The Cardinal Rule?

The Cardinal Rule..."Thou shalt not reveal thy former students music for the upcoming season...especially if thouest be in a messy split with lots of press attention."

@alijolly on twitter remarked: "Is it just me who has never come across this cardinal rule before?"

I never had either. However, I do agree it probably shouldn't have slipped out of Brian Orser's tongue but I wouldn't classify it as the "Cardinal Rule."

Alexe Ainsworth writes at the Universal Sports Figure Skating Blog, "But now, it appears Orser has taken it a step too far by breaking an unwritten rule in figure skating - revealing a skater's music without consent."

The cats out of the bag! Kim Yu-Na's free skate for next season is to a compilation of Korean music, including the song "Arirang."

Somehow I don't think everyone is going to rush out and change their free skate. Laura Lepisto is not feverishly downloading Korean music in an attempt to one-up Kim (as if that was even possible). I don't think that big a secret has been leaked.

But shame on you Brian Orser for revealing one of Kim Yu-Na's tightly held cards. Even David Wilson is shocked you called her out. Clearly you need to spend some time with Johnny Weir and learn how to have a "Poker Face."

I'm being a bit sarcastic and snarky here because as much as I was shocked and interested in all this drama I am now equally done with it. I think there is plenty Orser is not saying, I think the crap that Kim's mom and her agency have been spouting is complete (pardon the French) bullshit, and I don't think Kim Yu-Na has written a single word of the tweets, website letters, social network messages, etc. In short, I SMELL A BIG ASS RAT!

Now what I'm most interested in is how two of the U.S. biggest rising stars (Adam Rippon and Christina Gao) are going to be affected by all this. I'm much more interested in their progress at this point than any other of Orser's skaters.

I'm over it! So are the fans.

Orser: "It came out of the blue."

More information is beginning to unfold in the big news yesterday that Kim Yu-Na would not be coached any longer by Brian Orser.

Again, it appears Kim's mother made the decision at an August 2nd meeting with Brian Orser and assistant coach Tracy Wilson. He waited three weeks before making a statement because he hoped things could be reconciled between them.

"It was very much a surprise," Orser told Randy Starkman of The Star. "There was really no valid reason. I still don’t understand why they did this. I don’t know. It came out of the blue. They sat down with me and Tracy and said we’re not coaching her anymore. And that was that."

Apparently Orser and his team were told to focus on other skaters they train (which include Adam Rippon and Christina Gao) as Kim Yu-Na had not yet finalized her plans for the upcoming season. However, Orser says not focusing on Kim was one of the reasons given for the decision to end the coaching partnership.

Orser goes on to say decisions about Kim Yu-Na's training always came from her mother. "We were just waiting to get our orders from the mother because that’s what we always did. She always told us when they were ready to move in a certain direction and we had a meeting and we got pen and paper out and we did a plan. We never got to that point."

While AT Sports claims relations between Kim and Orser have been uneasy since May, Orser claims that simply isn't the case. He also made it clear money wasn't the reason either as Orser has never had a contract with Kim. Orser says he knew something was up when he was left completely out of the loop over Kim's plans during the summer and none of the people working with Kim including Shae-Lynn Bourne would fill him in with any details. "When are you coming back to Toronto? There was not even a response there. It was really kind of pathetic."

Seemingly caught in the middle is Kim Yu-Na. Orser believes she wasn't a part of these decisions at all and is as confused as he is. "I spoke with her the other day. She seems confused about what’s going on. Because of all this turmoil with her mother, she doesn’t know what’s going on. Nor do I. That’s what I said to her, 'I’m a little confused, but it’s been a great four years.'"

Weird! Orser says he's decided to move on. "I’ve got some great kids. I love my job, I love my work and I’ll continue to."

Update: Just moments ago, the following Tweet came from Kim Yu-Na's Twitter Account: Would you please stop to tell a lie, B? I know exactly what's going on now and this is what I've DECIDED.

UPDATE: Brian Orser speaks out on CTV's Canada AM.

