Sandra Bezic and Scott Hamilton

[Tonichelle]

the ultimate commentary shouldn't be pro anything - but great skates and the sport itself, but then the person wouldn't be human. EVERYONE has biases... to say she can't be Canadian because she's on American TV is a bit silly.

 

[Dyan]

please speak for yourself and not "All Americans" I know quite a few who LOVE several Canadian athletes (and skaters).

I am American and while I'm rooting for B&A to have a much better end of season than their beginning, and win or at least come away with a medal, it would not break my heart one bit if V&M won the gold. I'm also rooting for another of my favorites, Joannie Rochette to repeat her LP performance from the Canadian Nationals and find herself on the podium.

And jettasian, by making broad generalizations about all Americans you are showing yourself to be no different from the people you are complaining about.

 

[jcoates]

I don't think that Sandra is necessarily pro Canadian in her commentary. I think she favors a particular style of skating and choreography. She has been very plain about that over the years. She is a purist in many ways and while she appreciates innovation (for example Lambiel or Takahashi) she usually prefers it to be part of a cohesive whole rather than for its own sake. Don't get me wrong, I have my disagreements with her on many things, but I think she is pretty fair as far as national bias most of the time. Also, many of the top skaters from the around the world are going to Lori Nichol and David Wilson to create programs at the moment, not just North Americans.

Also consider that she is just as well known for the programs she choreographed for non-Canadians (Boitano, Yamaguchi, Chen, Lipinski) I would say she has a fairly open-minded perspective.

 

[jettasian]

And jettasian, by making broad generalizations about all Americans you are showing yourself to be no different from the people you are complaining about.

Eh, my comment was directly pointing at soogar, yes, people like him/her do think USA is the center of the universe. Oh, you will be surprised how true that is! :agree:

 

[soogar]

Eh, my comment was directly pointing at soogar, yes, people like him/her do think USA is the center of the universe. Oh, you will be surprised how true that is! :agree:

Actually, I am far from US-centric as many of the older posters can attest to.

I don't follow skating as closely as I used to so when I watch the NBC broadcast, I'm almost in the same shoes as the average viewer. I find it annoying the way Sandra criticizes the new system- when the average viewer most likely will not have an ax to grind- and her biased commenting does not add anything to a viewer's knowledge of the sport.

 

[Grgranny]

Remember when Rosie O said something about someone winning pairs dancing. Stupid. I really don't like Sandra and really don't care that much for Scott's commentating but he is improving. I still liked Dick B. And Tracy. And Suzie.

 

[FlattFan]

Tracy is pro-canada. I can't believe she called Joannie Rochette's LP at the 2009 Worlds like it's the second coming of christ. Sandra is rarely pro anything. She seems to be neutral/negative most of the time. I don't recall her being overtly enthusiastic about anyone. I like her that way.

 

[FlattFan]

I really like Sandra after the ladies SP, actually. She called it like it is. When Caroline Zhang rocked her flip edge back and forth, Sandra called it.
I honest don't know who Sandra likes/dislikes after the entire competition. Good to have an objective commentator for the sport.

 

[Phoenix347]

I think the person NBC really needs to get rid of is Andrea Joyce. She's a pariah to all skaters (and other sport athletes, too.) I really can't stand her. Who really need to hear her dig into skaters after they had a tough outing?

 

[Tonichelle]

I don't recall her being overtly enthusiastic about anyone. I like her that way.

Sale & Pelletier 2002
Evan Lysacek every time he takes the ice

Boitano always gets raving reviews from her as well (way back when they had professional competitions)... she'd even choose him over Browning if need be (and she choreographed more for Kurt in later years). Not sure how she chooses her loyalties, but she is just as biased as teh others.

 

[FlattFan]

Sale & Pelletier 2002
Evan Lysacek every time he takes the ice

Boitano always gets raving reviews from her as well (way back when they had professional competitions)... she'd even choose him over Browning if need be (and she choreographed more for Kurt in later years). Not sure how she chooses her loyalties, but she is just as biased as teh others.

I don't watch dance, so Sandra's notoriety totally escaped me.
I thought she said some nice things about Evan because he did some nice things.
I just started watching figure skating in the past year so whatever Sandra said before was a tabula rasa.

 

[Tonichelle]

Sandra doesn't commentate for ice dance. Pairs, Mens, and Ladies yes... ice dance is Tracy Wilson (another canadian).

 

[soogar]

Tracy Wilson is a much better commentator than Sandra Bezic and is not biased. I really enjoy her commentary - especially the Olympics. She points out good things in all the couples.

Sandra was much better in the ladies though it seems that no lady went to Canada to get choreography. I was so surprised that she didn't really go on and on about Orser being Gao's coach. Maybe they do read internet feedback and she may have been spoken to about the Canadian cheerleading.

 

[Tonichelle]

she's never been in Orser's camp, though. Scott is the one that gushes on and on about Orser's work as a coach - and rightfully so.

 

[i love to skate]

Sandra was much better in the ladies though it seems that no lady went to Canada to get choreography.

Sasha, Alissa, Mirai, Caroline, Rachael, etc. are all choreographed by either Wilson or Nichol...