Flashback to 2006: Matt Savoie and transitions

anyanka · Feb 2, 2015

I think this was posted some time ago but here's the link to the IceNetwork story from 2012: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121016&content_id=39856820&vkey=ice_news

Turn out both he and his husband are lawyers in Boston! I suppose if he didn't want to be judged for his skating he preferred to be judged for his legal memos? Are Justice Ginsberg and Sotomayer (who trained Amal Clooney) less tough than Shin Amano? (kidding!!)

Thanks for starting this thread, Matt was a very fine skater. :clap:

Spiralgraph · Feb 3, 2015

I loved Matt's skating. Sensitive performances, superb skating skills. I'm very happy he persevered and made it to the Olympics.

carriecmu0503 · Feb 3, 2015

demarinis5 said:
I was a big fan of Matt's back in the day. His skate at his Nationals in 2006 was amazing! I remember being thrilled that he made the Olympic team.

Matt is now a lawyer in Boston and married his partner in 2012.

Matt is actually no longer practicing law; he stopped practicing summer 2014. He is now coaching instead. He found law wasn't his thing.

anyanka · Feb 3, 2015

carriecmu0503 said:
Matt is actually no longer practicing law; he stopped practicing summer 2014. He is now coaching instead. He found law wasn't his thing.

Well, he was doing securities law and my friends who practice that field work absolutely nightmare hours. Do you have a link, or is this information that was kept out of the press? I do see that he's no longer at his firm.

BlackPack · Feb 4, 2015

carriecmu0503 said:
Matt is actually no longer practicing law; he stopped practicing summer 2014. He is now coaching instead. He found law wasn't his thing.

Best news I've heard all day yet. I bet his choreography can rival that of Rohene Ward's.

Coltrocks12 · Feb 4, 2015

He never really got recognition by judges/media for what he was putting on the ice. My favorite was his Joplin program. I am not a skater, I am a musician so musicality and rhythm are things that I tend to notice. When most people hear Joplin they hear the fast plinky piano and think that the rhythm is fast. Too many skaters try to match the plinky piano. The rhythm is actually pretty slow and easy. Matt had great footwork and this sort of swinging ease that match the actual beat of the song and the time period. I am also a fan of his Last of the Mohicans program. Too bad the judges didn't think more of him when he was competing. I think he only made the podium once if I recall.

Coltrocks12 · Feb 4, 2015

You know with regards to Matt, I think if he came up in today's crop he probably would've had a better chance. He was an artist in a time where jumpers and technicians were favored by the judges. Looking at what Jason Brown is able to do with less jumping ability and more showmanship that he could win Nationals (2015) and be in the top 10 at 2014 Olympics shows a shift in landscape back to the artistry, musicality, and choreography side of skating. Also with regard to Matt's lifestyle, we are more tolerant of homosexuality and marriage equality as a society than we were back then. I remember when Rudy Galindo came out the skating world was shocked that he was brave enough to say something because people knew some skaters were Gay but they were afraid to come out for fear that the judges and audience would reject them. Even though Rudy won Nationals and had a World Bronze that year skaters were still somewhat afraid to come out. With Johnny Weir and others now out there is no longer that fear amongst skaters that coming out will kill their careers. I am glad that people can be themselves and no longer live in shadows for fear of retribution by people. I am also glad that today's judges are a little more flexible as to the style of skating people choose (technical, artistic, balanced etc.) and that people who don't have a quad have figured out which triple jump combinations to help them make up the points. Skaters are also figuring out where they can benefit in points for their creativity, artistry, and style.

anyanka · Feb 4, 2015

Coltrocks12 said:
You know with regards to Matt, I think if he came up in today's crop he probably would've had a better chance. He was an artist in a time where jumpers and technicians were favored by the judges. Looking at what Jason Brown is able to do with less jumping ability and more showmanship that he could win Nationals (2015) and be in the top 10 at 2014 Olympics shows a shift in landscape back to the artistry, musicality, and choreography side of skating. Also with regard to Matt's lifestyle, we are more tolerant of homosexuality and marriage equality as a society than we were back then. I remember when Rudy Galindo came out the skating world was shocked that he was brave enough to say something because people knew some skaters were Gay but they were afraid to come out for fear that the judges and audience would reject them. Even though Rudy won Nationals and had a World Bronze that year skaters were still somewhat afraid to come out. With Johnny Weir and others now out there is no longer that fear amongst skaters that coming out will kill their careers. I am glad that people can be themselves and no longer live in shadows for fear of retribution by people. I am also glad that today's judges are a little more flexible as to the style of skating people choose (technical, artistic, balanced etc.) and that people who don't have a quad have figured out which triple jump combinations to help them make up the points. Skaters are also figuring out where they can benefit in points for their creativity, artistry, and style.

