Winter Olympics

[Wendy31]

Well, this American LOVES Virtue & Moir & was thrilled that they won gold.

My DD & I have become slightly obsessed w/ them!

We liked the French pair too & were hoping that the other American pair would get Bronze instead of the Shib Sibs.

The way all the commentators were gushing over the French pair made us really worried for Virtue & Moir. And I did think the French pair were great & had a lovely, artistic routine, but Virtue & Moir have that extra little "something" that makes me get more involved w/ their routines.

My DD was so nervous watching! After it was over she declared, "This must be how it feels to watch the Super Bowl & actually care who wins!"

 

[ronandannette]

NBC pretty much handed them the title - I think they're exact words were something like, "Unless something major happens, Virtue and Moir will be gold medalists."

OK. The CBC coverage had us all nail-biting right up to the end. And it took Virtue & Moir a lifetime personal best score to win. I doubt even they would have confidently predicted it.

 

[BLAZEY]

NBC pretty much handed them the title - I think they're exact words were something like, "Unless something major happens, Virtue and Moir will be gold medalists."

Here in Canada we had the technical tracker and we knew it would be close. After Tessa and Scott skated we knew that they were excited about how they felt they skated. And it was a nail biter until the score came up. fortunately our commentator did the math for us so seconds before score was announced we knew what they needed to surpass the French team. It was 121.xx and they got 122.xx. Not enough to win the Free Dance, but enough for gold with the lead they had from the short program.

 

[Wendy31]

NBC pretty much handed them the title - I think they're exact words were something like, "Unless something major happens, Virtue and Moir will be gold medalists."

I didn't get that feeling at all from NBC. In all the analysis, everyone was talking about beautiful & lyrical & passionate the French pair were. They were all saying how Virtue & Moir would have to skate a personal best to win. Everyone was talking about the unfortunate wardrobe malfunction, & how, had it not been for that, the French pair would probably be in 1st after the Short Program.

After the French pair's Free Dance, the female commentator was gushing. After Virtue & Moir's Free Dance, she said to her fellow commentator, "I know what you're going to ask me, and don't. I can't choose."

 

[hopemax]

NBC pretty much handed them the title - I think they're exact words were something like, "Unless something major happens, Virtue and Moir will be gold medalists."

Sometimes I feel like I'm not watching the same NBC. I heard the commentators point out that for Virtue and Moir to win they would have to earn 3 points higher than their personal best which makes it tough. And I felt like Tanith was hedging her "who should win" because she wanted to answer France, but knew the "right" answer for American TV viewers were the Canadians.

 

[cabanafrau]

As excited as we all are about the win, I don't think it's ever been implied to have been a slam-dunk. The scores were extremely close after the short program and when the French team scored the highest marks in the history of the free program, it clearly was anybody's ball game. And while I couldn't possibly discern all the nuances of the programs and the scoring, I liked the Shabuani's right away when I saw then in the team competition. I'm happy for their result.

I don't think it had to do with the particular move. It was in response to the opening notes of "Roxanne" in the music mix. Apparently it's become a well known (and anticipated) juncture in their routine.

I've been able to watch NBC and CBC coverage of the games. The Virtue and Moir hyperbole has been quite heavy. I like them. I don't think their win is undeserved. The hyperbole has been over the top. It's not their doing. It's the current media game. I think just like NBC, CBC is trying to weave a mythology around the games and their coverage, looking to insure viewers tune in -- and of course return for the next games. It's not really any different to what NBC is doing in that regard. IMO it piled about 500# of bricks across Nathan Chen's shoulders before he took to the ice and handed Chloe Kim and Mikaela Shiffrin snowboard and skis made of lead before they hit the slopes.

 

[ronandannette]

Sometimes I feel like I'm not watching the same NBC. I heard the commentators point out that for Virtue and Moir to win they would have to earn 3 points higher than their personal best which makes it tough. And I felt like Tanith was hedging her "who should win" because she wanted to answer France, but knew the "right" answer for American TV viewers were the Canadians.

What do you mean by this? (Genuine question - not snark.)

 

[soccerdad72]

I didn't get that feeling at all from NBC. In all the analysis, everyone was talking about beautiful & lyrical & passionate the French pair were. After their Free Dance, the female commentator was gushing. After Virtue & Moir's Free Dance, she said to her fellow commentator, "I know what you're going to ask me, and don't. I can't choose."

I don't remember exactly what they said, but it was after the score for Hubbell and Donohue's was given that there was some comment about the Shibutani's getting bronze and (I thought) they said something about silver for the French, but I could be wrong.

I don't know the first thing about skating in general, and especially ice dancing. I'm sure that all the teams finished where they should have, it just felt as an outside observer that everything was predetermined. Maybe there's just less that can go wrong in ice dancing, or at least to the untrained eye. At least with the other disciplines, you can see someone fall or stumble easier than with ice dancing.

 

[cabanafrau]

Essentially. The riders don't use their own jorses. Instead they are assigned a horse provided by the event host. They have 2 minutes to try the horse out before entering the ring and most of them are clearly terrified of the riding portion of the event. Watch the videos in YouTube. Galloping he'll bent for leather at the fence then panicking at the last second because OMG HES GONNA JUMP IT!!! then yanking on the horses face with eyes like saucers. The crashes are plentiful and scary. Many athletes are clearly not spending their training time in the saddle.

