Papadakis & Cizeron's Very Candid Interview re Olympics 2018

[Ophelia]

I repeat the words milky-white and silky-smooth. Honestly, if they had been Australians, they could well have been called wusses for not saying point-blank They Wuz Robbed....

I am ALL HERE for those kind of statements.

 

[rain]

I have zero issues with this interview. I don't think there's anything especially controversial here, even. It seems just like what a normal person would think at such moments. And I say that as a huge fan of Virtue and Moir who was hoping they would win and was thrilled when they did.

I find it completely normal to hope that your competitors make a mistake. I know I would. So maybe I'm not a candidate for sainthood, and neither are they, but none of us are monsters, we're just human.

It did strike me that they seemed a bit lacking in self-awareness over a few things. For example, it's easy to say your training environment was all sweetness and light when you're the uncontested king of the hill. I have to wonder what some of the other folks there thought about it. I also thought it was interesting that for all the discussion of the Olympic short dance, and the conspiracy theory stuff at the end, they did not talk at all about how generously they were scored given their short dance performance.

I also find it interesting that even with the benefit now of hindsight, they don't seem to have grasped how influential and important it was for Virtue and Moir to have done the team competition. I hope their coaches are more aware of the tremendous public buzz and advantage this gave Virtue and Moir, who, let's face it, were the underdogs coming in here, given how the season had gone on the grand prix. I know France isn't really in it for a medal in the team event, most likely, but I hope their coaches encourage them to do the team event next Olympics. The exposure and experience gained were really key to quite a few competitors here.

I wish more skaters would do interviews where they sound like real human beings rather than a set of talking points.

 

[theharleyquinn]

I have zero issues with this interview. I don't think there's anything especially controversial here, even. It seems just like what a normal person would think at such moments. And I say that as a huge fan of Virtue and Moir who was hoping they would win and was thrilled when they did.

I find it completely normal to hope that your competitors make a mistake. I know I would. So maybe I'm not a candidate for sainthood, and neither are they, but none of us are monsters, we're just human.

It did strike me that they seemed a bit lacking in self-awareness over a few things. For example, it's easy to say your training environment was all sweetness and light when you're the uncontested king of the hill. I have to wonder what some of the other folks there thought about it. I also thought it was interesting that for all the discussion of the Olympic short dance, and the conspiracy theory stuff at the end, they did not talk at all about how generously they were scored given their short dance performance.

I also find it interesting that even with the benefit now of hindsight, they don't seem to have grasped how influential and important it was for Virtue and Moir to have done the team competition. I hope their coaches are more aware of the tremendous public buzz and advantage this gave Virtue and Moir, who, let's face it, were the underdogs coming in here, given how the season had gone on the grand prix. I know France isn't really in it for a medal in the team event, most likely, but I hope their coaches encourage them to do the team event next Olympics. The exposure and experience gained were really key to quite a few competitors here.

I wish more skaters would do interviews where they sound like real human beings rather than a set of talking points.

Agreed. There's a reason the Shibs pushed to skate both segments of the team event also.

 

[TallyT]

Gosh, I don't know which is worse.

Ask Evgenia.

 

[Mathman]

I also thought it was interesting that for all the discussion of the Olympic short dance, and the conspiracy theory stuff at the end, they did not talk at all about how generously they were scored given their short dance performance.

Well, like you say, we're all only human. I would not expect them to say, "Boy, we really stunk up the joint in the short dance; what were the judges smoking to cheat for us by giving us half-way decent scores for that mess?"

 

[dorispulaski]

There is a persistent figure skating legend -- probably apocryphal -- that Ulrich Salchow was so impressed with the performance of Madge Syers at the 1902 World Championships that he gallantly offered her his gold medal.

Perhaps it was true. Salchow was certainly prone to this sort of gesture. He gave away one of his trophies another time,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Button

] Button won the silver medal at his first World Championships. It was the last time he placed lower than first in competition. At the competition, Button was befriended by Ulrich Salchow. Salchow, who was disappointed when Button did not win, presented him with the first International Cup Salchow had won in 1901.[1] Button later passed on this trophy to John Misha Petkevich following the 1972 Olympics and World Championships.[5] .[6]

He also tasked Button to pass the trophy on, which Button did.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Misha_Petkevich

Petkevich gave the trophy to Paul Wylie in 2010. I am not aware of Wylie passing it on yet.

 

[Rossig]

I also find it interesting that even with the benefit now of hindsight, they don't seem to have grasped how influential and important it was for Virtue and Moir to have done the team competition. I hope their coaches are more aware of the tremendous public buzz and advantage this gave Virtue and Moir, who, let's face it, were the underdogs coming in here, given how the season had gone on the grand prix. I know France isn't really in it for a medal in the team event, most likely, but I hope their coaches encourage them to do the team event next Olympics. The exposure and experience gained were really key to quite a few competitors here.

One of the many reasons why team event should never take place before the individual events. Of course P/C could take part in it, but so many other teams couldn't. Why should they lose advantage to those who take part in it? Why are some skaters allowed to build this experience and exposure before the individual competitions? So unfair.

 

[Colonel Green]

I know France isn't really in it for a medal in the team event, most likely, but I hope their coaches encourage them to do the team event next Olympics.

They actually do have a good shot (at least based on current standings), though it requires P/C and J/C to do both parts.

I did a little experiment in ranking all the countries at the 2019 Worlds that had entries in all four disciplines (picking the highest-placing entry in each category, for those who had multiple entries), and France came third, behind Russia and the USA.

