^^ At the beginning of the warm-up, Vanessa was skating backward in center ice, while Della-Monica/Guarise were moving fast into an element and quickly crashed because they didn't see each other. Guarise and Vanessa went down. But Guarise was gentlemanly and apologetic in helping Vanessa up. It didn't appear to be a bad crash. As I mention below, Vanessa was already showing more nerves than usual, IMO. So, Vanessa was already on edge. I could tell that Morgan was noticing and trying to reassure her, but she just nodded her head as if she was okay. I don't think she was mentally. Those were nervous mistakes she made in the sp, that's all. Hopefully, the crash didn't cause any aches or pains. I think the score is the bigger ache. But they need to take a deep breath, and let it all go. And tune out all the noise and chatter that's going on too about their performance.
Oh god, that crash in the warm-up really threw them off.
Heartbroken for them right now.
It's not the crash. Of course that didn't help, but Vanessa was already a bit nervous and shook up. She has admitted to being nervous under competition pressure, and sometimes it shows, while other times she's been able to manage it. In this big moment, Vanessa allowed it all to get into her head. Crashes can happen and that's not unusual. But Vanessa also wasn't looking before turning into skating backwards. I could see the nervousness on her face when she took the ice. Probably there was some gamesmanship going on backstage which can be unnerving too. Plus, seeing the high scores the judges were handing out to some teams also spoke volumes.
I so much wanted J/C to skate their best. But after Sui/Han's scores, I knew the judges were sending the message that they were not going to make it at all easy for James/Cipres. Even Peng/Jin receiving that high of a score too was a bit much. Sui/Han are good, but that wasn't an exceptional skate, and neither were the skates by Tarasova/Morosov and Peng/Jin. They were clean and did what they could do, but nothing spectacular warranting such high scores. T/M just finally skated clean, without any real pressure. The judges always keep T/M in high range anyway, even with mistakes. So when T/M go clean, it's as if the judges want to put the top spot out of reach. And frankly that's what we are seeing here.
Worlds and Olympics are the majors and the judges will give it to who they favor. Judges somewhat gave J/C their due at other events this year because J/C were mostly on top of their game, and other teams faltered, and those competitions don't matter as much as Worlds. But still, a team like P/J and even M-T/M are suddenly getting scores in a higher range than they have before that are a bit overly high IMO. M-T/M seemed to think they should have been in front of P/J, but no, P/J have a bit better quality elements and they skated clean. When J/C are on, I think they are clearly better than P/J and many other teams. But to beat T/M and S/H, J/C would have needed some miracles to happen in their favor. By letting it all get into her head, Vanessa has unfortunately beaten herself.
Seriously, there has been some snide commenting on J/C from some quarters, even despite the fact they have great programs, exciting style, difficult transitions and one-of-a-kind chemistry. J/C with the help of their coaches have set a standard over the past several seasons of high caliber content and well-executed moves that many other teams have been copying. But when push comes to shove, J/C have to prove it over and over and over again, moreso than most other teams because of the scrutiny and the snobby conceit that is constantly bandied about that J/C don't have good skating skills. TSL even recently dissed only Vanessa, suggesting that her skating skills aren't at a par with Morgan's, which is not true. It's just the go-to critique, without acknowledging how much J/C both have improved that aspect of their skating over the years, and without fully recognizing their other special qualities.
So Vanessa allowed it all to get into her head. The pressure is hard to begin with, but it's doubly hard when you are black and a big time opportunity is in front of you after struggling mightily for recognition and just desserts for years, and generally being held down and overly critiqued for reasons other than actual performance shortcomings. The pressure got to Robin Szolkowy too with his uncharacteristic fall at the 2014 Olympics. And there was a black U.S. pairs skater who never ever made jump errors, but he too fell at the 2006 Olympics. And of course, there was Debi Thomas in 1988 with the overwhelming pressure she drowned in.
Oh well, J/C have had a great season, and they are wonderful, exceptional skaters. They really deserve to win after everything they've overcome. But let's be honest, had J/C skated their best in the sp, they would have maybe been placed in third behind T/M and S/H. That would have been a better position for them, but nerves have to be calm to perform one's best (especially knowing you will not be given any gifts). It's going to be hard now for J/C to even make the podium, despite having a stellar fp. If Vanessa shakes the nerves and they skate clean, they are still so far behind that if the top skaters even make mistakes, it will be difficult for J/C to move ahead of that many teams in front of them.
T/M remain boring but they generally rack up the points when they go clean because of their high tech ability and as yet unfulfilled potential (and the overriding conceit that they are so superior to other teams). It doesn't matter that T/M have not been very consistent this season, and that many of their programs are bland or ill-conceived -- the judges will give them points and credit and nudges, even when they make blatant errors. Big case in point was 2017 IDF when J/C skated lights out better in the fp with T/M botching their godawful
Candyman! Yet, the judges still placed T/M first over J/C in J/C's home country! That was the point at which the unfairness was too obvious, so J/C were finally given some slack at 2018 Worlds (plus the retirement of D/R also helped J/C get on the podium in the anti-climactic Olympic year).
And then there's beloved and magical S/H, whom a lot of people want to win here anyway. S/H haven't skated all year due to Sui's injury, but again that doesn't matter at the big game. Their reputatioin precedes them, even though they clearly are not at their absolute best. I'm sure S/H will do everything in their power to try and pull out a victory. But T/M have this in the bag if they go clean. And their fp is at least a few cuts above some of their past disastrous choices.
By Vanessa letting it get to her and making mistakes in the sp, it gives those who look askance at J/C anyway the satisfaction of feeling justified. And it makes it so easy for the judges too, when they really didn't want J/C on top anyway -- not at Worlds. J/C needed to do what they can do best, which would have thrown the ball in the judges' court. At the big game moments, if you are black in a traditionally elitist and subjective sport, you almost have to be superhuman to win. Vanessa knows what it's all about. Maybe she should simply accept, as she surely knows, that the judges will not give her any gifts. Then shake it off, relax and just do her best regardless. It's not a gift where J/C have been placed with their mistakes. If they'd been placed any lower, it would have been overly harsh with how J/C have proven themselves all season, and last season too. T/M make mistakes and are never placed too low.
After seeing the high scores of the Chinese teams, I was at least hoping J/C could get into third place in the sp, but the high scores the judges were giving out to certain teams made the pressure extra difficult. It's not even about J/C not having experience being front runners, since they've been front runners and prevailed all season long. It's more about trying to let it all go, and accept the road will always be paved with obstacles and dismissive critiques.
Vanessa generally has been good at believing in herself and surmounting the obstacles. She shouldn't have allowed this opportunity to weigh on her too heavily, and cause her to over-think. Never listen to all the outside chatter either in the build-up to a competition. But all of that is easier said than done. No matter the outcome here, I do hope J/C will come back and keep trying to simply be themselves, and still bring the fire. And forget about winning; forget about the critics and the hard knocks, and do it because it's a gift they give themselves. I hope they decide to come back because they love skating and because it's fun. And kick the freakin' pressure out of their way.
