Many participants here remain interested in skating, even if Virtue and Moir themselves don't give a shit. Because, as far as the public goes, they want the public to know that skating is just a way to deliver chemistry and personality, just as pasta is simply a delivery system for sauce.*
Only epicureans know both ideas are erroneous.
I LOVE this video.
And, just like aWaltzFlower (the author of these videos) I'd also like to know how the hop qualifies as a "dance" jump, as opposed to the same straightforward hop skaters use as a rotational aide for spin rotations.
I'm certain the ISU will clean all this up once Davis White hop and skip away with Olympic gold. I'm serious. I know they will.
The very fact that all of the other teams are moving in a skating direction - IOW, a non-DW direction - suggests they've all gotten the message that massive scores for dumbing down your skating are a DW - and DW-only - phenom.
Anyway, to repeat, I just love the above video. The timing, the commentary, and of course, the content.
I'm glad I missed some of the desperate fan rationalizations, quoted in this video, claiming three twizzles are EASIER. Jesus Christ.
The above is spin entrances, exits and in betweens. I honestly cannot imagine anybody arguing with a straight face that DW have more variation (not to mention what they do do IS dumbed down) but at least the above video settles that issue.
This is sort of a dispiriting time in the VM fandom. I HATE feeling a like a fan. Meaning - they have pretty much gotten me to the point where if (IF?) they're second in Sochi I'll be - fuck you, you asked for it. I'd like to think I prioritize skating over personalities. I think the truth is, if they lose, I'll be disappointed, so I still have that much care. Just not as disappointed as I might be otherwise. This shit makes it easier to take.
Even taking the fuck you part out of it, I do believe in karma (not the literal concept, but that what you do that is wrong ends up working its way back to you, tripping you up and hurting you, unless in some way you yourself recognize it and correct somehow). I don't think karma looks like what people want it to look like. Apparently on this blog, in some quarters, there are those who think it should look like public exposure/humiliation/condemnation. I think that's unlikely, if only because "karma" (however you want to describe/define it) isn't about the objects, it's about the subjects. It's not about us, it's about them.
I do think that the things they've messed with, played fast, loose, and cheap with on the web (their relationship, their marriage, their daughter, and, least of these, skating politics - everything is grist for their bullshit) are things that, in the end, will work on them mentally/psychologically and end up damaged. Because that's how it works. Karma isn't dramatic; it's organic.
As far as the skating goes, for sure the politics are against them. But we've also got them totally throwing out their previous attitude towards preparation. They now assert that doing a reality show up until weeks before the Olympics is GOOD for them even though it runs counter to what they've said before about preparation. They pretend everyone in their lives thought the reality show is a good idea. I don't believe it. I think most people in their lives, including in their coaching environment, long ago decided not to touch this shit with a ten foot pole. Tessa and Scott are adults. They're going to do what they want to do. If it's not skating, they don't listen.
Anybody with half a brain can see that one of their arguments for the reality show - that it's just a camera crew following them around grabbing pieces of their real lives - is lies. Everything with them is lies. Even people who believe in the script can plainly see this is scripted behavior, and requires actual camera set-ups, not field cameras.
EVERYTHING. The canoodling on the couch from six different camera angles. Jean Marc coaching them on chemistry instead of choreography. The stilted scene in the restaurant with Tessa's ballet flat footsie that also featured multiple POVs (multiple POV's mean multiple camera set-ups). They're not in their own homes, either, and in Cassandra/Connor's home, the prep includes clearing the filming area of personal effects. In Tessa's "space", the prep includes setting the stage.
They are acting full time while training full time. But they're super humans - this isn't going to impact them in any way.
I don't believe them. I think it hurts them and they know other people aren't on board. It hurts the skating. It hurts the perception (especially perception, which everyone on the planet but fans think is so so so so so important in figure skating).
Thank you VERY much to aWaltzFlower. Great job.
_________________________
*Of course, on those terms, Scott and Tessa are telling us they don't really HAVE chemistry or personality, and as for skating, they're a bunch of whiners. So, not sure what they're going for with this.
P.S. apparently Davis White have added romantic touching to the program right before the spin. As I read it, they OF COURSE, STOP in the middle of the ice for this display. Maybe even with all the posing and the gliding and the separating and simple hand holding, they still needed a breather. If memory serves (and it may not) the spin was one of the few elements they skated into. So now even that is asking too much and they need a stand still pose section before it.
