Patrick Chan Article in Maclean's | Golden Skate

Patrick Chan Article in Maclean's

Layfan

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Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Well, very well written article that actually provides some insight, not the just the usual cliches about "finding yourself" and "balancing life" and whatever. Interesting to read about how he trained the quad. I have to admit that I was shocked when he landed such a perfect one at Skate Canada.

I've always thought Patrick was the kind of person whose probably nice enough when you actually know him. He just puts his foot in his mouth sometimes.
 

Serious Business

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Jan 7, 2011
The so called controversial things Patrick Chan has said wouldn't qualify as trash-talking at an Amish elementary school spelling bee. Figure skating culture is just too uptight. Maybe the sport would be taken more seriously if athletes arent pressured to act like debutantes at a purity ball.
 

Violet Bliss

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Nov 19, 2010
All Patrick's emotions were just so human, equally applicable to whiz kids.

I firmly believe that a moment of insight is worth a lifetime of experiences. Insights and epiphanies are priceless and usable for the rest of one's life and are often the difference between genius and ordinary. Good to see how they have played out for Chan. Hey, how much have I stressed the mental aspect of skating? :biggrin:

The Patrick Chan phenomenon is not over yet. So much more excitement can be expected from this young athlete.

As far as Patrick's personality is concerned, I've only heard and read the highest praises by those who have actually met and known him, media persons with agendas notwithstanding. Unfortunately, much has been manufactured and spread about him.
 

Layfan

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Nov 5, 2009
^I don't know about "spread and manufactured" I just think he has tendency to say what's on his mind and sometimes it came across and immature and cocky - but he's a teenage boy, or was! That's why I always cut him some slack. He'll learn and I agree with you that the people who seem to actually know him seem to think he's great.
I agree he comes across as genuine as in this article. I remember some of the reaction last summer when he talked about leaving time for golfing and wondering if he chose the right path. Some people were all over him, saying he lacks commitment and passion etc. But I like that he admits that he has moments where he wonders what it would be like to have a normal life. I can't imagine most elite competitive skaters don't think that every once in a while.

I dunno, I like Patrick. More importantly, I love his skating and while there is room for more musical expression and certainly consistency, he is just such a huge talent.
 

Violet Bliss

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Nov 19, 2010
I think Patrick is at a place that's happy and enjoyable for him now. He trained too hard for too long. Training with Don Law was especially hard on him as he and his mom had to share a motel room in Florida, often eating microwaved dinners from the bed. I can imagine the loneliness for a teenager and the burn-out after over a decade of hard work and wondering about a normal life. Now he is staying in a family friend's large house in Colorado, with his own room and, he said, loving eating at a kitchen table. His new coaches have a more holistic approach to his training, stricter in his diet and habits but letting him have more off-ice time to rest and relax. For a change he took weekends off in the summer to play other sports. He enjoys both the outdoors and training with other skaters in Colorado. He is having a more balanced life now and is at a different place mentally. Adding a little maturity, the new life and drive show up as a new level in his skating.

I believe Patrick will be one of the all time greats to remember. Talents, hard work, and mental strength make a combination most people could only wish for and envy. How many skaters burst on Quad scene with quads in both programs and a quad+triple combination all at once? While many were dissing him for his falls, he was still intimidating his competitors, none of whom were writing him off. He is also inspiring the younger skaters such as Joshua Farris:

In preparing for Nationals, Farris has been paying attention to how one of his idols, Canadian Patrick Chan has been training.

"Patrick skates at my rink, and I watch what he does, and try to put the same effort into my skating," Farris admitted. "I'm in awe of what he can do, I have tried to mirror my training after his."

Quite an accomplishment to be an idol and inspiration at 19 (at time of Farris interview) to talented skaters just a few years younger and maybe a few around his age who are still at Junior or have just joined the Senior.

Grumble and put him down all you want, Patrick Chan is not to be ignored or just another good skater.
 

gmyers

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Joined
Mar 6, 2010
His ambition is admirable. Like it was said above for many skaters it's like if they discuss quads its "first one in the free skate" but he went out and did short, long, in combo - just went out there. Like he really illustrated that he would use his sometimes described as overconfidence and do really ambitious things. He also didn't pull back on any of the stuff he was known for in this switch either like attacking step sequences or having lots of transitions (even though I guess you can say he kicks too much or repeats the same transition a lot).
 
