James/Radford announce partnership
- Thread starter Mista Ekko
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- Aug 12, 2014
I've listened to 45 minutes of the TSL interview with Meagan, at which point they've already gone into many other subjects. My take-away is that I agree that, as she said, "My stories can help people; my stories can create change." But I have trouble with her timing and her failing to talk to Eric directly, rather than spill over twitter.
When she realized, over the past two weeks, that she didn't feel the way she did when Eric first called to inform her, the brave thing to do would have been to reach out to talk to him about her true feelings. (A lot of people have attacked Eric for not having the courage to talk to her earlier, but that evaluation cuts both ways.) Instead, she broadcast to the world via twitter etc. that she'd re-thought her initial reaction and her feelings were hurt. If she didn't think this would create negative feelings for Eric and the new partnership, she's more naive than I am, or perhaps she thinks he deserves it.
If she had talked to Eric first, then her experiences and feelings could have opened the door to heal whatever rifts his behavior had caused; and that's a valid way to help people and create change. It's a valid way to stand up for herself. I know it's "what might have been" ... but later, they might have told their experiences in joint form and thus been an example for ways to stand up for oneself without inflicting more hurt.
When she realized, over the past two weeks, that she didn't feel the way she did when Eric first called to inform her, the brave thing to do would have been to reach out to talk to him about her true feelings. (A lot of people have attacked Eric for not having the courage to talk to her earlier, but that evaluation cuts both ways.) Instead, she broadcast to the world via twitter etc. that she'd re-thought her initial reaction and her feelings were hurt. If she didn't think this would create negative feelings for Eric and the new partnership, she's more naive than I am, or perhaps she thinks he deserves it.
If she had talked to Eric first, then her experiences and feelings could have opened the door to heal whatever rifts his behavior had caused; and that's a valid way to help people and create change. It's a valid way to stand up for herself. I know it's "what might have been" ... but later, they might have told their experiences in joint form and thus been an example for ways to stand up for oneself without inflicting more hurt.
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- Aug 12, 2014
Good point. But she says a lot to TSL about that being why she chose to speak up in the various ways that she did.
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- Mar 3, 2014
After listening to all of Meagan's interview, (so new info, so posting again 
), I find it was Eric who lacked bravery.
Eric did not tell Meagan his intentions. Meagan asked several different people in the skating world, when would they have told their partner about their intentions, and they all said at the time they were trying out. In other words, before Eric told Meagan. If Eric were truly brave, he would not have just run with Meagan's first shell shocked response, but called and contacted her later, we're going to make an announcement, can you issue a statement of support. ETA: He was the one leaving the partnership, so I personally do not feel the evaluation cuts both ways.
And Meagan was far nicer to Eric than I have been.
, including saying that although she sees how his statement could be read as sexist, she does not believe he is sexist.
I truly do not understand all this "why did she say this on social media" angst, as though she showed up at a wedding and called the bride ugly
. How she communicated is irrelevant; I am grateful that she did communicate and continues to communicate.
), I find it was Eric who lacked bravery.Eric did not tell Meagan his intentions. Meagan asked several different people in the skating world, when would they have told their partner about their intentions, and they all said at the time they were trying out. In other words, before Eric told Meagan. If Eric were truly brave, he would not have just run with Meagan's first shell shocked response, but called and contacted her later, we're going to make an announcement, can you issue a statement of support. ETA: He was the one leaving the partnership, so I personally do not feel the evaluation cuts both ways.
And Meagan was far nicer to Eric than I have been.
, including saying that although she sees how his statement could be read as sexist, she does not believe he is sexist.I truly do not understand all this "why did she say this on social media" angst, as though she showed up at a wedding and called the bride ugly
. How she communicated is irrelevant; I am grateful that she did communicate and continues to communicate.
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- Feb 10, 2014
You’re right, she did. But she also said in terms of learning from her experience that she hoped people would realize they need contracts, even at low levels.
The thing that really struck me is that she waited a week before posting anything because she thought surely someone would ask for her comments. And then they didn’t. And then she started getting people asking what happened and was she pregnant congratulations, etc., so she decided to publish the post, which she edited first.
I honestly don’t think she said anything wrong in that post, and I think she did a really admirable job in the TSL interview of addressing the speculation, misconceptions, and accusations directed at her on social media, all while maintaining a cool, calm, factual manner. I also thought she was quite even handed about Eric, too, stating that she didn’t think he was sexist. Quite honestly, I think Skate Canada and Canadian skating media created a lot of the drama by ignoring her until they no longer could.
