another Yagudin article
- Thread starter mikhail1010
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Ptichka said:
Heheheheh yes... but I think that a lot of people are sympathetic because she's being teased by her coworkers on the job and she can't easily escape that environment. It's stressful enough having to deal with internet criticism (though it was deserved) and bad reviews, but having to deal with coworkers who constantly bring up the issue is the worse thing in the world. She knows that she has to do something. SOI in its zeal for an American gold medalist, chose to hire out of shape Sarah instead of another skater (perhaps one from a foreign country) who could do a better job. But hey , who cares because Americans only want to see American skaters, regardless of the skating quality.
:frown2:
Strange
Some bits and pieces of previous posts in this thread that struck me as odd:
Are you'all absolutely sure that Sarah gets paid a whole lot more than the other skaters? How about than the other gold medal skaters?
Does anyone really think that Jaime, with weight issues of her own, would really tease Sarah? Instead, could she perhaps be sympathizing and sharing her secrets for staying in shape?
If Scott Hamilton expected Sarah to loose weight, wouldn't he have had his lawyers write it into his contract?
I think I recall something about Tai Babalonia saying that the pressure to keep weight off was intense and unhealthy. In more enlightened times, would members of a team who depend on each other to make the entire show a success, would they endanger someone by pressuring them to do something unhealthy? After all, Sarah's current weight may just be perfectly normal for her and that loosing it would required drastic measures. I must admit, though, that my point of view is that of someone who is predisposed to being amply proportioned.
Reading both translations, I wonder if "tease" isn't exactly the word with the correct connotation to help understand what was actually meant.
One other point about Business is Business - these marketing guys are the ones who decide who will help SOI make the most money. Surely they must realize that Mikey isn't a good trade-off. One can only hope...
Linny
Some bits and pieces of previous posts in this thread that struck me as odd:
Are you'all absolutely sure that Sarah gets paid a whole lot more than the other skaters? How about than the other gold medal skaters?
Does anyone really think that Jaime, with weight issues of her own, would really tease Sarah? Instead, could she perhaps be sympathizing and sharing her secrets for staying in shape?
If Scott Hamilton expected Sarah to loose weight, wouldn't he have had his lawyers write it into his contract?
I think I recall something about Tai Babalonia saying that the pressure to keep weight off was intense and unhealthy. In more enlightened times, would members of a team who depend on each other to make the entire show a success, would they endanger someone by pressuring them to do something unhealthy? After all, Sarah's current weight may just be perfectly normal for her and that loosing it would required drastic measures. I must admit, though, that my point of view is that of someone who is predisposed to being amply proportioned.
Reading both translations, I wonder if "tease" isn't exactly the word with the correct connotation to help understand what was actually meant.
One other point about Business is Business - these marketing guys are the ones who decide who will help SOI make the most money. Surely they must realize that Mikey isn't a good trade-off. One can only hope...
Linny
Upon reading another recent interview from him and hearing some more of his comments I think that if he's so concerned about people treating Sarah and the weight issue fairly, then he shouldn't make remarks to the press about american women being dinosaurs who go to McDonalds.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
Doggygirl said:
ITA . I also have a hard time believing this and anything from the site mentioned in the post that you've quoted.
Linny -
Suffice to say Alexei is bored with the SOI but why mock what is another skater's "work ethic" - the practice, sticking to choreography etc and call it the *American* way. Thereafter, add insult by pointing a finger to fellow SOI skaters(re:Sarah) THEN turn around 360 degrees and call Americans women fat because they eat too Mcdonald. So much for standing up for Sarah.
:scowl: :sheesh:
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Linny said:
It's usually the people with the weight issues who are the hardest on the overweight. I struggle with my weight but I'm successful in my struggle, therefore I'm not sympathetic at all to people who can't lose weight. As far as I am concerned, they need to work harder. In Sarah's situation, her weight is normal for her height, however she's not getting paid to be a normal person. She's getting paid to be an athlete and there are certain criteria she needs to fulfill. You have older skaters who are doing the jumps (even Alexei with his bum hip throws in triples) and Sarah can't yet she is the closest removed from her OGM. I highly doubt that anyone really sympathizes with Sarah's plight. She is making a lot of money and there's no doubt that she is the highest paid on the regular tour. The ladies OGM commands a lot of money, and American winners are paid the most.
You have to look at it from the athletes' perspective. These people bust their a$$es to stay in shape and do a good show. They don't appreciate slackers, especially slackers who receive top billing. It's not a looks thing at all because I guarantee that if Sarah could throw a double axel and a few "easier" triples at her current weight, no one would even bother her about her weight.
Doggygirl said:
And how can you tell that he wouldn't make fun of her by looking at him? That's a team who went out of their way to say that another team didn't deserve to win and that they were robbed and they had no care how that team felt. You think these people are so classy that they wouldn't pick on Sarah b/c of her weight. They already felt entitled to a gold medal. You don't think that sense of entitlement is an indicator of arrogance?
