The Skating Lesson

IceAlisa

discriminating and persnickety ballet aficionado
Messages
37,284
I was floored when I found out Rafael is 61. I thought I misheard and he said 51 but no. He looks great!

It was a great interview. Raf is always a pleasure.

He seems intent on passing on his coaching methods and is looking to coach coaches these days, the way Misha Kolyada came with his coach this summer. It seemed to have gone very well.
 

aftershocks

Banned Member
Messages
17,317
Bringing these conversations here from U.S. pairs thread:

DL feels like he has to constantly prove he's in-the-know by speaking out first about something that a number of insiders were aware of when it happened but they did not break confidence out of respect for Jim, Tarah/Danny, and Dalilah. As others have shared, the news was going to be reported shortly but DL wanted to be first, heedlessly and needlessly.

I'm no fan of DL, but I think a lot of figure skating fans who don't like him, would suddenly miss him if he and his in-the-know news were to disappear. It's not like figure skating is covered much in the mainstream media, USFS press releases come weeks after major news happens (broken by DL or otherwise), etc.

^^ I've already said that quite a few times in this thread and elsewhere. We know that. It doesn't excuse anything. But of course, there will continue to be sad business as usual, because I doubt that many people in the sport have time to waste energy on trying to stop DL's infective influence, and some people may actually like some things about him, and simply shake their heads at his over-reaching offenses, or maybe not even know the full extent of his worst behavior. Plus, no one seems willing or able to find the resources to take a next level step toward more professional, in-depth figure skating coverage. It's always fans who go the extra step to provide the coverage that's needed and not being provided by established media. Unfortunately, DL is not the nicest fan -- forget about him being respectful or professional.

I would not miss him at all.

There's news. And there is spinning the facts in a one-sided manner in order to make them sound more controversial or support your own favorite athletes. They are not the same thing.

^^ I agree with you @Dobre. I would NOT miss DL. I just miss in-depth coverage and interviews, but he and cohort are absolutely not the greatest interviewers in the world! It's the guests that matter! It's the guests I will miss, and in fact I already miss. As much as I love Raf, I could not sit through that interview. DL and fawning cohort have completely turned me off. They had the nerve to go from the Aliona interview to that distasteful Asian Open, etc disfest, on the very same day.

They also aired a meandering show supposedly in memory of Denis Ten, but yet they are completely oblivious to Denis Ten's humanity, much less do they understand what his legacy means. For DL, Denis' shocking death appears to have simply been an opportunity for him to be back in touch with Jenny. Now that the shock of Denis' death has begun to lessen, we should all still be taking pause, instead of going blithely and carelessly back to business-as-usual.
 
Last edited:

aftershocks

Banned Member
Messages
17,317
Speaking as someone who's not at all a fan of TSL and its methods:

Other skaters swiftly validated the tweet by responding to it in a positive way, similar to what we saw happen when TSL leaked the Gadbois moves this off-season. Skaters are certainly at liberty to ignore these coaching change reports -- a "neither confirm nor deny" scenario -- which would at least keep them in a sort of limbo until official announcements are released. That's not what tends to happen.

True, but it is DL stirring the pot and wringing the heck out of the platform he has control over now, largely as a result of Jenny Kirk's status and connections (and because she apparently left it all to him). Stirring the pot is all part of DL's infective influence right now, which is a shame. I used to be one of those who enabled DL by tsk-tsking yet still engaging and tuning-in because of the dearth of figure skating coverage, and because of TSL's overall value (which has little to do with DL at all).

The problem is that DL has never changed and he's never learned from his mistakes, nor has he learned anything by the fact that a number of people have kept trying to give him chances. Yes, a lot of people are not fully aware of all of DL's egregious and petty offenses. There's more than one reason why Jenny exited TSL, not all of those reasons had to do with her going to law school. DL is definitely burning his bridges and turning off a lot of people, but he's being kept afloat by the platform, by his bullish tenacity, and unfortunately by those continuing to give him chances. There are also people who may in fact not care about DL's addictive bent for scooping and the petty nastiness of his digs and slams.

I would also point out that seemingly DL has access to a number of sources within rinks and well-placed sources in the community that he's acquainted with. Therefore, he has access to gossip which he can then float by others. Even if he gets a noncomittal response, he's like a tabloid leech able to sniff out skinny and go with it even if he's asked to hold off a bit from tweeting anything. Social media itself then of course begins to lend itself to insider cryptic tweets that ordinarily might remain harmless and cryptic, but not in our current environment of no viable, in-depth fs coverage coupled with information-starved fans.

Very much agreed. The only thing that will "put him out of business" is a legit news outlet that is going to report on the sport, and do so in a standup way that garners the trust of the skaters and coaches and officials which leads to them going to the outlet to break news. Unfortunate as it is, I don't particularly see something like this happening any time soon.

