Figure Skating

[absnow54]

4 minutes ago, Mirabelle said:

Didn't Chock and Bates fall in love and decided they wanted to skate together? Basically the same thing that happened with Jenny Meno and Todd Sand. 

I want to say in their segment they mentioned they’d been skating together for 6 years before he made a move, but it might have been that they’d known each other for 6 years. 

[choclatechip45]

7 minutes ago, Mirabelle said:

Didn't Chock and Bates fall in love and decided they wanted to skate together? Basically the same thing that happened with Jenny Meno and Todd Sand. 

No they were partners before they started dating. I think Evan said he's always been in love with her though. 

They did go on a date when Madi was 16, but nothing from it. 

Edited February 12, 2022 by choclatechip45

[Lady Whistleup]

It's kind of disappointing that with all the "street dance" idioms around the world, so few couples seem to have researched actual street dances. I think P/C's waacking was the closest I saw to a couple really studying a street dance idiom. The others just seemed to find some rock n roll anthem.

[nittany cougar]

1 hour ago, choclatechip45 said:

No they were partners before they started dating. I think Evan said he's always been in love with her though. 

They did go on a date when Madi was 16, but nothing from it. 

In the documentary on the Olympic Channel, they said skated together for five years before becoming a couple.  Evan said that he asked her to be more than friends and told Maddie that he was in love with her.

Edited February 12, 2022 by nittany cougar

[healthnut]

There’s a good chance (I might even say highly likely) that P/C and S/K skip worlds so we could get an American showdown for gold at worlds next month. Hopefully, Madi & Evan can bring their best and ride off into the sunset. 

[legaleagle53]

I just caught up with this on Replay.

While France is probably a lock for the gold at this point, I wouldn't count the US out for a bronze or possibly even a silver. They'd need some help from the French and the Russians for anything higher, though.

Actually, the one dance I enjoyed the most was the one from the Ukrainians. Their simple, classic Foxtrot/Jive medley was beautiful to watch, and stodgy old-school traditionalist that I am (and damn proud of it!), it's what I really think of whenever I think of ice dancing. I'm glad that they qualified for the Free Dance, and I can't wait to see what they do there!

Edited February 12, 2022 by legaleagle53

[Lady Whistleup]

Raf rocking out to Rocketman might be the cutest thing ever:

 

[Jillibean]

I don't think there was ever a reason given for why Evan and Emily split, though I believe the consensus was that it was his choice. My own personal speculation would be that the accident that left Evan unable to skate for a season impacted their trust in some way, or perhaps he just felt they weren't gelling. I don't think you ditch your partner in a successful ice dance duo without reason, so I have to assume there was more to it than that Evan dated Madi when she was 16 and still had the hots for her (though if it was you can't argue with his results). I actually think they were both in relationships when they started skating together, maybe? But regardless of the underlying reason, the timing of the Samuelson/Bates split obviously correlates with when Madison became available as a partner.

I know many people feel Emily was a stronger skater and Evan could have accomplished more with her in terms of career goals, but I feel like that's a moot point given that he found his life partner in making the switch.

[Lady Whistleup]

I remember when Chock and Bates first paired people in the ice dance world were very unenthusiastic because they considered Madison a much weaker skater. I think Madison has improved a lot, but sometimes I still notice how much of their choreography is dependent on Evan holding up Madison so Madison can make some cool upper body poses. Evan is a very classical skater.

[CheshireCat]

10 hours ago, GeminiDancer said:

Some of these teams have a very… interesting view of what “street dance” is. 

I think street dance does not translate well onto the ice anyway. It's a dance form that tends not to move across the room all that much with movements that are sharp rather than soft. The movement of gliding on the ice is soft by nature and ice dancers are required to cover the entire surface. You could do street dance in an exhibition when you're allowed not to move all that much and can use your toe pick more than you'd normally would.

[Lady Whistleup]

So I found out something about the Russian system of coaching that makes doping even more tempting.

In the US, coaches are paid usually by the hour. 

