. RIP...

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  5. I used to enjoy coming to this blog, knowing there would be freedom to discuss VM's true status as a married team and also discuss their skating in positive ways when so many of the skating forums (FSU) hated on anything VM.

    What a disappointment this place has now become the principal VM-hating platform. I'm sorry you hate their choice of coaching team, music, choreography, costuming... Is there anything left of them that's redeemable, according to these commenters?

    I'm personally so thrilled they are back. I want to enjoy every moment of the return of these sublime skaters. We have such a short time till the next Olympics. As a VM fan, I don't want to waste any of it. I love the SD and FD they have just unveiled. I believe both these programs will continue to develop to the high potential and skill VM are capable of. I do not think VM nor the Gadbois team are the enemy.

    It's too bad I cannot count on this place anymore as a refuge to discuss VM. The tone has become focused on bitterness. You may call it objective analysis. That's fine. To each his own. May you enjoy wishing for the return of Marina, the way VM used to skate, whatever it is you wish VM would do that they're not doing now as skaters.

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    1. This blog has always been a rather negative place.

      I don't see how being unhappy with their "coaching team, music, choreography, costuming" is all that much different from being unhappy with how they have handled their hiding of their married life and hoaxing of the public?

      No one here is being negative about their actual skating. Just the way it's being packaged and their PR with regards to the coaching split.

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  6. I'm also disappointed. Where are the pages of discussion regarding Ts new football player boyfriend? The theories as to why Scott is no longer doing the dirty work? OC has really fallen down on the job.

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    1. Who is the new football player boyfriend? Why don't you just tell us?

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    2. His name is Alex Pierzchalski. He's basically a clone of Ryan Semple.

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    3. 11:34. There is zero evidence this guy is a new fake boyfriend. A few fans created drama based on nothing and ran with it.

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    4. Some fans are getting all worked up because he and Tessa followed he each other on Instagram and Alex, Jordan, and her bf have all followed each other now. There has been zero evidence of anything else other than that.

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    5. Just like there is zero evidence that Scott and Tessa are married with 3 kids. If you are interested in evidence, why are you posting here?

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    6. 8:10
      On the contrary. There is indeed evidence Tessa and Scott are a couple and there are children. If you've read through the blog you know it's discussed at length, there's no need to rehash everything.

      If you choose to discount all the evidence, that's on you, but it cannot be said there is zero evidence.

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  7. "I think its definitely Tessa that's throwing shade - Scott not so much..."

    Tessa strikes me as the type who will hold a grudge forever, and make you know it.

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  8. "I have it on good authority that right after the free dance Tessa said to Marie-France & company that she had never had so much fun skating a free dance and that it was nice to like a free dance."

    http://danelledo.tumblr.com/post/151271886538/it-appears-that-overall-you-had-a-positive

    This tumblr account is a photographer who has plenty of close connections with the skating world. She may be honestly repeating what she heard rather than planting something, but Tessa knows exactly what she's saying in public.

    The options for this incessant "we're finally FREE" narrative are fabricated soap opera drama, or Tessa has a need to "win" after a disagreement that causes her to act out rather than take the high road. Considering the sham, well, the second option is not impossible.

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    1. I dont care

      this free dance is NOTHING in comparison to what Marena did for them.

      i love it of course bc the rest of the field sucks.

      let's be for real, this repetitive overly dramatic stuff is a show piece.

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    2. lol particularly the latest silliness Sochi FD and other sickly program...Zoueva has been..

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    3. I don't agree that the rest of the field "sucks", but otherwise, agreed 9:43. The reason to love it is that they're so much better than everyone else. Otherwise, much of it is at gala level. In fact, some of their transitions are from their galas.

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    4. The only person that truly knows what it meant would be Tessa herself.

