This and That: 2015 Skate Canada Recap
- Thread starter TSLDave
- Start date
That's okay, but is that you, Dave??O_O
It is me, as bug-eyed as ever.
Hi Dave and welcome.
Candidly I'm not the biggest fan of this and that, but I do love and deeply appreciate your interviews, so thank you very much for those.
As for your questions, my best dressed was Ashley Wagner. For something a little more outside the box I also liked Bazarova and Deputat's SP costumes
What it would take for the Shibs to win Nationals: Death of Chock and Bates?
You're welcome for the interviews. We try to give our opinions on This and That and make the sport a bit fun. We do attempt to cover the sport as a sport. Meaning, we don't necessarily view skaters as porcelain dolls. In general, we are trying to strike a certain balance with our shows and have been for some time. We remain a work in progress.
We all have multiple facets to our personalities. If we were to have dinner, I would dig in deep about your life...and I would also make tons of comments.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2011
I'm so quick and fast
I quated another person not seeing your reply
Glad you are _officially_here. I know what you mean when people google you, people need privacy.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
You can tell Patrick has trained with a modern dance coach, particularly in the way he moves with his upper body, and the way he often holds a movement for a moment and then 'releases' it out. People talk-rightfully so--about his skating skills, but I think the way he uses his upper body is equally impressive.
Big fan (and a longtime vocal supporter here)of your show--GS and TSL are my two skating websites. So it's nice to see the mutual shout-outs. It might be nice to see some of the old crew from last year, like Jonathan, come back for the big events like the GPF, Euros and Worlds. Why not do an extended show for them? Just a thought.
It is certainly possible and something we may do. It is VERY challenging to do the show with two people. By this point, Jenny and I have a certain on-screen chemistry. There is a back and forth that becomes very challenging with a third party when it isn't in an interview situation. I'm in a constant group text with Emily, Jonathan and many others who you'll see sitting with us at events. They get mentioned on the shows. Jonathan made sure we knew it was pronounced GraTz. And I did wake up with 418 texts on Sunday morning. I would certainly love Emily to analyze the free dances like she did a few years back. She is quite busy with her new job, but I will see if I can twist her arm.
I did sit with a few GS members at Skate America as well.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2012
Dave, I think you made an interesting point about Hanyu and Chan on This and That. You stated that Hanyu is an "athlete" and Chan is a "skater." I think there is room for both of them at the top. What is the balance between a skater who can land three quads and two triple axels and a skater who has amazing skating skills and edge quality?
What IS the balance? I think that is why the judging system is and should be constantly adjusted. There will never be a perfect system, especially until PCS aren't blankly awarded just because a skater can perform jumps. AND, judges really need to differentiate between the different components.
My best dressed:
Ladies: Yuka Nagai FS
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu FS
My favorite moment:
The comeback of Liza and Hanyu in the FS! From 7th to 2nd and 6th to 2nd respectively.
Who has better skating skills?:
Chan. I give him a slight edge for now but Hanyu's catching up!
What would it take for the judges to allow the Shibutanis to win U.S. Nationals?: A miracle!
Do Maia and Dice need to give more facial expressions?:
No I think they're both fine as is.
Ladies: Yuka Nagai FS
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu FS
My favorite moment:
The comeback of Liza and Hanyu in the FS! From 7th to 2nd and 6th to 2nd respectively.
Who has better skating skills?:
Chan. I give him a slight edge for now but Hanyu's catching up!
What would it take for the judges to allow the Shibutanis to win U.S. Nationals?: A miracle!
Do Maia and Dice need to give more facial expressions?:
No I think they're both fine as is.
That one made me smile when I heard it. It was pretty good, although GraaaTz would have been even better.
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2009
Who was your best dressed?
Marissa (for the SP dress she wore and the one she loaned Ashley)
What was your moment of the week?
The Shibs' FD. After their 3rd place at Nepala I thought they were toast and the changes and work they put into changing and improving that FD blew me away
Who has better skating skills, Hanyu or Chan?