In Russia, coaches are only paid when students win. They get a huge cut (around 40-50%) of the earnings. 

In other words, if students don't win, they don't get paid.

[Bessiesue]

Curious, had Maddie left/dropped by her partner?  Evan said in his bio, that he always had a crush on her, and jumped at the chance to try out with her.  At least that was our take on it.  We also loved watching On Edge.  It was fun listening to the coaches, and our wish is for more docs more on the coaching side of coaching.   Meddling was good, but we were hoping for more on the side of how to become a judge, and picked for which element.

Which skater is Eteri's daughter.   We are going to watch again later.  

 

[Bill1978]

I decided to watch the Rhythm Dance program to help me stay awake to watch the Aussie slide into silver at Skeleton. And I was reminded why I enjoy Ice Dancing so much. I can watch the routine without fear that someone is not going to fall over from jumping into the air and spinning around. It's a lot less stressful to watch

[Lady Whistleup]

Just now, Bessiesue said:

Curious, had Maddie left/dropped by her partner?  Evan said in his bio, that he always had a crush on her, and jumped at the chance to try out with her.  At least that was our take on it.  We also loved watching On Edge.  It was fun listening to the coaches, and our wish is for more docs more on the coaching side of coaching.   Meddling was good, but we were hoping for more on the side of how to become a judge, and picked for which element.

Which skater is Eteri's daughter.   We are going to watch again later.  

 

Diana Davis.

Madison's former partner was Greg Zuerlein, who retired from competition. 

[Bessiesue]

Lady Whistleup:  Thank you.  I did not realize she was American born.  

[healthnut]

It’s always been my understanding that pairing Madi & Evan together was Marina Zoueva’s idea. She coached both teams and thought they would be a better match. Partner switching/changing isn’t that uncommon especially in the Soviet system where Marina originated and even when partnerships have been successful. Just look at some of the top teams here, V/K partnered after he split with Ilinyk. H/D partnered after Hubbell stopped skating with her brother. FB/S, S/D, G/P to name a few more. Some people never find the right partner. 

[annzeepark914]

Re: Evan & Emily? I read that while she was off ice due to an injury, she learned that Evan had found a new partner. So, for years I have disliked C/B (plus, Evan always seemed to bend forward to make up for the height difference--that drove me crazy!!)  When they showed up at their first competition after moving to Montreal, I was stunned, & then hooked. Someone in Montreal made an amazing change in C/B.

[sweeks]

I wouldn't mind a Montreal sweep of the podium. P/C aren't my favorites, but I recognize that, barring a huge issue, they seem destined for gold. Also, after the remarks by Alexander Vedenin about Cizeron, I want P/C to win just to stick it to him (my pettiness is strong).

Ideally, I would like C/B to get silver (if they can't get gold), though this would need them to have the skate of their lives and (likely) a mistake from S/K to be contenders for even a bronze. I have come around somewhat on Hubbell (I still can't stand Zachary Donohue) and have come to terms with them likely medaling, though I would prefer C/B to finish ahead of them. 

While I was indifferent to C/B when they were with Marina Zueva and Igor Shpilband (and later Shpilband when he broke off from Zueva), I have loved them since they switched to the Montreal coaches ( Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, and Romain Haguenauer), who have done an excellent job of upping their programs and their packaging. The Elvis program, the snake program, the Billie Eilish program, and the alien program are all ones that stand out to me. While I suspect C/B would have been stuck with the overly romantic programs that Zueva favored or the banal programs that Shpilband used (I think of them as Zueva lite) if they stayed with those coaches, Marie-France and company have tapped into a quirkier, edgier style that really plays to their strengths. I honestly can't figure out why C/B's packaging is so good while H/D's is... not. Are C/B just better at taking feedback and direction, or do the coaches at Montreal truly think that treating H/D like Tessa and Scott (and an off-brand Tessa and Scott at that) is the way to go?

