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| This just in. Piper and Paul are fun. |
Why wouldn't she invite them to watch in person at Canadians?
Reminds me of this from William Thomson's visit to FSU after Nationals. A couple (that's it, a couple) of members were wondering if the scores at Canadians 2012 were cooked for Piper & Paul, and he took offense.
Good morning
To clarify one point. Skate Canada does not in any way pressure or manipulate judging. In fact, we specifically request that they judge what occurs on the evening and not worry about team selection etc. We have selection criteria that allows us to look at more than one event.*I guess the policy has changed since William Thompson, former-CEO Skate Canada, departed. Or he simply failed to mention there's no need to manipulate anyone. Judges and results are irrelevent. Ask Amelie Lacoste, and ask Paul/Islam and Ralph/Hill.
As a former Olympic judge, I find this suggestion completely objectionable and patently untrue. Our first obligation is athletic fairness to the skaters. If judges make errors, it is because they are human and not as a result of pressure from Skate Canada to place skaters in a particular order.
William Thompson CEO Skate Canada
Gilles and Poirier have made the world team before the competition selecting the team has been been held. They've already met the criteria. They're so fun!
Hold the medal ceremony now - VM, W&P and of course, G&P.
Gee, even Virtue Moir always say "If we qualify."
The lack of respect this team is showing other Canadian dance teams is ridiculous. But where are they getting it? Their own Fed.
Skate Canada is hammering us over the head that the only Canadian ice dance team worth talking about other than Virtue & Moir is Piper & Paul. And they're going to Worlds, even before Canadians are competed. You love them, right? They're so FUN!!!!!
The overkill promotion of this team by Skate Canada is obnoxious , typically unprofessional, and completely disrespectful to the other teams competing for the podium. The federation has made its agenda over obvious, to say the least. This is no surprise - it's consistent with how Debbi Wilkes and other Skate Canada officials behave whenever a non-chosen member of Skate Canada competes, even those on the international track. They are contemptuous of their own figure skaters and make no bones about it in public.
Be sure to check out Piper and Paul's fantabulous new website decorated with photos conveniently and generously donated by all of the professional photographers whose work is on display, blinged out with Thomas Sabo, with links to and from Barb's twitter, Skate Canada's twitter (same difference) and Skate Canada's website (same difference) and P.J.'s twitter. Be careful when you open the page; you'll get glitter and exclamation points all over your keyboard.**
__________________
*Just re-read that part. Why didn't they look at more than one event when it came to sending MTM or Dube/Wolfe to Worlds 2012?
**I haven't even visited the page yet. How off am I?
P.S. I certainly hope that, if there is any reaction from Gilles Poirier, they don't use or imply a "consider the source". Both know that the premise of this blog is true. Any insinuation that the blog's premise is off-base will bury them and Skate Canada in more lies. Those two know Scott and Tessa are together, and Piper (and the rest of the Gilles family) knew it long before she teamed up with Paul.
I"m calling them out for arrogance, and lack of respect, and I'm wondering if Skate Canada has let them know they're going to Worlds no matter what. Again we have a contradiction - if Piper and Paul are so delightful, such fun, such charmers, why are they treating Paul/Islam and Kharis/Ralph like gum off their shoe? That's what "check us out at Worlds!" means. Kharis/Ralph used to be very close to Crone/Poirier, but Paul is moving up in the world now.
I think Piper & Paul are just mirrors of their Federation, and on such a sugar high they're not looking at the implications of their behavior.
Let's give this a beat or two and see how long it takes before Paul/Islam and Kharis/Ralph are instructed to show they're the biggest supporters of Piper & Paul of anyone, think there's no team more deserving, and couldn't be happier with how things stand with G&P and Skate Canada, versus the table scraps they're getting.
P.P.S. - Kharis & Asher, Alex & Mitch, I apologize if this means you will now get dirt for scores at Canadians.
P.P.P.S. - regardless of their figure skating quality or lack of, the promotional push for Piper & Paul is suffocating. It's a parody. It's the sort of dynamic where some smile monster comes at you and demands you acknowledge no emotion but laughing and clapping. It's ruthless, with no connection to how they're scoring or what's being put on the ice. Once again, a Skate Canada public relations scheme demonstrates their low opinion of the target market. Cretins who can't think for themselves and need a sledgehammer.
