James/Radford announce partnership

[karne]

Woulda shoulda coulda. I think it's excellent that Eric is doing and saying what he can now.

I don't. Because this is the equivalent of Eric lighting the fuse, standing back and watching it blow up, and then now turning to everyone else with puppy-dog eyes going "but I didn't know this would blow up!". It's disingenuous from him.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

that's nice that Eric says this now. It is unfortunate he didn't have the courage to talk to her ahead of time.. This could have been done in a much more positive way, and they could have saved their off-ice partnership.

I suppose you mean 'their off-ice friendship.' Meagan and Eric were never in a 'partnership' off-the-ice.

In any case, there's no guarantee that had Eric spoken to Meagan sooner that she necessarily would have accepted the news any better or with greater calm or with less hurt feelings. And the fact remains that Eric & Vanessa were unsure about the possible direction their pairing might take or how soon Vanessa might be able to obtain her release from France. So earlier, the situation was up-in-the-air. Apparently, Eric was hoping for more certainty before he spoke to Meagan. And there is the possibility that had Meagan been upset with the news earlier, gossip could have leaked out and affected the ongoing negotiations for Vanessa's release.

I would say that Eric possibly might have broached a general conversation with Meagan sooner regarding his desire to explore a different career direction. He could have been more up front regarding any misgivings he had about the distance in miles between them and the uncertainty at that point of tour events due to the pandemic. These appear to be factors in Eric's thinking. Plus, it seems to me that Skate Canada played an important role in either suggesting and/or encouraging and advocating for this partnership to come to fruition.

I didn't realize that the IOC had a 3-year wait rule in place for country switches in connection with the Olympics. It surely helped that Vanessa was born in Canada and has a Canadian passport. Still, at the level of ISU and IOC approval involvement, it is surely the staunch political clout and support of Skate Canada, along with France's quick release, that were of major importance. Just two athletes wanting to do this would likely not have happened without strong political backing and fed involvement in the formation of the partnership.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

It's rather interesting all the negative energy that some observers continue to harbor when the principals involved have moved on with the important business in front of them. LOL

Aliona never received such heated ire when she dumped Robin for Bruno. Quite the opposite. Meanwhile, Robin didn't make a public fuss, although his then fiancee (now wife) was upset for him and reportedly informed Bruno's pairs partner what was happening, as she too was taken by surprise. It was helpful for Robin that Nina Mozer later offered him a coaching position, as his pro skating prospects with a lesser known partner did not work out long term.

 

[4everchan]

I suppose you mean 'their off-ice friendship.' Meagan and Eric were never in a 'partnership' off-the-ice.

I don't think there is a person on this forum who doesn't know that Eric is gay. He has been very outspoken about this.

A partnership is not exclusive to a romantic partnership, the word partnership has a very broad meaning. They were partners on-ice and off, as they were business partners, friends, if I recall properly, Meagan has even called him a soulmate. So when I wrote, that perhaps if Eric had been upfront with Meagan it may have saved their off-ice partnership, it was by opposition to their on-ice partnership. Nothing confusing about this.


And BTW, Meagan in the TSL interview stresses the fact that being the last one to hear the news from Eric, was really what upset her, as well as the fact that he was training with Vanessa while he was making touring plans with Meagan. I'd rather trust Meagan's clear interview about this than other people's speculation.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I don't think there is a person on this forum who doesn't know that Eric is gay. He has been very outspoken about this.

A partnership is not exclusive to a romantic partnership, the word partnership has a very broad meaning. They were partners on-ice and off, as they were business partners, friends, if I recall properly, Meagan has even called him a soulmate. So when I wrote, that perhaps if Eric had been upfront with Meagan it may have saved their off-ice partnership, it was by opposition to their on-ice partnership. Nothing confusing about this.


And BTW, Meagan in the TSL interview stresses the fact that being the last one to hear the news from Eric, was really what upset her, as well as the fact that he was training with Vanessa while he was making touring plans with Meagan. I'd rather trust Meagan's clear interview about this than other people's speculation.

Uh, you brought up Eric being gay. That's not what I was referencing. AFAIK, Eric & Meagan had an on-ice partnership and they were friends off-the ice. I am not aware of them having any specific off-ice business venture or partnership. Planning to skate pro is still an on-ice career endeavor. Plus, with Eric desiring to skate professionally and/or to compete eligibly with Vanessa, I do not see a scenario where any kind of off-ice 'business-related' partnership between Eric & Meagan would have been preserved had Eric brought Meagan into the loop sooner.

