Ted Barton interviews Eteri Tutberidze

[Casual]

They will buy the tickets because they love the FS and their have favorites. And there are many ticket buyers who don't read FS forums, Twitter or articles never..
Many times their hatings show their personalities and not the personality of the hated person.

Most fans don't post on Twitter - but ALL fans have very strong opinions. And ALL fans vote with their feet.

Fans have the power to change the channel, or withdraw their kid from a skating school. They either flock to support the sport, or they drift away - depending on how well their opinions are catered to, by the powers that be.

 

[Casual]

Many times their hatings show their personalities and not the personality of the hated person.

True. Besides, it's impossible to ever know the true personality of a public person or celebrity. What we see is a public persona - air-brushed or vilified, their public image may be miles apart from their real personality.

It's not smart to "hate a person" - we don't really know them, as a person. (It is possible however to "hate the actions", if/when we observe specific actions.)

 

[plushyfan]

Yes, absolutely. It's important what fans are truly thinking. If fans feel marginalized and disrespected, as if their reaction does not matter, or become disillusioned, or get consistently disappointed in a sport for whatever reason - they'll vote with their feet. They'd leave, and their kids would leave too.

Fans are more important to a sport, more so than even the most powerful monied interests. (Money is important too, of course. For example, it's possible - short term - to buy the judging, fix the games, bribe friendly commentators, and fill the social media with positive hype. However, all that would achieve - long term - would be that fans would become disillusioned and leave, and then the sport would die.)

The sport would die without fans - because of no spectators, and no fresh new blood to join the sport.

Read my second post.

If I want to talk about my favorite skater and person, Evgeni Plushenko who is/was not a favorite skater on North-Am fs forums, or on Twitter among the new generations of Fs fans today. Is it important? He was/is one of the most favorite figure skaters ever( probably he was the most popular male skater before Yuzuru). He is on many ice shows, he is the owner of very popular ice shows, he is a great ticketseller, etc.
He has some off ice awards even in foreign countries he brings many fans in the icerinks. He could change the fs in 2010 because of the support of his fans....

Back to Eteri she raises stars, champions who are not only great skaters but they have very interesting, great personalities they seem very cool girls. Eteri is with them for many hours every day. She has impact on them obviously.
So the girls are adored by the fans but their coach is hated..Very interesting view of point. She is a respected coach, the best she pushes the women's skating forward..
Totally irrelevant what is the opinion on her of those FS fans who are from other countries, and many of them are jealous of her succes.

This is what I wanted to say. Of course, the fans are very important in every sport. But there are fans outside the forums or social media.

 

[Casual]

So the girls are adored by the fans but their coach is hated..Very interesting view of point. She is a respected coach, the best she pushes the women's skating forward..
Totally irrelevant what is the opinion on her of those FS fans who are from other countries, and many of them are jealous of her succes.

That's very interesting, and makes me wonder why is that? What's wrong with Eteri? That's so strange. Usually, if a skater is loved and respected, his/her coach is loved and respected as well.

As for irrelevance of opinions of fans from other countries - why? The sport is international, competitions are international, best skaters and coaches are known internationally - I'd venture to say international reputation becomes more important and valuable than purely domestic.

I think everyone who's anyone in this sport craves recognition - and of course they'd prefer to be revered internationally as well as nationally.

 

[Amei]

That's very interesting, and makes me wonder why is that? What's wrong with Eteri? That's so strange. Usually, if a skater is loved and respected, his/her coach is loved and respected as well.

As for irrelevance of opinions of fans from other countries - why? The sport is international, competitions are international, best skaters and coaches are known internationally - I'd venture to say international reputation becomes more important and valuable than purely domestic.

I think everyone who's anyone in this sport craves recognition - and of course they'd prefer to be revered internationally as well as nationally.

I think a lot of people's legitimate negativity towards her comes from 2 different things:

1. Her "break-ups" like Evgenia and Yulia; it soured me on Eteri with her decision to bad mouth those 2; especially taking things that Evgenia said privately to her and putting them out in the media.

