WEAVER AND POJE: The Future is Golden

[beebee]

This is the blog where I saw it:

http://swizzlesandtwizzles.tumblr.com/

 

[montrealsurfa]

I hate to say it but the title of this thread seems almost funny now.

Poor Weaver & Poje, I just hope they get to stay Canadian #2, and V&M learnt from losing in 2014 and want to do only 1 program in the Team Event, and W&P get an Olympic medal that way. That is the best they can hope for at this point. They will never be World Champions, and might never be World medalists ever again. They can take heart not only in their 2 world medals but their two grand prix final victories which is something just below a world title and above a world silver or Olympic bronze as an achievement, and they did it twice. Great for them!

 

[starrynight]

It's Andrew's 30th birthday on Saturday 25 February.

It would be great if everyone would send him their well-wishes! Kaitlyn and Andrew's twitter account is a great way to get in contact with them: www.twitter.com/weaverpoje

 

[DreamsofBliss]

Kind of out of season, but since these were never posted here, here's their cute Baby, It's Cold Outside from Christmas on Ice 2016 and their SD from the same show.

 

[bwayrose7]

Bumping this up to wish a very happy birthday to Andrew, who is "thirty and flirty and thriving" today

 

[Dolore]

and V&M learnt from losing in 2014 and want to do only 1 program in the Team Event

Skating the team event was a positive experience for VM because they had a few mistakes in those, got new feedback from the Olympic judges, made changes and skated two clean programs in the individual event. Why would they want to do it differently this time ?

 

[starrynight]

Bumping this up to wish a very happy birthday to Andrew, who is "thirty and flirty and thriving" today

Happy Birthday Andrew!!!

 

[justtojoke]

Does anybody else wish that Andrew would go back to wearing a black shirt in the FD so he could contrast better with Kaitlyn's amazing dress?

 

[montrealsurfa]

Skating the team event was a positive experience for VM because they had a few mistakes in those, got new feedback from the Olympic judges, made changes and skated two clean programs in the individual event. Why would they want to do it differently this time ?

Well they lost easily to Davis & White in the individual. Maybe fatigue was a factor, although D&W also did both. I dont remember the event super well anymore, the dance event in sochi was a huge zzz in general other than the surprise of I&K's breakthrough.

 

[tylersf]

Does anybody else wish that Andrew would go back to wearing a black shirt in the FD so he could contrast better with Kaitlyn's amazing dress?

He doesn't need a shirt.

 

[justtojoke]

I concur @tylersf

 

[sap5]

I'm hoping for much better programs next season. I watched W/P's SD again today and it was even more awful than it was the last time I watched it. The choreography looks so dated. I feel like their skating skills are good; it's the choreography that is letting them down overall. And I still can't figure out why they left DSC.

 

[VGThuy]

I can't help but think W/P is following a similar career trajectory as Bourne/Kraatz. Fans of B/K fell in love with their pre-Tarasova programs (at least until 1999-2000 season) and thought they brought something new and fresh to ice dance. When they moved to Tarasova/Morosov people spoke about about how much their skills improved, how much cleaner their edges were, and how they skated with more power. However, they still fell in the rankings and many were ho-hum about their actual material, and probably felt they lost something that they had earlier. Some are saying similar things about W/P about how much cleaner their skating is under Morosov, but some don't seem to like their material so far this season and think that they lost a bit of something that made them stand out before.

 

[arakwafan2006]

I'm hoping for much better programs next season. I watched W/P's SD again today and it was even more awful than it was the last time I watched it. The choreography looks so dated. I feel like their skating skills are good; it's the choreography that is letting them down overall. And I still can't figure out why they left DSC.

Did you listen to their interviews? The took the guess work out ....

 

[juliajk]

Personally, I much rather to watch their "dated" choreography than the "modern" choreo of the other top ice dance teams, I'm getting nauseous just from thinking about most of it.
They didn't lost anything, maybe except their confidence. I really hope that they will continue with their own creative vision, and won't get drugged into the the territory of the boring and generic that most of the others are doing.

