"Certainly there are fans in other sports who are devoted and obsessive, but the skating fans are really an interesting breed."Ice Sweat and Tears.
The filmmakers behind Ice Sweat and Tears for sure didn't know much about figure skating before this project, and for this project their tour guide was Debbi Wilkes, that's a cold certainty. So their perspective is Debbi's perspective.
We all know what the fuck "certainly, BUT ... interesting breed" means.
It's not:
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| Toronto Maple Leafs Fans |
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| Nascar Fans |
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| Football Fans |
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| This very interesting figure skating fan. |
What distinguishes this figure skating fan from sports fans who camp out in parking lots dressed in costume or who offer to sell their sister for a ticket? Or from those who decorate their living room in the colors? Who build all of their vacation and travel time around the schedule of their favorite team? Who use a sports event mainly as an excuse to get drunk off their ass and pee in public? Who spend most of their disposable income on memorabilia? Fans who have beer guts making them look nine months pregnant and they're only 28?
For that matter, what differentiates a bunch of figure skating fans who get together with other figure skating fans and attend a figure skating event from, say, a bunch of high school alumni who, due to the efforts and generosity of an old friend who attended their high school for a couple of years, get together to travel to a hockey game in Detroit and also get to go behind the scenes to meet Mike Babcock and other personnel, and to photograph the locker room - all because their old friend is hooked up due to being a championship athlete who trains in Detroit? What makes those dudes and their facebook celebration and the excited comments of their envious friends different from the other fans who get together and arrange a "special" trip to go to a figure skating event?
I'll have pictures of the buddies traveling to Detroit as soon as I unearth them - many of you have seen them - and in my absolute favorite comment of the whole album, one guy goes "HOW DID YOU GET TO MEET BABCOCK AND GET INTO THE LOCKEROOM!!"
I don't know dude, look at the group, move your lips while thinking about it, and guess.
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| Unashamed to use a connection to get backstage and meet celebrities |
The figure skating fan is a lady. A silly, pathetic, no-life having, middle-aged lady who- tee hee - is also sex-starved and that's why she "researches the minutae" of the lives of these figure skaters. Figure skating ladies are the volunteers who do all the scut, they're the moms who do the driving of their kids to practice before school and work two jobs to finance the training, they staff the clubs and regional Skate Canada offices, they are most of the reporters, but they are a fucking embarassment to have as fans, am I right Debbi?
And because Debbi - who has nothing in common with these ladies whatsoever - is so embarrassed by them - she hooks these ladies to a flagpole and runs them up a flagpole on television so she can point to them and patronize the shit out of them.
In the spirit of her usual grasp of the big picture, Debbi, Director of Business Development, is telling prospective sponsors "This is our typical fan! This would be your customer base! They pack their lunch, share a hotel room, are extremely frugal, don't really have lives, and basically spend a lot of spare time on the web looking up minutae about the skaters on google. Come partner with us, won't you?"
And she's telling the new audience she wants to attract - come rub shoulders with our interesting figure skating fans!
The other sports know the colorful characters and fanatics are part of the larger scene. They're not saying - these are our fans!
But after this "documentary" finishes telling us that figure skaters make base jumpers and street lugers look weak, they let us know that these interesting fans typify fans of figure skating. The other sports fans are just the entertaining (or not) fringe.
"The figure skating fan is a lady. A silly, pathetic, no-life having, middle-aged lady who- tee hee - is also sex-starved and that's why she "researches the minutae" of the lives of these figure skaters."
ReplyDeleteNow I think of it, all that Scott-Jessica crap shared with the fans, also, lest we forget, the sharing about how D/D had been "lovers" (but then Scott was the new lover), was just SC and VM treating their fans like royalty. The fans are these sex-starved pathetic middle-aged women, so *of course* they will be just thrilled with the tabloid-type oversharing. Who cares if it's real or not, the fans come first. They weren't being disgusting. They were being generous.
