Defending Tarasova

[FSUSF]

Because it looks like TAT seems to be crucified for being a bad coach for Mao, I am bringing an objection to this atmosphere.

Due to TAT's health issue, she first rejected to become Mao's coach because TAT couldn't travel abroad often. However, Mao kept asking TAT for coaching, so, finally TAT decided to accept to become her coach.
After that...

TAT clearly said she CANNOT go to Japan often, but Mao only stayed in Japan and didn't want to come to Russia.
Normal coaching was impossible under this circumstance => TAT IS BLAMED
When Mao wore awkward looking costumes of her preference, it is known to be caused by weird Russian influence => TAT IS BLAMED
Initially her SP was Capriccio but since she couldn't perform it well, Mao and her team decided to rearrange last season's LP Masquerade to SP version => TAT IS BLAMED
Among many candidates for LP, Mao chose Bells of Moscow because she liked heavy music => TAT IS BLAMED
Mao's choreograph looked empty because she omitted most of it which TAT made for her => TAT IS BLAMED
After being suggested to do more off-ice training, Mao shuts herself up in aurora rink => TAT IS BLAMED
Tried to fix Mao's flutz, but failed => TAT IS BLAMED
Tried to fix Mao's habit of not picking her toe through out toe jumps, but improvement was not noticeable => TAT IS BLAMED
Told Mao to come to Vancouver early to get ready, but she didn't listen => TAT IS BLAMED
Her mother steps in in the middle of this situation => TAT IS BLAMED
Told Mao to do something else instead of 3A but she adhered three 3A's that had been hardly ratified => TAT IS BLAMED
So she beat Joannie and got OSM but it is not gold => TAT IS BLAMED

(These are FACTS I found at FS forums and reactions from fans. Correct me if anything is not factual.)

I am not saying that TAT is not responsible at all.
She is responsible for being the coach of Mao.
She is responsible for things she told to media while she was her coach.
She is responsible for her old-styled choreograph.

But when I think of who is responsible, Mao is responsible too.
TAT did try many things out as much as she could, but that trial was objected by Mao or didn't go through.
Indeed, Mao is responsible for some of the things that people think TAT is responsible for. (For example, the music choice - Bells)
Even though both TAT and Mao are responsible, people are now blaming TAT for EVERYTHING.
If Mao didn't succeed, it was because of Mao's ability, not utterly because of TAT.
TAT must feel this is unfair.

[Phoenix347]

Wow, so you think it's mostly Mao's fault? Don't you think as a coach Tat should bear sizable chunk of the blame? Not that giving her best performance ever at the Olympics (point wise) and winning the OSM is a bad. It really really good, actually. If the situation was really untenable, shouldn't Tat have gotten out of the situation a long time ago saying that I cannot work like this?

[piano18]

yeah i said this too in another board, Tatiana gets raked over the coals for all of Mao's troubles, poor TAT. don't blame her for dumping Mao.

[Spun Silver]

If the coaches are the main ones responsible for losses and presumably also for victory, why aren't they the ones getting medals??

Great post, FSUSF!

[FSUSF]

Wow, so you think it's mostly Mao's fault? Don't you think as a coach Tat should bear sizable chunk of the blame? Not that giving her best performance ever at the Olympics (point wise) and winning the OSM is a bad. It really really good, actually. If the situation was really untenable, shouldn't Tat have gotten out of the situation a long time ago saying that I cannot work like this?

Okay, maybe 80% was too much so I changed it. I just wanted to say that Mao is responsible for things that people think only TAT is responsible for. Althought TAT didn't get the best result as Mao's coach, I feel pity for her when TAT is accused of everything bad.

[Ptichka]

On Mao/ TT partnership, I mostly agree with those who say - it just didn't work out. I don't think it's the fault of either one - it just happens like this sometimes.

[janetfan]

On Mao/ TT partnership, I mostly agree with those who say - it just didn't work out. I don't think it's the fault of either one - it just happens like this sometimes.

At first I did think Tat was to blame. But I had thought Mao stayed in Russia last May- Oct. training under Tat.
Since this wasn't the case - and Tat has never had a chance to be a real and full time coach to Mao it seems ridiculous to blame Tat.

Afterall, it is Mao's mother who is the one who watches Mao train everyday and not Tat.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

On Mao/ TT partnership, I mostly agree with those who say - it just didn't work out. I don't think it's the fault of either one - it just happens like this sometimes.

I agree. If it doesn't work out, the best thing to do is to split up. Though I liked seeing Mao with Tatiana.

[miki88]

No matter what, TAT accepted the offer so she does have some responsibility to her student. I never hear Mao herself blaming TAT for anything; she seems to accept the responsibility for all her decisions. However, I have been hearing contradictory reports from TAT. Before she said she was only a "counselor" not a coach. But recently, she also said she failed Mao. But now I hear reports about her issues with Mao's mother. So it seems like she is sometimes accepting responsiblity but sometimes she seems to be evading it. A relationship is mutual so both sides should bear the responsibility, but the way you're saying it seems like Mao's side should bear all of it.

