The Shibutanis Thread 4: Ready for Paradise

[Spun Silver]

I meant, psychological pressure can cause physical illness.

Are they prone to psychological illnesses? Not that I know of. It occurred to me that maybe the timing of the Unicorn project/deal/whatever it is threw them off a little. Just a thought.

 

[Spun Silver]

Anyway, the GPF showed that they need to be their sharpest technically *and* their most committed emotionally. It is so weird to see them off technically. If H/D had not also bobbled, they would have won the bronze. Maia and Alex seemed to let their own bobble affect their performance. I really wonder what was going on,but whatever it was, it was a fluke. Not like them at all.

 

[chapis]

Are they prone to psychological illnesses? Not that I know of. It occurred to me that maybe the timing of the Unicorn project/deal/whatever it is threw them off a little. Just a thought.

I don´t know if exactly the Unicorn project, they only announced now but probably the deal was done some time ago. But it is striking that it is almost always Alex, for sure we know that he gets sick in competitions more often than Maia.

 

[Spun Silver]

I meant, psychological pressure can cause physical illness. When I have my period, I never have any discomfort, not even the slightest, but a year ago I left on a trip, almost lost the plane because I got menstrual colic that did not allow me to move, I could not get out of bed.

Yes... but Maia and Alex are so used to traveling, and they love skating in Japan (even more than most skaters). I just don't think that was it.

 

[VGThuy]

I randomly woke up and saw the score but haven’t watched the program. What happened exactly? Their base value was low but as low as I thought looking at their score. Surprised they got a level 2 on the diagonal step considering their level 3 there at Skate America in front of Dostatni. I think I’m going to skip this one.

 

[chapis]

Anyway, the GPF showed that they need to be their sharpest technically *and* their most committed emotionally. It is so weird to see them off technically. If H/D had not also bobbled, they would have won the bronze. Maia and Alex seemed to let their own bobble affect their performance. I really wonder what was going on,but whatever it was, it was a fluke. Not like them at all.

I was half sleep and I thought that H/D won bronze medal, lol

 

[Spun Silver]

I don´t know if exactly the Unicorn project, they only announced now but probably the deal was done some time ago. But it is striking that it is almost always Alex, for sure we know that he gets sick in competitions more often than Maia.

Well, the commentators used to talk about his asthma. I never heard that about Maia. I don't really understand asthma. Is it something you get over or control? My husband used to take asthma meds and now doesn't (at least not the inhalers), so maybe so.

 

[chapis]

I randomly woke up and saw the score but haven’t watched the program. What happened exactly? Their base value was low but as low as I thought looking at their score. Surprised they got a level 2 on the diagonal step considering their level 3 there at Skate America in front of Dostatni. I think I’m going to skip this one.

The evident mistake were twizzles again, but they looked tentative, Alex especially tried, both very serious.

 

[Spun Silver]

I randomly woke up and saw the score but haven’t watched the program. What happened exactly? Their base value was low but as low as I thought looking at their score. Surprised they got a level 2 on the diagonal step considering their level 3 there at Skate America in front of Dostatni. I think I’m going to skip this one.

More twizzle problems with Alex, and a bit of flatness overall.

 

[chapis]

Well, the commentators used to talk about his asthma. I never heard that about Maia. I don't really understand asthma. Is it something you get over or control? My husband used to take asthma meds and now doesn't (at least not the inhalers), so maybe so.

I never heard about Alex with asthma but at 4cc 2012 and GPF 2015, Alex himself explained that he had a severe dehydration due to gastroenteritis, he did not mention any respiratory problem.

And those two competitions Alex said that was the worst he felt in his whole life.

 

[Spun Silver]

I never heard about Alex with asthma but at 4cc 2012 and GPF 2015, Alex himself explained that he had a severe dehydration due to gastroenteritis, he did not mention any respiratory problem.

Hmm, could I be confusing Alex and Yuzuru? I just remember Alex used to finish with blue lips and looking dead. But maybe I am only thinking of the two occasions you mentioned. ??

 

[chapis]

Hmm, could I be confusing Alex and Yuzuru? I just remember Alex used to finish with blue lips and looking dead. But maybe I am only thinking of the two occasions you mentioned. ??

Yes, I am sure Yuzuru has asthma. It's true Alex sometimes seems ends up with cyanotic lips but I've never heard him be sick with asthma.