      If anything, V/M knew what they were going into to do those (so-called sucky) programs. Really, if it truly 'sucked', why would they choose to skate them at HPC and later, present (and refined) them at the competitions? Are you saying they have 'no choice'? I'd say they rely on the advice and suggestion of the ppl they trusted, namely their coaches. But then again, this whole 'suckiness' business is still based on fans and anti-fans' (or maybe even the judges) taste/opinion. Shouldn't distract them from great vs bad skating :-/

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  9. At the risk of adding to the theory that we're all pathetic P/I ubers just waiting to throw V/M under the bus (LOL), I know you've appreciated them in the past, OC, here are their new programs if you haven't seen them yet.

    The SD needs mileage, but I think it really plays to their strengths while forcing them to perform a bit more. They can certainly still work on making things "bigger" though.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK7tTQEm1qE

    The FD is... probably not what they need right now, but I think it's better than what they had last year at least.
    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4tnjjb_7-alexandra-paul-mitchell-islam-can-fd-2016-us-int-l-classic_sport

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    1. In related news, G/P's scored 35 points higher than P/I in their respective Senior B outings. P/I are never getting past them again.

      I would also not be absolutely completely floored if G/P become a threat to V/M. They are already scoring above 70, and the PCS is closer than the TES. Heaven help us if that were to be the case.

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  10. Papadakis/Cizeron just scored 84 point on the SD at the French Masters....that is INSANE. National inflation but still INSANE.

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    1. FD - 120. Enough said

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    2. Ridonkulous. How is inflation like this helpful? All Federations seem to do it to some degree.

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    3. 9:47 It's just making a point to the public and thus generating the perception that such-and-such pair from is the best. At least, TBH, it only truly works IF the skaters actually skated well. Otherwise, it's like that story "Emperor's New Clothes"

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  11. What's even more laughable now is the comments coming from some (probably) french uberfans basically insinuating politics on country of origin played into V/M's scorings, be it past (hint: Olympic win) and of course, this most recent one.

    So what now? Are the French shaking federation basically staking their claim on who should be placed first before the season even started? Will they expect their skaters to be scored even higher and higher after each competition so by Worlds next year P/C is once again reigned champion?????

    It isn't far fetched to think that V/M's two-year absence will be used to justify those future scores given that they are 'rusty' (oh, yes of course!) from returning to the competition circuit. Pageantry all over again...Never mind, V/M's skating skills and lifetime experience they actually bring onto the ice every single time they compete *insert eyeball*

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    1. I also think V/M's future interviews shouldn't even mention anymore about how being in competition is going to be harder. (yes, Scott, you did say "some rust needs to come off" in your FD interview). It's just an ammo to go on from there to dictate how your season is going to unfold.

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    2. 8:18
      It's politically correct for VM to talk about all the catching up to do, the ice dancing that has progressed, etc etc. It's BS but they did need to pay some lip service.

      At least, thank God, they're no longer talking about the relationship issue. Now if they would just shut up about not being up to the level of the recent trends in ice dance. VM are playing the game but enough is enough.

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    3. 11:31 Agreed. Frankly, they V/M do themselves the disservice by stating that they aren't up to the level or even trends (if there is such a thing). Certainly, training would be essential for any skaters competing to meet the technical and artistic requirements. However, skating skill edge wise (even if they were absent from the competition circuit), they V/M still have it. Come on, it's not like they are amateurs. 8$

      Another point you mentioned is why should there be a trend anyways? Is skating skills or artistic taste like fashion??? Well then, it's just an excuse to say such-and-such pair is "in" or flavour of the season(s). Such a sham because they (Feds, ISU, skaters) they claim that "it's a competition, blah blah". So in reality, it's just a pageantry (as Marie had stated earlier). So what's the point of wasting all that time with training, money and time if it boils down to this??? Good riddance, I say!

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    4. *cough* Marie Mogeneau

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  12. Is it just me or is Tessa starting to get annoying on her Instagram account as of late - like look at meeeee....gotta hand it to the Montrealers so far..they leave athletes/actors etc pretty much alone..

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    1. 3:09
      In fact, since signing with Manifesto, Tessa's social media is much more polished and professional. She's a celebrity athlete, her social media is supposed to be about promotion, not sharing her personal life with the public.

