I, Tonya

[skateboy]

Just saw the movie tonight. Mostly what I expected, but I found it interesting that both Tonya and Jeff's stories agree that both of them thought that Shawn Eckhardt was simply sending death threat letters to Nancy, through her rink, but that Shawn was the one who put the hit out on Nancy, unbeknownst to Tonya and Jeff until after the attack. Hmmmmm...

 

[jenniferlyon]

Just saw the movie tonight. Mostly what I expected, but I found it interesting that both Tonya and Jeff's stories agree that both of them thought that Shawn Eckhardt was simply sending death threat letters to Nancy, through her rink, but that Shawn was the one who put the hit out on Nancy, unbeknownst to Tonya and Jeff until after the attack. Hmmmmm...

My b.s. detector went off on that part of the story. Now that Shawn is dead, it's easy to pin everything on him. But none of his other crazy schemes ever worked in real life, just that one. Maybe he was the mastermind behind the whole plan, but I betcha he had A LOT of help.

 

[HSCluv]

the movie doesn't get into specifics of results and individual comps until 86 SA. They're more interested in pushing the narrative of her as a driven little girl, bullied by her skating mom, and made fun of by the other kids. Her earlier results aren't at all common knowledge IMO and we all just buy into her and Dianne's narrative of "she was a phenom from day 1". It is more believable than Surya's tall tales, but the movie does make me question much of Dianne's spinning which I never did previously.

Thank you for letting me know. I wondered but kind of figured that the movie didn't give specific results just like with most pieces about Tonya of her results prior to being a Senior.

 

[HSCluv]

This was my reply.

 

[cmk]

There used to be 3 parts of skating competition. Tonya was decent at figures (better than Kristi, and definitely better than Nancy) as a senior, but maybe at the lower levels she couldn't pull up enough in the short and free after that portion to make it to nationals until the 6th place at 84 junior nationals. She did make every nationals from 86 on.

I do wish now that she would have simply turned pro after 92. She could of toured and made money off ice capades or coi and the pro comps at that time, then reinstated. She might of been afraid the usfsa would lose the reinstatement papers or not file them in time for 94 (usfsa did do that to Rory Flack).

 

[HSCluv]

Sorry, clearly having trouble. Don't know how to edit on this site yet. Sorry again.

 

[Inessence]

My b.s. detector went off on that part of the story. Now that Shawn is dead, it's easy to pin everything on him. But none of his other crazy schemes ever worked in real life, just that one. Maybe he was the mastermind behind the whole plan, but I betcha he had A LOT of help.

I think that’s Jeff’s version of the story and not Tonya’s. I read an interview with Margot where she asked TH what she thought of the movie and she denied knowing about the letters. Margot just cut her off. Solving the mystery wasn’t their goal. They wanted to show both sides. I do have a hard time believing Jeff would wire them money to get home from Detroit after the “attack” if it was only supposed to be letters.

 

[Wyliefan]

Me too. There was a mention that her skating quality dropped after reuniting with Jeff, but also didn’t mention any of her equipment failures prior to the lace.

She mentioned her skate blade breaking and being a little "off" after it was put back on. But IIRC, that was the same time they showed her slacking off before a competition, so that was one of those times they were suggesting we shouldn't believe everything she said.

 

[cmk]

She mentioned her skate blade breaking and being a little "off" after it was put back on. But IIRC, that was the same time they showed her slacking off before a competition, so that was one of those times they were suggesting we shouldn't believe everything she said.

That was 93 skate America. Tonya skated very well in the short program and even beat Oksana in that portion of the event. Someone suggested Tonya opted for Skate America over Piruettion because of a weak field, but it really wasn't. Tonya, Oksana , and Surya were at Skate America. Tonya was skating ok enough to hold on to the win ( I think she had popped a triple into a double at that point, but no one skated perfectly in the long) until the skate blade broke. Once she adjusted it and got the restart ( she chose to pick up from where she left off so no one was rushed there), popped another jump or two and dropped to 3rd behind Oksana and Surya.

There were incidents of Nancy slacking off before competitions (93 nationals and 93 worlds come to mind) - in part due to her endorsements cutting into training time. I never understood why Nancy was considered the prettier of the two- I thought Nancy looked like a cross between a horse (those teeth, shape of face) and a man in drag. Tonya could look very pretty if her hair and makeup were done right.

As for the costumes- Nancy had a big advantage in that Vera Wang was donating them to her. Tonya often had to make her own (the 92 Olympic ones weren't , but most of the others were). The dress at the 94 Olympics actually belonged to Tonya's friend/training partner Angela Medina (not sure of her competitive results but she also competed in the costume to the same music ) and they basically took turns wearing it.

