2013 4cc Free Dance

[Ice Diva]

LOL, Dance Fanatic – this Kanadian Konspiracy must be stopped in its tracks before it spreads it’s red tentacles throughout the figure skating world and takes firm hold. Of course Virtue & Moir are the forerunners in this KK (Patrick Chan a close second – and here at 4CC – out of the blue - we see that jumping bean who somehow beat Hunyu! Not to mention the 2 pairs).

But most astute GS posters are already onto them: first it’s Virtue’s year long faked injury & surgery – there should be independent medical proof that surgery actually took place. After the Lance Armstrong debacle, we know how some doctors aren't that legit. And now, in the free dance, we have V/M faking some kind of injury because they fear they might lose to their closest competitors. You’d think they’d be satisfied that they’ve beaten D/W in the Olympics (altho, of course that was in Kanuk-land, so very suspect) & at every worlds – except the one when they were faking injury all year. But no! They are not satisfied. They, & the corrupt KK, are plotting at this very moment to win in London, Kanada at all costs, through any means! If it’s phony leg cramps this week, in London you can be sure it’ll be asthma in the short dance and then in the free dance – a loose screw in Voir’s blade – a la Takahashi. They’ll stop at nothing, so we must expose their evil plot ..

The rules must be changed at once so that there are no allowances made for these malingerers! Too bad they’ve devoted their lives the figure skating – we need to clean up this “sport” & bring in some discipline ... so our own favorite skaters can rise to the top!!!!

[Mathman]

No, not really. The fact is that whole incident was a big ball of confusion and Barnes had little choice but to keep editing it as the story kept changing. Barnes, in fact did a smart thing by attributing everything to specific people. Shpiband and Zoueva can't be that mad at Joann because basically it was the rink director who spilled the beans, albeit incorrectly.

Besides figure skating isn't the only sport she covers, so it doesn't make sense for her to leave over one story.

Yeah, the worst thing was that the rink director tried to say it was the skaters who demanded that Shpilband get the sack, when in fact the skaters knew nothing about it. This is probably one of the main points in Shpilband's lawsuit.

About Ms. Barnas' other responsibilities, a couple of times I wrote her to say, hey, why no story about such-and-such figure skating event, and she wrote back that, well, she had about 50 other sports to cover as well.

I really like the concept and choreography of Virtue and Moir's long dance. (For one thing, you can't go wrong with the Carmen music ) But they have been wrestling with the technical demands all season. I hope they can get it together by Worlds.

[icebeauty]

http://www.freep.com/article/2013021...TS18/302110096

The Detroit Free Press has an article on 4cc's that includes a nice photo of Meryl & Charlie.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013021...TS18/302110096

yups, not the most flattering of photos, but WOW does it capture the intensity of what Meryl and Charlie have been trying to convey with their FD this season. It just goes to show how fully committed the two are to every moment in their performance. they really aren't holding back, and the performance/emotional abandon is becoming second nature...they don't need to try to do it, they just do.

[all that]

Edited because I got what I needed.

[Ilvskating]

Congratulations to D/W!

[Skater Boy]

D and W are awesome; V and M need to work on their Carmen - it is artistically and conceptually a far more difficult program to convey. they are running out of time.

[noidont]

I think it was quite simple that they missed the timing of the lift.
Instead of gracefully skipping it to the next element, which is obviously a loser thing to do, they chose the winner's way to go...

I don't blame them. I even like the second half of their program after the pause. Heck, that combo lift was amazing. But leg cramp..No. Tessa didn't even try to appear in pain.

[KKonas]

Huh? It was VERY obvious that Moir was egging her on to keep going. He did not want to stop. He started to do the choreo bit at the change of music but she didn't do it. She was very clearly in some sort of pain, whether it cramps or something else. It was very obvious by how he was moving that he wanted to push through the program and not stop.

For the record, I think it's extremely unprofessional for KKonas as a member of the media to post things like this on a message board.

There was no way in (heck) they could have continued that lift at that point because you need speed/momentum to make it work. It was the most difficult lift in their program. Without it they would surely lose too many points and ultimately lose the competition. By taking the break and starting with speed they got a Level 4 on the lift and +2 GOE points and were wonderfully able to finish the program without any further problem. There is no way to prove Virtue did or did not have a cramp, but there should be stiffer rules/deductions for a such a break in a program. What if this happened at Worlds or at the Olympics over a gold or silver medal?

And although I am still part of the media although I am semi-retired, I too can have an opinion on a message board. Mathman asked the question and I answered with a plausable response.

