TSL interview with Ilia Malinin

[BlissfulSynergy]

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The interview with Ilia Malinin is less than 20 minutes, but I find it interesting that Lease was able to get Ilia to agree to this interview. While Lease has connections and access, and he's been able to land a number of interviews with coaches and with some international skaters, awhile back I believe U.S. fed had encouraged their skaters not to go on TSL (which significantly cut down Lease's guest list opportunities). This advisement by U.S. fed had occurred around the time that Lease had been tweeting stuff about Gracie and her family during the height of Gracie's problems when she was still valued as a top skater (but her world was beginning to up-end).

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Also, a TSL interview with Polina Edmunds who says she would have selected Ilia Malinin over Jason Brown for the Olympics -- which is unsurprising, seeing that Polina got to go to the Olympics the year of her senior debut at U.S. Nationals. I understand the debate and the difficulty the selection committee had re the men this year, but I think components are important in figure skating. I get tired of the 'This is a sport' argument. Figure skating is both sport and art. End of.

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[moonvine]

Also, a TSL interview with Polina Edmunds who says she would have selected Ilia Malinin over Jason Brown for the Olympics -- which is unsurprising, seeing that Polina got to go to the Olympics the year of her senior debut at U.S. Nationals. I understand the debate and the difficulty the selection committee had re the men this year, but I think components are important in figure skating. I get tired of the 'This is a sport' argument. Figure skating is both sport and art. End of.

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Figure skating is an opinion.

 

[moonvine]

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The interview with Ilia Malinin is less than 20 minutes, but I find it interesting that Lease was able to get Ilia to agree to this interview. While Lease has connections and access, and he's been able to land a number of interviews with coaches and with some international skaters, awhile back I believe U.S. fed had encouraged their skaters not to go on TSL (which significantly cut down Lease's guest list opportunities). This advisement by U.S. fed had occurred around the time that Lease had been tweeting stuff about Gracie and her family during the height of Gracie's problems when she was still valued as a top skater (but her world was beginning to up-end).

I will not listen to or watch them. The stuff with Gracie makes me ill. As does the stuff he’s said about Alyssa.

 

[yelyoh]

I no longer listen to TSL but was curious to hear Iila speak. David was low keyed relatively (a little star struck?) and there was a nice rapport between them. Iila comes off as a humble guy and you know you know you know I mean a typical teen but of course he's not. Fun to hear him talk about himself.

 

[mrrice]

Figure skating is an opinion.

Regarding Polina's comment about the Olympics. The year she went was the year they left Mirai off the team, right? I felt like that was a slap in the face to Mirai. The big difference is that Mirai was already a National Champion, a World Team Member, and an Olympian and for her to be passed over for unproven Polina was a gamble. She finished in the top 10 so I guess it worked out but......

 

[Jammers]

Regarding Polina's comment about the Olympics. The year she went was the year they left Mirai off the team, right? I felt like that was a slap in the face to Mirai. The big difference is that Mirai was already a National Champion and an Olympian and for her to be passed over for unproven Polina was a gamble. She finished in the top 10 so I guess it worked out but......

Why a slap in the face? Mirai had years after 2010 to make a case to be sent to the Olympics and she was regressing so why not go for a younger talent? She didn't have the record Jason has had leading up to this Olympic year so they picked Polina. Miara's skate at nationals in 2014 was nice but it wasn't a "We should send her to the Olympics kind of skate".

 

[mrrice]

Why a slap in the face? Mirai had years after 2010 to make a case to be sent to the Olympics and she was regressing so why not go for a younger talent? She didn't have the record Jason has had leading up to this Olympic year so they picked Polina. Miara's skate at nationals in 2014 was nice but it wasn't a "We should send her to the Olympics kind of skate".

Because Mirai was a National Champion, an Olympian, and she Won The Bronze Medal in 2014. A much different situation than Ilia's.

 

[tinlizzie]

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The interview with Ilia Malinin is less than 20 minutes, but I find it interesting that Lease was able to get Ilia to agree to this interview. While Lease has connections and access, and he's been able to land a number of interviews with coaches and with some international skaters, awhile back I believe U.S. fed had encouraged their skaters not to go on TSL (which significantly cut down Lease's guest list opportunities). This advisement by U.S. fed had occurred around the time that Lease had been tweeting stuff about Gracie and her family during the height of Gracie's problems when she was still valued as a top skater (but her world was beginning to up-end).

I don’t think DL has had problems having skaters come on TSL he seems to interview quite a few of them. I also don’t think the US Fed has the best track record of protecting skaters and I think a lot of skating fans appreciate the behind the scenes reporting that TSL provides without the facade that everything is okey dokey, nothing to see here, let’s move on and SMILE!

 

[bouncy]

I no longer listen to TSL but was curious to hear Iila speak. David was low keyed relatively (a little star struck?) and there was a nice rapport between them. Iila comes off as a humble guy and you know you know you know I mean a typical teen but of course he's not. Fun to hear him talk about himself.

He seems like a humble and well-spoken person.

 

[apgold]

I haven't watched yet but I am a supporter of TSL. Dave has a lot of insight and connections and I enjoy him and Jonathan's commentary. Sometimes he's a bit over the top and gossipy but he is often right about things including Diana Davis and her sudden rise in rankings.

He is usually respectful when interviewing skaters, coaches and choreographers.

Some skaters hate him, like Ashley Wagner and others like him like Meagan Duhamel who is often a guest. I certainly don't agree with everything he sàys but his love of skating is evident.

 

[moonvine]

I haven't watched yet but I am a supporter of TSL. Dave has a lot of insight and connections and I enjoy him and Jonathan's commentary. Sometimes he's a bit over the top and gossipy but he is often right about things including Diana Davis and her sudden rise in rankings.

