Ice Network's Ice Talk (New Podcast)

[skatfan]

Ice Network debuted a new podcast called "Ice Talk" on figure skating (with a US bent, but not exclusively). It has a lovely interview with Ashley Wagner, who talks about starting up again this season and her programs for this year.

 

[misskarne]

Listening now.

I feel like there was an awkward pause when he asked Jackie if he mostly used IceNetwork, especially when they were talking about the Challengers. Because Salt Lake City was very much IceNOTwork...

 

[Sylvia]

Ice Network debuted a new podcast called "Ice Talk" on figure skating (with a US bent, but not exclusively).

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/10/12/203475038

It has a lovely interview with Ashley Wagner, who talks about starting up again this season and her programs for this year.

http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/podcast

 

[skatfan]

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/10/12/203475038

http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/podcast

Thanks for adding the link in Sylvia!

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Surprisingly much better than I anticipated—reasonably paced speaking! listenable audio quality!—though I LOL'ed pretty hard at Jackie's quasi-stanning for Ice Network's coverage. Gotta love the USFS propaganda machine. Ashley's segment was really great—particularly helpful in understanding her music choices for the season.

 

[Sylvia]

http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/podcast

Episode 2: Skate America Preview
Nick McCarvel and longtime Chicago-based journalist Philip Hersh discuss this week's Skate America. Nick also talks to Gracie Gold about how she spent her offseason, what it was like being at Trophée Éric Bompard in the midst of the Paris terror attacks and dealing with the disappointment of last season's world championships.

The Gracie Gold segment starts ~16:30 minute mark.

ETA direct link to listen: http://dds.mlb.com/icenetwork/2016/101916_icetalk_ep2.mp3

Direct link to episode 1: http://dds.mlb.com/icenetwork/2016/101016_icetalk_ep1.mp3

 

[Sylvia]

NEW link to Ice Talk page: http://www.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

• Episode 3: Skate Canada Preview
  Nick McCarvel and icenetwork broadcaster John Coughlin break down the competition at this week's Skate Canada. Nick also talks to Olympic champion ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir about returning to the sport after a two-year layoff.

Direct link to listen: http://dds.mlb.com/icenetwork/2016/102616_icetalk_ep3_v1.mp3

 

[aftershocks]

In the IceTalk podcast episode 2, Phil Hersh makes an aside re wondering how a skater (Karen Chen) can go out there and not have boots that fit right. Hersh equates it to a baseball player going out on the field with holes in his glove. It's NOT the skaters' fault that boot technology for skaters is behind the times. I wonder if Phil has ever laced up fs boots and tried them out on the ice. Ballerinas have a hard time breaking in their footgear too.

Apparently EDEA is working on designing better skate boots (looser at the ankles; cushiony inside to provide impact resistance), but still the advances and benefits are minimal compared to the physical demands being placed on skaters today.

 

[misskarne]

In the IceTalk podcast episode 2, Phil Hersh makes an aside re wondering how a skater (Karen Chen) can go out there and not have boots that fit right. Hersh equates it to a baseball player going out on the field with holes in his glove.

It's called custom boots.

 

[aftershocks]

Right, well whatever they are called and whether or not they are custom made, the boot technology is still behind the times. Surely most top skaters have their boots custom made. Both custom boots and ready made boots present problems for skaters. There are plenty of cases of top skaters experiencing serious problems with their boots, including Karen Chen, Michelle Kwan and Richard Dornbush.

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Custom boots don't always resolve problems. I've had custom boots that needed punching out, recrafting, etc after delivery. It happens more often than you think.

ETA excerpted some of my comments from an alternate thread re: skating boots—maybe Phil Hersh should go do some reporting on this?

