Pairs Free Skate | Page 6 | Golden Skate

Pairs Free Skate

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Yeah, I didn't think she was angry at him per se. Angry at what happened, a little surprised, bothered by the lack of a simple explanation, but at him? I didn't see that. Compare that to the Fusar-Poli death glare. Hell, she almost smiled on the ice afterwords (disbelief more than anything, but still).
 

gold12345

Medalist
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
That was a disaster. They really should have just give up and gotten off the ice, because after the fall they obviously did not know what to do. She could have gotten very injured.

The fact that they medaled is a joke. I know they had a big lead after the SP, but not THAT big.

I think it would look really bad to give up, unless you are injured. You pick yourself up, keep fighting through it until the end, and do the best you can.

As for S/S's SP lead- they had a very big lead over I/B, who were down in 5th (18 points). For this reason, I don't understand why S/S scored so high in their LP. It wasn't like they needed the 101 to maintain a medal position.

I don't think the judges were very fond of Inoue/Baldwin... They scored about the same as the very average French team in PCS even though C/C had quite a rough time during their LP. There's no way the judges were going to rank S/S behind I/B. Heck, I/B still didn't even come close to beating them even with the meltdown.
 
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Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
It looked to me like it was mostly disbelief and shock. I'm not a huge fan of this team as I find them usually sloppy and inconsistent and I much prefer the clean lines, deep edges, and emotion from pairs such as D/D...but that's just my personal preference.
Inconsistent I can stomach - but sloppy? Bad lines, bad edges? Who are you watching? I can totally accept that not everyone is everybody's cup of tea, but your critique seems to have nothing to do with reality. It would be like me saying that Chan has bad skating skills, just because I don't like him.

Oh yeah, my personal preference? The only emotion D/D can convey is soulful staring, which is why they had to go back to blah-blah-musak, because it's the only thing they can actually skate to.
 

oleada

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Inconsistent I can stomach - but sloppy? Bad lines, bad edges? Who are you watching? I can totally accept that not everyone is everybody's cup of tea, but your critique seems to have nothing to do with reality. It would be like me saying that Chan has bad skating skills, just because I don't like him.

Oh yeah, my personal preference? The only emotion D/D can convey is soulful staring, which is why they had to go back to blah-blah-musak, because it's the only thing they can actually skate to.

:rock:
Very few teams, if any, can match the power and speed S/S have, which comes from their excellent skating skills.

ITA on D/D. They've been doing romantic schlock forever because it's the only thing Jessica can do.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Inconsistent I can stomach - but sloppy? Bad lines, bad edges? Who are you watching? I can totally accept that not everyone is everybody's cup of tea, but your critique seems to have nothing to do with reality. It would be like me saying that Chan has bad skating skills, just because I don't like him.

Oh yeah, my personal preference? The only emotion D/D can convey is soulful staring, which is why they had to go back to blah-blah-musak, because it's the only thing they can actually skate to.

I don't like their lines - she grabs her blade whenever she gets the chance - lifts, spirals, spins, death spirals (hideous postion this week). They often make several mistakes which results in a sloppy program. I've never seen a pair team fall so apart at a competition and I think they are the most over-rated.

I really don't care if you don't like D/D. That's your preference, fine by me.
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
I don't like their lines - she grabs her blade whenever she gets the chance - lifts, spirals, spins, death spirals (hideous postion this week). They often make several mistakes which results in a sloppy program. I've never seen a pair team fall so apart at a competition and I think they are the most over-rated.

I really don't care if you don't like D/D. That's your preference, fine by me.
And D/D always have such clean performances that's why they are multiple ... oops, just Canadian champions. Even in the 4CC they lose to the Chinese again and again.

Line is also more than just one position, it's about extension, it's about posture. And what happened to the edges comment? You really want to say that they have bad edges?

Oh, and I always wanted to say this: S/S have better choreography and more transitions than D/D! I can't say that about lots of my favourites, but here it actually fits.