 

[princeton123]

Meh, I think Weapo's programs this year is probably the most generic of all the teams tbh. Especially the SD.

 

[hertmirsh]

I can't help but think W/P is following a similar career trajectory as Bourne/Kraatz. Fans of B/K fell in love with their pre-Tarasova programs (at least until 1999-2000 season) and thought they brought something new and fresh to ice dance. When they moved to Tarasova/Morosov people spoke about about how much their skills improved, how much cleaner their edges were, and how they skated with more power. However, they still fell in the rankings and many were ho-hum about their actual material, and probably felt they lost something that they had earlier. Some are saying similar things about W/P about how much cleaner their skating is under Morosov, but some don't seem to like their material so far this season and think that they lost a bit of something that made them stand out before.

B&K did not fall under Tarasova/Morozov. in 2000 they had finished dead last at the Grand Prix final, and likely would have been between 5th to 7th at worlds that year. In 2001 they climbed to 4th at worlds, and missed the bronze by .1. They never finished lower than 4th in any major event again, won silver and gold at the 2002 and 2003 worlds, and won the pre Olympic GPF, coming 4th at the Olympics due to a fall.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm not saying that they only fell after moving to Tarasova/Morosov but that the downward trajectory that started during the 1999-2000 season where it looked like they may start consistently losing to teams they used to soundly beat wasn't prevented after the coaching change. It wasn't until a bit of the changing of the guard after the 2002 Olympics where they were back on track with that GPF win in the 2001-2002 season being the exception.

 

[hertmirsh]

I'm just saying they were only fell after moving to Tarasova/Morosov but that the downward trajectory that started during the 1999-2000 season where they started consistently losing to teams they used to soundly beat wasn't prevented. It wasn't until a bit of the changing of the guard after the 2002 Olympics where they were back on track with that GPF win in the 2001-2002 season being the exception.

Fair enough, but that didnt only happen to them. Anissina & Peizerat were competitive with B&K since 1995 and consistently beating them in 98 and 99, and they also began losing often/being challenged by Fusar Poli & Margalio and Lobacheva & Averbuhk too. Those two teams had some major political clout behind them and could not be stopped.

 

[VGThuy]

It didn't only happen to them but I just see some similarities between Weaver/Poje's move and B/K's move.

 

[hertmirsh]

I hope Virtue & Moir end up splitting the team event with Weaver & Poje next year. They deserve an Olympic medal, probably a silver behind the gold medalist U.S team. That is the only way they are getting it since it sure wont be in the individual. I guess if they had a perfect outing and hit every level they could edge out the Shibutanis for the bronze, but as if that will happen when they have had technical problems in each outing in over a year now.

 

[Bellanca]

A bit sad, actually, that we are now suggesting W&P might have to settle for the consolation price of a team medal (which is not too shabby, btw) over an individual medal, if given the opportunity. And, considering that it was not so long ago, they were once thought to be the heir apparent ice dance team shortly after their (assumed to be retired - not!) teammates, V&M were to have moved on, already -- along with D&W. This cannot help but be a huge disappointment for them, and quite discouraging. Their window of opportunity was very small, indeed. I do feel for them, very much so.

 

[barbarafan]

A bit sad, actually, that we are now suggesting W&P might have to settle for the consolation price of a team medal (which is not too shabby, btw) over an individual medal, if given the opportunity. And, considering that it was not so long ago, they were once thought to be the heir apparent ice dance team shortly after their (assumed to be retired - not!) teammates, V&M were to have moved on, already -- along with D&W. This cannot help but be a huge disappointment for them, and quite discouraging. Their window of opportunity was very small, indeed. I do feel for them, very much so.

