Tim's press conference
- Thread starter Rachael
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At first I thought he would be a coward for withdrawing, but I don't now. It has nothing to do with his confidence or anything. He has a major problem with his equipment. He was right to withdrawl IMHO because it is not safe for him to skate right now. He could get seriously injured.
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- Jul 26, 2003
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I saw Tim's short and it was really sad.
Every time he tried to use an edge he was in obvious pain, and skating flat footed in practice when he was not practicing a skill.
But what this reminds me of is Michelle in 1998.
Has Frank had Tim's feet xrayed, as well as having his body alignment checked out? Bad boots can lead to stress fractures, and I'm wondering if that is what's wrong with Tim along with all the rest.
Frank seemed to be able to ignore the stress fracture with Michelle...
dpp
Every time he tried to use an edge he was in obvious pain, and skating flat footed in practice when he was not practicing a skill.
But what this reminds me of is Michelle in 1998.
Has Frank had Tim's feet xrayed, as well as having his body alignment checked out? Bad boots can lead to stress fractures, and I'm wondering if that is what's wrong with Tim along with all the rest.
Frank seemed to be able to ignore the stress fracture with Michelle...
dpp
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Tim"s unusual situation
All this season I have wondered if he was sick with something serious he doesn't want to tell about. He's very thin and he is pale.
I remember reading about Michelle's boot and the fracture that took a while to be discovered. But her skatinng never fell apart like this. I am worried about Timmy, our fallen quad king.
All this season I have wondered if he was sick with something serious he doesn't want to tell about. He's very thin and he is pale.
I remember reading about Michelle's boot and the fracture that took a while to be discovered. But her skatinng never fell apart like this. I am worried about Timmy, our fallen quad king.
I'm heartbroken for Tim but angry over the state of figure skating boots. As Thisthingcalledlove pointed out on the "Tim Withdraws" thread--and as those of you familiar with GS know from my own complaints about it--the state of figure skating boots is about 40 years behind the level of what skaters are doing. It does not surprise me that since the advent of quads that this has happened, and to the Quad King, no less. I'm only surprised that it hasn't happened more often. If men continue pushing the envelope with jumps, I think it will happen more often.
But right now my thoughts are for Tim. I really thought the guy was going to be all jumps and no style back in '00/01, even up to US Nationals '02. But he sure proved me wrong at the Olympics and since. Plus I've been impressed by the intelligence that comes through in his interviews. This guy is in no way withdrawing because "he couldn't win" as one person said--and what an awful thing to say. For one thing, the physician's statement at the press conference verifies it and for another, nothing in Tim's background suggests that would do such a thing. I know people are entitled to their opinions, but...oh well, it was just one person. I think 99.9% of people understand how dedicated and hard-working Tim is and wish him nothing but good.
Anybody know of a fansite for Tim through which we can send messages or emails of support? I think a lot of people would like to.
Rgirl
But right now my thoughts are for Tim. I really thought the guy was going to be all jumps and no style back in '00/01, even up to US Nationals '02. But he sure proved me wrong at the Olympics and since. Plus I've been impressed by the intelligence that comes through in his interviews. This guy is in no way withdrawing because "he couldn't win" as one person said--and what an awful thing to say. For one thing, the physician's statement at the press conference verifies it and for another, nothing in Tim's background suggests that would do such a thing. I know people are entitled to their opinions, but...oh well, it was just one person. I think 99.9% of people understand how dedicated and hard-working Tim is and wish him nothing but good.
Anybody know of a fansite for Tim through which we can send messages or emails of support? I think a lot of people would like to.
Rgirl
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
This is his official site:
http://www.timothygoebel.net/
If you click on "Contact Tim", this is the email address you'll get: [email protected] I don't know if it works. It should. I had somewhere his snail mail address, but I can't find it, and I don't know if it's still good, anyway.
Btw, from Q&A:
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Humility.
Go, Tim!
Tim has lost plenty of times and had no problem doing it so I don't think he withdrew because he couldn't win.
Personally I'm glad he withdrew. I don't think Saturday would have been better because it's more than his boots. It's not mental because we've seen how strong Tim can be mentally.
Personally I'm glad he withdrew. I don't think Saturday would have been better because it's more than his boots. It's not mental because we've seen how strong Tim can be mentally.
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The Atlanta Journal Constitution has a little more information about Tim's problems:
This kind of injury has happened before. I believe that this is what happened to Midori Ito and to Tiffany Chin. At least in the case of Midori, she came back from it. This is a warning to other skaters. If you are having problems, get checked at least once a month these biomechanical changes, because it is clear that boot problems can produce medical problems, and medical problems can mask boot problems. You need to know exactly where you are at all times, IMO.
My very best wishes to Tim. I want to see him skate that Queen program, which is primarily to "Who Wants to Live Forever?" perfectly some time.
It is amazing that with this many problems, and trust me, whenever he wasn't actually skating a section of program, he was flat footed and hurting, that I saw him land two 4t3t combinations, one 4t2t, one 3a2t3lp and one 3lp3lp in practice.