That is the state of affairs. Someone has to be bold, and as I said it usually comes from fans who love the sport. DL used Jenny to get where he is, and the platform is extremely valuable, largely due to the archives. I think DL knows that and he's all about taking advantage of everything at his disposal. Plus he blocks criticism on the platform, and then he's slippery about not owning up when he's called out elsewhere for his offenses. Again, he doesn't even learn anything from his guests who admonish him that they aren't there to dump on people in the sport.

The guests go on because of the platform and the archives, and the fact as I said before and as you have reiterated, there's a dearth of viable outlets. And that's even more the case with the demise of IceTalk and IN. However, Jackie Wong may be returning soon with another version of IceTalk. But we need something beyond Wong & Co too. More people have to begin to care enough to not just ignore DL, but to call him out in an organized and united way. But again, who has time for that? Skaters and coaches surely do not. Unfortunately, some fans may sneakily agree with DL or enjoy his petty approach in a guilty pleasure way. Not me, I never did. I only cared about the positive coverage, but the bad is now far outweighing the good. I can't turn my head and hold my nose any longer.
 

aftershocks

Banned Member
Messages
17,317
Here’s an idea. If we would all quit reading, listening, supporting trash talking then it wouldn’t really matter what he posts.

Let this be a lesson and quit supporting things like TSL.

It's important to stop watching, true. But I have to say that he's still there and he's still afloat because the TSL platform and archives are valuable and are giving him leverage. He did not build the platform by himself, but he apparently has full control over it. And, there are still top people in the sport supporting him and/ or agreeing to be interviewed, perhaps because they are unaware of the extent of his nasty comments and 'me-me' behavior. Those who have blogs might also consider deleting links to TSL.

The problem is that the TSL archives are valuable. At least DL's US fed press credentials were pulled. But it's going to take many more people being aware of the infective invective he spouts and deciding to cut him off. And even more than that is needed too. A random, unknown number of fans and skaters ignoring him is not enough.

No one, but no one, has shot more arrows at Dave Lease and TSL than me.:cool:

But 1) they announce coaching changes, where they are right 99% of the time and 2)they have traditionally had spies at Champs Camp.

Skaters can make announcements when and if it suits them, but if they make a coaching change at Champs Camp, chances are TSL will find out and announce it when they find out. And once they say it, it’s out there.

Just life in the (not) big city rink.:D

It doesn't matter if DL turns out to be right or not. He breaches confidences when he decides that he has to be the first to scoop the news. Yes, there is a general problem today with info being leaked prematurely in the age of social media. The issue with DL is that he thinks it's all about him. He is part of the problem, not the solution.

I kind of doubt it. His sources clearly know he's going to post it and are fine with that.

Uh, unless you are one of his sources, I'm not sure you can say that is the case across the board. :)

Figure skating really is NOT about DL and his fawning cohort. Many are ignoring them and likely shrugging about their worst excesses, but I think the ongoing nastiness and the 'scooping addiction' only serves to undermine the sport. He remains hanging around like dead skin cells on a snake ceasing to moult.
 

skatfan

Well-Known Member
Messages
8,372
His latest interview with Meghan has a multiple second audio echo that begins shorlltly into the long interview. Had to switch off. When I commented n two different tweets that the audio is bad, both he and Jonathan felt the need to respond, when casters should own up to problems when they post not-up-to-snuff comment. Laughing all the way to a bathroom in France!
 

ninjapirate

Well-Known Member
Messages
253
I'n not really a fan of DL on a personal level, but as someone who just got into skating after Sochi his videos have been invaluable. TBH, I find figure skating to be quite a repetitive sport(I wish there was a one program switch up between first and second half of the season) and without the recaps I'm not sure I would pay attention for the whole season.
 

Cleo1782

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,347
His latest interview with Meghan has a multiple second audio echo that begins shorlltly into the long interview. Had to switch off. When I commented n two different tweets that the audio is bad, both he and Jonathan felt the need to respond, when casters should own up to problems when they post not-up-to-snuff comment. Laughing all the way to a bathroom in France!

The audio is awful on the video, but I listened to most of it. I really liked what Meagan had to say and for those who were discussing this is the US pairs thread he did go into more detail about the T/D/Peterson split. I found it to actually be fairly factual and Meagan had some great thoughts. His Champs Camp info was interesting as was Meagan's info about how she went into high performance camp and how she prepared.
I honestly listened to it to see what he had to say about everything and was kind of surprised it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. My bar was set really low, but I enjoy Meagan as a guest. I wish she had her own TSL.
 

mysticchic

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,466
I've offered. I can't do it alone and no way am I going to put it all together and hand it over to someone to just do the interviews. I have one person who has contacted me. I would need someone to edit. My brain doesn't have enough focus for that. I have figured out most of the logistics.
 

oleada

Well-Known Member
Messages
43,434
I made a point to listen because if Meaghan (I, too, wish she had her own show) but the audio was so bad it actually gave me a headache. I do wish they could acknowledge it.
 

skatfan

Well-Known Member
Messages
8,372
I made a point to listen because if Meaghan (I, too, wish she had her own show) but the audio was so bad it actually gave me a headache. I do wish they could acknowledge it.