That's sickening. I didn't even realize this event existed. From what I found it's only scheduled through 2020 so far for the Olympics. Hopefully nothing goes wrong & that will be the final contest.

 

[hopemax]

What do you mean by this? (Genuine question - not snark.)

I think when NBC doesn't have an American to root for they take the next closest thing. Plus, Tessa and Scott have been around for 3 Olympic cycles and are likely more familiar to US audiences than the French team.

 

[ronandannette]

I think when NBC doesn't have an American to root for they take the next closest thing. Plus, Tessa and Scott have been around for 3 Olympic cycles and are likely more familiar to US audiences than the French team.

Thanks for answering.

 

[soccerdad72]

What do you mean by this? (Genuine question - not snark.)

French people suck

...meant in jest

 

[cabanafrau]

I think when NBC doesn't have an American to root for they take the next closest thing. Plus, Tessa and Scott have been around for 3 Olympic cycles and are likely more familiar to US audiences than the French team.

It's fairly common for American coverage of international sports to highlight Canadian competitors with the spirit of covering a sibling.

 

[Wendy31]

I think when NBC doesn't have an American to root for they take the next closest thing. Plus, Tessa and Scott have been around for 3 Olympic cycles and are likely more familiar to US audiences than the French team.

I think that's partially true.

However, I honestly didn't even remember Tessa & Scott from Sochi. I just barely watched Davis & White.

Figure Skating used to be my favorite Winter Olympic event. However, I don't know if I've changed or if the sport changed because over the last couple of Olympics, I found figure skating to be somewhat boring. I wasn't as invested in any of the routines.

This year the pairs & dancing gained my interest again due to the couples like Virtue & Moir.

I remember watching all the routines in Lillehammer (Gordeeva & Grinkov!) & just loving them... it seemed the routines were more passionate & dramatic. I don't even remember who the Americans were, but I was rooting for Gordeeva & Grinkov then. I also loved Katarina Witt. And there was a Russian dancing pair I remember & the girl had this beautiful flame-red hair - their routines were so passionate & beautiful.

In Vancouver, I do remember the Canadian pair - Jamie Sale & her partner (can't remember his name) & really liking them.

Oh, & remember the Canadian pair from years ago - His name was Lloyd & I can't remember her name, but I loved them too.

For me, I need some drama & passion to go w/ my figure skating. LOL! That's why the Shib Sibs just don't really interest me. They're very talented, & I wish them well. I'm just more interested in the other couples.

This time around in the pairs, I loved the French couple who skated to Disturbed's "Sound of Silence".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This time around in the pairs, I loved the French couple who skated to Disturbed's "Sound of Silence".

I saw a video of a perfomance they did prior to the Olympics with that and seriously it not only gave me goosebumps but they did it so well and with such connection to the music.

 

[hopemax]

Ah...short track speed skating. The sport where you can set the world record, and having the fastest time of the medalists and only win the Bronze medal. (note: this is entirely proper. Just noting the particular craziness of the sport)

 

[RedAngie]

Ah...short track speed skating. The sport where you can set the world record, and having the fastest time of the medalists and only win the Bronze medal. (note: this is entirely proper. Just noting the particular craziness of the sport)

I don't know why they bother keeping time at short track. It doesn't really matter.

But this incident shows why a "B" final DOES matter.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I absolutely agree that the judges will and should understand all of the inner workings that I as a viewer certainly don't understand. I can understand that on paper a perfect skate from Adam Rippon can't stack up technically against what several of the other competitors had on paper -- and several executed brilliantly too. It's the same process that allowed Nathan Chen to have mistakes and leap over so many others. I understand. Where it starts to wobble for me is that same measure isn't taken against certain skaters and they are considered in the running for the podium despite going in with programs that shouldn't really be in podium contention -- i.e. Carolina Kostner. I like Carolina and think she is a lovely skater. I think if she goes out and skates her program flawlessly and the American ladies go out and skate their programs flawlessly we should expect Carolina to outscore them despite the fact that her program does not contain the same level of technical elements.

That's the kind of bias I think has been and continues to be a problem in figure skating judging.

Remember a phrase in basketball called the Jordan Rules?. It's because the rules on dribbling, traveling, and fouls didn't apply to Jordan. We all can see that he gets three steps, doesn't have to put the ball on the floor before he takes a step and he can push off with no foul meanwhile sneeze near him and you get a foul. Well skating is riddled with Jordan rule refs. And they always rationalize it with you just don't understand the nuances of.l... blah blah blah. BULL!!!
We don't need to know every last nuance to know when it's obvious that something is being applied inconsistently.

 

[Kitty 34]

I would have loved to watch Moir and Virtue win gold but my DVD cut out a few moments before they skated. Where can I watch their awesome skate??

 

[ashley0139]

I would have loved to watch Moir and Virtue win gold but my DVD cut out a few moments before they skated. Where can I watch their awesome skate??

On the NBC sports app, there is a replays section. Select figure skating from last night and just skip to the end.