It's really easy in this sport to freak out over the equipment because so much of the way we talk about equipment is grounded in feeling and knowledge that's been passed down from generation to generation. I mean, take the whole matter of "Stiffness Ratings," which seemed to appear without much science or writing around them, but we take them as objective fact (more or less), despite the fact that no skating publication/Good Housekeeping/whatever has done a thorough experiment to compare boot stiffness to objectively say one brand is quantitatively stiffer than another. (BTW I'm heavy on the qualitative side of research, so it personally cracks me up to be all "BUT SCIENCE!!1!" about this.)

I can easily see how Karen might worry and run through every boot brand and blade in existence until she feels secure. Would I do that? I don't have a wallet that deep, but I certainly appreciate the care to her approach. Rich people, if you're reading this, feel free to fund my boot and blade stress test experiments.

 

[Sylvia]

Ep. 4: Javier Fernández/Lynn Rutherford
Jackie Wong of RockerSkating.com fills in as this week's host of "Ice Talk." Jackie and icenetwork journalist Lynn Rutherford look back on the season's first two Grand Prix events, Skate America and Skate Canada, and also preview this week's Rostelecom Cup. Javier Fernández of Spain joins the show to talk about defending his world title last season and the genesis of his new Elvis Presley free skate.

Direct link to listen: http://dds.mlb.com/icenetwork/2016/ICETALK_ep4_110216.mp3

 

[B.Cooper]

In the IceTalk podcast episode 2, Phil Hersh makes an aside re wondering how a skater (Karen Chen) can go out there and not have boots that fit right. Hersh equates it to a baseball player going out on the field with holes in his glove. It's NOT the skaters' fault that boot technology for skaters is behind the times. I wonder if Phil has ever laced up fs boots and tried them out on the ice. Ballerinas have a hard time breaking in their footgear too.

Apparently EDEA is working on designing better skate boots (looser at the ankles; cushiony inside to provide impact resistance), but still the advances and benefits are minimal compared to the physical demands being placed on skaters today.

I am sorry, but Mr Hersh has no clue what it takes to break in a new pair of figure skates so that they 'fit' and "feel" correct on a skater's feet. Some skaters can use the same pair of skates for up to 18-24 months until the leather literally is falling apart, and needs duct tape to hold together, especially at the ankles for support. (some of that, can be superstition....many skaters are quietly superstitious). Others can go thru a pair of boots every 4-6 months. And, yes, most boot manufacturers make "custom boots" for elite skaters, but every pair is different. For the leather based boot, it is a function of the quality of the leather that is used...is the leather used from the same area of the hide each time (some areas of the hide are thinner than others, and this requires more layers sewn together), some areas of the hide, because of its location on the animal, has less ability to stretch. Many of the boot manufacturers who still use leather, try to have the same person manufacture the boot every time for each skater, but that doesn't always hold true. Molds, measurements, and now even 3D scans are taken of the feet and lower leg for the design process. Some skaters use the damp sock method to break in the new boots, others rub the interior of the boot leather with rubbing alcohol to break in the leather a little bit

Keep in mind that every skater likes the blade placement different as well, so many use a shim to properly align or angle the blade, and many skaters also use orthotics in their boots. All of this takes time to figure out, and you need a boot tech with an eye for detail, understands his/her clients needs, and actually understands the physics of jumps, spins, etc.

Here is a link to a colorized version of the foot in the boot...notice all the nails? ;-)

http://www.fotosearch.com/FSB431/x19611655/

Many skaters like the boot to feel like another layer of skin. If I remember rightly, Kristi Yamaguchi wore her boots so tight, that she would have to put them on just before she took the ice, and take them off almost immediately afterwards.

So, for each skater, the fit is different, depending on how they "feel" the ice with their feet. Just because Mr Hersh has played a little recreation ice hockey over his lifetime, IMO, leaves me scratching my head wondering why he can critique Karen Chen for struggling with her boots. It happens to many skaters over the course of their careers.

 

[Tavi]

I don't think Phil was questioning the validity of Karen's boot issues - if I recall, it was the fact that she reportedly went through and rejected about 12 pairs of boots in a short period of time.