It kills me that D/W will be handed gold because they had slick PR, not because their skating is any good.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I don't understand. Over the last couple of months, fans have provided video-analysis of the inferior skating skills of DW vs. VM. In any other sport, like diving, gymnastics, swimming, golf, tennis, ski moguls, ski jumping, alpine skiing etc video analysis is crucial to improving performance. In other sports, video analysis determines level of difficulty. i want to know how someone like Michael Slipchuk - who is basically the head performance coach for Skate Canada did not provide video analysis to the ISU..the hell...yes I am peeved at VMs PR but there is a plythora of people who have failed at just making figure skating an honest sport. From the IOC, the ISU, the judges, the federations, the coaches, the commentators, the media etc. Its funny how the fans have been the only ones that are commentating on the BIG elephant in the room. Accountability is nowhere to be found and even worse - the conflict of interests are there...but thanks aWaltzflower for the video-analysis. I think you are a true skating fan and a true fan of sport and hopefully your love of this sport will continue. And its not only in ice-dance, but PCS is being manipulated in all disciplines.
DeleteI get that Skate Canada are a bunch of incompetent fools, but what of the other feds? The French fed, the Russian fed? Why aren't they crying foul? Is the USFSA that powerful? If D/W "win" in Sochi, it will be more outrageous than what happened in SLC 2002. S/P didn't deserve that gold medal, but at least they didn't cheat their skating like D/W do.
Delete@ 7:55
DeleteI completely agree with you. Team VM have done a horrible job with their PR campaign, but as you mentioned, a lot of other people have dropped the ball, and I am not only talking about Skate Canada. I would like to know what the French federation has done, aside from firing Krylova and Camerlengo. And those coaches and FS people who were so busy signing the petition against Chan--did they even bat an eyelash at the complete farce that ice dance judging has become? The third video AWaltzFlower made clearly shows that DW are doing simpler transitions and entrances and exits than PB and the Shibs, for example.
And figure skating coverage here is a joke. They rarely use the video replay to show something useful and speak to technique. Instead we get stupid comments about their costumes and music. Thank goodness for the knowledgeable fans who provide useful commentary about the--gasp!--skating!
Anon at 8:08 pm - obviously a good question. I think one of the reasons that this has continued is basically the lack of depth in ice-dance and no other team had a break out season(s) in this quad. If PB and WP had been more consistent - that would have helped. If IK would have come out two years ago with fire - that would have helped. Ironically if Paul Poirier had stayed with Vanessa Crone - I think they would have had a legitimate chance of top 4 at these Olympics. Yes Vanessa Crone might have had posture issues - but look at the current crop of ladies - apparently it's a non issue this quad - judging by the scoring. Also let's face it - the Shibs have been lowballed and if you are honest - they haven't exactly been given the best programs either. And call me sentimental but if Bates and Samuelson were still together - I think they would have also provided some interesting competition.
DeleteThis quad needed a break-out star team that could not be denied the marks. That hasn't happened. VM were the last team to carry a junior world championship and translate it into success in seniors.
Anon at 8:29 pm - you know its bad when some of the pair teams have better edges than DW...
DeleteIt sucks that VM and PB are more prone to error because what they do is that much more difficult than the others. DW make all kinds of errors that they don't get penalized for, but they don't make ones that are so obvious.
DeleteI agree that the Shibs haven't had the best material and IK have had bad material and have been behind in their prep. Still, though, both teams are far superior to DW in skating skills, and the Shibs have great posture and dancing skills.
DW didn't skate very well in either phase of GPF but came out on top with WRs. This sport has no credibility whatsoever.
I agree with you guys that nothing adds up. The Shibs and IK had bad material - yes - but what could be worse material than Notre Dame? What could be worse than skating a waltz for your foxtrot, or doing a ballet/waltz Giselle with not one gliding edge?
DeleteThe other teams are "inconsistent." DW are consistent at what exactly? Mediocre skating. True, DW skate the same as they did when they entered the senior level, and have consistently skated the same programs and elements with the same technique for the past 5 years.
