Johnny Weir: Pre-Nats Interview

Dee4707 · Dec 31, 2005

new_europe2006 said:
yet he didn't compete in the Grand Prix Final with an injury.

I thought he didn't compete in the Grand Prix final because he didn't have enough notice about it. Wasn't he 4th or 5th on the list??

I'll be rooting against him during Nationals, Olympics, and Worlds for the rest of the season.

Let me see if I got this straight....Johnny can't say what he thinks but you can???

Dee

new_europe2006 · Dec 31, 2005

Dee4707 said:
I thought he didn't compete in the Grand Prix final because he didn't have enough notice about it. Wasn't he 4th or 5th on the list??

He was 3rd and declined claiming an injury all while criticizing Michelle for not competing due to injury.

Let me see if I got this straight....Johnny can't say what he thinks but you can???

Dee

I'm not a competitive figure skater and I didn't say anything rude in the first place, it was him and I responded with what I have to say. According to you, it's ok for Johnny to make a snarky comment yet it's not okay for somebody else to call out on it.

BittyBug · Dec 31, 2005

new_europe2006 said:
He was 3rd and declined claiming an injury all while criticizing Michelle for not competing due to injury.

Johnny did not decline claiming an injury. The ISU extended Johnny's invitation to the GPF after the deadline through which alternates must be prepared to participate (noon local time on Monday of the week of the GPF). Therefore, Johnny neither had to give a reason for declining, nor did he do so.
Just think about the timing - he was invited Monday afternoon (US time), the event started on Friday (Tokyo time), with official practice on Thursday. The earliest Johnny could have gotten a flight to Tokyo would have been Tuesday, which would have gotten him to Tokyo late Wednesday completely jet lagged, and then the event started the next day. There's a reason why the ISU has a deadline for extending invitations.

Joesitz (RIP) · Dec 31, 2005

blackrose050 said:
I don't see ANY reason to bring Evan into this discussion, seeing as there was no mention of Evan in the interview. Unless you are Evan, or know him personally, you don't know how he would act.

My use of Evan as an EXAMPLE of a skater who would never openly discuss his opinions of other colleages is just that. Evan is a class act who concentrates on himself, and that's how it should be. Not just my opinion but in the opinion of others who respect the dignity of ALL fellow athletes. That is the way it is in being a sportsperson.[/QUOTE]

Johnny isn't the only one with these opinions; he is the one that's open about it. He has every right to say what he wants. Maybe he'll pay for it, maybe he won't. I like his, "If I have something to say, I'll say it to your face" attitude. Maybe it is in bad taste, but I appreciate the honesty (whether or not I agree with his comments).

No one including me objects to his honesty. No one is trying to deprive him of his right to speak out his opinions of other skaters rather than of himself. And YOU, are perfectly correct in appreciating his comments. But it's only fair that others who do not share your appreciation may be able to express themselves of their personal tastes openly, too.

Joe

euterpe · Dec 31, 2005

I didn't see anything disrespectful of other skaters in this interview, in fact I thought he showed great respect and admiration for other skaters.

His comment about Michelle was that he was disappointed that she didn't skate in the Grand Prix. Heck, we were ALL disappointed!. He did make reference to her injury as the reason, and he did speak of her motivation. He was just as disappointed that Sasha did only one event.

People who don't like JW will always find something negative in his interviews.

mzheng · Dec 31, 2005

Joesitz said:
I'm still wondering what the judges will think when he skates? If there is any doubt about a score, wil he get the benefit? Just wondering.

Joe

Judges are not suppose to think about any comments from the skaters no matter how tasteless, how offensive, when they give out score.

Johnny may have every right to say whatever he like. Fans also have every right to criticising or comment what they thought about him at FS board. Only judges don't have the right to give out scores based on their off ice posona.

Not Johny, neither Evan my favorate US skaters. I like neither of their style. But for the sake of a strong US team, I'd like to see Johnny win again at Nationals. Either Matt or Ryan make the team I will be very happy.

mzheng · Dec 31, 2005

Eeyora said:
Well I take hbis opinions with a grain of salt because they are known to change especially if they affect him like COP's

Mathman · Dec 31, 2005

Hey Zanzibar, for a hot minute there your title almost got the best of me:

"America's Olympic Strongman Shot-putts Things Into Perspective"

MM

mzheng · Dec 31, 2005

Joesitz said:
No one including me objects to his honesty. No one is trying to deprive him of his right to speak out his opinions of other skaters rather than of himself. And YOU, are perfectly correct in appreciating his comments. But it's only fair that others who do not share your appreciation may be able to express themselves of their personal tastes openly, too.

Joe

You know, I am always baffled with those ones cheering 'honesty' opinions from skater who made 'snark' comments on his/her fellow competetor or whinning at lose. As if these are the only possible 'honesty' from those skaters.

I am all for the HONESTY attitute from these competetors, actually from any humen beings. But it does not necessary mean I have to cheer for the snark/dig comments they made regarding their competetors or whinning the scores from judges in their interviews. You can cheer for their honesty (but I won't perticulary since I consider this is the least character that a decent human being should have), at the same time criticize the contents in their interviews. These two should not be mutual exclusive.