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- Jun 26, 2012
This. Exactly what I thought.
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- Jan 28, 2013
Just watched the TSL interview. Not the trainwreck that I feared. If anything, I believe she made some effort to lower the temperature.
She even conceded that she didn't bring her concerns up in her initial call from Eric, essentially saying "ok" to everything, and I can see how that could have led to different interpretations of that event. She was upfront about what bugged her, but she also defended him against charges of sexism. That's all fair.
But I also don't think this is going to end up in some fairy-tale ending where she's "rah-rah" about them. They're done as partners, and I suspect as friends. She brought up the need for contracts for pairs of any level, but I'm not sure I agree with that. She had a former partner herself before Eric. The hosts did not ask how that partnership dissolved, but I thought that would be interesting.
There was also some discussion about the possible ramifications of a situation with a former partner that we've been asked not to discuss on this thread... but I found that part interesting.
She even conceded that she didn't bring her concerns up in her initial call from Eric, essentially saying "ok" to everything, and I can see how that could have led to different interpretations of that event. She was upfront about what bugged her, but she also defended him against charges of sexism. That's all fair.
But I also don't think this is going to end up in some fairy-tale ending where she's "rah-rah" about them. They're done as partners, and I suspect as friends. She brought up the need for contracts for pairs of any level, but I'm not sure I agree with that. She had a former partner herself before Eric. The hosts did not ask how that partnership dissolved, but I thought that would be interesting.
There was also some discussion about the possible ramifications of a situation with a former partner that we've been asked not to discuss on this thread... but I found that part interesting.
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- Mar 7, 2015
Meagan skated with Craig Buntin before she did skate with Eric. There is no drama about their split : he was starting a MBA and had had a long career already, including skating with Valérie Marcoux, who had previously skated with Bruno, Meagan's now husband...
I went to dig up one article about their announcement. I remember following them back in the days... there was no drama at all about this.... Craig is wishing the best to Meagan in her new partnership with Eric, and Meagan is wishing the best to Craig in his studies. However, I have no memories of Eric's split with Anne-Marie Giroux with whom he skated for one season, finishing 8th at Nationals. All I recall is that Richard Gauthier had suggested Eric and Meagan might work well together. I actually have no recollection of the Giroux/Radford partnership at all.
Splits and pairs reshuffling is common at the early stages of a career. To name only one, Zach Daleman has had already 3 partners (Allison Schumacher, Patricia Andrew and now Justine Brasseur) in his very short career as a pair skater. It is another story when the partnership is no longer looking to get medals in the "amateur" competitive circuit but is working on professional tours, aka have converted their success in the competitive world into a business. Meagan was quite candid about the fact that she is now out of a job... as nobody would hire her when they can hire Kaetlyn Osmond or Ashley Wagner.
Well similar to a lot of things - I'd be curious to see what the parameters of the contract look like and how the situation is kept mutually fair for everyone involved. Especially once you get to a senior/pro level like Eric and Meghan are I can understand a contract being involved because there are usually shows (aka income) tied to the partnership more than each skater - ex. Stars on Ice isn't going to reach out to Meghan to skate independently that's not a draw for the show its the Eric/Meghan pairs team that's a draw for the show. But I think the execution of it could be really quite messy, the metaphorical can of worms. I mean after all the situation with Meghan and Eric, 1 of the points he mentioned was that she was hesitant or didn't want to do the shows in Japan because she didn't want to be away from her child, which is understandable from her point of view and I'm not faulting her for it nor do I think Eric was intending to fault her for it, but from Eric's point of view she would be costing him a paycheck to not do those shows. Would Meghan want to be forced to go to Japan and be away from her child, or have to pay Eric compensation for refusing the shows in Japan which is something that could be part of partnership contracts?
Honestly I'd be mad if I was her, and think she was very gracious in that TSL interview than most would be. He could have had the common courtesy to tell her she was basically losing one of her few sources of income instead of telling her late; stringing her along as a backup plan incase things didnt work with Vanessa. That's really messed up, and I wouldn't blame anyone who is in ice dance or pairs for wanting a contract when entering into a partnership.
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- Mar 7, 2015
she said they had found arrangements for SOI Japan shows, if they had happened... the only shows she wouldn't be willing to do are 6 month long types of tours... which do not exist in figure skating. It was quite clear on the TSL interview she gave that 1) yes, there were issues going to Japan with a baby 2) those issues had been dealt with by their agent.
