U.S. Women [#2]: The Unbearable Lightness of Beijing

[Vash01]

We will find out soon what Alysa's SP will be - during the practices. I wouldn't worry too much right now. She may do even better than in the past.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

I'm guessing Alysa will not be accepting any interview requests from TSL in the near future and hopefully tells them to feck off if they show up in Nashville.

Also I'm slightly sad Alysa felt the need to do an IG Live to dispell the rumors about her SP. And I'd be finding out ASAP why one of my coaches was texting with Dave Lease in the first place. 'Cause he wouldn't be my coach much longer. Even if Meekins was punking Lease, if she wasn't aware of it... very not cool.

If it were me and I found out (with solid proof), that a coach was texting info to TSL about my child, he or she would be gone - stat. And if the option were available, I'd file a complaint to the USFS about the coach's questionable behavior. I'd also check my contract, if there is one, to see if it would fall under a breach of trust. I'd be FURIOUS at best.

 

[peibeck]

Well, shouldn't we start first with just not taking Dave Lease at his word that he got a text from Drew regarding Alysa's SP?

I have little regard for Dave, believe me. However he dropped the name of one of her coaches. I don't see how that would benefit him if he didn't have the receipts. If someone pretending to be Meekins punked him, it's all the more reason he should verify information from a secondary source.

However, I still think it's in Alysa's best interest to reassess what the truth is and why her coach is involved in this drama, as it reflects poorly on everyone and obviously she found it distracting and disturbing enough to have to make a public comment on it. Like she doesn't have enough pressure.

 

[Marco]

Well perhaps Drew is getting her a new short program ready, just not for (the rest of) this season?!

BTW I also like her Gypsy Dance short program, it highlights her newly found flow. Some of the movements are a little frantic but it is more digestable because the music itself is upbeat. I find she is still able to finish off her moves.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I'm guessing Alysa will not be accepting any interview requests from TSL in the near future and hopefully tells them to feck off if they show up in Nashville.

Also, I'm slightly sad Alysa felt the need to do an IG Live to dispel the rumors about her SP. And I'd be finding out ASAP why one of my coaches was texting with Dave Lease in the first place. 'Cause he wouldn't be my coach much longer. Even if Meekins was punking Lease, if she wasn't aware of it... very not cool.

I wouldn't feel bad about that. She seems to be someone who deals with things head-on, with a minimum of drama.

 

[Frau Muller]

Pretty sure he said that came from Drew Meekins.

Correct. I just re-heard the TSL episode in question (the one about Russ Nats). Dave got the info from Drew. Very odd. I’m just happy that Alysa is sticking with BOTH of her great programs. I can’t wait to see them again!

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Anyone who is texting Dave Lease needs an intervention.

That being said, just because TSL says it, doesn’t make it so. If everyone is going to say he wouldn’t lie about something where he could easily pull receipts, then I guess we’ll be seeing them soon…

 

[feraina]

Tribute to her dad, who escaped China as a dissident…hmmm?

Escaping the current Chinese government’s rule doesn’t mean you have to denounce and turn your back on all of Chinese culture or history, which far, far predates the current government.

 

[feraina]

Pretty sure he said that came from Drew Meekins.

The only thing that makes sense to me right now is that it was a prank. Someone purporting to be Meekins gave him the ‘tip’, and Lease in his eagerness immediately spilled the beans (predictably) without verifying anything.

 

[tony]

The only thing that makes sense to me right now is that it was a prank. Someone purporting to be Meekins gave him the ‘tip’, and Lease in his eagerness immediately spilled the beans (predictably) without verifying anything.

Drew definitely knows Dave.. he’s been part of his show in the past. What terms they are on, who knows. I don’t think the ‘someone took his phone and tricked me!’ excuse would fly.

 

[Spun Silver]

Or maybe the decision to change SPs came 6 weeks before Nats, not a month.

 

[Jarrett]

Or maybe the decision to change SPs came 6 weeks before Nats, not a month.

Lol or maybe it is just a reworked program. I'm sure she will be fine whatever happens.

 

[Carolla5501]

So you’re assuming because Drew knows Davr that means Dave suddenly develop ethics and wouldn’t “rumor monger” just for attention?

 

[Frau Muller]

So you’re assuming because Drew knows Davr that means Dave suddenly develop ethics and wouldn’t “rumor monger” just for attention?

