Savchenko/Massot Fan Thread

[aftershocks]

Bruno better sleep with one eye open. Kidding. She looked nervous to me but she’s unshakable. I bet he wishes he could do it over. They’re still in the hunt. The Chinese ; she will likely do the same thing Bruno did tomorrow. Tarasova and Morozov are the ones that could win with their gorgeous skating and ghastly music.

Eh, the Russian pairs are always getting it drummed into them that it's a Russian tradition for them to win pairs, and the judges seem to go along with that assessment. Anyway, T/M's fp choreo and costumes are ghastly too, not just the music. Notice they didn't dare come out to skate that fp in the team comp. Twice at the Olympics with crud Candyman is way too much. They really need to have points taken off for their costumes, choreo, music, and inability to connect with each other. I wonder if they at least changed those awful costumes! Or cut some of the WTF lyrics that coincide with Vlad throwing Ev in the air.

God if we could just have the gorgeous tech precision and skating skills of T/M when they are on, combined with the absolute hotness, chemistry and thematic program magic of J/C, along with Aliona's pair-diva deliciousness! T/M need way more personality and connection. I don't understand how they keep coming up with such yucky programs. John Z and crew know how to think outside the boring same-old, same-old box, but nope we didn't get to see John Z in the kiss n' cry with Vanessa & Morgan, just because NBC felt it's cool to cut out Vanessa & Morgan. TT&J were saying wrong, negative things about J/C too just before they skated. I'm glad J/C slammed their mouths shut!

But I didn't get all I wished for. D/R were a slight bit tight, as were S/M. S/H brung it, but let's see what happens in the fp. I would just hope for T/M to be off the podium. They should not be rewarded for their mess of a fp. No way. They were rewarded too much all season long. Someone needs to tell them that program stinks!

 

[kittysk8ts]

Gutted for them today, but there is still hope. They really are spectacular.

 

[kittysk8ts]

Anyway, T/M's fp choreo and costumes are ghastly too, not just the music.

100% agree. What a SIN.

 

[cocotaffy]

Gutted for them, I hope they come back and have an amazing long which they definitely can because they have absolutely nothing to lose now. I will be fine with Sui/Han winning but T/M

 

[nimi]

From the Canada pairs thread: Bruno saved Meagan from heading into wrong destination

Meagan Duhamel‏Verified account @mhjd_85
Update: the hanger carrying my dress broke from the wind. And I was stepping into the wrong bus but Bruno Massot saved me from going to the wrong venue. Haha! Ok! Im ready to nail this short!
https://twitter.com/mhjd_85/status/963599362570911744

 

[cocotaffy]

From the Canada pairs thread: Bruno saved Meagan from heading into wrong destination

Such a gentleman, now Bruno please can you kick ass tomorrow.

 

[Jeschke]

FOLKS BE READY:
S/M FS element sheet says: 4twist, 3axel and 4sal
https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/en/...-skating/results-pair-skating-fnl-000100-.htm

Someone please say, that's a joke
Though, to be honest, I would not be surprised

 

[nimi]

Such a gentleman, now Bruno please can you kick ass tomorrow.

I don't know if I can watch the FS tomorrow. Not because I'd have to wake up at an ungodly hour but because I'm too emotionally invested in Aljona getting the gold and also I don't want to see Bruno The Gentle(man) Giant look like a big sad puppy if he makes another mistake.

“But we came for the gold, not for another medal,” he said. “These are the Olympic Games that happen only every four years and I cannot accept that I have made this ridiculous mistake. It is not over yet, but we dreamed of gold, not of silver or bronze. I wanted the gold as well, but more for her. I don’t want her to come home with another bronze medal.”

(source)

Neither do I, Bruno. Neither do I.

 

[Quadjump]

I don't know if I can watch the FS tomorrow. Not because I'd have to wake up at an ungodly hour but because I'm too emotionally invested in Aljona getting the gold and also I don't want to see Bruno The Gentle(man) Giant look like a big sad puppy if he makes another mistake.

(source)

Neither do I, Bruno. Neither do I.

It is the same with me. It is a whole new me today. What a disappoitment.

I will force myself to get up again tomorrrow night although I just cannot see Aljona falling at these big throws tomorrow. Hope she calms down and stop this crazy 4STh.

 

[annie_mg]

Joining the club of disappointed and sad S/M fans. I'm sure Bruno will be beating himself up forever Though to be honest, Aljona has had her fair of clean SPs and sloppy LPs at the Olympics. Perhaps this time it can be the other way around?

I also don't want to watch her fall at those big throws. She probably doesn't care if it's a bronze, she prefers to risk it all and go for broke with a chance of getting silver or gold (but for that to happen, others need to seriously mess up). I don't find that fair for Bruno though. He doesn't have an Olympic medal and I'm sure he would be happy with the bronze....

 

[Firedancer]

So sad for them! I hope they can come back with a clean FS tonight. But I hope they reconsider all those big throws they have planned. It just seems too risky.

 

[lily]

Love Aliona and Bruno and they gave such big excitement to the pairs competitions. But I think some not so good decisions were made.... why to kill time to throw 3 axel... It didn't work in Sochi and afterward.
And why didn't they try quad twist in the competitions, they have such good and powerful twist... Now it seems too late.

 

[AxelAnnie]

100% agree. What a SIN.

Who sinned?

