Belbin and Agosto have withdrawn

mishieru07 · Nov 25, 2009

demarinis5 said:
I have to admit the Ice Dance competition has lost its steam for me. It has become somewhat predictable now that B/A are not in the mix. Gold and Silver to D/W and V/M any order. Thank goodness for the men and pairs.

We'll still get to see D/W and V/M duke it out. I really have no idea who will win. I'm guessing P/B will be on the podium since K/N aren't going. I'd rather see C/L or Kerrs though.

Men's is nuts. Any one of them could win, except maybe Johnny. Pairs ... I expect S/S and S/Z to fight for 1, 2. P/T could be spoilers if the top two make mistakes.

herios · Nov 25, 2009

dancemaster said:
looks like the young Canadians will get to go

Khokhlova and Novitki are the first alternate, not the canadians

life684 · Nov 25, 2009

herios said:
Khokhlova and Novitki are the first alternate, not the canadians

it seems Russian have also withdrawn, so canadians will get to go... More on this in the thread Who's In the Grand Prix Final - Dance.

Mathman · Nov 25, 2009

This is why I think B&A, and all the other teams that pull out with phony excuses, are in the wrong.

When you sign up for the Grand Prix you enter into a contract. The ISU supplies prize money, infrastructure, and a chance for you to strut your stuff. The skater, in return, contracts to do certain things. One of them is to skate in the final if they make it.

Obviously if you break your leg then, through no fault of your own, you are unable to fulfill your promise. Likewise if you have a lingering injury that will be aggravated if you return to competition too soon.

But in Tanith's case the dental surgery was yesterday, she will be off the ice for a few days in recovery, and the reason that they do not want to skate is that they will not be fully prepared to skate their best.

Best, worst or in between, if you can skate you have an obligation to show up and give it your all. True, maybe you will end up in fifth place because your training time was compromised. That's not the point. The point is, you gave your word that you would skate if at all possible, and you didn't keep your word. :disagree:

i love to skate · Nov 25, 2009

As someone who has had an infected wisdom tooth and later had them removed I sympathize with Tanith. If she has an infected one they are most likely going to pull all of them at the same time. That's what happened to me and I was laid up for a week - and really didn't feel back to normal for about two weeks. It really can be one of the most painful and uncomfortable things ever.

Of course, if this was the Olympics and she would have powered through. Patrick Chan would have skated with his torn muscle and Sasha would have skated with her tenditinits. Athletes would do anything to skate at the Games - just look at Stojko skating on pretty much one leg in Nagano.

SerpentineSteps · Nov 25, 2009

i love to skate said:
As someone who has had an infected wisdom tooth and later had them removed I sympathize with Tanith. If she has an infected one they are most likely going to pull all of them at the same time. That's what happened to me and I was laid up for a week - and really didn't feel back to normal for about two weeks. It really can be one of the most painful and uncomfortable things ever.

Of course, if this was the Olympics and she would have powered through. Patrick Chan would have skated with his torn muscle and Sasha would have skated with her tenditinits. Athletes would do anything to skate at the Games - just look at Stojko skating on pretty much one leg in Nagano.

Right. I just came across this thread, and I'm slightly taken aback by how bitter some of you are being! Getting wisdom teeth removed WITHOUT an infection results in not being up to 100% in terms of general well-being (and skating at this level requires a lot more than just general well-being, so I'd be impressed if Tanith even gets on the ice before GPF). Given the infection, I'm sure it'll be a lot worse.

Come on, guys. If we really are fans, let's have a bit more empathy here.

Wicked · Nov 25, 2009

Gotta admit this is interesting timing. I don't know if you all read Aunt Joyce's blog, but he predicted on Monday that Belgosto would withdraw from the GPF. He also says it's likely Evan will withdraw. We'll see if he's right about that one.

merrybari · Nov 25, 2009

SerpentineSteps said:
Right. I just came across this thread, and I'm slightly taken aback by how bitter some of you are being! Getting wisdom teeth removed WITHOUT an infection results in not being up to 100% in terms of general well-being (and skating at this level requires a lot more than just general well-being, so I'd be impressed if Tanith even gets on the ice before GPF). Given the infection, I'm sure it'll be a lot worse.

Come on, guys. If we really are fans, let's have a bit more empathy here.

Well said!! :agree:

Mathman · Nov 25, 2009

Not singling anyone out especially, but just competitive skaters in general: Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

Medusa · Nov 25, 2009

Ahhhh, Abbott just tweeted two hours ago that he feels terrible (as in sick). I smell the next withdraw.

Medusa · Nov 25, 2009

Kunstrijdster said:
What a shame. You were right when you said B/A withdrawal was just the beginning

Wait, it's called "withdrawal"? Dein Englisch ist anscheinend besser als das meinige.

I hope, I pray that Jeremy will pull through. He needs that competition, anything to kind of stabilise his performances. Also, it would be a big statement if he kicked Lysacek's butt there.

Mathman · Nov 25, 2009

Medusa said:
Also, it would be a big statement if he kicked Lysacek's butt there.

Maybe they can arm wrestle from their adjoining hospital beds.

