New Johnny Weir Journal Entry 10/10/05

cianni said:

I dont think robots can be in their feelings Jositz. Thats the point of the negative side of COP the skaters are in their heads out of necessity. The beauty and artistic side is sacrificed for Bielman, jump spin and it doesnt matter if these elements are done correctly or not. This not about the sport its about keeping the judges secret cheating hidden. The PCS is Please Cheat Secretly and the Judges are doing a great job. I read that on another thread and it says it all. I can assure you the skating community is well aware that the new system is no different then the old. I am one who hopes the PRO Skating takes off after the OLYS and will support it. The OLY scandel thats looming will help that happen. My trust in this new system is in the toilet.

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The "necessity only" skating doesn't get the job done either. Look at Weir's finishes. He isn't even jumping at the level he did before. He may be in a no win position, but I think he will go farther concentrating on the kind of skating that makes him feel good.

I don't know if it's cynicism or sap, but I think the best skaters will still come out ranked high no matter the system. Show the caller and the judges beautiful, well rounded skating and they will bend over backwards to ensure that not a single point is missed. Plus, I think the officials are going to get so sick of seeing the same programs over and over that any skater who dares to be different will benefit.

It may not happen in time for Weir, but he really needs to go for it. What he is doing now just will not work for him.

LBC said:

Johnny switching LP's in August is the reason why he is in this trouble. I think it is a case of TT not having enough time to do the choreography as well as it could have been. He was cutting it close to begin with in changing it that late but the last minute changes to the program just screwed him up. He spent too much time worrying about a few points and not the huge amount of points you get on jumps. He still has time to fix things but his confidence is shaken.

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Well one of his problems is that this year (like last year) he's only using 7 of his jumping passes - if he doesn't put an 8th jump in there then he's starting out life with as much as 3.3 points down (the value of a base level double axel) on the opposition. For the record the 3.3. points garnered for a double axel is worth more than any spin or step sequence is worth so his concern about his spin and step levels seems rather OTT considering the points he'd get for doing a double axel at the end of his program.

Ant

antmanb said:

Well one of his problems is that this year (like last year) he's only using 7 of his jumping passes - if he doesn't put an 8th jump in there then he's starting out life with as much as 3.3 points down (the value of a baselevel double axel) on the opposition. For the record the 3.3. points agrnered for a double axel is worth more than any spin or step sequence is worth so his concern about his spin and step levels seems rather OTT considering the points he'd get for doing a double axel at the end of his program.

Ant

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That's a really good point...I'm going to assume (risky i know) that Weir and his team know this too...so maybe adding the extra steps and changing spins now was with that in mind so that when the program peaks, he gets all the jump points he can plus level fours on spins and steps...and so his frustration was more about not being ready in time (to make much needed money) and/or just honestly expressing how it's hard to get it all in....but i'm guessing, so i'll shut up now.

Johnny will be OK - he's just getting out the kinks in his programs. Sometimes it helps to vent, and if writing his journal enables him to get through this fall, then I way, "Write, Johnny, write!"

By the way, I can relate 100 percent to the difficulties of flying to Japan. Many years ago I flew from Tokyo to Newark, NJ in one fell swoop. Tokyo - change planes in Seattle, change planes in Chicago, layover in Detroit, and on to Newark. By the time I arrived back home in NJ I was a physical and emotional basket case, and I had a major case of jet lag for several days. I will never, never, do that again!!!!