The equipment failures could be chalked up to lack of funds. Boots and blades are expensive and sometime Tonya tried to make them last a little too long. The dress at 93 nationals was purely an accident (no matter what Morry says). There is no way she could of reached back mid-air to unhook it, and in fact neither hand was anywhere near it. People have replayed that in slo-mo a few times and Tonya did not unhook it herself. She probably should of wore a dress that fit a little better because it was a little tight.

 

[Wyliefan]

Not sure what Nancy's looks have to do with any of this . . .

 

[LarrySK8]

Question for you Tonya, as you are out there - what do you think when you see Rika Kihara doing 3 axel-3 toe and 3 axel in her programs at age 15? Hers is gorgeous and so secure - better than yours.

Kihira. Misspelling noted.

 

[berthesghost]

Not sure what Nancy's looks have to do with any of this . . .

It’s all part of the Vicki Pollard style defense “yeah but no but yeah but I never even heard of no tuna can arena or nothin and besides she got all the commercials and stuff even thou she’s well mingin just ask Nicole Bobek but don’t believe her anyways because she sold crack to kids behind the zamboni which is well bad and besides I like totally could of won gold anyways so shut up! Why you keep askin me”

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

My wife and I saw this movie in Albuquerque and we had to leave, it was so violent! I watch figure skating because it is graceful and uplifting, I know the story of Tonya and Nancy has some nasty elements but this was so over the top to us. Next time I will stick to movies that have a good message like "Forest Gump" and "Book of Henry."

 

[casken]

The dress at the 94 Olympics actually belonged to Tonya's friend/training partner Angela Medina (not sure of her competitive results but she also competed in the costume to the same music ) and they basically took turns wearing it.

Ah, I always wondered where that dress came from. I remember reading an article at the time that suggested that she didn't even have it until she was already in Lillehammer? Like, it was sent to her in the mail?

I've also always been fascinated by the blue/purple monstrosity she wore at Nationals that looked like it was slapped together in a couple of hours on the day of the competition. Like many people, this was my introduction to Tonya, so when I first heard that all her costumes were homemade, I assumed they all looked like that one, whereas most of the others are of higher quality.

 

[cmk]

Not sure what Nancy's looks have to do with any of this . . .

Nancy's looks were one of the reason she became touted as the "ice princess" and led to a lot of her endorsements. She also medalled with a lot of poor free skates (93 nats, 93 worlds, 92 Olympics (Tonya really should of got the bronze there), 92 worlds, 93 pro-am) and was given a lot of breaks because the usfs liked the way she looked. Nancy always came across as phony to me. I did see her live once (not by choice , she just happened to be on the winter coi tour that year with other pros) and Hamill was much older and skated much faster).

Tonya really was a much better skater than Nancy- too bad that wasn't all that mattered. Tonya was the better jumper, better spinner (which covers 6 of the required 8(at the time) elements in the short), had a lot more speed and power, could do the spiral without having to hold her leg, had an awesome ina bauer, and was more musical. She was inconsistent, and wasn't feminine (but that should not have mattered).

Nancy was very slow, had to hold her leg on the spiral, she did have a true lutz and was a decent jumper , her spins were poor, she came across as snooty and entitled, her footwork was so-so , her costumes were elegant but she also had a top name designer giving them to her, and the Scotvolds had more political clout with the usfsa and the judges than Rawlinson or Teachman did.

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

Johnny Weir said he wouldn’t watch it as Nancy is his dear friend. He also didn’t want To See Tonya glamorized. It was on TMZ, his Twitter and other places.

My wife and I, aside from thinking the movie was incredibly violent, thought that Tonya was not made to look nearly as bad of a criminal as she is in real life! She should have been charged; with "attempted" manslaughter, at the very "least"!

I do not always agree with Johnny but I think he would also find the movie offensive and gruesome. I suggest that if he decides to see it in a theater, he wears shoes that he can exit the theater quickly in.

 

[Wyliefan]

Nancy's looks were one of the reason she became touted as the "ice princess" and led to a lot of her endorsements. She also medalled with a lot of poor free skates (93 nats, 93 worlds, 92 Olympics (Tonya really should of got the bronze there), 92 worlds, 93 pro-am) and was given a lot of breaks because the usfs liked the way she looked. Nancy always came across as phony to me. I did see her live once (not by choice , she just happened to be on the winter coi tour that year with other pros) and Hamill was much older and skated much faster).

Tonya really was a much better skater than Nancy- too bad that wasn't all that mattered. Tonya was the better jumper, better spinner (which covers 6 of the required 8(at the time) elements in the short), had a lot more speed and power, could do the spiral without having to hold her leg, had an awesome ina bauer, and was more musical. She was inconsistent, and wasn't feminine (but that should not have mattered).

