Madison Chock & Evan Bates Hopes, Fears & Cheers!

[BlueRidge]

"no chance" well I don't agree with that, as I don't think the only thing that matters is medals. In ice dance, putting out a beautiful performance is what matters the most.

 

[Sylvia]

Here are Evan's and Madi's heartfelt messages to their supporters:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfcBXtknnPf/?taken-by=evan_bates

Yesterday we set out to deliver a message of hope and positivity and in the end, that message was delivered to us by all of you who reached out. The internet gets a bad rap for its harboring of trolls and hate mongers but I can't express enough the amount of love we felt reading through your messages and how much that helped to heal. Thank you.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfcNvHEhFu9/?taken-by=chockolate02

I can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am for all the love and kind messages I have received. It’s been overwhelmingly beautiful. We obviously didn’t have a perfect skate but we put our whole hearts into our performance from start to finish. It was our goal to share a message of hope and peace with this program and I feel humbled by the amount of support and positivity we have received. Thank you so much.

 

[BlueRidge]

 

[DreamSkates]

Next up is Worlds - come back strong!

 

[lily]

"no chance" well I don't agree with that, as I don't think the only thing that matters is medals. In ice dance, putting out a beautiful performance is what matters the most.

Of course beautiful performance is lovely but I believe, they are still thinking about medals as well. It's not that "we do beautiful performance and don't want any medals".

 

[mollymgr]

Did anyone catch them on the Today show?

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Did anyone catch them on the Today show?

I saw them in the group of athletes that were gathered in the plaza. I don't think they were individually featured unless it was before I turned on the TV.

 

[DreamsofBliss]

They suggest in this interview they might like to continue or try for another Olympics.

 

[laviemn]

They suggest in this interview they might like to continue or try for another Olympics.

I really hope they do. Their FD this season defied the labels that skating fans have put on them; there's a new level of sensitivity to the music and connection as performers. And I just like them both so much. They way they've carried themselves in the last two difficult seasons, that they have warm relationships with some of their closest rivals says a lot about them.

 

[EYGH]

I really hope they do. Their FD this season defied the labels that skating fans have put on them; there's a new level of sensitivity to the music and connection as performers. And I just like them both so much. They way they've carried themselves in the last two difficult seasons, that they have warm relationships with some of their closest rivals says a lot about them.

I agree. Madi and Evan are lovely people and good ice dancers. They have evolved. I have the impression that P/C has liberated something in ice dance for other couples. Everybody is profiting from that "open window" and exploring, pushing, growing, ... The Shibs too. I thought they were wonderful and skated with more amplitude and abandon. than before.

 

[laviemn]

Amazing quality fancams of the SD & FD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDqH14V_WSU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV1Uhspquqk&index=16&list=PLx_9rFb_4lCfO1RsbBqPtFNWk8DrYRZJj

 

[Debbie S]

Thanks for posting, @laviemn. I watched the SD, all the more amazing given that she aggravated her ankle injury just before they skated.

I can't watch the FD just yet.

 

[laviemn]

Thanks for posting, @laviemn. I watched the SD, all the more amazing given that she aggravated her ankle injury just before they skated.

I can't watch the FD just yet.

You're welcome. Huge respect to Madison, there wasn't the slightest indication she was injured the entire season until after that skate.

 

[vireo]

I can't watch the FD just yet.

I know how you feel.

 

[muffinplus]

I watched the enhanced feed of the FD NBC. It was interesting because they were showing K&C shots of the current skaters leading when the fall happened. Piper Gilles looked totally shocked/upset.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Amazing quality fancams of the SD & FD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDqH14V_WSU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV1Uhspquqk&index=16&list=PLx_9rFb_4lCfO1RsbBqPtFNWk8DrYRZJj

I tried watching the SD vid on my 4K TV last week, and the size of my TV + the shaky camerawork made me dizzy. I wish there were videos online of NBC's 4K coverage I was so excited when I saw 4K vids on YouTube, but I can't even get through them because of how they were shot.

 

[laviemn]

I tried watching the SD vid on my 4K TV last week, and the size of my TV + the shaky camerawork made me dizzy. I wish there were videos online of NBC's 4K coverage I was so excited when I saw 4K vids on YouTube, but I can't even get through them because of how they were shot.

I know what you mean, though these videos were OK for me. And the quality made me feel like I was out on the ice with them when I watched on my TV. I'm praying someone eventually uploads the 4K footage shot for xfinity because Ben, the best in business ever IMO, did the commentary.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I know what you mean, though these videos were OK for me. And the quality made me feel like I was out on the ice with them when I watched on my TV. I'm praying someone eventually uploads the 4K footage shot for xfinity because Ben, the best in business ever IMO, did the commentary.

Charlie actually did the commentary for the 4K broadcast. Ben did one night of the Team Event when Charlie had to go to Park City.

I'm surprised these videos haven't been taken down yet by the IOC. The original ones I watched last week have already been banned. I hate how strict the IOC is about their stuff. Caused me to lose my YouTube account years ago when I posted videos I took after the medal ceremony in Vancouver.