It looks like they think these pathetic fans are still the main skating fan. At least in part, it probably explains why Scott had to hook up with a new social media bunny.
you have to "unearth" those pics? what exactly does that mean? if "many of us" have seen them, dont you just have them saved on your pc like i do?
ReplyDeleteYou've never had to unearth something from your pc?
Deleteaww you didnt even include the good pics
DeleteOT for this post, but the USFSA's latest bit of propaganda: http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCABRE92801N20130309?sp=true
ReplyDeleteWho is she, the Rosie DiManno of the US? What a ridiculous article. I'd like to think that D/W would not want their words put in that context. And I thought Reuters was't supposed to have opinions??
DeleteWow, that just makes Davis/white and the USFSA sound like a bunch of whiners. Glad that Tessa and Scott don't have to stoop to that level.
DeleteAnyone else finding their approach to worlds interesting and somewhat unexpected? Still waiting for the ever nameless girlfriend to make an appearance in the media but wait, they're actually talking about their skating? Said girlfriend isn't even bothering with a Scott-related profile pic on Facebook at the present time.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they have something special in store for us at the competition itself. Right? Can't wait to see more pics of the lovebirds, Scotty and Cass. <3 And Tessa's new man!
Ryan Pyette has again made a bizarre allusion to the "2005 London Knights, whom Moir rooted for and Virtue befriended." So maybe they're still deciding which guy is Tessa's new boyfriend.
DeleteThat language isn't bizarre at all. Imagine say, being told Tessa rooted for some synchro swim team while Scott befriended the whole lot. Heh heh.
Anon 11:30
Delete"Said girlfriend" has already done her job. No matter that her profile picture no longer includes Scott (for now). The photos put out up to now have already conveyed the intended message that Scott has a gf who is not Tessa. That's enough for most skating fans to accept it as true.
VM and Co. can also have some person post as a fan, who "sees" something during Worlds, and that's all it takes. Like that person who posted over on FSU that Scott's gf was sitting with the Moirs during Canadians. Really? Even though no other fan saw her. I guess she just apparated. Lol. She could do some more apparating during Worlds, and voila. The message of gf/bf is out there.
Skate Canada is under the control of the family Moir. D&W have good reason to expect no more than second. The entire Worlds 2013 is a family Moir production and Carol Moirs best bud at Skate Canada, is Barb MacDonald.
ReplyDeleteYes this is why Tessa and Scott were thrown under the bus at the last two Canadians and Piper and Paul given hugely inflated scores.
DeleteFurthermore, in a fair world DW would have no reason to expect more than second due to the fact that they are not as good as Virtue and Moir. As it is, Virtue and Moir have to skate with no visible bobble while DW's "bobbles" are written off as beauty spots and style, as well, articles like the one linked here are written by people who don't understand a thing about figure skating. The author even used the word "frantic" to describe DW, not understanding this is not a good thing. As I've mentioned before, the USFSA seems determined to create an "S&P" situation this Worlds and the fact that Worlds are in London plays right into it.
DeleteAnon 5:05. If your premise were true then the last two Canadians VM would have gotten much higher scores and levels and also I doubt G/P would be so rewarded. Both Alma and Carol may well be good friends with some SC execs but besides their colaboration on sham crap there is no evidence of any other Moir influence that VM haven't earned due to their own brilliant skating skills.
ReplyDeleteDid you see this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lfpress.com/2013/03/08/special-section-ice-dancers-tessa-virtue-and-scott-moir-are-the-face-of-the-event-with-all-the-thrills-and-pressure-that-entails?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
Second time in the last week that this journalist makes a point of saying Tessa is friends with Knights' players from the 2005 team. Have you noticed it's also phrased in such a way as to exclude Scott from these friendships? Is this one of Tessa and Scott's new sham scams? This looks to be good. A guy years older than Tessa, but it's all ok because he's from a famous Hockey team?
