Did you or did you not gasp as loudly as NBC commentator Sandra Bezic when China’s Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao bobbled on that lift? They finally got their gold medal, China’s first in figure skating, and ended the Russian domination of the pairs discipline that lasted for 12 straight Games. (Yuko Kavaguti and Aleksandr Smirnov finished fourth, but he gets the gold in men’s thighs, if it’s any consolation.) Almost as long a wait, the time it took for Shen and Zhao to realize they’d won. If they hadn’t screamed like they did, I would have felt like such a fool for wasting all that energy rooting for them (which also included applauding every successful element and begging aloud before the final throw, “Please land it, please land it, please land it”). The only other program that gave me chills was from China’s Qing Pang and Jian Tong, who rose from fourth in Torino to take the silver in Vancouver with “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha. It was the final lift that got me. Everyone was a little emotional: me, Bezic, Scott Hamilton, and Tong, who kissed the ice afterward. Other thoughts from the pairs long program:
• No matter how many times I hear the music from Out of Africa, used by Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy who finished third, that sweeping melody physically overwhelms me. It’s like my mind can’t process how beautiful it sounds.
• Apparently, when men skate to love themes from ’70s films, they don’t have to wear spandex. Canada’s Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison (6th), who used to be a couple, felt “The Way We Were” was the only song that told their story. I appreciated the way she touched his hair at one point like Streisand does Redford’s in the movie, but I just kept wishing it was ice dancers I was watching. They would’ve been able to use more intimate and creative positions to build the emotion, and we wouldn’t have been distracted by her falling again on the side-by-side triples. Russia’s Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov’s “Love Story” provided a highlight of the night. Not for anything in the routine that landed them in 7th, but for the reaction it got from Canadian pairs champs-turned-TV-analysts Jamie Salé and David Pelletier. They’re Maria’s idols, and she wanted to skate to their signature piece from the 2002 Games in Vancouver as a tribute. Salé and Pelletier did not appear honored. I hope Canadian TV had already cut to commercial, because when NBC showed them, they were neither speaking nor smiling. He had a blank look on his face, she looked kinda pissed. That program got me thinking: If a couple has zero connection on the ice, is it better or worse for them to use a piece of music that tells a love story? On the one hand, it encourages the audience to fill in the blanks, on the other, it may make the lack of chemistry all the more obvious. (Also, would it be too inappropriate for U.S. champs Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett (13th) to skate a romantic number since she’s 16 and he’s 25?) On a similar note, watching China’s Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang (5th), who lack any musicality, it made me wonder if they’d be better off skating to music that has a built-in story to give the audience a reference point, or if it would draw even more attention to their inability to tell one…
• I love watching Canada’s Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay (9th). Her fall on a side-by-side triple may have hit me the hardest. Their skating is so light and, as an off-the-ice couple, there’s an innocent intimacy in the way they look at and touch each other. Like the way she stood in front of him in their starting position, reached behind her and slapped his thighs as if to say, It’s you and me. Let’s do it.
• Even though they’re not a real-life pair, the USA’s Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig make you believe they care about each other on the ice. Despite problems with the jumps, they skated another personal best. (Coach Jim Peterson wasn’t moved to tears, just to ecstatic cheering, which is what the audience did after seeing that reverse lasso lift.) Side note: Please, someone give Ladwig and his wife jobs.
• Would it be possible for me to get an Olympic tissue box?
• We didn’t get to see it on NBC, but the network has the Pearl Harbor long program of Ukraine’s Tatyana Volosozhar and Stanislav Morozov on NBCOlympics.com. The costumes were under control this time, though we wouldn’t recommend sequins on any military uniform. Switzerland’s Anais Morand and Antoine Dorsaz appear to have been their main competition for worst dressed. Watch their free skate, and you see them grab the faux suspenders sewn into their shirts.
Your turn.
More Olympics coverage:
PopWatch on Ice: Good music, bad costumes, and questionable scoring in the pairs’ short programs
Scott Hamilton: The 5 most memorable Olympic figure skating falls
Scott Hamilton: The 5 times I was a little too excited in the broadcast booth
Scott Hamilton: The 5 programs I would have skated
Olympic Stud of Day 3: Canadian men’s moguls gold medalist Alexandre Bilodeau
Olympic Stud of Day 2: U.S. speed skater Apolo Ohno
Olympic Stud of Day 1: U.S. curler Chris Plys
Vancouver Olympics Opening Ceremony: Best and Worst
Photo credit: David Hecker/AFP/Getty Images
Word about Alexander Smirnov’s thighs, Mandy. Clearly he is a shoo-in for the Olympic hottie of the day.
I loved Pang and Tong the best, but was so happy that Shen and Zhao won the gold. Even with the mistakes, they skated with great energy, flow, and emotion. Once again I felt a connection to Langlois/Hay and Evora/Ladwig. I found their skating very touching. I’m also completely agreeing with Dick Button on the skate grabs. It’s getting very annoying.
Mandi, your blog is funny. I was thinking a lot of the same things you do! Keep up the good work!
Yeah, I gasped, and then pretty much held my breath for the rest of the program. They totally won me over from the moment I realized they were skating to the Albinoni Adagio in G Minor, so even though it wasn’t perfect, I’m glad they won.
I feel like Twiggy from Top Model panel when I say, Can we get a close-up of those water bottles? They’re shaped like Dasani, but I could’ve sworn that the label said “Water.” Olympic figure skating, sponsored by the Dharma Initiative?
Get me Doc Jensen. LOST has taken over the Olympics!
I was thinking the same thing about the tissue box. Well said, Mandi!