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Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It must be my overflowing testosterone, but I find Patrick Chan's remarks about other skaters not in my interests except to amuse me. They have nothing to do with his skating.

He is arguably the best masculine lyrical skater (not putting down Kozuka, Abbott) we have today. His FLOW and BASICS over the ice is second to none. Hower,...

I consider FALLS as a sign of poor skating skills, and disagree with the ISU's wrist slapping for a FALL. A Pro does not fall neither should a competitor. A minus 3 for the actual fall would include poor skating skill; disrupting a program; and a Time Delay.

Patrick probably does not FALL as much as he did at SC, and I will be looking for NO FALLS at Worlds.
 

Layfan

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Joined
Nov 5, 2009
I think Patrick is at a place that's happy and enjoyable for him now. He trained too hard for too long. Training with Don Law was especially hard on him as he and his mom had to share a motel room in Florida, often eating microwaved dinners from the bed. I can imagine the loneliness for a teenager and the burn-out after over a decade of hard work and wondering about a normal life. Now he is staying in a family friend's large house in Colorado, with his own room and, he said, loving eating at a kitchen table. His new coaches have a more holistic approach to his training, stricter in his diet and habits but letting him have more off-ice time to rest and relax. For a change he took weekends off in the summer to play other sports. He enjoys both the outdoors and training with other skaters in Colorado. He is having a more balanced life now and is at a different place mentally. Adding a little maturity, the new life and drive show up as a new level in his skating.

I believe Patrick will be one of the all time greats to remember. Talents, hard work, and mental strength make a combination most people could only wish for and envy. How many skaters burst on Quad scene with quads in both programs and a quad+triple combination all at once? While many were dissing him for his falls, he was still intimidating his competitors, none of whom were writing him off. He is also inspiring the younger skaters such as Joshua Farris:



Quite an accomplishment to be an idol and inspiration at 19 (at time of Farris interview) to talented skaters just a few years younger and maybe a few around his age who are still at Junior or have just joined the Senior.

Grumble and put him down all you want, Patrick Chan is not to be ignored or just another good skater.

Thanks for sharing all that about the motel. Maybe it's common knowledge but somehow I didn't know. I'm really excited about Patrick in the run up to Sochi. It's just so great that he now has a quad in addition to everything else. It'd be really great if he could improve the consistency of his 3a and have fewer falls. But it seems from this article that he is working on that.
 

Violet Bliss

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Joined
Nov 19, 2010
A Pro does not fall neither should a competitor.

Pros and competitors do fall. And this fact will not change.

Just as a skater should not fall, skiers and short trackers should not crash; hockey, soccer and various game athletes should not miss goals, and their goalies should not let in any goal; high jumpers and pole vaulters should not touch the bars............ Athletes challenge themselves and records. They have to take risk and raise their levels to the limits all the time. In attempting to achieve all the "shoulds", they commit the "should nots". Wayne Gretsky says you miss all the goals you don't shoot. In the end it's the total goals you do get in that count.

Skaters fall a lot in pratice. They fall enough to get a jump consistent enough to put in competitions, but doing it in a competition is entirely different again and requires its own real time practice. So they tend to fall in competition the first time(s) they attemp their most difficult jump, especially a quad which affects the entire program, by all accounts from all skaters who do them. Falls are undesirable and are penalized but sometimes there is no way around it as the process to reach the next level. In Patrick's case, he put in so many new quads, as well as more challenging 3As, that he fell in each one once (plus others as an effect) before he went clean in the GPF. I suspect he's got over the major hurdle in doing multiple quads in one competition, amazingly fast in fact, squeezing them all in two competitions. No one can qarantee no falls in any high level competitive program, but I'm sure it's something they all strive for while reaching for and maintaining the winning level.

A minus 3 for the actual fall would include poor skating skill; disrupting a program; and a Time Delay.

You're assuming the same effects a fall would have on the program from all skaters just as many Joubert fans assumed Patrick had taken out transitions in doing quads. Patrick is very quick in getting up and continuing with the program without missing any step or element, an extremely difficult feat in a jam packed program like his in which flow and momentum are continuous, almost critical and required for the next element to be executed. Contrast that with Oda, who tends to take time to get up and then miss so many steps that he does disrupt the program and lose the next element.