Mathman · Dec 31, 2005

euterpe said:
I didn't see anything disrespectful of other skaters in this interview, in fact I thought he showed great respect and admiration for other skaters.

His comment about Michelle was that he was disappointed that she didn't skate in the Grand Prix. Heck, we were ALL disappointed!. He did make reference to her injury as the reason, and he did speak of her motivation. He was just as disappointed that Sasha did only one event.

I am trying my best to agree with this spin of Johnny's comments. Sometimes in an unrehearsed interview a person's words don't come out quite the way he intended.

Johnny says, "I'm very, very disappointed with the US girls. There have been so many withdrawals and injuries, etc. that they need to just get out there and skate. Stop talking about it and get out there and do it! Even Michelle (Kwan) should have been out there earlier, it would have been great to see her at a Grand Prix event...."

I hope he meant that he was disappointed that injuries forced Michelle and Sasha out of early competitions, and that what they need now is just to put that bad luck behind them and go out there and skate. In the coming competitions, let the skating do the talking!

MM

(PS. If any skater wants to hire me as his publicist, contact me at Mathman @ Spindoctor.com.)

mzheng · Dec 31, 2005

MM, I actually diddn't read too much into this perticular paragraph. But he got so many other facts wrong in his interview. What I read into is more about Sasha than Michelle (if this interview was done after Marshalls), it was long said he was a good friend with Sasha. He might not know the extend of Michelle's injury, but I doubt he completely ignorance of Sasha's.

btw, anyway it is a bad taste, IMO, to comment his fellow skaters. If he can't phrase them better, the least he can do is HONESTY keeping his mouth shut at the subject. IMHO.

Mathman · Dec 31, 2005

mzheng said:
You can cheer for their honesty (but I won't particulary since I consider this is the least character that a decent human being should have), at the same time criticize the contents in their interviews.

Well said. Outstanding.

nymkfan51 · Dec 31, 2005

MM, I think the sentence that is the hardest for me to swallow is the "just stop talking about it and get out there and do it" comment. :disagree:
He makes it seem like they had a choice, or they weren't really hurt ... and I don't consider there to be much of a choice in skating if you're injured.

And honesty is overated if you ask me. Sometimes people need to say nothing at all if they can't find something good to say.

Mathman · Dec 31, 2005

I was hoping that the phrase, "just stop talking about it" was directed at us rather than at the skaters.

In other words, I hope he meant to say, let's all of us stop talking about what can't be changed anyway, and get on with the business at hand.

If he really is criticizing the U.S. ladies for "talking about it," that's pretty silly. Neither Michelle nor Sasha said hardly anything about her injuries.

MM

nymkfan51 · Dec 31, 2005

Well MM, if he truly meant these things as you suggest ... then maybe this will be a good lesson for him on how to get your point across without insulting 90% of the people you associate with. :eek:

hwell:

kyla2 · Dec 31, 2005

Immaturity

He's immature, period. He was clearly taking a swipe at Michelle. He needs to grow up a little and not spit out everything that comes into his head. Michelle will survive his potshots, they really only reflect badly on one person-Johnny.

millie · Dec 31, 2005

I read Johnny's interview and thought t hat he was very open with his thoughts and opinions. I would like to know why that every interview a skater gives, it all boils down to the fact that they are dissin Michelle or they shouldn't have said that about Michelle or this about Michelle. With everything that he said in his entire interview, to some people, it all boils down to three word s --He dissed Michelle. Give the boy a break-they all can't be perfect like some skaters.

R.D. · Dec 31, 2005

I went back and read his comment.

Once again, I just feel as if he's voicing his opinion. I do disagree with him over MK, though, because after seeing her at Marshall's, it was clear to me that she is JUST coming back. Cohen's "fall" was rather ill-timed, right before SA. I think it's just bad luck rather than lack of motivation/willpower to "get out there and skate". But I won't rip into him just because he said that. OTOH- at last, a skater who says more than "I'll go home and train hard for the next competition." Yawn to that.

SkateFan4Life · Dec 31, 2005

Thanks for posting this! Excellent interview. Johnny Weir certainly speaks his mind, and he was overall very gracious and thoughtful in his comments about his fellow skaters. It's obvious that he watches the competition closely, in all skating disciplines, and it was nice to hear him say positive things about the other guys.

I hope he has a great season! He definitely has the skills to rock the skating world. :rock:

mzheng · Dec 31, 2005

SkateFan4Life said:
Thanks for posting this! Excellent interview. Johnny Weir certainly speaks his mind, and he was overall very gracious and thoughtful in his comments about his fellow skaters. It's obvious that he watches the competition closely, in all skating disciplines, and it was nice to hear him say positive things about the other guys.
:

Except he got so many facts wrong.

Johnny Weir: Pre-Nats Interview

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin

new_europe2006

BittyBug

Joesitz (RIP)

euterpe

mzheng

mzheng

Mathman

mzheng

Mathman

mzheng

Mathman

nymkfan51

Mathman

nymkfan51

kyla2

millie

R.D.

SkateFan4Life

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mzheng

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