--------------

That said; I enjoyed M/T. A clean program is often appealing, even if it seems choreographically empty at times. Plus their speed and fluidity over the ice makes their cross-overs look so very pretty. I hope they can keep it up, they could snatch the Gold at Euros this season... Maybe they could even extend Russia's reign in pairs, but I have to see the Chinese first before I talk about their Olympic chances. Oh, and Maks Trankov is way hot.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
And D/D always have such clean performances that's why they are multiple ... oops, just Canadian champions. Even in the 4CC they lose to the Chinese again and again.

Line is also more than just one position, it's about extension, it's about posture. And what happened to the edges comment? You really want to say that they have bad edges?

Oh, and I always wanted to say this: S/S have better choreography and more transitions than D/D! I can't say that about lots of my favourites, but here it actually fits.

I said I enjoy D/D's deep edges....I didn't say anything bad about S/S edges. Considering S/S are world champions shouldn't they be able to be consistent in competitions? Obviously since D/D are just Canadian champions (that is a very offensive comment by the way) S/S should be more consistent then them shouldn't they?

Why do you take everything personally and respond in such a rude manor??
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
I said I enjoy D/D's deep edges....I didn't say anything bad about S/S edges. Considering S/S are world champions shouldn't they be able to be consistent in competitions? Obviously since D/D are just Canadian champions (that is a very offensive comment by the way) S/S should be more consistent then them shouldn't they?

Why do you take everything personally and respond in such a rude manor??
Being World Champion means that on two days in late March one couple/skater had two excellent skates. It's not a lifetime award for being consistent.

Lambiel is a two time World Champion and I am not quite sure he has ever had a truly clean freeskate.

I found your comment offensive, it was generalising, flat and partly unfounded.

I take everything personally?
Every time someone dares to say something against Canadians you come galloping into the room, draw your sword and fight for their honour! Which I find quite cute actually. But please accept that other skaters also have fans who also react if those skaters are criticised.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
I take everything personally?
Every time someone dares to say something against Canadians you come galloping into the room, draw your sword and fight for their honour! Which I find quite cute actually. But please accept that other skaters also have fans who also react if those skaters are criticised.

And couldn't you say the same thing about you and defending Europeans every chance you get? I think I am quite level headed in terms of competitors and performances and I don't think I've ever defended anyone when they didn't deserve it. I also think the same thing about the majority of your posts.

I'll stay away from your posts from now on I though if it is just going to become a fight. ETA: I take it back Medusa...let's keep the fights going! :p
 
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evangeline

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Being World Champion means that on two days in late March one couple/skater had two excellent skates. It's not a lifetime award for being consistent.

And sometimes, it doesn't even take two excellent skates. It could just be the fact that the skater did less disastrously than all the other skaters on the two nights in March (e.g. Yagudin's LP at 2000 Worlds...that LP was riddled with mistakes but Plushenko and all the other contenders were even worse).

I mean, consistency is a great thing but sometimes all it takes is laying down the right performances at the right time, like Shizuka at 2004 Worlds and 2006 Olympics. S/S are indeed frustratingly inconsistent, but it's not like any other present pairs teams are much that better at both consistency and skating level.
 

nevergonnadance

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
:rock:
Very few teams, if any, can match the power and speed S/S have, which comes from their excellent skating skills.

ITA on D/D. They've been doing romantic schlock forever because it's the only thing Jessica can do.

Honestly I just saw their exhibition to last season's awful "Fix You" short and it was the best and most cohesive I've ever seen them skate. Actual energy from Jessica. Obviously she has energy or she couldn't be an elite pairs skater but I feel her locked up most of the time. And there's something about her upper body - even when her legs are moving it's like her upper body is disengaged, waiting for something or I can't even describe it. It's not literally true but I feel like her arms are always just held out to the side while she's staring forward worrying or waiting. "Fix You" for the TEB exhibit was practically effervescent compared to the usual, and that song is a dirge. So IMO the exhibit's a good sign.

Problem with "Way We Were" is that is not good music. Hit song a billion years ago, long since become an elevator snoozer. I don't think it triggers the tear ducts like other touching movie music. It's awful actually. And the program is sort of Blower's Daughter only there's pain faces at the end.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
I mean, consistency is a great thing but sometimes all it takes is laying down the right performances at the right time, like Shizuka at 2004 Worlds and 2006 Olympics. S/S are indeed frustratingly inconsistent, but it's not like any other present pairs teams are much that better at both consistency and skating level.