 

[teacakes]

I randomly woke up and saw the score but haven’t watched the program. What happened exactly? Their base value was low but as low as I thought looking at their score. Surprised they got a level 2 on the diagonal step considering their level 3 there at Skate America in front of Dostatni. I think I’m going to skip this one.

The first half wasn't as strong as Skate America imo, but it was still good. It just went down after the twizzles. Alex left the rotations early each time and it just really affected the rest of their performance, particularly the steps. He was a little off in the Short too but here he just did not look well at all.

I hope he recovers, their reaction in the K&C honestly pained me. & I'm just anticipating that people who prefer other teams over them have got those knives hella sharp.

 

[DreamsofBliss]

Charlie White has asthma. Anyway, they seemed way off and a bit sloppy. I think it is likely something was bothering them but we may not found out what.

 

[VGThuy]

I attribute this to a lack of down time between Skate America and the GPF and then possibly letting the nerves of not only trying to win a medal and go closer to the top two but staving off the other two Americans and feeling like they have to maintain their no. 1 position. I think them having that sort of performance may be a blessing because they now had that bad performance...first time in a long time...and they can now psychologically get that out of the way and see that it’s not so bad. They still came away with a medal and will learn from this. They have a lot of weeks between now and Nationals and I know they’ll make the necessary adjustments.

I’m going to skip the PBP and Dance Hall thread for a while (take it off my subscribes thread). How’s the tone? Gleeful about the Shibs’ less-than-stellar outing? Predictions that they now lost the Olympic bronze medal even though every other team have had less than ideal outings and have made numerous errors but are still afforded opportunities to win medals while the Shibs seem to not be able to make any mistakes and if they do then they miss their only shot and will get dumped? What’s this privilege other teams have that the Shibs don’t?

 

[Spun Silver]

Yes, I am sure Yuzuru has asthma. It's true Alex sometimes seems ends up with cyanotic lips but I've never heard him be sick with asthma.

Sheesh. You just sent me to Wikipedia. There are about a million possible causes of blue lips. Asthma doesn't seem to be one of them but I stopped reading after about 25.

 

[chapis]

I hope he recovers, their reaction in the K&C honestly pained me. & I'm just anticipating that people who prefer other teams over them have got those knives hella sharp.

I know, especially Alex

 

[teacakes]

The thing is, is that they're not the type of skaters to really make excuses, so I'm curious as to whether they'll really comment in depth about it.

 

[Spun Silver]

I attribute this to a lack of down time between Skate America and the GPF and then possibly letting the nerves of not only trying to win a medal and go closer to the top two but staving off the other two Americans and feeling like they have to maintain their no. 1 position. I think them having that sort of performance may be a blessing because they now had that bad performance...first time in a long time...and they can now psychologically get that out of the way and see that it’s not so bad. They still came away with a medal and will learn from this. They have a lot of weeks between now and Nationals and I know they’ll make the necessary adjustments.

I’m going to skip the PBP and Dance Hall thread for a while (take it off my subscribes thread). How’s the tone? Gleeful about the Shibs’ less-than-stellar outing? Predictions that they now lost the Olympic bronze medal even though every other team has had less than ideal outings and have made numerous errors but are still afforded opportunities to win medals while the Shibs seem to not be able to make any mistakes and if they do then they miss their only shot and will get dumped? What’s this privilege other teams have that the Shibs don’t?

Raving about how P/C are in a class of their own and Beethoven lived just for them. Sorry, but as a classical music lover that one is a bit hard to swallow. I thought they were beautiful but V/M had so much more content! It seems like the judges want to put forward a new young style. And FWIW, I normally prefer P/C to V/M. But the latter were great tonight. As for the Shibs, put down upon put down.

 

[Spun Silver]

Anyway, this is so fluke it doesn't worry me at all. I agree with VGT, they can't be so perfect all the time so they got their bad skate out of the way. Hope Alex gets and stays healthy though!

 

[MRani]

I am dead tired and in no mood to go watch a sad performance from them, so my only contribution at this point is that I did notice Alex’s lips were more blue than usual after the SD yesterday. The last time I remember them being that noticeably blue was at GPF 2015 (he was matching Maia’s dark purplish lipstick that time). Blue lips imply an oxygenation issue. Maybe he is sick again. Or maybe it was just an uncharacteristically bad competition from them. Even they had to have one sometime.

Anyway I need sleep before I can deal with this drama.