BREAKING NEWS: Kim Yu-Na and Brian Orser Part Ways

What happened?!?! Arguably one of the most successful coach/skater partnerships ever has come to an end. Korean news has reported that Kim Yu-Na and Brian Orser have parted ways. It is also reported that for the time David Wilson will continue to work with Kim (the translation makes it seem as if he would be her coach...not sure on this bit). David Wilson is currently choreographing Kim Yu-Na's new free skate.

More to report as more info comes.

Update: It would appear that Kim's mother as well and a representative from AT Sports met with Orser way back on August 2nd and he was informed then he would not be retained as Kim's coach.

"I am honored to have worked with such a talented and gifted skater," said Orser. "I wish her all the best as she moves forward in her skating career."

Let the speculation begin....what would cause the split?

Who Won the Rivalry?

Part of what makes figure skating great are some of the amazing rivalries that have existed. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the rivalries fresh in our mind and decide...who won?!?!

Also, click on the links in this post for some fun YouTube trips down memory lane!

Alexei Yagudin vs Evgeny Plushenko: Yags v Plush. It seemed for a while these two where winning everything...and when one didn't win, the other got second place. It was ridiculous. It was even like their coaches would have snide little remarks about the other skater. I remember at one point Alexei Mishin (who in Yagudin's early days actually coached him) saying how Yagudin's best days where back in the junior ranks and Tatiana Tarasova called Evgeny Plushenko "plastic" at one point (what did that mean?). It all came to a head at the 2002 Olympics and fortunately for Yagudin, Plushenko decided to crash and burn on his quad combo in the short program leaving a free and clear gold medal path for Yagudin. But who wins this rivalry? I think if you look strictly at the competition between them, Yagudin's World Championship 3-peat wins over Plushenko (1998, 1999, 2000) combined with that Olympic Gold and I think Yagudin is the clear winner. If you take a look at their careers as a whole, Plushenko has certainly been more successful having medaled in three consecutive Olympics. I think rivalries are more than simply competition against one another but careers as a whole and what you are able to achieve above and beyond your chief competitor. WINNER: Evgeny Plushenko

Michelle Kwan vs Tara Lipinski: When Tara hit the stage in 1996 with that quick program set to music from the "Speed" soundtrack and finished 3rd at U.S. Nationals, I was sure we were looking at a contender for Olympic Gold in 2002. Not to be, she quickly rose to the level of Michelle Kwan (who won her first national title in 1996) and a rivalry was born. Michelle owned the 1996 season, winning the 1996 World Title as well...Lipinski finished 15th. But 1997 was an entirely different story. Things looked like they would continue as they had the year prior...Kwan had easy wins on the Grand Prix while Tara just had okay performances. The tides turned for Tara at U.S. Nationals where Michelle Kwan suffered a major meltdown and finished 2nd (the meltdown wasn't so much in the placement but in the terrible performance) allowing Lipinski...at 14 years old...to take the title. Michellle's storm cloud above her head stuck with her as she lost to Lipinski at the Champion Series Final (now Grand Prix Final) and at the World Championships. All of this set up an Olympic year showdown and both skaters where hungry! Michelle Kwan looked good on the Grand Prix but then suffered an injury causing her to withdraw from the Champion Series Final where Tara easily clinched a victory. At Nationals, Michelle Kwan turned in one of the most memorable performances in U.S. Nationals history to take that title. The short program at the Olympics couldn't have been any more suspenseful with both ladies skating flawlessly. But the much decried triple loop-triple loop from Tara Lipinski sealed the deal in the free and she took Olympic Gold. Ultimately, however, its about a career as a whole. WINNER: Michelle Kwan