[blackwing]

It seems like many are counting Chock and Bates out of the medals, which is really too bad.  If only one American team is going to medal, I would much prefer them.  I’ve not liked Hubbell and Donahue.  She seems icy, and he just seems like he’s not very nice.  I saw the dust up in practice where he brushed the Russian skater.  She was moving backwards and couldn’t see.  He totally could have made more effort to get out of the way.  Plus he just looks like a rat, he has such a rat face.  

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, CheshireCat said:

I think street dance does not translate well onto the ice anyway.

I'm so out of touch that I don't know what street dance is!  From watching the skaters, it appears to involve a lot of arm flapping!!  I did like Papadakis/Cizeron's take on it though.  

[Bessiesue]

Thanks Healthnut and annzeepark914.  I vaguely remember a blurb of Marina changing jackets at one of the Olympics for all she coached.  Which makes me love Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon.  Their all black no I am not doing that except for Beijing look.  I wish they would show the coaches names during the performance, and not just during the introductions.  We always love to see who the coaches are.  

  Allright, please do not hate us, but we live in Central Alabama, and the Czech skater clutching her elephant reminds me UA.  

[Lady Whistleup]

6 minutes ago, sweeks said:

I honestly can't figure out why C/B's packaging is so good while H/D's is... not. Are C/B just better at taking feedback and direction, or do the coaches at Montreal truly think that treating H/D like Tessa and Scott (and an off-brand Tessa and Scott at that) is the way to go?

Although we roll our eyes at it, the soft, floaty style is apparently very favored by the judges. The people who moved away from that style are dancers whose names and brands were big enough that they could (Tessa and Scott when they returned), or where the soft, floaty style doesn't work (C/B -- their lovey dovey programs were very banal and just highlighted a lot of Madison C's flaws).

H/B think whatever they're doing is working as they've been on the world podium several times.

[nittany cougar]

14 minutes ago, sweeks said:

While I was indifferent to C/B when they were with Marina Zueva and Igor Shpilband (and later Shpilband when he broke off from Zueva), I have loved them since they switched to the Montreal coaches ( Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, and Romain Haguenauer), who have done an excellent job of upping their programs and their packaging. The Elvis program, the snake program, the Billie Eilish program, and the alien program are all ones that stand out to me. While I suspect C/B would have been stuck with the overly romantic programs that Zueva favored or the banal programs that Shpilband used (I think of them as Zueva lite) if they stayed with those coaches, Marie-France and company have tapped into a quirkier, edgier style that really plays to their strengths. I honestly can't figure out why C/B's packaging is so good while H/D's is... not. Are C/B just better at taking feedback and direction, or do the coaches at Montreal truly think that treating H/D like Tessa and Scott (and an off-brand Tessa and Scott at that) is the way to go?

I think that Marie-France and Patrice leave a lot of the packaging up to the couples, and they bring the best choreographers and skating coaches to help with the concept that the skating pair has picked.  In the Olympic Channel documentary, Madison said that she and Evan originally picked Sade for their long program.  They had a whole program to Sade, which they decided to scrap four months before the Olympics.  In Madison's words, "We liked Sade, but we can do something better."

Madison and Evan worked on their own with a musician to get the specific cuts of music.  Madison also designed their costumes. It seemed like a lot of extra work that they undertook on their own.

23 minutes ago, sweeks said:

Are C/B just better at taking feedback and direction, or do the coaches at Montreal truly think that treating H/D like Tessa and Scott (and an off-brand Tessa and Scott at that) is the way to go?

I think Marie France really likes Madison's body positions, and it inspires the work.  She praised Madison in the documentary, particularly her ability to use her arms.

Also, Maddie Hubbell is tall for a skater at 5-7, and maybe this affects some of her ability to do choreography next to a partner. I feel like she is less graceful with her body positions than Madison Chock.

On another note, I re-watched Virtue and Moir's 2018 program yesterday.  As they skated off the ice, you could see Zach kissing Maddie in the background.  They must have still been a couple at that point.

[choclatechip45]

6 hours ago, nittany cougar said:

In the documentary on the Olympic Channel, they said skated together for five years before becoming a couple.  Evan said that he asked her to be more than friends and told Maddie that he was in love with her.

