Weir plans to compete at Sochi Olympics | Golden Skate

Weir plans to compete at Sochi Olympics

janetfan

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May 15, 2009
Not surprising at all and as the appearances wind down from last year's Olympics Johnny may find his best opportunities at being "somebody" are in the competitive skating world as opposed to being on the D celebrity list.

Of course if his book is too controversial he will find himself back in the US Skating doghouse which is not such a big deal since he is used to it. But if ISU and the Intl judges are offended by his book it might be tough to get fair placements.

They jobbed him in Vancouver and can easily do it again under the CoP.

Evan may return as well once the money/opportunities slows down - but think Johnny is more likely to return.
 
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herios

Medalist
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Jan 25, 2004
Why do I doubt this?

Nah, this is just talk, to keep himself in the headlines.

You think at 29 he will be able to land consistent quads? Give me a break, he wasn't able to do it at 25. Can you see anybody in contention without a quad 4 years from now? I can't after we have seen more than half a dozen of them landed only in 3 competitions.
 

pangtongfan

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Jun 16, 2010
Weir does not have a prayer of making the 2014 Olympics. He skated the performances of his life in Vancouver and only finished 6th, and probably would have been about 12th if everyone had skated their best. I mean think of the guys who would have beaten him had they skated even decently- Joubert, Abbott, Oda, Verner, possibly Kozuka and Brezina had they skated a bit better. Even though he was the 2nd placing American in Vancouver overall was clearly only the 3rd American by that point and was having to battle to make Major teams.

By 2014 he will be almost 30 years old. No way he will be competitive with Abbott or Rippon by then. Unlikely he would be able to beat Mroz by then either. And who knows how many more up and comers and improved skaters there will be by then. He was never a favorite of the USFSA and even Cohen who is a USFSA pet and who NBC had tried to bribe to help her make the Olympic team, she still found her scores way down even for good performances at Nationals (eg- short program).

It is too bad he didnt skate his performances from 2010 in 2005 or 2006. He could have been a silver or bronze medalist at major events those years if he had. That was his window. Vancouver was too little too late for him as he was no longer one of the main contenders.
 
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margiemo

Rinkside
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Oct 29, 2006
Weir's head is in the clouds! He did not get better than sixth at the games because he lacked transitions.I guess he is planning to go in the ladies competion as he can pass for one now with the way he carries himself.The young boys in the US are not going to look up to him as a role model .I mean really, discussing his pink coordinates in his room and sharing a room with Tanith at the Olympics.He needs to tone it down.If he is going to skate( skate and shut up)
 

janetfan

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May 15, 2009
Johnny might decide he can fall down on a rotated quad as good as some of the others and add it to his repertoire.

Age can be misleading. Abott is not that much younger than Johnny - and an interesting fact is that Johnny didn't begin skating until he was what - about 12? Kind of amazing he even became an elite skater with such a late start. On the other hand, his body has not taken the pounding as long as some of the guys his age.

I dunno, I think he needed some time off and hope if he does come back he will give in to the CoP and decide to wave his arms about for no apparent reason and add more TR.

I was never a big Johnny fan but it was more about his attitude and never about his skating.
He might not make it to Sochi but why the bad feelings about a return? Some of you act like you have a personal stake in this and like it is your business. Trust me on this - it is not your business.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Johnny in Sochi? Why not? With Plushenko determined to skate an Olys in his own country, and who else may suddenly give it another world, we just may have another Reunion of Skaters to celebrate. It's been done before.
 

pangtongfan

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Jun 16, 2010
Age can be misleading. Abott is not that much younger than Johnny - and an interesting fact is that Johnny didn't begin skating until he was what - about 12? Kind of amazing he even became an elite skater with such a late start. On the other hand, his body has not taken the pounding as long as some of the guys his age.

Age aside Abbott bypassed Weir as a skater already in late 2008 (other than in consistency). And Abbott is obviously a late bloomer. Weir despite his late start in skating is not since the peak of his skating was 2004-2005 at ages 19 and 20.
 

seniorita

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Jun 3, 2008
Weir battled for the major team(s) and was left out once. Funny how one time becomes the norm in the mind of some people.
Late bloomer and all Abott will be 29 at Sochi also.

I m not saying Weir will be at Sochi , just saying.If Plushenko did it in Vancouver , why not Weir? Who is to say to him not to dream about it?
 

janetfan

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May 15, 2009
Age aside Abbott bypassed Weir as a skater already in late 2008 (other than in consistency). And Abbott is obviously a late bloomer. Weir despite his late start in skating is not since the peak of his skating was 2004-2005 at ages 19 and 20.

I thought Johnny skated awfully good in Vancouver - and some are citing his 6th place finish as a reason not to comeback.
If I recall there have been some long threads about the Men's Olympic placements with the consensus being that Johnny deserved no less than 4th place.

Johnny skated a heck of alot better in Vancouver than Brian and Tomas and let's throw in Jeremy too -- and they are back this season.

