Random thoughts on TEB | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Random thoughts on TEB

Trewyn

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
And I have enough Alllleeeeeeeeeeeeez for a life time;)

Glad I met the girls from here:)

OMG the 'alleeez' thing was so annoying! I blame that for Brian's consistency in doing badly in France. I would do badly too if people screamed 'alleeeeez' at me like that! :eek:

It was indeed fun to meet people from GS!
 

Anna

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Thanks a lot for the information on I&B :)

Men

Oda's "Chaplin" LP will certainly become of the highlights of the season and might be a signature piece for him, but his SP left me puzzled. "Fast & Furious" is not exactly the style I associate with him and while he did the elements very well I could not get an "overall" picture. He clearly won the LP hands down, excellent quality of every single element + equally strong character interpretation, but overall impression is a bit juniorish for me. I don't know if it's the theme or his size or combination of both, but he just does not have the presence some other competitors do. I think even Rippon skates "bigger".

At the press conference Verner launched into some 5-minute long speech to explain the story behind his short program, which is quite an achievement considering how little choreography he actually has in it. Still he was in league of his own in the SP, even though at the moment he seems to falling off and back into the music. A new "somber" image in the LP was unexpected, but it seems to work for him. 4T3T was a thing of beauty, but I guess he just cannot avoid missing "easier" triples in the second half...

Rippon was a pleasure to watch, so smooth and fluid, but I cannot get rid of the feeling that if you take out two 3A attempts his LP would be a perfect program for Kim. I could almost picture her doing it... very distracting. "Double-tano" lutz was cool, but seemed to be underrotated. Kudos on landing 3A in SP.

Joubert's SP did not get any better with time and without jumps it was almost painful to watch. His LP, however, is pretty good by his standarts, it's powerful and not too challenging choreographically, but at the same time it does not look completely pointless and does create a certain image. I wonder what is wrong with him, his jumps simply do not work. He looked very thin, with much sharper facial features than I remember from the past, I wonder if he was ill...

Ponsero has grown on me in the past couple of season, but he does need to land those jumps to be competitive. Preaubert improved his posture somewhat, but his SP is just lame, not even remotely funny. LP is slightly better (at least it is not as uncomfortable to watch), but empty.

Voronov was challenging Yagudin in SP and left a lot to be desired. But 4T3T combination was great, I think it might have been the first time he landed it (he used to do 4-2 in the past). How disappointing it must be to have pretty much a skate of your life to be compeletely overlooked by both jugdes and audience. LP was disappoining.

China's Chao Yang has the most weird music arrangment in his LP, kind of "oops, my iPod got stuck of shuffle", three or four competely unrelated tunes. Nice jumps, though.

Chipeur's opening 3A in the long was great, but I do not think I remember anything else from either of his programs.

Bradley was obviously aiming for entertaining in both programs, but fell short.
 
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Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Rippon was a pleasure to watch, so smooth and fluid, but I cannot get rid of the feeling that if you take out two 3A attempts his LP would be a perfect program for Kim. I could almost picture her doing it... very distracting. "Double-tano" lutz was cool, but seemed to be underrotated. Kudos on landing 3A in SP.
Rippon's SP was great. I thought he was a bit undermarked there.

Joubert's SP... looked very thin, with much sharper facial features than I remember from the past, I wonder if he was ill...
He said after the Masters that he was overweight and needed to lose some weight, which he then did. I wonder if this left him with stamina issues. Again, as I wrote elsewhere, Brian often struggles at the start of the season, so I'm waiting to see what kind of form he'll be in for NHK. Hopefully much better!
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
So true about the SP costume. The amazing thing is that it is even worse in person - shinier and more see-through. I wish he'd wear something simple and athletic like he does for exhibitions.

And that's a bad thing? :laugh:

Ant
 

Anna

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 26, 2004
He said after the Masters that he was overweight and needed to lose some weight, which he then did. I wonder if this left him with stamina issues. Again, as I wrote elsewhere, Brian often struggles at the start of the season, so I'm waiting to see what kind of form he'll be in for NHK. Hopefully much better!

Well, I'm not so certain that it is just timing. I've seen his early in the season skates from Masters and whatever first GP event he picked in the past few seasons, plus I've seen him live at TEB since like 2002 and what he did last week was a new low. That SP performance was just a disaster and the LP was only marginally better, even though it does not look quite that bad on the paper, with only opening quads missed completely, the real life impression was much worse.

But I also hope to see him in much better form at NHK.
 

Wicked

Final Flight
Joined
May 26, 2009
Sniper, I'm glad you mentioned the uh, boobage, of the ladies. I definitely saw it, and thought I was just awful for noticing. At least I'm not alone.

Re Carolina's wardrobe malfunction- you'd think that after what happened to Rubleva last year these ladies would be more careful, but nooooo! Say it with me now- DOUBLE SIDED TAPE!
 

sillylionlove

Medalist
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Sniper, I'm glad you mentioned the uh, boobage, of the ladies. I definitely saw it, and thought I was just awful for noticing. At least I'm not alone.

