Whither Johnny?
- Thread starter Mathman
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Excellent post!! :agree:
I´m not worried yet, because it is so early in the season and I hope that my favourites peak at the time it counts most and not too early. I have gotten the impression that in many seasons Weir has peaked rather early?
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- Nov 22, 2006
ITA with you. I think a true fan stays a fan throughout the roller coaster ride of a skating career. I root for Johnny come rain or shine, but I will admit that I am a fairweather fan of Evan Lysacek. I cheered my brains out when he won the Worlds last year. I actually cried out of happiness. And while I do wish him well, I'm not emotionally invested in him. If he does poorly...well he was never my favorite to begin with. I do think Johnny is in a bit of a slump right now, but nothing he can't get himself out of with the right inspiration. Kind of reminds me of Chen Lu. In 1995, she was on top of the world. In 1997, diastrous results at the worlds. All but written off. One year after that, pow, a bronze medal and one of the most devastatingly beautiful programs I have ever seen.
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- Dec 28, 2006
I think that a lot of fans lose interest because he does. Not beacause they don't see the resuts, because they see skater who is a shell of what he could / used to be. they see someone who come out like he really does not care, who considered quitting (for what the third time now?).
Johnny should have taken a season off after 2006. He is the type who cannot keep up the hard training for a long time.
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- Feb 1, 2007
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Comes out as if he doesn't care?????
I just don't see this at all. Watching him with his coach before short and long programs....how can anyone say he doesn't care?
Maybe he cares too much! And this does not help him settle his nerves to compete....after all he hasn't competed since US Nationals.
I hope he does get it together this season, because without his personality and brilliant wit around, skating will really have lost something interesting.
Personally, I would love to see him be a commentator - he has such a great TV presence.
I just don't see this at all. Watching him with his coach before short and long programs....how can anyone say he doesn't care?
Maybe he cares too much! And this does not help him settle his nerves to compete....after all he hasn't competed since US Nationals.
I hope he does get it together this season, because without his personality and brilliant wit around, skating will really have lost something interesting.
Personally, I would love to see him be a commentator - he has such a great TV presence.
I can't agree on this one. Why do you say he comes out like he doesn't care? He looked devastated after that FS. He looked crushed. That's not a face of someone who doesn't care. Also, the fact that he considered quitting many times, have you considered that it was because he cares too much, and takes every loss too personally? If he didn't care, he'd shrug off what happened at 2009 nationals and go on a vacation, not get depressed for a month. Instead, he seems almost traumatized. It's sad to watch.
I agree that he should have taken 2006-2007 season off. He needed to work through some crap back then, and I would agree that for that season he didn't care as much about skating. His reactions after those disastrous skates? Shrug his shoulders, make a face, smile and wave in the K&C. Not even close to his reaction here.
OMG, that would make my life complete.
I think Zmievskaya needs to get him a professional. Convince him that seeing one is not a sign of weakness, or whatever he thinks about that, and see if they can work on relaxation techniques before competing. I know it doesn't always work, but it might help here.
But then again, I'm not a coach, I know nothing about training people, so who am I to give advice.
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- Joined
- Jul 22, 2009
I always think nerves never quite covers it, not with Sasha, not with him, although what does cover isn't something I'm clear about, that's for sure.
However, in my eyes it does look a small bit like that sad story of what if I give 100% and fall short. When you give yourself outs and excuses or you bail in some way, even mentally, you're saving yourself from that storyline of leaving everything on the ice after preparing 100%, and falling short. Some people would rather live with the potential. All subconscious of course, just spec, but it seems like depressingly ordinary human behavior even among some of the talented and successful. So few chances to make the big score - too scary to put it all on the line. Maybe in the immediate moment living with potential is more reassuring than reality. I started getting a queasy feeling about Johnny when his twitters were quite nervous about showing his programs in test skates, and then came twitters about rinks unexpectedly small or boot laces untied, all to opt out of jumps.
Kind of like Sasha's torn calf, if that's her problem. Just too hard to lay it all out there without leaving yourself a small escape hatch (like missing lp practice in the morning as Sasha reportedly did, or letting something unexpected in your environment determine how much you're going to commit).
Apologies for dragging Sasha into this, just using her as a way to help illustrate my perspective. It's just spec with her too.
However, in my eyes it does look a small bit like that sad story of what if I give 100% and fall short. When you give yourself outs and excuses or you bail in some way, even mentally, you're saving yourself from that storyline of leaving everything on the ice after preparing 100%, and falling short. Some people would rather live with the potential. All subconscious of course, just spec, but it seems like depressingly ordinary human behavior even among some of the talented and successful. So few chances to make the big score - too scary to put it all on the line. Maybe in the immediate moment living with potential is more reassuring than reality. I started getting a queasy feeling about Johnny when his twitters were quite nervous about showing his programs in test skates, and then came twitters about rinks unexpectedly small or boot laces untied, all to opt out of jumps.
Kind of like Sasha's torn calf, if that's her problem. Just too hard to lay it all out there without leaving yourself a small escape hatch (like missing lp practice in the morning as Sasha reportedly did, or letting something unexpected in your environment determine how much you're going to commit).
Apologies for dragging Sasha into this, just using her as a way to help illustrate my perspective. It's just spec with her too.
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- Jun 27, 2003
Johnny plays up the "i don't care what they say/think about me" but it's definitely a front... he wouldn't be (now) jumping through hoops to stay in the USFSA's favor
and he wouldn't have been all "why do they pick what I say apart?" when he would say something boneheaded and get called on the carpet by the USFSA.