[dorispulaski]

What worries me is the mess that would occur if something like this occurred in pairs & singles. Remember that there is a bonus for doing stuff late in the program in pairs & singles, although not in dance. The situation is even snottier.

Suppose Johnny Jumpup has planned a quad near the end of his program. He screws up his steps prior to his take off, stops just before picking in and sweet talks the referee into giving him a mulligan, starting the music before the quad. Now he not only gets a second shot at his quad, he has had 2 to three minutes rest and can still pick up a bonus for late in the program, despite being rested and having a better shot at his quad than in the first place.

Not a good idea, IMO.

[CAS]

There was no way in (heck) they could have continued that lift at that point because you need speed/momentum to make it work. It was the most difficult lift in their program. Without it they would surely lose too many points and ultimately lose the competition. By taking the break and starting with speed they got a Level 4 on the lift and +2 GOE points and were wonderfully able to finish the program without any further problem. There is no way to prove Virtue did or did not have a cramp, but there should be stiffer rules/deductions for a such a break in a program. What if this happened at Worlds or at the Olympics over a gold or silver medal?

And although I am still part of the media although I am semi-retired, I too can have an opinion on a message board. Mathman asked the question and I answered with a plausable response.

It's impossible for people to not have opinions but it's important for some people (depending on their occupation) to separate their personal lives from their professional lives. A journalist should appear impartial, at the very least publically. When I first started reading this forum I thought you did a much better job of keeping up the appearance of impartiality. This season you let it all hang out and for me it's disappointing and ugly to read.

[chuckm]

I think it was quite simple that they missed the timing of the lift.
Instead of gracefully skipping it to the next element, which is obviously a loser thing to do, they chose the winner's way to go...

I don't blame them. I even like the second half of their program after the pause. Heck, that combo lift was amazing. But leg cramp..No. Tessa didn't even try to appear in pain.

So LYING is a "winner"'s way to go?

If they missed the timing and deliberately aborted the lift, and used Tessa's 'leg cramp' as an excuse, then they are manipulative losers.

I am not saying that this is what they did for sure, but if it is.....

[qazwsx]

OXYGEN

Maybe their federation should fine them like Rachael Flatt for having a documented injury that prevents them from competing their best. But no, then they would get "poor ol' Tessa, and gentlemanly Scott protecting her" sympathy points at World's. Completely absolved of any responsibility. Maybe the ISU will create the Virtue-Moir Rule, preventing any rest without a doctor's note.

Alternatively, the ISU can provide a detailed list of pre-existing conditions and injuries among athletes, specifying how long a break each condition warrants. Be it asthma, leg cramp, menstrual cramp, shoulder/knee/hip injuries, short-term memory loss...etc. etc. So everyone can join the party, and the network can have additional air time for commercials.

[bellafurr]

I know Golden skate is a skating board that likes to insult Canadain Skaters well almost anything Canadian. "Im not saying this is what they did for sure, but if it is.....What a coward you are to insinuate this and then give yourself a way to back out of it

[WeakAnkles]

I don't know...I've been on this board now since the last Olympics, and it seems more likely that someone will insult everyone if you wait around long enough. But on the whole it is remarkably civilized--and I say this as a Yankees fan with an ex who was a Boston Red Sox fan. Now talk about uncivilized! LOL!

ETA...I've been thinking about this since I first watched, but I would love if someone who knows how to lipread can decipher what Scott is saying to Tessa when they stop skating. I think it would be possible for a lip-reader to do, since there is an extended closeup on Scott's face. Anyone? Inquiring minds (ah heck, nosy b#strds) wanna know...

[Ilvskating]

I don't mind if they stop and restart according to the rules, as long as the rules are still there. my issue is that they actually repeated a portion before where they stopped. even the Eurosport commentators who I really respect said that he was surprised that they were actually allowed to redo the lift. I think to the most they should be allowed only restart from the take off of the lift , that was where they first stopped, or rather, the second place when they/he stopped (as somebody mentioned when he started to do the choreography, (and she refused to do it).

Two cramps at two 4cc is a really small probability event but it doesn't mean it couldn't happen. That's the theory. But people's perception could be quite different.

IMO, the rule should be changed. this is really unfair to other competitors. in my opinion no one should be allowed to stop and restart , no matter what was the reason. if you are hurt, too bad, evaluate if you should continue without stopping the music and pick it up wherever the music is when you are ready, what's missed is missed. No matter it is equipment or body injury, an athlete should be responsible for what happens, as part of the competition.