Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir #48: Long Time Running

[sharsk8s]

I don’t think they didn’t get uncomfortable (as I don’t think the rest of the Gadbois teams don’t feel uncomfortable, no matter what they say) — didn’t Zach D say P/C and V/M didn’t practice in the same rink last year?, but the difference between the two situations is, which is something they’ve talked about before, that in Montreal, they learned from their last 2 years in Canton and took charge of their career, their music choices, and what their vision was. They were very open in communication with their team and it helped a lot.

MF said that they did train together once in a while just during the olympic season not as much because each team needed more personal attention but she wanted them together on the ice occasionally

 

[muffinplus]

https://thewalrus.ca/the-olympics-are-over-but-tessa-virtue-is-just-getting-started/ new article that I find bizzarre. Like tessa comes across weird I don’t know how to say it. It sounds like they’re not gonna be working together for very much longer too. But their tour is coming to the US so there’s that.

The article doesn't paint her in the best light...

 

[Shayii]

I think this was likely their agreement ie 2 years after Olympics.
I can see that Tessa wants a life away from skating and Scott spoke in his podcast of his need to sustain relationships and start a family so not unexpected. This did have those years after Sochi where they did tours etc.

I feel like something happened and something is off. Tessa doesn’t come across like she’s ok at all in this article but is trying to act like things are ok.

Did you read what scott said?

 

[canbelto]

I feel like something happened and something is off. Tessa doesn’t come across like she’s ok at all in this article but is trying to act like things are ok.

Did you read what scott said?

I think she sounds like Michael Phelps, or Meryl Davis, or Missy Franklin, or a number of post-career Olympic athletes who just don't know what to do and have spoken publicly about the depression. It also sounds as if she might have had some disordered eating. That comment about not being to eat a grape without thinking if it would help her win the Olympics set off some alarm bells. She also seems extremely image conscious and her Instagram reflects that -- there are almost no candid selfies. Always she's in full makeup in a very artfully posed shot.

And it sounds like her relationship with Scott is no longer what it was, which is common when two young people no longer share the exact same goals and have to spend every waking moment together pursuing those goals.

In other words, it sounds like a lot of young adult identity crisis stuff but it's different for her because she's 30, not 20.

 

[Emdee]

I feel like something happened and something is off. Tessa doesn’t come across like she’s ok at all in this article but is trying to act like things are ok.

Did you read what scott said?

What did he say? Do you mean his comment that Tessa was not herself after the Olympics?

 

[forthewin]

I know I shouldn't say this out loud, but does anyone wonder if Scott's new gal has anything to do with all these seemingly changes?

 

[canbelto]

I know I shouldn't say this out loud, but does anyone wonder if Scott's new gal has anything to do with all these seemingly changes?

Scott's always had gf's but I do think that when two people train together from the time they're like 7 to the time they're 30 and always share the exact same goals when that goal is no longer there the closeness dissipates and for one person it can be harder than for another person.

I also think that the fact that they sort of have this "Tessa and Scott" brand that has to be kept up can be difficult if it's not rosy behind the scenes.

 

[Shayii]

What did he say? Do you mean his comment that Tessa was not herself after the Olympics?

Yes I thought the quote about her “polish” wearing off interesting. I could sense tessa was a perfectionist but this is just something else like damn. She needs professional help IMO. Her obsession with people seeing her as perfect is crazy. She comes across so frivolous. She needs to sound credible before she can get involved with charity? It’s not supposed to be about you, it’s about the charity.

I know I shouldn't say this out loud, but does anyone wonder if Scott's new gal has anything to do with all these seemingly changes?

I think so yes. They’re both making some questionable decisions. Scott said they were both single the end of August to him being in a “serious” relationship just what like two months later. And with a legally married woman too (who didn’t file for divorce till they started dating) that happens to be his first skating partner? I mean this sounds like really bad fanfiction.

 

[forthewin]

Yes I thought the quote about her “polish” wearing off interesting. I could sense tessa was a perfectionist but this is just something else like damn. She needs professional help IMO. Her obsession with people seeing her as perfect is crazy.
I think so yes. They’re both making some questionable decisions. Scott said they were both single the end of August to him being in a “serious” relationship just what like two months later. And with a legally married woman too (who didn’t file for divorce till they started dating) that happens to be his first skating partner? I mean this sounds like really bad fanfiction.

I know it's not up to our fans. But of all Scott's gfs, I like the curling gal best. I think Scott need someone stable and grounded to balance himself out. This current relationship just reeks drama.