He cares, he's not fooling me in to believing he doesn't....and he definitely looked devastated. If he didn't care, he wouldn't still be here... he's never been quiet about how much this is costing his family and himself.
and he wouldn't have been all "why do they pick what I say apart?" when he would say something boneheaded and get called on the carpet by the USFSA.
He cares, he's not fooling me in to believing he doesn't....and he definitely looked devastated. If he didn't care, he wouldn't still be here... he's never been quiet about how much this is costing his family and himself.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
OMG
I would have to move to Canada
Maybe he just had one of those days. It could have been worse - did you see Mroz :sheesh:
Since it may his last season in competitive skating I am sure he gave it his best and he did look upset.
I hope he does well in Japan. That is a tough field and a good showing there will catch eveyone's attention.
Look at what happened to Evan last year. He didn't exactly burn up the Grand Prix and came in third at Nationals. We all know what happened next.
:thumbsup:It's not over until it's over and I wish Johnny calm nerves and good programs going forward. You just never know...
:thumbsup:It's not over until it's over and I wish Johnny calm nerves and good programs going forward. You just never know...
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2006
On a more positive note, I liked his FP better than his SP. I could see him pulling it off if he can get the 3A back. That is my concern. I'm afraid he may be losing the race against time.
But he looked like a gazelle out there. Very Johnny - beautiful, unique. I've waited a long time to see him look like that on competition ice. The costume is great.
The music seemed dull to me, I wish he would change it to Scriabin or Rachmaninov, but if he's skating well the program would be good, IMO.
But he looked like a gazelle out there. Very Johnny - beautiful, unique. I've waited a long time to see him look like that on competition ice. The costume is great.
The music seemed dull to me, I wish he would change it to Scriabin or Rachmaninov, but if he's skating well the program would be good, IMO.
Of course he cares, that was evident from the get go. LOL. People who really don't care don't go announcing that to the whole world, and then spend every possible opportunity defending themselves. It's like people walking around telling anyone who would listen that they are secure with their sexuality. If you were, you wouldn't be talking about it quite so much.
I love that a free program is like a story. It's very him.
I don't know what's going on with 3A. It was there in practice and in warm-up.
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- May 26, 2009
While I agree that each person has limit to their talent level, I don't agree that we've seen Johnny's. That's what's so tough for me about being his fan. When I watch him I often think he could be better than he is, and not in terms of winning, but in terms of performance. He seems to get into his own way sometimes. I feel he has so much more potential that he has not shown yet, and that is frustrating. I used to feel the same way when watching Christopher Bowman. Maybe Johnny will show his maximum talent in another area. But as a fan I can't help but hope he'll show it in figure skating in February.
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- Oct 31, 2006
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Me too. However, he needs to show it in January before we can even think about February. It's sad to think that there are only 3 spots available for Evan, Jeremy, Johnny, Adam, Brandon, Ryan, and Stephen.
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- Feb 9, 2009
Rock on with that!
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- Feb 5, 2004
I would have to disagree - there is one thing that makes the loyal fans better and that's quality of commentary on the boards
If someone is only interested in the medals that are won by the skater then you will only ever get one dimensional commentary from that fan - they're the best because they got the gold/are not the best because they didn't get the gold. If the sole reason for "liking" a skater is because they win, then it's an open and shut deabte for that fan. Check the medal tally, job done. It would also mean that fan is only ever interested in that number one step.
Someone who truly watches for the skating regardless of placement can have a much more insteresting debate with someone about the actual skating IMO.
Ant
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2009
Sorry for a bit of offtopic. I was wondering where I can find ' Pop star on ice' Movie with Johny? thanks
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- Feb 5, 2004
If you find anywhere then do let me know as i'd be interested in watching it too!
Ant
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- Jul 22, 2009
I would have to disagree - there is one thing that makes the loyal fans better and that's quality of commentary on the boards
If someone is only interested in the medals that are won by the skater then you will only ever get one dimensional commentary from that fan - they're the best because they got the gold/are not the best because they didn't get the gold. If the sole reason for "liking" a skater is because they win, then it's an open and shut deabte for that fan. Check the medal tally, job done. It would also mean that fan is only ever interested in that number one step.
Someone who truly watches for the skating regardless of placement can have a much more insteresting debate with someone about the actual skating IMO.
Ant
I really do agree with your statement, because medals aren't always an accurate representation of the legacy a skater leaves behind. Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, and Michelle Kwan never won an Olympic gold medal, yet they leave a far larger wake than, say, Alexei Urmanov or Oksana Baiul. Josee Chouinard never won a world medal, yet many still LOVE her skating for its sheer joy and beauty, even when she made mistakes.
Johnny had the potential to be one of those skaters, not to the degree of Kurt or Michelle, but one who left behind a strong legacy. In the beginning of his career, he skated with such passion and seemed to genuinely love to skate. He wasn't an extrovert, and definitely appeared to skate for himself, but that was a bit refreshing to me and is one of the qualities that drew me to him as a fan. Now, it appears that he doesn't know what he's skating for, and I'm frustrated FOR him (not with him), because it has to be difficult to work hard for something and have such talent, and let disappointment and frustration get to you in the way it appears it has for Johnny.
I would love to see him skate cleanly, of course, but more than that, I would love to see him love to skate again, mistakes or not.
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