Chan sees Japan blunders as wake-up call

[gsk8]

Tokyo -- World figure skating champion Patrick Chan has insisted his blunders at the Japan Open would serve as a wake-up call as he prepares to defend his crown in the run-up to the 2014 Olympics.

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[janetfan]

Thanks for the article. It's always interesting hearing from Patrick.

Aside from the problems with the jumps his skating looked so fast and I like the new program.

[emdee]

I too like the new program. He looked so pale that I was wondering whether he had this horrid cold which I have . There is a lot of it going around in TO.

[Medusa]

I am honestly not worried about him because of his Japan Open performance, which is basically a cheesefest. He is never really solid at the beginning of a season anyway, his jumps always seem lower, the choreo just isn't that fluent yet... But you can count on him when the big competitions are near.

[Mathman]

OT -- Hi, Medusa! Glad to see you posting.

[draqq]

I think Patrick is affected by his audience. I believe he can sense that part of the audience doesn't want him to do well, deserved or not, and his performance suffers for it. For him to pop two jumps... it's something that he just doesn't do. Maybe it's just opening jitters, but I feel it has to be more that.

[seniorita]

Medusa bring back the Zebra series

[emma]

Thanks for the article. I really like what I am seeing in this program - something about the way he is moving with his speed and deep edges, and the use of his neck, shoulders, and arms - they seem so extended (is that the word?). Anyway, I see a lot of potential here.

I find it hard to believe, though, that his jump problems were because he felt off - not trying to be a worrier...but I really, really hope this isn't an injury like Alissa's that he is as of yet unaware of. It was heartening to read that his jumps in practice looked good, though. Wishing Chan all the best this season!

[Mathman]

This is not a wake-up call for Patrick or anyone else. It is just another invitation for us to line up at the CoP Kool-aid fountain.

Fall on a 3T = 7.30 points

Fall on a 4T "+ sequence" (there was no sequence; this is CoP-speak. Television announcers are not doing their job in educating the public about the rule, "when is a non-sequence scored as a sequence?" ) = 5.24

Fall on a triple Axel = 6.35

Fall on a triple Lutz "+ sequence" (lol) = 3.18

After fall deductions, that's 18.07 points.

There should be a mercy rule, three falls and they stop the program. (Alissa could have benefitted from this rule at Worlds.)

The only thing Patrick will "wake up" to is the fact that one judge felt, overall. that his skating skills deserved a 9.00, his transitions between falls a 9.00, and that he "executed" his program to the tune of 9.50.

No wonder Patrick can say in the last sentence of the interview that there is "no risk" in trying a quad flip at Canadian nationals. Indeed, there is not.

I know, I know. It is hard to rotate four times in the air and then fall down. Just like the trapeze guy who attempted a quadruple somersault. He had a beautiful release, a position in the air to die for -- too bad about that missed catch.

[seniorita]

They should change rules, if you have 4 falls you get free bonus a 5th one, Alissa could have benefited from it as well.

[emma]

^what I loved about COP when it first came out was the points and score sheets - what I hate (and have for a while), is what MM just pointed out - points for falling AND points for non-existent attempts (the +sequence part). It's ridiculous.

But...I hate to mix (too much) critique of the scoring with critique of a particular skater. For example, Chan's comment about the quad at nationals is him a) playing by the rules, and b) playing in a field he knows he dominates.

The PCs he got this time and gets, and I can only assume him counting on continuing to get them is annoying - but again, until people either judge this part differently (and do so perhaps more than once), I can't see a skater like Chan worrying too much.

All that said - am I in left field for thinking it was more than unsual or just first outing nerves or lack of motivation on that day that he fell - so completely fell - on so many jumps?

[Mathman]

They should change rules, if you have 4 falls you get free bonus a 5th one, Alissa could have benefited from it as well.

Thank you, Seniorita. You made my sour mood of a few minutes ago evaporate.

^what I loved about COP when it first came out was the points and score sheets - what I hate (and have for a while), is what MM just pointed out - points for falling AND points for non-existent attempts (the +sequence part). It's ridiculous.

I know just what you are saying! When the CoP first came out I loved learning all the new scoring rules. After I learned them, I didn't love them so much.

[bekalc]

Thank you, Seniorita. You made my sour mood of a few minutes ago evaporate.

Hey at least he didn't come close to winning. And I'm hoping that Hanyu's continued rise will be the death knell of Chan's falling all over the place and winning. Everyone's going to get tired of it eventually.

[Mathman]

Chan's comment about the quad at nationals is him a) playing by the rules, and b) playing in a field he knows he dominates.

Factually true, but comments like this can come off as unnecessarily dissing his Canadian teammates and rivals. Why not just say, "I hope to have a quad flip ready for Nationals"?

[Buttercup]

They should change rules, if you have 4 falls you get free bonus a 5th one, Alissa could have benefited from it as well.

They should name it after Laetitia Hubert! It can be like a reverse Zayak.

Considering all the changes Chan has made, I would have been surprised if he'd skated well. This is a bit extreme, but really kind of to be expected.