 

[canbelto]

I really worried when she kept saying she wanted to do stuff for "credibility" and "authenticity." Like what does that even mean?

 

[kittysk8ts]

I think people are conflating feeling sad about a retirement announcement and wishing them back in competition. I don’t want them back lol but still it’s an end of the Virtue/Moir era and that makes me sad.

Exactly!

 

[forthewin]

I know it's really hard to make the transition when you've been doing nothing but competing for 20 years. I was hoping the 2 year period after 2014 could help them cope with it better this round. But I guess I underestimate the difficulty.

 

[kittysk8ts]

I really worried when she kept saying she wanted to do stuff for "credibility" and "authenticity." Like what does that even mean?

I think it means she’s aware of comments that claim she is fake and inauthentic. I think that hurts her immensely. I think it means she wants to earn her opportunities. I think she has always had self image issues and she’s still battling. She’s a trooper. She tries to stay positive and tries to be thoughtful and is trying to learn how to be in the world. This of course is how I see her and am not judging anyone else’s thoughts.

 

[skatfan]

https://thewalrus.ca/the-olympics-are-over-but-tessa-virtue-is-just-getting-started/ new article that I find bizzarre. Like tessa comes across weird I don’t know how to say it. It sounds like they’re not gonna be working together for very much longer too. But their tour is coming to the US so there’s that.

She sounds like most high-level athletes after the Olympics. I took the two-year timeline as their initial commitment, and then evaluate. But if Scott wants to coach, then they can’t do big tours.

She sounds like a 22-year old, which makes sense given that her adult life has been all about skating and she’s only now finishing her degree. I will confess I was a bit surprised that Scott got his high school diploma at 27.

 

[forthewin]

I think Tessa is always genuine and authentic. She's a sweet and kind girl. She just care about how others think of her, maybe a bit too much, which I can totally relate. As a result she tries to show the best side of herself, which can be a huge burden sometimes, especially in this social media age.

 

[Shayii]

I really worried when she kept saying she wanted to do stuff for "credibility" and "authenticity." Like what does that even mean?

Idk maybe I’m being harsh but this is not normal. She’s so worried about how people perceive her, she comes across inauthentic anyway. She’s cultivated this unrealistic persona for herself like I’m not even sure the people closest to her get to see the real Tessa. Except Scott apparently because he noticed when the polish wore off and that was enough to worry him. Do you guys not see how crazy that sounds? That she’s like this even around those around her that they worry when she’s not like that. I can’t be the only one that finds it strange.

 

[sharsk8s]

Idk maybe I’m being harsh but this is not normal. She’s so worried about how people perceive her, she comes across inauthentic anyway. She’s cultivated this unrealistic persona for herself like I’m not even sure the people closest to her get to see the real Tessa. Except Scott apparently because he noticed when the polish wore off and that was enough to worry him. Do you guys not see how crazy that sounds? That she’s like this even around those around her that they worry when she’s not like that. I can’t be the only one that finds it strange.

The part about the polish wearing off was about after sochi I think although it likely applies to now too

 

[Sonata]

I find the article to be poorly written and passive-aggressive. The opening paragraphs are particularly clunky (e.g., beginning a paragraph with "And,"). I almost rolled my eyes when the author calls one of their lifts "practically pornographic" in the second sentence, ostensibly for shock value.

Generally, it feels like the author has put a bunch of quotes together from which we are supposed to pick up some negative subtext, and yet it's unclear why. Was the article truly about Tessa? Or was the author trying to make a bigger point about the difficult adjustment of athletes post-Olympics?

For example, when the article describes Scott's difficult adjustment after Sochi, it immediately mentions Scott said that "after these games, [Tessa] was not herself" and that "seeing "a little of the “polish” come off Virtue’s persona convinced him something was wrong" and that "it was hard to watch". (I assume "these games" means Pyeonchang even though the paragraph only explicitly mentions Vancouver and Sochi.) There's no follow up sentence clarifying what behaviour Scott is referring to. The next paragraph is all about how Tessa is goal-oriented and then seems to compare her to athletes who fill their days with to-do lists. So wait, we were just told a little of her polish came off post-games, yet we're immediately told she's super goal-oriented, but that's actually bad because she has "too many" goals, oh and wait, that's not specific to her, other athletes "compulsively fill their days", therefore let's indirectly extrapolate that Tessa is compulsively filling her days too as Tessa has lots of plans, but wait, actually, she doesn't want to jump into any charity work before building "credibility" - wait, the word "credibility" was put in quotes, it's a bad thing to aspire to!