She has also mentioned that many pair/ice dance skaters on the pro circuit live in different cities even countries, and some also have children. She said that Eric was "probably trying to find an excuse" and also mentioned in his defense that even if it did sound as a sexist comment, that Eric is genuinely not a sexist person.
After watching the interview, what really upset her is the "FACT" to use her words, the Eric was planning SOI Canada fall tours with her, WHILE training with Vanessa... and the "FACT" that many people in the skating world knew and advise Eric to tell Meagan as soon as possible, but he chose to only tell her when Vanessa got released. That's a classic case of "cheating husband" (that's my opinion)
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- Mar 3, 2014
Meagan explained in the interviews the arrangements she had made for child care and that she in no way was going to, nor did she want to, prevent Eric from doing shows or omaking money.
to the extent that Eric implied that Meagan’s child would prevent her from skating in shows, he was mistaken. The interview she did with TSL explains it all in detail and exactly what Meagan could do and could not do, I recommend it if you would like to understand more about their arrangements.
ETA: typing the same time as @4everchan , but not as completely or as fast.
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- Mar 7, 2015
I could see that being fun for one SOI CANADA tour... but not much further than that...
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- Jun 26, 2012
Exactly! I think I mentioned it earlier that living in different cities, isn't a a thing. I enjoyed that interview, especially because Meagan wasn't hateful to anyone and actually defended her (former) friend. Please don't continue the negative Meagan thing. She has the right to feel blindsided, she also has the right to post whatever she wants, and be unhappy about all of this. Did we her hear say anything negative about this new couple not deserving to be successful? No.
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- Jan 28, 2013
I really don't know enough about the finer details of athletic partnerships or contract law to have an informed opinion, but she wasn't just talking about pro-level skaters. I'm almost certain she mentioned contracts at "all levels" and I think she mentioned "juniors" but I'd have to go back to confirm... and I'm not going to do that.
But who actually pairs up skaters to form pairs or dance teams? I doubt that the young people actually have much to do with it, other than brother/sister. So are these young people, probably too young to enter a contract themselves, obligated to comply with a contract not of their making? What if one of the skaters has greater talent and the partner can't keep up? What if one skater finds that he/she comes to intensely dislike the other? Would a contract lock these skaters into a situation where they are trapped?
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- Mar 7, 2015
I think most people understand Meagan's point of view and have been supportive of her, including a lot of fellow skaters. As far as Eric is concerned, I am pretty sure he was expecting the flack he is getting, as well as the enthusiasm towards his comeback to competition...
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- Mar 7, 2015
you are correct that she said all pairs should have contracts... but I think (my opinion) that though she said "whatever the level" a contract between kids would probably mostly be about loyalty and respect...
while a contract between pro skaters would probably have an agreement in terms of what they are willing to do professionally and for how long. I can compare it to my field which is quite similar : often, we have contracts with the promoters but not between partners... for instance, partners (read skaters here) would plan to do something together, but would wait for the promoter (read SOI Canada here) to sign them... so in her case, not having an written contract with Eric that he will be her partner for X amount of time, made her vulnerable. In my case, as I was part of a show that was built with a few people, I have an agreement of first refusal...(not sure of the term in English)... which means that if my partners get an offer to do that same show, they will ask me if I am available and willing to do it first. If I do not want to do it, that's fine and they can look for someone else, but they cannot do the show with someone else without asking me first.For your second point, it seems obvious to me that it's coaches and choreographers at local clubs first.. and from there, emerges talent that is then scouted to form partners at a more regional, provincial and even national level... but I am not an insider so someone can correct me if I am wrong.
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- Jan 28, 2013
I understand her point of view. Her feelings are hurt. There is some potential loss of income, but the main point she made in the interview was that she felt disrespected. Again, I can understand that, even if I think her own communication decisions were unfair... and I understand some people DON'T think they were unfair. We can agree to disagree.
But I don't think Eric (or Skate Canada) expected anything like the reaction that's occurred. That piece from Dylan and Asher was as fluff as you could get. I'm neither "Team Meagan" or "Team Eric" and I'm certainly not "Team Vanessa" although I've already mentioned a previous personal experience would have me leaning to his side if I took a side. But even I acknowledge that this is a PR nightmare - somebody dropped the ball here big time.
In a few days we've gone from "Canada's New Power Couple" to "that two-timing SOB." And some people are not going to get over that.
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