 

[clairecloutier]

I am really bummed this morning. And now rather terrified at the prospect of these big unstable elements. I don’t want to see a Hanyu/NHK-type accident.

 

[text_skate]

I will definitely sleep well (?) and sound (?) tonight. I tried to stay up today, but reason kicked in after first two flights. Gotta earn a living . Now, this midday shocker: element sheet . I should have waited to take a glance until end of work.

Now, I worry what might happen, if she accomplishes the 4Tw and adrenaline really kicks in ...

 

[kittysk8ts]

Who sinned?

Whoever chose the music and costumes of T/M!

 

[Anyasnake]

Whoever chose the music and costumes of T/M!

I don't know but Robin did the program though...

 

[Deleted member 221]

That salchow . I missed it in real-time, but I knew as soon as I saw the green dot turn yellow that Bruno must have doubled.

I guess it's up to Aljona whether she wants another bronze medal (most likely outcome), or whether she wants to roll the dice with a 2-3% chance of getting gold and 97-98% chance of ending up 5th of lower due to multiple falls. If she's serious about gold, it probably will take a quad twist plus the throw triple axel and throw quad salchow.

Strategically, I've never felt like she has gotten the Olympic season right. The same was true for Woetzel and Steuer.

 

[kittysk8ts]

I don't know but Robin did the program though...

Well, I do love Robin, lol. But that free does not do them justice in any way, shape or form. They are glorious in the sp.

 

[clairecloutier]

I don't know but Robin did the program though...

Peter Tchernyshev and Tatiana Druchinina are credited for the choreography of T/M's LP, according to articles linked here.

I must say, I don't understand how this program came from Tchernyshev, the same man who choreographed Kavaguti/Smirnov's acclaimed Manfred Symphony LP. Or how Robin approved it. (Although maybe no one asked him.)

That salchow . I missed it in real-time, but I knew as soon as I saw the green dot turn yellow that Bruno must have doubled.

I guess it's up to Aljona whether she wants another bronze medal (most likely outcome), or whether she wants to roll the dice with a 2-3% chance of getting gold and 97-98% chance of ending up 5th of lower due to multiple falls. If she's serious about gold, it probably will take a quad twist plus the throw triple axel and throw quad salchow.

Strategically, I've never felt like she has gotten the Olympic season right. The same was true for Woetzel and Steuer.

@Andrey aka Pushkin had a good post in the Olympic Pairs SP PBP about Aliona's Olympic experiences. Somehow, it just has never come together. I do feel that in both 2010 and 2014, she faced such an uphill battle. In both cases, general sentiment was much against her/Robin and in favor of either Shen/Zhao (2010) or Volosozhar/Trankov (2014). So in both cases, I feel like her camp was in semi-panic mode as they faced strong odds against them. Sometimes bad decisions get made in those situations. But yes, you are basically right, in that every Olympic year for Aliona, there has been confusion about which programs to use and, both in 2014 and this year, which technical elements to perform. I agree with @Andrey aka Pushkin that this is the first Olympic year she hasn't faced negative political momentum--but at the same time, she is older now and more vulnerable to injury. And the current partnership is newer than her partnership was in either 2010 or 2014.

 

[oleada]

Well, this plan is suicidal. I don’t know if I can bear to watch

 

[miffy]

So sad. I didn’t stay up to watch and I am glad now. Poor Bruno he looked so disappointed in himself. More than Aliona.

If they don’t go for the big elements I could see them winning the free but being too far behind for gold. They are first to skate so they can’t even wait to see how the top 3 skate... I think if they go for the big throws they will fall and not medal.

I wonder what Bruno would rather do... he has no Olympic medal but he must surely know the goal has always been gold. I wonder how he feels about an all or nothing plan.

Are they definitely retiring? 4 more years?!

 

[puglover]

My sentimental favorite for the gold! Aliona is the absolute ultimate pairs girl in my eyes.

 

[Vash01]

Well, this plan is suicidal. I don’t know if I can bear to watch

I don't think it will be that bad. I think this is an athlete talking big before a big game, but going for only what is possible when the moment arrives. I see nothing wrong in them going for the throw 3A. They have worked on it. If they have not worked on the other two big elements they listed, i don't believe they will attempt those.

 

[kittyjake5]

I have stayed away from the board all day. Out of sight out of mind. Feeling sad for Aliona and Bruno.

 

[debo]

So depressed for them. Their programs this year got me back into watching pairs. So bummed. If there’s a lighter note here, when Aliona took the ice was she not wearing the headband she wore in the TE and Euros? It fit the costume and mood perfectly. About 10-15 years ago (!) on this forum there were a lot of jokes about mainly ice dancers wearing headbands, or not, and the power of the headband. Maybe I’m the only one who remembers.

Yikes, one teensy revolution short. The Australian commentator on one of the main feeds didn’t even realize it until well after the program was over. I hope they break the WR tonight.

 

[caitinlv]

I rarely post but wanted to say I'm gutted for Aliona. Very high hopes for tonite.

 

[lmarie086]

I was so crushed for them last night. The looks on their faces...tonight I hope they have reason to look much, much happier. Best of luck in the LP; I believe in them.

 

[alexikeguchi]

Cast off the gloom! They're about to be Olympic champions!

 

[arakwafan2006]

I’m never going to fall asleep. This was magnificent.