Johnny Weir vs Evan Lysacek: The recent Twitter drama has me about sick of this rivalry. I wouldn't even call it a rivalry really if the media didn't make it so. Maybe it became a rivalry at the 2006 Olympics when Lysacek got ahead of Johnny for the first time (he finished 4th to Weir's 5th)? I don't even feel like it was a real rivalry until 2008 when they tied at U.S. Nationals but Evan won the tie-breaker to take the title. Then it was like, "Oh it's on bitch!" Johnny still seemed to be getting the better end of it during the Grand Prix in 2008. Evan failed to make the Grand Prix Final while Johnny took the Bronze. At Nationals they both lost out as Jeremy Abbott won the title, Evan only finishing 3rd and Johnny, well, not even on the podium. But that's when Evan kicked it up a notch, narrowly missing the Four Continents title in 2009 but then running away with the World Title. Johnny made a good run at Evan in the Olympic Season but didn't have the chops to keep up. Evan won the Grand Prix Final, Johnny third. While Evan again lost the National Title to Abbott, he was second to Johnny's third. And of course Evan scooted out of Vancouver with Olympic Gold...Johnny was 6th. I'm somewhat certain we are done seeing these two compete against each other in the competitive arena but their rivalry or what I would actually call a bitch-fest continues. They just keep trying to media-up one another and it's getting old. The last stunt Evan pulled about not being sure if Johnny was a girl was in poor taste...but Johnny's has pulled some zingers of his own. WINNER: Evan Lysacek on the condition he stops the bitch-fest.

Kim Yu-Na vs Mao Asada: This is the hottest rivalry in skating currently. This rivalry is so intense their fans are often ridiculous about it. I mean, computer servers have been shut down over these two. They are both so magnificently matched in talents and abilities. It's just crazy. They've been trading titles back and forth for the past three years and you never know which one will win if they are in a competition together. Mao has two World Titles to Kim's one but Kim has the Olympic Gold to Mao's Silver. I guess we can give Kim another point for having the World Record score, but then Mao is in the Guinness Book of World Records for Triple Axels completed by a woman in a competition. In the end, its ridiculously close between these two! WINNER: Undecided...I don't think we can call this one yet but Kim Yu-Na is ahead by just a smidge.

Brian Boitano vs Brian Orser: The storied Battle of the Brian's between American Brian Boitano and Canadian Brian Orser is one of the biggest rivalries in skating history. Both equally matched in skill and ability, their rivalry came to a head at the 1998 Olympics in Orser's home country of Canada. Brian Orser also had won the previous season's World Championship ahead of Boitano and entered the competition as the slight favorite. After the short program, both were nearly tied but a bobble on a triple flip in the free skate allowed Brian Boitano to slip through and win the title...and the Battle of the Brian's. But picking a winner of the overall rivalry between these two is tough. While Boitano has the Olympic Gold, Orser has two Silver's. You do have to give points to Boitano because he competed in a third Olympics (Lillehammer) while Orser only competed in two. Does Orser get points for coaching Kim Yu-Na? Boitano for having a show on Food Network? WINNER: It's a tie! Disagree...well it's my blog!

Tonya Harding vs Nancy Kerrigan: The knee whack heard round the world got everyone to tune in to what was going on between these two prior to the 1994 Olympics. But these two in fact did have a history prior to the 1994 U.S. Nationals. Both had a National Title under their belts prior to 1994. Both had a smattering of medals from various international events including the World Championships (that includes the 1991 U.S. sweep of Yamaguchi/Kerrigan/Harding). Tonya had something Nancy didn't have though...a triple axel. After the attack on Nancy at the 1994 U.S. Nationals, Tonya went on to win the title but at the Olympics it was a sad story for Tonya. Her entire career seemed to crumble in front of her and finished 8th while Nancy soared to Silver, narrowly missing the Gold in a 5-4 judging decision. Details of the attack had come out prior to the Olympics, Connie Chung was following her everywhere, she couldn't get her shoe-lace on her boot tied, it was a press nightmare everywhere she went, and she couldn't keep it together. On March 16th 1994, Tonya avoided jail time by pleading guilty to conspiring to hinder an investigation, was stripped of her National title, and banned from all future eligible competitions. WINNER: Nancy Kerrigan...as if it could go any other way?

Did I call it right? Would you call it differently? Weigh-in!

Orser to coach Asada?

The Korea Times posted this little diddy the other day on their website:

The man who made the South Korean-born Kim Yu-na become the queen of the world’s figure skating might leave her for her archrival.

Brian Orser, the Canadian figure-skating coach for Kim, was recently offered a position to become a coach for Asada Mao, Kim’s Japanese rival, JoongAng Ilbo said on Saturday.

Bad chemistry between Mao and her Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova was blamed for Mao’s motivation to seek out Orser, it said.

