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"Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by byoffer on 10-06-09 at 04:24 PM
Anyone interested in this show that pairs former NHL hockey players with former Canadian world class female skaters (pairs skaters and ice dancers)?

This would normally have very low appeal to me, but as some may recall last summer I met Shae-Lynn Bourne, one of the ladies involved. Shae-Lynn is so fun and cute she is infectious, so I watched ep 1 of the show.

My observations:
- I have heard that the guys had to work really hard to do this. Hockey skates are very different from figure skates, so they almost had to re-learn how to skate.
- Tie Domi was the only guy not wearing figure skates, but that is because his got stolen from his car a few weeks ago. I wonder how long it will take him to get another pair?
- This is another show that involves viewer voting to determine the bottom 2 pairs, who will then "skate for their lives". As always with these shows, the viewers will often vote based on their favourites versus the quality of the routine. Tie Domi will likely go far because of that alone.
- Apparently Shae-Lynn isn't the only former skating champion with an excess dose of cuteness. Wow.
- They are skating at Maple Leaf Gardens, which I think many of the NHLers think is really cool. The place is still magic all these years later.
- Ron MacLean is the host (along with Kurt Browning) and in my eyes Ron can do no wrong.

I doubt I will watch again, but maybe... did I mention how cute the females are?


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Messages in this discussion
"RE: Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by AyaK on 10-06-09 at 11:02 PM
So ... basically, this is the reality show version of the movie The Cutting Edge?

"Toe pick."

"RE: Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by trigirl on 10-30-09 at 10:17 AM
Totally is! Kind of get a chuckle when you see them stumble over the toe pick!
"Cast list."
Posted by Estee on 10-07-09 at 07:22 AM
Shae-Lynn Bourne & Claude Lemieux
Isabelle Brasseur & Glenn Anderson
Marie-France Dubreuil & Stephane Richer
Jodeyne Higgins & Ken Daneyko
Christine Hough-Sweeney & Tie Domi
Kristin Lenko & Bob Probert (first out)
Jamie Sale & Craig Simpson
Barb Underhill & Ron Duguay

Top prize is a charitable donation of $100,000 to the organization of the winner's choice. (No word on whether that's the skater, player, a mutual decision, or one donation for each.) Last place was $25,000 to the participant's chosen charity.

As of the first episode, Ken has not racked up any penalty minutes. (But it's early yet.)

"RE: Cast list."
Posted by byoffer on 10-07-09 at 03:28 PM
Ken? Maybe that shows your media region. Most people would look at that list and comment on Probert or Domi as the penalty hogs. A little research shows me that Domi is #3 in PMs in NHL history, with Probert #5 and Daneyko #23.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NHL_statistical_leaders#Regular_season_penalty_minutes

Daneyko is likely the least-known guy on the list in this (Toronto) area. I would expect him to be gone from the contest soon (his partner isn't that well known either). Although Domi won't be a very graceful skater with his build, he will be a fan favourite as the show is done in Toronto where he is a hero.

Apparently the UK odds-makers have even entered the fray. The early favourites are Duguay and Underhill.

STOKE ON TRENT, UK, Oct. 5 /CNW/ - bet365, a UK regulated gaming company has released odds on the CBC Television reality show Battle of the Blades. The pair of Ron Duguay and Barb Underhill have been installed as the 3 to 2 favourites. Tie Domi and his partner Christine Hough-Sweeney are the second choice at 2 1/2 -1. They are followed by Glenn Anderson and Isabelle Brasseur 5 to 1, Craig Simpson and Jamie Sale 6-1, Claude Lemieux and Shae-Lynn Bourne 8-1, and Ken Daneyko and Jodeyne Higgins 11-1. Stephane Richer and Marie-France Dubreuil who had to skate for their survival on Monday night are listed at 16 - 1.



"RE: Cast list."
Posted by Estee on 10-07-09 at 10:37 PM
Ken? Maybe that shows your media region.

I didn't really think I've made a secret of my particular media market. Besides, we're talking about Mr. Devil -- the only player on that list to have spent his entire career with one team. And unlike some people on said list, I'd like to think he didn't just draw penalties for the sake of drawing penalties...

I have absolutely no way of viewing this, but I'm sure some local outlet will give us irregular earfuls on the game's progress. 1:55 a.m. ought to do it.