Skate Canada continues to behave as if promotion is just putting out the words you want, recruiting an amen chorus, and a mesmerized public will adopt this opinion as its own.
This isn't personal to Piper and Paul, but Skate Canada has taken a new dance team and used them to completely insult pre-existing dance teams and forcefeed this one to the public, and it's obvious the skaters have been told to play it up. What are they getting in return?
Oh what the ever loving fuck is this. You make a good point about V/M and their "If we qualify" but even if they didn't do that, they're Virtue and Moir. They've earned that right. What have Piper and Paul done to earn anything?
ReplyDeleteThey have Skate Canada up their ass. When you have your Federation in your back pocket and they've let you know that the other teams are so much toilet tissue, you can start to feel pretty confident about your schedule.
DeleteThe overkill by Skate Canada to make us believe Gilles/Poirier are the bestest thing ever is so suspicious it really makes you look again at what went down with the split from Vanessa Crone. Was that really a Poirier decision or was it cooked up also by Skate Canada, and Paul thought the benefits were worth it. They are certainly giving this team EVERYTHING before they've earned it, so you have to ask why.
Are they prepping for the day when Tessa and Scott inevitably hang up their skates? I'd hate to be Weaver and Poje right now because it's pretty clear who Skate Canada sees as their successors.
DeleteYou would have thought that G/P would tone it down but alas that is not the case...Slipchuk has V/M and W/P to concentrate on...It's sad to see W/P, P/I and R/H treated like this. I mean even Radford/Duhamel are getting absolutely no love from Skate Canada...then to think that Mitch Islam's mother is a judge...it must grate...
DeleteAnon 8:32 - I also think promoting Piper & Paul gives Debbi & Company something to do, keeps them looking busy. I don't think Debbi Wilkes gives a shit about Skate Canada or Scott and Tessa's successors.
DeleteSomeone who might - such as Slipchuck - he's busy doing an actual job.
This is just p.r. I"m interested though, to see how far they push it, but I'm also certain the scores at Canadians are going to make certain there's no need for a Lacoste/Phaneuf situation, no matter how G&P actually skate.
It's something THEY (Debbi & Co.) can understand - the FUN thing, it gives them the appearance of being busy, and they probably think fans just don't get blonde hair, cross-dressing, funny nerd glasses and antic facebook posing in their own life enough and might eat this up. Smiling is so much more important than skating!
Debbi (loudly) has no use for a number of other Canadian teams below the international podium level, and feels the same even about a few who have medaled internationally. This must do wonders for morale.
But Scarborough is willing to suck up to Debbi, so points there, Poirier was national champion with Vanessa, so better pedigree.
This bit though, with Piper acting like her ticket to Worlds is already punched is just rubbing the faces of the other skaters in it, and also in Skate Canada's favoritism, else where would Piper be getting her confidence? She has to be getting the "You're sure to be on the team" from the Federation.
It means that Skate Canada isn't even pretending to believe the other teams can make a contest of it, and when you look at the scores this season, that's absolutely not justified.
Can someone explain to me why they needed to get a new fake girlfriend for Scott? Wouldn't it have been easier just to keep Jessica? What did she do to get demoted?
ReplyDeleteWhat purpose is Cassandra going to serve without a Facebook page now? Will she return at a later date with more photos of her and Scott holding hands?
Even assuming that Tessa and Scott aren't actually together, they sure do like to rub fans' faces in it. I'm seeing that now. It took the previous week for me to be able to really see that. "Look everyone, Cassandra!" and then hours later a photo of Tessa and Ryan surfaces. Just as fans were beginning to settle down into what seemed like a pleasant season.
Trust me, what has been said on this blog regarding V&M's true off-ice status is true.
DeleteIf someone isn't clued in though, it does end up looking like Tessa and Scott are rubbing fans' faces in the fact that they're not together. The follow-up to the PDA at SC, followed by the Cassandra and Ryan pictures surfacing, was even more PDA during practices and warm-ups at Rostelcom Cup. Spend some time watching videos that the Russian fans made. You'll see what I mean.