Other examples of negative subtext are when she uses the words "grumble" and "snipe", which have negative connotations, to describe Tessa's responses. When you actually read Tessa responses word-for-word, however, they are very polite: "she grumbled that the support she and Moir have gotten from Canadians is wonderfully heartwarming. Later, she caught herself saying it again and sniped, “You can put that quote in!”".

Wow. I would hardly use the words "grumble" and "snipe" in those contexts. It feels like the author seems to judge Tessa for being a type A person who is goal-oriented and maybe likes to please. Yet on her Twitter account, the author has made a point of posting that Tessa "SO NICE throughout this process", which seems a little rich.

It must feel very vulnerable to open yourself up for an article and I would probably think twice about doing so again if this were the result.

ETA I don't doubt that Tessa and Scott do genuinely feel grateful. The look on their faces when they carried the flag says it all.

 

[kittysk8ts]

I find the article to be poorly written and passive-aggressive. The opening paragraphs are particularly clunky (e.g., beginning a paragraph with "And,"). I almost rolled my eyes when the author calls one of their lifts "practically pornographic" in the second sentence, ostensibly for shock value.

Generally, it feels like the author has put a bunch of quotes together from which we are supposed to pick up some negative subtext, and yet it's unclear why. Was the article truly about Tessa? Or was the author trying to make a bigger point about the difficult adjustment of athletes post-Olympics?

For example, when the article describes Scott's difficult adjustment after Sochi, it immediately mentions Scott said that "after these games, [Tessa] was not herself" and that "seeing "a little of the “polish” come off Virtue’s persona convinced him something was wrong" and that "it was hard to watch". (I assume "these games" means Pyeonchang even though the paragraph only explicitly mentions Vancouver and Sochi.) There's no follow up sentence clarifying what behaviour Scott is referring to. The next paragraph is all about how Tessa is goal-oriented and then seems to compare her to athletes who fill their days with to-do lists. So wait, we were just told a little of her polish came off post-games, yet we're immediately told she's super goal-oriented, but that's actually bad because she has "too many" goals, oh and wait, that's not specific to her, other athletes "compulsively fill their days", therefore let's indirectly extrapolate that Tessa is compulsively filling her days too as Tessa has lots of plans, but wait, actually, she doesn't want to jump into any charity work before building "credibility" - wait, the word "credibility" was put in quotes, it's a bad thing to aspire to!

Other examples of negative subtext are when she uses the words "grumble" and "snipe", which have negative connotations, to describe Tessa's responses. When you actually read Tessa responses word-for-word, however, they are very polite: "she grumbled that the support she and Moir have gotten from Canadians is wonderfully heartwarming. Later, she caught herself saying it again and sniped, “You can put that quote in!”".

Wow. I would hardly use the words "grumble" and "snipe" in those contexts. It feels like the author seems to judge Tessa for being a type A person who is goal-oriented and maybe likes to please. Yet on her Twitter account, the author has made a point of posting that Tessa "SO NICE throughout this process", which seems a little rich.

It must feel very vulnerable to open yourself up for an article and I would probably think twice about doing so again if this were the result.

ETA I don't doubt that Tessa and Scott do genuinely feel grateful. The look on their faces when they carried the flag says it all.

Interesting comments. Thank you.

The writer herself just tweeted this

https://twitter.com/genna_buck/status/1098385794325250048?s=21

“One note before bed: This story had a long, twisty-turny life. It started as a newspaper piece that was largely quotes. The great editors at the Walrus pushed for analysis, insight & point of view (what I lovingly call "my dumb thoughts"). This was WAY out of my comfort zone.”

 

[believed]

I absolutely agree @Sonata. Someone noted that most of the article was just the author “analyzing” or extrapolating (and that Tessa is directly quoted very few times) and it definitely feels like the author had an angle in mind and wrote it towards that. It became less about Tessa in the end.

 

[sharsk8s]

Interesting comments. Thank you.

The writer herself just tweeted this

https://twitter.com/genna_buck/status/1098385794325250048?s=21

“One note before bed: This story had a long, twisty-turny life. It started as a newspaper piece that was largely quotes. The great editors at the Walrus pushed for analysis, insight & point of view (what I lovingly call "my dumb thoughts"). This was WAY out of my comfort zone.”

