My two cents regarding the VK mess:
She looks good in the uniform and dances as good as the next girl, but by no means is she prettier or stronger than the next either. Frankly, she should be. She's been groomed for it for 20 years.... Sure, she came back better this year, she should have. But she shouldn't have needed to come back, not after the then 18 years of prepping for auditions. Did she come back strong enough to earn her spot this year, regardless of last name? Maybe. But the fact is, her last name DOES matter.
For most of us, her being a legacy means little. But then I'd say most of us are folks who have worked our asses off for everything we've ever achieved, with a last name that garnered little and were probably raised with zero expectation that the world owed us a darn thing. However, in the Jones' world, name is everything. Take a look from the top down of that organization and see how closely that management roster resembles their family tree. How many kids/grandkids are employed there? Do you think Sam or Charlotte's daughter (name?) had to "apply" for their respective position? And if they did apply, do you think for one second they were the best candidate against say, a dozen others? Nepotism is what they do! Hell, its probably in the Mission/Vision/Values statement on the damn boardroom wall (that's a joke. sorta.)
So it comes as no surprise to me that VK is a gracious recipient of what will be loads of favoritism and I'm betting that we've only begun to see the tip of the iceberg. She was literally born to be a DCC. That's always been the plan, and no- there didn't need to be a plan B. I'd bet that VK will be 2GL possibly as soon as next season (if there's a mass exodus, then TPTB won't even have to pretend she earned it!) She's gonna be at the front of the squad photo next year, she's eventually gonna retire a 5-7(maybe 8 for the record?) year vet, with point, GL, SG, PB, ROTY, VOTY and who knows what else on her resume. Upon retirement, I'd expect nothing less than a job within DCC and I'd even bet she ends up director some day. It's the way the Jones organization works. She won't get all that from being the best/prettiest/strongest, it's coming to her because she's family and there's nothing they love more than family. She's on the inside. With no other heir apparent to DCC, it's hers to lose. Sure, we're all on here, quoting Kelli and her idea of world class, and how we believe this is all a huge disgrace to the squad (and it is, IMO) but that doesn't matter. THEY still believe what they're telling themselves. If VK is a toxic, thieving, bratty, entitled snot, they don't care. She's one of their own and they're gonna take care of her.
