Eric Radford and Vanessa James to compete in pairs together for Canada

[kwanfan1818]

Didn't people know that Katsalapov would be splitting with Ilinykh before she did? And Daria Popova heard that Massot would be skating with Savchenko via Romy Szolkowy? And those were active partnerships!

Also IIRC Mukhortova skated in the gala at 2010 Worlds knowing that Trankov was headed elsewhere.

Deciding to split, after having the skating equivalent of feelers and job interviews, ie feelers and tryouts, is very different than working together for months before giving notice to the old partner or coach. The couples you mentioned didn't have a chance to work extensively behind the old partner's back, not that they necessarily would have, because the old partners were caught out early.

And it's not just coaches/part of the team, like Julie Marcotte in J/R's situations: the Feds can be involved as well.

Then she must have talked to other people about it and got more and more stuck only in her own point of view (which is a lot of disappointment, and a feeling of betrayal, which I totally understand

Or she found out more about how long it was going on and the involvement of her sister-in-law that made her change her mind that he was being aboveboard when she gave him her blessing.

Did he really think it wouldn't all come out? Was he setting her up to look bad, knowing she'd be likely to be angry after it did come out, and knowing her well enough to bet that she'd go public and people would be saying she should have kept it private, while he told everyone she was fine with it?

 

[Vagabond]

Was he setting her up to look bad, knowing she'd be likely to be angry after it did come out, and knowing her well enough to bet that she'd go public and people would be saying she should have kept it private, while he told everyone she was fine with it?

Ooh! I like this version.

 

[PRlady]

Ooh! I like this version.

I believe this shows more cunning intelligence than Eric seems to display.

 

[MsZem]

Did he really think it wouldn't all come out? Was he setting her up to look bad, knowing she'd be likely to be angry after it did come out, and knowing her well enough to bet that she'd go public and people would be saying she should have kept it private, while he told everyone she was fine with it?

This is too meta for me. Very "they don't know that we know they know we know."

 

[kwanfan1818]

I believe this shows more cunning intelligence than Eric seems to display.

He's got a team around him, and I'd bet on how and when he spoke to Duhamel wasn't his strategy alone, nor should it be, because other people are involved now, too.

 

[kwanfan1818]

This is too meta for me. Very "they don't know that we know they know we know."

Not very meta at all: tell her part of the story, so she's good with it, and that's the official story you give to the press and your friends in skating, and then when the rest comes out, including family being involved, she'll blow up and look bad.

 

[Peepsquick]

I don’t think many people think that.

Most people think Meagan deserved to know earlier so she could get on with her life and seek other opportunities to make money too.

In all of that back and forth, right or wrong, this discussion should have been kept private.

 

[Rafter]

what about the father, or the grandfather or father-in-law? or are males incapable of taking care of a toddler? And what is the issue with a daycare?

WTF???

and I think that if Duhamel choose to go touring, they would have found a solution. Lot's of women travel for their job (or pleasure) with or without their children.

(regardless, this seems to all boil down to bad communication between the two of them, not having the same assumptions and expectations. Both parties thinks they are in the right, and the stories are conflicting. meh, it's a personal issue between the two of them, and I think I've move to official have 'no opinion' on the issue between Radford and Duhamel)

You are misconstruing what I said.
I have nothing at all against daycare or stay-at-home fathers. Did any of my posts say that I did? My point is about Meagan’s situation. My point is that she is married to a skating coach so presumably he cannot stay home to take care of the child while she is off touring. So it’s either nanny/daycare or you take the child with you on tour (along with help) which is something she had reservations about from the sounds of it.

 

[calica]

New post from Meaghan. Very hypocritical in my opinion, but if she is happy being this way, congratulations.

 

[becca]

Deciding to split, after having the skating equivalent of feelers and job interviews, ie feelers and tryouts, is very different than working together for months before giving notice to the old partner or coach. The couples you mentioned didn't have a chance to work extensively behind the old partner's back, not that they necessarily would have, because the old partners were caught out early.

And it's not just coaches/part of the team, like Julie Marcotte in J/R's situations: the Feds can be involved as well.




Or she found out more about how long it was going on and the involvement of her sister-in-law that made her change her mind that he was being aboveboard when she gave him her blessing.

Did he really think it wouldn't all come out? Was he setting her up to look bad, knowing she'd be likely to be angry after it did come out, and knowing her well enough to bet that she'd go public and people would be saying she should have kept it private, while he told everyone she was fine with it?

I am sorry but Eric did not set her up to look bad. Even if Eric was as big as a jerk could be everything he did was private and she could have addressed it privately.


