Ted Barton interviews Eteri Tutberidze

[Ananas Astra]

Another view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcQZWDjAogE

Ah, so that's the "amateurish, American idiot who has no idea about figure skating" TAT was so spreading the hate against

 

[muffinplus]

Ah, so that's the "amateurish, American idiot who has no idea about figure skating" TAT was so spreading the hate against

When did she say that

 

[allezfred]

Think the idea that Tutberidze chose Brian Boitano as some kind of dig at Brian Orser is really reading too much into things. Skating fans please never change.

 

[snoopy]

If that is shade, it’s the most brilliant shade ever. Class A.

 

[kwanfan1818]

This isn't to dismiss people's concerns about Eteri's system but it's not like she invented the concept of young female skaters rising to the top...

What sets her apart is that no one else been so successful in singles skating, with no end in sight, and with more podium contenders than spots in her own rink. When was the last time* an Olympic, World's, or Junior World's podium didn’t have one of her students on it? And she's taken them from quite young and having so many skaters in the pipeline that even an Olympic champion not old enough to drive has frighteningly strong competition in her own rink.

Shpilband and Zoueva, apart and together in Dance might come closest in the IJS Era.

*To clarify, I meant season where none of the three happened.

 

[Wyliefan]

When was the last time an Olympic, World's, or Junior World's podium didn’t have one of her students on it?

Nine months ago.

 

[snoopy]

I don’t know if this is a valid technical comment or not but watching Russian nats, her skaters seem to keep freakishly straight in the air. More so than most other skaters.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Nine months ago.

I should have been clearer and asked when was the last season. And that wasn't 2018.

 

[allezfred]

If that is shade, it’s the most brilliant shade ever. Class A.

At the very least it shows she has taste. Who, apart from Canadians, would choose Orser over Boitano in the Battle of the Brians?

 

[muffinplus]

At the very least it shows she has taste. Who, apart from Canadians, would choose Orser over Boitano in the Battle of the Brians?

North Korean fans

 

[muffinplus]

I keep hearing about the Eteri technique, when she doesn't actually teach technique...and do all of her skaters really have the same technique? Kostornaia's technique seems extremely solid, but then did she get her technical base elsewhere

 

[mjb52]

What sets her apart is that no one else been so successful in singles skating, with no end in sight, and with more podium contenders than spots in her own rink. When was the last time* an Olympic, World's, or Junior World's podium didn’t have one of her students on it? And she's taken them from quite young and having so many skaters in the pipeline that even an Olympic champion not old enough to drive has frighteningly strong competition in her own rink.

Shpilband and Zoueva, apart and together in Dance might come closest in the IJS Era.

*To clarify, I meant season where none of the three happened.

I am not too familiar with Gadbois but I thought I saw that they had around 20 teams right now. Maybe it's different because they are from all over (I think?). Also dance is not as "loaded" with emotional baggage as the young female skater thing.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

and the embedment of the last 5 commandments, one of which is "You must not be envious of your neighbour's goods".

Sorry. Not in my bible,honey.

It started around 1994 with the over-rewarding of precociously artistic Oksana Baiul.

Also known as the day figure skating died.

-BB

 

[aftershocks]

I keep hearing about the Eteri technique, when she doesn't actually teach technique...and do all of her skaters really have the same technique? Kostornaia's technique seems extremely solid, but then did she get her technical base elsewhere

Interesting questions, thanks. Now, can someone help with the answers?

 

[kwanfan1818]

I am not too familiar with Gadbois but I thought I saw that they had around 20 teams right now. Maybe it's different because they are from all over (I think?). Also dance is not as "loaded" with emotional baggage as the young female skater thing.

They have a lot of teams, but they have few that they've trained from tweens or before to champions or podium threats, where there's a lineup to knock out their fellow competitors and topple teams from championship podiums. Lajoie/Lagha are the closest; according to Wikipedia, Dubreuil convinced them to re-unite and train at Gadbois after they broke up after winning Novices, and that was over three years ago. Fournier/Beaudry was coached by Denis before she teamed with Sorensen, and before he joined forces with D/L when he skated in Montreal with Kaetlyn Good at her mother's request, they were coached by Matthew Gates. (IIRC Good's mother was ill and wanted her daughter close by.)

Most of their skaters and teams began as high-level juniors or seniors, some high-level (ex: Hubbell/Donohue from Krylova/Camerlengo and Chock/Bates from Shpilband), some mid-level and newly formed teams who want to make the leap to another level (Hawayek/Baker from Krylova/Camerlengo, Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen, Paul/Islam, Soucisse/Firus, Komatsubara/Koleto from Fusar-Poli/Caruso, Smart/Diaz, with him staying with D/L after he and Hurtado split) or outright champions, Virtue/Moir from Zoueva.

D/L have Papadakis/Cizeron because things became untenable in France for Haguenauer after Gailhauget went on the warpath against Zazoui. Maybe Haguenauer was restless anyway, but staying in France would have been impossible.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Tutberidze worked and toured in the US, and her daughter's father is American. (I don't remember if they married.) She was in Oklahoma City during the domestic terrorist attack and has spoken about it.