Other teams have higher skill levels so they are "inconsistent" because they make mistakes even though their mistakes are usually as good as DW's regular skating. At their first GP Nathalie fell out of the lift onto her knees in a clunky way and they were docked on the GOE. But Meryl always exits every lift this way! So PB are "inconsistent" and made a mistake, meriting a deduction, but DW can earn perfect GOE for doing the same thing as long as they do it that badly all the time!
DW can get "consistent" footwork levels because they push their bodies to achieve the lean instead of it coming from blade up, and because they rest themselves by not pushing their edges during the rest of the program, usually gliding on two feet or their knees. And of course the judges and callers stand ready, willing, and able to give them the benefit of the doubt in all situations. Someone screencapped the Finnstep key point where Nathalie's exit twizzle edge was the same as Meryl's but DW didn't lose a level while DW did (of course, PB must have had the "strict panel" that DW just NEVER seem to get!).
And it also helps when the rules are written for you (twizzles, level 4), the CDs are eliminated for you, and the pattern dances are selected according to your abilities...
I'm not even mentioning VM because DW shouldn't even be compared to them. That should NEVER have been a conversation, going back to 2008.
Exactly 10:12 - DW have made a style of their deficits and nobody calls them out. Their "style" are the mistakes of other teams.
DeleteWhen Gilles Poirier started skating and got undeserved monster scores at Canadians last year, I thought, oh this is what's up with ice dance. Everybody knows you can't replicate Virtue Moir, so people are aiming for DW, and ice dance is going into the shitter.
That trend reversed this season. Everybody is going in a skate-our-programs, blade-centric direction. Even B&S. Their technique is hilariously off kilter, wild and uncontrolled, but that's because they're not strong enough yet to control their edges. But they're USING their edges.
It clearly seems as if everybody knows the score. Only DW can get monster scores for not skating, for exiting key points on a flat, for keeping their bodies miles apart, for all-hands-on-deck/paste-centers of gravity together lifts, and for simplistic holds while skating in straight lines from one end of the rink to the other. WHY? Because they hop better than anyone else? Because they do the bastardized lift mechanics better than anyone else? YES. But hopping is still not skating, simplistic holds and direction is still not superior skating skills even if they're skated with conviction, and skates and bodies wide apart is not high level ice dancing. On some level the sport has admitted that this is a DW special ONLY. It's not about the skating because nobody else gets to do it. I'm sure if everyone else got the DW treatment- just skate your fake skating with ASSURANCE - we'd see a lot of that. But only DW has the assurance of monster scores for primitive programs.
And yes, I've noticed too that in this quad DW have never had a strict panel. VM had a "strict panel" (for them alone) at Canadians last year. And at Finlandia this season. DW - never. They, alone among ALL of the skaters in this sport in every discipline, have near-equally perfect performances at every outing. Chan doesn't, Yuna Kim doesn't, Volosozhar and Trankov don't. Only DW. And every season, they're flawless from the first outing to season's end.
DeleteThese videos really lay it out clearly. Thank you, AWaltzFlower.
ReplyDelete"It hurts the skating. It hurts the perception (especially perception, which everyone on the planet but fans think is so so so so so important in figure skating)."
I totally agree with you about this reality show/documentary miniseries hurting the perception of their skating. From what we heard from the Chinese ice dance judge quoted on FSU, we can see that a lot of these judges don't really know what they are seeing and are looking for things that make it easier to mark teams down. They hear rumours about Tessa being injured and not being able to train as much and decide that DW are skating better. Now they might see this TV series and use it as another reason to mark VM lower than DW.
As for it hurting the skating, I would have agreed with you after TEB and leading up to the GPF. I really thought their focus wasn't there. But at GPF they skated extremely well and should have crushed the field. They had greatly improved both programs and looked to be in very strong form.
I actually wonder if DW are the ones who are distracted...their programs don't look to have improved much from SLC...this is especially obvious when you look at how the rest of the field has improved. DW still look sluggish in areas and some of their lifts look sloppy and laboured. Their last diagonal sequence was messy and shallow. The scores tell the story that they have improved over the course of the season, but the skating says otherwise...
[[I actually wonder if DW are the ones who are distracted...their programs don't look to have improved much from SLC...this is especially obvious when you look at how the rest of the field has improved...]]