Apparently she interviewed scott and patrice too so maybe there is more to it? I agree that the tone of the article might have thrown people off

 

[Vera Costa]

To be fair, some of those quotes from Tessa are making me think. It's not all just the writer's input that's contributing to the overall tone of the piece.

It's all very raw. I don't think it was harsh but more intense. Not something anyone was ready for while celebrating the anniversary of Pyeongchang at least.

The writer did say she'll share some of the other material she collected in the process of this writing this, so we should hopefully understand more.

Meghan Duhamel shared the article on twitter, I did notice.

 

[pani]

Sad, that they talked about they will work together on different projects together for a long time, but then talked just about 2 years.
So this tour will be there last? Sad they will not skate outside North America.
2 years in shows was told after OG i think.
I understand this two have a different vision and different goals, but why not just make money from what they are doing the best? (skating and dancing).
Look at DW, who started families a long time ago and still skating together.
As for last interview. In my opinion after OG her agent try to separated Tessa from Scott, because he didn't want all this business projects, that she wants. I didn't like some things (for example, when she talked about different vision for girls and boys in sports and that her patner could be too small, not that she was big (i am not talking about she is really big). Really? We talked about figure skating and everyone know how difficult for boys to be a figure skatersesp. in teens period. But i understand, why she talked about this in that way. But still posted photos with Scott to get more likes.
Maybe there relationships are really bigger then business patners (i don't mean romantic) and they can't work together and build there families, careers at the same time.
Never thought VM could end like Bourne-Kraatz

 

[forthewin]

Their relationship is profound, deep and intense, no matter what nature it is. Maybe they feel it's impossible to have that relationship and other romantic relationships at the same time, or maybe their new partners feel intimidated by their connection and pressure them to cut it off. We'll have to wait and see. But at the moment they seem to untangle themselves from their relationship bit by bit.

 

[Japanfan]

For me, V&M filled a Dubreuil & Lauzon-sized hole in my heart in 2008, so I was lucky. Now I have space for the myriad of really interesting teams coming up, or re-discovering teams I wasn't too hot on before, like C&B. I can sure as heck enjoy P&C without issue.

I too get holes in my heart when skaters retire. I'm not feeling it so much in terms of dance with L&L coming up in Canada.

But, I am feeling in particularly in terms of the men. Men's has always been my favorite discipline, and I've always had a favorite man. Now, I don't really have one. The last would have been Machida, and to a lesser extent, Misha Ge. Neither Chen nor Uno particularly does it for me.

I understand this two have a different vision and different goals, but why not just make money from what they are doing the best? (skating and dancing).

Because they are already wealthy and want to do different things in life. They may also be tired of training and traveling.

In my opinion after OG her agent try to separated Tessa from Scott, because he didn't want all this business projects, that she wants. I didn't like some things (for example, when she talked about different vision for girls and boys in sports and that her patner could be too small, not that she was big (i am not talking about she is really big).

IMO she is addressing sexism in the sport and the over-emphasis on girls' and women's weight.

Male partners can absolutely be too small for potential female partners. And male partners can build muscle, just as girls and women can lose weight.

Never thought VM could end like Bourne-Kraatz

B/K ended well, with both going on to satisfying marriages, careers and lives.

V/M have been skating and training together since ages 7 & 9 (IIRC). No big surprise that they want to spread their wings as individuals.

Their relationship is profound, deep and intense, no matter what nature it is. Maybe they feel it's impossible to have that relationship and other romantic relationships at the same time, or maybe their new partners feel intimidated by their connection and pressure them to cut it off. We'll have to wait and see. But at the moment they seem to untangle themselves from their relationship bit by bit.

A reality-type short TV series was made about Tessa and Scott in Canada. Scott introduced his current girlfriend, whereas Tessa commented that she couldn't manage a relationship while being an amateur athlete.

And Scott was previously involved with Jessica Dube for some time.

He also emphasized that it was critical for his partners to understand his special connection to Tessa.

