The Skating Lesson

[skateboy]

Another point: Isn’t Jonathan a professional opera singer? I’ve always been under the impression that in order to make it in professional classical music, you have to have really think skin. Something tells me that doesn’t include crying in a bathroom because someone sent you some mean (or even nasty) messages.

Yes he is, yes you do... and you are absolutely right.

 

[Xela M]

On a separate note, in their NHK recap, how can those two make comments about Adam acting too gay?

 

[mysticchic]

I would hope the USFS have more important things to do then referee a fight between coaches and bloggers. I don't even know any details because nothing besides that one tweet has been released, but it doesn't really seem that serious. Not to defend TSL or argue with you, but what sort of infraction would you consider to be serious enough for the governing bodies to get involved?

They probably do, but I am assuming that if there are 300 messages, USFS, PSA was tagged it needs to be addressed. I don't know the details either but it was something that Jonathan did at an ISU event, and posted about crying in a bathroom. Look what gets people going with the president.
Some infractions could be, misuse of credentials, access to skaters, inappropriate behavior, general behavior. There are media guidelines for ISU and USFS. Most of these rules extend beyond the ice rink and official hotel. Photographers and writers are assigned a spot/where to sit. Talking to skaters/coaches/officials during the start to the end of the event must be approved though the press office. You have to follow the rules or lose your credentials. Who knows what they did.
Since they are known bloggers even without credentials, there is still an expectation of your behavior. It can and will reflect on future access.
Figure skating is a small community and things will get back to whomever. TLC has made themselves enough pain in the butt (and not in a good way) for USFS to get involved. Also, we are talking about a highly respected coach who has had a member on an Olympic team. Jonathan made it very public.
Dave runs TSL so the blow back will reflect on him also.

 

[jmtfti]

I've covered more ISU events in Canada than in the US, and none in Europe, but in that experience I can say that as a credentialed journalist there's been no obligation (in Canada or the US) to sit or work in the designated media area, and I've arranged on-site interviews directly with skaters more than once, with no problem.

That said, given the complainant and given the outlet in question here, I find it easiest to believe that the incident has been greatly exaggerated at best, and it's more likely traceable to words than deeds.

 

[Debbie S]

Some infractions could be, misuse of credentials, access to skaters, inappropriate behavior, general behavior. There are media guidelines for ISU and USFS. Most of these rules extend beyond the ice rink and official hotel. Photographers and writers are assigned a spot/where to sit. Talking to skaters/coaches/officials during the start to the end of the event must be approved though the press office. You have to follow the rules or lose your credentials. Who knows what they did.

They could also be permanently banned from USFS events, a la Tonya Harding and others on a list USFS maintains and sends out to clubs when they receive a sanction for their competition. Dave and Jonathan could be banned from all rinks and all club and qualifying comps. I don't believe Dave has had a press credential at Nats for several years (didn't he tweet about that?) and has instead bought a ticket, but if he is banned, he wouldn't even be able to attend Nats as a spectator.

The fact that Jonathan (presumably with Dave's suggestion and blessing) tagged USFS and PSA speaks volumes about their idiocy and motives. Even if they had standing to file a PSA grievance (which they don't), the PSA wouldn't get involved, except to spread the word among its members not to talk to these two. USFS would get involved to ban them from events, if they felt their behavior warranted it. Not sure this does, but it sure won't help their standing. I agree with those who have said that this seems like retaliation against Kori/Rohene for not giving him info he wanted.

@mysticchic as a former journalist (print, not broadcast, in a former life) and currently in marketing and PR, so I've been on both sides, I think you pretty much said everything I would say about the relationship between media and the people/orgs they cover and the need to build trust. We all have our opinions on Phil Hersh and Christine Brennan, but the reason they get access for their interviews/columns/books is b/c over time, they have built trust and rapport with the skating community and backed up their words with their actions. Dave, OTOH, has and continues to do everything he can to make people in skating not want to touch him with a 10-foot-pole. And this latest attention-grab won't help. In some ways, he is his own worst enemy, but clearly he enjoys the attention he gets from revealing 'insider info' and insulting skaters personally on his social media. Which is his right, but he can't expect that anyone in the skating community is going to trust him or want to give him the time of day.

