I don't think Patrick was serious when he said that. If he does that, his parents will never be out of debt.
Grand Prix: Chan's big challenges
- Thread starter gsk8
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I don't think Patrick was serious when he said that. If he does that, his parents will never be out of debt.
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- Nov 19, 2010
He has relatives there and has visited them these last two summers, between Chinese and Korean shows this year. I think he likes it there, especially the food!
Come to think of it, Singapore is also a major financial centre, ever more important these days for being an Asian centre. He may have considered that. Just guessing.
Come to think of it, Singapore is also a major financial centre, ever more important these days for being an Asian centre. He may have considered that. Just guessing.
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- Aug 18, 2010
That is true. Also, they can pick whatever they wanted to support. They don't have to answer the calls by other people.
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- Nov 19, 2010
You wish, don't you? 
(eta. Er, that's for fscric.)
After the Olympics he took a real vacation for the first time. Was saying he had not even visited his family there. I have a vague memory that some of them might have come to watch him compete before. He came back all tanned.
(eta. Er, that's for fscric.)After the Olympics he took a real vacation for the first time. Was saying he had not even visited his family there. I have a vague memory that some of them might have come to watch him compete before. He came back all tanned.
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2010
You wish, don't you?
After the Olympics he took a real vacation for the first time. Was saying he had not even visited his family there. I have a vague memory that some of them might have come to watch him compete before. He came back all tanned.
I thought he went to Dubai. No?
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
He went there right after Worlds and job shadowed a commodity trader who is the father of a skater friend. No much of a vacation, eh? He said he liked the extremely competitive nature of the profession befitting an athlete.
Actually, I could give him some tips to do well without formal education in economics. There are areas in finance where results matters and one can get better resulst outside the mainstream systems. If he wants a desk job with a financial institution, however, then a degree matters. As for real banking, he needs a mentor in a Swiss bank.
SkateFiguring, you made a good description about Patrick's Aranjuez. I want to add that after the death drop, he wants to show the feeling of the composer and the emotional process he composed Aranjuez. Before the final spin, Patrick raised both hands which can be interpreted as the composer asked God " why did it happen?". After the emotional letoff, he reached the internal peace.
This is my favorite Aranjuez. It's much better than Kwan's which misinterpreted the music. Better than Rochette's, about the same or slightly better than Honda's.
This is my favorite Aranjuez. It's much better than Kwan's which misinterpreted the music. Better than Rochette's, about the same or slightly better than Honda's.
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- Joined
- Aug 26, 2010
Now, you are being overprotective of Chan. Nobody said Patrick is doing charities for the purpose of PR or future earnings. The point I tried to make is: The more he gives, the more he will get. And I appreciate every effort he has given back to the society. Being poor means less free time (He had to take the bus to save money as he told in his interview). So the time and efforts he had done for all those good causes speak volume to me.
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- Nov 19, 2010
The Chinese just love that almost legend of frugal Patrick taking a bus. The whole story is: He ran to the PR event late, dragging his bag along. Michael Slipchuk asked why he hadn't text him (Slipchuk) to say he might be late. Patrick answered, "But that would cost 60 cents!"
That was a few years back, probably 2008 when he was already important for the event.
eta. skatinginbc, it was the interviewer who told the well known story, not Patrick. He is probably not even aware of how this little episode was a favorite of Chinese fans, who picked it up from a Canadian report. They laughed at him but meanwhile, I think, they find his "Chinese virtue" cute.
That was a few years back, probably 2008 when he was already important for the event.
eta. skatinginbc, it was the interviewer who told the well known story, not Patrick. He is probably not even aware of how this little episode was a favorite of Chinese fans, who picked it up from a Canadian report. They laughed at him but meanwhile, I think, they find his "Chinese virtue" cute.
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- Joined
- Aug 26, 2010
There was a surprise to me in Patrick's interview on Chinese TV: He actually enjoys expressing the music through his skating, which contradicts to my impression that he doesn't feel the music too much.
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- Aug 26, 2010
Good suggestion. I will do it.
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- Mar 25, 2008
Oh, come on - he had no part in creating that image himself? Did someone else make all those inflammatory statements over the years? I don't think Chan's some sort of bad guy, but he's been out of line plenty of times, not just around the time of the Olympics. And frankly, there were skaters who had it far worse from the media at that time than he did (Plushenko and DomShabs come to mind). He seems to have learned from his experience and toned it down a bit more recently, which is good.
I agree with the latter viewpoint. Yu-Na Kim is in a unique position; while other skaters can become fairly well-known, Kim transcends that in S. Korea and even globally, and can therefore do a lot, even at the spokesperson level. She also enjoys a much higher income than many skaters because of her many sponsorships and is thus in a position where she can donate money to causes on a scale other skaters can't match. I find her conduct over the years commendable, and she's certainly a wonderful role model, but her situation cannot be used as a basis for comparison for a skater who isn't as high-profile or as financially comfortable.
Personally, I think it's great for people to keep at least some of their volunteer work low-key and not publicize it. Some initiatives call for more public awareness and should be publicized (e.g. much of what Joannie Rochette does falls into this category), but not everything should be done in the spotlight.
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- Nov 19, 2010
I would think that the raising of his hands and looking upwards is more like making peace with God because by the final SS segment the music is conveying a peaceful joy. There is much sadness with turmoils after the death drop, then becoming uplifting, with an inspired courage, climaxing in the foot tapping and the jump combo he fell on. Then the music changes up again, projecting an open feeling, like letting life and happiness flow, more joyous than the opening segment. So I think the gesture near the end is a spiritual surrendering, an acceptence of life and God's wisdom, almost a gratitude, or an "emotional letoff" as you call it. I just don't think it is questioning God at that point. The ending pose shows a quiet thriumph, a resilience and resolution.
POTO awed me but with Aranjuez, I feel the music and the program flowing with it. Can't wait to see it being polished and fully performed.
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So what is the story behind Aranjuez and its composer? BTW, I don't care how many people whine about the music (that's been use many times), I still love the music. It's a great piece of music, period. And with Chan's skate, I love it even more.
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
The story is in the link of post #98.
I agree with you, Patrick's skate makes me enjoy this piece even more. I am looking forwad to his clean skate, that will be a work of art.
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- Nov 19, 2010
I like this cut of the music which chronicles a full cycle with an upheat ending rather than a sad piece throughout or treated as a generic Spanish music. I want to see Patrick do the jump combo well because I think it portrays a celebration and is the climax of the segment. That fall had a bigger effect on the performance than any on the big jumps at the beginning of the program. The entry is crazy, but damn it, I want to see the flamenco foot tapping before a beautiful jump!
I had no interest in rewatching Patrick's programs with falls, not when there were better and even near flawless ones to savour. I'm surprised at how much I've enjoyed this flawed performance, repeatedly, and can't wait for the better ones. Hopefully it will be a masterpiece by late season.
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