This was so informative and well-written. Like you, my heart was too tender for skating after Michelle Kwan, so I didn’t know any of this drama. Thank you for such a thorough and easy-to-follow explanation!
I wish they had/had been able to come back one season earlier to help build momentum (for themselves and us spectators!). It will be hard if a team that helped earn the three Olympic spots doesn’t get one of those. All of this being said, I think this is the kind of thing that just highlights the “work your way up the ladder” expectation of ice dance. I like Chock and Bates fine (admittedly they have never been my favorites), but I’ve frankly grown bored with them and bored with the fact that they are presumed first until they retire. It’s not fun as a fan! So I like the energy injection of a rivalry. And I hope we fans can primarily see this as more of a frustration with the system than any individual athletes.
Agreed. I think the ShibSibs add some needed chaos energy to the Ice Dance field. Though I wish that I was possible without bottle necking the rest of the US talent pipeline.
Parsons and Green must be furious, and I’m sure the Shibs’ old rivals Charlie, Tanith, and Greg Zuerlein are too. I always liked Chock and Zuerlein and was disappointed that they never had the success as seniors that they did as juniors. And I felt that Emily Samuelson, Bates’s former partner, got screwed in their breakup, as female ice dancers and pairs skaters usually do if their partners decide to end the partnership.
I remember the Shibs’ first senior season, where their short dance (as it was called then), to “The Carousel Waltz,” almost outscored Davis and White’s. And I loved “Fix It,” with that fabulous Zueva twizzle sequence.
I interviewed Maia and Alex after the 2018 games; they were charming and polished (ready for the publicity blitz that followed, even though they said at the time that they would stay in for at least one more Olympic cycle). And I give credit to anyone and anything that pisses Zachary Donahue off.
This was a most excellent read! Thank you for the summary. (Though I do not understand the caps for "OR ARE THEY" - do you think they would have retired then anyway even without Maia's illness?)
Also I must say you've outdone yourself with the gifs this time! I laughed out loud a couple of times.
Sasha Cohen skated a beautiful short program (always her strongest suit) at the 2010 Nationals, and a reporter asked John Nicks, her coach of two months’ standing, what he thought of it. He said that when she skated like that, all could be forgiven. Was there a lot to be forgiven? “You have no idea.” Dick Button and Peggy Fleming, commentating for ABC (those were the days!), chuckled knowingly.
Sasha once used “Don’t Rain on My Parade” as an exhibition, and on the line “If someone takes a spill it’s me and not you,” she fell. Not in the choreography.. But at her best, her spins and Charlottes and spirals were gorgeous (inspiring a classic Buttonism: “Look how straight her back is! You could iron a shirt on her back!” Yes, returning to competition so late and so unprepared was a dick move, but I was so sad she didn’t make the Olympic team.
Thank you! This all happened in skating my dark ages, so I could smell that there was an excellent pot of tea here, but I didn’t know what it was and didn’t want to go digging through socials to figure it out. It feels yucky to me to just pop in for an Olympic season. Just feels off the mark of good sportsmanship, despite the illness recovery.
I've thought a lot about this. That's my first reaction, too. But, if I'm real, I wouldn't have the same reaction if it was Hawayek/Baker or one of my other faves returning. If it was Kaitlin and Jean Luc, I would probably defend then, saying they had helped to grow the US Ice Dance international presence over the years and helped the US to earn three spots in the past and deserved to benefit from it now. That said, I tend to agree that it's classier and better sportsmanship to return a year before the Olympics, like Alysa did and like Tessa/Scott did. It feels especially gross for the French fed, where GuiLo could have helped earn three spots if they'd thrown their hat in the ring sooner. Though they probably could not have, given the international release factor.
Sasha Cohen returned to competition for the first time since the 2006 Olympics, where she won silver, at the 2010 Nationals. (And according to Wikipedia, she made the announcement on May 6, 2009—happy almost anniversary!) She got two Grand Prix assignments but withdrew from both, came in fourth at Nationals, and retired from figure skating for good. She was automatically eligible for those Nationals as a reigning Olympic medalist, but you could argue that it was a dick move. The Shibutanis have been out for two Olympic cycles, and I’m not even sure now how much they have to do to qualify for Nationals, but I’m sure they’ll come in well prepared. (Sasha changed coaches in November 2009.)