 

[GullyGirl84]

They could also be permanently banned from USFS events, a la Tonya Harding and others on a list USFS maintains and sends out to clubs when they receive a sanction for their competition. Dave and Jonathan could be banned from all rinks and all club and qualifying comps. I don't believe Dave has had a press credential at Nats for several years (didn't he tweet about that?) and has instead bought a ticket, but if he is banned, he wouldn't even be able to attend Nats as a spectator.

The fact that Jonathan (presumably with Dave's suggestion and blessing) tagged USFS and PSA speaks volumes about their idiocy and motives. Even if they had standing to file a PSA grievance (which they don't), the PSA wouldn't get involved, except to spread the word among its members not to talk to these two. USFS would get involved to ban them from events, if they felt their behavior warranted it. Not sure this does, but it sure won't help their standing. I agree with those who have said that this seems like retaliation against Kori/Rohene for not giving him info he wanted.

@mysticchic as a former journalist (print, not broadcast, in a former life) and currently in marketing and PR, so I've been on both sides, I think you pretty much said everything I would say about the relationship between media and the people/orgs they cover and the need to build trust. We all have our opinions on Phil Hersh and Christine Brennan, but the reason they get access for their interviews/columns/books is b/c over time, they have built trust and rapport with the skating community and backed up their words with their actions. Dave, OTOH, has and continues to do everything he can to make people in skating not want to touch him with a 10-foot-pole. And this latest attention-grab won't help. In some ways, he is his own worst enemy, but clearly he enjoys the attention he gets from revealing 'insider info' and insulting skaters personally on his social media. Which is his right, but he can't expect that anyone in the skating community is going to trust him or want to give him the time of day.

I did not see Jonathan tag USFS and PSA....that was done by one of their Twitter followers who replied.

At times, I have thought that their innuendo and gossip has crossed the line and made me uncomfortable (and think that it's freaking rich to be so sensitive when the show's branding is being blunt..again, without knowing exactly what transpired), but I also remember hearing questions that Dave asked when he was credentialed as part of the US Nationals press conferences and pre-nationals phone conferences and thought that they sounded professional and more interesting than other's on the calls. It's the towing the line between being professional journalists vs opinion bloggers that gets tricky and that they have had a problem with imo.

Dave's USFS rants from last year did seem a bit unhinged to me, but also seemed more like something someone would say that needed...a break. None of what he said in those offended me, vs some comments here and there in their recaps that I thought were truly offensive. Nothing in the USFS rants that would be worth revoking credentials for, which seems to be what people are apparently advocating for now...Jonathan will apparently be on TSL's recap tonight, if people are interested to watch and see if it is addressed. I guess he realized how silly the tweet made him sound and deleted it, but these things last forever in the twitterverse...they do seem to have less sponsors this year.

 

[Debbie S]

I did not see Jonathan tag USFS and PSA....that was done by one of their Twitter followers who replied.

I stand corrected. I read through this thread quickly and the tagging part is what I remembered.

USFS and PSA aren't going to get involved a Twitter war, but if they think Dave and Jonathan are being disruptive and trying to cause trouble/smear their members/spread malicious gossip, there could be consequences. Yes, Dave has a right to free speech, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't expect others to react and take action, potentially.

 

[debo]

Here’s the latest

https://youtu.be/-wNl1yM4Ik4

 

[MAXSwagg]

Here’s the latest

https://youtu.be/-wNl1yM4Ik4

Dead. I knew that new logo was some reference to “The Young and the Restless.”