[chloepoco]

No matter what, TAT accepted the offer so she does have some responsibility to her student. I never hear Mao herself blaming TAT for anything; she seems to accept the responsibility for all her decisions. However, I have been hearing contradictory reports from TAT. Before she said she was only a "couselor" not a coach. But recently, she also said she failed Mao. But now I hear reports about her issues with Mao's mother. So it seems like she is sometimes accepting responsiblity but sometimes she seems to be evading it. A relationship is mutual so both sides should bear the responsibility, but the way you're saying it seems like Mao's side should bear all of it.

I agree. With any teacher/student relationship, there is responsibility on both sides. No one, except the two of them, really knows what happened. I have never heard Mao say anything negative about Tat; however, there are conflicting stories about what Tat has said about her relationship with Mao. Who knows what the truth is; even if it didn't work out for the two of them, it doesn't make Tat a bad coach, or Mao a bad student. I wish the both them luck as they go on their separate ways.

[SweetPea21307]

Tarasova has been blamed for Mao's shortcomings. Mao is the one who goes on the ice and competes, not Tarasova, therefore Mao is responsible. Tarasova told Mao in the begining that Mao would have to come to her because she (Tarasova) can't travel much because of her health. It seems like Mao didn't take any of Tarasova's instruction. That's not Tarasova's fault.

[miki88]

Tarasova has been blamed for Mao's shortcomings. Mao is the one who goes on the ice and competes, not Tarasova, therefore Mao is responsible. Tarasova told Mao in the begining that Mao would have to come to her because she (Tarasova) can't travel much because of her health. It seems like Mao didn't take any of Tarasova's instruction. That's not Tarasova's fault.

Well, TAT was the also the one who first suggested the 3A layout and the one who did the choreography. Mao followed all of her instructions on that. Even if Mao was at fault for not going to Russia, TAT still bears some responsibility, because as a coach, she is responsbile for packaging her student, and she did not do a great job at that. Mao can only work with what TAT gave her. Anyways, when things work well, everyone wants to share in the praise, but when things go wrong, few want to take the blame for it. I acknowlege TAT's legendary status as a champion maker, but she was not the right coach for Mao and I don't really like how she seems to want to distance herself from Mao after every defeat.

[jBroxton7001]

I really can't understand what's going on here.
Why anybody get blame for? blame for WHAT?
I know team Mao get somewhat disappointed. That's fully understandable.
But this is a skater who just won Olympic silver medal after historic performance.
for God sake most skaters would die for that precious prize.
Why should we blame someone? How about some pat-on-back for such wonderful achievement after not-so-perfect start?

[hurrah]

I agree with jBroxton7001. I don't think there's any need to blame Tat or Mao for winning the silver medal!

Also, totally off topic, but I was just watching a YouTube clip of Mao done by a fan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1AeYAIoK1Y

and at 3:00, there is a photo of the Olympic podium that shows all three winners from top to bottom. The heights of Yuna and Mao often quoted is that Mao is 163-cm and Yuna is 164-cm. But in this photo, Mao is clearly taller than Yuna. I think there was some mention about this earlier in another thread, and some poster dismissed it as Yuna having different type of skates from Mao, but if you look at all previous podium photos, Yuna always stood slightly taller than Mao, and neither Yuna nor Mao can have changed their skates, so that explanation doesn't work.

Is it possible that Mao is still growing!? That would explain alot regarding Mao's jump issues this season.

[sorcerer]

Among those pointed out, I think these are not correct:
(my opinion in italics)

When Mao wore awkward looking costumes of her preference, it is known to be caused by weird Russian influence => TAT IS BLAMED
Even if they were Mao's choices, TAT is the one who has responsibility for the whole package.

Initially her SP was Capriccio but since she couldn't perform it well, Mao and her team decided to rearrange last season's LP Masquerade to SP version => TAT IS BLAMED
No, she performs it beautifully as her EX program. Mao didn't want to repeat the same music as the year before, but TAT concoled her by explaining she would prepare a different version featuring flutes/oboes (IIRC), but what came out was exacty the same version as the last season.

Among many candidates for LP, Mao chose Bells of Moscow because she liked heavy music => TAT IS BLAMED
On the NHK fluff, TAT said, in essence, she gave Mao this program for her to overcome her limits in artistry.

Mao's choreograph looked empty because she omitted most of it which TAT made for her => TAT IS BLAMED
Not empty at all. Those who only follow facial expressions tend to take it that way, but choreo is basically about how you densely edit the elements. Mao's program is so dense that it takes too much physical strength. What's wrong is that there's not the rythm of high's and low's, it's high tide all the way and this might cause the impression of monotony.

After being suggested to do more off-ice training, Mao shuts herself up in aurora rink => TAT IS BLAMED
TAT's sub-coach was always with Mao. So TAT has some responsiblility for this practicing sysytem.

I agree with the following:

I am not saying that TAT is not responsible at all.
...
But when I think of who is responsible, Mao is responsible too.