The date thing came from the podcast Madison and Evan have. Basically from the story Madison was dating someone when they got paired up she broke up with the boyfriend. The two of them decided to go to Paris together on vacation and Evan confessed that he’s loved her for a long time and they’ve been a couple ever since.

[CheshireCat]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

I'm so out of touch that I don't know what street dance is!  From watching the skaters, it appears to involve a lot of arm flapping!! 

As with probably all dance forms other than classical ballet, it's hard to describe what exactly it is. But the street dance that was taught where I took classes was always very arm and upper-body heavy. It looked a lot like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT7sl_KgsfA

Some choreographies also include breakdance elements.

[healthnut]

50 minutes ago, nittany cougar said:

In the Olympic Channel documentary, Madison said that she and Evan originally picked Sade for their long program.  They had a whole program to Sade, which they decided to scrap four months before the Olympics.  In Madison's words, "We liked Sade, but we can do something better."

Just clarifying the switch was made for the rhythm dance not free dance. They switched from Sade to Billie Eilish about a month before the first competition. 

[Good Queen Jane]

Emily sliced Evan’s Achilles’ tendon with her blade coming down from a lift which kept him out of skating for a season. It wasn’t intentional but I can’t help but think that it would create some tension between them. Also when you take that long a break from skating and each other, you start rethinking relationships. Emily partnered with Piper Gilles’ brother but they didn’t skate together very long and then she went on to other things. 
 

 

[SeanC]

1 hour ago, nittany cougar said:

I think that Marie-France and Patrice leave a lot of the packaging up to the couples, and they bring the best choreographers and skating coaches to help with the concept that the skating pair has picked.  In the Olympic Channel documentary, Madison said that she and Evan originally picked Sade for their long program.  They had a whole program to Sade, which they decided to scrap four months before the Olympics.  In Madison's words, "We liked Sade, but we can do something better."

As far as how I.A.M. works on program design, it's very collaborative.  The coaches/choreographers have ideas, the teams do as well, and they sort through them until they find something that works for them.  Some teams are more self-directed than others.

Zachary Lagha, for instance, is also a pianist with a lot of background in music, so he has come up with a lot of the ideas for Lajoie/Lagha's programs himself (most notably the "Warsaw Concerto" free dance that they won Junior Worlds with a few years ago). Their coaches had earlier suggested a different piece of music but Marjorie said that she hated it so they kept looking.

[legaleagle53]

I wondered how much of the Rhythm Dance portion of the competition would make it to primetime. Trust NBC to make it almost entirely about the US teams. If I hadn't watched the entire competition earlier today on Replay, I wouldn't have known about the Ukrainians' beautiful Foxtrot/Jive medley,

One good thing about NBC's broadcast is that unlike with Peacock, I actually know what specific technical elements the judges are looking for and scoring. So there's that.

[KLovestoShop]

Will someone please teach Tara Lipinski how to stand.  She always thrusts her right leg straight out, so she looks like she’s airing out her crotch. 

[Thumper]

I enjoyed the music and the performance of the Canadian couple, but not the orange jumpsuit costumes! 
(Ice Dancing)

Edited February 13, 2022 by Thumper

[ML89]

I had to laugh when Tanith made some comment about Kiss more rock than disco, during Kiss’s only disco hit -I was waiting for Terry to say something because he’s said he’s a rock guy and around my age. All the boys I knew then hated disco and Kiss doing a disco song made a lot of their fans mad. 

Did love hearing Sylvester, Chic and “Funkytown.” I would give Hiwayek/Baker some different Donna Summer - after “Heart of Glass” last year, I would have had them skate “I Feel Love” - that would have been amazing.

I saw Terry tweet about Tara breaking down the NC State win - did anyone see this live?

[stealinghome]

As someone who admittedly knows nothing about figure skating, I just don’t get the figure skating establishment’s love of Papadakis/Cizeron. Last Olympics I thought Virtue/Moir were so clearly better, and after the short program this year, I thought Sinitsina/Katsalapov and Chock/Bates were both way more interesting (and Chock/Bates has more of that “it” factor). P/C were about as interesting as Hubbell/Donohue.