The whole thing has clearly evolved from a privacy shield to an obnoxious pr tool that serves no purpose but to help them think they have upper hand, feed their self-importance, and, not least, provide circle jerk fun for Scott and his friends and family.
DeleteAs you've said, people were settling into a pleasant season, very relieved and happy about the Carmen program. I've never seen a program that excited fans so much they didn't need to supplement that excitement with relationship speculation.
I think the Moirs, Virtues and Skate Canada had already pre-determined how fans would react - that it would be all about the sex and not the program. Turns out it the excitement was for the program, but Team Sham didn't let that stop them.
They would have made the whole thing more believeable if they’d just flashed the Cassandra facebook and shut that down, but left her name on the list of donees. The fact that she was at the very top of the list of Scott's donees, but then removed after the blog published her fb profile sort of gives away the game even to the skeptical. After all, it's not a privacy violation to have your name on the list. There's two short pages of names on Scott's lists - if they don't have a facebook or it's not searchable - privacy accomplished. Taking away Cassandra's name was covering their tracks, tipping off that it was there so people would search her and find the photo. Otherwise, why not leave it there once her facebook was protected? Her privacy would have been immediately restored.
I doubt they even care if people believe them or not that this point. It’s about winning and not giving people the satisfaction.
And although this is purely guesswork on my part, I suspect that Tessa’s ability to isolate herself from things she doesn’t want to know about helps perpetuate the sham. If she’s determined to continue, she’s going to edit out any different perspective and, most of all, not want to hear about it or know about it, because she’s not going to let herself be swayed by any external factors. Unfortunately this means that the fans have to continue to be treated like puppets.
anon 9:13 - actually, I believe they are rubbing fans faces in it.
DeleteYes, they are allowing themselves to be more affectionate in public, to show pda, to act naturally because that's what they are - they're a couple.
However, slow dancing at the gala was something else again. That was bait. Marina running around talking about Tessa's womanly evolution is bait. The hot flashes the Skate Canada contingent is pretending to have about the Carmen program is bait.
It's not a matter of them hedging against their natural behavior. As with "Monaco" and "maybe" and "not yet anyway" and the leak of the dance photos on Hjordis Lee's facebook, they are working both ends of the street. Scott, especially, is never not aware when there's a camera, even if it's yards away. If someone were hiding out in a trunk of a car with their lens poking through a drill hole ten blocks away he'd know it.
Delete
Basic stuff here people.
ReplyDeleteSkate Canada is still in major trouble because of its "Tough" Campaign. All the big sponsors left and the prime time TV slots are gone too. They need Paul Pourier because Paul is the only "one" still left. That is why Thomas Sabo demanded Pauls personal endorsement as a condition of them signing on. It is damage control, still too little to late, but this is all about damage control.
Anon 2:06
ReplyDeletePaul is the only "one?"
What are you talking about?
Not sure but I'm guessing the only gay one? But that's not true, he's not the only "one".
DeleteRight, there's more than one "gay one". I do think it's interesting that some of the bigger G&P enthusiasts initially were harping on how Piper brought something out of Paul that Vanessa couldn't. I'll blunder right in and suggest at the time the thought was Piper was prettier, or at least more glam, and highlighted Paul as a hearthrob. However, wait a beat, and that wasn't going to fly, so now they're being pushed on us as "fun."
DeleteI don't think Skate Canada is in trouble because of its tough campaign, per se, but more because it's a patronage dump and the sponsors don't want to deal with a bunch of pompous, unprofessional dimwits who offend the public like it's their job. William Thompson expressed his confidence in Skate Canada acquiring a new title sponsor by 2012-2013. He's gone, they still lack a title sponsor, even Kozy Shack is now merely a "preferred supplier" and Thomas Sabo is being hyped to the skies even though they're a minor sponsor.
I don't think Skate Canada is doing damage control. I think they haven't changed a bit.
This Blog has become irrelevant. Anyone that has see the Fan vids from the last two comps, and the pics of V/m not together can see. I think that this Blog is just an American Blogger trying to get people to Hate Virtue/Moir. Either that or wishful thinking...You are Outed Blogger. Your Time is Up...
