After every idea they had on their own failed to hit the mark, Shae-Lynn Bourne filled herself with the "love of Russia" and became the most Eurotrash of them all. It was so Eurotrash that everyone in the skating community let it be known that it was a "done deal" that they would be winning the '03 Worlds. Whether it was simply politics or tongue in cheek way of pointing out how horrid Lobacheva and Averbukh's free dance was that season, I like to consider it payback for Ilya being a dumbass and splitting with Anissina in favor of dragging a hag around the ice in the name of love. In true Russian figure skating fashion, they just wound up getting divorced anyway.
Do you dig the Eurotrash "Adagio For The 21st Century" Shay-Lynn? Do you dig her Masha/Fusar-Poli level of "I'm going to fucking win!" insanity?! Or are you just glad the judges gave them a World Title so those whiners would finally go away?
Given that she is one of the few women to have failed to be impregnated by Morozov (despite his best efforts), Adagio For The 21st Century may very well be regarded as the fruit of their loins.
I'd like to know if they think of this as proof that they were robbed before, that you have to play the game to win. Did they ever allude to that in interviews?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by Eurotrash? Is it the attitude, kind of bitchy? The way they look, the heavy make-up, the dyed blond hair, the glittery costumes?
ReplyDeleteIs there an equivalent word for Eurotrash but for US/North American skaters?
I loved B&K back when they did stuff that was actually "them." I hated this program with an absolute passion and hated Nikolai for changing their style to this crap. That being said, I was very glad that they finally got their world title. I just wish they hadn't had to stand on the podium dressed like THAT to receive their medals! Thank god Shae got out of his clutches and got back to normal again, love her!
ReplyDeleteThey won Worlds that year because they were immaculately trained and skated like effing wildfire every time they stepped on the ice (which was only three competitions in a season trucuated by Shae's knee surgery), not because they went faux-Russian. Their performance of Adagio at Canadians (which was rewarded with a string of perfect 6.0s - it was an amazing skate, but that made me LMAO, nonetheless) was flawless and actually a much better, "free-er" skate than the Worlds version.
ReplyDeleteAllll that being said, however, this was one of my least favourite B&K FDs. They should've won Worlds with High Society in 1997.
Oh, and I would like to add that L&A were simply dreadful at ALL times, and even more dreadful with the disgusting joke that was their FD that season.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed their skating this year regardless of the Russian look. They were on a mission to win so the performed even though this program was drama.
ReplyDeleteShould've won '97 Worlds.... wow.
ReplyDeleteShae-Lynn looks like a villain from Captain Planet here - Dr. Blight. LMAO! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFcKyJWcRWo#t=3m0s
ReplyDeleteYeah it wasn't a bad program, though. Just somewhat disappointing that they had to conform to the Russian style in order to win a World Championship.
If you think it's a "wow" that someone would suggest that B&K should've won the '97 Worlds, you're showing your ignorance about ice dance. Many, many dance experts and coaches (of which I am one and have been for 12 years) strongly believe that B&K should've won the Golden Waltz at that Worlds, and been at least second in the FD. The only weak segment of their competition that season was the tango OD. They defeated K&O at the Champion Series Final just weeks before Worlds, and G&P had been off most of the season and it showed.
ReplyDeleteAre you also Canadian?
ReplyDeleteNo. I am Swiss and only started coaching in Canada a year ago.
ReplyDeleteoh please they were gross, they had no tension, they were borring, i certainly doubt that anyone was turned on or motivated by watching them, they had the sexual chemistry of two fat ugly virginal nuns.
ReplyDeleteThey could have won 97 worlds if they were the only team competing but that is about it.
Their OD and FDs just never hit the mark in terms of winning programs. Their technique was good, but Pasha and Platov's Feeling Begins was so far superior in terms of technical merit and presentation that with even a few trips, they were still better. They definitely had the edge in terms of presentation. Bourne and Kraatz lacked all SEX. Dance really was all about the heat in '97 and '98. I'd also say K+O were better than B+K. I will say that B+K were clean and deserved the bronze. Their High Society FD was probably their best. They really went downhill after '97 in terms of winning programs.
ReplyDeleteLast time I checked, SEX wasn't something teams were judged on in the 1997 ice dance rules. If fans want dance to be treated as a legitimate sport, saying nonsense like "Dance really was all about the heat in '97 and '98" is not going to help. High Society was a much better constructed DANCE program (in the veins of the 97 rules, which still put a heavy emphasis on the fact that ice dance was supposed to look like ballroom transferred to the ice) than either of the hyperbolic dramafests of the two Russian teams that season.
ReplyDeleteBoth of the Russian Teams had strong interpretive dances that were extremely difficult technically. Ballroom doesn't mean that Shae and Vic had to skate with the presentation and heat of Rachael Flatt and Brandon Mroz skating together.
ReplyDeleteThe British Eurosport commentators found the first half of High Society to be a bit scratchy.
ReplyDeleteHigh Society was never meant to be a "sexy" program. That FD drew on old-school romance (coming from an old-fashioned film soundtrack) and I personally feel they delivered that very well. G&P's supposed chemistry was never something I bought into, and while I much preferred K&O's technique and always appreciated their actual skating skills, their over-the-top face-making did not translate as "heat" to me. YMMV, clearly.
ReplyDeleteI just never thought Shae and Victor related that well to one another. To me, they were the type of team that was born to compete professionally...but not necessarily capable of competing with the Russians.
ReplyDeleteI totally disagree. The naturalness of their connection, especially in their early, pre-Tarasova/Morozov years, was one of the things that drew me to their skating.
ReplyDeleteQ: "Is there an equivalent word for Eurotrash but for US/North American skaters?"
ReplyDeleteA: French Canadian.
"I just wish they hadn't had to stand on the podium dressed like THAT to receive their medals!"
ReplyDeleteI know! If only she could have worn that ugly green leprechaun dress.
I kind of sympathize with your observation, if not your sentiment, that this program was so over the top in its to eurotrashiness. It leaves one feeling dirty about their finally winning. I was appalled that everyone knew in advance of 2003 Worlds that B&K would win. This was not just a hunch. Since they had not competed against the Russians, Bulgarians, or anyone important all year, it seemed preposterous to me at the time what everyone was saying around DC. People were saying B&K would win not only because everyone thought they looked better, but also because the judges had decided in advance that they were going to give the title to them. So yes, the air was one of vaguely crooked judging - perhaps because B&K finally were playing the game.
"No. I am Swiss and only started coaching in Canada a year ago."
ReplyDeleteI too wondered if you might be a Canadian coach. Since you are Swiss, may I ask, do you happen to be related to Victor Kratz? I am skeptical that there was an unbiased majority out there who felt B&K should have won 97 worlds. I do know there were a lot of biased Canadians who felt this way at that time.
I would say that Viktor may have deserved to be world champion, but his partner sure didn't.
ReplyDeleteI am rolling my eyes at the comment asking if I am related to Victor Kraatz. Victor was German, not Swiss. He just happened to spend a few years living in Switzerland.
ReplyDelete