TLDR: The Shibs are faves of mine (as are Hawayek and Baker), and Chock and Bates are not. My sympathies here are with Carreira and Ponomarenko and Green and Parsons—and my favorite team now is Gilles and Poirier.
Totally with you on GuiLo feeling more gross than this despite the international release issue, both bc of the 2 spots and because their histories make me wrinkle my nose when I think about them. Hawayek/ Baker would feel a little less gross to me since they skated the first season of this quad and tried to for the second. This is maybe my ‘90s fs brain, though, saying “You’ve had your turn, give it to the babies and make your money with Stars on Ice” when Stars on Ice is no longer a living. Middle school me didn’t like it when they reinstated everyone for One Last Olympics in ‘94 either though, despite the glorious Torvill & Dean of it all.
I had no idea about that background! I remember when the Shibs danced both I thought that they had to do it! I was so sad that the Madisons didn’t get to dance or medal - no idea it was a choice. Definitely Dick move. And I was always a Shib fan…
I was talking with a friend about how the splitting the team event issue is so artificial and made to create rivalries on teams. Other sports let the teams swap in and out at will, including swimming, gymnastics, and track, and it’s not considered getting a participation trophy. If a team has an embarrassment of riches available at the Olympics such that they can swap in each discipline, so be it; it’s not Canada’s fault if Mexico doesn’t have two dance teams. I hope they seriously consider making some changes. No one will be happy until everyone skates, but it doesn’t have to be as cutthroat as it is.
This is such a good breakdown! I am riveted already. And I agree that Caroline must be so mad right now! 😂
This was so informative and well-written. Like you, my heart was too tender for skating after Michelle Kwan, so I didn’t know any of this drama. Thank you for such a thorough and easy-to-follow explanation!
Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
I wish they had/had been able to come back one season earlier to help build momentum (for themselves and us spectators!). It will be hard if a team that helped earn the three Olympic spots doesn’t get one of those. All of this being said, I think this is the kind of thing that just highlights the “work your way up the ladder” expectation of ice dance. I like Chock and Bates fine (admittedly they have never been my favorites), but I’ve frankly grown bored with them and bored with the fact that they are presumed first until they retire. It’s not fun as a fan! So I like the energy injection of a rivalry. And I hope we fans can primarily see this as more of a frustration with the system than any individual athletes.
Agreed. I think the ShibSibs add some needed chaos energy to the Ice Dance field. Though I wish that I was possible without bottle necking the rest of the US talent pipeline.
Parsons and Green must be furious, and I’m sure the Shibs’ old rivals Charlie, Tanith, and Greg Zuerlein are too. I always liked Chock and Zuerlein and was disappointed that they never had the success as seniors that they did as juniors. And I felt that Emily Samuelson, Bates’s former partner, got screwed in their breakup, as female ice dancers and pairs skaters usually do if their partners decide to end the partnership.
I remember the Shibs’ first senior season, where their short dance (as it was called then), to “The Carousel Waltz,” almost outscored Davis and White’s. And I loved “Fix It,” with that fabulous Zueva twizzle sequence.
I interviewed Maia and Alex after the 2018 games; they were charming and polished (ready for the publicity blitz that followed, even though they said at the time that they would stay in for at least one more Olympic cycle). And I give credit to anyone and anything that pisses Zachary Donahue off.
Oh that's right! I forgot about Greg Zuerlein being in the middle of all this, too. The plot thickens!
I meant “Fix You.” Oops.
Fantastic dive, as ever. So appreciate your knowledge and perspectives! (And Star Wars puns PLUS an “an historic”??!? I knew you were good people.)
This was a most excellent read! Thank you for the summary. (Though I do not understand the caps for "OR ARE THEY" - do you think they would have retired then anyway even without Maia's illness?)
Also I must say you've outdone yourself with the gifs this time! I laughed out loud a couple of times.
I just meant that, at the time, it seemed like they were retiring. But now, 7 years later, we know they are not actually retired.
