2022 Winter Olympics: Pairs Short Program

[Hyena]

I think the ISU and IOC are incredibly lucky that pairs is the last event. Just high-level skating, difficult elements executed well, great skating skills from several teams, some fantastic performance.

Outside the top 2, who were brilliant, I was most thrilled with Peng/Jin's skate. The emotion and energy they gave made that program work and I love watching them skate.

 

[RoundedBackCamel]

I know the top two teams are super close to each other and deservedly so, both had a great outing today.

But look at the packaging, charisma, personality, the materials they have been working with (e. g. Rain in Your Black Eyes vs Candyman), the wow factor (and not just today). A tremendous gap between S/H and T/M in that regard imo.

You had to go there and mention Candy Man . I’ve only been a fan for two years bcs of them finding their footing, but I’m so moved by them, finally. Also I didn’t even realize why I responded to their SP music: it’s from “The Leftovers,” a show I consider one of the best ever made. It’s not an easy watch, but it is incredibly thought-provoking. I love Lighthouse too. I must have really different tastes. I keep reading how people don’t like the music, but the free has one of the few songs that really builds. (In fact, texting last night with my sisters, every time a song would start that I loved, they would text in unison, “I don’t like this music,” lol. Oh well. I like show tunes when I’m actually watching the play and I would be perfectly happy to never hear Le Mis or Phantom again. JCS is the odd exception, but I wore that album *out* as a kid!)

It’s funny with four-year fans how I have to explain some events the US team is just not a factor. So they are cheering for the skater to win a medal and I’m thinking, hope they make the top 10, hope they get spots for US team, hope she can finally get that triple-triple, etc. Cheering for your country in a hockey game is one thing; but I’m always going to cheer for my favorite skaters bcs I love the sport so much!

 

[Ares]

You had to go there and mention Candy Man . I’ve only been a fan for two years bcs of them finding their footing, but I’m so moved by them, finally. Also I didn’t even realize why I responded to their SP music: it’s from “The Leftovers,” a show I consider one of the best ever made. It’s not an easy watch, but it is incredibly thought-provoking. I love Lighthouse too. I must have really different tastes. I keep reading how people don’t like the music, but the free has one of the few songs that really builds. (In fact, texting last night with my sisters, every time a song would start that I loved, they would text in unison, “I don’t like this music,” lol. Oh well. I like show tunes when I’m actually watching the play and I would be perfectly happy to never hear Le Mis or Phantom again. JCS is the odd exception, but I wore that album *out* as a kid!)

It’s funny with four-year fans how I have to explain some events the US team is just not a factor. So they are cheering for the skater to win a medal and I’m thinking, hope they make the top 10, hope they get spots for US team, hope she can finally get that triple-triple, etc. Cheering for your country in a hockey game is one thing; but I’m always going to cheer for my favorite skaters bcs I love the sport so much!

You mean one of the most overrated ones? I mean that TV Series 'The Leftovers'. People kept recommending it to me as if it was the best thing since sliced bread but I recall being disappointed by numerous plotholes, wasting big time the potential of the characters created in the S1 (I was primarily drawn to it after learning that Liv Tyler is in it, but after some point she was hardly featured). Poor Tom got thrown under the bus too.
Add to that some notorious sexual objectifying of men (if it was the opposite way around then the show would not get approved I bet), the crucial question of this show not being answered at all, filler episodes, or episodes full of filler content featuring naked guys with their schlongs on full display or repetitive dick or sexual jokes including a very convoluted one when the character played by Theroux was asked to lay it on some panel to open some portal shit (xD), I am not a prude and I am not straight either so I should not be complaining but I remember being annoyed by it. Oh and all these plot lines that were outlined in an exciting way - only to be scrapped, end on some moot point or being discarded to my displeasure.


There were great things too like acting, transcendental and mindblowing turns of events in the S2 (easily the best of three seasons), the soundtrack ... but overall I would not mind not having ever watched this show and maybe doing something more interesting with those hours of my life like learning some guitar riffs for instance.