ReplyDeleteThis is a bit OT but I was taken aback - again - by Kurt Browning's remarks about Johnny Weir in a recent podcast that included Tracy Wilson and P.J. Kwong. I can only imagine what he'd say if Tracy didn't aggressively insist on keeping him grounded. Tracy told an anecdote about a couple of female USA figure skaters going to Johnny Weir for wardrobe help when they wanted to attend the Bolshei, because they lacked the proper wardrobe. Browning verbally rolled his eyes at the vision of Johnny having a more suitable wardrobe for women to wear to the Bolshoi than the figure skaters. Then he got 'serious' and said he criticizes Weir for going "too far" but he wished he'd done better at CoR, cause he does respect him.
ReplyDeleteToo far what? How is Johnny Weir wearing whatever different than some of the stuff Lysacek has worn - or other figure skaters have worn?
All I can get from it is that while Weir didn't come out until last year, he never went out of his way to pretend to be straight, and Browning objects to Weir putting it in people's faces. Certainly the actual programs Weir has skated have been inoffensive.
The fire starter should grow up.
Skate Canada is a patronage dump, no question. But they are down playing the damage so many homophobic actions are having on their brand (and so is this blog owner).
ReplyDelete1. Kurt Browning attacking Weir, like he hasn't done this before.
2. Jamie Sale mocking Weir publicly with her "gay hands" interview.
3. CTV/RDS telling Weir he needed to be gender tested.
4. Battle of the Blade replacing all male figure skaters with hockey players, because it is the male figure skaters who are killing the sport right?.
5. The Tough campaign made worse by not engaging ABC/Diane Sawyer in publicly to defend Skate Canada, making them look even more guilty.
6. The all black funeral packaging of skaters so they wouldn't look gay.
7. The fact Canada has never had an openly Gay competitive figure skater.
8. The hiring one of Canadas top anti-gay lobbyist as Director of Communications (Barb MacDonald).
.....there is just TOO MUCH of this stuff going on here, for it to be incompetence.
Don't trivialize the damage this has done to all of figure skating. Don't negate that the accumulation of the last 4 years, is not being watched. Don't negate the fact that the entertainment industry has a powerful gay and pro-gay backbone. GLAAD is probably the worlds biggest media lobby for the Gay community and after they came to the defense of Johnny Weir at the 2010 Olympics, you know Skate Canada is on their hit list now.
Trivializing this because you want to focus on Scott and Jessica is emotionally understandable, but this is a big one, which has a little to do with incompetence and patronage.
I'm not trivializing it, although I think the issue is of a piece with the other issues that plague figure skating. The blog, however "wants" to focus on "Jessica Dube loves Scott Moir" because that is what the blog is about - chronicling the Jessica-Scott sham, specifically. Exploring it has revealed whole other cans of worms and opened other doors, particularly as regards Skate Canada's incompetence. These doors lead to the whys and the hows this sham was put into place to begin with, and why it was implemented in such an aggressive, stupid, meanspirited, bizarre and maliciously manipulative manner. That requires looking at the personalities behind it.
DeleteBut the blog isn't called "What's wrong with figure skating in N.A." but "Jessica Dube Loves Scott Moir." That's a specific topic and it's the core subject and reason for the blog's existence. It's about how Team Virtue Moir treat the fans, who is involved, and how they're doing it.
I think I've read your views on figure skating and its homophobia before. To me, homophobia and figure skating is a "no duh" issue - it's a given. Many of the personalities in figure skating right now have more regressive attitudes than football players in America. Nothing like Kurt Browning being more homophobic and uncomfortable with the topic (his "too far" euphamism) than Chris Kluwe and Brendan Ayanbadeyo.
At the same time, this homophobic crowd are dinosaurs. Look at some of the up and coming male figure skaters, particularly in Europe and Asia. They don't give a shit. Most of the skaters in N.A. don't give a shit. This is the next generation for when the current group is put out to pasture.
I do believe this is a case where society and the culture are outpacing the N.A. Federations, the skaters will begin to ignore any pressure from their Federations to "straighten up" and, inevitably many of these skaters will engage with fans via twitter and become popular independent of their Fed (like Johnny Weir has become) and by becoming popular will become assets to their Federation. IOW, the homophobes will become irrelevent, just as the personalities running the Federation at Skate Canada in particular, will become irrelevent.