Johnny's Reaction in the K&C

Dee4707 · Jan 28, 2007

I am wondering about Johnny's reaction in the K&C. It almost seemed traumatic. I wondered if it was so much the loss or something else. It appeared that the title meant a great deal to him. Yet on the other hand, he knows that it takes year long training to stay on top. I could be wrong but he hasn't trained as much as he wanted to. Again, I've said this before, he needs to make choices. I don't think with the physical demands of skating that you train 1/2 the time.

As I said in another thread, I hope this isn't his swan song.

I am not sure the LP was the best for him. I loved his lyrical style and missed it.

Please don't take this thread as a place to bash Johnny. My intention is concern for him.

Your thoughts???

Dee

Penny · Jan 28, 2007

I too am concerned for Johnny. He's still very young and living on his own, and being gay in America isn't easy. I saw him mouth "Hi, Paris" into the camera, but even if his partner had been in the stands, the cameras would not have cut to him (a la Tanith).

His jumps are so beautiful; he's very close to having a consistent quad. He needs to work on spinning faster. And he desperately needs better music and choreography. His music was terrible--the short program music was so repetitive and didn't really build to a climax. The long program just didn't make any sense; the audience could not relate. It has nothing to do with masculine/feminine. His swan program was wonderful. I hope he refocuses, rededicates, and sticks around for a few more years.

emma · Jan 28, 2007

Obviously I have no idea what Johnny was feeling in the Kiss n Cry - but yes, he had a big reaction and when I watched I simply thought it was the let at of all that adrenaline mixed with the dissappointment -

twinsissv · Jan 28, 2007

I am also very much concerned for Johnny. He seems so fragile now. I wish he could get completely away from skating. No training, no competitions and no stressing about his career. He needs to just enjoy life and have some fun...for HIMSELF! One can take only so much before it becomes harmful. And I am disgusted with his being portrayed as he has been by some media outlets. He needs to get away from THAT as well. :yes:
Unlike many others, I do not look forward to his participation at worlds this year. I think the last thing he needs now is even tougher competition and another possible disappointment.

Spun Silver · Jan 28, 2007

The K&S was very painful to watch - almost embarrassing. He wasn't just beaten, he was whipped. It was as if he was trying to pull off Nationals with bravado and a month of hard training - and then the bravado just crumbled under the pressure of reality. Fortunately he had enough inner strength to make a good comeback and handled the questions by (was it Carruthers?) gracefully.

He may have to stop living in "my world," "Johnny Weir time," etc. and accept that there's only one world of elite figure skating, populated by a tribe of fierce competitors. As much as I admire him, I fear he will have to make some hard choices - and perhaps do some belated growing up - soon, or else we will continue to watch a painful decline.

Vodka Shot · Jan 28, 2007

I love Johnny so much; he's the only reason I ever started watching skating and right now I'm wishing I had never even come across this damn sport on tv this time last year. If he quits I will have like no interest in skating anymore-no Sasha, no Johnny? Why bother? I don't care how far down my throat Kimmie and Evan are pushed this is one teenager that is not putting a poster of either of them on my wall. Ever. I respect him for so much more then his skating-he's confident in who he is and lives his life how he wants-for that alone he's my champion. His reaction in the Kiss&Cry sucked (and not in a good way) I almost wish he had jumped up and stomped off instead of crying-it hurt too much to see. I think it was the commulation of the rough season, both professionally and personally and he finally snapped. My hope would be for him to have some down time-maybe even not go to worlds? Refocus, get back w/ Tarasova (he should have never even tried this new style!) and come back w/ a vengeance!

equestrianguy · Jan 28, 2007

Having to skate after a brilliant skate by Even and trying to defend his three years on top....yes, I'm sure it was hard.. Although, I think he is just a very emotional person and couldn't keep it inside until he got back stage. I know it's hard for me at times exhibiting horses to keep it in until I'm somewhere private. What I was happy to see is that both Evan and Johnny pushed each other in to attemping a quad. This is a big step for both of them! I actually really like Jonny's music choices this year. Yes, Evan has great tech and good presentation..but those programs have been done to that same music hunderds of times. At least Johnny is doing something different. I do feel for him..I know its hard to stay on top.. but there are other things in life that are more important..

Zuranthium · Jan 28, 2007

Penny said:
And he desperately needs better music and choreography. His music was terrible--the short program music was so repetitive and didn't really build to a climax. The long program just didn't make any sense; the audience could not relate.

