Johnny, Tanith and Tara

noskates · Nov 23, 2013

Well I've been complaining about Peter since Skate America. I'm sure he is still very knowledgeable about pairs but he talks tooooooo much, doens't have much content in what he's saying, and it didn't appear to me that he knows all that much about the new scoring system. I'm sure he's a very nice person and cares alot about skating but I put him in the same category with Scott, Dick, Peggy and Sandra. Move over and let the more knowledgeable recent skaters move in. Ryan has been very good the past two weeks. He was particularly interesting when he was pointing out how or why a skater missed a jump. He caught the little nuances, a lowered shoulder, a toe pick down, etc. that I found fascinating. He picked up on slower spins, etc.

I don't feel animosity toward Peter - just don't want to have to listen to him rattle on about little or nothing while a skater is doing their program. Ryan has been much more to the point.

ray94611 · Nov 23, 2013

It's amazing how all of us, without exception, want new commentators. I've been so impressed with these three I've tried twice already to write to NBC to express my opinion. Of course, I got no response. I just hope someone is reading this thread from NBC. And let's not forget how much better Terry Gannon is than "Grandpa" Hammond! I can only hope something happens before the Olympics!

bump · Nov 24, 2013

I wish I could travel around the world and say things like "That program will be impossible to beat." Can you imagine getting paid to celebrate or criticize someone landing a triple loop?!!! Those figure skating commentators have lucked out for real!

brightphoton · Nov 24, 2013

Whenever I feel too much animosity at commentators, I just think about this video and suddenly I don't feel so bad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da8HEwnKBu8

Or I watch figure skating on mute. I've actually done that a few times.

iluvtodd · Nov 24, 2013

ray94611 said:
I've been so impressed with these three I've tried twice already to write to NBC to express my opinion. Of course, I got no response. I just hope someone is reading this thread from NBC. And let's not forget how much better Terry Gannon is than "Grandpa" Hammond! I can only hope something happens before the Olympics!

Terry Gannon makes my day! I :love:

him, and hope NBC keeps him on the team!

merrywidow · Nov 24, 2013

I don't object to Peter too much altho I do think he sounds a little bored or distracted? this year. Love Johnny, Tanith & Ryan tho. Tara...I'm so-so about.

azcalder · Nov 24, 2013

The commentators don't "travel around the world" to the venues. They sit in a studio control room somewhere in the US (probably NYC since it's NBC) and observe the skating. There's been a question of whether or not they do it live. A few weeks back on Universal, Peter C. had his mic open and prior to commentating on Tatiana and Maxim's skate he asked, "Did they make any mistakes?" Obviously in this case, the Russian team had already skated.

Mathman · Nov 24, 2013

Johnny was great on NBC's broadcast of Rostelecom cup just now.

bump said:
I wish I could travel around the world and say things like "That program will be impossible to beat." Can you imagine getting paid to celebrate or criticize someone landing a triple loop?!!! Those figure skating commentators have lucked out for real!

It does sound like fun! You should apply for the job. :yes:

Sjs5572 · Nov 24, 2013

I didn't like Johnny's response, in whuch he blames the anti-gay propaganda law / Olympics issue on the Western media. If it wasn't for the pressure of the Western media, Putin's assurances of non-enforcement during the games would have never even made.

With friends like him, the gay Russian community doesn't need any enemies.

Mathman · Nov 25, 2013

^ I think there are two separate questions. First, was it ever Russia's intent to use the "propaganda" laws to harass Olympic athletes. Second, how can we use the Olympic games to call attention to rights abuses in Russia.

Johnny followed the party line, the line of the IOC, etc., in saying emphatically that the answer to the first question is "no." By saying this over and over, people hope that the second question will be forgotten.

lavender · Nov 25, 2013

At first I was wondering about Johnny. He seemed a little uncomfortable but by the last broadcast he seemed to be more himself. Now I’m loving Johnny. Some of the things he said made me laugh like him basically saying Tara was a baby child.

Icey · Nov 25, 2013

I don't see the need for any commentary other than introducing the skater and then maybe making some comments on the playbacks while the scores are being calculated . Nothing should be said while the skater is skating.

Sjs5572 · Nov 25, 2013

Mathman said:
^ I think there are two separate questions. First, was it ever Russia's intent to use the "propaganda" laws to harass Olympic athletes. Second, how can we use the Olympic games to call attention to rights abuses in Russia.

Johnny followed the party line, the line of the IOC, etc., in saying emphatically that the answer to the first question is "no." By saying this over and over, people hope that the second question will be forgotten.

This. I agree 100 percent. It's astounding that Johnny is one if those people that hopes the second question will be forgotten.

ray94611 · Nov 25, 2013

Look, I bought my HRC T Shirt. I'll wear it during the Olympics. That's my choice. The T Shirt is cool, by the way. But I agree with Johnny Weir about the Olympics being free of all politics. Let's make noise about it. Let's ban Russian vodka, anything to keep the issue in peoples' thoughts - but leave the Olympians out. They get a pass in my book.

