Sandra Bezic to call it quits

swannanoa54 · Oct 24, 2003

http://www3.cbc.ca/sections/newsitem_redux.asp?ID=3074

I didn't know if this was posted anywhere, but I thought I'd share it.

amykaren · Oct 24, 2003

I don't think that quitting the sport is the correct way to go about things. What good is that going to do? Maybe she is just blowing off steam here. I enjoy her work and hope it continues.

sk8ing_lady2001 · Oct 24, 2003

I agree. This is so sad. I loved her programs!

Tonichelle · Oct 24, 2003

hey... this may be a good thing... no more Sandra Besic bias in the commentator booth... right???

VIETgrlTerifa · Oct 24, 2003

ITA Toni. When I first heard this, I was really hoping that she wouldn't be commentating at the Olympics anymore.

Maybe with her out of the commentating booth, we won't have anymore sensationalist type commentating.

Personally, I think she is just bitter that she got replaced with a more talented choreographer (Chris Dean) on Stars on Ice.

Tonichelle · Oct 24, 2003

I'm wondering if she got fired now... or if it was part of her "giving up" on skating?

Ptichka · Oct 25, 2003

Very odd article. Not a big fan of Bezic the commentator (to put it VERY mildly), though I respect Bezic the choreographer. This does not, though, appear to be an official press release or anything. Let's wait and see for any other news...

Rgirl · Oct 25, 2003

Only heard Sandra commentate twice on US TV. Once was a little pro-am thing and I thought she was very good. Then at the Olympics she turned into Commentatorzilla. But as far as her choreography is concerned, I think she has done a lot of wonderful work. My guess is that this announcement is probably related to the changes at SOI (being "let go" as artistic director), which must have been hard to take, and some psychological and emotional burnout. Sandra has been deeply involved in figure skating on many levels, including putting together one of the toughest shows in figure skating for both the US and Canada for almost 15 years, plus all the years she competed and skated professionally. I hope that all she really needs is a nice vacation in a warm climate and a break from all the politics and stuff that comes with anything, and that can wear you down especially if you have a true passion for it. Being a commentator wasn't Bezic's thing, but I do think she's a gifted choreographer and hope that someday she returns to it.
Rgirl

hockeyfan228 · Oct 25, 2003

I was in New Zealand during the 1998 Olympics, and the CBC feed was broadcast each night there from 10pm-midnight. Bezic was the commentator for (at least) Ice Dance. She was clearly upset at the way Bourne and Kraatz were judged at Nagano, especially during the compulsory dances.

I think that at SLC she was already priming for a fight, but this time she had the greater pulpit of an American network. I don't think she expected controversy to break over pairs; I think she was waiting for a reprise of Nagano in Dance. But she was ready.

I was lucky that in Seattle I have access to CBC on cable, and I heard Martini and Underhill's measured commentary during the Pairs competition. The only US broadcast I saw was the second-to-last Ladies LP group, in the airport lounge, waiting for a flight to Australia, and the repeat of Hughes' skate on Australian TV, which used the American feed.

Tonichelle · Oct 25, 2003

Rgirl said:
Only heard Sandra commentate twice on US TV. Once was a little pro-am thing and I thought she was very good. Then at the Olympics she turned into Commentatorzilla.

Was Brian Boitano in the competition??? That makes all the difference in the world... She was horribly biased and insulting towards Alexi Urmanov during his first World Pro because he had been complaining about an injury for the last couple of years and she said something about how that was just a cop-out for bad skating

Brian Boitano popped his 3loop during that same competition and she immediately comes to his rescue of... "He's had back problems for the last couple of years"

I can't stand her.

Mathman · Oct 25, 2003

I always enjoyed Sandra Bezik's commentary on Canadian skating broadcasts. She was the only commentator who typically gave a lot of information about music and choreography. As for SOI, Christopher Dean, blockbusting dancer and choreographer may he be, but it will be many years before he will have built up a body of work for that show that can be compared to Bezik's.

Mathman

Tonichelle · Oct 25, 2003

he's actually done a lot of work already... he was behind the group number "Red Hat" which is probably the best group routine of all time IMHO

Lcp88 · Oct 25, 2003

Can't say I'll be too disapointed. I was never fond of Sandra Bezic as a choreographer or as a commentator, although I did like S&P's Lovin, Touchin Squeezin program from last year.
Laura
P.S - Toni, I really like your banner! Are those Skate America pics?

Tonichelle · Oct 26, 2003

Lcp88 said:
P.S - Toni, I really like your banner! Are those Skate America pics?

Thanks! yes they are!

Jaana · Oct 26, 2003

I have been able to hear Sandra´s commentary in the men´s event in Nagano Olympics and in some pro or pro-am competitions only (Ilia participated). In my opinion she was in those an excellent commentator concerning all skaters.

As a choreographer I admired her and Michael Seibert´s SOI choreography for Katia and Ilia in "Casi Un Bolero". And of course have liked many choreographies she has done for some eligible ones also.

Marjaana

Joesitz (RIP) · Oct 26, 2003

I'm not so sure she was so terrible at SLC. She believed the marks in the Pairs were wrong - she has that right to opine. As for scandal, there was one, remember? Bezic had a point.

btw, didn't she choreograph S&Z?

Joe

Tonichelle · Oct 26, 2003

yes but she also played along with NBC in making Elena and Anton out to be the *enemy* (granted she never came out and said it... but she didn't shut up about it either) She also had a huge outburst before she really sat down and considered what to say... as did Scott Hamilton(who later apologised for the outburst)

I just don't like her biased opinions on most parts... you can tell when she doesn't like a skater... she can't help but make them look inferior to the people watching at home.

VIETgrlTerifa · Oct 26, 2003

Joesitz said:
btw, didn't she choreograph S&Z?

Joe

No, you're thinking of Lee Ann Miller. Anyways, the cynic in me is thinking that Sandra is only giving up on figure skating because she lost her job on SOI and she is no longer in demand for eligible skaters.

If she really cared about Figure skating, then she shouldn't be so publically disgusted with it because it really hurts the sport's image. Oh well, I guess she really doesn't care anymore...like the way she didn't care about the possible consequences of her ill-thought outburst during SLC.

Joesitz (RIP) · Oct 26, 2003

I really don't know her, so I don't feel qualified to read into the article on what was purported that she said.

She could have a gripe about some things (who doesn't?). If her contract at SOI was not renewed, it would be interesting to know why it wasn't (but based on fact). It's not unusual that contracts in any walk of life are not renewed - in sports as well as business.

The economy the way it is, losing a job, is tough enough to make one agry.

Joe

Rix · Oct 26, 2003

VIETgrlTerifa said:
No, you're thinking of Lee Ann Miller. Anyways, the cynic in me is thinking that Sandra is only giving up on figure skating because she lost her job on SOI and she is no longer in demand for eligible skaters.

How do you know she "lost her job on SOI"? Perhaps the decision to leave was hers.

Sandra Bezic to call it quits

swannanoa54

amykaren

sk8ing_lady2001

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

VIETgrlTerifa

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Ptichka

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Rgirl

hockeyfan228

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Mathman

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Lcp88

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Jaana

Joesitz (RIP)

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

VIETgrlTerifa

Joesitz (RIP)

Rix

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