"RE: Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by aethelstan on 10-21-09 at 12:39 PM
Well, I have watched the first three episodes online and I must say that there is a surprising improvement. Four of the six routines this week were half-way decent.

I still can't believe that Ken Danyeko's still in it. He looks the least like he's having fun out there (along with Richer). Still, it was fun to see the behind the scenes impression of him with his booming laugh.

I was surprised to see Tie Domi in the bottom 2 since he is so popular and his partner Christina Hough-Sweeney is easy on the eyes.

I also expected Duguay and Underhill to last longer.

I can't believe that Richer military pressed Marie-France Dubreuil twice in his routine. That's crazy strength.

I'd say it's between Sale/Simpson and Bourne/Lemieux.

"RE: Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by Loree on 10-29-09 at 11:52 AM
>
>I'd say it's between Sale/Simpson and
>Bourne/Lemieux.

I agree they are the 2 best couples. I am not surprised to see Tie in the bottom twice in a row. Alot of fans are upset he refuses to wear the figure skates. He even wore the skate covers this last time to try and disquise the fact. And the judges seem to want to save Tie and keep him around for their ratings. Not sure they can save him over and over though if he refuses to wear the figure skates. I don't think he is the ratings draw they think he is.


"RE: Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by trigirl on 10-30-09 at 10:16 AM
I also expected Duguay and Underhill to last longer.

Yeah....was he the guy with the Jon Bon-Jovi hair? Thought they would last longer.

I'd say it's between Sale/Simpson and Bourne/Lemieux

Completely!

I have been pleasantly surprised with this show. It is much better than I thought.

"RE: Battle of the Blades - Canadian Show"
Posted by aethelstan on 11-03-09 at 12:21 PM
I had not been impressed with Richer and Dubreuil but in the R&B week, they did very well.

Last week, however, only Simpson and Sale and Bourne & Lemieux had programs of merit. Being more of a pairs fan than an ice dance fan, I prefered Simpson/Sale. Three jumps! Getting there! I could have sworn he was going to throw her, too. Seems to me that that trick shouldn't be too difficult because the guy doesn't have to do so much.

Of all the pairs tricks they can do (side-by-side spins, camel spin, jumps, lifts, footwork, throws, throw and catch, death spiral), the spins may be the toughest because you have to know how to spot or else you'll get dizzy and fall. They still haven't done a true death spiral yet but they could get there. I'm hoping for a throw soon though.

"Katarina Witt"
Posted by aethelstan on 11-11-09 at 10:20 AM
Oh my gosh. Her comments were hilarious. And I mean that in a good way. Poor ##### Button was going red in the face. "getting unButtoned" indeed. Good one, MacLean.


Bounced by IceCat!

"Winners and Losers"
Posted by byoffer on 11-17-09 at 09:57 AM
Last night was the results show. I have not been watching, but did hear the results. And there are winners, non-winners, and losers.

The winners were Simpson and Sale. Probably not surprising, as Craig is certainly a popular guy and probably the better looking guy (I have to think there was a lot of females doing the voting). Jamie Sale also has a pretty special place in Canadian hearts after all the controversy in Sault Lake with the judging scam that almost lost her the gold medal.

Non-winners were: Second place went to Shae-Lynn Bourne and Claude Lemieux. Reading between the lines on the review I read, their skating was perhaps slightly better (Sale's strenth would have been more jump-related, and this wasn't a big part of this show because of the men) whereas Shae-Lynn is more of a performer. Unfortunately for this team Lemieux has a mix of love and hate from the hockey fans, and Shae-Lynn, who had a lot of international success, never had it at the Olympics where it would have made her a national darling.

Losers: No, not the third place team, who in making it to the finals did very well. The losers were the Toronto-area viewers who saw 50 minutes of blank screen during the final results show. WTF?? Apparently there was a glitch (!) at Rogers, and the show didn't air in its normal spot at 8pm. CBC rebroadcast the show at 9pm, but I have to think a lot of the viewers missed out. Initially Rogers tried to point the finger at CBC, but since the show aired fine on other networks (like Bell's satelitte system) the problem had to be with Rogers. What a shame for the fans who watched all season and then missed the final.