DeleteDW don't need to be bothered with improving. Their results are predetermined and they must know that. Eh. Not only that, I think if it were possible for them to improve their basic skating skills and lifts their coaches would have them working on that. Instead, they choreograph to their weaknesses without bothering to change anything, They know not only is the fix in and they don't have to change, they CAN'T improve. When DW are part of a competition, the results will not reflect what happened on the ice.
[[at GPF they skated extremely well and should have crushed the field. They had greatly improved both programs and looked to be in very strong form.]]
In spite of the lack of logic in doing this reality series and VM rating their skating as lower priority than other things in their PR, they and all the other ice-dance teams at the elite level who are not DW have amazing work ethic, they care very much about improving every little detail to the best of their ability. VM and the other top ice-dance teams (who are not DW) will skate as best as they can because they take pride in their craft. Regardless of knowing beforehand that they will not win. They aren't giving up without giving every reason to be scored above DW. That the judges won't or can't is their problem, not VM's.
[[I do believe in karma (not the literal concept, but that what you do that is wrong ends up working its way back to you, tripping you up and hurting you, unless in some way you yourself recognize it and correct somehow). I don't think karma looks like what people want it to look like.]]
^^ This. That's all.
Maybe the karma of D/W's overscoring and blatant politiking to cover-up their piss-poor skating will catch-up to them. Here's to hoping it does, anyways.
Deleteis there a link to episode 2?
ReplyDeleteI just cannot believe that not one commentator has mentioned that the lift dw stole from vm last year, in which she needs somersault into in such an ugly way, and vm did straight line with ONE HAND supporting each other
ReplyDeleteAnon at 8:59 pm - it really is unbelievable the double standard that's out there...and really for DW - what a cop-out. I mean seriously would Krylova/Carmenlengo give similar lifts to PB and WP - no. But as we said earlier - as long as the judges find no fault with DW - there is no incentive for them and Zoueva to change their "formula".
Deleteand even early on in the season, that lift looked much better than what DW showed at GPF.
DeleteAnd I am tired of hearing about how difficult the shoot the duck yank entry is to their curve lift. As OC has shown, it is not that difficult. There are several teams whose difficult lifts should be talked about but the commentators don't say much about them. When you see PB doing their upside down lift, with Nathalie quickly getting into position and getting out of it by controlling her body, not just dropping down into her partner's clutching arms, the issues with DW's upside down lift is all the more glaring.
In one of my evil dreams for the FD at the Olympics, all the following teams decide to skate DWs FD with the same costumes: VM, PB, IK, CL, Tobias/Stagnuinas and hell even the Germans with their beautiful facial expressions. And see what the judges would do - what would the commentators say - hell it would be a fantasy come true for Aunt Joyce - the drama - the fierceness - it would be epic and just maybe it could be an ode to the Scherz that should have been the sole winner in 2002. The Russian people would love it...okay maybe not so much the music cuts or the choreography of the 2014 DW version...but the drama...it would give new meaning to the word rivalry...I think even Babs would be for it..
DeleteThanks for posting these OC, and thank you for the kind words everyone. You are most welcome.
ReplyDelete"This is sort of a dispiriting time in the VM fandom. I HATE feeling a like a fan. Meaning - they have pretty much gotten me to the point where if (IF?) they're second in Sochi I'll be - fuck you, you asked for it. I'd like to think I prioritize skating over personalities. I think the truth is, if they lose, I'll be disappointed, so I still have that much care. Just not as disappointed as I might be otherwise. This shit makes it easier to take."
Exactly. I wasn't even sure at first whether I wanted to even finish these videos. It's sickening how they've thrown their own skating under the bus now. I figure we shouldn't be hard on ourselves about it though - as long as our *assessment* of their actual skating remains uninfluenced, it's only human to feel a bit less invested when faced with this. We want to focus on the skating, and they make it very hard to do so because of the sheer aggressiveness and offensiveness of what they're doing. I still feel every bit as strongly about the matter of who *should* win, hence the video completion, but I don't care about them actually winning as much. Especially when the scoring will be such a farce anyways. Maybe that's it - I want the scoring to be fair, but I doubt I'll feel much of anything beyond that on V/M's behalf. I do still love their skating, it's just damned inconvienent that their goal seems to be for us to not be able to stand the sight of them.
