Who Do You Think Will Opt Out of Worlds?

[RoseRed]

Of course they will medal. In fact, in the absence of S/M, D/R, S/K and S/H, they are likely to take the gold.

Which three pairs do you think will medal ahead of them?

J/C may actually have a shot at the podium at this Worlds? That would be so sweet, and entirely make up with Candyman winning the gold.

What do you mean, in the absence of S/M?

 

[Twilight1]

I clearly have a different memory of Queen Aljiona than some of you..

 

[rfisher]

I clearly have a different memory of Queen Aljiona than some of you..

Well, there was that clown costume.....

 

[Twilight1]

Honestly I don't know what any of you are talking about....

I couldn't say that with a straight face....

 

[VGThuy]

There’s a lot of rewritten history here. Queen Aliona definitely had her share of critics, especially when she and Robin did that very literal Send in the Clowns with Clown make up and costumes.

 

[caseyedwards]

It really is that bad. They were contenders, and that program killed any chance of them being strong challengers for the title. A complete misstep. I keep hoping that they will show up in Milan with last year's FS.

Of course they will medal. In fact, in the absence of S/M, D/R, S/K and S/H, they are likely to take the gold.

Which three pairs do you think will medal ahead of them?

J/C may actually have a shot at the podium at this Worlds? That would be so sweet, and entirely make up with Candyman winning the gold.

S/m j/c and m/h!! It’s in their heads too much that everyone hates their free skate so much - that it’s so bad their careers may be destroyed.

 

[skatingcheckers]

I am very sad that Sui is injured again. She has battled injuries her whole competitive life, and now this. She is very driven, and I wonder if over-training has a role. I just love Sui and Han as a pair. They bring something very special. I wish Sui the best in her recovery. I hope she takes the time she needs and that Sui and Han can come back strong. I want them to be our next Olympic Pairs Champions!

 

[Bill Trenary]

If we could somehow get a James/Cipres, Marchei/Hotarek and Della Monica/Guarise podium in any order, I'd be in heaven

 

[Frau Muller]

This may be the golden opportunity for Old Man Zhang!

 

[Lizziebeth]

And considering what last year's FS was like, that's really saying something!

i had blotted that last year's program out of my mind. Such a lovely talented team with horrible music. Please come back next year with something great.

 

[nuge]

It might not be so bad if they were at all capable of selling it

That's the problem though they can't sell it.They have to have the personality and they haven't.Give that programme to M/H the Italians and they would do it justice!

 

[coppertop1]

S/m j/c and m/h!! It’s in their heads too much that everyone hates their free skate so much - that it’s so bad their careers may be destroyed.

Would you please tone down the the melodrama?

So now pairs Olympic medalists are going to Worlds, then?

 

[Sylvia]

What do you mean, in the absence of S/M?

I think Japanfan is unaware that Savchenko/Massot are planning to compete at Worlds.

Would you please tone down the the melodrama?

 

[Erin]

T/M's tech inconsistencies kept them off the podium at the Olympics, not Candyman.

This. They were getting massive PCS for it all season. They even scored a ridiculous 151 for a program with several smaller mistakes with it at Europeans and moved from 5th to 1st based on their free program. If they hadn't had so many glaring technical mistakes, they would have been on the podium. I don't think the judges were dying to give it to Duhamel and Radford.

 

[caseyedwards]

This. They were getting massive PCS for it all season. They even scored a ridiculous 151 for a program with several smaller mistakes with it at Europeans and moved from 5th to 1st based on their free program. If they hadn't had so many glaring technical mistakes, they would have been on the podium. I don't think the judges were dying to give it to Duhamel and Radford.