Chan
What would it take for the judges to allow the Shibutanis to win U.S. Nationals?
Place above Chock/Bates at the GPF.
Do Maia and Dice need to give more facial expressions?
Dice, yes. Maia, not more facial expressions but I want to see her really skate with abandon, she is so controlled and perfect and I want to see more fire from her.
Marissa (for the SP dress she wore and the one she loaned Ashley)
What was your moment of the week?
The Shibs' FD. After their 3rd place at Nepala I thought they were toast and the changes and work they put into changing and improving that FD blew me away
Who has better skating skills, Hanyu or Chan?
Chan
What would it take for the judges to allow the Shibutanis to win U.S. Nationals?
Place above Chock/Bates at the GPF.
Do Maia and Dice need to give more facial expressions?
Dice, yes. Maia, not more facial expressions but I want to see her really skate with abandon, she is so controlled and perfect and I want to see more fire from her.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I freaking love you. Ashley was my best dressed hands down. Patrick and Hanyu is tough. So many great individual qualities, so hard to judge... Patrick has the better skating skills but Hanyu sells better. I think he is hands down the better technical skater though. Especially when he lands that lutz.
Last edited:
Quite agree with TSL's analysis of Tuktamysheva. She dominated last year because of her technical prowess and because nobody matched up to challenge her. I mean not really. However, with a few skaters improving on their components this season, and with Mao coming back, the fact that Liza is a rather unexceptional skater without her jumps is appearing a little more crystal clear. Taking this weekend for example- Ashley Wagner, despite her underrotation tendencies and lack of transitions is STILL a much more complete skater than Tuk. Yuka Nagai displayed a lot more promise as a newbie compared to the reigning WC. However saying that, I applaud her rising to the occasion and digging herself out of a rather shallow grave. Those jumps will see her through, but when that unravels (as we have seen), she has nothing to fall back on apart from cashing in on WC-gifted component scores.
Well done Patrick! I have missed his skating so much. Agreed with Jenny and Dave on his non-costume. It's sloppy and unbecoming but hopefully, after winning here he'll take the rest of the season a little bit more seriously.
I think the most arresting thing for me this weekend was Adam Rippon's Tango-d complexion (in the UK, Tango is a brand of orange soda, and colloquially coined to refer to excessively orange fake tan) With that silver unicorn hair, it just looks awful. I mean good for you for coming out, but he's starting to look like a bad cliché on skates.
Well done Patrick! I have missed his skating so much. Agreed with Jenny and Dave on his non-costume. It's sloppy and unbecoming but hopefully, after winning here he'll take the rest of the season a little bit more seriously.
I think the most arresting thing for me this weekend was Adam Rippon's Tango-d complexion (in the UK, Tango is a brand of orange soda, and colloquially coined to refer to excessively orange fake tan) With that silver unicorn hair, it just looks awful. I mean good for you for coming out, but he's starting to look like a bad cliché on skates.
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2011
A bit extreme and excessive statement. I get that you aren't Tukt's fan, but let's be real here..
Maybe Adam got a fake tan because they have been training in Colorado and he hasn't been able to go to the beach? I always found something about tanning addicting. Despite the smell or burnt flesh and the cancer risk, those beds leave you wanting to come back for more. I would go from normal person to Beyonce in a week. He needs to be careful. Didn't Elena Berezhnaya have a burn from the tanning beds at a competition? The Olympics?
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2014
I have to say, I like the changes made to Ashley's Moulin Rouge program. I'd also put her as best dressed- both short and free dance costumes. I *wish* I knew what the controversy with her short program dress and why she wore someone else's.
What surprised me the most was the Shibs free dance. I couldn't believe how moved I was, and I'm not a huge ice dancing fan. I truly hope they win nationals.
I don't know who has the better skating skills (or their jumping technique, I'd love to know what people think of that for them), but I connect more with Chan. Hanyu is great, but there but when I watch him, he looks (to me) frail and fragile. I don't feel confident in his skating anymore.