"It's just damned inconvenient that their goal seems to be for us to not be able to stand the sight of them."
Delete^This. Yep.
I realized one reason I was procrastinating watching Ep. 1 was I didn't want to look at them. I wondered if I were queasy about the Cassandra - excuse me - coSONdra - stuff, because going back to Jessica that stuff is always just horrible (Scott looks like a creep, that's just the way it comes off when someone is doing something they shouldn't be doing and can't pull it off but does it anyway, it comes off furtive, sleazy and weird). But then I felt - eh, what's he going to do - bang her on camera? And if he does, he wants it out there so why should I care if it's humiliating?
But I hated both of them. Tessa was ridiculous and exhausting. Scott was ridiculous and smug. Every word underscores how stupid they need to pretend we are in order to justify their bullshit.
And, as I mentioned in a comment here, every other skater either behaves professionally or goes the extra mile to show appreciation and consideration to their fans and to the public, all without cost to themselves. Most of what they do is virtual. There's no privacy breach. But it's so so conspicuous how grateful and appreciative they want to show themselves as being.
Scott and Tessa work to proactively alienate their fans. The message seems to be we have a HUGE amount of fans - and it's one of the many burdens we carry AND we are so popular we can shit on them.
I'm going to say this with all due respect to those who express their opinion on this blog.
ReplyDeleteThis blog surpasses all other sites in supporting VM's skating in such a reasonable, articulate and determined manner by such thoughtful analysis and linking to comparative videos.
I would like to add though, that it concerns me that the extreme negative analysis of VM as people (whether or not I agree with the points made), is extremely contributory to the politics working against them at this time.
Yes, VM's PR and conduct have not helped them in any way, however in the delicate world of figure skating politics, if anyone with any inside influence comes across this place, I have no doubt that this site provides more than ample ammunition to be used against them.
Virtue and Moir themselves provide all the amunition any political trend would require, with no help from the blog.
DeleteI don't think this blog influences either skating politics nor, obviously, Virtue and Moir's p.r. other than Virtue and Moir and their connections shut down their facebooks (and in view of the reality show, I don't see why they don't simply re-open the facebooks, except that it might be difficult to control all the comments).
Furthermore, it's not the blog's problem. It would be ridiculous for me to get grandiose and think - oh, this influences skating in some way!
It doesn't.
The blog has spent a lot of time, with a great deal of support from informed and hard-working participants on this blog, showing clearly that DW are dumbing down their skating and receiving inflated scores; that no way, based on the rules and CoP criteria, should they ever defeat VM. That critique has had exactly zero impact on the scoring.
oc
Although the blog has been extremely critical of VM's behavior towards the skating fandom and the skating public, let's remember they're receiving extremely high scores. DW are simply getting even higher scores. I don't think that has anything to do with negative politics towards VM.
DeleteRemember that the blog is not the only place where VM's true status and how they manipulate the public is known. The blog is just the only place that says it out loud on the web. If any intranecine politics follow from VM's lies, it's because that behavior is already known by a lot of the skating world.
The better part of the North American skating world was congratulating Scott and Tessa on their marriage in 2009. I wonder how many anticipated they'd turn around four years later and Scott and Tessa would be the parents of a three year old tellling the media they're a couple only in the fantasies of their fanbase, with all of their stooges in the media turning it around on the sports' supporters, suggesting the fans are deluded.
Remember again the fans are mostly women. What other sport could get away with this shit?
I think more than fans were jarred by how Scott and Tessa chose to go forward after their wedding.
I've looked around at how most skaters deal with fans - even skaters at a high level. It's not this. At the minimum, skaters behave professionally, which Scott and Tessa have not. At best, skaters are gracious and actively appreciative in ways that require about zero energy on their part (anybody can respond for a skater on their facebook, anybody can switch out a profile picture for a skater, anybody can log in and say "thank you everyone" in response to best wishes. It takes no trouble at all.) Scott and Tessa have a fan following that most skaters would kill for and they make a show of dumping on it, toying with it, manipulating it and being superior to it. How well do you think that's received inside skating - purposefully alienating an asset most other skaters only dream of having? The way other skaters behave directly refutes Scott and Tessa's choices. Who is following their lead? Nobody. They're all going the other way.