The Canadians should win a medal for guts for their orange jumpsuit look! It’s AMAZING.

Edited February 13, 2022 by stealinghome

[roughing it]

The Canadian female’s (Piper?) facial expressions were ridiculous.

[ML89]

4 minutes ago, roughing it said:

The Canadian female’s (Piper?) facial expressions were ridiculous.

So they’re wearing jumpsuits in disco orange while skating to Elton John hits from …the 80s? I love the outfits, though.

[gatopretoNYC]

17 minutes ago, ML89 said:

I had to laugh when Tanith made some comment about Kiss more rock than disco, during Kiss’s only disco hit -I was waiting for Terry to say something because he’s said he’s a rock guy and around my age. All the boys I knew then hated disco and Kiss doing a disco song made a lot of their fans mad. 

Did love hearing Sylvester, Chic and “Funkytown.” I would give Hiwayek/Baker some different Donna Summer - after “Heart of Glass” last year, I would have had them skate “I Feel Love” - that would have been amazing.

Who skated to Kiss? I missed most of the earlier teams. I'm guessing the song was I was Made for Lovin' You?

I agree on the Donna Summer.

I also would have loved some Chaka Khan, or Shannon's Let the Music Play.

[Rootbeer]

15 minutes ago, gatopretoNYC said:

Who skated to Kiss? I missed most of the earlier teams. I'm guessing the song was I was Made for Lovin' You?

I agree on the Donna Summer.

I also would have loved some Chaka Khan, or Shannon's Let the Music Play.

The British pair, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson.  They skated to 'I Was Made for Lovin' You', 'Forever' and a few bars of 'Rock and Roll all Night'.

[CeeBeeGee]

Was not a fan of P/C's costumes. That top she wore four years ago--even with the wardrobe malfunction--was absolutely gorgeous, all those vivid tropical colors. The dull maroon outfits look like they're trying to invoke V/M--whose costumes I also didn't like.\

I did love Maddie Chock's dress.  A shame about that mistake.

In general I prefer the free dance to the rhythm dance--everyone always seems like they're desperately trying to convince you about something, whereas the free dance is just more chill, like they're doing it for themselves.

There was a great rhythm dance at US Nationals that I thought was very cool, very angular and on the beat, but I think they weren't selected for the team.

[OnePlusOne]

1 hour ago, stealinghome said:

As someone who admittedly knows nothing about figure skating, I just don’t get the figure skating establishment’s love of Papadakis/Cizeron.

I've been watching ice dance forever, and while I appreciate P/C's skill, I've never fallen in love with them. I think for me a lot of the problem is their music choices always feel a bit samey and drippy. When they talked about their rhythm dance on "Olympic Ice", the clips didn't have the music, and I found that I appreciated the moves a lot more. But the John Legend music lacked the energy/driving beat that would've better accentuated the choreography.

I historically don't like Hubbell/Donahue, but that Janet Jackson program is really great. Too bad their free dance doesn't have that energy. I thought they should've been in 2nd over the Sinitsina/Katsalapov. If the judges have to hold up a Russian team, Stepanova/Bukin are more interesting. I was bummed that Chock/Bates made those little mistakes. Hope they can skate lights-out in the free dance. I really dig their alien/astronaut program.

[Lady Whistleup]

Funny, I'm not always the biggest fan of P/C's programs, but I thought their waacking RD was the class of the field. All the difficult hand positions they incorporated while skating, and how they obviously actually studied waacking, made me like the program.

I also enjoyed their fluff piece. It's obvious they're still pretty raw over 2018's wardrobe malfunction. Would they really have won if Gabby's top hadn't fallen off? I got the impression that it was super close between them and V/M.

[GeminiDancer]

P/C could have rocked it with some interesting music like this:

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by GeminiDancer

[OnePlusOne]

11 minutes ago, GeminiDancer said:

P/C could have rocked it with some interesting music like this:

 

Yes! That would've been so awesome. The choreography needed music with this type of energy. I also wish their costumes were brighter, and less Virtue/Moir-Lite.

