Samokhvalov's interview with Nina Mozer `When am mad my inner Montserrat Caballé wakes up'

[jiejie]

Thanks for this interview translation. On first reading, Mozer sounded a bit "all over the place" and even a bit goofy, but some of this is the lack of strict interview structure and her stream-of-consciousness presentation of her memories and thoughts. I read it a second time and it started making more sense, even though I don't fully understand all of the internal Russian sports politics situations and personalities.

I had always looked at Mozer as one of those cartoon caricature personalities, but this interview showed her in a different light--a woman of many dimensions indeed. She might have been (as one poster above mused) drunk, trolling, or mad...and not everything can/should be taken as the gospel of truth...but there are enough golden nuggets of insight and opinion that she warrants a hat tip of respect the next time I see her on my TV/computer screen.

Curious about this:

NM: You helped me recalling a person who made me feel nothing but negative. Piseev. A huge professional. Seriously. It's the only thing I admired him for. The lack of ability to communicate, greed, a bully a three of his main features. He had a bunch of coaches who were part of the team and you had no chance. The last GPF in Marseille I met Rafael Arutyunian with whom, back in the 80s we were working together in the USSR with the juniors. Most of those people made a career abroad. Think am the only person from that generation who stayed in out country and made something. The rest lacked the opportunity. Piseev had a favourite, who I should not name, it's a specialist who once said someone about our generation `you are just a black workers, we are the elite!'

AS: And his name is?

NM: I will not name the son of the bitch.

Who is she talking about? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[analia]

If I would have to guess: Nikolai Morozov.

 

[skatepixie]

this interview is truly epic I can't pick a favorite part but that Piseev rant is worth a million graemlin!!!

It's too bad we don't have reputation points anymore because can you imagine the status?

X is playing Halo with Nina Mozer
X is glared at by Ksenia Stolbova
X was kidnapped in Armenia

I vote we bring them back, tied to post count, with very narrow categories. Or else have them generate at random.

 

[Aerobicidal]

An A to Z list of Mozer's favorite video games:
Adventures of Trankov Christ and His Magical Yellow Pants
Bram Stoker’s Dracula Pairs Free Skate
Call of Booty: Working with Szolkovy Ops
Domestic Goddess Simulator 2020
Escape from the Cannibal Poncho
Final Fantasy: Italian Evil Media Revenge Story
Grand Theft Poncho V
Home Improvement: Power Poncho Pursuit
I Will Not Name the Son of the Bitch: The Videogame
Jeopardy! True Facts About Asian and Caucasian Biology Edition
Killer Klimovs from Outer Sochi
The Legend of Zabiiako: Audience’s Un-Awakening
Magic Panty Drop Experience
Nobunaga’s Partner Is Too Easy to Lift and Throw Because She’s Asian!!!
Operation Facial Surgery: Tutberidze Edition
Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!
Quilting Bee: Poncho Edition
Rock Band: Opera Elton John Edition
Super Keeper of the Homestead Flame 64
Teenage Mullet Ninja Turtles
Unsplattables: The Adventures of Skaters Not Named Stolbova
Virtual Vilanch
Where in the World Is Carmen Stolbova?
The X-Files: Aliens are Politiking for the Canadian Teams and They Must Be Stopped
Yoshi's Reheated Cookie
Zombies Ate My Reheated Leftovers

 

[Tinami Amori]

Piseev had a favourite, who I should not name, it's a specialist who once said someone about our generation `you are just a black workers, we are the elite!'

Just want to make sure there is not misunderstanding about the word "black workers". "Черно-рабочий" means "unskilled labor" - "Blue Color" vs. "White Color". Workers who stood next to factory furnaces, worked in coal mines, collected garbage, cleaned chimneys, all had "black faces" due to type of work.

If I would have to guess: Nikolai Morozov.

It is not N. Morozov, because he is not "Piseev's favorite", by any means.

Few years back Morozov in an interview to Sov-sport accused Piseev of "supporting Tarasova-pet skaters", when Kovtun was sent to Euros instead of Menshov. Then Morozov said "this gang ruined Menshov's career", and Piseev retaliated in another interview.

 

[quiqie]

In all likelyhood, it’s about Oleg Vasiliev.

 

[Vagabond]

Most of those people made a career abroad. Think am the only person from that generation who stayed in out country and made something. The rest lacked the opportunity. Piseev had a favourite, who I should not name, it's a specialist who once said someone about our generation `you are just a black workers, we are the elite!'

Who is she talking about? Inquiring minds want to know.

If I would have to guess: Nikolai Morozov.

In all likelyhood, it’s about Oleg Vasiliev.