Then, IMO, IF anti-VM politics (versus pro-DW politics) play a role here, it's in how they handled the pregnancy in 2011, the year DW were expected to take hom the first US Worlds gold in ice dance. As they usually amp up the belligerence when they're lying or otherwise in the wrong, they announced their return with a marked lack of graciousness. No basic lip service about the challenge involved or respect for their rivals. They pulled a fast one at the 4CCs and came into worlds without mentioning that they knew they were facing a competition tested, fully trained DW (there are ways of phrasing that without running yourself down or making it seem as if your chances of winning are remote).
I, personally, believe that the ridiculous reaction to their 2013 4CC interruption in 2013 was actually a reaction to their shenanigans in 2011. Nobody wants to confront them on their fast and loose REAL behavior because it's too much of a hornets nest, but 2013 gave an opening for a little venting. The response was overkill for what it was. Where did the vitriol come from after they interrupted in 2013? I believe it's because Scott and Tessa's choices - which are known to the skating world outside this blog - changed the skating world's perception of Scott and Tessa.
oc
its stupid that v/m should lose the gold medal simply based on their reputation. this is a figure skating competition not miss universe. its obvious that the isu is not quite fond of v/m. they're never fond of anyone questioning their scores.
Deletethe isu needs to know this is exactly why people still dont consider figure skating a sport. too much politics.
DeleteBased on how the other teams are skating it looks to me almost as if the ISU just wants to give DW the gold and then they'll quickly make very other ice dance team skate their programs in the subsequent quad. Kind of just get this one in there and back out fast. In the meantime, pretend DW are skating. Basically, allow it, fake it, run away from it. If they continued to reward non-skating teams it would have to be noticed, but here it's targeted to one team only.
Deleteoc
That is a typical MO of the ISU. Award Oksana Baiul and Evgeny Pluschenko gold medals with very high Artistic Impression/Program Components marks. Then two years later, put them in an instructional video and explain that their program construction was crap and is an example of poor transitions.
DeleteMaybe they'll do the same after DW retire.
I would like to hope that the skating analysis is having some influence, so then why wouldn't the negative stuff work against them equally?
ReplyDeleteIt's all out there in public.
Whether it's called DW overscoring or VM not given the credit they deserve, the outcome is that VM are not beating DW, that is what should be happening.
OC, I don't think that you should underestimate your blog's influence in any way.
I really don't think I'm underestimating the blog's "influence" - I just don't think it has much. When we spend a lot of time on a particular website we may start to think it's a bigger deal than it is. The big influence the blog had was at the outset, especially when it stopped hinting or alluding and came out and said Scott and Tessa were married with a child. Despite the sporadic outbreak of hostilities in the comments section, that meant the blog turned into a place for people to talk about what they really felt without having to deal with the personality politics that come with screen names, and without feeling as if they're making themselves a target, which also comes with screen names. I'm the only moderator here so there's no ganging up.
DeleteThe only reason I'd like the skating analysis to have some influence is because the scoring is currently corrupt, but even if we'd like to think the analysis is having influence, the GPF proved it isn't. At the most, it's influenced how fans on the web talk about DW versus VM. It has POSSIBLY amplified the voices pointing out that DW have dumbed down programs and don't skate their non-element content, and yet are being rewarded disproportionately to the actual skating skills on display. Prior to the blog, posters on other skating boards would occasionally point this out, but I think once the blog started doing it, it got easier because the blog actually deconstructed the programs piece by piece, and then other fans started deconstructing the programs in videos, far more effectively. That has helped drive the discussion of DW versus VM more towards the skating and has also, I think, shut down the claims that DW have surpassed VM and VM fans need to acknowledge that their team no longer has the edge. The deconstruction has demonstrated that not only are VM superior to DW at every call, but so are a number of other teams, and has also demonstrated that some of the claims made for DW's strengths - speed, spins, twizzles - are fallacies.
It's influenced fan discussion. It hasn't had the slightest influence on scoring or on skating media. ZERO. If anything, it's made it double down.
I see Zueva is going to US Nationals and not Canadians, which makes sense given that she has two American teams vs. one Canadian and the Shibutanis are vying for their first Olympic spot.