2. Concern for how she's molding her skaters with their diets; she made statements back either the season before or the season of the 2014 Olympics praising Yulia's ability to do a powder diet - I get that there's debate some people have said the diet was initiated by Yulia's mom but I'm going to side-eye a coach that has a lot of influence of teenage girls and younger that praises a one of those girl's ability to have a super-restrictive (questionable) diet. And Yulia's not the only 1, we've heard Alina make some questionable statements about eating.

***I think there are people that dislike how she coaches to win the system and not necessarily put out the best performances, ex. all of the backloading and *at least Alina's programs this year, the transition-galore programs.

 

[Casual]

I think a lot of people's legitimate negativity towards her comes from 2 different things:

1. Her "break-ups" like Evgenia and Yulia; it soured me on Eteri with her decision to bad mouth those 2; especially taking things that Evgenia said privately to her and putting them out in the media.

2. Concern for how she's molding her skaters with their diets; she made statements back either the season before or the season of the 2014 Olympics praising Yulia's ability to do a powder diet - I get that there's debate some people have said the diet was initiated by Yulia's mom but I'm going to side-eye a coach that has a lot of influence of teenage girls and younger that praises a one of those girl's ability to have a super-restrictive (questionable) diet. And Yulia's not the only 1, we've heard Alina make some questionable statements about eating.

***I think there are people that dislike how she coaches to win the system and not necessarily put out the best performances, ex. all of the backloading and *at least Alina's programs this year, the transition-galore programs.

The last one - playing the system to win, rather than creating unforgettable artistic performances - is rather obvious, and is my main gripe with Eteri's girls.

I didn't know about the first two. Reprehensible, if true.

On the other hand, this is a brutal sport, and it's possible that the coaches feel they need to focus on winning instead of on protecting their students' long-term health. (If people focused on long-term health, no one would let their kids into this sport at higher levels.) But then, anywhere in competitive sports, there could be different degrees of ambitious aggressive coaching - from necessary tough training, to downright health neglect and bodies abuse.

A powdered diet touted for a growing teen? That sounds iffy, and on the wrong side. If true, bad, bad Eteri.

 

[[email protected]]

I think a lot of people's legitimate negativity towards her comes from 2 different things

And I think it comes from just one thing: jealosy

Junior and senior Eteri's skaters recently won everything but the Worlds after the Olympics and this year GPF. And the recent Nationals podium was "the last drop" for the Russian based critics.

Everything else: who left her, what she said, the diets they use, etc is such a minor thing compared with her results. You take other coaches - who cares about who left whom after Orser/Yuna saga? Look at Eusoon Lim. She hardly weights more than 35 kilos. Where is the outcry about her diet? etc. And the resulting negativity is obviously partial especially when it comes from "arm-chair critics" or nationally biased folks, or CSKA related crowd. I used to get involved a lot in discussions but not as much these days: it's futile when people just strongly dislike Eteri whether they admit jealousy as the reason or not.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

I think a lot of people's legitimate negativity towards her comes from 2 different things:

1. Her "break-ups" like Evgenia and Yulia; it soured me on Eteri with her decision to bad mouth those 2; especially taking things that Evgenia said privately to her and putting them out in the media.

2. Concern for how she's molding her skaters with their diets; she made statements back either the season before or the season of the 2014 Olympics praising Yulia's ability to do a powder diet - I get that there's debate some people have said the diet was initiated by Yulia's mom but I'm going to side-eye a coach that has a lot of influence of teenage girls and younger that praises a one of those girl's ability to have a super-restrictive (questionable) diet. And Yulia's not the only 1, we've heard Alina make some questionable statements about eating.

***I think there are people that dislike how she coaches to win the system and not necessarily put out the best performances, ex. all of the backloading and *at least Alina's programs this year, the transition-galore programs.