The tidbit about Alysa’s SP (via Drew’s text) was a 5-second blip afterthought, buried in the middle of a 1-hr/40-minute show. It was prompted by talk about Russian ladies…If you blinked, you’d miss it. Hardly the methods of a “rumor monger.” I bet that SOMETHING changed in that SP…hopefully not much…we’ll know soon enough.

 

[clairecloutier]

It could also be that there was discussion about changing Alysa’s SP, but then they decided not to change it.

 

[Rukia]

It could also be that there was discussion about changing Alysa’s SP, but then they decided not to change it.

In that case why text DL?

The reality is somewhere there was either a major miscommunication, or someone made up/exaggerated something.

 

[soogar]

Somewhat off topic, but I don't understand why people keep questioning Dave Lease and his sources. He has had enough skating insiders on his show that people need to accept the legitimacy of the information that he represents as news. How many skaters and coaches does he have to interview for people to accept that he receives legitimate information. Plus he is an adult skater and speaking from my own experience, even if you are a low level skater, if you take regular lessons and practice at a rink that has high level competitors, news comes in your direction. Coaches gossip all the time.

I find Alysa's Instagram live sessions to be a little disturbing. Granted I don't have the patience to sit through an entire session but I get the alerts and it just seems that she's having a lot of them after this coaching change. I don't know what the frequency was before because I'm a recent follower, but it seems like a message that she may not really be happy. No other skater is having all these instagram lives and I follow quite a few.

 

[clairecloutier]

In that case why text DL?

The reality is somewhere there was either a major miscommunication, or someone made up/exaggerated something.

Because the decision to keep the SP might have come after the text that they were changing it??

ETA: New coaching teams often like to make changes. Is it that hard to envision a scenario in which the coaches might have wanted to change the SP, and the idea was given consideration and/or conditional acceptance by the Lius, but they then changed their minds?? Or, the coaching team might've changed their minds after seeing a potential new SP.

 

[Frau Muller]

Because the decision to keep the SP might have come after the text that they were changing it??

Maybe they read our (FSU) reactions?! “Noooooo! Please don’t change Gypsy Dance!”

 

[Karen-W]

And we might not see those "receipts" from DL if the text conversation happened 5 weeks ago right after Alysa made the move and he's just been sitting on that info/tidbit to drop until most useful for him.

 

[toddlj]

It was such a tiny soundbite, it legitimately could have been a new program for next season, or a revamp of the existing program. We are overthinking this.

 

[On My Own]

Not sure why we can't just wait for the moment when we'll know instead of trying to gauge TSL's motives?

 

[peibeck]

IMO, TSL's motives are the same as when it was Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand, to gossip and attention whore. Your mileage may vary.

 

[boopboop]

I'm seeing people say that it is Karen who has a new program? Drew choreographed her current SP so I guess that checks out

 

[Willin]

Or maybe Drew has soured to Dave and decided to trick/troll him? If Dave had spent more time on it in the episode he would've looked really dumb come nationals...

 

[Maximillian]

Somewhat off topic, but I don't understand why people keep questioning Dave Lease and his sources.

Maybe because he's continually demonstrated the ethics of a raccoon.

 

[ptvvibezz]

If Karen is the one with the new short program, all I can hope for is a revamp of On Golden Pond

 

[olympic]

Isn't is possible that Dave twisted Drew's words to create drama for his viewers? That seems likely: Drew runs the risk of losing job security, so it doesn't seem like he would blurt out confidential info to a gossip.

 

[Frau Muller]

Isn't is possible that Dave twisted Drew's words to create drama for his viewers? That seems likely: Drew runs the risk of losing job security, so it doesn't seem like he would blurt out confidential info to a gossip.

It wasn’t done in dramatic manner; rather, it was a quick afterthought, delivered in a low voice, as he talked primarily about the Russian women’s SPs. Like an “Oh, by the way…” then back to the subject of Russians. Absolutely not a creation of drama.

 

[soogar]

Maybe because he's continually demonstrated the ethics of a raccoon.

What's his ethics? Other than his opinions and speculation, which I think are clearly obvious as his own, he hasn't posted anything that was untrue. I think many just don't want to accept flaws in their "heroes." I also think that fans go overboard in protecting skaters. Back in the day, when Michelle Kwan was an adult and would post on her board, fans would say that she should in be in bed, as if a 20 something year old adult needs to be tucked in. Dave knows a lot of skaters and they come onto his show and give interviews and opinions. He has said some things about Todd Eldredge and Richard Callaghan, and Todd Eldredge still went on the show and provide an interview to promote his skater. If Todd can ignore some negative opinions, fans can as well.