Re Carolina's wardrobe malfunction- you'd think that after what happened to Rubleva last year these ladies would be more careful, but nooooo! Say it with me now- DOUBLE SIDED TAPE!


What wardrobe malfunction? Do tell!!
 

sigrid

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
as well as the entire French team (though I think nobody saw Brian).
The first skater I saw in Paris was Brian, and I have a picture with him (we even gave him a present)

I fell in love with Rippon in this GP, in the ice but also outside it. And I thought I couldn't love Kerrs even more, but after meeting them (quite a few times, actually) I saw it was possible :rock:

We had lots of fun with Javier Fernandez and his problems for signing pics :laugh: and the japanese fans had lots of fun with us :rolleye: I felt like a rockstar surrounded by so many flashes :cool: (I think the rest of the arena hated us a looooot)
 

*Sniper*

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Sniper, I'm glad you mentioned the uh, boobage, of the ladies. I definitely saw it, and thought I was just awful for noticing. At least I'm not alone.

Re Carolina's wardrobe malfunction- you'd think that after what happened to Rubleva last year these ladies would be more careful, but nooooo! Say it with me now- DOUBLE SIDED TAPE!

THANK YOU!!! :cry::cry::cry:
I'm so happy and RELIEVED that somebody saw it the way I did. :laugh:
With everyone else seemingly having such a cool, European attitude about this, I was really beginning to wonder if it was just me.
 

Wrlmy

Medalist
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Reflection on the ladies

Yuna- Her short program is incredibly catchy. I showed it to few of my guy friends, and they are swooning over her. I shouldn't repeat some of the lewd remarks about what they'd like to do to her though:unsure:
I believe this program will have the greatest mass appeal without being tacky. I saw some fans were ticked off my "sex sells" comment in another thread, but I'm glad Yuna is using her feline features and sultry quality to advantage here. That is something she has over Mao or Joannie.
Very appropriate amound and placing of posing, which was of course enhanced by her perfect execution of the elements. And the footwork section was reminscent of some of the great step sequence under 6.0.

But, her long program is actually my favorite. If Mao's program screams "Russian", Yuna's program screams "O Canada". The Gershwin program has somewhat elitist feel to it, which reminds me of Jeff Buttle's programs done by David Wilson. The transitions were just incredible, and the jumps:bow: Her 3-3 lost wow factor for me just because I am so used to expecting such quality from her, but her salchow and double axel are better than ever despite difficult transitions in and out.

Mao- Masquerade works much better as short program. It no longer sounds as repetitive, and it looks so much better without seconds spent for telegraphing two triple axels. If not for the "recycling the old program" part, this is her best short program since Nocturn IMO. The biggest problem in this program is her dress. I have a theory that many fans already expect to see a crappy "Russian" program the moment they regard Mao clad in that hideous dress obviously inspired by the icecream cake sold in Stop&Shop. Change the dress ASAP. How about something like Yuna's long program dress, only black?

Her long program has potential to be a masterpiece. It is so much less repetitive than Masquerade from last year, and even if it is, it does not sound obnoxious. Again, change the dress! If she wants to compete with Yuna, drop the second triple axel, and go for a 3r-3r or 3r-2r, and throw in some transitions. Then voila, there is a OGM worthy program. I think some of the criticisms on her program are not replective of the program itself but rather of the execution at this particular event.

I don't think the olympics will be a one-woman-show as some people suggest. Here, Yuna landed 8 clean triples and 4 clean double axels whereas Mao landed 5 clean triples and one clean double axel in total. Add three clean triples and double axels to Mao's programs, and the gap between the two is gone.
 

dancefan77

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Random thoughts...

I only saw a few programs so I am basing my comments on the programs I was able to view.

I will start with dance since that is my favorite discipline. I really like the Navarro/Bommentre's OD. I love that it's a different style than what is normally used and its a great program. :rock:

I am not a huge country western fan. I like some songs here and there but overall, the style is not my kind of music so watching some of the ODs got tiresome quick. Though my fave of the bunch was Pechalat/Bourzat. I really liked the program a lot more than what I thought. I thought their choreography was clever and entertaining. I like some parts of the Kerr's but I am not sure about that ending pose. I am disappointed with the Hubbells and Samuelson/Bates since I loved their previous folk dances they did a couple of years ago. I think both couples have huge talent but those ODs need work. Virtue and Moir....I don't know. I was expecting to love it because I love Flamenco dancing but I didn't like the interpretation of it and I didn't like some of the choreography.