I think no one knows who the father is....or at least no one is saying.

I thought Ted was sickeningly solicitous, and I loved the hair of the girl in the other video. I think she makes some good observations about the technique (torquing the back) being harmful on those young bodies.

 

[Japanfan]

At the very least it shows she has taste. Who, apart from Canadians, would choose Orser over Boitano in the Battle of the Brians?

I didn't know that Boitano's win was contentious or that anyone, Canadian or not, thought that Orser should have won.

Wasn't it a clear-cut case based on Boitano having more technical difficulty?

 

[Erin]

I didn't know that Boitano's win was contentious or that anyone, Canadian or not, thought that Orser should have won.

Wasn't it a clear-cut case based on Boitano having more technical difficulty?

While I personally think it is quite clear cut (even though I much prefer Orser’s skating), 4 of the 9 judges on the day gave it to Orser. And at least one of the judges that gave it to Boitano tied them in total score and only gave Boitano the first place ordinal on a tiebreak (which at the time was the technical score). So it might seem obvious in retrospect, but at the time, the judging panel at least seemed to think it was a close decision. I doubt they were alone.

 

[Japanfan]

While I personally think it is quite clear cut (even though I much prefer Orser’s skating), 4 of the 9 judges on the day gave it to Orser. And at least one of the judges that gave it to Boitano tied them in total score and only gave Boitano the first place ordinal on a tiebreak (which at the time was the technical score). So it might seem obvious in retrospect, but at the time, the judging panel at least seemed to think it was a close decision. I doubt they were alone.

Thanks.

And asking again whether Boitano had more difficult technical content (just not really motivated to go hunt down the vids on You Tube, which may or may not be available).

 

[aftershocks]

^^ I don't remember their respective technical contents. If you have the time, both programs can be reviewed on Youtube to determine comparisons between jump content difficulty.

While I personally think it is quite clear cut (even though I much prefer Orser’s skating), 4 of the 9 judges on the day gave it to Orser. And at least one of the judges that gave it to Boitano tied them in total score and only gave Boitano the first place ordinal on a tiebreak (which at the time was the technical score). So it might seem obvious in retrospect, but at the time, the judging panel at least seemed to think it was a close decision. I doubt they were alone.

It was a close decision between Boitano/Orser because both guys were extremely talented and not much separated them. I believe that politically Orser was favored over Boitano in 1988, not only due to Orser's talent, but because he'd paid his dues, and he had, some thought unfairly, lost at the 1984 Olympics. (Actually, the politics were in Scott Hamilton's favor then because Scott was talented, well-liked and a multiple World champion, while Orser at that point was the new up-and-comer being told to wait his turn; Scott was nervous and he made mistakes, though he had been ahead on the figures portion and that's reportedly what gave him the overall win in '84).

Another interesting factor in the Battle of the Brians contest is that the '88 Olympics were held in Calgary, Canada. So the location was another thing in Orser's favor politically. But, OTOH, skating in his home country probably burdened Orser with increased pressure. The main factor is that Boitano had improved aesthetically with the help of Sandra Bezic. Both Brians were exemplary technicians, even if Boitano's program contained more difficulty. What helped Boitano was his great programs and his consistent performances. Though Boitano may have had a slight two-foot on a landing in the fp, it was Orser's more visible stumble out on a landing in his fp that contrasted with Boitano's dramatic and practically perfect performance. Heading into the fps, Boitano was slightly ahead, having won the sp.

ETA: I meant to say Orser was slightly ahead after the sp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE8laswz5PM

 

[annie_mg]

I keep hearing about the Eteri technique, when she doesn't actually teach technique...and do all of her skaters really have the same technique? Kostornaia's technique seems extremely solid, but then did she get her technical base elsewhere

If I am not mistaken Kostornaia has only been working with Eteri for the past year. So her technique isn't Eteri's technique. You can sort of tell, her jumps are stronger...

 

[MAXSwagg]

Poor, poor Adian. She just destroyed him and just threw him away, and THEN trashed him.

 

[Icetigger]

Think the idea that Tutberidze chose Brian Boitano as some kind of dig at Brian Orser is really reading too much into things.

As a 14 year old girl (as Eteri was in 88), I'd be digging Boitano over Orser. Boitano was hot. Orser was not.

 

[snoopy]

So What was the Boitano bird program she references?

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Ted's generous reviews of juniors are great. I think coaches, parents and the skaters appreciate his encouragement. I was not interested by what he got from Eteri. Like other US interviewers he was positive and got very little from her. She says she's so concerned about youngsters doing quads. He could of asked to reply to others who judge otherwise. Why not ask her what's to happen to artistic skating when our world and Olympic champions are turning over every couple of years? He's been at this for a long time. Surely he's had these concerns. (Writing this today - the crazy results of the Russian "girl's" competition.)

 

[aftershocks]

Heading into the fps, Boitano was slightly ahead, having won the sp.