Sorry I am not ready to write them off..& V&M never said they were retired...they thought about it ea.yr to see if they were ready to come back or hang up their skates and they were not ready for either.I just hope they have been able to get some good hard training in as it can't be easy following their coach around or training without one.(do not believe he has backup staff). We will see soon

 

[Bellanca]

Sorry I am not ready to write them off..& V&M never said they were retired...they thought about it ea.yr to see if they were ready to come back or hang up their skates and they were not ready for either.I just hope they have been able to get some good hard training in as it can't be easy following their coach around or training without one.(do not believe he has backup staff). We will see soon

And neither am I, about to write them off. It is just that they will have to dig deeper, as the mountain is steeper, now.

Always unwise to write off any skater. We have, over the years, too many examples of why this is a mistake.

 

[bumblebeevich]

Sorry I am not ready to write them off..& V&M never said they were retired...they thought about it ea.yr to see if they were ready to come back or hang up their skates and they were not ready for either.I just hope they have been able to get some good hard training in as it can't be easy following their coach around or training without one.(do not believe he has backup staff). We will see soon

Be realistic. At this point even a top 5 finish in Korea would be a GREAT result for them. A bronze medal in the individual event would be the equivalent of Miracle on Ice 2.

Their fans are wise to hope they get a shot at a Team medal for Canada, and even that is tenuous to whether they get that chance or not (not only since V&M might choose to skate both programs, but Gilles & Poirier might be Canadian #2 by the Games next year for all we know).

 

[barbarafan]

Be realistic. At this point even a top 5 finish in Korea would be a GREAT result for them. A bronze medal in the individual event would be the equivalent of Miracle on Ice 2.

Their fans are wise to hope they get a shot at a Team medal for Canada, and even that is tenuous to whether they get that chance or not (not only since V&M might choose to skate both programs, but Gilles & Poirier might be Canadian #2 by the Games next year for all we know).

That would be a great result for any team as you look at the teams out there. G&P solidified their#3 placing with dirty politicking from their coach and cdn skating world, Skate Canada dirty judges and policies and eliminating all the teams that had the ability to possibly overtake them.Oh as well the TV stations which do what Skate canada tells them. I hope there is a complete cleaning house of the old guard at Skate Canada so skating is fair again in Canada. And no W&P and P&C are not my fav teams (V&M is) but fair is fair and this is just as bad as doping.

 

[Bellanca]

That would be a great result for any team as you look at the teams out there. G&P solidified their#3 placing with dirty politicking from their coach and cdn skating world, Skate Canada dirty judges and policies and eliminating all the teams that had the ability to possibly overtake them.Oh as well the TV stations which do what Skate canada tells them. I hope there is a complete cleaning house of the old guard at Skate Canada so skating is fair again in Canada. And no W&P and P&C are not my fav teams (V&M is) but fair is fair and this is just as bad as doping.

but fair is fair and this is just as bad as doping.

Right-on! Right-on!

 

[whiteskates]

I often like W/P. They look so kind and sympathetic butI think that regardless of skating skills which can be taught, what they're missing is something that makes them stand out, something unique, some special kind of charisma that can't be taught by any coach because it has to come from within.

 

[lauravvv]

I often like W/P. They look so kind and sympathetic butI think that regardless of skating skills which can be taught, what they're missing is something that makes them stand out, something unique, some special kind of charisma that can't be taught by any coach because it has to come from within.

To me, they have always had enough charisma. Certainly no less than Shibutanis and, even more so, Chock/Bates (I don't find Evan Bates charismatic at all although he is learning in the performance department) and Bobrova/Soloviev. W/P are a visually beautiful team, and Weaver is so intense and emotional. With Poje his looks are already enough, but he also has a more contained, quieter intensity about him. Together they have great chemistry (in my opinion). And they are such wonderful interpretators of music.

 

[Bellanca]

With Poje his looks are already enough, but he also has a more contained, quieter intensity about him.

I agree. Love these qualities!