 

[mysticchic]

aawwww so it's all about her lashing out over a bad result with her skater, somehow Jonathan put him in the position where she lashed out at him, and yet once again they make it about them and how he got his feelings hurt. Guess what, in any sport you should hear coaches when they lose. Maybe you both should find another hobby.
Hopefully, this will serve notice that neither one of you can be trusted to be on the inside. Or maybe there is a lesson here that saying mean things hurt and maybe you should be kinder. nahhhh that will never happen.

 

[dailytg20]

So no receipts then? Lame.

Well I'm just going to have to make my own, because nothing is ever deleted from the internet.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Dead. I knew that new logo was some reference to “The Young and the Restless.”

OMG. That Y&R opening.....I can't even. I'm going to have to get a beer while I try and watch the rest of this. This makes me sad because it's Sam Adams Oktoberfest and once I'm out, I don't think I can stock up again until September. Unless someone here has any ideas.

 

[Amantide]

Another point: Isn’t Jonathan a professional opera singer? I’ve always been under the impression that in order to make it in professional classical music, you have to have really think skin. Something tells me that doesn’t include crying in a bathroom because someone sent you some mean (or even nasty) messages.

Some of them are true drama queens though.

I just can't believe they, of all people, have the hide to whine about bullying when that's basically all they do.

This.

It would be glorious if someone who is extremely familiar with the majority of the videos TSL has put out made a montage of the 'best' moments where Dave and Jonathan made comments that transcended the skating itself, whether it be about the physical shape the skater was in, the costuming/make-up, the personal lives, the rink drama with other skaters, how people annoyed/wasted their time by just being present, etc. Because I'm gathering that Jonathan seems to think that he only 'talks about a program' while he's on TSL and that's why he was so devastated by two people calling him out.

It would takes hours and hours of footage. Who the hell has all that time?

I’m pretty sure “Crying in a bathroom in Grenoble” is the next Steps comeback single.

He's officially now #TeamTrainwreck

 

[mysticchic]

Or this was all a set up to get us to watch their stupid video.

 

[jenniferlyon]

OMG. That Y&R opening.....I can't even.

I thought it was funny. But I used to write a figure skating soap opera called The Strong and the Sequined, so I guess that makes me biased. Or something.

 

[misskarne]

aawwww so it's all about her lashing out over a bad result with her skater, somehow Jonathan put him in the position where she lashed out at him, and yet once again they make it about them and how he got his feelings hurt. Guess what, in any sport you should hear coaches when they lose. Maybe you both should find another hobby.
Hopefully, this will serve notice that neither one of you can be trusted to be on the inside. Or maybe there is a lesson here that saying mean things hurt and maybe you should be kinder. nahhhh that will never happen.

So did they say what (supposedly) happened?

 

[mysticchic]

So did they say what (supposedly) happened?

who knows, but it sounds like a huge set up. Either it was a stunt for attention and to get people to watch their video or these 2 hangers ons found out what it's like when life happens in sports and didn't have their big boy pants on and threw Kori and Rohene under the bus (unless she was in on this).
I'm sure it's not as bad as getting an FBI director mad at you on the biggest story of your life. And yet, I didn't run and hide in a bathroom and cry.

 

[Xela M]

I'm very very far removed from being a Jason or Kori or Rohene fan, but what Dave and Jonathan were saying about them after NHK doesn't even make any sense. Something like Kori is afraid to let Jason succeed?! Wtf seriously?! It's only her career and it's only her superstar student and it's only an Olympic year in a highly competitive US men's team. Why would she want Jason to succeed?

 

[Xela M]

So did they say what (supposedly) happened?

No

 

[GullyGirl84]

The first few minutes of the show was like a love letter to themselves.

 

[Xela M]

The first few minutes of the show was like a love letter to themselves.

And Dave DID throw shade at Jenny!

 

[Tavi]

So did they say what (supposedly) happened?

Nope.

They dance coyly around it in the intro. Jonathan’s trip to Grenoble ended unpleasantly, but he’s grateful for the love he got on Twitter. Dave is so grateful that Jonathan stepped in when his former cohost left abruptly, with no notice, not once but twice. TSL brought Jonathan back to skating, and it has a great audience. People don’t understand that when you become more known, you’re fair game for criticism. Unnamed skaters have reached out supportively.