The pcs they were getting is totally irrelevant! It’s not a part of really any judges mindset to punish skaters for bad choreography. If it was why weren’t t/m getting zeroes? A judge is not going 9 in skating skills then zero in choreography. Forget 0! Even 7 or 8 would be unacceptable variation. It’s just not going to be done. You can’t blame any mistake t/m made on anything other than the overwhelming beleif of all skaters and commentators that they were doing worst program of all time and no one believed they deserved to be on the podium and that’s all because of candyman. All the mistakes were due to candyman and their internalized horror at the backlash they would get for winning an Olympic medal with it! It’s going to be same at worlds if they are still doing candyman program.

Would you please tone down the the melodrama?

So now pairs Olympic medalists are going to Worlds, then?

There is no melodrama. T/m had a catastrophic meltdown doing the candyman fs. That’s because they were hearing candyman was worst program of all time they shouldn’t be skating and no one deserved an Olympic medal less than they did because it would mean rewarding candyman.

 

[allezfred]

And Candyman is really not as bad as people make out. It's a lot more straightforward than that over-the-top try-hard thing Savchenko/Massot have going on in their FS.

Bless.

 

[Aerobicidal]

There is no melodrama. T/m had a catastrophic meltdown doing the candyman fs. That’s because they were hearing candyman was worst program of all time they shouldn’t be skating and no one deserved an Olympic medal less than they did because it would mean rewarding candyman.

If that isn't melodrama, then the Pope isn't Catholic, Trusova isn't a talented jumper, Michelle Kwan isn't beloved by figure skating fans, and Tutberidze has never been touched by an angel Botox needle.

 

[Sylvia]

I didn't know where to post these 2 photos, but since neither Nathan Chen nor Michal Brezina has opted out of Worlds at this time and Romain Ponsart will be making his Worlds debut in Milan, here's are two recent photos taken at an Anaheim Ducks NHL hockey game -- the first photo linked below includes the 3 of them plus Arutunian, Nadia Kanaeva, and Mariah Bell; the other 2018 U.S. Olympians recognized on the ice are bobsledders Lauren Gibbs (in the middle) and Carlo Valdes (behind Bell), and snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis (far right).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgA3TEdHQ3B/?taken-by=mick_brezina

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgAevaugSlJ/?taken-by=romainponsart

 

[Wyliefan]

FWIW, if you read T/M's interviews, they say they felt perfectly satisfied with the Candyman program and brushed off the criticism. Whether they SHOULD have been satisfied with it is another matter. But it doesn't sound like they internalized any outside opinions.

 

[RoseRed]

That's the problem though they can't sell it.They have to have the personality and they haven't.Give that programme to M/H the Italians and they would do it justice!

That's my point. People say oh the music isn't so bad or the costumes are fine (I don't necessarily agree), but for me those things aren't even the issue (well, not the biggest issue). If they could sell it, it still wouldn't be a great program, but it would be way less painful to watch.

 

[JJS5056]

There’s a lot of rewritten history here. Queen Aliona definitely had her share of critics, especially when she and Robin did that very literal Send in the Clowns with Clown make up and costumes.

Absolutely. Once they had become WC, the criticism began and the first I remember being poorly received was "Schindler's Adagio" LP from 08-09. But their scrapped Vancouver LP, "Send in the Clowns," and "Flamenco Bolero" were certainly not immune from a good deal of negative commentary from fans. S/S gained their fanbase by always trying something different, and that approach inevitably leads to some attempts that just aren't successful. It's incredibly difficult to develop two fresh concepts every season over such a long span when it's expected that you go +1 from the year prior. It also usually inevitably - and unfortunately - leads to making 'safe' choices at the worst moments; while I loved their SC debut of "Out of Africa," I have to imagine both it and "Nutcracker" 4 yrs later came from desperation."Nutcracker" may have also just been what happens when you have nothing left in the creative tank.

FWIW, S/S's record over 9 years was pretty remarkable in terms of innovative work, though I wish they had skated to all of their titles as they did in Moscow '11. I think S/M have had an incredible run of not only results, but programs, and while I had initially hated the idea of an Ingo-less Aliona, I don't think we'd have ever gotten the flirtation of their SP nor the simplicity of their LP in South Korea.

