During a slow period. We took Tuesday off because we were exhausted and it was a good time. We missed the Novice and Junior compulsory dances and the Novice ladies final. Oh, well. Can’t see everything.
And yesterday (Wednesday) we caught the Novice Dance Finals and the Junior Dance Original Dance but missed the Junior Ladies Finals. There was a huge break with mainly Ladies’ practices to fill, so again, we went home and caught up on a few things…like getting my Tivo cleared off of the men’s and pairs coverage. I had to record anything that looked remotely like coverage, which meant a fair amount of duplication.
Anyway, watching these events and the interviews afterward, and after my recent comments, I thought it only fair to mention: one thing Evan is, is smart. Sure he’s taken the conservative, commercial, “anything to win” path, but I can’t deny he’s doing it intelligently. After his short, he was looking (some might say scowling, but I don’t think it was) very puzzled at the monitor. In his interview after his short, he said he wasn’t upset, only trying to figure where the new changes to his program weren’t working. That his fall out of the axel couldn’t account for the seven point difference between his personal best and what he’d gotten here. He said flat out he couldn’t know until he saw the printout and analyzed the levels and GOEs.
In other words, he was in the process of editing his art brilliantly. I applaud him for that. I could wish Johnny and his choreographers would do the same. One major difference between gold and not gold is not necessarily talent, but choreography. This not-so-new system rewards not only content but how that content is performed and good choreography will allow time to complete every move so you don’t lose levels stupidly. One marvelous little thing that’s been available here on a test basis is a little radio and ear bud that allow you to listen to either Ice Network, NBC, or, (by far the best) a technical expert calling out the moves and their levels as the program progresses. It’s fabulous. (I’m putting together a post on what I’ve learned about the “new” system here. I’ve always loved it, now I’m really beginning to understand the details and I love it even more.) Programs, properly executed for maximum points do not look rushed. The value/GOE combination sees to that.
Anyway, another thought…watching the pairs I was impressed all over again by Inoue and Baldwin. I hadn’t realized, but they’ve come back with former pairs champs and newly inducted FS hall of famers Meno and Sand as their coaches. I have this image of the four of them sitting in the bar and M&S saying “You know, if you changed this this and this, you’d be, like totally competitive with these kids.” and I&B getting this competitive gleam in their eye and saying “Let’s do it!” :D I thought they looked very different out there, and watching the coverage, I saw it even more. They actually came in second in the long and if John had not fallen out of that side by side spin in the short, they probably would be on their way to the Os. Justifiably.
Quite an achievement for over-thirties.
Whoops..breakfast is calling.
Sheesh…how’d comments get turned off? Fixed now.