What is WRONG with these people, always setting up some malicious scam to dump on the fans? Since Tessa and Scott pretend to not be with each other, then it follows they MUST be in relationship with someone/anyone? They can't just leave well enough alone.
I hope they get busted and their set-ups blow up in their face.
(Idiots!)
I just wrote the 10:39 comment.
DeleteI hadn't seen you had already mentioned that article.
Yeah, bizarre.
Who knew Tessa was such a big hockey fan? Oh well - it's good to know that she likes balance in significant others (jocks)...Do you think they go to the ballet, hahaha?
DeleteAnd who knew it's Tessa who is the big hockey fan. Scott only wants to root for the local team. He doesn't care about befriending them. Only Tessa cares about that. LOL
DeleteIt is completely bizarre and never once does Pyette explain the relevance to Worlds 2013 of specifying that Tessa outright "befriended" while Scott merely 'rooted for' the London Knights hockey team from 2005. Really Tessa? The entire team? Every single guy on it.
DeleteThis is truly bizarro of Pyette...perhaps the befriending of the 2005 Knights Team was the reason that V/M went to Zoueva/Shpilband in Canton...where was Kate Virtue or even big sis Jordan or the bros to protect T, let alone Dad? Of course I am joking but these articles by pyette are a joke...I am thinking back to the Calgary Stampede when V/M did their exhibitions and I think Kate Virtue was quoted somewhere that she was worried about her daughter a little bit since the stampede was exactly Tessa's normal environment? Oh but wait in 2005 a bunch of 18-22 year old hockey guys is her crowd? Oiee..
DeleteWell if Mommy's worried than that means Tessa is fending for herself in Calary. I'm surprised Kate didn't let it be known she traveled there as a one woman security team. The reality is Tessa was pregnant and "protected by" her husband, Scott, the man she skated with who'd be willing to kill anyone who looked at her funny.
DeleteSame anon here at 12:32 - interestingly Tessa was not alone in Calgary cuz sister Jordan was living there at the time and I believe there is at least one picture of Tessa and Jordan taken during the Stampede...hahaha..but it was interesting to express concern when really there wasn't any - it wasn't like Tessa was going to skate somewhere in the Middle East, LOL (apologies in advance to the generalization)
DeleteJust a clarification...the OHL is age 15-20, so for many of the players the age difference wouldn't have been more than her and Scott. But the article is still completely ridiculous, and the implication obviously untrue...
DeleteOr perhaps Tessa can wear her favourite player's hockey jersey from the 2005 team - instead of her Skate Canada jacket to keep her warm?...just joking...oiee..
ReplyDelete11:16
DeleteYeah, because fashionable Tessa would think that's a cool look.
12:37
ReplyDeleteOh, but Tessa hanging out as a young teen with older, professional hockey players is totally acceptable, while right now at age 23 Mom still needs to live with her in the wilds of Detroit. Sure.
Through my brief professional experience in dealing with hockey players in Canada - these guys tend to be real full of themselves and complete asshats - even at the NHL level. Look not everyone is an idiot (I would put it at 10-15% of nice guys) at this level...
DeleteIt's not really about whether any of them is an asshat or not. It's the idea of a young teen becoming friends with guys who at that time would have not been peers in any sense of the word. All the VM narratives from that time give the impression of protective and vigilant oversight on the part of the parents. To now go back and give out this kind of narrative is laughably unrealistic.
DeleteThen, to also give the impression hockey-mad Scott did NOT get to meet these important local heroes, but his BFF did?
It would be easier to buy the idea she met them through an appropriate connection, like a family member perhaps, and thus some of them became acquaintances. The way they're trying to frame this right now is ridiculous.
Anon at 1:31 pm - I totally agree with your post. Also, this kind of reminds me of the Denny Morrison mention during last years Worlds..it was just not necessary and out of the place..