Tarasova has been coach to more world and Olympic champions than any other coach in skating history. As of 2006, her students have won a combined total of 9 Olympic gold medals in three of the four Olympic figure skating disciplines, earning her the title of "Champion maker".

But the personal dynamics between this champion maker and the Japanese figure skater didn’t work out quite well. Some media outlets made unflattering remarks about “Bell,” Mao’s most recent free-skating program, choreographed by Tarasova, the “worst.”
“Now Orser is in a dilemma whether he should take the offer or not,” it said.

It all seems a bit "tabloidish" if you ask me but the prospects are interesting and open a whole new round of questions. I don't think Orser would even consider such a move if Kim were to continue competing. If these rumors are true does this signal the end of Kim Yu-Na's competitive career?

But...Orser has denied that he will take the job. However, I can't imagine that if Kim were to stop competing he wouldn't be tempted...

3rd Annual Loop Axel Awards

Alright, part two of the Loop Axel Awards...time to have a little fun.

The categories are:

*Best Throw/Jump
*Hottest Skater
*The Twitterholic (NEW)
*Best Coach
*Most Improved Skater
*Best New Face
*Most Controversial (NEW)
*Best Outfit
*Memorable Moment of the Season (NEW)
*Blog of the Year (NEW)
*Reader's Choice: Skater of the Year

*Best Throw/Jump...the nominees are:

+Daisuke Takahashi - Quad Flip - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships (Free)
+Mao Asada - Triple Axel - 2010 Olympic Winter Games (Short)
+Evgeny Plushenko - Quad Toe/Triple Toe - 2009 Rostelecom Cup (Short)
+Inoue and Baldwin - Throw Triple Axel - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships (Free)
+Jeremy Abbott - Quad Toe - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships (Free)

And the winner is...Mao Asada - Triple Axel - 2010 Olympic Winter Games. In the pressure cooker that was that ladies Olympic short, it was a huge accomplishment to not only make history by landing the jump at the Olympics, but to hold up to the intense pressure that was being put on her. It was really fantastic and we all gasped when she hit it!

*Hottest Skater...the nominees are:

+Daisuke Takahashi
+Joannie Rochette
+Aliona Savchenko
+Charlie White
+Tanith Belbin

And the winner is...Tanith Belbin. Tough competition in this category but I think this time around Tanith wins out. At one point this season she was on the cover of Men's Health scantily clad and everyone was like..."woah!"

*The Twitterholic...the nominees are:

+Jeffrey Buttle (@J_Butt)
+Jeremy Abbott (@jeremyabbottpcf)
+Ana Cecilia Cantu (@cantufeelicks)
+Michael Weiss (@MichaelWeiss2)
+Charlie White (@CharlieAWhite)

And the winner is...Ana Cecilia Cantu. The National Champ of Mexico has some of the best tweets ever! She says what she wants and is always great for a laugh (and a great sit spin if you ever get the pleasure to see her in competition). If you aren't following her on Twitter...you should!

*Best Coach...the nominees are:

+Frank Carroll
+Brian Orser
+Yao Bin
+Igor Shpilband
+Jim Peterson

And the winner is...Brian Orser. This choice of all the awards for me was the hardest to choose because each of those coaches basically were completely amazing but I gave the award to Brian Orser because he had to guide Kim Yu-Na through far more than practice sessions. He had to basically manage a nations super-star and not only help her compete well, but stand up and handle the enormous pressure S. Korea was putting on her shoulders. Oh...and he's done an amazing job with Adam Rippon and Christina Gao too!

*Most Improved Skater...the nominees are:

+Michal Brezina
+Adam Rippon
+Akiko Suzuki
+Zaretski and Zaretski
+Faiella and Scali

And the winner is...Akiko Suzuki. Not that she didn't have her rough patches this season but to go from a long shot to make the Japanese Olympic Team last season to a Grand Prix Gold Medalist, Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist, Japanese National Silver Medalist, and Four Continents Silver Medalist is quite impressive. Also, in almost every competition she managed to skate her butt off in the free skate. Also, she took a tired piece of music (West Side Story) and breathed new life into it.

