The Ice Dance competitions at the Olympics have been questionable for quite a long time. It seems every 4 years someone is calling the competition fixed. Well what I want to know if what makes this year so different?
No offense to the winners but I found them boring. During their performance last night I literally picked up the remote and was about to change the channel until I realized I wouldn’t be able to comment on this blog if I did. I found them slow, boring and unconnected. I really did not see what put them at 110 points.
The Russians of course are complaining about the competition and while I don’t agree with them that they deserved a medal I do agree with them that I found nothing great about that program.
I am not the A-Typical person that roots for her Country just because they are my Country. Last Olympics I found myself rooting for the Chinese in gymnastics because I found them gymnastics wise a lot more appealing with overall better form and technique (except those kips)so my opinion that Meryl and Davis’s performance was light years more entertaining then the Canadian pair is an honest assessment of what I saw with my own eyes.
With the exception of the lift that was to long for Meryl and Davis I can’t see any reason that Meryl and Davis should not have been ahead of the Canadians. If someone is completely schooled in ice dance wants to explain to me why the Canadians were that far ahead of the Americans I will listen.
Now my original question was why all of a sudden are the judges not trying to fix the Ice Dancing? How do we know that something behind the scenes wasn’t done to make sure the Canadians won? If the scores had been closer I might understand this.
Lets discuss the Russians even being on the podium. Something was up with that. Belbin and Agosto were certainly robbed. I havn’t heard one person say the Russians deserved their medal so to say the competition was fixed is not that much of a long shot. Something was up with the judging in this competition and I want to know why there is not one single person calling this out?
Tags: 2010 winter olympics, ice dancing
February 24, 2010 at 3:41 am |
It was just weird that that Davis and White won every single competition this season. They beat Belbin and Agosto at the US Nationals and beat Virtue and Moir at the Grand Prix Final. Coming into the games they had the highest scores for their OD. I was just confused because it seemed like internationally the judges preferred Davis and White prior to the games and then all of a sudden Virtue and Moir beat them in the OD? Everyone was raving about their Indian folk dance. I wasn’t surprised when they came in 3rd after the compulsory dance because apparently that is their weakest discipline.
I am not a hater. I really like both of these teams. They are both SO different. Both have positives and negatives. I find Scott to me over the top in his “on ice emotions.” It gets a little syrupy….but Tessa is a beautiful dancer and you can see her ballet training. I did find their dance kinda boring especially in the beginning. Not because it wasn’t good but I’ve seen similiar performances by them in the past. I do have to give them props though. Towards the end of the dance when the music hits a certain note, Tessa was spinning in Scotts arms with her arms reaching upward…that one part looked beautiful and real.
Something about Davis and White had me rooting for them all season. They are SO different from Virtue and Moir. I get excited when I watch them. Charlie is so strong and you really appreciate ALL the amazing lifts they do. He is so masculine (which is refreshing to see in ice dance). What I mean by that is often the male partner is trying to emote “on ice passion” by being soft and loving toward his partner. Charlie does that in a strong/passionate way which just draws you in. I felt like Davis and White’s twizzles and spins were so much faster than Virtue and Moirs. That’s not hating, it’s just a fact. Now they have the same coach and alot of their transitions are the same (the steps in between the elements). I could go on forever so I’ll just break down my comparison:
Spins – Davis & White: clearly faster, plus they changed direction on one which V/M did not.
Twizzles – D/W: clearly faster AND in unision. V/M was also in unison but slightly slower.
Lifts – very close but I thing D/W edged out V/M on this one. Both had Amazing lifts but I was blown away by what D/W did.
Steps between elements: V/M seemed cleaner, with extra attention to detail as far as pointed toes and leg alignment. D/W good but V/M had more fluidity between elements.
Emotions: Now this is just debatable. I find Scott over the top and in some parts of they dance I wasn’t buying the emotion. Davis and White had a TOTALLY different energy. I was sitting on the edge of my seat. I wanted them to win so bad. They were so good. Their emotion matched the music without going overboard.
I’m happy for the Canadians but before the games Davis and White were looking like they were going to get the gold. Because both teams have such different styles I can understand that the judges preferred V/M over D/W but I don’t feel like V/M blew D/W out of the water. I don’t understand how they beat them by so much. Their program scores should have been closer.
The Russians had no business being on the podium. Shredded chiffon doesn’t equal olympic gold folks. Belbin and Agosto should never have switched coaches. They new Russian coach is sooo old school. Their programs were like programs we saw in the early 90′s which I hated.
Lastly. Did anyone see Meryl being interviewed after they came in 2nd…she cried. I had tears in my eyes because she was so gracious about the loss. She was happy for her teammates but you knew she wanted gold too. They were AMAZING and I was sad when the lost…but I understand.
February 24, 2010 at 4:19 am |
tbh, no one’s talking about it because that’s just the way it is. Ice dance standings were decided before any of them touched the ice, and – barring some kind of disastrous fall – they would stay that way. Virtue & Moir (in my opinion, although I am far from alone) were not six points better than Davis & White. (I also thought they were kind of boring – pretty, but they certainly didn’t hold my attention like Meryl and Charlie.) I think Davis & White deserved to win the free dance portion if not the whole thing. But ice dance is corrupt and fixed and has been for so long that it’s just accepted.
February 25, 2010 at 11:21 pm |
God, I’m glad that someone feels the same way I do. I agree with the standings. I think that if you stripped ice dance of all its dancing and just looked at the footwork and tricks, Virtue and Moir had an edge over Davis and White, but an edge is all they had. I don’t think they were nearly six points ahead of Davis and White, considering that Davis and White beat them at Grand Prix by two points. Also, I don’t think Virtue and Moir give a performance the way Davis and White do. There’s something really exquisite and raw about the latter that the former don’t have, even though technically they’re flawless.
Here’s to hoping Davis and White kick their asses in Worlds.
February 26, 2010 at 12:07 am |
We are not the only ones because of it all. I know plenty of people that feel Meryl and Charlie were underscored.
Every 4 years they say the sport is fixed except this year all of a sudden it isn’t? I don’t buy it. Thanks for the comments