Not through the whole thing yet, but they dramatically avoid saying much about Laurine when discussing the ladies, except Dave tosses in that she jumped better before she went to Kori. And they apparently don’t like the choreo.

The YouTube comments are a TSL lovefest, and a guy who often trashes Jason trashes Rohene.

Jonathan looks like he hasn’t slept.

 

[skateboy]

So did they say what (supposedly) happened?

Nope, just a love fest to Jonathan, who claims he had a "slight altercation with a coach and choreographer." No details, no acknowledgement, no apology, nothing.

 

[meggonzo]

Dave replied to a fan's comment on Facebook that many parents from the 7K club have reached out to Jonathan and said that this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Yeah... because I'm sure there are tons of skating parents that follow Jonathan on Twitter and if they do, I doubt they would have even seen his tweet before it was deleted. It's not like they had their kids skating at Sectionals this week or anything!

 

[Mrs. P]

Trying to tread lightly. But my only take is that unless Kori/Rohene's comments impact the show directly -- like it impeded Jonathan's TSL duties in Grenoble (was Jonathan there to do TSL stuff?), threatens sponsorships or their access to press credentials -- it seemed unnecessary to drag the public into it.

 

[meggonzo]

Also, if someone is going to send you 300 nasty messages, why wouldn't you just block them at some point??

 

[Amantide]

Nope.

They dance coyly around it in the intro. Jonathan’s trip to Grenoble ended unpleasantly, but he’s grateful for the love he got on Twitter. Dave is so grateful that Jonathan stepped in when his former cohost left abruptly, with no notice, not once but twice. TSL brought Jonathan back to skating, and it has a great audience. People don’t understand that when you become more known, you’re fair game for criticism. Unnamed skaters have reached out supportively.

I can't, this is too much.

 

[dailytg20]

Also, if someone is going to send you 300 nasty messages, why wouldn't you just block them at some point??

He tried to but was blinded by the tears and accidentally dropped kicked his mobile into the adjacent stall. #NeverForgetGrenoble2017 #ThoughtsAndPrayers

 

[bardtoob]

He tried to but was blinded by the tears and accidentally dropped kicked his mobile into the adjacent stall. #NeverForgetGrenoble2017 #ThoughtsAndPrayers

I hate walking into those types of situations in a public bathroom.

 

[Aerobicidal]

With apologies to Christina "Panty Drop for Korea Event Gold!!!" Aguilera:

"Crying in a Bathroom" (to the tune of "Genie in a Bottle")

I feel like I’ve been brutalized
By a figure skater’s vicious thighs
Only my best fans can console me
I travelled to France
To do our TSL show
But not get dissed by some old skating coach ho

Davey, Davey, Davey (Davey Davey Davey)

Ooohhh, I’m feeling so alone
Ooohhh, where is Mr. Rent to Own

Kori Ade was mean to me
She’s an awful lying cheat
I am crying in a bathroom
But I still have time to tweet

If Rohene won’t stop his shade
I will call him an asshole
He gotta send 300 disses
That’ll take a big toll

(I am crying in a bathroom baby
Gotta spread it on twitter honey
I am crying in a bathroom baby
Come come, come and stroke my ego)

The person standing at the trough near me
Just how dang much can one human pee
I hate this bathroom
Like, so much

Twitter sycophants will turn me on
But tomorrow morning my tweet might be gone
Davey, Davey, Davey (Davey Davey Davey)

Ooohhh, this whole thing is a shitshow
Ooohhh, and don’t forget to watch our 375-minute youtube video

Kori Ade was mean to me
She’s a vicious lying cheat
I am crying in a bathroom
But I still have time to tweet

If Rohene won’t stop his shade
I will call him an asshole
He gotta send 300 disses
That’ll take a big toll

[Repeat and fade]