Nancy was very slow, had to hold her leg on the spiral, she did have a true lutz and was a decent jumper , her spins were poor, she came across as snooty and entitled, her footwork was so-so , her costumes were elegant but she also had a top name designer giving them to her, and the Scotvolds had more political clout with the usfsa and the judges than Rawlinson or Teachman did.

But the point of the discussion was Tonya's skate blade.

 

[berthesghost]

Ah, I always wondered where that dress came from. I remember reading an article at the time that suggested that she didn't even have it until until she was already in Lillehammer? Like it was sent to her in the mail?

I've also always been fascinated by the blue/purple monstrosity she wore at Nationals that looked like it was slapped together in a couple of hours on the day of the competition. Like many people, this was my introduction to Tonya, so when I first heard that all her costumes were homemade, I assumed they all looked like that one, whereas most of the others are of higher quality.

i could have swore I read somewhere that Diane ordered the Sheehan LP dress so Tonya wouldn’t show up in Norway in that purple get up

 

[VGThuy]

cmk, you do know that Nancy is not the enemy here right? No need to bring her down just to prop Tonya up. You're making Tonya look petty as hell, and it was that attitude that led to the whack in the first place.

 

[Yazmeen]

First of all, for the bleeping umpteenth time, IT IS NOT EASIER TO DO A SPIRAL HOLDING YOUR KNEE!!!! Try it sometime - I nearly flipped myself onto my head trying to reach back and get that position. She's NOT holding her knee up - it's a difficult variation on a spiral compared to just having your arms out to the side helping to balance you on your edge. I find it interesting how the Nancy-haters always try to point this out claiming it makes the spiral easier. But they apparently also never notice that her other hand is usually over her heart; again, not easy to have neither of her arms in the regular arms out position.

In other news, I listened to Allison Janney's speech accepting her SAG award last night. She thanked the guild, praised her fellow nominees, and thanked and praised the other actors in "I, Tonya" all the way down to the actor who played Nancy and the director and writer. No mention of Tonya, nor was Tonya there with the cast (not a surprise - the SAGs are rather more serious than the Globes since they are all about the actors). She then ended with "And that's all I'm going to say except goodnight."

I'd say she got the message from the Globes blowback about turning Tonya into the victim...

 

[Vagabond]

Nancy was very slow, had to hold her leg on the spiral

We all know that you prefer Harding's skating to Kerrigan's. Fair enough. On the other hand, repeating the same canard, when this

Having skated and talked to my own previous coach and other coaches about it, the "hand on knee" spiral was NOT an easier variation. I love how people assume she was "holding her leg up" so that made it easier. I tried it once and nearly flipped myself over. It was much easier to do a spiral with my hands away from my free leg.

was posted in response to one of your earlier posts on the same subject in this thread, makes you seem both obtuse and petty.

 

[Yazmeen]

We all know that you prefer Harding's skating to Kerrigan's. Fair enough. On the other hand, repeating the same canard, when this

was posted in response to one of your earlier posts on the same subject in this thread, makes you seem both obtuse and petty.

That was me, and I brought it up again.

 

[VGThuy]

And it's not like Tonya had Nicole Bobek spirals, so at least stop criticizing that.

 

[Inessence]

For a good laugh, check out Morry Stillwell’s Facebook page. No need to be his friend either it’s a public post. Talk about petty.

 

[Yazmeen]

For a good laugh, check out Morry Stillwell’s Facebook page. No need to be his friend either it’s a public post. Talk about petty.

He's entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. And let's face it - how many other skaters had so many repetitive equipment failures? Especially when not skating particularly up to their best...

 

[Inessence]

She mentioned her skate blade breaking and being a little "off" after it was put back on. But IIRC, that was the same time they showed her slacking off before a competition, so that was one of those times they were suggesting we shouldn't believe everything she said.

Tonya has admitted to slacking on her training in ‘92. She mentioned it when asked in many interviews sometime after the 94 Olympics. Though the blade issue couldn’t have helped and may have caused her to twist her ankle at 92 Nats? Who really knows.

 

[meggonzo]

For a good laugh, check out Morry Stillwell’s Facebook page. No need to be his friend either it’s a public post. Talk about petty.

I can't see any of his posts. Can you share?

 

[Inessence]

He's entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. And let's face it - how many other skaters had so many repetitive equipment failures? Especially when not skating particularly up to their best...

He is. But as former USFS Pres, it’s really not a good look. Especially given blowback Tonya gets for her opinions.

 

[Inessence]

I can't see any of his posts. Can you share?

It’s a photo Tonya of standing on the ice in front of him (as he was reffing) with her unclasped dress at 93 Nats asking for a re-do. The caption reads “The real Tonya.”

 

[VGThuy]

He is. But as former USFS Pres, it’s really not a good look. Especially given blowback Tonya gets for her opinions.

That's one of many things about Morry that made me not so hot on him. That doesn't take away from the pettiness of others though.