Igor Shpilband fired

slipslidin · Jun 11, 2012

Of course it's lunacy. Piseev told the press that Igor would be given anything he wanted If he came to Russia.

As far as I can see, nobody involved will profit from this.

I don't imagine there is a large group of technical coaches applying to work at that rink.

Marina and Igor both seem rather unprepared to go it alone.

The obvious question, to me, is whether the skaters were actually unable to fire one of the partners and are happier now the partnership is broken.

Jammers · Jun 11, 2012

Dragonlady said:
Igor made it clear from the beginning he was staying in the area. I had no doubt he would have no difficulty in finding a situation for himself and his skaters.

It's lunacy to think this was orchestrated by the Russian federation, but I'm sure everyone there is absolutely joyous at the news. Think of what happened Morosov and Tarasova split up. Tarasova lost her iron grip on the World's Ice-Dance podium and neither was as sucessful apart as they were together. If Zueva's teams drop in their technical scores or becomes otherwise vulnerable, the Russian federation is well placed to take advantage, both in terms of talent and coaching.

Sorry but i don't see any Russian Ice Dancing team that's a threat to D&W or V&M. Maybe after Sochi they will have a chance once those two teams retire.

blue dog · Jun 11, 2012

Jammers said:
Sorry but i don't see any Russian Ice Dancing team that's a threat to D&W or V&M. Maybe after Sochi they will have a chance once those two teams retire.

Agreed. If anything, the direct beneficiaries will be Detroit Skating Club--whose teams are 4th and 5th in the world. If there were beneficiaries. I doubt it, though. I doubt it will hurt the top teams.

Violet Bliss · Jun 11, 2012

blue dog said:
Agreed. If anything, the direct beneficiaries will be Detroit Skating Club--whose teams are 4th and 5th in the world. If there were beneficiaries. I doubt it, though. I doubt it will hurt the top teams.

Jammers said:
Sorry but i don't see any Russian Ice Dancing team that's a threat to D&W or V&M. Maybe after Sochi they will have a chance once those two teams retire.

This is why it is so important for the Arctic Edge Club to keep the top 3 teams for the next two years. They can be almost assured of 2 more Worlds medals, maybe 4 or more, and 2 more Olympic medals to seal their legendary reputation.

Coaches get their reputation from their students' results, which bring more talents to them for further achievements. Zoueva has a higher chance of keeping the streak going in the short term while Shpilband needs a little more time to grab more medals with his new students.

Dragonlady · Jun 11, 2012

I agree that the Krylova/Camerlengo group is well positioned to take advantage, but I don't think that P&B would have won a medal outside of France. The Russians have some wonderful teams with the potential to move up quickly with the right work ethic and the right packaging. Added to the home ice advantage in Socchi, this might be enough to vault one of the teams to the podium, if there's any drop-off from Zueva's group.

all that · Jun 11, 2012

dorispulaski said:
It's also true that Igor does some interesting choreo-while not a crowd pleaser, D&W's Tango was his work, and there are great elements of surpise and interest in it. I also liked his Eleanor Rigby for D&W. Does anyone know whether Chock/Zuerlein's Caberet, and/or Chock/Bates's Chopin was primarily his or Marina's? I liked the construction of both those programs.

All the Canton teams list Igor & Marina as joint choreographers, so in less it pops up in an interview, it's hard to know who did what for whom.

I thought Eleanor Rigby was primarily Marina's. Why do you think it was Igor's?

colleen o'neill · Jun 11, 2012

Ahhh...yes, but if P/B had not won a medal it would have been W/P..even more to the credit of K&C , since they've been with them longer.

( deep in my soul , I believe shoulda. )

Sorry , I guess that's OT.

Dragonlady · Jun 11, 2012

colleen o'neill said:
Ahhh...yes, but if P/B had not won a medal it would have been W/P..even more to the credit of K&C , since they've been with them longer.

( deep in my soul , I believe shoulda. )

Sorry , I guess that's OT.

I think you're right. But with Worlds being in France, it really did boost their performance. Just remember, Worlds is in Canada this year and in a rink that's very familiar to W&P and V&M.

dorispulaski · Jun 11, 2012

Rigby-because the original story when they first showed the dance in the Stars and Stripes show was about Charlie as a demon in a truly awful outfit, and when interviewed about it he mentioned it being Igor's idea, AFAIR. It didn't sound like he was crazy about the concept. It was still about a demon at Skate America, but the demon had a better costume. Granted this is a long time ago now, and I'm old.

I'd love to know who choreographed their Beyond the Sea exhibition, for that matter.

bekalc · Jun 11, 2012

SkateFiguring said:
This is why it is so important for the Arctic Edge Club to keep the top 3 teams for the next two years. They can be almost assured of 2 more Worlds medals, maybe 4 or more, and 2 more Olympic medals to seal their legendary reputation.

Once again what legendary reputation. Short term they may have those stars but what will happen long term? Long term the rink that keeps Igor is going to benefit...Nobody cares about the name of the rink, they care about the coaches at the end of the day.

Skater Boy · Jun 12, 2012

colleen o'neill said:
Ahhh...yes, but if P/B had not won a medal it would have been W/P..even more to the credit of K&C , since they've been with them longer.

( deep in my soul , I believe shoulda. )

Sorry , I guess that's OT.