[emmawoodhouse]

36 minutes ago, OnePlusOne said:

Yes! That would've been so awesome. The choreography needed music with this type of energy. I also wish their costumes were brighter, and less Virtue/Moir-Lite.

Don't forget that a tempo change is required. Even if they started with the upbeat music, they would have needed something else to do the MB pattern. 

I guess we just have to deal with the fact that P/C aren't power skaters like H/D. Their bread and butter are the ethereal pieces. Why change when the judges love what they're putting out there? 

That's fine, but I prefer couples who think outside the box, like C/B and even Hawayek/Baker (and Green/Parsons who will be at the Olympics in 2026).

[katha]

I loooved Sinitsina/Katsalapov in this, which was a surprise. I think this RD is not a natural fit for them and their program always looked like the best compromise to package them in something that isn't quite their style. But they were selling that disco vibe and they looked razor sharp and precise on technique. And after everyone was already crowing how they are getting dumped after the team event. Good for them!

P/C are not my groove either, but they are undeniable very, very skilled and I'm okay with them being first. It's an interesting dance and it was cute how relieved they seemed after skating cleanly. :-)

Hubbel/Donahue I feel are always held back by both their costume and music choices. IMO here as well. The costumes are on theme but seem ponderous and the first two parts of the music selection are eh... You really notice how the "Rhythm Nation" section is so much more dynamic than the parts coming before it. 

Chock/Bates have a really cool concept, but mistakes are fatal in ice dance. I like them and it's a bummer that they often get nervous in big events. 

I also think Elek is a good technical specialist choice for the Olympics. He's tough and finicky, but he's tough on everyone and doesn't close his eyes just because favorites are skating. See the markdowns of SinKats in the team event or the markdown of Chock/Bates here. 

Edited February 13, 2022 by katha

[NUguy514]

From the very bottom of my heart, I want to thank the person who made the decision to put Guillaume Cizeron in leather (or "leather") pants for this rhythm dance. That. ASS. *fans self

Papadakis and Cizeron should be about ten points ahead of everyone. They are just in a class of their own with their speed and edges and general effortlessness, and I feel like they're the only ones who really understood the "street dancing" assignment.

(And to the person who asked above, they absolutely would've won gold in 2018 if not for the wardrobe malfunction; they actually won the free dance over V/M and their bodice-ripping bullshit. I cannot accurately express the depth of my loathing for how forced V/M's vibe became over the years; they became more desperate over-actors than Leonardo DiCaprio bucking for an Oscar.)

Sinitsina and Katsalapov were overscored if for no other reason than they just did their normal thing to the Backstreet Boys – no street dancing to be seen. They do absolutely nothing for me. And, of course, like all Russian athletes here, they're doping, so there's that. And Nikita is an asshole. Whatever, Skating While Russian lives on.

Hubbell and Donohue did pretty well with the assignment, and I think they should be in second. That's one of the best performances I've seen them give, and I'm not particularly a fan of them (mostly him; he seems like such a dick).

I'm so bummed that Madison C. briefly lost her edge. I just love her and Evan's style; they really do have a unique approach to their performances, and it makes them stand out so wonderfully. And they are the absolute cutest! However, barring a fall/major mistake by any of the top three teams, I think they're destined to finish fourth.🥺

I would like to give the person who chose Gilles and Poirier's costumes a major ass-whooping. You will not find a person who loves color more than I do, but those jumpsuits were an abomination before all that is good.

[CheshireCat]

6 hours ago, stealinghome said:

As someone who admittedly knows nothing about figure skating, I just don’t get the figure skating establishment’s love of Papadakis/Cizeron.

They're very lyrical and I think you have to like the style in order to like them. I love it, it's my favorite form of dance so I was hooked the very first time I saw them. I also love the way they move. As a dancer, you learn that a movement breathes. You don't extend your leg, hit the pose and are finished, you extend the leg and lift it just this milimeter higher before you sort of drift into whatever is next and they can translate that onto the ice. For me, it's a rare quality most skaters don't have.