If you ask me, I think those two things are just justifications for negativity which comes more from some personal spheres (well, jealosy could be the reason, but sometimes its just inner person's negativity projected there and Eteri is suitable object to project on). So, negativity towards Eteri comes just from one thing - 'negative people'

 

[Mathman]

To tell the truth, I don't think that the fans who we hope will fill up the sporting arenas have very much of an opinion about coaches. They come to see the athletes perform.

As for People ranting on Twitter -- meh.

 

[Casual]

And I think it comes from just one thing: jealosy

Junior and senior Eteri's skaters recently won everything but the Worlds after the Olympics and this year GPF. And the recent Nationals podium was "the last drop" for the Russian based critics.

Everything else: who left her, what she said, the diets they use, etc is such a minor thing compared with her results. You take other coaches - who cares about who left whom after Orser/Yuna saga? Look at Eusoon Lim. She hardly weights more than 35 kilos. Where is the outcry about her diet? etc. And the resulting negativity is obviously partial especially when it comes from "arm-chair critics" or nationally biased folks, or CSKA related crowd. I used to get involved a lot in discussions but not as much these days: it's futile when people just strongly dislike Eteri whether they admit jealousy as the reason or not.

It's irrational and error-prone, to try to second-guess people's motives.

Besides, why would fans be jealous of a successful coach? No skin off fans' back, whoever trains whichever athlete. Seriously?

Most fans are watching for entertainment. Coaches providing good training outcomes (which result in great entertainment and lasting stars) are appreciated, not reviled.

As for outcries about diets. I was very uncomfortable watching Elizabet Tursynbayeva at Olympics and beyond. She seemed too frail. Unhealthy.

My opinion will not change whether she trains with Orser or Eteri.

 

[Fluture]

If you ask me, I think those two things are just justifications for negativity which comes more from some personal spheres (well, jealosy could be the reason, but sometimes its just inner person's negativity projected there and Eteri is suitable object to project on). So, negativity towards Eteri comes just from one thing - 'negative people'

What. On. Earth. This has to be a joke, right?

 

[Casual]

If you ask me, I think those two things are just justifications for negativity which comes more from some personal spheres (well, jealosy could be the reason, but sometimes its just inner person's negativity projected there and Eteri is suitable object to project on). So, negativity towards Eteri comes just from one thing - 'negative people'

Like My Cousin Vinny, the poster presented a "lucid, intelligent, well-thought out objection" (to Eteri's style of coaching).

Dismissing it as "negative people" borders on incivility, but does nothing to disprove the logic of the argument.

 

[rachno2]

If you ask me, I think those two things are just justifications for negativity which comes more from some personal spheres (well, jealosy could be the reason, but sometimes its just inner person's negativity projected there and Eteri is suitable object to project on). So, negativity towards Eteri comes just from one thing - 'negative people'

Don’t pull a muscle with that reach

 

[el henry]

And I think it comes from just one thing: jealosy

Junior and senior Eteri's skaters recently won everything but the Worlds after the Olympics and this year GPF. And the recent Nationals podium was "the last drop" for the Russian based critics.

Everything else: who left her, what she said, the diets they use, etc is such a minor thing compared with her results. You take other coaches - who cares about who left whom after Orser/Yuna saga? Look at Eusoon Lim. She hardly weights more than 35 kilos. Where is the outcry about her diet? etc. And the resulting negativity is obviously partial especially when it comes from "arm-chair critics" or nationally biased folks, or CSKA related crowd. I used to get involved a lot in discussions but not as much these days: it's futile when people just strongly dislike Eteri whether they admit jealousy as the reason or not.

I do not like ETA: [what is reported]what Eteri said about Zhenya, a woman in her 40s acting like a 12 year old because a student chose to leave her.

You may agree or disagree with me, but it is not jealousy.

I don’t really follow the ladies, although I follow Zhenya now that she is Jason’s training mate. Other than Alina, I couldn’t pick out an Eteri coached skater if you offered me a million dollars (is Trusova coached by Eteri? I *might* be able to identify her. ) I couldn’t even tell you who else she coached, let alone be jealous of them. Don’t know, don’t care Not the basis for my opinions.