She is an adult and is responsible for her own behavior. She is the one who decided to make it a public issue not Eric.

As for the whole my truth why do people feel the need to bring the world into their issues with other people?

 

[Rafter]

You surely realize by now that I know both of them. You're simply bitching about things that you've half-read to paint your own narrative. But sure. Everything I've said has now been written in responses by either Meagan or Eric, or I've pointed out flaws in your logic. You blasted into this thread and I don't think you even read what Eric's reasoning was. I'm not really throwing out assumptions here.

But it's been done plenty.

And you think he'd be getting a better light if he gave Duhamel one last show and then dumped her to say everything was set up with Vanessa already? Get a grip, it would've been a lot worse in that situation and you know it.

When you commit to a tour in the fall, you're hoping that it happens. If it doesn't happen, that's not Meagan or Eric's fault. But please tell me how he is sitting around for Meagan and all these babies she's going to have, as you first tried to claim, if they are filling out tentative plans for their year.

That tidbit didn't come from Duhamel, but you won't believe that. Dave has plenty of sources who are always ready to run their mouths, and it's somewhat obvious that Meagan isn't the only person who feels something about this situation.

I had no idea you know both of them. Clearly you know Meagan and that’s where you get a lot of your info.

As for pushing a narrative, isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? I did read Eric’s reasoning in the Smith article and it all makes sense to me. I don’t blame him one bit. He has a living to make and a future to figure out. He was hedging his bets until he knew for sure the French Fed would release her.

 

[tony]

I had no idea you know both of them. Clearly you know Meagan and that’s where you get a lot of your info.

As for pushing a narrative, isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? I did read Eric’s reasoning in the Smith article and it all makes sense to me. I don’t blame him one bit. He has a living to make and a future to figure out. He was hedging his bets until he knew for sure the French Fed would release her.

Clearly I know many more people than Meagan and hardly talk to her anymore. If you want to be a know-it-all, then keep up with the times rather than popping your head in with info you knew to be true nearly 20 years ago. When I said I went straight to the source, I gave the info about SOI Japan. Eric came out and said the exact same thing a few hours later in his own response. I haven’t said anything else otherwise in terms of an assumed narrative. Sorry about it.

I took the time to read both of their posts and the same key facts match up. You did not based on your five posts in a row marathon about how mothers cannot do anything past having a baby.

 

[marbri]

New post from Meaghan. Very hypocritical in my opinion, but if she is happy being this way, congratulations.

I guess "it's says a lot about you as a person when you put opportunity over loyalty" was a love letter?

 

[MacMadame]

I mean for all intensive purposes she moved on so he did too.

It's INTENTS AND PURPOSES. Omg, I have death in my soul.

'For All Intensive Purposes': An Eggcorn

What's an 'intensive' purpose, anyway?

www.merriam-webster.com

Posters in this thread are discussing how they could skate shows together even while living six hours away from each other. While that isn't explicitly saying that this is what they should do, why would anyone mention it unless it was thought to be desirable?

It's because Eric said that the reason he first approached Vanessa was that he wanted to skate in shows with her (and not Meagan). People then were coming up with reasons why skating with Meagan in shows was just impossible and others are pointing out that this is dumb.

I guess we won't ever know, but I have a feeling Duhamel wouldn't have taken it well whatever way Radford told her he was ending their partnership.

I think she would have been fine if he had said that he didn't want to skate anymore to concentrate on something else (like his music career). She may not have liked it, but people move on from skating, even in shows, as they get older, and taking about betrayal in public over such a situation would have garnered a much different reaction.

As for pushing a narrative, isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? I did read Eric’s reasoning in the Smith article and it all makes sense to me. I don’t blame him one bit. He has a living to make and a future to figure out. He was hedging his bets until he knew for sure the French Fed would release her.

It doesn't make sense to me because even if Meagan decides to have another child, we are talking about maybe 6 months of one year that they can't tour tops. Out of years of show skating. And that assumes she doesn't wait to have a second child until they are both done with show skating. Or times it perfectly to miss the show skating season.

It is very unusual for a team that has made a name for themselves by winning at the highest level to break up to skate with someone else for shows. Yes, I know people can name 1 or 2 teams that have done it. But we can name hundreds who haven't.

You get paid to be in a show based on the pull you have. A two-time World Championship team is going to sell more tickets and so get paid more. Even if this new partnership is wildly successful to the point where they get to the Olympics and possibly even medal in the team event, they are not going to have the credentials of the old partnerships.