There is nothing at all wrong with the music. In fact, it's great music and his long program is brilliant. It's just the short program that needs some fine tuning with the choreography.

When Johnny fell in the long program it was like watching Michelle fall at the Olympics. Extremely saddening to watch.

His break down in the Kiss & Cry was truthful to the situation he was facing. How would you feel if people kept saying "you were a horrible *** and didn't deserve to win"? Johnny wasn't just defending a National title here, but his entire existance really. And losing the title basically gave some amount of credance to all of the ignorant haters out there. So it sucks, a lot, and I would have felt the same way.

~Z

flying camel · Jan 28, 2007

I just feel that Johnny has to many other interest. Yea, he wanted to win, but I don't feel he has practiced that much this season. I felt the same with Kathy Taylor. Maybe it was just to much hard work at the last minute.

Piel · Jan 28, 2007

Zuranthium said:
His break down in the Kiss & Cry was truthful to the situation he was facing. How would you feel if people kept saying "you were a horrible *** and didn't deserve to win"? Johnny wasn't just defending a National title here, but his entire existance really. And losing the title basically gave some amount of credance to all of the ignorant haters out there. So it sucks, a lot, and I would have felt the same way.

~Z

I am very confused here. WHO said that Johnny was horrrible and didn't deserve to win and who are these haters? IMO Johnny doesn't have it any tougher than lots of other skaters out there. I do not see that he is discriminated against in any way. He gets the international assgnments, he gets fluffed. I also don't understand all of the "Johnny is true to himself..........how brave and wonderful he is for that talk". Can someone please explain this?

emma · Jan 28, 2007

Piel - apparenlty lots of people of have lots have different and passionate feelings about Johnny (i am over the moon about him, for example), the state of Johnny, the state of Johnny in the US etc....I used to live in a small town not in the US and there was a saying that said somthing like if people are talking about you it means you made an impression (the implication being that silence means you are irrelevant and that's bad). So - Johnny has made all kinds of impressions....not bad at all.

I agree with others that he needs to train differently - this season has been a mess as he himself has pointed out with the very late start and no real time to get in a groove; BUT I think he had training issues last year too - obviously just my very uninformed fan appraisal, and I think this is a big opportunity via wake up call to change. I hope he does so I can enjoy him in comps (all about me, of course!).

The rest, while real, is also drama --- and I'll leave analysis for those better equipped to weigh in.

blue dog · Jan 28, 2007

I am probably in the minority, but I am going to give Johnny some credit here--when Todd Eldredge lost to Rudy Galindo in 1996, he came out with one of the most brilliant free skates I have ever seen him do at Worlds...and not only that, the silver and bronze medalists were good, too--it made him want to win more. I have a feeling Johnny Weir is made of the "same material" as other skaters we've seen in the past. He isn't going to crumble--I, for one, am taking this as a positive. He will probably work harder than ever as soon as he gets home.

If Johnny is, in fact, gay--well, we gays have a problem with relinquishing our crowns :chorus: This is perhaps the last we'll see Johnny finish below 2nd in ANY competition.

Mathman · Jan 28, 2007

Piel said:
I am very confused here. WHO said that Johnny was horrrible and didn't deserve to win and who are these haters?

Hi, Piel.

For once I think Zuranthium has made a point that we cannot ignore.

There ARE many, many people out there who really are homophobes, not just in the sense that is being slung around thoughtlessly on this board, but for real and true. People who harbor an "irrational fear and hatred of homosexuals and homosexuality." People who commit assault and murder because of this fear and hatred. And now web logs all over the Internet give them a pulpit.

It is not an easy thing to come to terms with.

Johnny hears a different drummer. I admire him for stepping to the music that he hears, however measured or far away. :yes:

BravesSkateFan · Jan 28, 2007

Not everyone that dislikes Johnny or his skating, does because of his perceived gay-ness. Perhaps some of us don't like his skating style, or are rubbed the wrong way by his personality. It seems like his supporters make more of his sexual-orientation than his detractors do.

Piel · Jan 28, 2007

Mathman said:
Hi, Piel. For once I think Zuranthium has made a point that we cannot ignore.

There ARE many, many people out there who really are homophobes, not just in the sense that is being slung around thoughtlessly on this board, but for real and true. People who harbor an "irrational fear and hatred of homosexuals and homosexuality." People who commit assault and murder because of this fear and hatred. And now web logs all over the Internet give them a pulpit.