Olympia · Nov 25, 2009

But look at it from their point of view. Even if the dental problems are a bit of a manufactured excuse--and this very well could be real, painful thing!--Tanith and Ben have every right to pace themselves before an Olympics so they're not throwing away their chances. Really, what do they owe us? We get to see plenty of good skaters regardless--even if we have to watch the Russians with the bad costumes--and it is hoped we get to see B/A at the Olympics in a few months. They're not shortchanging their country in any way; they're not jeopardizing the number of spots we'll get next year. They're not doing anything except protecting themselves, either physically or just their reputations, and more power to them for that. They have worked like dogs for years, and have given the U.S. its first Olympic ice dancing medal since I think 1976. I think their credit is good.

It's great when you get a trouper like Stojko, who shows up whether he's half dead with pain. (I'll never forget that medal presentation at the Olympics, where they had to put a carpet on the ice so he could limp to the podium in shoes. Never!) But this isn't the Olympics. It isn't even a Nationals or a Worlds. I'm sure they'll do right by us at Vancouver. (Gee, wouldn't it be great if we had a North American sweep in ice dance? Start crossing fingers now!)

Mathman · Nov 25, 2009

Olympia said:
But look at it from their point of view. Even if the dental problems are a bit of a manufactured excuse--and this very well could be real, painful thing!--Tanith and Ben have every right to pace themselves before an Olympics so they're not throwing away their chances. Really, what do they owe us?

I am not sure exactly who they owe it to, but what they owe is telling the truth, keeping their word, fulfilling their contract, doing what they have promised.

demarinis5 · Nov 25, 2009

B/A withdrawal is no big deal they are certainly not the first skaters to pull out. Back in the day Michelle and Sasha especially Michelle took a lot of flak for not competing in the GP events. Those withdrawals did not make me less of a fan of Michelle or Sasha and I will give B/A the same consideration.

amateur · Nov 25, 2009

It seems to me that B/A are almost always pulling out of the GPF for one reason or another? I don't think this is the first time, anyway. With the timing, I can understand the skepticism. But, do agree that they don't owe "us" anything, they only owe it to themselves to take care of their health, and as athletes to be in peak from for the most important competition. Best of luck...

fairly4 · Nov 25, 2009

with all the cheating going on -or whatever figure skating fans call it/judges call.
i don't care.
is it bogus -who knows and who cares.
does it really matter no--skaters do what they want anyway-
as far as owing us--yes in a sense -for expectation of being there as to the reason we watch /buy the ticket/sell for sponsorship -but us owe us personnally no--yes her health should be first--so get well-in other words pull the tooth.

bigsisjiejie · Nov 25, 2009

I may be in the minority here, but I don't have a problem with skaters withdrawing from the Grand Prix Final, if they think it's not in their interest for health-logistical-strategic-or other reasons. I have always thought it was an overly-contrived, semi-bogus competition and not worthy of being taken in the same serious vein as country Nationals, Euros, FCC, Worlds, Olympics. Even the component GP events are arguably more important than the Final, as those are the best early season opportunity for top skaters to present new programs in front of judges and audiences...and make adjustments as necessary. Of all the competitions, the Final is probably the most easily "sacrificed" even though there is prize money involved (not that much though except for top 1-2 finishers). The formalization of and adding a Final to the original GP series was pretty much an ISU concoction to benefit itself rather than the skaters.

It doesn't help the non-Asian and especially the North American skaters, that once again the GPF is in East Asia (5th time in 10 years and 2nd year in a row). Adding up travel, recovery, pre-competition, competition, return, recovery, and you pretty much blow about 10 days of your life where you lose productive training time. Not to mention having to deal with long-haul transpacific 11-12+ hour flights and the risk of picking up illness during the travel, in a very bad flu season year. If Tanith and her dentist felt now is the time to tend to her tooth, so be it. If there was an ulterior motive such as wimping out in the face of D/W and V/M, so be that too. They'll all meet up soon enough.

(PS to above: Michelle DID skate the GP series for many years and then decided enough was enough around 2002, except for stepping in at SA on some occasions as a fill-in. ISU didn't like it but by that point, MK could pretty much pick her involvement in competitions.)

KKonas · Nov 25, 2009

merrybari said:
The term was "infected" not impacted. There's a difference and infection can happen quickly. IIRC it did say she'd been trying to control it with antibiotics without success. Been there done that myself - and those who say it hurts like b***h are spot on!

I don't think strategy has anything to do with it. After all, those three teams trained together for years. The GPF would've been a great place for all of them to test their relative skills and placement so each would know better what they have to concentrate on for February. I'm quite sure as competitors they'd rather know now than find out in Vancouver.

Infected and impacted are not mutually exclusive so we don't really know for sure. In any case the timing of this abcess is suspect because the possibility of losing in Japan could impact B&A's chances of winning back their national title and their chances for Olympic gold. If they don't compete at the GPF, there's zero chance of losing. The only problem would be if by some chance DW win in Japan.

Mathman · Nov 25, 2009

Kunstrijdster said:
Now, what is that about Lysacek and the hospital. Is he sick too?

Some skating insiders are predicting that Evan will come down with some mystery illness just before the event. Then he will have no choice but to withdraw.

For Evan's sake, i hope that the very next day he will have an equally miraculous recovery so that he can start working on his training schedule for U.S. Nationals.

Belbin and Agosto have withdrawn

mishieru07

herios

life684

Mathman

i love to skate

SerpentineSteps

Wicked

merrybari

Mathman

Medusa

Medusa

Mathman

Olympia

Mathman

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!

amateur

fairly4

bigsisjiejie

KKonas

Mathman

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