The week ended with another big surprise for us. Shortly before the beginning of the gala, we were asked to speak to the organizing committee about a problem… Due to illness, one of the teams was forced to withdraw from gala, but the slot still needed to be filled to keep the TV schedule consistent. We were asked to fill it, based on the reception our programs received. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, Piper and I were so pleased by all the positive feedback, and so honoured by the OC’s request.I think this was like the big surprise when skatebug "malfunctioned" and Debbi Wilkes ended up enthroned next to the Kiss'n'Cry where, throughout the entire event, up to and including the medal ceremony, nobody in the entire arena could avoid looking at her nor escape her incessant, imbecilic bloviating.
Like Debbi, Paul and Piper are prepared for surprises. They'd packed two sets of gala costumes, as well as copies of two pieces of gala music, and brought them to Paris all the way from Canada having no idea there was such a big surprise in store or that their competition programs would be as well received as they were (finishing with 135.85 to the American dance team, Hubbell & Donohue, who finished two places ahead of Piper and Paul at 145.23).
Sixth place for Piper and Paul = 3 gala slots for G&P, while finishing in fourth place, just off the podium = zero, zip, no available gala slots for H&D.
Reminds me of reading in a Donald Trump bio about Marla Maples toting her wedding dress around with her from golf course to golf course from New York to Palm Beach in hopes she'd catch The Donald in a marrying mood between games. Is that how Piper and Paul roll?
Considering Paul and Piper say they were asked to fill the slot of a team that couldn't perform due to illness, what accounts for the 2.5 slots Paul and Piper ultimately skated? Gosh, poor Hubbell Donohue. They're nice skaters, but they're just not the instant crowd favorites Paul and Piper have become worldwide.
"Based on the reception our programs received"* - there's your humble brag and the chosen angle of spin. Last I checked, their positive feedback included a 51 in the short program while Hubbell Donohue cleaned their clocks in the long. But the audience knows what it likes, and they want Paul and Piper!
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| Piper and Paul had packed these clothes to wear to dinner in Paris. It was a big surprise they were then asked to skate in them. |
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| Fortunately, Paul and Piper were able to swiftly download and edit copies of their music on cds for the gala playlist. |
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| Last minute group spot! The team with the illness wouldn't have fit in nearly as well so it all worked out. |
Skate Canada has been as subtle as a brick in the face when it comes to promoting Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. But surely even Skate Canada wouldn't arrange in advance of the competition for the TEB OC to invite Paul and Piper to skate in the gala, and then try to pass it off as an invitation by popular demand once some other team fell ill.**
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*It also uses the old weasely, evasive passive voice, so conspicuous in Paul's explanation.
"Received" by whom? The crowd? The OC? Or received by Debbi Wilkes and Skate Canada? "Well" received, for that matter, since they didn't specify?
I think they're hoping to insinuate all good things without having to flat out say it and risk contradiction by others there who didn't have the same impression.
**We might want to keep an eye on some near-the-bottom French skater's gala appearance at London Worlds, or a French skater or team receiving an unusually generous p.r. boost or shout out from Skate Canada (or one of Barb's friends at icenetwork.com).
Withdrawal from the gala by another team or not, that would simply pad out Paul and Piper's gala participation, not make it possible in the first place. And even that pretext is suspicious. Give us a break. Two sets of gala costumes and two sets of gala music cuts in their luggage for a competition where they were sure to finish off the podium? What for? A team that wasn't on the podium - the sick team - was going to skate two exhibition programs?
Wow! I guess there is a Jesus contingent at the IceNetwork that Barb MacDonald tapped into. The IceNetwork seems to cover Johnny Weir respectfully, so I am surprised.
ReplyDeletePaul and Piper need to be careful who they link themselves to. If Skate Canada doesn't get this $10 Million from the Federal Government next year, they could be in for some major hemorrhaging of personnel.
icenetwork published Barb's account of Craig Buntin's wedding, which was covered there purely so Scott Moir and Jessica Dube could be listed as among the guests. It's amazing how Tessa never ever gets invited to these things. She's so popular.
ReplyDeleteSince then, it's a good idea to keep an eye on favor trading for when Barb, Debbi & Co. want to get a message out through a side or back channel. They're getting all crafty now and trying to launder the trail.
Anon 2:47
ReplyDeleteI don't see G/P being dragged into anyone's premise. I see SC undeservedly promoting this team over and above their fellow-competitors. It's SC doing the "ugly" not this blog.
It may be SC and I have no beef with criticism of them but not Piper and Paul:( Just leave them be.