It is not an easy thing to come to terms with.

Johnny hears a different drummer. I admire him for stepping to the music that he hears, however measured or far away. :yes:

Oh Larry I agree. BUT I get the impression from some of the posts that he is being bashed on this board or by ESPN/ABC and I just don't see that happening. I think in the skating community and certainly here at GS there is not the gay bashing that there is elsewhere. Skaters have been bashed here for many things but I don't think I have ever read any antigay posts here at GS. When different skaters are fluffed I really don't think they are trying to make a comparison or tout one skater's lifestyle any better or worse than the next skater's.

Mathman · Jan 28, 2007

BravesSkateFan said:
Not everyone that dislikes Johnny or his skating, does because of his perceived gay-ness. Perhaps some of us don't like his skating style, or are rubbed the wrong way by his personality. It seems like his supporters make more of his sexual-orientation than his detractors do.

Yes, that's quite true.

But it can be a confusing muddle and something that never quite leaves your mind.

I knew Stokley Carmichael (radical civil rights leader of the 1960s) quite well. He went to an all white high school (the prestigious Bronx High School of Science) and he said it was a torture to him, because everything that happened to him, good or bad, he could never rid his mind of the doubt that it was related to race.

If he asked a girl out and she said yes, was it because he was black? If she said no, was it because he was black? If someone liked him, or didn't like him, or did him a special favor, or picked on him -- why? (One thing was constant, though -- when he went to a party at a classmate's house, the classmate's parents would always compliment him on how good a dancer he was -- despite the fact that he couldn't dance a lick.)

Eventually he married South African singer Miriam Makeba and moved to Africa.

OK, so I don't know where this story is going...I guess in the "walk a mile in his shoes" direction.

Piel · Jan 28, 2007

So that's how you know MM. :love:

Mathman · Jan 28, 2007

Piel said:
...Skaters have been bashed here for many things...

And well they have deserved it!!!!

Nobunari, Nobunari, WHAT do you have on?????

http://www.skatecanada.ca/en/events_results/events/jrworlds05/news/images/day4/oda.jpg

chuckm · Jan 28, 2007

I could perfectly understand Johnny's outburst in the Kiss N Cry. He just let it all hang out, and that was probably the best thing he could have done at the time. He was able to pull himself together and show what a gracious loser he was in his interview with Susie Wynn.

I think this loss will motivate him to work on what he can: his skating. That's what let him down at Nationals. He tried to do too much, too soon in too short a time: two new programs after touring the entire summer. Evan had a huge advantage in that he was reusing his old "Carmen" program.

Johnny will now have two months to whip his FS into shape. And IMHO, that is a brilliant piece of music and the choreography is far superior to Evan's FS choreo.

I've been a Johnny fan since he finished 6th at his first US Nationals as a Senior and then went on to win Junior Worlds. I saw what a talented skater he was and have cheered for him ever since, and I have never thought about his sexual orientation, because that has nothing to do with his skating.

BravesSkateFan · Jan 28, 2007

Mathman said:
Yes, that's quite true.

But it can be a confusing muddle and something that never quite leaves your mind.

I knew Stokley Carmichael (radical civil rights leader of the 1960s) quite well. He went to an all white high school (the prestigious Bronx High School of Science) and he said it was a torture to him, because everything that happened to him, good or bad, he could never rid his mind of the doubt that it was related to race.

If he asked a girl out and she said yes, was it because he was black? If she said no, was it because he was black? If someone liked him, or didn't like him, or did him a special favor, or picked on him -- why? (One thing was constant, though -- when he went to a party at a classmate's house, the classmate's parents would always compliment him on how good a dancer he was -- despite the fact that he couldn't dance a lick.)

Eventually he married South African singer Miriam Makeba and moved to Africa.

OK, so I don't know where this story is going...I guess in the "walk a mile in his shoes" direction.

I get what you're saying, but automatically thinking that people are treating someone a certain way becuase of thier race/sexual-orientation etc, IMO is just as bad. In both cases you are judging somebody based on what you perceive not what actually is.

Johnny's Reaction in the K&C

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin

Penny

emma

twinsissv

Spun Silver

Vodka Shot

equestrianguy

Zuranthium

Match Penalty

flying camel

Piel

On Edge

emma

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!

Mathman

BravesSkateFan

Piel

On Edge

Mathman

Piel

On Edge

Mathman

chuckm

BravesSkateFan

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