      For years, the fans complained about VM's absence of significant social media presence, or the misuse of it to promote sham. Tessa is finally using it appropriately, as a celebrity athlete should be doing.

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    2. The complaints have nothing to do with Tessa, it's just bitching for bitching's sake. No matter what Tessa would be posting, there would still be complaints about it.
      If she doesn't post pictures of Scott she is hiding her private life and ignoring her brand, if she is posting pictures of Scott she is just leading her fans on, if she posts selfies she's arrogant and vain and if she doesn't post selfies but pictures of random objects she's pretentious.
      This has nothing to do with Tessa anymore, it's just a bunch of people who like to bitch about Tessa whatever she's doing. She can't win at this point.
      Social media of celebrities is supposed to be " look at meee! ". That's the sole purpose. That's what sponsors pay athletes to do. Tessa's social media isn't any different than any other athletes social media but it's of course only annoying when Tessa does it ...

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    3. @ 7:35 I don't even think these people are really fans of VM, they're disguised as fans. And if they really are maybe it's time to find another fandom that doesn't make them so bitter.

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    4. "Social media of celebrities is supposed to be " look at meee! ". That's the sole purpose. That's what sponsors pay athletes to do."

      Couldn't have said it better myself. No one is forcing anyone to look at Tessa's SM. If it's making you annoyed, then stop looking at it. Stop pretending to be so helpless.

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  13. 8:46 see comments above re French Masters, inflation and their scores....

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  14. Read the earlier comments. What rankles me more now is the fact that they (organizers) actually placed a media block to the competition. If it weren't for the fans and their videos of the competition, we would never have known about this. What now? Some would say this doesn't count towards the rest of the season. But watching these competitions (including the Olympics) over the past decade, I'm not as certain now. Point is will this become their base score to start from?

    Better question that had never received media attention - What happened to L'equipe's investigation on the collusion during Sochi? Seems like there was a gag in place after that one piece.

    The talk of lobbying, cheating ... as though skaters have a hand in any of this. I blame ISU, Feds, Individual countries skating who actually made this happen.

    V/M brought so many programs over the years to the ice that range from lyrical (Mahler, Umbrellas, Triste), Broadway (Funny face) to avant-garde (Pink Floyd, Carmen). Even their Tangos are to die for. Memorable no? Just to name a few. Yet they are now being accused of not keeping up the trend. What exactly is that???

    Like what Maria mentioned, it seems like this ice dance has turned into a beauty pageant or who's-next-couple-that-is-in-fashion trend. I sure hope not but can't help but feel it's going this way. All I can say is Good luck, Tessa & Scott. You're gonna need it. Don't let them bring you down and skate your a** off.

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  15. Forgot to mention that V/M's program's are so memorable because they truly danced and whatever program they danced to to win, they truly earned it. You can see it through their skating skills, technique as well as body posture ... it's a true fact that ... they actually dance ...

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  16. ok I saw P/C's programs on better quality videos on youtube, and the SD is okay. The FD is meh, cant believe it got a score like that

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  17. Speaking of french uber P/C fans,gabriella recently called them out on her intstagram telling them not to post negative shit about other ice dancers.....WOW when the person you stan doesn't even like you its time to take a good look at your life.

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  18. BTW the P/c uber thats harrasing them is named marie mogineau

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  19. With Skate Canada this weekend, I wanted to give a shout-out to the Shibs for two astounding performances this past weekend at Skate America; they absolutely slayed it, and for once, the podium was actually right. Enjoy it while you can folks, because it's all downhill from here.

    Shibs SD:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgB675Qo2M

    Shibs FD (with Eurosport's dumbass commentary that H/D's FD "moved them more":

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmLic4KXD08

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    1. yay! very VM choreo!

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    2. That FD is absolutely beautiful. It takes a brave and musical team to skate to something as sparse as Spiegel im Spiegel and make it work with complexity and depth. Well done, Shibs.

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  20. On my way to Mississauga tomorrow to see VM. Can't wait!

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