After Tim works through all this, if he can, I think his skating will actually improve. Last year Tim had none of these particular combinations. What a testament to his work ethic that he learned new skills in such a hard time.
Good luck and God bless, Timmy.
On another sad note, Yebin withdrew, citing lower back strain.
Frankly, I think that her recovery had not progressed far enough to allow her to compete yet, but the chance to keep a berth and support for the coming season was too strong, as is often the case for skaters.
dpp
This kind of injury has happened before. I believe that this is what happened to Midori Ito and to Tiffany Chin. At least in the case of Midori, she came back from it. This is a warning to other skaters. If you are having problems, get checked at least once a month these biomechanical changes, because it is clear that boot problems can produce medical problems, and medical problems can mask boot problems. You need to know exactly where you are at all times, IMO.
My very best wishes to Tim. I want to see him skate that Queen program, which is primarily to "Who Wants to Live Forever?" perfectly some time.
It is amazing that with this many problems, and trust me, whenever he wasn't actually skating a section of program, he was flat footed and hurting, that I saw him land two 4t3t combinations, one 4t2t, one 3a2t3lp and one 3lp3lp in practice.
After Tim works through all this, if he can, I think his skating will actually improve. Last year Tim had none of these particular combinations. What a testament to his work ethic that he learned new skills in such a hard time.
Good luck and God bless, Timmy.
On another sad note, Yebin withdrew, citing lower back strain.
Frankly, I think that her recovery had not progressed far enough to allow her to compete yet, but the chance to keep a berth and support for the coming season was too strong, as is often the case for skaters.
dpp
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2003
Poor Tim! He's never been one of my favorite skaters, but he has been one of my favorite *skaters*, if that makes sense!
Having a meltdown like that must have shaken him to his core. After all, Tim was always a "natural" with the jumps -- I can only surmise that he didn't have to learn them in that painstaking manner that so many others do -- so to have his jumps desert him must feel like some sort of cosmic betrayal.
In a way I'm relieved to hear of the "multiple anatomical changes" -- hoping that it's all fixable. But I'm also angry -- angry that his doctors hadn't been checking him regularly, angry that the boot problems couldn't be corrected sooner (I mean, thirteen pairs!?!), angry that Frank Carroll didn't do a better job at managing the situation. That's his job, right? Somehow I can't imagine Robin Wagner letting her skater suffer so much, and for so long.
On the other hand, I've often wondered if there's something "wonky" about Tim's spine. He's been criticized so much for his hunched over, rounded shoulders posture, and while he has improved somewhat, it's seemed to me that the biggest change he's made is simply to throw his head back in a way that disconnects it from the rest of his spine. This strikes me as a cosmetic change -- a way to make it appear that he's standing up straighter, while his thoracic and the lower part of his cervical spine remain locked.
Anyway, here's hoping that Tim can connect with the right people to help him address his physical problems, and come back strong next year!
Having a meltdown like that must have shaken him to his core. After all, Tim was always a "natural" with the jumps -- I can only surmise that he didn't have to learn them in that painstaking manner that so many others do -- so to have his jumps desert him must feel like some sort of cosmic betrayal.
In a way I'm relieved to hear of the "multiple anatomical changes" -- hoping that it's all fixable. But I'm also angry -- angry that his doctors hadn't been checking him regularly, angry that the boot problems couldn't be corrected sooner (I mean, thirteen pairs!?!), angry that Frank Carroll didn't do a better job at managing the situation. That's his job, right? Somehow I can't imagine Robin Wagner letting her skater suffer so much, and for so long.
On the other hand, I've often wondered if there's something "wonky" about Tim's spine. He's been criticized so much for his hunched over, rounded shoulders posture, and while he has improved somewhat, it's seemed to me that the biggest change he's made is simply to throw his head back in a way that disconnects it from the rest of his spine. This strikes me as a cosmetic change -- a way to make it appear that he's standing up straighter, while his thoracic and the lower part of his cervical spine remain locked.
Anyway, here's hoping that Tim can connect with the right people to help him address his physical problems, and come back strong next year!
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- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
sounds an awful lot like dad's only dad has so much scar tissue it pinches the nerves in his foot... if they can't get his feet to feel right and have good support they're going to have to take the nerve out of his foot and move his toes back into place, meaning his feet will be numb for the rest of his life... I hope that's not what happens to Tim... he'd probably have kiss his skating goodbye for good
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2003
I'm just so sad and dissappointed for him that I don't even know what to say anymore. 
All I know is that this scares me right down to my figure skating core. I just really hope that it's entirely fixable and that he can come back and be as good, or even better, than before. His "entirely fixable" quote gives me hope, but I can't help but worry. My best wishes and prayers go out to Timothy.
Courtney
All I know is that this scares me right down to my figure skating core. I just really hope that it's entirely fixable and that he can come back and be as good, or even better, than before. His "entirely fixable" quote gives me hope, but I can't help but worry. My best wishes and prayers go out to Timothy.Courtney