And as a recreational adult skater with really hard to fit feet - I ended up with custom orthotics and a pair of custom boots, which were godawful expensive for someone at my level - I understand her frustration, but I am also mystified.

The fit and level of support in her boots are clearly more critical for her than for me, but what happened? Did her feet suddenly change radically, or did her boot manufacturer discontinue her style, change the manufacturing process, etc.? Because I would think it would be in the manufacturer's best interests to work closely with her to resolve her issues, and I find it hard to believe that it took 12 pairs of boots to get it right. Maybe I just don't know enough, though.

 

[Sylvia]

For those who missed seeing @Jayar's posts re. Karen Chen's past boot problems in the U.S. Ladies thread in September when this issue came up there:

I personally spoke at length with Karen about the boot issue last season. Mirai's boot broke, yes, but it was a completely different thing that what was happening in Karen's case. Karen's boots were breaking down, and I hope that I can explain this well-- if there is someone else here who can do a better job, it would be appreciated. So basically the boots would get creases/folds in them, and since skating boots are 'hard', when the creases would occur, the fold would push into Karen's foot when she would flex the foot/ankle. The result was a lot of pain from the boot crease rubbing on a particular location. There was a lack of full support from the boot, and when you couple that with a jarring twinge of pain, the result is poor skating and a slump in confidence. When Karen finally got boots that worked, her confidence was shot, and she had to work back up to feeling sure-footed in her skating. I'm not going to speak to Karen's performances at all-- I just wanted to shed some light on the real issue behind the boot problem. It's more common than we think, it's expensive in both time and money, and it's a total confidence killer.

... It was over months. And it really was many pairs of boots. She and her team tried everything, and it just took a long time to figure it out. It wasn't mere days.

 

[aftershocks]

Yes of course @B.Cooper, thanks for your sharing your knowledge. I learned a lot just from reading your post. Wow, why isn't the topic of skating boots covered more extensively? A figure skating story still waiting to be told.

In my earlier post, I was questioning Phil Hersh's understanding, not agreeing with his off-hand, uninformed comments. I think Hersh has a very limited, surface knowledge of figure skating generally. Just because he has covered figure skating for a long time does not mean he understands anything about how the sport developed or about the problems skaters experience with their boots. In fact, I have a limited understanding about skaters' relationship with their boots too, because it's not something that has ever been deeply explored or discussed in any beneficial detail.

The fact that Phil used a baseball analogy in reference to figure skaters' boots is a perfect example of just how misunderstood figure skating is and continues to be. Figure skating is completely unlike any other sport, and coverage of figure skating has historically been inadequate. I think the limited and ineffective coverage partly is a result of the traditionally elitist way the sport developed, and the archaic, dyed-in-the-wool way it has been run for decades. Maybe a slow and beneficial change is underway, largely influenced by fan coverage and involvement.

Maribel Vinson Owen was a wonderful promoter of the sport back-in-the-day, in addition to being a great skater and coach. I think that Vinson Owen possessed vision and savvy, as well as an astute understanding of the sport. Clearly, so very much was lost in that famous 1961 plane crash: irreplaceable human lives, history, entire U.S. team, and untold possibilities. Maybe the sport needs to start there again with that tragedy to further uncover what was lost, and thus to salvage more from those ashes. Clearly, the current global existence of the sport was greatly impacted by that tragedy, to a large degree in a positive way. But what a huge cost it was that pushed forward change through increased global interaction.

