Scott Moir on the difficulties of sharing a coach with their chief rivals

snowflakebeautiful · Feb 18, 2014

fadeevfan said:
Ugh, V/M really need better handlers. They both seem like completely wonderful and lovely people who desperately need to have someone around who will tell them, "yeah, you really don't want to say that." Tessa made a point, during their reality show, to talk about how the two couples were not friends, but were "civil." Now she says they have a "friendship," and a great relationship "especially with Charlie."

It's all pretty grade school, and I hate seeing it. And you'd think they have someone around them -- probably making good money lining up pr and TV shows -- with the sense to advise them against it. They're both better than this.

I agree.

And it's really sad/a pity to me because it taints them as they're on their way out the door (since they're retiring). Up until this point, I didn't have this image from them....although, during the reality show and certain Canadian interviews I've watched online, I did see the writing on the wall.

Terri · Feb 18, 2014

Well they said that the friendship & respect has continued, particularly with Charlie, not only with Charlie. I can believe that as Charlie seems to be much more outgoing than Meryl. It doesn't mean that she is unfriendly or disliked.

caseyl23 · Feb 18, 2014

fadeevfan said:
Ugh, V/M really need better handlers. They both seem like completely wonderful and lovely people who desperately need to have someone around who will tell them, "yeah, you really don't want to say that." Tessa made a point, during their reality show, to talk about how the two couples were not friends, but were "civil." Now she says they have a "friendship," and a great relationship "especially with Charlie."

It's all pretty grade school, and I hate seeing it. And you'd think they have someone around them -- probably making good money lining up pr and TV shows -- with the sense to advise them against it. They're both better than this.

Remember – they've got a reality TV show, which unfortunately, seem to cater toward the more crude and crass. They might very well be better than this (Unfortunately, most of us don't really know, because all we see of them are videos and newspaper/magazine articles.), but if they are taking a less classy turn than we've come to expect, their TV advisors might be the very people encouraging them.

skatingfan20 · Feb 18, 2014

I do not think it is accurate at all to say that Tessa and Scott stagnated after all they broke the FD world record (of course Meryl and Charlie broke it soon afterwards) and they are the Olympic silver medalists. If they 'stagnated,' what are you saying about everyone else in the ice dancing?

I agree Virtue and Moir should have left Zoueva but in the end, despite everything, it sounds like they loved her too much to leave. They had been with her forever. I think they didn't want to believe she was anything other than fair to both couples and trusted her to be. None of us can really say if Zoueva treated both equally or not in this Olympic season- only she knows if she was or wasn't- and how much energy she was putting into one couple versus another. At the end, they decided to stay and trust her. It sounds like the comments made today were coming from a place of hurt.

In terms of their attitude, they have not said ANYTHING negative about Charlie and Meryl's success- a mutual approach both teams have taken. Instead for just speaking their mind on their feelings as they are leaving the sport, they are branded by some people as classless/sore losers. Which is ridiculous because again, they themselves haven't said anything bad about Charlie or Meryl. Both couples are truly legends in their own rights for what they have been able to do in ice dancing ---their rivalry is legendary and will be discussed for generations- both deserve nothing but respect for everything they have accomplished.

blackswanphoto · Feb 18, 2014

“I’m fine. It’s OK. I made them first and now they are second. It’s OK, really,” said Zoueva when asked about Virtue and Moir’s comments.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...cans-for-coach-marina-zoueva/article16929908/

Ryan O · Feb 18, 2014

Many people have speculated for a while that Marina Z. had grown closer to Meryl & Charlie than Tessa & Scott over the past cycle, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for V&M to air that feeling at this point in time. Perhaps they are feeling unhappy, but it would be an unfortunate way to end a long-term coaching relationship by having a public spat after the Olympics.

mintx · Feb 18, 2014

I can understand that they may feel that way but I wish they would have kept the thought to themselves. At this point it doesn't matter. If both pairs retire then it won't affect them moving forward. I did, perhaps naively think that the pairs were friends before 2010. As the stakes have gotten higher the relationship seems much more strained.

Icey · Feb 18, 2014

The headline for the same article on Yahoo said they questioned their coach's loyalty.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/defeated-skaters-virtue-moir-coach-39-loyalty-153930406--oly.html

Mathman · Feb 18, 2014

Ryan O said:
Many people have speculated for a while that Marina Z. had grown closer to Meryl & Charlie than Tessa & Scott over the past cycle, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for V&M to air that feeling at this point in time.

mintx said:
I can understand that they may feel that way but I wish they would have kept the thought to themselves.

I think that is the point. Whatever Scott Moir is feeling, what is to be gained by bringing up negative stuff now?

I will do Scott a favor and write his script for him. "We had a great ride. A big thanks to our coaches , supporters and fans. Congratulations to Charlie and Meryl for two fine performances. Now I'm heading over to the rink to cheer for Kaetlyn. Thank you for coming to this news conference." (On his way out he can give them the Jeremy Abbott.)

bekalc · Feb 18, 2014

Mathman said:
I think that is the point. Whatever Scott Moir is feeling, what is to be gained by bringing up negative stuff now?