Thanks for this post.

iluvtodd · Feb 6, 2015

Matt will always be one of my favorite US men. I was ecstatic that he got to compete @ 2002 Worlds (when Todd opted not to go & join SOI ), and when he finally got to compete @ the 2006 Olympics. Beautiful, sensitive, creative skating!

Mafke · Feb 6, 2015

Back in 2006 was before youtube was ubiquitous (I used it mostly to learn about skaters from the 70's) and tv coverage was already winding down so the first tv competition I managed to see him in was Turin olys.

I thought he was great but he was doing integrated thought through programs when the new system was basically rewarding a serious of unconnected tricks.

The fact this his transitions score was actually less than that of the eventual winner (who basically did none) did not endear the new judging system to me.......

HazyD · Feb 6, 2015

Matt has always been one of my favorites and I miss seeing him skate. The two programs linked here are at the top of my list, too. Something I'll always remember: I believe it was before the '05 short (though I could be wrong) while the previous skater was waiting on his scores and Matt was waiting for his name to be called, he was doing a small series of mohawks -- just a little something, but his edges were so pure and his flow so graceful, even that small bit of relatively easy footwork was beautiful. It's what I remember whenever I'm working on my own.
Nationals this year brought Matt to mind a couple of times: Joshua Farris reminded me very much of Matt movement-wise, and, of course, Jeremy Abbott also used the Barber Adagio.

begin · Feb 7, 2015

Coltrocks12 said:
You know with regards to Matt, I think if he came up in today's crop he probably would've had a better chance. He was an artist in a time where jumpers and technicians were favored by the judges. Looking at what Jason Brown is able to do with less jumping ability and more showmanship that he could win Nationals (2015) and be in the top 10 at 2014 Olympics shows a shift in landscape back to the artistry, musicality, and choreography side of skating. Also with regard to Matt's lifestyle, we are more tolerant of homosexuality and marriage equality as a society than we were back then. I remember when Rudy Galindo came out the skating world was shocked that he was brave enough to say something because people knew some skaters were Gay but they were afraid to come out for fear that the judges and audience would reject them. Even though Rudy won Nationals and had a World Bronze that year skaters were still somewhat afraid to come out. With Johnny Weir and others now out there is no longer that fear amongst skaters that coming out will kill their careers. I am glad that people can be themselves and no longer live in shadows for fear of retribution by people. I am also glad that today's judges are a little more flexible as to the style of skating people choose (technical, artistic, balanced etc.) and that people who don't have a quad have figured out which triple jump combinations to help them make up the points. Skaters are also figuring out where they can benefit in points for their creativity, artistry, and style.

I don't know. IA the judging system is less experimental now and PCs are more rewarded. OTOH, a lot of beautiful skaters still aren't getting the scores they deserve due to technical shortcomings (a lot of American men actually...)

Coltrocks12 · Feb 7, 2015

I agree that while it is better, there is still some work to do.

keasus · Feb 9, 2015

Simply put: Matt was divine. Years ahead of his time, or a return to pure skating (think John Curry, Toller Cranston) depending on your point of view. I am happy to hear that he is doing so well in his post-skating life, but damn, I miss him :love:

gammarae · Feb 9, 2015

How wonderful to hear how many other people remember and admire Matt Savoie. Count me as another one. Glad to hear he is coaching as well.

As for the Tom D choreography -- well, his programs continue to blow me away.

Flashback to 2006: Matt Savoie and transitions

anyanka

Spiralgraph

carriecmu0503

anyanka

BlackPack

Coltrocks12

Coltrocks12

anyanka

iluvtodd

Mafke

HazyD

begin

Coltrocks12

keasus

gammarae

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