USFS actually made a great start in connecting the past with the present when they sponsored and promoted the RISE documentary. But they need perhaps to do much more with extended efforts related to the many fascinating and revealing stories touched upon in that documentary. USFS totally missed the point of connecting the past with the present and the future by seemingly using the documentary in part to promote their favored skater during the time of the film's production. While Evan Lysacek went on to win an Olympic Gold medal in 2010 (and to play a featured role during the film's 50th anniversary release in 2011), the U.S. men's team has suffered from a lack of vision (and unfortunate favoritism) that dates back to that period. Some of the USFS favoritism has lessened in recent years. I think Evan has unfairly been dismissed by many since 2010 as someone who won without a quad. The reality is he did perform quads, but they were not needed to win at 2010 Olympics. Overall, it might have been helpful had the RISE documentary been used to more fully embrace all the U.S.'s brilliant skaters of 2010-2011 period, and to develop a strategy and vision to carry the connection to the past forward with more lasting resonance. Apparently, USFS failed to even think about doing that. There are still so many possibilities available, and so many connections waiting to be made.

In regard to Karen Chen's boots, Phil Hersh might be better off doing extensive investigative research without any opinionated prejudgement. I appreciate @Jayar's earlier attempt to explain what Karen experienced. However, it is still mystifying as to why this happened, as @Tavi has expressed. If they were custom boots, were there faults in the material or in the construction? What brand of boots was she using? Many different brands? Is EDEA the best technologically advanced brand? How many manufacturers are involved in doing anything to test new materials, construction methods, etc? The positioning and attachment of blades is clearly a whole 'nother topic of importance.

Hersh's surface dismissal of the issue with his baseball analogy ill serves the sport, the skaters, and the fans. I'm sure that's not his intention. However, why not simply admit ignorance and decide to learn valuable details and to provide more knowledgeable commentary? Of course, Nick McCarvel apparently had nothing of value or enlightenment to add to the discussion either. I don't say this to put them down, but more to hopefully light a fire under them to think more creatively, to undertake better research, to realize all the stories, angles, and possibilities that exist to provide more quality coverage.

 

[Sylvia]

Ep. 4: Javier Fernández/Lynn Rutherford
... Javier Fernández of Spain joins the show to talk about defending his world title last season and the genesis of his new Elvis Presley free skate.

Direct link to listen: http://dds.mlb.com/icenetwork/2016/ICETALK_ep4_110216.mp3

Jackie Wong's chat with Javi Fernandez in Toronto (last week, I assume) starts around the 46-minute mark.

 

[clairecloutier]

Oh my, Jackie is a Radionova fan, who knew?

 

[aftershocks]

I disagree with Lynn Rutherford's comparisons/ assessments of Radionova vs Medvedeva. I think Med is obviously much stronger technically, but I don't think Med's OTT expressions make her more naturally artistic than Radionova! Med might be more fluid and graceful with better posture, but not even that makes her better artistically than Radionova. There is something special about Radionova, but she needs the right music, choreo, costuming and training approach to bring it out. There is something a bit over-reaching and desperate about all of the young Russian ladies, but I find Radionova somewhat more soulful, appealing, and genuine.

 

[Sylvia]

http://www.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

Ep. 5: Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron/Tanith White
Ice Desk host and NBC commentator Tanith White joins Nick McCarvel to give her thoughts on the latest happenings in the world of ice dance. Two-time reigning world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France talk about training alongside Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and test their knowledge of each other in the debut of "Fire and Ice."

Direct link to listen: http://dds.mlb.com/icenetwork/2016/ICETALK_ep5.mp3
(P/C's interview starts after the 31-minute mark.)

 

[Alilou]

This is the link to ICE TALK that doesn't automatically lead only to an mp3 player download:

http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

 

[maraalysegh]

I'm really loving IceTalk. I can't make a lot of additional time to watch videos and sometimes blog posts can take a while to read (thoroughly aware that The Judges' Table is no exception!), but having the opportunity to listen while I'm driving to the supermarket or walking to work is really nice and makes me feel like I'm keeping up with the skating world. It helps that the conversations between the contributors are fairly smooth and they're all able to disagree in a professional way (although I thought Tanith was perhaps holding back a bit in the most recent episode so as to avoid disagreeing with Nick too much). And the interviews have been a lot of fun!