I will do Scott a favor and write his script for him. "We had a great ride. A big thanks to our coaches , supporters and fans. Congratulations to Charlie and Meryl for two fine performances. Now I'm heading over to the rink to cheer for Kaetlyn. Thank you for coming to this news conference." (On his way out he can give them the Jeremy Abbott.)

Well it might be a little piece of revenge. See Marina wasn't so great at juggling the two teams. Maybe it wasn't just revenge but venting. I do think if she was all about fairness, she should have accompanied one team to Nationals, and walked with the other team at the Opening Ceremony.

mintx · Feb 18, 2014

Davis and White did not march in the opening ceremony. They dressed, took pictures and stayed in the village because they had to skate team the next day. So she must have marched with the American team including the Shibs but she did not march "with" Davis and White.

Mathman · Feb 18, 2014

bekalc said:
Well it might be a little piece of revenge. See Marina wasn't so great at juggling the two teams. Maybe it wasn't just revenge but venting. I do think if she was all about fairness, she should have accompanied one team to Nationals, and walked with the other team at the Opening Ceremony.

I hope that Scott does not end his career with "revenge" in his heart. If so, it backfired. No one is faulting Zoueva for anything. Instead folks are calling Scott a big crybaby whining that someone gave him a wedgie and took his lunch money.

Just say, "Goodbye and thanks for all the fish." Nothing more to add.

bekalc · Feb 18, 2014

Mathman said:
I hope that Scott does not end his career with "revenge" in his heart. If so, it backfired. No one is faulting Zoueva for anything. Instead folks are calling Scott a whiny crybaby whining that someone gave him a wedgie and took his lunch money.

Just say, "Goodbye and thanks for all the fish." Nothing more to add.

Well... I thought she behaved badly with Igor. He won his wrongful termination case-didn't he. I also think she absolutely favored D/W over V/M..

Mathman · Feb 18, 2014

bekalc said:
Well... I thought she behaved badly with Igor. He won his wrongful termination case-didn't he. I also think she absolutely favored D/W over V/M..

And why should Scott Moir make public comment on that?

Ryan O · Feb 18, 2014

It's interesting that after all these years of journalists asking what it's like to have the top 2 teams in the world sharing the same coach that this controversy finally emerges at the end of the Olympics! I guess the press got what they were after!

I'm sure it is a challenge to coach multiple teams at the same time without there being a risk of favoritism or rivalry, or having to deal with insinuations from the press or other outsiders. I'm not a coach, but I don't know how I'd handle it if I were in the same situation as Marina. It can even become a subject for debate when a coach has more than one national team in the same country. E.g. I've seen some people suggest on these forums that Carol Lane favors Gilles & Poirier over Ralph & Hill, etc. I'm not sure what a coach (or the skaters) are supposed to do in these situations. I guess if people stay in the arrangement it means they are happy with it overall, otherwise they would go elsewhere.

bekalc · Feb 18, 2014

Mathman said:
And why should Scott Moir make public comment on that?

He shouldn't, but your asking if anyone should think Marina did anything wrong. But Marina sort of created the situation. Before there were two major coaches to pay attention, but she kicked Igor out. Of his own rink, he was the one who started that dance school. Reports are they all wanted to stay with the choreography, I think it was a mistake especially for V/M.

Of course there are a reason partnerships break up. But Igor won that wrongful termination suit.

Once again, I do think if your a parent and you do one thing with one, and the other with other. So technically if Marina skipped nationals for the other, she should have walked with the other team. The fact that she didn't bother to divvy things up this way suggest something. I.e she was even bothering to prepare to be equal.

The fact that one team was given a snoozefest for a program, also doesn't suggest she was fully-equally backing both skaters.

Virtue/Moir ddn't volunteer they were asked.

At the end of the day, its on them. They should have left as soon as they saw Marina was favoring D/W. just like B/A left when they saw Marina's comments favoring V/M....

WeakAnkles · Feb 18, 2014

I'm not sure why this is suddenly Big News--they both mentioned it on practically every single episode of Tessa & Scott.

Mrs. P · Feb 18, 2014

WeakAnkles said:
I'm not sure why this is suddenly Big News--they both mentioned it on practically every single episode of Tessa & Scott.

Because most Americans don't subscribe to the Canadian version of Lifetime? I mean really, WA. Most of America was watching Richard Sherman say he was the "BEST CORNER IN THE GAME!!!" while you were tearing up at Tessa's 400th sad call to her mother.

dorispulaski · Feb 18, 2014

Tessa & Scott was not aired outside of Canada, was it? It was even taken down on YouTube or vimeo or wherever it was. I planned to watch it after the Olympics. I hope it will be available somewhere.

Ryan O · Feb 18, 2014

I only saw a few parts of the Tessa & Scott show on The W Network, although my mother watched most of it so perhaps I will ask her what she thought of it. :think:

I think The W Network is repeating some of the episodes, aren't they? I thought I saw an advertisement earlier in the week, but I'll have to check.

Anyway, I assume if V&M are airing these views about the Marina coaching situation that they are not planning on continuing to Worlds...

Scott Moir on the difficulties of sharing a coach with their chief rivals

snowflakebeautiful

Terri

caseyl23

skatingfan20

blackswanphoto

Ryan O

mintx

Icey

Mathman

bekalc

mintx

Mathman

bekalc

Mathman

Ryan O

bekalc

WeakAnkles

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

Ryan O

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