Official 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games thread!

[SkaGoat]

Which didn't seem to be a problem for them when they won in 2010. If I'm reading correctly, she was coaching the Americans before she became the coach to the Canadians. And I don't recall (although it has been 4 years) anyone from the U.S. alluding to the fact that maybe she was favoring the Canadians back in 2010.

Igor Shpilband was their Choreographer until 2012 when Igor and Marina split. They stayed with Marina.

 

[Jennasis]

I heard one of the announcers say that Davis and white had help from Derek nHough to choreograph their routine. Very cool!

 

[NaLisa]

I can't imagine that coaching just one team is economically feasible. How much would that one team have to pay her? And we're talking for several years if you're preparing for the Olympics.

Clearly Marina Zoueva is an excellent ice dancing coach. She coached the gold and silver medalists in the last two Olympics and has a long, impressive list of current and former students. If you really want to win gold in Olympic ice dancing and you have a choice, you're going to want her as your coach. But you know going in that's she's not going to devote 100 percent of her time to you, unless you're going to pay her enough to refuse any other students.

I don't see her coaching both teams as a conflict. If you don't like sharing a coach with your biggest competitors, then you should find a different coach, (even if he/she's not as good.)

 

[declansdad]

I can't imagine that coaching just one team is economically feasible. How much would that one team have to pay her? And we're talking for several years if you're preparing for the Olympics.

Clearly Marina Zoueva is an excellent ice dancing coach. She coached the gold and silver medalists in the last two Olympics and has a long, impressive list of current and former students. If you really want to win gold in Olympic ice dancing and you have a choice, you're going to want her as your coach. But you know going in that's she's not going to devote 100 percent of her time to you, unless you're going to pay her enough to refuse any other students.

I don't see her coaching both teams as a conflict. If you don't like sharing a coach with your biggest competitors, then you should find a different coach, (even if he/she's not as good.)

I agree with you to a point but I wonder if it is just figure skating. Wouldn't you find it a conflict of interest he the same person was managing both the Red Sox and the Yankees?

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I agree with you to a point but I wonder if it is just figure skating. Wouldn't you find it a conflict of interest he the same person was managing both the Red Sox and the Yankees?

They knew this going in. It's not like they weren't aware. They chose this. They chose to come to the US to train with her and then stay with her when the choreographer left. Simple as that. And as stated previously, they're not the only ones sharing a coach.

If it wasn't a problem for them in 2010, they shouldn't now see it as a problem.

 

[cabanafrau]

I agree with you to a point but I wonder if it is just figure skating. Wouldn't you find it a conflict of interest he the same person was managing both the Red Sox and the Yankees?

Not an apples to apples comparison. I'm fairly certain both the Red Sox and the Yankees can afford to pay their manager a living wage without having another team help foot the bill.

 

[declansdad]

Not an apples to apples comparison. I'm fairly certain both the Red Sox and the Yankees can afford to pay their manager a living wage without having another team help foot the bill.

But you didn't answer the question. We're not talking about pay, we're talking the potential for a conflict of interest when 1 person coaches competitors in the same competition.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

But you didn't answer the question. We're not talking about pay, we're talking the potential for a conflict of interest when 1 person coaches competitors in the same competition.

Why wasn't it considered a conflict in 2010?

 

[SkaGoat]

Not an apples to apples comparison. I'm fairly certain both the Red Sox and the Yankees can afford to pay their manager a living wage without having another team help foot the bill.

She runs a skating club, pretty sure she'd get by with only one team..

They knew this going in. It's not like they weren't aware. They chose this. They chose to come to the US to train with her and then stay with her when the choreographer left. Simple as that.

They didn't choose it, and they were already half way through their 4 year training period between Olympics. They're not going to try and change coaches 2 years before their final Olympic appearance (their final appearance period).

 

[declansdad]

Why wasn't it considered a conflict in 2010?

I have no idea, maybe there was. I'm not trying to discuss this exact situation but the concept in general. One person coaching two teams that compete against each other is certainly open to a conflict of interest.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

She runs a skating club, pretty sure she'd get by with only one team..



They didn't choose it, and they were already half way through their 4 year training period between Olympics. They're not going to try and change coaches 2 years before their final Olympic appearance (their final appearance period).

What do you mean they didn't chose it? Both teams knew they were sharing a coach. They were sharing her in 2010 when they won. They had 4 years to pick a new coach if it bothered them.

 

[cabanafrau]

She runs a skating club, pretty sure she'd get by with only one team..



They didn't choose it, and they were already half way through their 4 year training period between Olympics. They're not going to try and change coaches 2 years before their final Olympic appearance (their final appearance period).

Zoueva does not run or manage the Detroit Skating Club from my understanding. DSC is a fairly large operation.

 

[cabanafrau]

But you didn't answer the question. We're not talking about pay, we're talking the potential for a conflict of interest when 1 person coaches competitors in the same competition.

This is so common in figure skating, and has been for so many years, I don't see it as a problem unless something is blatantly out of whack, which presumably world class athletes at this maturity and experience level would notice long before now. This same argument was to be had back when the Russians had a virtual lock on the podium for ice dance for so many years.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

She runs a skating club, pretty sure she'd get by with only one team.. They didn't choose it, and they were already half way through their 4 year training period between Olympics. They're not going to try and change coaches 2 years before their final Olympic appearance (their final appearance period).

They did chose it though. Yes, their choreographer left, but they were still sharing the same coach, just as they were in 2010. And I don't think what they show in the reality series has much baring - yes she may have been seen with the American team as she is also their coach. And they aren't forced to live in Michigan. These are all things they chose to be with this coach, long before their choreographer left. Plenty of non-US teams train in the US, so it's not uncommon.

I don't know why it's such a shock the Americans won this year. They were amazing. The Canadians were as well, but it just wasn't their year. But the laundry list of things "against" the Canadian team isn't really fair. And this isn't specific to you; I'm sure there would be plenty of Americans crying foul if the placement had been different.

 

[cabanafrau]

In the interest of clarity, my posts about the figure skating haven't been to support the win of the American team. I haven't watched very much of the event, mostly in bits and pieces & highlights of that event here and there. I used to love figure skating and the ice dancing was my most favorite of the four categories. It also has quite the reputation of being some of the most contentious results, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan included.

From what I've seen I personally prefer watching the routines of Virtue and Moir. Sounds as if the technical skating was very close as was artistry. If it was that close I'd probably have voted for Virtue and Moir, but it sounds as if everyone brought their A game, so it is what it is.

 

[Jennasis]

I coach. My athletes often compete against each other. It's just the way it's done in some sports.

 

[declansdad]

I coach. My athletes often compete against each other. It's just the way it's done in some sports.

What do you coach?

 

[jrmasm]

Why is this even being discussed? Both sets of skaters had to choice to train with the same coach. No one made them stay with that coach either.

 

[declansdad]

Why is this even being discussed? Both sets of skaters had to choice to train with the same coach. No one made them stay with that coach either.

Why can't the idea of one coach, two competitors be discussed? Someone said they thought it was sour grapes and the discussion has moved on from there.

 

[jrmasm]

Why can't the idea of one coach, two competitors be discussed? Someone said they thought it was sour grapes and the discussion has moved on from there.

It can be discussed. I just think it's pointless. They had a choice of coaches. If either team feels they made the wrong choice, that's one them, not the coach.