He is usually respectful when interviewing skaters, coaches and choreographers.

Some skaters hate him, like Ashley Wagner and others like him like Meagan Duhamel who is often a guest. I certainly don't agree with everything he sàys but his love of skating is evident.

He said Alysa Liu’s father should have gotten an egg from an Asian woman so she wouldn’t get too tall.

I don’t care how much he loves skating.

 

[skatefan17]

Also, a TSL interview with Polina Edmunds who says she would have selected Ilia Malinin over Jason Brown for the Olympics -- which is unsurprising, seeing that Polina got to go to the Olympics the year of her senior debut at U.S. Nationals. I understand the debate and the difficulty the selection committee had re the men this year, but I think components are important in figure skating. I get tired of the 'This is a sport' argument. Figure skating is both sport and art. End of.

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Figure skating leans more toward athleticism though and I think Polina’s argument is sport trumps art. The better physical skater isn’t going to the Olympics and it seems skewed.

 

[karne]

Because Mirai was a National Champion, an Olympian, and she Won The Bronze Medal in 2014. A much different situation than Ilia's.

And she hadn't done anything that season except pull two good skates out of her backside at Nationals, whereas Ashley was actually in form and merely had a hiccup at Nationals. And if the technical panel had actually called the URs correctly Ashley would have finished above Mirai anyway.

Ilia would do well not to get tangled up with the human trash pile that is Lease and TSL.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

And she hadn't done anything that season except pull two good skates out of her backside at Nationals, whereas Ashley was actually in form and merely had a hiccup at Nationals. And if the technical panel had actually called the URs correctly Ashley would have finished above Mirai anyway.

Ilia would do well not to get tangled up with the human trash pile that is Lease and TSL.

TSL is substantiating Ilia and that is not what he needs. This is a teenager not a 25 year old whose last Olympic chance it is. I was so pleased and impressed by Malinin at Nationals and who knows if it’s his last Olympic vice but I don’t think giving him a flash in the pan Olympics will convince him to be a steward of US Mens skating - rather, the opposite, with achievement unlocked and all.

 

[gravy]

- YouTube

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The interview with Ilia Malinin is less than 20 minutes, but I find it interesting that Lease was able to get Ilia to agree to this interview. While Lease has connections and access, and he's been able to land a number of interviews with coaches and with some international skaters, awhile back I believe U.S. fed had encouraged their skaters not to go on TSL (which significantly cut down Lease's guest list opportunities). This advisement by U.S. fed had occurred around the time that Lease had been tweeting stuff about Gracie and her family during the height of Gracie's problems when she was still valued as a top skater (but her world was beginning to up-end).

Not sure where you heard this but that's not true at all and very clearly just wishful thinking from someone who dislikes TSL. Dave's been doing shows with Jenny Kirk twice a week (at least) on Patreon for over 2 years now and they've had current skaters and past skaters, choreographers, and coaches from multiple countries and every discipline on. Their library of interviews is quite impressive on Patreon, let alone all of their public interviews on YouTube. Skaters, especially in the US, are aware of who Dave is and yet they still go on. It doesn't minimize the crap Dave spews at times, but I think it's telling that many still go on despite initially "controversial" opinions that make fans angry but very often end up being true.

As for this interview, it's interesting that Ilia struggled to get his double axel and triples but once he did, he progressed incredibly quickly. He's a well spoken kid and clearly has a great sense of humor. I'm still curious more than anything why he was given his mother's surname over his father--not a big deal at all but it's interesting. Was it for name recognition? If so, it was definitely successful because I think we all always kept an eye on him because he had his jumping machine of a mother's surname.

 

[TontoK]

I don’t think DL has had problems having skaters come on TSL he seems to interview quite a few of them. I also don’t think the US Fed has the best track record of protecting skaters and I think a lot of skating fans appreciate the behind the scenes reporting that TSL provides without the facade that everything is okey dokey, nothing to see here, let’s move on and SMILE!

I sometimes believe USFSA might be more invested in protecting itself than the individuals it purports to serve. The same can be said of other organizations, too (casting a side-eye at USGym).

I have mixed feelings about TSL. I find their interviews with skaters, choreographers, coaches, and judges to be informative and useful. The gossipy speculative gabfests are not for me, so I don't tune in.

They appear to meet a fan need for coverage of the sport. I take what I want of their offerings, and leave the rest.

 

[GGFan]

He said Alysa Liu’s father should have gotten an egg from an Asian woman so she wouldn’t get too tall.

I don’t care how much he loves skating.

It pains me to do this because I have my own issues with DL. However, I think that was not anti-Alysa shade that was shade at her father. The idea being if you're so extreme in your fandom that you tried to create a figure skating champion, and you had the nerve to mention--we always knew this would happen (in terms of height), why not pick an egg donor of the right height? Sorta like saying "You were so ridiculous to try to create the next Michelle Kwan. And you were also dumb in not actually doing it right." In the context of the episode they were critiquing Arthur for his stage parent ways and for ripping her from friends. None of the critiques were about Alysa herself.

 

[karne]

Not sure where you heard this but that's not true at all and very clearly just wishful thinking from someone who dislikes TSL. Dave's been doing shows with Jenny Kirk twice a week (at least) on Patreon for over 2 years now

Didn't Kirk abandon the show a few years ago?

 

[gravy]

Didn't Kirk abandon the show a few years ago?

She left the main show in late 2016, but returned to do live shows on Patreon with Dave at the end of 2019. She sometimes fills in for Jonathan Beyer on the main show from time to time when he's not available. I definitely prefer the Patreon show with Jenny because she keeps Dave in line and also keeps him from saying anything too stupid.