Opinions are fine - I just don't get the rush to have skaters retire.
I never thought I would say this - but COC Men's event might have been more interesting if Johnny had skated there. Even with a so-so skate Johnny would have threatened for a podium finish last weekend - and most likely added some life into an otherwise dull affair.

Here is a nice memory of Johnny:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIkfE30GPWU

Who knows if there will be more?
 
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herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
Johnny might decide he can fall down on a rotated quad as good as some of the others and add it to his repertoire.

Age can be misleading. Abott is not that much younger than Johnny - and an interesting fact is that Johnny didn't begin skating until he was what - about 12? Kind of amazing he even became an elite skater with such a late start. On the other hand, his body has not taken the pounding as long as some of the guys his age.

I dunno, I think he needed some time off and hope if he does come back he will give in to the CoP and decide to wave his arms about for no apparent reason and add more TR.

I was never a big Johnny fan but it was more about his attitude and never about his skating.
He might not make it to Sochi but why the bad feelings about a return? Some of you act like you have a personal stake in this and like it is your business. Trust me on this - it is not your business.


Is not our business, but we can all have our opinion. Your is obviously diffe3rent than mine. Johnyy already qualified himself as "an old dog being too late to fix a problem like lipping" earlier this year at 25.
That error only cost him around 4-6 points in Vancouver alone (he got twice -2 on that jump in SP and LP).
If he wasn't able to put the work at 25 to fix some flaws, do you really think he will be that motivated 4 years later ?

And let's not compare Plushy at 27 with Johnny at 29 either, 2 years are huge difference when you are an older athlete, this is not a sport for veterans, never will, more so, COP puts a lot of stress on their body and Johnny was always complaining how more difficult is to skate under COP with all the in betweens required. He was complaining more than the other who actually managed to use the system a lot better...
I am ready to bet on the fact he won't be bacl in Sochi.
Your medalists more likely will come from those around 19-23 right now. We have several very good skaters at that age right now, they will be dominating the sport in a few years.
Also, have you seen how Joubert (26), is getting a message sent by the judges? His PCS got suddenly terestial, no more bonuses for him.
He is either squicky clean or else.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
He will have to skate US Nationals and qualify as part of the team. Hopefully, there will be 3 places. At the present time he has to deal with Abbott, Mroz and Rippon. Room for Johnny? Also some hot shot from Juniors, e.g., Dornbush may be in there too. I'm ok with him to skate Nats and let the chips fall where they may.

Russian Men are weak. Plushenko can qualify easily.
 

pangtongfan

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Jun 16, 2010
I thought Johnny skated awfully good in Vancouver - and some are citing his 6th place finish as a reason not to comeback.

Well that is the whole reason. Since that gives a perspective on the best he could even skating to his absolute max at that point, and with atleast the average quota of mistakes from everyone else for a typical competition. And that was then, the future and the older he gets and the longer he is away from competition only gets more difficult.


If I recall there have been some long threads about the Men's Olympic placements with the consensus being that Johnny deserved no less than 4th place.

I would have had him 4th. It just shows the judges dont like him or consider him a big threat anymore though.

Johnny skated a heck of alot better in Vancouver than Brian and Tomas and let's throw in Jeremy too -- and they are back this season.

Who knows if any of those will be in Vancouver. I would be completely shocked if Brian was, but I think Tomas or Jeremy might. Tomas comes from a country easy to make it out of as long as he wants, unless someone emerges other than Brezina. Jeremy is a favorite of the USFSA, has more scoring potential than Weir at this point, and isnt taking a break.


Opinions are fine - I just don't get the rush to have skaters retire.
I never thought I would say this - but COC Men's event might have been more interesting if Johnny had skated there. Even with a so-so skate Johnny would have threatened for a podium finish last weekend - and most likely added some life into an otherwise dull affair.

Fair enough. Although in 09-2010 Johnny had to skate excellently to get even decent marks, so I wouldnt be so sure what a so-so skate from Johnny could do.

The thing is is that it isnt so much about if he were competing now. If anything he should be competing now if he were going to continue. Thoughts of competing in 2014 when he will be almost 30, likely will have been away a long while, when he isnt a favorite of the USFSA, and when there is a very deep U.S field, is another thing altogether.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
There were threads years before that people were betting their head that Plu wouldnt come back for Vancouver and the first couple of years so did I, so i learnt never to say never. Four years it is a long way to predict.
Anyway this doesnt sound like a serious announcement, more like an article that picked up something.
When are we gonna have the Will Michelle skate at Sochi thread?:hb:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ Michelle (age 34) would actually be quite competitive. Plus, she will be in the country anyway as the U.S. ambassador to Russia.
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
^ Michelle (age 34) would actually be quite competitive. Plus, she will be in the country anyway as the U.S. ambassador to Russia.

Guys you are getting ridiculous.

Let's introduce a senior event at the Olympics. Call Boitano, Yamaguchi, Denise Bielman and Sabovcik.:laugh:
 
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