That said, Anissina/Peizerate, Drobiazko/Vanagas, Davis/White and Cappellini/LaNotte are among my other favorite teams, so I like the extroverts, too.

Loved Virtue/Moir's Valse Triste. Haven't been able to get into any of their other programs. Maybe because I saw Valse Triste life and none of the other programs.

[Jillibean]

7 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

I also enjoyed their fluff piece. It's obvious they're still pretty raw over 2018's wardrobe malfunction. Would they really have won if Gabby's top hadn't fallen off? I got the impression that it was super close between them and V/M.

That seems to be the narrative they're going with--even Scott Moir said it on On Edge--but I honestly don't think so. That Moulin Rouge free dance was a juggernaut. It was such an enormous crowd favorite, and went viral right after the team event. I know things like that shouldn't come into play, but awarding it to the sweet, quieter, lyrical program when Tessa was flipping her crotch directly into Scott's face and then dying in his arms and the audience was going nuts, IMO, would have been a very, very tough sell. I think V/M were getting the gold regardless of any wardrobe issues. But hey, if the dress isn't what stopped them from medaling, what exactly is the redemption story? Got to put a neat little bow on that one.

On the slow motion replays it really looks like Madi's bobble happened because of the ice, not her--shades of Yuzu. She's skating on her edge in a straight line and then you see her skate almost vibrate out of nowhere as she tries to hang on (amazing that she did; her ankle must be really strong). It really looked to me like she hit a patch of uneven ice. Unfortunately, I think after that moment they both skated more tentatively and lost a couple of levels on subsequent elements.  They're my favorites, and I feel for them, but I see no way they can pull this out. I think it's more feasible to hope that H/D top S/K for the silver--they're close enough that they theoretically could. C/B are far enough back that they'd need a mistake from H/D to jump over them and probably nothing will let them overtake S/K. I still don't like Zach much, but I appreciate that he's an excellent skater. I've come to really feel differently about Madi H over the past month or so.

I do have to point out Johnny's exaggerated pronunciation of AhhhhdriAAAHN Diaz, when his own fiancee literally calls him Adrian with the American English pronunciation, because that's so Johnny. 

I think everyone in the skating community pretty much agrees that P/C have the best skating skills, even if the way they present them isn't to everyone's taste. I personally think some of their music choices are a bit too precious and indulgent, and I HATE that John Legend track. But hey, when you're the best, you do what you want. 

[specialj67]

I must say, watching the On Edge series gave me a new appreciation for Madison Hubbell’s competitive mindset and how she isn’t afraid to show it. I love it when female skaters don’t hide their ambitions. I can only hope that at least half of Madison’s Olympic goal will be met. 

[Lady Whistleup]

2 hours ago, Jillibean said:

That seems to be the narrative they're going with--even Scott Moir said it on On Edge--but I honestly don't think so. That Moulin Rouge free dance was a juggernaut. It was such an enormous crowd favorite, and went viral right after the team event. I know things like that shouldn't come into play, but awarding it to the sweet, quieter, lyrical program when Tessa was flipping her crotch directly into Scott's face and then dying in his arms and the audience was going nuts, IMO, would have been a very, very tough sell. I think V/M were getting the gold regardless of any wardrobe issues. But hey, if the dress isn't what stopped them from medaling, what exactly is the redemption story? Got to put a neat little bow on that one.

Yeah, I think V/M would have edged them out. V/M had beaten them the year before at Worlds. I think the general consensus that year was that P/C's RD was a bit weak? Even if her top hadn't flown off I don't know if they could have beaten a flawless V/M. 

[wintrygal]

On 2/10/2022 at 12:09 AM, KittenPokerCheater said:

Oh this song Messing is skating to....but at least it's not November Rain (it's a fine song but not to skate to).

I believe this is the same music he used as a tribute to his younger brother who died in a motorcycle crash in 2019 leaving behind  two young children.  I could be wrong tho, but it sounds the same.

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by wintrygal