James has no choice. Her old partnership is poison. But Radford did. So his thinking completely mystifies me (and makes me think something else is going on).

Of course, the decision to skate competitively does change things. But that was not the original plan according to him.

Did he really think it wouldn't all come out? Was he setting her up to look bad, knowing she'd be likely to be angry after it did come out, and knowing her well enough to bet that she'd go public and people would be saying she should have kept it private, while he told everyone she was fine with it?

Yes.

Obviously, I don't know him but I would say from every situation like this that I've been in or seen from the outside, the person hiding things really does think that it won't come out.

 

[Rafter]

New post from Meaghan. Very hypocritical in my opinion, but if she is happy being this way, congratulations.

She knew exactly what she was doing going all over Twitter (responding to tweets with the “Mind Blown” gif...very petty and immature to me) and Instagram with woke quotes and martyr statements making herself out to be the victim and Eric the bad guy.

I think Meagan’s healthy ego has been bruised and although there’s not a romantic component....hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

 

[MsZem]

I took the time to read both of their posts and the same key facts match up. You did not based on your five posts in a row marathon about how mothers cannot do anything past having a baby.

Meagan's daughter is older than Daria Grinkova was when her parents won an OGM Navka also had a baby during her competitive career, and Barbara Fusar-Poli before her comeback. The suggestion that a woman would have a hard time doing shows after starting a family is just

 

[made_in_canada]

But how many of us tell our current jobs we are looking for another?

I absolutely would. I have a very close relationship with my boss and she would be (justifiably, IMO) extremely hurt if I wasn’t upfront about the potential of leaving.

 

[Rafter]

I am sorry but Eric did not set her up to look bad. Even if Eric was as big as a jerk could be everything he did was private and she could have addressed it privately.


She is an adult and is responsible for her own behavior. She is the one who decided to make it a public issue not Eric.

As for the whole my truth why do people feel the need to bring the world into their issues with other people?

Clearly I know many more people than Meagan and hardly talk to her anymore. If you want to be a know-it-all, then keep up with the times rather than popping your head in with info you knew to be true nearly 20 years ago. When I said I went straight to the source, I gave the info about SOI Japan. Eric came out and said the exact same thing a few hours later in his own response. I haven’t said anything else otherwise in terms of an assumed narrative. Sorry about it.

I took the time to read both of their posts and the same key facts match up. You did not based on your five posts in a row marathon about how mothers cannot do anything past having a baby.

Of course I read both sides. I read the Smith article and all of Meagan’s victim statements.

As for your last comment, perhaps some reading comprehension is in order? I was referring specifically to Meagan’s situation touring with a baby overseas given her husband also has a career and travels for his work. But for all I know maybe they had made the decision for him to stay at home and not work during this time, or maybe they would do daycare, or maybe her mother or a nanny would go on tour with her. But the fact that she herself spoke of not being sure of doing this and being away from her family for so long could not have been a very reassuring thing for Eric.

 

[overedge]

Secondly, what Cipres did in his own personal time James had nothing to do with.

It wasn't on his "personal time". It involved another skater and coach at the rink where they were training. It's a very different situation than, say, if he was sending photos of his junk to random people on Tumblr.

 

[mackiecat]

Astounding I know, but the child also has a father! Who should be perfectly capable of caring for his child!

So the hours he is teaching is the kid just running around the rink unattended? No they would need to hire a nanny, child care centres do not align with coaching hours. Those tours are at the same times as the Grand Prix , so now both parents are travelling.

 

[tony]

Of course I read both sides. I read the Smith article and all of Meagan’s victim statements.

As for your last comment, perhaps some reading comprehension is in order? I was referring specifically to Meagan’s situation touring with a baby overseas given her husband also has a career and travels for his work. But for all I know maybe they had made the decision for him to stay at home and not work during this time, or maybe they would do daycare, or maybe her mother or a nanny would go on tour with her. But the fact that she herself spoke of not being sure of doing this and being away from her family for so long could not have been a very reassuring thing for Eric.

First of all, you came in to quote me a 'sureeeeeee' on a post I made as if I don't know what I'm talking about. Since you seem to think you know everything, why don't you share the supposed real reasons behind everything with everyone here on FSU? Be catty with reading comprehension, but I've read everything you had to say, and it's a bunch of assumptions and 'well this is what was going to happen anyways'. The fact remains, whether you like it or not, that Duhamel and Radford had shows scheduled as late as February and were still planning on fall tours. Eric wasn't putting his life on hold for Meagan's timetable, whether you want to see it or not. You can be team Eric or team Meagan or not care or really care, but there are some things that are known facts based on both of their comments.