ReplyDeleteWhat is ugly & nasty about the premise that Scott and Tessa are in love, married and have a child?
ReplyDeleteThe part where I accuse them of lying?
When does it become ugly and nasty to say that liars are lying? Is it impolite? I think it's impolite to work over the public for fun and profit, and to have sport at the expense of well intentioned people you believe are lower status than yourself.
And what is wrong with noticing that a Canadian institution which receives government funding is in the hands of a clutch of self-dealing operators who, among other things, have proactively run a hoax on the public while pushing themselves into the limelight at not just every opportunity, but while manufacturing opportunity? All the while ignoring the responsibilities inherent in the titles of the job they purport to hold, while driving the institution into financial instability?
Paul and Piper dragged themselves into the topic by partnering up with Skate Canada in Skate Canada's attempt to promote this team at the expense of other teams, precisely BECAUSE Paul and Piper are willing to let themselves be used as a promotional platform for Skate Canada's spotlight-hungry personnel.
ReplyDeleteThey got absurd scores at last season's Canadians - enough so that William Thompson felt like he had to deny it. Since when did Thompson lower himself to address criticism EVER? The only time this bunch deigns to talk to the public is when they have a lie to peddle, and that was one of them - that there was no politicking for those score.
They're a new team, they've scored with the other new teams internationally, and Skate Canada promotes them above and beyond what they've accomplished on the merits. They overreached, IMO, with the TEB gala gambit. How does a team with those scores at TEB end up skating two exhibitions in a gala while teams ahead of them aren't asked, unless Skate Canada requests it well ahead of the event? What's in it for Skate Canada? Well, for one thing - something for Debbi Wilkes and Barb MacDonald to do with their day now that Debbi can't shove her face on Skatebuzz every second she's awake and now that Barb has to watch her p's & q's upselling herself on twitter. They may not have to do much to justify their existence, but they do need to do something.
Paul and Piper - and their advisors - are totally taking advantage of the publicity perks and favors that have come their way, including the assurance that they'll be on the World team before Canadians is even skated. This doesn't deserve to be ignored.
As cringe-worth as the V-M sham is, the current situation with G-P leaving a far worse taste in my mouth. Jessica may have recieved some very nice perks along the way, but at least when she was with Bryce, you can't argue that they didn't deserve their international assignments. Even with Sebastian last year, I feel that the other teams made errors that meant they [the other teams] handed the 2nd world berth to D-W rather than SC just handing it to them like they've already given G-P the third spot to worlds this season. The reality is that there are at least 2-3 other teams right now who are better than G-P and should get a crack at a trip to worlds. Sadly, none of those teams will get a real shot.
ReplyDeletePiper said it: "You should come see us in person at Worlds." It's a done deal. Paul Islam had a strong short in today's challenge but even if they get comparable scores at Canadians, Skate Canada will see to it that P/I beats them.
DeleteI agree that the situation with Dube Wolfe was somewhat different but I don't think it was handled entirely fairly. For one thing, the defending champions MTM were denied the chance to skate at home at Skate Canada prior to Canadians, an assignment Dube got every year with Davison. Instead Dube, who hardly needed the experience, was given the Skate Canada assignment and the chance to get her seasonal sea legs under her skating before a home crowd.
There would have been no questions about sending Dube/Wolfe to Worlds - they were silver medalists after all - if Skate Canada hadn't balked at sending Canadian champion Amelie LaCoste to Worlds. They wanted Phaneuf on the theory she was likely to finish higher at Worlds than LaCoste. On that basis, MTM had been much stronger in the 2011 GPS than Dube/Wolfe and were already experienced at Worlds, and would have been likely to finish higher than Dube/Wolfe's relatively dismal showing.
I can rationalize the outcome though, because Canada was sending only one woman while it had two pairs teams going to France, one of which, Duhamel/Radford, was likely to get the job done as far as a decent placement.
The Gilles Poirier situation has become egregious. The TEB thing was just beyond. It's like they pull these stunts and expect everyone else to just get on board, like sheep. Instead they end up calling themselves out.
Above should be "see to it that G/P beats them".
DeleteThat should be "is leaving" above.
ReplyDeleteLOL, it's nasty and ugly to me because I believe you are the liar.
ReplyDeleteSurely not. According to Scott and Tessa, it's THEM that fans don't believe when they say they're not together. You do? You must be a rare fan.
ReplyDeleteSurely ;) Well, off to bed to have nightmares of a semi nude David Pelletier next to Tessa's mother. LOL LOL.
ReplyDelete