That's a good point. However, most people often say that S/S are in a different category than the other pair skaters . Therefore, I don't think it's an outrageous suggestion that they should be more consistent than the other teams when they receive the marks that they do. For example, TEB long program PCS were the same as D/D.
 

skatingbc

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
And D/D always have such clean performances that's why they are multiple ... oops, just Canadian champions. Even in the 4CC they lose to the Chinese again and again.

I don't understand why you say, "EVEN ... they lose to the Chinese." Last time I checked the Chinese were pretty good?

I don't think losing to the Chinese is something to be ashamed of. The Chinese teams are strong right now. Losing to I/B last year on the GP circuit kind of sucked, though.
 

evangeline

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
That's a good point. However, most people often say that S/S are in a different category than the other pair skaters . Therefore, I don't think it's an outrageous suggestion that they should be more consistent than the other teams when they receive the marks that they do. For example, TEB long program PCS were the same as D/D.

Yes, the marks S/S received for that disaster of a LP were pretty outrageous, but isn't that just reputation judging? I don't think it has anything to do with consistency at all--you manage to win some major titles, judges are more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt. S/S are far from the only skaters to have benefited from this sort of judging, as unfair as it is.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Moving right along, I think Todd Sand gets the coaching award of the year already.

That was the best 3ATh that I&B have ever landed. It doesn't hurt in coaching that M&S had a great throw 2A...but to do something no one else in the world can do in athletics when you're in your mid 30's is amazing. :rock::rock:

Oh and the 2A into a skid spiral in the SP was excellent too. Even their horrible attempts at a 3tw are a little smoother than they used to be, and they actually got credit for the triple in the LP. M&S always had a nice twist, so I hoped they would be able to help improve I&B's twists a bit.

Likewise, Todd being a technical specialist has helped them get most of the levels on the skills they could get, something that was a big problem for them after the last COP set of rule changes.

In fact, I think they really got shafted on their PCS, particularly in the short program. It wouldn't have changed their placing, but it would have been more correct. I actually liked that SP.

They could very well end up on the US Olympic team if they keep improving. If USFS will let them, of course.
 

lakeshore

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
I don't like their lines - she grabs her blade whenever she gets the chance - lifts, spirals, spins, death spirals (hideous postion this week). They often make several mistakes which results in a sloppy program..

:clap::clap: Her position with excessive blade-grabbing in lifts is just ugly. Also, the position in death spirals, well I guess everybody has to do that way :bow: Another trade-mark element of this pair is the excessive 'skating-between-legs' move. :laugh:

They're running out of creativity... I hope they ditch this horredous LP.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I don't understand why you say, "EVEN ... they lose to the Chinese." Last time I checked the Chinese were pretty good?

I don't think losing to the Chinese is something to be ashamed of. The Chinese teams are strong right now. Losing to I/B last year on the GP circuit kind of sucked, though.

Agreed. That comment really rubs me the wrong way. Medusa, would you mind explaining what you meant.
 
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mycelticblessing

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
I love M/T but I really hate 'Love Story'! Thank goodness they had that 'Cinema Paradiso' moment in the middle. Now why couldn't they have skated to 4.30 minutes of Cinema Paradiso instead?

That said, they skated great! I really hope they continue to do well for the rest of the season.
 

Mikoto

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
entire post

I cannot believe there is someone who is positive toward I/B!

I thought their PCS were very low, too. I don't know about pair skating well but I think they have very good quality in many aspects--basic skating, unison and something so called pairness?.

Yes, their programs in the last few seasons were not exciting and they were a bit slow. Not to mention his SBS triples. But now they(including John!) have good shapes. :bow: for th3A!
 

museksk8r

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
Jess and Bryce broke up before Worlds 2008 -- she's been dating Scott Moir for a while now. Apparently it caused a few friendship issues between the guys at the time, but I think they're all okay now.

-kypma

Wow, I didn't know that Jessica and Scott are dating. They are a very attractive couple. :)
 
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