I miss Rippon's blonde hair. And Polina....she's lost me. I don't know what's happened there.
What surprised me the most was the Shibs free dance. I couldn't believe how moved I was, and I'm not a huge ice dancing fan. I truly hope they win nationals.
I don't know who has the better skating skills (or their jumping technique, I'd love to know what people think of that for them), but I connect more with Chan. Hanyu is great, but there but when I watch him, he looks (to me) frail and fragile. I don't feel confident in his skating anymore.
I miss Rippon's blonde hair. And Polina....she's lost me. I don't know what's happened there.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2014
Really enjoyed the recap!
I did agree with your comments on Liza. I think that when her jumps are flowing like last year, it disguises her flaws. However, when she is struggling you start to notice more of those. At times she seemed off balance even. And I really think her programmes are... not good. If Mao and other skaters are 'on their game' more... I think she could struggle this season if she can't gain back her consistency.
Yuka Nagai impressed me, especially in the SP. She has a lovely quality to her and I hope she can eradicate her tendency to pop her jumps.
Ashley was on fire and needs to keep that dress! She looked gorgeous! I hope she can get rid of her URs.
I was really impressed by Duhamel and Radford's efforts. Her extension seems improved and his movement has a soft quality that always impresses me. I prefer Marissa and Mervin to Kirsten and Michael, so I hope they can sort the jumps. I feel their lifts and death spiral are particularly impressive.
I agree that Dice feel too middle of the road and good but not outstanding even when clean. There isn't the star quality that I see developing in Shoma or that Yuzu has.
For me, Maia and Alex were the stars of the dance at SC. Their FD really moved me and I hope that they can develop further and that the judges will finally reward them more.
I did agree with your comments on Liza. I think that when her jumps are flowing like last year, it disguises her flaws. However, when she is struggling you start to notice more of those. At times she seemed off balance even. And I really think her programmes are... not good. If Mao and other skaters are 'on their game' more... I think she could struggle this season if she can't gain back her consistency.
Yuka Nagai impressed me, especially in the SP. She has a lovely quality to her and I hope she can eradicate her tendency to pop her jumps.
Ashley was on fire and needs to keep that dress! She looked gorgeous! I hope she can get rid of her URs.
I was really impressed by Duhamel and Radford's efforts. Her extension seems improved and his movement has a soft quality that always impresses me. I prefer Marissa and Mervin to Kirsten and Michael, so I hope they can sort the jumps. I feel their lifts and death spiral are particularly impressive.
I agree that Dice feel too middle of the road and good but not outstanding even when clean. There isn't the star quality that I see developing in Shoma or that Yuzu has.
For me, Maia and Alex were the stars of the dance at SC. Their FD really moved me and I hope that they can develop further and that the judges will finally reward them more.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
I don't disagree that they are appealing and satisfying... but if you are tanning for a warmth and fun aspect, slather on some SPF 80 and knock yourself out. If you want to enjoy the psychological therapeutic aspect of tanning, that makes sense, just don't do it at the expense of looking bad.
I think skaters do it so they don't look pale at competitions. And let's be real, someone from the LA area may be used to being a bit darker and thus, be more orange. (He also could've gotten a bad spray tan that went too dark...) Jenny used to do sprays. We were unable to film on Saturdays because she would be too dark from her spray tan. Now, she embraced being back in CA in a matter of nanoseconds.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
I think finding some balance between Vampire and Oompa Loompa is very achievable.
And honey if you are going to defend him blame the lighting, not California! Ill buy that the lighting in the venue was bad and exacerbated this situation.
Spay tans are an art form into them self.... I think i would be far too cowardly to try any on my face personally... and if i was doing it in a context like Adam I sure as heck would go to someone who has a reputation they want and need to protect so i know it is in their interest to not let me leave till I look good!
Similar threads
- Sticky