For sure, during D/R's pairs career they were described as being 'soulmates,' which was lovely. It was seemingly meant as them having the same outlook and intentions regarding their skating goals, and the fact they got on very well together, which can be crucial to carving out a successful pairs career. Whether 'soulmates' was an overly romanticized characterization is moot. It is what it is. It was what it was. No one can say that figure skating has ever been all wine and roses. In fs, those who get to have their cake and eat it too in any degree or capacity, are lucky.

 

[Skater Boy]

What's done is done. We will have to see how Vanessa is accepted. How these two skate together? Can MEgan make a living skating with Dylan M? I can see Eric want to go to the olympics again but if he was thinking this would open more opportunities I think that is a huge role of the dice. He isn't that young and it sounds like a one year thing. He and Megan have numerous titles and medals including Oly Gold, Bronze and two world titles. Vanessa and him have nothing other than the assumption they will knock off Evelyn and Trennt. I guess we'll see what happens soon enough. PCS are usually hard in under a year, big tricks too and D/R had some of the biggest tricks - Quad sal and triple lutzes.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Uh, you brought up Eric being gay. That's not what I was referencing. AFAIK, Eric & Meagan had an on-ice partnership and they were friends off-the ice. I am not aware of them having any specific off-ice business venture or partnership. Planning to skate pro is still an on-ice career endeavor. Plus, with Eric desiring to skate professionally and/or to compete eligibly with Vanessa, I do not see a scenario where any kind of off-ice 'business-related' partnership between Eric & Meagan would have been preserved had Eric brought Meagan into the loop sooner.

For sure, during D/R's pairs career they were described as being 'soulmates,' which was lovely. It was seemingly meant as them having the same outlook and intentions regarding their skating goals, and the fact they got on very well together, which can be crucial to carving out a successful pairs career. Whether 'soulmates' was an overly romanticized characterization is moot. It is what it is. It was what it was. No one can say that figure skating has ever been all wine and roses. In fs, those who get to have their cake and eat it too in any degree or capacity, are lucky.

Actually, skating pro is an on and off ice career endeavor. It entails many business dealings and such, it's not as simple as getting a gig and go skate and that's it, it's so much more.

 

[4everchan]

Actually, skating pro is an on and off ice career endeavor. It entails many business dealings and such, it's not as simple as getting a gig and go skate and that's it, it's so much more.

thank you ! this is exactly what i mean..

For instance, when they did the Le Chateau advertising campaign. Business for pro athletes is not always about being on the ice or the tennis court... Ask Genie Bouchard how much money she makes off the court. Of course, she is on her own. Meagan and Eric did business together. It cannot be any clearer. (just in case some haven't seen the advert... )

 

[karne]

Apparently, Eric was hoping for more certainty before he spoke to Meagan.

So he had enough certainty to arrange Vanessa's release, arrange coaching and choreography, and inform other skaters who he was choreographing for that he would be unavailable, but not enough certainty to tell his skating partner who was making plans for later performances. Uh-huh.

Eric has been an absolute weasel about this whole thing. If he told Megan first and she didn't take the news well, that would be unfortunate, but he absolutely guaranteed she wouldn't take it well by telling her last. It went from "maybe she won't take this well" to "she 100% won't take this well and she has every right to" by his own choice.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

. We will have to see how Vanessa is accepted.

Can you please explain what you mean?

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

thank you ! this is exactly what i mean..

For instance, when they did the Le Chateau advertising campaign. Business for pro athletes is not always about being on the ice or the tennis court... Ask Genie Bouchard how much money she makes off the court. Of course, she is on her own. Meagan and Eric did business together. It cannot be any clearer. (just in case some haven't seen the advert... )

Eh, you can say as retired pros that they had a business partnership, but it was still related to their on-ice skating partnership. I'm not able to see any advert link, so I don't know what you're referring to in that regard.

Returning to your original reference, you said that had Eric spoken to Meagan sooner, "they could have saved their off-ice partnership." I still do not see how this would have happened regardless of when Eric spoke to Meagan. He desired to move in a different direction with a new skating partner. Maybe there's a scenario where the Eric & Meagan friendship might have been preserved with an earlier heart-to-heart talk, but that's not a given either.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Vanessa and him have nothing other than the assumption they will knock off Evelyn and Trennt.

This is apparently your personal assumption. Why are you attributing this line of thought to Eric & Vanessa?