 

[Sylvia]

• Ep. 6: Patrick Chan/Lynn Rutherford
  Nick McCarvel and icenetwork reporter Lynn Rutherford review last week's Trophée de France and look ahead to this week's Cup of China. Nick also talks with three-time world champion Patrick Chan about his new coaching team, his relationship with training partner Nathan Chen and what it was like collaborating with fellow Canadian skater Eric Radford on his free skate this season.

Link to listen: http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

Chan's interview begins ~39-minute mark.

 

[Sylvia]

Ep. 7: Kaetlyn Osmond/John Coughlin
Nick McCarvel and icenetwork broadcaster John Coughlin take a look back at last week's Cup of China and preview this week's NHK Trophy. Nick also talks with Grand Prix Final qualifier Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada about returning to skating after suffering a serious leg injury and how working with a sports psychologist has helped her in her comeback.

Link to listen: http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

Osmond's interview starts ~44 -minute mark.

 

[Sylvia]

Ep. 8: Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani/Nick Zaccardi
Nick Zaccardi of NBC OlympicTalk joins host Nick McCarvel to review last week's NHK Trophy as well as give his overall impressions of this fall's Grand Prix Series. McCarvel also talks with world silver medalist ice dancers Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani about how they choose their music for their programs and what makes their partnership work.

Link to listen: http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

The Shibutanis' phone interview begins around the 25 minute mark.

 

[Sylvia]

Ep. 9: Adam Rippon/Johnny Weir
U.S. champion Adam Rippon talks to host Nick McCarvel about his last-minute decision to change his free skate this season and why he's skating better than ever despite his relatively advanced age in the sport. McCarvel is also joined by NBC skating analyst (and fellow podcast host) Johnny Weir, who shares his thoughts on the field for this week's Grand Prix Final.

http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

 

[Sylvia]

Wrong thread

 

[Sylvia]

Latest episodes: http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

• Ep. 13: Andrew Poje/Kurt Browning
  Another week, another all-Canada edition of Ice Talk. In this episode, Kurt Browning joins host Jackie Wong to dissect the upcoming Canadian Figure Skating Championships. Then, ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje talk about how they created their programs this season and the positives of not making the Grand Prix Final.

• Ep. 12: Julianne Séguin & Charlie Bilodeau/Gabrielle Daleman
  In this special all-Canada edition of Ice Talk, we bring you two interviews that Jackie Wong of RockerSkating.com conducted at Skate America back in October. Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau, and Gabrielle Daleman join the podcast to talk about their skating, their training and their outlook for the season. Happy holidays!

• Ep. 11: Kana Muramoto & Chris Reed/Lynn Rutherford
  Japanese ice dancers Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed join host Nick McCarvel to talk about about how their partnership came about, Kana's transition from singles to dance and some misconceptions about their coach, Marina Zoueva. Also, icenetwork contributor Lynn Rutherford and McCarvel break down the fields at this week's Russian and Japanese nationals.
  Final.

• Ep. 10: Brian Orser/Jackie Wong
  Brian Orser joins Ice Talk to discuss the challenges of coaching the two best men's skaters in the world, Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernández, and how he's able to manage his seemingly overwhelming workload. Also, host Nick McCarvel and Jackie Wong of RockerSkating.com take a look back at last week's Grand Prix Final.

 

[princeton123]

Is Jackie Wong working full time for Ice Network now? I love his Twitter and I think he's a fantastic addition to the team, but I prefer Nick McCarvel as an interviewer. He asks tougher, more interesting questions. I suppose he's had more practice as an actual journalist/reporter though.

 

[Tavi]

Is Jackie Wong working full time for Ice Network now? I love his Twitter and I think he's a fantastic addition to the team, but I prefer Nick McCarvel as an interviewer. He asks tougher, more interesting questions. I suppose he's had more practice as an actual journalist/reporter though.

I doubt Jackie works for IN full time - he is a management consultant in his non skating life.