2013 4CC's Ice Dance SD

[ice coverage]

I have had this reaction too, and I agree that it is only human nature.

After reading back through the sequence of posts above, I feel the need to add that I was agreeing only with the general notion that off-ice impressions can influence appreciation of someone's skating.

IMHO, the non-exhaustive body of public knowledge about the demise of the Samuelson/Bates partnership suggests that he did not exactly cover himself with glory. YMMV. OTOH, I have long recognized that the affection of men of honor such as White and Shibutani does speak well for Bates, making it harder for me to believe that he was motivated by "bad" or "mean" intentions. :think: :confused2: [Edited to clarify my meaning.]

He was. And they must still be good friends, because it was obvious that Charlie was thrilled when Evan and Madison made the podium at U.S. Nationals this year.

Yes, and other photos showed Davis/White sharing good times with Chock/Bates as they all traveled home from Four Continents.

 

[dorispulaski]

The exact details are not known.

But what is known is Madison is a lot smaller than Emily, both shorter, and lighter. I would suggest there is no nice way in public to say, since I have had an injury, I can't lift you well any more because you are too large, and I am not strong enough any more. There is also no nice way to say it in private.

The whole situation with Emily was sad; such a nice girl, and a beautiful girl, and such nice toe point, too. But how could Evan know if couldn't lift her any more until he tried?

I am just leaving the whole thing in the "things I probably don't need to know" locker, and just like both skaters, and am sad Emily hasn't found a good partner.

 

[Mathman]

Breaking up is hard to do.

Samuelson and Bates had a lot of difficulties after they made the Olympic team in 2010 (and did pretty well, finishing 11th). They left the coaching team that had guided them since they were intermediates and moved to Canton. But they never got a chance to compete under Zoueva and Shpilband because of Evan's injury, which wiped out the entire next season for them. No further details were forthcoming, but they announced before the 2011-12 season that they were seeking new partners.

If they were having a rough patch it's not hard to imagine that the sudden availability of potential star Madison Chock played a role, especially since Bates and Chock announced their new partnership less than a month later. But I think the break was a year or more in the making.

 

[dorispulaski]

I'm sure that's true, that the break was a year in the making.

 

[ice coverage]

Breaking up is hard to do.

Samuelson and Bates had a lot of difficulties after they made the Olympic team in 2010 (and did pretty well, finishing 11th). They left the coaching team that had guided them since they were intermediates and moved to Canton. But they never got a chance to compete under Zoueva and Shpilband because of Evan's injury, which wiped out the entire next season for them. No further details were forthcoming, but they announced before the 2011-12 season that they were seeking new partners.

If they were having a rough patch it's not hard to imagine that the sudden availability of potential star Madison Chock played a role, especially since Bates and Chock announced their new partnership less than a month later. But I think the break was a year or more in the making.

Agree with Doris that none of us are privy to complete knowledge of what transpired.
But the likelihood of "a year or more in the making" (my emphasis), as mentioned by Mathman, has been part of what makes me feel that Samuelson deserved better than what happened to her - after waiting basically a full season for Bates to recover from his terrible Achilles injury.
Thank goodness that she seems like a great person who will have success in all areas of her life. I will leave it there -- with my best wishes to her.

 

[deedee1]

SHORT DANCE - RESULT & VIDEOS
.......
9. Emi HIRAI & Marien DE LA ASUNCION (JPN) - 44.72 Short Dance

I haven't finished watching SDs on my HDD yet, so that I haven't read this thread at all. But I want to/have to say this NOWWWW: Olivier! OLIVIER!! OLIVIER!!!
Why nobody told me Emi/Marien work with Olivier!!!! I am over the moon!