You and Ms. @overedge 'I don't put worth into anonymous posters' can go compare notes.

 

[taz'smum]

I had a gem of a piece of advice from a relationship therapist once, who said don't ever go to your friends to expect help on resolving your relationship problems. What it takes to resolve relationship issues is to see the other person's point of view, not only yours, and be able to empathize with the other person's point of view, especially when it's starkly different from your own point of view. But good friends do exactly the opposite: their job is to empathize and validate your own point of view, to make you feel righteous in the way you feel, thus leaving even less room to be able to relate to the point of view of the person you're having issues with and are trying to repair a relationship with.

This is amazingly good advice @feraina! When you take a step back and look at the problem from both perspectives, it really helps to diffuse emotions, especially anger. Once you are calmer, it is much easier to find a mutually acceptable way forward.

 

[AnnM]

So the hours he is teaching is the kid just running around the rink unattended? No they would need to hire a nanny, child care centres do not align with coaching hours. Those tours are at the same times as the Grand Prix , so now both parents are travelling.

And hiring a nanny would be bad because why?

My children's daycare center (oh the horror, I'm a working parent and so is my husband!) is open from 6:30am to 6:30pm ... 1/2 the day can't align with coaching hours?

 

[overedge]

Any kind of extended touring for shows is extremely difficult for kids. Musicians who are parents usually don't take their kids on tour unless they can also afford to bring a nanny, which means extra $$$ for that person's salary, transportation, hotels, etc.

 

[VGThuy]

The idea that Radford set her up to look bad is hilarious. By removing responsibility and control of her own actions away from her and onto him, you make her sound like a true blue idiot who has no impulse control and who needs to be coddled and handled as a special case. Like it’s so hilarious. Like you're basically saying that it's so obvious she can’t can’t control herself and will make a big ado about it in public like a big toddler

 

[emilieh]

Sometimes I take my kid with me for work travel, and it's a lot of things to figure out. Sometimes I leave the kid home, and that's a lot to figure out, too. My first trip back during the pandemic, I really struggled with whether or not to go, and I wasn't going halfway around the world like Meagan would have been. I was definitely also hesitant and had concerns, but I always figured things out. Given that Meagan has historically been someone who has figured a lot of things out, I have no doubt that she would have too.

I think Kim Navarro was on Stars on Ice just a few years ago when she had a small child. I remember seeing videos of her daughter being carried around the ice during rehearsals.

Much like the conversation revolving around this topic in this thread, all of the responsibility is always assumed to be on me (the mother). No one has ever asked my husband what he is going to do about childcare when he travels, or how I'll manage while he's gone. They just send him wherever without any concern. But if mentions to coworkers that I'm traveling, everyone wants to know how they are going to survive while I'm away.

 

[cholla]

.

I am sorry but Eric did not set her up to look bad.

He did not need to. She perfectly managed this all by herself

 

[Xsktrx]

Am I missing something here? Correct me if I have the timeline wrong. Most of the highest level competitive skaters love the challenge and the spotlight. When they retire from competitive skating the best way to keep in the spotlight if they are fortunate enough is to be able to do shows. That was the plan for Meagan and Eric. It doesn’t sound like them ever competing again was planned. Sounds like they did a few shows and the last 2 were with Meagan pregnant. Shows ended as she was unable to continue due to her pregnancy. Maybe they had a plan to resume shows post birth at some point. So for somewhere between 7-12 months Eric did other things possibly waiting for Meagan. Then covid happens and shows end up being shelved for a year or more. Somewhere during that layoff Eric’s desire for the spotlight or competitive juices, or both reappeared. With shows still a big “if” going forward but competitions appearing to be back on track coupled with meeting Vanessa who apparently shared that same desire to compete they decided to give it a try. Not saying he couldn’t have handled things better if Meagan’s version is accurate but I totally understand how he ended up where he is today.

 

[MacMadame]

With shows still a big “if” going forward but competitions appearing to be back on track coupled with meeting Vanessa who apparently shared that same desire to compete they decided to give it a try.

This part is not accurate according to Eric. He said he initially approached Vanessa to skate in shows.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Maybe they had a plan to resume shows post birth at some point.

They had post-birth contracts that were canceled due to cv. Not just plans. The plans were to skate on CSOI, if the rumored Fall tour materialized. They weren't simply, "if something comes up at some time."

He did not pair with James because his competitive juices were flowing: he was wanted a show partnership with James before returning to compete entered the discussion. (See the Smith article.)