She's talking about someone who (1) is in a different age group from her and (2) did not go abroad to work.

Both Morozov and Vasiliev spent extensive periods living and working in the U.S., and Vasiliev is about five years older than Mozer. It's someone else.

 

[TAHbKA]

Am trying to think of a male coach. I.e there was Tchaikovskaya, who, if am not mistaken never worked abroad , unlike all the other `big' names of these times (Moskvina, Dubova, Tarasova) and she talks about respecting Mishin, so that's not him. Vasiliev was working in the USA with Totmianina/Marinin and was never Piseev's pet. Surely not Kudriavtsev. Alexey Gorshkov? Did he leave Russia in the 90s (did he even exist in the 90s?) and it seems the school in Odintsovo went down once Piseev stepped off?

 

[Jeschke]

AS: Fedor is the only brilliant who can stand Ksenia?
NM: Fedor's character allows them to co-exist on the ice and progress to the podium. Fedor is able to hide his emotions and work. He wants to reach his goals.

AS: And Ksenia wants to co-exist with him, or she is into the same goal?
NM: They are together for the goal. The only thing they have in common in their lives. They are totally different people.

AS: I figured that when talking to Fedor.
NM: If it wasn't for work they probably wouldn't even speak to each other. They have a completely different set interests, principles and a life approach. I mean both the small and the big things. And their view on the development is different.

I have so many Aliona/Robin flashbacks!
I am pleased Aliona 2.0 seems to be in a totally different 'mood' today than back then.

Side note: Nina Mozer superstar !

 

[quiqie]

She doesn’t say that the coach in question never went abroad, she just uses him as a counterpoint to people who moved permanently and work with foreign skaters, e.g. Arutunian. She says that his athletes were consistently on the national team, and she attributes that to Piseev’s influence. And she doesn’t say he’s different generation, she says he was dismissive of coaches of her generation, but he could belong to the same generation as well.

 

[Tinami Amori]

She doesn’t say that the coach in question never went abroad, she just uses him as a counterpoint to people who moved permanently and work with foreign skaters, e.g. Arutunian. She says that his athletes were consistently on the national team, and she attributes that to Piseev’s influence. And she doesn’t say he’s different generation, she says he was dismissive of coaches of her generation, but he could belong to the same generation as well.

This is what i understood from her comment on this subject......
- Piseev had a his own circle of coaches who made the national team and only few could get in.

- At the last GP/France Mozer met with Rafik, with whom back in the 80's these two, and a whole group/generation of coaches, worked with Juniors.

- Of that group of coaches who worked with Juniors in the 80's (in USSR), majority went abroad. (but that imho has nothing to do with "mystery person's comments")

- Of that group of coaches who worked with Juniors in the 80's pretty much only Mozer reached senior-level success (int'l medals) while remaining in Russia.

- The others from that group (who taught juniors in USSR in the 80's regardless of their location now) never had much success, not because of lack of will/character, but rather lack of possibilities/opportunities/options (suggesting: because they were never included in Piseev's elite group).

- Piseev had some "favorite" from his group (no generation, training location, gender mentioned). That's the "mystery person".

- This favorite (from Piseev's circle), this specialist (not coach/trainer, not judge or admin.) said to a "third party" (not Mozer and not directly) about "that generation of coaches" ("generation" not due to age, but who worked in USSR in the 80's with Juniors): you all are dirty-labor/blue-color, and we're the elite/white-color.

My understanding is that the "mystery person" is saying "all you guys from back then in the 80's who coached Juniors, never reached any high levels at senior events" implying that "your juniors left you and transferred to us, the Elite coaches". You did all the dirty work, and we're the elite, are refining and ripping the benefits.

 

[hanca]

If I would have to guess: Nikolai Morozov.

It can’t be N Morozov. If I recall correctly, Volosozhar/Trankov used him often as their choreographer. I am pretty sure that if Mozer felt so strongly about him, she would discourage her students from working with him.

 

[analia]

In Russian interviews every coach is called a specialist. Mozer called Tarasova a specialist in this interview. I don't know if it's a translation issue or that's the special term for coach in Russia. Anyway I misread. Now I think she is referring to a story in the 1980s. That person might not be a high level coach now. I was guessing merely by age yesterday but it occurred to me that this person could also be older, near Piseev's age maybe, not younger than Mozer.

 

[Xela M]

The person to whom all skaters transferred after "blue collar" coaches built them up is TAT, but Mozer cannot be talking about her

 

[allezfred]

Might just be easier to interrupt one of Mozer's Halo sessions and ask her if she wants to play a game of "Guess Who?"

 

[Vagabond]

Yeah, right! And she really plays only 20-30 minutes in one go.