*Best New Face...the nominees are:

+Kevin Reynolds
+Florent Amodio
+Ksenya Makarova
+Michal Brezina
+Adam Rippon

And the winner is...Michal Brezina. All season long I've called the young Czech a breath of fresh air. Easy straight forward skating and natural jumps. He gradually over the course of this season established himself as the top Czech skater over veteran Tomas Verner and his season culminated with a near flawless free skate at World's that I felt should have earned him a place on the podium. He may have come up short in Torino but he's the clear winner here!

*Most Controversial...and the nominees are:

+Evgeny Plushenko
+Sasha Cohen
+Johnny Weir
+Kim Yu-Na
+Domnina and Shabalin

And the winner is...Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin. They had the entire Australian Olympic Committee after them over that Aboriginal Original Dance. The social ramification and ripples that one dance sent through the figure skating community in the run-up to the Olympics was more controversial than anything coming out of Plushenko's mouth, fur on Johnny's shoulder, Sasha's inability to show up at a competition, or an earring on Kim Yu-Na's ear.

*Best Outfit...and the nominees are:

+Davis and White - Original Dance
+Samuel Contesti - Free Skate
+Savchenko and Szolkowy - Free Skate
+Johnny Weir - Short Program
+Evan Lysacek - Short Program

And the winner is...Evan Lysacek - Short Program. I just loved that all black with the feathers around his neck and hands. I thought it was striking and powerful and perfect for his stature and the music. Also, his long limbs just accentuated the outfit and the performance.

*Memorable Moment of the Season...and the nominees are:

+Amanda Evora's flood of tears after earning an Olympic Berth.
+Joannie Rochette hugging her father after her Olympic Short Program.
+Evgeny Plushenko's #1 finger upon completing his free skate at Rostelecom Cup.
+John Baldwin's expression and interaction with the judges upon Rena Inoue's successful completion of the throw triple axel.
+Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's final pose in their Olympic Free Dance.
+Sasha Cohen's entire U.S. Nationals short program.

And the winner is...John Baldwin's expression and interaction with the judges upon Rena Inoue's successful completion of the throw triple axel. I mean it was priceless! He popped his finger straight up and gave the judges this look like "What! C'mon!" He showed her off beautifully and it was awesome! All of that on top of the fact she had just landed a throw triple axel.

*Blog of the Year...and the nominees are:

+Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand
+Required Elements
+jumping clapping man
+XanBoni!
+Blips of Todd...
+Ice Charades

And the winner is...It's so hard to judge your peers so I give everyone the award! Wait...you're note letting me cop out like that? Okay, okay...The winner is...Blips of Todd...It's so funny to see the other side of the skaters you watch compete. What you might think is their personality based upon what they do on the ice is nothing like who they really are and Todd Gilles' Vlog gives us little 'blips of Todd' that let us into his very character in a very fun and charming way. I can say however, without reserve, that all the blogs listed here and even many that aren't are amazing.

*Reader's Choice: Skater of the Year...and the nominees are:

+Shen and Zhao
+Daisuke Takahashi
+Virtue and Moir
+Kim Yu-Na
+Davis and White

And the winner is...Kim Yu-Na. The people have spoken and Kim Yu-Na is Queen indeed! I don't think there is any arguing with this choice or any of the five skaters/teams chosen to vie for this award. Kim Yu-Na has been tremendous this season, her Olympic Free in particular was stunning. She's a national hero and treasure for South Korea and how fortunate they are to have her!.

Pic of the Week

I'm bypassing my Destination L.A. Series for this week...or maybe I'll get in this weekend, but anyway...

This Pic of the Week for me had to be done! If you read the post below, you get that I was excited about Rippon's Free Skate at Junior Worlds. But it's not Adam whom I making Pic of the Week...it's his coach!

I'm going to start calling Brian Orser Mr. Magic Touch! We have all been blessed to see the skater he has shaped Yu-Na Kim into. But I'm simply amazed with what he's done with Rippon...just since Christmas! I mean, at the top of the season Adam's programs were lack luster, he was struggling with jumps, seemed a bit out of his league in the senior division. Even at Nationals he wasn't on his total A Game.

But give Brian Orser a skater willing to work hard and few weeks wiggle room and a champion skater he'll make! I mean, it's rare to see this kind of turnaround from a skater and I feel Brian Orser deserves some big props here!