As for the FD's I really liked S/B. I read the comments here and I expected to hate the program, but I really enjoyed it. But I shouldn't be surprised, I was one of the few that enjoyed their Amazonic program last year. I also respect the Kerrs, N/B, P/B, and the Hubbells for doing something different. It takes a lot of guts to try something new during an Olympic year. I didn't like P/B's FD as much as their OD but maybe it will grow on me like their Circus FD did when they performed it at Worlds. I did like the Kerrs, N/B, and the Hubbells FDs. Again, I couldn't get into V/M. I like Scott Moir a lot. He's an awesome ice dancer and I rank him and Ben Agosto as the male ice dancers that can interpret ANY kind of mood and music.But the FD fell flat for me. It was elegant and had beautiful moves but I couldn't get into it.

Pairs--I was glad M/T won. That was a really nice performance for them and a nice program. I enjoyed it. I love S/S but I don't like their LP at all. The costumes didn't fit the music and there just doesn't seem to be any connection between them or the program. I am really starting to like D/D. For years I couldn't get into them or their overly quiet, sweet, slow music programs of the past. Last year I started to like them and now I really enjoy them more. I love the music "The Way We Were" so I don't mind the program. The music has some delicacy to it but it has undertones of drama, pain, conflict that I felt in the characters they were trying to portray.

Ladies--I was shocked at how much I did not like the LPs for Asada or Kim. I much preferred their programs last year. I wish they both would have chosen those music pieces for the Olympics than what they currently have. I am sad and disappointed for Zhang. I love her but she seems to regress each year. I know she has an injury and maybe she will improve over the season. But I wish she would work on her speed and really focus on improving her jumps and presentation. I enjoyed Nakano's program. This was my first time seeing Gilles and I didn't like her program.

Men--Love Oda's Charlie Chaplin and he deserved to win. Rippon has much improved his presence and programs since he went to Orser. Its done a world of good and it shows in his skating. I use to love Joubert but over the years, his programs and skating just become more disappointing for me.
 

rain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
I only got to see things really late, and online. One of the biggest puzzlers of recent time has got to be the question of who is directing Mao Asada's development, if you can call it that?

Here was a skater who was set to dominate the ladies field, but has utterly failed to do so. In the last couple of seasons it seems as if she's been going backwards.

She was always a technically good skater with a beautiful naturally light quality on the ice. Her one drawback, IMO, was that she did not connect with her music or skate from the heart — but in one so young, I fully expected her to develop these qualities. And yet, she hasn't.

Still nobody has taught her to connect to music. She continues to skate like a robot across the ice — it's made worse by the horrendous music and choreography choices. This year's selections leave me almost speechless. Who is choosing this stuff and for goodness sake, why? Her short program music doesn't at all connect with her costume, or her demeanor on the ice. Her long program music is ponderous and and pompous and overly dramatic — at complete odds with her natural movement quality. It's a drag, basically. And her technical ability certainly hasn't improved notably either. I don't get it. Is it Tarasova? Mao? Her federation? Whether she continues to win medals is immaterial to me, I'm just really disappointed to see her move seemingly further and further from the skater she could be.

Is it a futile hope that she'll ditch at least the LP before the Olympics and skate to something beautiful and lyrical?
 

sillylionlove

Medalist
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
I put it this way- at the end of her SP, Carolina showed a bit more of herself than she meant to. You can see it clearly in the video.

After finally get a chance to sit and watch the short program.....did that costume even cover her boobs? If they are about an inch from her belly button....then yes....but most women's aren't. That costume needs to go or at least more not flesh colored fabric added to it. Who designed that mess?
 

Otma

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
I fell in love with Rippon in this GP, in the ice but also outside it. And I thought I couldn't love Kerrs even more, but after meeting them (quite a few times, actually) I saw it was possible :rock:

We had lots of fun with Javier Fernandez and his problems for signing pics :laugh: and the japanese fans had lots of fun with us :rolleye: I felt like a rockstar surrounded by so many flashes :cool: (I think the rest of the arena hated us a looooot)

Hi Sigrid, the rest of the arena did not hate you ! By the way, you guys were just great, come back every year !
I totally fall in love with Rippon too (in his short), and what a nice guy !
And I agree : how can the Kerrs be so so sooooooooooooooooooo cool, and incredibly sweet ! They're my new idols as persons !:bow:
 

sigrid

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
wow thanks Otma! I'm glad our noise wasn't annoying, we tried to have fun and support the skaters... destroying the ears of the women who surrounded us was totally accidental ;)

BTW how nice is Scott Moir too :p and poor Tessa, she looks like a ghost in our pictures with her... Happy Halloween! :biggrin:
 

Otma

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
wow thanks Otma! I'm glad our noise wasn't annoying, we tried to have fun and support the skaters...
That's all we need in Paris you know !

BTW how nice is Scott Moir too :p and poor Tessa, she looks like a ghost in our pictures with her... Happy Halloween! :biggrin:
I totally agree : Scott is really nice (Tessa's too), and she is quite pale anyway (I like it BTW).
 
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