 

[Shayii]

Sad, that they talked about they will work together on different projects together for a long time, but then talked just about 2 years.
So this tour will be there last? Sad they will not skate outside North America.
2 years in shows was told after OG i think.
I understand this two have a different vision and different goals, but why not just make money from what they are doing the best? (skating and dancing).
Look at DW, who started families a long time ago and still skating together.
As for last interview. In my opinion after OG her agent try to separated Tessa from Scott, because he didn't want all this business projects, that she wants. I didn't like some things (for example, when she talked about different vision for girls and boys in sports and that her patner could be too small, not that she was big (i am not talking about she is really big). Really? We talked about figure skating and everyone know how difficult for boys to be a figure skatersesp. in teens period. But i understand, why she talked about this in that way. But still posted photos with Scott to get more likes.
Maybe there relationships are really bigger then business patners (i don't mean romantic) and they can't work together and build there families, careers at the same time.
Never thought VM could end like Bourne-Kraatz

Tessa wants to prove to the world that she can make something of herself outside of skating and be the best in that as well. That skating isn’t the be all, end all for her.

 

[Vera Costa]

I didn't like some things (for example, when she talked about different vision for girls and boys in sports and that her patner could be too small, not that she was big (i am not talking about she is really big). Really? We talked about figure skating and everyone know how difficult for boys to be a figure skatersesp. in teens period. But i understand, why she talked about this in that way. But still posted photos with Scott to get more likes.

She's not wrong. Tessa's experiences (and we've all seen this) have been to be bullied for being 'fat' and blamed for any mistakes they've made. People weren't ragging on Scott to develop muscle. They aren't the only team this happens to. We've seen coaches talk about female athletes gaining weight disparagingly. I honestly don't get what people want from Tessa regarding this issue. If she weren't talking about it, she'd be accused of aiding the system.

There is a lot of Toxic masculinity that prevents boys from figure skating, no doubt about it. But the boys that do make it, are treated like gold, especially in pairs and dance. TSL's interview with Jenn awhile back highlighted a lot of these issues.

Tessa & Scott together are a brand. She's not posting photos for more likes, but to keep up that image of them as a unit. A lot of their sponsors, including those for TYCT, depend on that image. Scott doesn't post much on social media, so it often falls to Tessa to do that aspect of marketing for them.

 

[pani]

Their relationship is profound, deep and intense, no matter what nature it is. Maybe they feel it's impossible to have that relationship and other romantic relationships at the same time, or maybe their new partners feel intimidated by their connection and pressure them to cut it off. We'll have to wait and see. But at the moment they seem to untangle themselves from their relationship bit by bit.

That's what i am thinking about.

Tessa wants to prove to the world that she can make something of herself outside of skating and be the best in that as well. That skating isn’t the be all, end all for her.

She could look at Meryl Dawis, who can skate, get education, be TV star and have family. Or this is because Charlie is good, but Scott didn't let her doing anything?

She's not wrong.

Why se couldn't talk about this and didn't let her patner down? In any case Tessa bad example, because she never was too big, maybe during injury. But Scott skated with her and didn't left her, when i am sure coaches wanted to see with him smaller girl (i am talking about height) and what happened at the end? They become legends and without each other they never become 3 times OGM. So I don't think now they need to blame each other.
And look at her at last OG - she understand, what shape she need for wining gold.
Plus in book it was everything sweet, happy ect. and now she is talking about everything was just a game for there fans?

 

[starrynight]

That article was pretty fascinating. I would imagine that intense perfectionism is actually a pretty common character trait amongst elite athletes. Figure skating would also especially attract perfectionists because it is a sport that deals in perfection.

I also do wonder if the training of elite athletes results in the encouragement and development of personality traits that can perhaps be unhelpful in real life outside of sports. I'm sure that pathological perfectionism is a great trait in a skater. It would have been praised in a lot of skaters from a very young age. When maybe in other circumstances if they weren't involved in a technical sport people would have encouraged them to relax instead.

I'm sure a lot of other skaters would have had similar stories from their childhoods to Tessa's hair story too. Gracie Gold also talked about being devastated at school if she made a mistake in her workbook.

Reading that article was a good reminder about how Olympic athletes can be a completely different kind of person to regular people.

Overall, this is a pretty common story for retired athletes. It would in no way be easy to have to retire from something you were the best in the world at and then try to find something else totally different to do. Particularly if the dominant part of your self-identity is being the best. I think plenty of athletes would identify with what Tessa is processing at the moment.

I would say that this whole situation is a work in progress for Tessa. As for stopping show skating, I would think it would be better to watch this space. Maybe with time, the idea of skating without being technically the best in the world mightn't seem such a big deal.

 

[Japanfan]

Did you read what scott said?

Scott wasn't interviewed in the article I read https://thewalrus.ca/the-olympics-are-over-but-tessa-virtue-is-just-getting-started/.

So what are you referring to?