We don't know any of these skaters. For all you know, maybe Todd Eldredge was the instigator (I don't really believe it but who knows?). He is marrying a cheerleader so maybe a hot bod is a priority in picking a wife.
curious said:
I think they closed for the summer but I'm not sure. It became really weird.
http://p196.ezboard.com/ballskateeverybodyskate
soogar said:We don't know any of these skaters. For all you know, maybe Todd Eldredge was the instigator (I don't really believe it but who knows?). He is marrying a cheerleader so maybe a hot bod is a priority in picking a wife.
well, when in doubt then do not say anything. It is safe to say at this moment, you really don't know who said what etc. So why go around making up stories.
Also, how has Todd's idea of a woman come into this thread?
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- Joined
- Dec 18, 2003
soogar said:And how can you tell that he wouldn't make fun of her by looking at him?
I cannot tell you that, and I DID NOT tell you that. I'm questioning your remark that David might comment on Sarah's weight because he LOOKS like a person who would do that. What I'm suggesting here is that YOU can't tell what someone would or would not say based on their looks any more than I can, or anyone else can.
DG
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Yes one look at that North American and you can tell he's bent on calling skaters fat.soogar said:
And most Americans, too. You know how those Americans can get. The American Media coverring the trials and tribulations of the little girl was not enough media blitz. Was it?
Exactly! They have too many Americans in that show. So few Russians. Terrible these Americans. They shouldn't put so much emphasis on making a show produce a profit.
Joe
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2004
Linny said:
Sharing tips about losing weight could easily be as hurtful as outright teasing. Any coworker who offers unsolicited advice about a personal matter has crossed the line. If one is truly concerned about a friend’s personal life, it is important to have a strong basis of friendship from which to approach the matter, and even then it is important to tread lightly. Jaime is not known for her subtlety or tact, so yes, I think Jaime would make comments about Sarah’s weight that would be perceived as teasing.
Jaime has been fortunate not to have suffered repercussions from her offensive behavior in SLC. She has benefited from Scott Hamilton’s bias in favor of North American skaters and B&S’s restraint and diplomacy in working side by side with an athlete who slandered them. I did not observe that degree of poor sportsmanship on David's part, but he was not in a position to speak out against Jaime's statements and actions because of his romantic loyalty to her.
soogar said:
I agree that if Sarah could meet even minimum standards for performance, there would be no issue about her weight. Her problem is that she has not made any effort to improve, and it has hurt the reputation of SOI this year, as Heather described in her post. It is not just a problem of triple jumps, because Bobek lost her jumps, but people still felt like they got their money’s worth from watching her skate because she made an effort to present original choreography. Sarah’s SOI programs have no redeeming qualities and as headliner she threatens to drag the entire tour down with her.
About Pain in the Ice - I believe that is an EZBoard - and about 99.9% of all that system is currently down due to be hacked into earlier this week. But you might try to do a google search for it (sorry, I don't have the link).
And, one more time - just because I am a skeptic:
I just think we should all remember that not everything you hear and read in the media is always accurate. How many times have we all bemoaned the mistakes we find in what they say & write? I have no idea, personally, if the report is accurate and what Alexei said was properly quoted. Adding speculation to the situation isn't helpful either. But if Alexei did truly say what these articles say, then I am disappointed.
And, one more time - just because I am a skeptic:
I just think we should all remember that not everything you hear and read in the media is always accurate. How many times have we all bemoaned the mistakes we find in what they say & write? I have no idea, personally, if the report is accurate and what Alexei said was properly quoted. Adding speculation to the situation isn't helpful either. But if Alexei did truly say what these articles say, then I am disappointed.
One of the most interesting threads I've read in a long time, mainly because of the intelligent discussion around the issue - (other than the totally childish speculation about who were the mean, snarky skaters)
You guys make a lot of good points about Alexei re: biting the hand that feeds him, his possible loneliness, the two faced comments first about "dinosaur" Americans and then about those awful people who made Sarah feel bad. ( On a CNN clip about the SOI buses, Jamie said that Alexei is the "solitary one", he's his own man - something like that.)
SOI is definitely a BUSINESS, as someone said - not a ballet company or opera company supported by the state. The NA skaters know this. It is their bread and butter for 4-8 years max. It is likely the most money they will ever make per year in their working lives, and they have a short time to do this. The tour HAS to survive for this to happen. And Sarah was, by all comments, not only NOT prepared for the rigours of the tour, (which must be killing), but an embarrassment to the show as well. A lot of the other skaters must have been sweating over this, and I'll bet there were PLENTY of private discussions about it. (espec the pairs guys I might imagine - who lifted her in Mr. Blue Skies - and who are used to lifting tiny girls)
I do feel sorry for Sarah and it's really sweet that the Russian skaters made her feel welcome. HOWEVER, remember that Alexei reported to an interviewer what he surmised or gathered from Sarah. Then the interview was translated.
