tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post2002603728330624167..comments2024-03-27T00:19:55.641-07:00Comments on Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand: Two As One: A Pairs Final ReportOlympicEffecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11708554152461551887noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-92158481689296024052011-04-29T14:27:36.094-07:002011-04-29T14:27:36.094-07:00What's bothered me most over the years is not ...What's bothered me most over the years is not even that S/Sz (who are acutely talented individuals) have put out more grating, tacky, unnecessary programs than a junior sectionals; it's that they're apparently the sort of folk who can practice a program like that for an entire season without developing severe, severe depression. You need a lobe missing to do that - having heard Alyona talk that seems about right. They make me feel absolutely blessed that props are not allowed in competition and silly hats unwieldy.<br /><br />Still, at this championships they held my attention for longer than twenty seconds (in the free at least). Perfection hasn't visited them in a while, but when it does it goes a long way toward neutralizing the tacky. Here, every forced shoulder shrug, facial contortion, and ass swivel hit on the music exactly. It worked. Finally.<br /><br />K/S make me sad, so I continue to like them. This program is indeed genius; it smacks of pre-IJS more so than anything I've seen in the last few years out of pairs. I'm willing to watch it over and over again because despite tenuousness, falls, scary yuko, it's still genius. Moskvina has some hand in Artur Dmitriev's current junior pair, but the elements are not coming unfortunately.<br /><br />V/T are wonderful. Remind me of Totmianina/Marinin before they learned to relate to each other. Kudos to Nina Mozer and double kudos if she can teach the otherwise yummy Trankov to stop over-emoting.<br /><br />B/L have the potential to be a legendary pair - there's something special there. I don't think G/G are the model though, maybe B/S. Actually, a common mark of great pairs is that they don't really look like anything that has come before, maybe that's it. They may very well squander this potential though - Vera needs a sassy gay friend to tell her to eat something or she's not going to make it to Sochi: she a hungry bitch.simonbelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12678012611781164943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-4370304091769853802011-04-28T23:56:07.916-07:002011-04-28T23:56:07.916-07:00I love the Pink Panther! So awesome to see S/S do...I love the Pink Panther! So awesome to see S/S do well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-84805186098449155202011-04-28T22:48:46.009-07:002011-04-28T22:48:46.009-07:00Better late than never. Dalilah Sappenfield should...Better late than never. Dalilah Sappenfield should have taken this approach with Y/C as well as McLaughlin/Brubaker years ago... Young pairs need programs they feel absolutely comfortable with, not necessary full of difficulty right away. Both of her teams were inconsistent, and it wasn't because they couldn't do they elements, they were just trying too hard. Kudos to Sappenfield and Y/C for "figuring it out". If only Mc/B had gone down a similar path in terms of program construction. What could have been. Now that they're confident, it's the time to up the difficulty for Y/C! But for now, this top 6 finish must feel great for them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-80650597280311732942011-04-28T22:29:20.188-07:002011-04-28T22:29:20.188-07:00Bazarova's face may look a little like Katia&#...Bazarova's face may look a little like Katia's, but she doesn't remind me of her at all skating-wise. With a little strength to her, maybe she could actually handle learning better jumping technique, but for now, her and Yuko Kavaguti seem set on having the contest for most broomstick looking skater ever. I dislike both pairs, but appreciate some of the elegance of B/L. But seriously, take a lesson from Volosozhar and EAT SOMETHING. Put a little muscle on you. <br /><br />Top two were awesome. And Duhamel/Radford are tough as nails!! And yes, she never shuts up in the kiss and cry. I love it, she's intense and loves the sport. Great finish for Yankowskas/Coughlin. The thing is-- they have found such consistency because they've scaled back on the difficulty... They get the harder throw out of the way really early, skate slower, etc. It will be a challenge to improve the difficulty while maintaining consistency, but they seem up for the challenge. LOVE their persistence, a quality a lot of American pair skaters lack. I don't think they are the most talented recent American pair, but I think they have easily shown the best persistence. Congrats to them!<br /><br /> Oh, and poor Mark Ladwig. He's obviously capable of rotating a 3T. I know they are an older pair, but I would like to see them continue and get to end on a better note.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-740325165916341582011-04-28T18:44:38.360-07:002011-04-28T18:44:38.360-07:00AJ, I don't always agree with you (although I ...AJ, I don't always agree with you (although I do more often than not), but I'm always completely entertained by your write-ups. Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-55167872206873293342011-04-28T17:26:59.178-07:002011-04-28T17:26:59.178-07:00I'm so excited that Y/C finished 6th place wit...I'm so excited that Y/C finished 6th place with a good competition. They seem eager to improve so I hope they work this summer to up their levels.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-64829469555040166922011-04-28T17:09:57.935-07:002011-04-28T17:09:57.935-07:00Hilarious!!!! Loved every word.Hilarious!!!! Loved every word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-49110777943920897842011-04-28T16:29:26.944-07:002011-04-28T16:29:26.944-07:00Top two were amazing. I was happy for Savchenko a...Top two were amazing. I was happy for Savchenko and Szolkowy but I went batshit crazy for Volosozhar and Trankov and gave them a standing ovation in my living room. I'm kind of with you on wanting an affair.<br /><br />Oh and you definitely should have let rip on twitter about that Katia Gordeeva comment for Vera Bazarova. Our COMMENTATOR made it too. I wanted to jump into my tv set and throttle him (between that and his love of Kavaguti and Smirnov - and wanting bloody Plushenko to come back - I'm finding him hard to take.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-6931473693287777902011-04-28T16:18:32.887-07:002011-04-28T16:18:32.887-07:00yay for Aliona and Robin! So happy for them.yay for Aliona and Robin! So happy for them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-56489707159956928402011-04-28T14:48:40.944-07:002011-04-28T14:48:40.944-07:00I think I just peed my pants laughing. Thank you. ...I think I just peed my pants laughing. Thank you. Bahahaha...still laughing. Now do mens. Hurry.kortneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17373567688051845279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-70473295856245827982011-04-28T14:15:40.242-07:002011-04-28T14:15:40.242-07:00Vera Bazarova is scary thin. If someone gave her s...Vera Bazarova is scary thin. If someone gave her some carbs occasionally, she would be much better. The Eurosport guys also detected a Katia resemblance - based on what, I've no idea.<br /><br />I was shocked that Savchenko and Szolkowy managed to do synchronized SBS spins. Truly a day to remember. They were fab, Ingo has done a great job getting them back on track this year. V/T were amazing as well, and I must say that Tatiana can also be distinguished from Aliona by her superior positions in lifts and spins. She is lovely. But both of the Ukranian girls are seriously talented. Pairs will be great if this level of skating continues!<br /><br />I enjoyed the pairs much more than the men's. No need to discuss anyone but Kozuka, as far as I'm concerned...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-9613686958051232812011-04-28T13:58:26.472-07:002011-04-28T13:58:26.472-07:00Pushy, Pushy!Pushy, Pushy!OlympicEffecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11708554152461551887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6387050766907671577.post-80355056655955566772011-04-28T13:57:23.591-07:002011-04-28T13:57:23.591-07:00Interesting read AJ! And now men free skate?Interesting read AJ! And now men free skate?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com