 

[laviemn]

Charlie actually did the commentary for the 4K broadcast. Ben did one night of the Team Event when Charlie had to go to Park City.

I'm surprised these videos haven't been taken down yet by the IOC. The original ones I watched last week have already been banned. I hate how strict the IOC is about their stuff. Caused me to lose my YouTube account years ago when I posted videos I took after the medal ceremony in Vancouver.

Oh! Well, Charlie's great too, but Ben is a bit more precise.

I'm surprised too, and I suggest if anyone wants to watch these videos later (when the FD might be more bearable), download them with clipconverter or 4K Video. A video I saved last week from the same account has disappeared already.

 

[BlueRidge]

IMO, the greatest thing you can do in this sport is create beauty on the ice and Madison & Evan did that today. Such a lovely skate.

 

[Sylvia]

Here's what Madison and Evan had to say after skating their programs in Milan (via ISU Quick Quotes files):

Chock after FD:

We feel great about our performance. To me it was the best performance we’ve done all season and to be able to do that at the World Championships is a very good feeling to cap off the send of our season. We haven’t thought about next season yet, we have a few things to get in order before we start that process, but we’re in a very good place and we want to stay in this good place before we proceed. We heard that they are doing some changes to the rules, but we’ve been focused on what we are doing this week and haven’t paid much attention to what’s been changing.

Bates:

I think this free dance in particular has been the most sincere program we have ever skated and I think that is a great lesson for us: when we show our authentic selves and really skate as a reflection of who we are then people connect to it more and respond to it better. So that is, I think, the best takeaway of this season is just how wonderful this free dance has been for us.
(On the spin that they fell on at the OlympicGames) I think when we were getting back into training at home there was certainly, the first time doing that element, a flashback and just took a little bit extra care so that we knew when we came here it would not be a problem.

Chock after the SD:

It felt great. We had a lot of fun out there and this was definitely our best performance all year. So it’s really nice to cap it off with a season’s best. I think we lost a level on our side by side not touch at the end of the program but we are still very happy with how we performed and it felt good for us and that’s what we’re going to take away. For the free tomorrow we are just planning to skate with our hearts and that’s really it. The rest will sort itself out.

Bates:

Certainly the goal is a World medal. I think any athlete will say that they always want to come home with a medal. But I think in the Olympic year there is a different kind of goal-setting that goes into a World Championship. After the Olympics we decided that we said that we wanted to come here and skate for ourselves and to skate with a ton of joy and, honestly, this crowd was one of the best crowds I’ve skated before. After the Olympic Games we were a little bit disappointed with our performance in the free dance so we really wanted to come here and create a different memory especially as we go into the off-season. We really wanted to finish the season on a better note and today’s short dance was definitely the best of the season so we’re really happy we decided to come here.

ETA @Debbie S's post re. Madison's possible upcoming surgery (thanks for the info):

The Oly Channel guy doing the broadcast with Tanith said after their SD that Madison would be having surgery after Worlds.

I hope the surgery and recovery go well. I would imagine she'll be off the ice for a couple of months afterward, but I haven't heard/read anything definitive.

 

[laviemn]

Evan confirmed my impressions of this FD. Sincerity is what came to mind when I watched it all season. They've been getting criticism that it didn't allow Madison to display her usual sass and sexiness, so it's good to hear they gained so much personal satisfaction from it.

 

[Twilight1]

When skaters buy into and truly love and genuinely emote to their programs, it will always connect with the audience when they skate it to it's full potential.

Hope they do come back at least for a couple more seasons. I love this FD and look forward to what else they can do

 

[BlueRidge]

I love the idea of them doing more programs that are meaningful to them and allow them to express their real selves like this. They've had some trouble finding a true style for themselves but they are such lovely people letting that show is great.

 

[lmarie086]

I really started to become a fan of Madison and Evan this season - I don't love the cover of Imagine that they chose for the FD, but it clearly resonated with them and it lifted the whole program for me as a result. Both of their programs this season were well constructed - some of the best in the field, especially their SD (the music choice in the SD was definitely my favorite).

Hopefully Madison heals well from her injury, and if they decide to continue competing, I wish them the best of luck!!

 

[Anyasnake]

Maddie had a successful surgery on her ankle : https://twitter.com/chockolate02/status/982634571924672513

That was very bad timing for them this season. Hope they can continue successfully next season, injury-free

 

[CassAgain]

So glad the surgery went well, and my goodness she is beautiful in a hospital gown and cap.

 

[AxelAnnie]

So glad the surgery went well, and my goodness she is beautiful in a hospital gown and cap.

No kidding. My hospital selfies don't look anything like that.

 

[Debbie S]

So glad the surgery went well, and my goodness she is beautiful in a hospital gown and cap.

Only Madi could rock that look. When I had surgery for my broken leg in 2009, my mom suggested taking a picture. Fortunately, she did not have a camera with her and I did not yet own a smartphone, so there is no photographic evidence.

Sending good wishes and healing vibes to Madi!

 

[laviemn]

So glad she was able to get the surgery immediately after the end of the season and that it went well. I hope her recovery goes just as well and they have plenty of time to prepare for next season.