Hey all,
ETA: I meant to say Orser was slightly ahead after the sp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE8laswz5PM


A really nice video retrospective by both Brians, Sandra Bezic and Scott Hamilton. It was a dream of a lifetime performance by Boitano. And Orser gave everything, and he gave up nothing for that performance. It was only that slight turn-out on one jump landing that made the difference.

As far as the sps (not covered in this clip), both guys were great. Orser was spot-on and very entertaining, but Brian's sp for me was transcendent in its underlying meaning, depth and storytelling. Still, since both guys skated their best in the sp, Orser won that portion because he was favored for the reasons I referenced in an earlier post. The fp performances were set-up for winner take all. And still, the final scoring results were extremely close. Brian Orser on the 1988 Olympics: "You learn to appreciate these moments as you go through them. Sometimes someone will stop me and say, 'The Battle of the Brians, which one were you, the Canadian one or the American one?' So, if there's any consolation, I guess that's it..."

So What was the Boitano bird program she references?

I think it was an exhibition performance. I'm not certain. Past skaters' programs were not documented in the way they are today on Wiki.

 

[canbelto]

One thing about Eteri is ... she's transparent. She makes no bones about her expectations, her training methods, and her personality. She doesn't pretend to be warm, cuddly, kind, a mixture of mama grizzly and figure skating expert. Whoever goes to her knows what to expect.

It;s very different from some other elite coaches I can think of where their problematic behaviors only came to light years after their skaters retired and were comfortable speaking out ...

 

[aftershocks]

I would not call Eteri 'transparent.' She is formidable and a master of the poker face. She is also less willing than most coaches to lessen a skater's heavy heart when they haven't skated well. Eteri is also a master of the disapproving dismissive look when her skaters come off the ice fearful of facing her when they've made mistakes.

Sure Eteri is up-front about her tough requirements and expectations. But if you think that equals transparency, oh well. It's more like strict, demanding, controlling, and in-your-face, no-holds-barred manipulative. And sure it's working for Eteri, for a variety of reasons. It's not particularly working well for most of her skaters long term though.

 

[canbelto]

I would not call Eteri 'transparent.' She is formidable and a master of the poker face. She is also less willing than most coaches to lessen a skater's heavy heart when they haven't skated well. Eteri is also a master of the disapproving dismissive look when her skaters come off the ice fearful of facing her when they've made mistakes.

Sure Eteri is up-front about her tough requirements and expectations. But if you think that equals transparency, oh well. It's more like strict, demanding, controlling, and in-your-face, no-holds-barred manipulative. And sure it's working for Eteri, for a variety of reasons. It's not particularly working well for most of her skaters long term though.

But she makes no bones about the way she is. For instance she allows training documentaries and videos to be filmed where she is mercilessly berating tearful students. Parents can look at that, and decide whether they're comfortable sending their children to be coached by her. She also makes no bones about being extremely restrictive about weight.

I wouldn't send my kids to be trained by Eteri, but for some parents it's worth it. I've seen similar documentaries about Russian ballet schools and Eteri's methods don't seem that different.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I would not call Eteri 'transparent.' She is formidable and a master of the poker face. She is also less willing than most coaches to lessen a skater's heavy heart when they haven't skated well. Eteri is also a master of the disapproving dismissive look when her skaters come off the ice fearful of facing her when they've made mistakes.

Sure Eteri is up-front about her tough requirements and expectations. But if you think that equals transparency, oh well. It's more like strict, demanding, controlling, and in-your-face, no-holds-barred manipulative. And sure it's working for Eteri, for a variety of reasons. It's not particularly working well for most of her skaters long term though.

Nonsense.

- she has a "poker face" to hide extreme emotions and sensitivity. she had a tough life, and learned her lessons that for the outside world she needs to be tough. she had to start from scratch in Russia as a trainer, in a highly competitive, political environment with lots of dirty games from top coaches. she learned how to and survived, by merit.

- she is said to be one of the most supportive coaches (off the screen) to all her skaters (by skaters themselves). She makes a lot of effort to guide them in life off the ice and to help them in other aspects of life.

- she is a lot less harsh on skaters when they made mistakes (other than slight sarcastic jokes she makes to ease up the situation) than many other coaches, Rafael who grins and starts lecturing the second they get off the ice; Tsareva who dug into Pogorilaya blaming her "will power and strength" when her back was in pain after the fall @ SC; Bouianova who frowns every time "they don't do well".
https://www.oblgazeta.ru/media/news_photos/2018/04/06/ковтун_DlTWWpL.jpg.1024x0_q85.jpg
http://xn---70-5cdf9dpu.xn--p1ai/file_handler.php?image=3877
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...X4mTPyOSVNcGH-IbERHpxU2XRKmvCK3S8yvUrWIm20XZj

Because for everу foto the "media" chooses to take of "mean Eteri", there is "very kind Eteri"..
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c0/97/d7/c097d728c2916bf6541a81a39d96d5f3.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f2/06/25/f2062592bcde8c968b6c6aad9a1f0d92.jpg
https://www.sportsdaily.ru/s/image/118958.jpg

- Eteri does not manipulate, she states up front what is expected. And more so, she let foreign camera crews to come to the rink and film her "day of coaching", where she is what she is, tough and demanding.