I thought “Way We Were” was a good choice for the music. That routine had some pretty moments, but their costumes were a bit boring and she seemed too shaken by her fall.
Thanks so much, Mandi, for your excellent coverage of the figure skating competition! Your observations are spot-on!
Mandi, it’s like you read my mind. I agree with so many of your observations, especially with Aleksandr Smirnov earning gold in men’s thighs. HOTTIE!! I felt sorry for Yuko afterwards when I saw her tiny, but scary, coach walk away from her when she clearly needed some comfort.
Jamie & David were so NOT pleased/honored. I couln’t help but chuckle when I saw their expressions. They clearly didn’t realize a live camera was on them.
I don’t care how many times I hear it…the beautiful music from Out of Africa always brings a goofy grin on my face.
This is why it’s fun living in Canada right now – when I saw their faces, I flipped over to the Canadian coverage and re-wound to watch it again to hear what they said. They really didn’t say much, other than “nice music” and politely remaining silent when one of the other commentators said something about the pair needing “some of that Jamie and David magic.” CTV had definitely gone to commercial by the time NBC turned the camera on them.
All around, by far, the worst Winter Olympics ever! From the tragedy before the opening ceremony, to the flat-out boring opening ceremony (full of technical failures), to the lack-luster athletic performances, this is the Olympics of mediocrity! Fall twice during your pairs ice skating routine? Stumble 4 times? Spin at different speeds? It’s fine, you’ll still get 2nd place! Is it wrong to expect Olympic Superiority? Isn’t this supposed to be the best of the world? Snowboarders falling all over the place, speed skaters giving up because they’re not in medal contention, etc. Just an epic fail for Canada as host, and epic fail for the athletes and their so-so performances.
Wow — you’ve voiced what I’ve been feeling since the Olympics began. This Olympics is the absolute worst thus far. From the mediocrity to the problems with the venues (holes in the ice — come on!). NBC’s coverage is excruciating — too much focus on US and hardly any coverage of events; wayyyy tooo many commercials; jumping all over the place. I’m convinced that of the 3+ hours of network airing per night, only 1 hour is dedicated to the events themselves. Very disappointed.
Yeah, it’s a shame they didn’t cover any of the pairs figure skating since no Americans won any medals. Oh, wait…
Not like NBC’s coverage is not the same as no enjoying the Olympics. It’s a lot of money to cover all the events, especially the non-popular ones. In the past, they covered ‘lesser’ events on MSNBC, CNBC, Universal Sports, etc – so watch those if you want to see more. Do you expect them to split the screen into 4 and show events simultaeneously?
Maybe if they took a little time away from the Apolo Ohno-thon, they could cover a little more of the events themselves? (And no, I don’t hate the guy, but I am getting tired of seeing him on my tv every night, whether or not short-track speedskating is on.)
They do if you have U-verse. However, the other channels are showing movies, reruns, & (infrequently)women’s hockey. I was hoping it would be all-Olympics, all the time, since they have 4 channels to use. Oh well.
@Jennifer – Ohno is now the most decorated winter Olympian in US history… It’s historically significant to cover him. Duh.
Not true GGG. If he wins a medal on Wednesday he will be. Right now he’s tied with Bonnie Blair.
I don’t think Ohno is overexposed. They don’t show him anywhere near as much as they showed Michael Phelps last summer–talk about overexposed! I’m still tired of that footage of Michael flexing after the first relay.
Disagree, the opening ceremonies were beautiful and honored many important people in Canadian history and Canadian sports history. Don’t blame the host for the attitude of certain athletes or for the weather. I’m so psyched to be there next week.
lemme guess, you’re American, right?
Well I’m thrilled Shen and Zhou took the gold. When she realized they’d won and let out that scream I could not help shedding a little tear a joy for her. They were both so happy. It was wonderful and they deserved it.
That said, last night’s free skate winners were definitely Pang and Tong. That was simply breathtaking. I’m so glad it elevated to grabbing the Silver Medal (especially after I thought they deserved higher marks for their short program as well).
Pang and Tong did indeed win the free skate, though they had too much ground to make up after the short program to win gold.
I thought they were wonderful-I hated to see their program end.
I agree with you. I was happy Shen & Zhou won but Pang and Tong performance was amazing and like you said “breathtaking”.
Lets see what happens tonight with the mens with Plusenko already complaining about the scoring system and order of skating.
Plushenko’s team is just whining. Shen/Zhao skated long before the other top contenders did their short programs. It’s probably one of the few advantages of COP scoring that don’t punish for skating 1st/early.
Agreed! So, so happy for Shen and Zhao. Was absolutely enthralled by Pang and Tong’s performance.
It was amazing how much falling and stumbling and carelessness went into these Olympic performances. Obviously I can’t do what they do but can’t I at least expect Olympians to perform like they are in the Olympics? I thought the only two riveting, must-watch skates last night were the Chinese couples who won the gold and silver – they were WAY ahead of the rest.
It’s all about the nerves. If you watched some of the Grand Prix events, Nationals or World’s, you’ll see that skaters generally perform better since it’s more ‘normal’ vs once every 4 years. Very few winners have their performance of a lifetime at the Olympics.
sweetie, get your butt off the couch and THEN you can talk.
Dear Mandi, this is so much more thorough than I expected. Thank you so so much
p.s. the repetition on ‘so’ is no accident
I was actually watching Sale and Pelletier’s Love Story program on YouTube when the Russian couple’s routine started. Their reactions were priceless, and certainly justified…I don’t know if anyone can ever top them.
Literally was holding my breath and almost scared to watch Shen & Zhou ‘s performance for fear that something would go wrong. It was so incredible to see their joy in both performing and winning.