 

[Cilla70]

They have a good twist, not as good as Vanessa had with Morgan, but still very good. They also have a good death spiral. The levels were too low on both those elements. Nitpicking by the judges, and apparently by some fans too. Judges wish to keep J/R down. I admire Vanessa for her courage and perseverance in the face of soooo much disrespect in this sport, all these years. When Vanessa was with Morgan, it took years to win modicum respect for their obvious talents.

Once J/C improved to a very high level (they already were a fantastic team from the beginning of their partnership), the last three seasons of their career when they were such an influential pair, the judges continued to manage their scores. The judges definitely favored both T/M and S/H in the scoring at 2019 Worlds, for e.g., when J/C had been killing the competition, including T/M (J/C had won every event they entered that season). Despite the collision in the warm-up at 2019 Worlds, which rattled J/C in the sp, I think it was the overly high scores for both T/M and S/H in the sp at 2019 Worlds which sent the message about how J/C (as champions all that season) were actually being viewed. J/C were harshly dealt with in the sp, ensuring they didn't even make the podium, which was an unfair result -- even despite their sp errors.

And sadly, the negativity J/R have faced this season has been unconscionable. They both have my respect for their courage, endurance and perseverance in the face of all the negativity.

James and Radford had a collision before the team event. The collision was with the same team they collided with during the Worlds in 2019, DELLA MONICA Nicole / GUARISE Matteo from Italy.

 

[moonvine]

An extra bit of love for Ashley and Timothy, who've been resting Ashley's right leg after a hard fall in practice a couple of days ago.

May they have a Javi Fernandez moment ... I think it was at Worlds 2016? when he had an injured foot, couldn't get his skate on even, couldn't jump at all for a couple of days before the FS. So he rested it, and Brian Orser reminded Javi on the day of the FS that Javi usually practiced very well on Mondays, after a couple of days of rest. And so it went. And the rest is history.

In any case, may they create a moment, which is one of the things Ashley and Timothy do so well. Everything is possible.

And didn't they just? I was so happy for them!!!!!

 

[Jasira]

Miriam and Severin are in this group, where's @Jasira ?

Sadly I couldn´t watch life due to real life But I hope you all had a lot of fun watching.

 

[Jasira]

I remain forever hopeful for my favourites.

And OMG your icon! The polka-dots!

I´ve always felt like I was the only one who loved that polka-dot dress of Zhenya.

 

[Kinga]

Am I the only one who absolutely 'hates' that Esmeralda-nonsense-short program of M/G? Gazillion of silly O-faces, face waving while scampering around. It doesn't help it is the second season they have used it. It doesn't age well .
Moskvina, pleaze, give them some better programs!

 

[moonvine]

Keegan!!!

My stream decided to die a bit so I missed half that. Odd.

Please join me in bugging the Canadian Olympic people to nominate his as flag bearer for closing ceremony. He has so much experience!

 

[moonvine]

One thing I’ve really enjoyed about this Olympics is seeing all the skaters in the audience supporting their peers. Such fun playing spot-the-skater!

I suspect it’s because there are so many restrictions about what they can do while in Beijing. It’s probably either stay in your hotel room or come to the rink. And it’s not like the cameras have any other audience to focus on

Keegan would be there regardless. I'm convinced!

 

[dorispulaski]

Am I the only one who absolutely 'hates' that Esmeralda-nonsense-short program of M/G? Gazillion of silly O-faces, face waving while scampering around. It doesn't help it is the second season they have used it. It doesn't age well .
Moskvina, pleaze, give them some better programs!

You are not the only one.

Ice Dancers and pairs have been doing Slavic peasant dances forever.

Gosh, is this a dated look, more commonly used in junior competition. It takes me back past Valieva & Vasiliev to Bestemianova & Bukin 1981. Probably further, but I am not old enough to remember. Linichuk & Karponosov had Greek peasant dances earlier.