 

[VGThuy]

Nationals is going to be really interesting. You know the Americans domestic competition has pushed them to be so strong and maybe better than they would otherwise, but I do think it has taken a toll on all three teams at different times. It must be difficult having to deal with that stress when other teams can sort of coast domestically. Same with the Russian women and Japanese women.

Thinking about it that way, the way the Shibs kept winning in the past two seasons and a half and maintained that no. 1 American team status since 2016 Nationals may have given them a complex and an idea subconsciously that they just have to keep being clean and safe because as long as they do that they’ll at least beat the other two American teams based on their strengths as technicians. Now, they were safe and not clean and I really do hope this opens them up now to feeling like it’s ok to not be perfect and instead to just give it all they have and not be so scared of the risk of losing out to the other two Americans once-in-a-while. By skating like they have nothing to lose, it becomes clear why they place first among the Americans and why they gained a legion of fans and why some think they can push higher than what most ice dance realists think they are capable of (those realists have predicted their downfall and lack of potential for the longest time).

Plus, I do think the lack of downtime and not being physically 100% had to have affected them (I know we don’t know if Alex is sick or not but it’s clear he was off). I bet they’re going to go home and be super motivated and inspired. We’ve seen what happens at the next event with them when they come off a disappointing event.

 

[chapis]

I’m going to skip the PBP and Dance Hall thread for a while (take it off my subscribes thread). How’s the tone? Gleeful about the Shibs’ less-than-stellar outing? Predictions that they now lost the Olympic bronze medal even though every other team have had less than ideal outings and have made numerous errors but are still afforded opportunities to win medals while the Shibs seem to not be able to make any mistakes and if they do then they miss their only shot and will get dumped? What’s this privilege other teams have that the Shibs don’t?

I thought it would be worse, but it's 2am in California, wait for everyone to wake up.

 

[DreamsofBliss]

Well they didn't reveal anything in the press conference, but those reporters never seem to know what to ask anyway. And yeah the domestic competition is crazy. Shibs won bronze, but were last in the FD. CB won the FD of the American teams but still placed overall behind HD. I definitely think it takes a toll on three teams.

 

[MRani]

Yeah if anything I can actually find reasons to be glad this was a poor competition for them because:

1. The pressure of keeping that insane streak of clean competitions going is gone. They did their worst since forever here and guess what, they’re still GPF bronze medalists

2. Disappointing results always light a fire under them and make them push even harder than they did before. Ex. GPF 2015 to Nationals 2016. And Worlds 2017 to RC and SA 2017. So if the trend continues Nationals will be amazing. It seems they like giving naysayers ammunition and then proving them wrong

 

[Spun Silver]

We really don't know but Olympic Year pressure is a whole different ball of wax and Alex and Maia are getting a lot of new media and corporate attention as the top US team.

It's great for them but I just hope it isn't taking a toll.

 

[MRani]

You know all the guys at SA didn’t do particularly great at the GPF. Nathan won but didn’t skate particularly well by his standards. He benefited from his closest competitors making major errors too. Adam didn’t skate well after being so consistent all season. Voronov was okay I guess. The turnaround from SA to GPF really was brutal, especially with the travel factored in too.

 

[VGThuy]

If it’s the case of Olympic pressure and everything that comes with it getting to them then maybe this was the wake up call that they needed. I’m not sure if that’s the case though because I feel like if it was then it would have shown up sooner. Just two weeks ago they arguably had the best competition of their career. I really think they were just in a lull after the very little turnaround they had from Skate America and GPF.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Maybe, but I’m sure seeing the big separation between them and the remainder of the field after the SD made an Olympic medal feel much more in hand. That sort of reality can kick in nerves.

Honestly, I think the turnaround from SA is just tough.

 

[Anyasnake]

Guys, easy... don't freak.

A bad competition happens to the best of the skaters. Not being perfect here just make them more human.
They've had a crazy season so far and an excellent competition 2 weeks ago. The Olympic season is tiring and these guys push themselves like crazy.
Also, they could probably feel the pressure today, having that big of a lead on the 4th and not that big on the 2nd. (comparatively of course)
I just hope they're aren't sick or anything, but they're so used to skate clean (and so are we), that double mistake on twizzles must have put them off, because the rest of the execution wasn't perfect on the Dist (and got level2...).
It got away from them. I hope that they'll take just one or 2 days off before Nats because this is the real test before Olys.

Congrats to Shibs, nonetheless. Now go rest ASAP !