Sasha Cohen skated a beautiful short program (always her strongest suit) at the 2010 Nationals, and a reporter asked John Nicks, her coach of two months’ standing, what he thought of it. He said that when she skated like that, all could be forgiven. Was there a lot to be forgiven? “You have no idea.” Dick Button and Peggy Fleming, commentating for ABC (those were the days!), chuckled knowingly.
Sasha once used “Don’t Rain on My Parade” as an exhibition, and on the line “If someone takes a spill it’s me and not you,” she fell. Not in the choreography.. But at her best, her spins and Charlottes and spirals were gorgeous (inspiring a classic Buttonism: “Look how straight her back is! You could iron a shirt on her back!” Yes, returning to competition so late and so unprepared was a dick move, but I was so sad she didn’t make the Olympic team.
Thank you! This all happened in skating my dark ages, so I could smell that there was an excellent pot of tea here, but I didn’t know what it was and didn’t want to go digging through socials to figure it out. It feels yucky to me to just pop in for an Olympic season. Just feels off the mark of good sportsmanship, despite the illness recovery.
I've thought a lot about this. That's my first reaction, too. But, if I'm real, I wouldn't have the same reaction if it was Hawayek/Baker or one of my other faves returning. If it was Kaitlin and Jean Luc, I would probably defend then, saying they had helped to grow the US Ice Dance international presence over the years and helped the US to earn three spots in the past and deserved to benefit from it now. That said, I tend to agree that it's classier and better sportsmanship to return a year before the Olympics, like Alysa did and like Tessa/Scott did. It feels especially gross for the French fed, where GuiLo could have helped earn three spots if they'd thrown their hat in the ring sooner. Though they probably could not have, given the international release factor.
Sasha Cohen returned to competition for the first time since the 2006 Olympics, where she won silver, at the 2010 Nationals. (And according to Wikipedia, she made the announcement on May 6, 2009—happy almost anniversary!) She got two Grand Prix assignments but withdrew from both, came in fourth at Nationals, and retired from figure skating for good. She was automatically eligible for those Nationals as a reigning Olympic medalist, but you could argue that it was a dick move. The Shibutanis have been out for two Olympic cycles, and I’m not even sure now how much they have to do to qualify for Nationals, but I’m sure they’ll come in well prepared. (Sasha changed coaches in November 2009.)
TLDR: The Shibs are faves of mine (as are Hawayek and Baker), and Chock and Bates are not. My sympathies here are with Carreira and Ponomarenko and Green and Parsons—and my favorite team now is Gilles and Poirier.
Totally with you on GuiLo feeling more gross than this despite the international release issue, both bc of the 2 spots and because their histories make me wrinkle my nose when I think about them. Hawayek/ Baker would feel a little less gross to me since they skated the first season of this quad and tried to for the second. This is maybe my ‘90s fs brain, though, saying “You’ve had your turn, give it to the babies and make your money with Stars on Ice” when Stars on Ice is no longer a living. Middle school me didn’t like it when they reinstated everyone for One Last Olympics in ‘94 either though, despite the glorious Torvill & Dean of it all.
I will never regret Katarina Witt skating as Robin Hood.
And good point on Hawayek/Baker. They did actually try to skate this quad.
I had no idea about that background! I remember when the Shibs danced both I thought that they had to do it! I was so sad that the Madisons didn’t get to dance or medal - no idea it was a choice. Definitely Dick move. And I was always a Shib fan…
Oh same! I didn't know about the team event split issue until it came up during the 2022 Olympics.
I was talking with a friend about how the splitting the team event issue is so artificial and made to create rivalries on teams. Other sports let the teams swap in and out at will, including swimming, gymnastics, and track, and it’s not considered getting a participation trophy. If a team has an embarrassment of riches available at the Olympics such that they can swap in each discipline, so be it; it’s not Canada’s fault if Mexico doesn’t have two dance teams. I hope they seriously consider making some changes. No one will be happy until everyone skates, but it doesn’t have to be as cutthroat as it is.
This is such a good point. Figure Skating just seems to be a messy bitch who loves drama.