Not sure where or why the "T/M are just being bullied" line of defense is coming from, but it holds no weight whatsoever, as 4+ years ago, I remember everyone waiting for programs that matched their SS. That it never happened this cycle is nobody's fault but theirs and/or their team's. From everything I have seen, both fans and judges are ready to accept them as equals to S/H+S/M and "pairs need 4 years to figure themselves out" is simply not a good enough excuse for why they didn't get to that point by this OG. Certainly, S/H+S/M did not need 4 years.

Will be interesting to see what Worlds ends up looking like next season. At this time post-Sochi, it looked like S/K would be coasting to a couple of World titles until the return of V/M. Instead, S/K - for whatever reason - gave up their best, and maybe only, chance at a WC when they skipped out on 2015, allowing D/R to win and send most teams into a frenzy to try and get their tech up to a level that could compete with theirs. That arguably impacted both S/K's entire quad which was without any medals, as well as V/M's brief return with neither the tech content or interesting CH. Oh well. Aside from the forced withdrawal of S/K, random and rapid decline of I/M (CAN), nagging perseverance of he-Zhang (JMO), and the entire RUS Olympic team that didn't include B/D, K/S, A/M, or any of the beautiful teams that were around at the end of last cycle, pairs was markedly improved in quality at these OG.

 

[seabm7]

^^
V/M -> V/T. I got confused on whether you were talking about pairs or dances.

 

[annie_mg]

Well, there was that clown costume.....

That programme is one of my favourite programmes ever . Including the costumes!

 

[MAXSwagg]

^^
V/M -> V/T. I got confused on whether you were talking about pairs or dances.

V/T never "returned." They were new.

 

[VGThuy]

V/T never "returned." They were new.

I think that poster meant when V/T returned after a season hiatus for the 2015-2016 season.

 

[Vash01]

It really is that bad. They were contenders, and that program killed any chance of them being strong challengers for the title. A complete misstep. I keep hoping that they will show up in Milan with last year's FS.

Last year's LP was even worse. Even T&M didn't like it. It was put together in a hurry, using music that was totally wrong for them.

They tried to improve their audience connection with Candyman this season but it backfired. It would have been ok for their SP, and Rach would have been great for their LP.

I want Candyman to win the gold in Milan just to see how fsu explodes. LOL.

T&M are very talented. With the right material they should climb to the top. If Candyman takes them to the top, i hope they won't try to repeat that style. For that reason alone i hope they don't win the Gold in Milan, but i will root for them to win the silver.

 

[Vash01]

Of course they will medal. In fact, in the absence of S/M, D/R, S/K and S/H, they are likely to take the gold.

Which three pairs do you think will medal ahead of them?

J/C may actually have a shot at the podium at this Worlds? That would be so sweet, and entirely make up with Candyman winning the gold.

I thought S&M were planning to be at worlds?

Can you imagine Zabijako and Enbert winning silver or even gold if S&M are not there? Or Yu Zhang winning the world championship?

T&M have not done well in the past when they were the favorites, so it will be better for many reasons if S&M show up for worlds. At their 80 percent they can still win.

Is the North Korean pair going to be at worlds? They may have an outside shot at the bronze.

 

[Vash01]

That's the problem though they can't sell it.They have to have the personality and they haven't.Give that programme to M/H the Italians and they would do it justice!

Or Astakhova Rogonov. They could sell it.

 

[kwanfan1818]

V/T never "returned." They were new.

That's funny, I thought they won the OGM in Sochi, took a season off, and then returned in 2016, when they won Euros, which S/K were not at, and then came in 6th at 2016 Worlds, two spots below S/K.

S/K weren't much in the discussion pre-Sochi. They hadn't even been to Worlds before then, and they were 20+ points below Bazarova/Larionov when they won bronze at 2012 Euros.

 

[MAXSwagg]

I think that poster meant when V/T returned after a season hiatus for the 2015-2016 season.

Oh, yes. That is true.