DeleteI could write this story! I bet I'm familiar with the same TV plots as the Moirs. Lots of times there will be a tease that "X" (male) on a given show is jealous of "Y's" (female) friendship with another guy. The audience gets all excited and when the show airs, it turns out that "X" is jealous that "Y" gets to be close to some guy "X" admires.
DeleteSaw this plot on both 30 Rock AND a rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond. Marie thought Frank was romantically jealous of her friendship with some guy and turns out Frank was mad because he had more in common with the guy and had tried to become friends himself and instead Marie got to be friends.
Scott can really use his acting muscles with this one - the mock outrage and the adorability that little Tessa was the one who was buddies with the Knights. It'll push "lip bump" out of the top spot.
I can see it now. The whole London Knight thing will tease the public that Scott was "jealous" of Tessa's friendship with the guys of the hockey team, and just as the public gets excited by the tease - BOOM - he was jealous that they were friends with her and not him.
Great story possibility, oc. Maybe these guys are still deciding exactly how the narrative should go. Lol
DeleteWhat I like about this version of a possible story is that at least it acknowledges Scott's love of hockey. Otherwise the idea that his very good friend met them (even became buds with them!) & he apparently was happy to just root for them and not meet them is absurd. Although I have to say, in any case it's not believable at all that Tessa, knowing how important hockey is to Scott, would befriend this team without including her dear friend and skating partner.
You should add those weird green guys from the Vancouver Canucks games to the post.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the point of all this? Aren't they "coming out" next year after Olys anyway? Signing up a whole hockey team appears like they are stocking up on fake bf's for the long term. Sounds like a life of misery (having to hide.)
ReplyDeleteThey're not signing up a whole team - that's just prepping for the reveal that she was special friends with one.
DeleteIf they're sour grapes over being pre-empted on this, they'll wait and have it surface next season. They absolutely hate having sham go to waste. Remember when they did that whole Skype bait with "Oh we're going to spend an extra day!!" in Paris visiting all the landmarks and sightseeing highlights - especially the ones around our characters?
And it was easy for anyone, including the blog, to smell the sting coming, so the blog mentioned it? Then nothing happened? Except this year a photo of Scott "photographing" Jessica Dube posing a la "Funny Face" in front of the Louvre surfaced.
I don't know if it's not letting sham go to waste or last word-itis. We don't want to make the skeptics right - so we're not doing what you just said we're going to do! But we'll do it later, just so you know you didn't win!
The "point" seems to be that Ilderton and the rest of the Moirville community still considers Scott and Tessa the organizing principle of their lives and needs an occupation during Worlds besides volunteering. Spending time coming up with a new sham idea, then coming up with the best way to execute it, making up the little anecdotes that go with it (like the Scott's jealous Tessa got to be friends when HE's the hockey fan! hypothetical story).
DeleteThe sham long ago stopped looking like anything Scott and Tessa needed for privacy - in fact it emphatically isn't something they need for privacy - at least not privacy from fans. It looks as if it's something they need to pacify the egos of some of their nearest and dearest. Any time the fans stop speculating about Scott and Tessa or become resigned, Scott and Tessa come out and stir the waters. How come, if they're so private? Well, because they want a reaction from the fans because that reaction justifies the activity of their nearest and dearest. And if they don't get that reaction, they'll just lie about what fans are saying. We saw that with Canadians. In fact, I think their own lies at Canadians got a lot of fans thinking, because fans know the internet. And they know Tessa/Scott were lying about it.
If Ilderton is so fabulous, and its residents are so confident in it, why are they so big on self-promotion? Why do they need to hear it and see it on the marquee? It's a small town - all the hype on earth isn't going to turn it into a big city, and apparently they're proud of not being a big city. Why is Ilderton so anxious for stardom?
It must be absolutely exhausting. Think of the other things they could do with their time. Family members could be living their own lives. T/S could be devoting time to the child or psychology classes (lol), making commercials, getting better sponsors.
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