Certainly one year of this one is enough.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

James and Radford had a collision before the team event. The collision was with the same team they collided with during the Worlds in 2019, DELLA MONICA Nicole / GUARISE Matteo from Italy.

Yes, very strange. But I think this is purely a coincidence, strange as it is. In both instances, the parties involved were not looking around at the direction they were moving in, and they were moving fairly quickly.

At Worlds 2019, it was only Vanessa, practicing her steps individually and moving backwards, who collided with D/G, chiefly making contact with Matteo, who was very kind and conscientious about the entire situation, just as he seemed to be in Beijing, while speaking with Eric after the collision, where Vanessa took the brunt of the impact. It's frankly a blessing she wasn't too badly hurt, and she and Eric have still been able to compete.

 

[moonvine]

Me Gusta this pair! (I bet that's not even correct

It is.

 

[anonymoose_au]

I´ve always felt like I was the only one who loved that polka-dot dress of Zhenya.

Nooo I thought it was so cute and fun

Although Vladimir's matching tie was the icing on the cake

I haven't watched the rest of the event yet so I better get out before I see a spoiler!

 

[moonvine]

eric is 37.. canada is not so bad either lol and we even picked up a new recruit in deanna stellato

Deanna! Next Olympics!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Am I the only one who absolutely 'hates' that Esmeralda-nonsense-short program of M/G? Gazillion of silly O-faces, face waving while scampering around. It doesn't help it is the second season they have used it. It doesn't age well .
Moskvina, pleaze, give them some better programs!

You're so right. I've mentioned this before during the early part of this season. It was okay last season. I understood that even though the program is hokey, Moskvina was trying to get M/G to emote and to interact with each other more, in terms of expressing personality and interacting with each other, rather than showing hesitancy in the way they were thinking through their performances before Moskvina took them under her wing. Last season, this sp was new and fresh, thus easier to overlook the hokeyness and the over-studied pantomime. Plus, M/G had a very dynamic fp, We Are the Champions, which was well-suited to their talents and development at that stage. M/G's fp last season was a breakthrough for them on many levels.

Why Moskvina then chose to give M/H this schlock fp music this season, along with the retread sp is beyond understanding. It almost seems as if Moskvina decided to focus more on trying to give B/K meaty material, and allow M/G to marinate and coast on their talent, which is essentially what has happened this season. B/K were still sulking the first part of this season, and they've picked up their energy and competitive attitude since Europeans. The judges are gifting B/K overmuch, as usual on PCS, since they tend to be the usual technically solid Russian team (when they aren't being distracted by M/G's success). Still, it is fairly obvious that M/G have more talent and potential, at least to my eyes, and apparently to the judges too.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I think the ISU and IOC are incredibly lucky that pairs is the last event. Just high-level skating, difficult elements executed well, great skating skills from several teams, some fantastic performance.

Outside the top 2, who were brilliant, I was most thrilled with Peng/Jin's skate. The emotion and energy they gave made that program work and I love watching them skate.

Thank god-- a day of beautiful performances and great skating and minimal drama.

 

[withwings]

Oh, have not seen yet neither pairs or ladies- work, work and work commitments :-(
Just had a little bit of glance of the pairs ( first group only). First impressions- I never ever saw Eric to skate in such freedom and joy! Vanessa tried her best and her smile was infectious but...hmmm... I hope she is not affected with all that negativity which was boiling against them (?).
Americans were great! Happy for them!! and wish they will have a flawless skate in fp!!!
And, yes, glad that Georgia is having such a promising young pair
Even the first group already uplifted my spirit...

 

[moonvine]

Is a zombie spirit a thing? I feel like one

I am a zombie now, I have corpse bone in my jaw. I'll let you know if I feel a spirit.

 

[moonvine]

With all my attention on Yuma's flag waving....I completely forgot about Keegan's giant flag waving.

How could anyone forget that? Anywhere you see a GINORMOUS Canadian flag you will see a Keegan.