Has anyone thought of THIS spin on what might have happened:
Sarah gets on the bus after the show many different nights and says "Oh my God I'm so exhausted.... I had no idea.... Does it get any easier as the tour goes on?.....How do you guys do it year after year.......blah, blah, blah....." You guys get the idea. Make up your own scenario. And then, having been given the opening, the other skaters at various times take the bait and tell her "Yes, it's not a vacation, it's really demanding, nothing can prepare you for it ...blah, blah"
I seriously do not think that anybody ever made fun of her or criticized her the way the interview seems to indicate. (But.... how do I know? Just my opinion).
That, plus the talking about skating all the time (I'm sure the skaters analyse how things could have been better, how they were mad at themselves for missing something that night, or how they almost tripped in such and such....). That would have made the unfit Sarah feel even more self conscious. Remember also that both Kyoko and Jamie had fairly serious injuries one right after the other in the early part of the tour, so if I were in their shoes I could imagine talking about healing, therapy, feeling stronger, working on the injured part, worrying that it might not heal quickly.. etc. etc.
It must have been a very, very stressful tour for Sarah - increasingly as everybody on the tour got more tired and grouchy and her weight increased she must have felt very bad. However, sitting here with a perfectly good job, I can't imagine a person coming into my office - albeit very sweet and nice - who tries her best, but whose performance starts to influence in a very real way what might be my future in my job, because it might contribute to my company going under. I had never thought of it in those terms, but that would scare me silly AND make me resentful at the same time.
Sorry for rambling. I enjoy your discussions!
edited: Jamie Sale and weigh problems? Am I missing something or thinking of the wrong skater?
You guys make a lot of good points about Alexei re: biting the hand that feeds him, his possible loneliness, the two faced comments first about "dinosaur" Americans and then about those awful people who made Sarah feel bad. ( On a CNN clip about the SOI buses, Jamie said that Alexei is the "solitary one", he's his own man - something like that.)
SOI is definitely a BUSINESS, as someone said - not a ballet company or opera company supported by the state. The NA skaters know this. It is their bread and butter for 4-8 years max. It is likely the most money they will ever make per year in their working lives, and they have a short time to do this. The tour HAS to survive for this to happen. And Sarah was, by all comments, not only NOT prepared for the rigours of the tour, (which must be killing), but an embarrassment to the show as well. A lot of the other skaters must have been sweating over this, and I'll bet there were PLENTY of private discussions about it. (espec the pairs guys I might imagine - who lifted her in Mr. Blue Skies - and who are used to lifting tiny girls)
I do feel sorry for Sarah and it's really sweet that the Russian skaters made her feel welcome. HOWEVER, remember that Alexei reported to an interviewer what he surmised or gathered from Sarah. Then the interview was translated.
Has anyone thought of THIS spin on what might have happened:
Sarah gets on the bus after the show many different nights and says "Oh my God I'm so exhausted.... I had no idea.... Does it get any easier as the tour goes on?.....How do you guys do it year after year.......blah, blah, blah....." You guys get the idea. Make up your own scenario. And then, having been given the opening, the other skaters at various times take the bait and tell her "Yes, it's not a vacation, it's really demanding, nothing can prepare you for it ...blah, blah"
I seriously do not think that anybody ever made fun of her or criticized her the way the interview seems to indicate. (But.... how do I know? Just my opinion).
That, plus the talking about skating all the time (I'm sure the skaters analyse how things could have been better, how they were mad at themselves for missing something that night, or how they almost tripped in such and such....). That would have made the unfit Sarah feel even more self conscious. Remember also that both Kyoko and Jamie had fairly serious injuries one right after the other in the early part of the tour, so if I were in their shoes I could imagine talking about healing, therapy, feeling stronger, working on the injured part, worrying that it might not heal quickly.. etc. etc.
It must have been a very, very stressful tour for Sarah - increasingly as everybody on the tour got more tired and grouchy and her weight increased she must have felt very bad. However, sitting here with a perfectly good job, I can't imagine a person coming into my office - albeit very sweet and nice - who tries her best, but whose performance starts to influence in a very real way what might be my future in my job, because it might contribute to my company going under. I had never thought of it in those terms, but that would scare me silly AND make me resentful at the same time.
Sorry for rambling. I enjoy your discussions!
edited: Jamie Sale and weigh problems? Am I missing something or thinking of the wrong skater?
I did find the link for Pain in the Ice:
http://p196.ezboard.com/ballskateeverybodyskate
(edited to change html to url -- MM)
http://p196.ezboard.com/ballskateeverybodyskate
(edited to change html to url -- MM)
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