My experience as well. But no, they decide to attack someone for noting how bad it is. They are so thin-skinned about stuff.
 

MK's Winter

Well-Known Member
Messages
308
I made a point to listen because if Meaghan (I, too, wish she had her own show) but the audio was so bad it actually gave me a headache. I do wish they could acknowledge it.

He has. They have said when Megan is in another country the audio can get sketchy. The same applies to Jonathan. Dave said the best Megan sounded was in Pyonchang. It’s a Skype connectivity issue or something.
 

Brenda_Bottems

Banned Member
Messages
796
The best part is the theme from the iconic television drama Young and Restless for fifteen seconds.

The remaining 110 minutes? I now know what it feels like to be severely under the influence at a homosexual bar bar bar.

-BB
 
Last edited:

Tinami Amori

Well-Known Member
Messages
20,156
DL does not know that Morozov and Davankova are divorced.........:rofl: and when told that Morozov and Stolbova maybe having an affair, said "why not, if the wife is out of the country".... :lol:
 

savchenkoboss

Banned Member
Messages
471
I am not a Dave Lease fan but I will say he is one tough bugger. The Skating Lesson should have folded long ago given everything: Kirk leaving, no suitable replacement for Kirk, lack of any sort of skating credentials or respect in the skating community himself needed to keep the show going with the person who had those things (Kirk) gone, being totally excluded from anything from the USFSA even pre Kirk's leaving, dropping viewership and interest, getting fewer and less significant people giving interviews now. Yet he is still kicking and fighting to keep it going.
 

Candbfan

New Member
Messages
12
I've offered. I can't do it alone and no way am I going to put it all together and hand it over to someone to just do the interviews. I have one person who has contacted me. I would need someone to edit. My brain doesn't have enough focus for that. I have figured out most of the logistics.

I would edit for you. Journalism school graduate here and I did some writing for ESPN
 

Icetigger

Well-Known Member
Messages
277
My favourite bit of ridiculousness was when Jonathan Beyer was saying (as a compliment) how he could imagine Kosternaia sitting up properly at a table and picking up a napkin. A very laughable bit of commentary.
 

Willin

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,598
TBH I kinda wonder how many of TSL's fanatical fans actually skate and how many of their crazy fans are just random people that happened into figure skating via Yuri on Ice or some other fandom. I knew very few skaters/coaches who watched or cared or even knew about them when Jenny was there. Once Jenny left I know exactly 0 skaters/coaches who like them. Some will watch or follow the FB page for the news/scoops Dave gets, but that's about it.
 

yeslek

Well-Known Member
Messages
527
TBH I kinda wonder how many of TSL's fanatical fans actually skate and how many of their crazy fans are just random people that happened into figure skating via Yuri on Ice or some other fandom. I knew very few skaters/coaches who watched or cared or even knew about them when Jenny was there. Once Jenny left I know exactly 0 skaters/coaches who like them. Some will watch or follow the FB page for the news/scoops Dave gets, but that's about it.
how well can you skate?
 

tony

Throwing the (rule)book at them
Messages
17,677
how well can you skate?

I would get PCS in the high 1’s on a good day but I do know plenty of people very much involved in the sport at a high level that absolutely cannot stand Dave, and not only because of things he’s posted/said on TSL but also in direct (private) communication. But that’s been said plenty of times already.

Way back when, even when Jenny was on board, it seemed to be a catty game of getting back at people or organizations (USFS) for things that happened in the past. Jenny’s way of doing it would be by telling little inside jokes about skaters from her generation that she and Dave would giggle about with each other. And in many of the comment spaces of their various forms of media, it seemed like a lot of skatemoms/skaters who felt wronged by not being at the most elite level with gold medals were looking at them as the ONLY voices of reason in the sport. I figure most of them are still bitter and onboard with whatever he says. And the others are just those looking for a TMZ-style outlet.
 

skatfan

Well-Known Member
Messages
8,372
:rofl: You can’t make this stuff up! “Support them instead of critical words.” I... just... can’t... :rofl:

She also used the word vitriol- as if she hasn’t seen them tear apart skaters on their show.

But the latest episode does reference the bad audio of the last one. Almost without snark too!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information