And IMHO “whataboutism” never works as an argument. Because there is always someone who has raised the questions, whatever they are, about other skaters (I wouldn’t know about Eusoon, I’ve barely seen her either, and frankly couldn’t pick her out if you gave me a million dollars) and then it’s refuted.

And back to this thread, I love Ted. This was a softball interview. That’s OK, it’s Ted.

 

[Mathman]

... back to this thread, I love Ted. This was a softball interview. That’s OK, it’s Ted.

Me, too. He is not a hard-hiting journalist trying to put his interview victims on the hot seat. (He is, however, the best skater ever to come out of New Zealand. )

 

[Scott512]

Eteri attended GP Helsinki with Alina the week before her mother died. She flew back as soon as the competition ended, much earlier than Alina and her other coach, because her mother was dying. The week after her mother died, Eteri was at GP Russia, all in black, but she was there.

Anyone who says Eteri doesn't care about her skaters either doesn't know her, or is willfully closing their eyes to what they don't want to see. Eteri cares deeply. She also cares for their success, unlike the critics who keep attacking her and them online.

Thank you for that post. She is amazing. Certainly not perfect but amazing as a coach. Has any coach in the history of figure skating ever had five great talents at the same time like eteri had with Medvedeva, Zagitova, Alena, Anna and Sasha? I have never seen anything like it. As for TSL they certainly don't measure up to Eteri. They are entitled to their opinion just like anyone else on the internet. I'm not a fan of theirs. But that's me to each their own.

As for Ted Barton this was always going to be an easy interview for Eteri. She would never agree to do an interview where she would get skewered with tough and sometimes unfair questions. I can't blame her or any prominent coach for not wanting to put up with that. Like everyone at golden skate I would like to have seen Eteri talk about Zhenya but that was never going to happen.

 

[Casual]

In Eteri's own words, "When there are no difficulties, then I do not understand what happiness is." I think Eteri Georgievna is doing just fine.

Perhaps it's different on Twitter, but here I'm not seeing any particular dislike towards Eteri as a person, rather objections to what she represents (a certain type of coaching).

Also, constructive criticism does not aim to wound the person being criticized - especially since it's understood that Eteri (or whoever else criticized by fans) would never even know or hear about it.

It's not personal, when fans critique public figures. (I still can't wrap my mind around the idea of fans "being jealous" of figure skating coaches. )

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Perhaps it's different on Twitter, but here I'm not seeing any particular dislike towards Eteri as a person, rather objections to what she represents (a certain type of coaching)

From what I know of Eteri she puts a lot of her personal character and emotions into her coaching. I’m not sure you can completely separate the two.

Also, constructive criticism does not aim to wound the person being criticized - especially since it's understood that Eteri (or whoever else criticized by fans) would never even know or hear about it.

Probably true but not unthinkable that her passion for the sport has lead her to the Internet the same as you and I a time or two at least.

It's not personal, when fans critique public figures. (I still can't wrap my mind around the idea of fans "being jealous" of figure skating coaches. )

Well I’m jealous of their job

I don’t love Eteri or hate her. I just respect her and everything she’s given to the sport.

 

[Mathman]

Probably true but not unthinkable that her passion for the sport has lead her to the Internet the same as you and I a time or two at least.

When the irreverent cartoon South Park made fun of Brian Boitano with the tongue-in-cheek song "What would Brian Boitano do," Brian reacted by saying, "Hey, I'm just glad I'm well-known enough to be made fun of."

Well I’m jealous of their job

:yes:

 

[Casual]

Well I’m jealous of their job

Dealing with insecure, driven, brilliant, stupid teenage girls? (All teenagers go through frustrating stupidity sometimes, even the most brilliant ones.)

While pushing them to beyond the limits of human body, with daily risk of grievous harm?

Oh, no. Thank you. But no.