And when did you ever hear a commentator ask a color analyst on national television, "As as out gay athlete, Johnny, what do you think?" before? I thought that they brought the topic up was great. And I thought Johnny - and Tara - answered it perfectly.

pangtongfan · Nov 25, 2013

They are great! NBC's decision to fire people like Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, and Elfi Schlegal (the horrid gymnastics commentator) has been their best moves in decades. These individuals were dragging their whole network down. I hope Tara, Tanith, and Johnny are the NBC team for figure skating for awhile to come.

pangtongfan · Nov 25, 2013

BlackPack said:
There was one event where Tara was wondering why Miki didn't do a 3/3 combo, because when she was competing against Michelle, she made sure she had a 3/3 since Michelle "was so good." I don't like when skaters talk about themselves when other skaters are trying to compete.

In this case the reference also makes no sense, as Miki is not competing against Michelle Kwan so feeling she needed a 3/3 when competing with Michelle would not apply to Miki. Granted Miki without 3/3 combos would never win anything unless Kim and Asada are undertrained and in awful shape (eg- 2011), but I am sure Miki knows this as well.

ice coverage · Nov 25, 2013

pangtongfan said:
They are great! NBC's decision to fire people like Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, and Elfi Schlegal (the horrid gymnastics commentator) has been their best moves in decades. These individuals were dragging their whole network down. I hope Tara, Tanith, and Johnny are the NBC team for figure skating for awhile to come.

Scott Hamilton remains a part of NBC's Sochi team (per a casual snapshot that Lipinski happened to tweet not long ago from an official meeting of her NBC Sochi colleagues).
(No snapshot of Bezic -- so impossible to know either way whether she'll continue her role in Sochi.)

BTW, NBC Olympics recently announced some additional members of its team in Sochi (not specific to figure skating):

- Nastia Liukin

http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2...-nastia-liukin-to-join-nbc-olympics-in-sochi/

- Maria Sharapova

http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2...aria-sharapova-to-join-nbc-olympics-in-sochi/

- Sal Masekela (whose name is new to me :confused2: -- he does not seem to have been an Olympic athlete)

http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2013/11/25/sal-masekela-to-join-nbc-olympics-in-sochi/

They join Apolo Anton Ohno, who was announced over the summer.

http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2...nbc-sports-groups-sochi-winter-olympics-team/

meem · Nov 25, 2013

I'd be happy with Ryan Bradley (handling men's, pairs and possibly ladies) along with Tanith handling ice dance (with Judy Blumberg if possible). Tara and Johnny IMO are very into themselves. I especially do not need all the fabulous info' re: the amazing coaching/training programs in Russia.

Vicky458 · Nov 25, 2013

dI was quite impressed with Johnny and Tanith. They are very knowledgeable about the IJS and do offer information on how the skater is performing in regards to the point system. I have never like Peter's opinions and of course Miss Tara always has to talk about herself. "When I was skating" , "when I won", "when i did that element". Sorry the girl is just so self indulgent.

Sjs5572 · Nov 25, 2013

ray94611 said:
Look, I bought my HRC T Shirt. I'll wear it during the Olympics. That's my choice. The T Shirt is cool, by the way. But I agree with Johnny Weir about the Olympics being free of all politics. Let's make noise about it. Let's ban Russian vodka, anything to keep the issue in peoples' thoughts - but leave the Olympians out. They get a pass in my book.

And when did you ever hear a commentator ask a color analyst on national television, "As as out gay athlete, Johnny, what do you think?" before? I thought that they brought the topic up was great. And I thought Johnny - and Tara - answered it perfectly.

I respectfully disagree that the Olympics is free of all politics. Thereto, I will refer you to this article on the 1936 Olympics:

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/triumph/tr-olympics.htm

The following excerpt is particularly chilling:

The U.S. Olympic team turned out to be its biggest ever with 312 athletes including nineteen African Americans and five Jews. The Nazis had given repeated assurances to the International Olympic Committee that black athletes would be treated well in Germany. The Nazis also reluctantly agreed to let foreign Jews participate.

So, the playbook is the same. Replace Jew with Gay and Germany with Russia, and you have 1936 Olympics Redux.

Johnny is a brilliant skater, but he is quite naive when it comes to world politics and current events. As an example, he didn't even vote in the last presidential election because he felt it didn't affect him. Never mind that he benefited from the gay marriage legislation that's been promulgated by the Obama administration. Johnny wants the freedom to sashay around in his fur coats with Victor on his arm, but he's unwilling to care about the global gay community, or even the preservation of his own rights. Finally, please don't give him any kudos for coming out; he only did so after the 2010 Olympics and just in time to promote his silly memoir.

Johnny, Tanith and Tara

noskates

ray94611

bump

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brightphoton

iluvtodd

merrywidow

azcalder

Mathman

Sjs5572

Mathman

lavender

Icey

Sjs5572

ray94611

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

ice coverage

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meem

Vicky458

Sjs5572

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