I agree W P should have won bronze but there are some politics still I am sure; I know I have said this before but P and B while a lovely team really should take their bronze and run - mean but they really look to follow the Shibutanis in respect to the fall from grace ...but unlike the shibtanis I don't think P and B are improving as fast as the Russians et al.

dorispulaski · Jun 12, 2012

One thing that has been worrying me about the Z&S team the last two years is the gradual, but now total, disappearance of younger teams from their school. This last season, they did not have a single team on the JGP...this for a coaching team that dominated in juniors for a very long time. And I can see how Igor, as a technical coach, would miss doing developmental coaching work. I would think it would be far more rewarding than dusting off the technique of teams that already know everything.

I would guess that Zueva had limited interest in developmental teams-which again stands to reason. It is likely more fun to choreograph for the very, very best than for junior dancers.

And Igor said at the end of last year that he really wanted some junior teams. I thought for sure they would appear this year, and none appeared.

I felt something odd was going on, but I didn't anticipate this split; but I should have.

bekalc · Jun 12, 2012

dorispulaski said:
One thing that has been worrying me about the Z&S team the last two years is the gradual, but now total, disappearance of younger teams from their school. This last season, they did not have a single team on the JGP...this for a coaching team that dominated in juniors for a very long time. And I can see how Igor, as a technical coach, would miss doing developmental coaching work. I would think it would be far more rewarding than dusting off the technique of teams that already know everything.

I would guess that Zueva had limited interest in developmental teams-which again stands to reason. It is likely more fun to choreograph for the very, very best than for junior dancers.

And Igor said at the end of last year that he really wanted some junior teams. I thought for sure they would appear this year, and none appeared.

I felt something odd was going on, but I didn't anticipate this split; but I should have.

Exactly on that developing skaters is what Igor does...Its what made him what he was. And frankly I don't see how Igor coaching young junior teams is this HUGE conflict of interest either.

bsfan · Jun 12, 2012

bekalc said:
Exactly on that developing skaters is what Igor does...Its what made him what he was. And frankly I don't see how Igor coaching young junior teams is this HUGE conflict of interest either.

I don't think either. Zueva created/creates programs for other teams including dance teams, without Igor involved.

I feel that Zueva isn't the big hand behind this split, not even the rink management team. The federations are. There have to be something big, or someone big, that are not happy wiht Igor.

Violet Bliss · Jun 12, 2012

bsfan said:
I feel that Zueva isn't the big hand behind this split, not even the rink management team. The federations are. There have to be something big, or someone big, that are not happy wiht Igor.

The split or expelling Igor has bad consequences for everybody so it was a presumed last resort. I seriously doubt the skaters initiated or orchestrated the ouster even if they were indeed unhappy with him. Ditto Zoueva. The rink management was essentially the executor of the swiftest cut. As I've said before, there must be an agreement among all parties (except Igor of course) about his removal including the approval of the USFSA. But if it were something really big or someone big involved, Igor couldn't be so clueless but he seemed genuinely shocked.

Life goes on unless something is revealed but that is obviously not the intention of anybody involved.

Mathman · Jun 12, 2012

bekalc said:
Once again what legendary reputation. Short term they may have those stars but what will happen long term? Long term the rink that keeps Igor is going to benefit...Nobody cares about the name of the rink, they care about the coaches at the end of the day.

I kind of agree with this. Ice dancers don't choose a rink because of the business acumen of the executives, or because they have a newer Zamboni. They come because of the program established and run by the coaching staff. I can't see young teams of the future choosing Arctic Edge just because some famous skaters used to skate there.

I also do not see what possible stake the U.S. Figure Skating Association has in this matter. They want Davis and White to win a gold medal, but why would they care whether they do it while at this rink or that, or with this coach or another?

conga · Jun 12, 2012

Mathman said:
I kind of agree with this. Ice dancers don't choose a rink because of the business acumen of the executives, or because they have a newer Zamboni. They come because of the program established and run by the coaching staff. I can't see young teams of the future choosing Arctic Edge just because some famous skaters used to skate there.

I also do not see what possible stake the U.S. Figure Skating Association has in this matter. They want Davis and White to win a gold medal, but why would they care whether they do it while at this rink or that, or with this coach or another?

I believe the powers that be at US Figure Skating might be involved in coaching decisions when it comes to its highest ranked skaters, but it would not be appropriate for it to be involved in something like the firing of Igor. If the USFS had knowledge of or condoned the manner in which Igor was fired, that would not be a good thing, even if there is some type of ethics review underway.

Violet Bliss · Jun 12, 2012

Mathman said:
I also do not see what possible stake the U.S. Figure Skating Association has in this matter.

They had big stake because the top two American teams were involved. As you said,

They want Davis and White to win a gold medal,

They wouldn't have been informed about the problem(s) at the developmental stage otherwise. The management said they had been apprised about two months ago, and I assumed they had been kept abreast of the development and the eventual plan which they approved and collaborated at least by keeping quiet and Shpilband in the dark.

but why would they care whether they do it while at this rink or that, or with this coach or another?

Obviously they feel the chances are better with the teams staying where they were and with Zoueva. The ideal and perfect situation would be what it was but no more.

KKonas · Jun 12, 2012

I spoke to a very high ranking USFS official last week in regard to this situation. Although the federation knew of some issues between Marina & Igor, I was assured that USFS had nothing to do with the rink's decision to "fire" Igor, nor did it interfere in the decision the Shibs and D/W subsequently made. The PR statements the teams made were likely issued by their respective agents.

demarinis5 · Jun 12, 2012

KKonas said:
I spoke to a very high ranking USFS official last week in regard to this situation. Although the federation knew of some issues between Marina & Igor, I was assured that USFS had nothing to do with the rink's decision to "fire" Igor, nor did it interfere in the decision the Shibs and D/W subsequently made. The PR statements the teams made were likely issued by their respective agents.

Thanks for the info. I suspected as much.

Igor Shpilband fired

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