Patrick probably does not FALL as much as he did at SC, and I will be looking for NO FALLS at Worlds.

I suspect he's not likely to repeat all those falls in one program again, unless he's attempting new stuff like quad/quad combo or a quint. :laugh: No quarantee any of the competitors will not fall but I wish more people focusing on the skaters' falls will also notice all the amazing displays of skills and successful and beautifully executed elements as well. And remember that's how IJS scores and ranks them - by what they do accomplish despite the falls and other imperfections.

eta. As for Patrick's kicks, I just love how he literally kick starts his step sequence instead of standing in place and taking a deep breath before beginning the announced and telegraphed element. As a matter of fact, I also love the way Patrick's jumps just happen as part of the choreography. He's not big in telegraphing. :)
 
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pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
He should be happy and relaxed. He is gauranteed to win the 2011 Worlds, 2012 Worlds, 2013 Worlds, 2014 Olympics, and if he chooses to attend (unlikely though) 2014 Worlds unless he has more than 4 falls even if his main competitors skate their best. I would be happy and relaxed too knowing that.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
He should be happy and relaxed. He is gauranteed to win the 2011 Worlds, 2012 Worlds, 2013 Worlds, 2014 Olympics, and if he chooses to attend (unlikely though) 2014 Worlds unless he has more than 4 falls even if his main competitors skate their best. I would be happy and relaxed too knowing that.

You never took my bet as you bragged you would. So stop repeating what you can't and wouldn't back up.

To make the statement you do, you need to show the guanrantees, if not by the officials then by you.

If Chan is as you project him to be, happy and relaxed that he would win no matter what, why does he put himself through the pain of training and the bashing he takes to do harder and harder elements and programs? Because he is a winner. A winner does what a winner does.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Only an idiot would make a bet with a complete stranger over the internet. I dont know you from the back of my hand. If I want to bet on sports I will go to the betting sites where I atleast know I will get payed if/when I win.

By the way gaunrantees is not a word.

Chan trains since he is a figure skater. All figure skaters train, whether they are the first skater in history who is certain to win everything with 4 falls or more, or ones who will come dead last at their next event. Being as most of them love to skate which is why they do it, most probably they enjoy the training too.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
A prediction is an announced or published wild guess and a wish is a prayer.

Pantongfan, I'd bet you a retraction, an apology and a self-admission of idiocy on this forum. I'll spell out the conditions again if you would take it. You can save face now by neither responding nor repeating ad nauseum statements you can't back.
 
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Joined
Jul 11, 2003
A prediction is an announced or published wild guess and a wish is a prayer.
Ya gottit, SF.That's the main reason I find basing a prediction on the Fed, the Nationality, and the ethnic background is not interesting.
Just hoping Michal Brezina is healthy enough to skate his best at this point.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
A prediction is an announced or published wild guess and a wish is a prayer.

Pantongfan, I'd bet you a retraction, an apology and a self-admission of idiocy on this forum. I'll spell out the conditions again if you would take it. You can save face now by neither responding nor repeating ad nauseum statements you can't back.

Okay. What is this bet anyway? :)
 

seniorita

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Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Maybe the first time I really enjoyed an interview of Chan and I m really looking forward to Worlds now. Very interesting also how he improved the quad results, how a small move can do such difference! Nevermind if he fell in some, many fall afterall, his quad technique looked amazing this season and secure.
 

ImaginaryPogue

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Joined
Jun 3, 2009
It was based on ptf's repeated assertions that Chan has a five/six/seven fall advantage over the rest of the field. Trust me, you're best off moving past it.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
The so called controversial things Patrick Chan has said wouldn't qualify as trash-talking at an Amish elementary school spelling bee. Figure skating culture is just too uptight. Maybe the sport would be taken more seriously if athletes arent pressured to act like debutantes at a purity ball.

are you aware of the controversy in american football right now because teams have been trash talking "too much" this season? they're no longer allowed to celebrate a touchdown with a dance or even a kneel and prayer... I don't think FIGURE SKATING is the only uptight sport.
 
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