ReplyDeleteIt also works out for Virtue and Moir, since their entire show is storyboarded (and Zueva is going along with the fabricated narrative) and the Shibutanis don't appear to exist in that television universe. Heads up for a new, fake drama nugget - our coach went to the competition with Davis and White instead of going to Nationals with us! Could she like them better? Does she want them to win gold over us?
Cue the hand-wringing and tears!
It's the lowest of the low - Scott and Tessa pandering to the Marina bullshit on the message boards. Meantime, "drag princess" Scott (the dude in pretty make-up that talks to the camera) - his voice choked up when he said she'd been pushing them for ten years. You can clearly hear it.
DeleteThat's overrided by his later comment that she tests his patience.
Well, she has an "X" chromosome; that's a given.
I, also, noticed the Shibs aren't acknowledged. I wonder if they're going to sit out the entire reality show. The fact that Davis White agreed to be shown in the reality show, in the context chosen by VM and the W network (and since they couldn't be filmed without their consent) shows the off-ice parts of the rivalry are as manufactured as everything else in this show.
There's a lot that's offensive in this show and everybody's pointed it out. But the Marina stuff is part of it, even though she obviously cooperated. And so is Tessa's brittle little smile that they and DW are "civil". This is beneath everybody. Or should be.
Or maybe the problem fans are having with it all is realizing that there isn't much that is beneath Tessa and Scott.
oc
Anon at 12:14 pm - filming for the reality series ended before the New Year. I don't think we will see this dilemma of Zoueva going to Boston played out.
DeleteAnd seriously - plenty of skaters compete without their primary coaches at a competition.
@12:38, I thought they were extending the series until Nationals? Must have read that wrong. Never have I been so glad to have misread something if that's the case.
Delete"And seriously - plenty of skaters compete without their primary coaches at a competition."
But Virtue and Moir are different! They must have support from coach who secretly love Meryl Davis more and want her to win gold. She have no other teams who matter. Shibs who? It is terrible she not there in Canada! But she does not support them so I do not want her there!
12:38PM - dear god, never have I been so happy to read something on this blog.
Deleteoc
I can't even...
ReplyDeletehttp://web.icenetwork.com/news/2014/01/09/66425950
"Right now, we feel like we're getting to the cusp of greatness," White, 26, said in the mixed zone after the team's first practice at Boston's TD Garden on Wednesday.
...
"Sometimes it's just going out and having fun, not always worrying about the technique, just getting into enjoying the program and letting that come across."
The team's coach and choreographer, Marina Zoueva, had an idea, as timeless as the birds and the bees.
"I added a little bit of an erotic part in the middle of Scheherazade, a little flavor of love," she said with a blush. "Just a little, little bit."
...
"We're definitely stronger and better now than we ever were before," White said. "I think one of our strengths is we never set a ceiling for ourselves; we never think, 'OK, we're really good now.' We never sit back and feel pleased with ourselves. We feel the possibilities."
....
In addition to adding a touch of classy titillation, Zoueva said her skaters have worked to improve the speed of Scheherazade, "to make the program bigger and flow better."
The 27-year-old Davis, who has skated with White for about 16 years, wouldn't have it any other way.
"We've put pressure on ourselves since we were very young," she said. "We've always held ourselves to a high standard and expected a lot from ourselves. I think that's how we've gotten to where we are now."
Wow. If they believe half of that, they are as out to lunch as V/M.
DeleteDon't "we feel like we're on the cusp of greatness" and "we never sit back and feel pleased with ourselves" kind of cancel each other out? I would be fascinated to know how such little variation and such little improvement works out to "we feel the possibilites". Feel the possibilities of what the judges will give us for doing so little, perhaps?
http://youtu.be/W_ESTVfji3I?t=7m43s
It's really interesting to look at how D/W exit from spins. Almost always, Charlie comes down on to two feet and then they sort themselves out. I'm not saying Scott never goes down to two feet, but V/M exit in a variety of ways and don't just hang around. Also, how often D/W use junky extra spinning motions either in the changes or at the end. Compare that to V/M's latin spin, where both V and M do a rotation in sync before changing foot.
The cusp of greatness quote from Chuck is arrogant. Can you imagine if Patrick Chan said the same thing...