 

[skylark]

Perhaps it was true. Salchow was certainly prone to this sort of gesture. He gave away one of his trophies another time,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Button



He also tasked Button to pass the trophy on, which Button did.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Misha_Petkevich

Petkevich gave the trophy to Paul Wylie in 2010. I am not aware of Wylie passing it on yet.

I was also thinking "perhaps it is true." In an even more unlikely environment (YMMV), I remember when Ving Rames gave his Golden Globe Award to his fellow nominee, Jack Lemmon .. who was stunned and even looked a little disoriented, like, what am I doing up here?.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I wish our (male) cricketers could manage this combination of honesty and dignity in interviews.

Your rugby players are indeed better at it (I'm a big fan of Aussie rugby).

 

[rain]

One of the many reasons why team event should never take place before the individual events. Of course P/C could take part in it, but so many other teams couldn't. Why should they lose advantage to those who take part in it? Why are some skaters allowed to build this experience and exposure before the individual competitions? So unfair.

The thing is, P/C could have done it if they wanted. Their choice not to.

I don't find the timing inherently unfair. It's just like gymnastics. Team event is first, followed by individual all-around, followed by event finals.

As far as skating goes, I think it's actually a good idea in the grand scheme of things. It gets every-four-year skating watchers familiar with competitors and thus encourages viewership.

And after all, lack of participation didn't stop say, Hanyu from winning gold in the individual. For some skaters it seems to have been bad (Mirai Nagasu, Yulia Lipnitskaya). It's just something that can be a boost if you use it right, and really increase your profile outside of skating fandom (Virtue/Moir, Adam Rippon).

 

[rain]

They actually do have a good shot (at least based on current standings), though it requires P/C and J/C to do both parts.

I did a little experiment in ranking all the countries at the 2019 Worlds that had entries in all four disciplines (picking the highest-placing entry in each category, for those who had multiple entries), and France came third, behind Russia and the USA.

I have my doubts that James/Cipres are going to make it to another Olympics. But I could be totally wrong. That's what I took into account in my admittedly very cursory look.

 

[Harriet]

Your rugby players are indeed better at it (I'm a big fan of Aussie rugby).

It's not as though being better at it than the cricketers is particularly hard. Even AFL players can manage it sometimes.

 

[WeakAnkles]

It's not as though being better at it than the cricketers is particularly hard. Even AFL players can manage it sometimes.

And in the male equivalent of hot pants!

 

[Eleanor]

- - - Updated - - -

In my estimation, the criticism of V/M's comments in 2014 was far greater in both volume and severity than the criticism of P/C's comments now. Greater by orders of magnitude.

And I don't agree with "V/M blamed much more."

They weren't really harsh or unfair towards Zueva or even Meryl and Charlie. However, their facial expressions said it all. I think they actually stopped themselves from saying things that would make them look like sore loosers. I actually feel a little frustrated that they did not go on, I like a good gossip !
As for P/C, I don't know if there is a video of that interview. I remember another interview they gave on french TV, they also clearly had more to say but decided not to.
It must be hard to be honest and say what you want when you have thousands of crazy people on the internet bashing you all day....Athletes have to carefully think about what they are going to say and how unless they want to be ripped apart online :/ Kind of sad.

 

[yume]

I don't see how bashing V/M is a better way to defend P/C than just saying "they didn't say anything bad. They were simply honest and that's great"....

 

[theharleyquinn]

Did V/M and P/C really do the same thing though? V/M was moreso talking about their internal coaching situation and how they felt deprioritized, whereas P/C made some asides about their coaching situation but also seemed to be making comments about the judging in favor of V/M being unexpected.

 

[rockmypark]

I disagree. Dubreil/Lauzon did a fantastic job at creating two teams that were equally gold-worthy with contrasting programs and vehicles that could win. It really came down to how each one skated, and you can't blame the coaches - who pushed both to personal bests. It's very unfortunate that P/C had the wardrobe malfunction. Even as a Canadian who loves V/M, I honestly think the French were the stronger team overall, and that mishap was the worst timing for them. I suppose the silver lining (no pun intended) is that this fuels them towards the next Olympics, and they have the potential to become one of the most winning ice dance teams ever, and produce even more avant garde sublime programs that really push ice dance into its next evolution. Had they and V/M left, you could have seen a decline in the quality and ingenuity of the teams and programs. They have so much to be proud of, as much as that Olympics experience was devastating for them.

Their mistakes in the OD had nothing to do with the costume. They messed up the twizzles early before the costume problem, and he messed up on the double twizzle late on the diagonal sequenc which also had nothing to do with her cosutme.

 

[rockmypark]

tessa and scott have known patch and mf for years.. .they competed together even... and they saw them as mentors from a young age. they had a relationship way before p/c came to the picture. nobody can blame them for opening their rink to them, especially after how they were treated by zoueva. it's easy to make judgments without looking at the history and the human beings ... it's not just about sport

Plus Patch and Mf are not the main coaches of P&C. Romain is, and always was.

 

[fzztsimmons]

this thread is a literal dumpster fire lol

i saw nothing really that wrong with what was said by P/C, perhaps some of it i felt was a little naive, but they're young, that's understandable. but my issue is as other previous posters have mentioned, V/M still (five years on) get dragged through the mud for their "honest" comments after winning the silver in the olympics. Neither couple said anything controversial or "bashed" anyone, they simply expressed their own emotions about the situations they found themselves in.
the answer is that neither couple should be attacked or slandered for their comments.