FYI-- In sport, nothing is guaranteed for any athlete. On paper, it was expected that KMT/MM and Walsh/Michaud would be front-runners to make the 2022 Olympic team for Canada. But life and sport always throw curveballs at our expectations, often when least expected.

The expected two top teams still had to compete, and they still have to compete regardless of whoever else enters Canadian Nationals in pairs next year. It's not like there would not have been other teams gunning for an Olympic berth even w/o James/Radford in the mix. Everyone has to come loaded for bear, or stay home.

 

[Colonel Green]

Plus, it seems to me that Skate Canada played an important role in either suggesting and/or encouraging and advocating for this partnership to come to fruition.

The fed didn't suggest anything, everyone has been clear that was the skaters' initiative. Their role was limited to assisting them once they asked.

I didn't realize that the IOC had a 3-year wait rule in place for country switches in connection with the Olympics. It surely helped that Vanessa was born in Canada and has a Canadian passport. Still, at the level of ISU and IOC approval involvement, it is surely the staunch political clout and support of Skate Canada, along with France's quick release, that were of major importance. Just two athletes wanting to do this would likely not have happened without strong political backing and fed involvement in the formation of the partnership.

The IOC waiver is a formality, as long as the former country (France, in this case) doesn't object. They're routinely given.

 

[Mathman]

What is Vanessa's actual citizenship?

 

[el henry]

What is Vanessa's actual citizenship?

She was born in Canada, so unless she renounced her Canadian citizenship (which she apparently did not) she is a Canadian citizen. I base that on the fact that I personally know Americans born in Canada who are citizens of Canada and the US, and not on knowledge of Canadian law, of which I have none (and one of those acquaintances renounced, or whatever it would technically be called, their Canadian citizenship to join the US military. So renouncing can be done).

Presumably Vanessa acquired French citizenship to compete with Morgan at the Olympics.

 

[skylark]

I don't. Because this is the equivalent of Eric lighting the fuse, standing back and watching it blow up, and then now turning to everyone else with puppy-dog eyes going "but I didn't know this would blow up!". It's disingenuous from him.

I understand your point; I just don't see it that way. I think Eric is doing what he can NOW to make amends, and that takes courage as well as an ability to empathize and be flexible.

As @BlissfulSynergy pointed out, Meagan and Eric are both moving straight ahead in their careers, with great speed in my opinion, while some seem to be stuck in a blame game.

 

[skylark]

She was born in Canada, so unless she renounced her Canadian citizenship (which she apparently did not) she is a Canadian citizen. I base that on the fact that I personally know Americans born in Canada who are citizens of Canada and the US, and not on knowledge of Canadian law, of which I have none (and one of those acquaintances renounced, or whatever it would technically be called, their Canadian citizenship to join the US military. So renouncing can be done).

Presumably Vanessa acquired French citizenship to compete with Morgan at the Olympics.

According to my friend Wiki, Vanessa must have gotten French citizenship by 2010, when she competed in the Olympics with her first French partner, Yannick Bonheur. Where they made history as the first black pair.

In January, James/Bonheur placed seventh at the 2010 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. In February, they represented France at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; they placed fifteenth in the short program, fourteenth in the free skate, and fourteenth overall. James/Bonheur were the first black pair to compete at the Olympics.

Vanessa James - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Colonel Green]

What is Vanessa's actual citizenship?

She has three:
- Canadian (birth, jus soli)
- British (birth, jus sanguinis)
- French (by naturalization)

 

[Mathman]

I for one am willing to cut Eric some slack on this whole matter. To coin a phrase, breaking up is hard to do.

In every situation of this type you look back and say to yourself, "Gee, I could have handled that better." But one will always find excuses for putting off telling someone news that will hurt their feelings. Plus, you don't want to blab too much in case the new arrangement falls through.

 

[Jacey91]

I for one am willing to cut Eric some slack on this whole matter. To coin a phrase, breaking up is hard to do.

In every situation of this type you look back and say to yourself, "Gee, I could have handled that better." But one will always find excuses for putting off telling someone news that will hurt their feelings. Plus, you don't want to blab too much in case the new arrangement falls through.

I agree. We don't even know what Eric and Meagan had been talking previously. These pair skating partnerships are so fascinating, even if there's no romantic feelings, it's more than just a business partnership and there's all sorts of feelings involved. Seems like Meagan is moving on as well so I think Eric and Meagan will be friends again.
I have to say I like Dylan. I have never seen him skate, but since I found figure skating I found his and Asher's youtube videos and they are so good. I am surprised Dylan got back to skating since he said he is an actor now? Anyway good for him and Meagan.