DeleteWhere is of post from yesterday
ReplyDeleteAnd why is it impossible to find link to the Canada sd?
OC, are you going to recap episode two of Tessa and Scott ? The download link is on Tumblr and FSU now.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear what you think.
For me the best part was Patrick's face when Tessa flirted with Jian Ghomeshi
Scott always used to be a ham but the show ignores all of his likable trades and presents him as the biggest douchebag on the planet. He makes stupid, unfunny jokes and Tessa just has to stand there and applauds everything he does as if he was the greatest man in the universe.
Tessa's role is reduced to whining and complaining.
I just loved how Scott described his relationship with Patrick. Scott is his older brother and of course it was Scott who took Patrick to his first night club. Because Scott is a real man and knows how to party. Patrick is young and innocent and that's why Scott allows Tessa to go out with him. He is no competition for Scott who got sick of Tessa and needed a break from her. While Tessa looks sad that Scott is leaving his first thought is to call Cassandra. And lmao at the fact that she saved her boyfriend's number as "Scott Moir ". Apparently they aren't on first name basis yet. We dont know and we can't ask Cassandra because she still isn't allowed to speak. Instead we have to watch them sitting on the couch - with lots of space between them again - and Scott fondling her feet while he stares at the TV screen.
Well here we go again with the different messages coming out of VMs mouth...the interview with Skate Canada's Findlay - reporter - was fairly positive and then you see on tsn's home page - and they are both negative but then they also added that they haven't watched their series, that now it's good to be in the US - they are in a bubble...oiee..
ReplyDeleteYou know what - they had a good skate yesterday - the sky is not falling...they are in first place...and I am hoping that they skate well today....it's fine...at least it's obvious that Chan was overscored...and I think Chan's fans have more to be worried about in terms of skating and winning the OGM than VMs fans...at least VMs fans know that Skate Canada has not been behind this team and has thrown them under the bus for Chan. If Chan doesn't deliver the OGM - I think a lot of folks will question Skate Canada. And even though PI is in third place - it's not by a big margin...I expect GPs PCS scores to be inflated today...
Lastly - you want to see overinflation - the USFSA proudly tweeted that in all 4 disciplines - records were broken after the short programs...how arrogant is that? God I am going to hate the team event...
ReplyDeletePlease post link here to ep 2 and short dance. Cannot find anywwherr tmblr included
ReplyDeletehttp://tessavirtueandscottmoir.tumblr.com/post/72944563862/tessvirtue-tessa-and-scott-episode-2-streaming#notes
DeleteThe SD isn't available anywhere yet. I hope some Canadian fans recorded it and will upload it soon.
The reality show feels like it was written by the FSU "sekret source" brigade. It hits everything - Scott is an insufferable douche, Tessa is a fat neurotic who can't train, the team is not technically as strong as Davis & White, Scott has a girlfriend and no baby or marriage to Tessa, and Tessa and Scott basically can't stand each other, as both of them are so unlikable. Good job guys!
ReplyDelete7:42
DeleteYes! That is the same thing I kept thinking while watching the two episodes seen so far. It plays just like the message board opinions and speculations, with some fan fiction thrown in for good measure.
And since when Scott and Tessa can't stand each other and at the end of the day or the event they're in a great hurry to get away from each other? It's pure fiction. But it does create some tension and that is so much more important in a reality show than the actual truth.
I just don't think it helped them that this aired the night before their SD. Even Tessa said they don't watch it because they don't want to relive those moments. Very telling. It's all lies.
DeleteThe shot of Scott rubbing Cassandra's naked feet was the worst.
There's a Scott Moir instagram?
Deletehttp://instagram.com/scottmoirr
Please no. And it's set to public viewing which can only mean one thing. If this is the real Scott Moir, he only goes on social media--publicly--for sham purposes. Will Cassandra now unlock her account and they'll run mirror sites like Scott and Jessica did with facebook?
I dread whatever he has planned with this. It cannot be good.
Oc can you please please link to ep 2 and sd for some American challenged vm fans?
ReplyDeleteThere is no link for the SD even for Canadian fans.
DeleteIn each episode you will see Cassandra?Uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteBoredom. The couch is... 1.Jessica, 2.Cassandra?