2012 GPF Men's Free Skate LP

[Buttercup]

He also said:

“I remember when I came last in my first Grand Prix final,” Patrick Chan was reminiscing the other night. “I thought, geez, who remembers who won the Grand Prix final anyway? Nobody remembers. People only remember who won the Olympic Games and the world championships.”

He's right - except he was last in his second GPF, not his first. But casual fans certainly don't remember and even serious fans might need to consult Wikipedia. Can you name every winner in every discipline going back to Patrick's first GPF (2007-8) - without help from Wikipedia or other sources? I couldn't.

And really, he was so young then, it sounds like he was just trying to cheer himself up. Not everything Patrick Chan says needs to be turned into a controversy.

[FSGMT]

He's right - except he was last in his second GPF, not his first. But casual fans certainly don't remember and even serious fans might need to consult Wikipedia. Can you name every winner in every discipline going back to Patrick's first GPF (2007-8) - without help from Wikipedia or other sources? I couldn't.

And really, he was so young then, it sounds like he was just trying to cheer himself up. Not everything Patrick Chan says needs to be turned into a controversy.

I agree.
But, I think I actually can, if we are speaking about GP and ISU Championships! (yes, I'm A BIT a figure skating obsessed!)

[Buttercup]

I agree.
But, I think I actually can, if we are speaking about GP and ISU Championships! (yes, I'm A BIT a figure skating obsessed!)

Seriously? Even Olympic season 4CC? Man, that's hardcore.

For the GPF, I wasn't sure about some of the winners in 2007-8 and to a lesser extent 2008-9.

[seniorita]

seniorita, adrenaline's high, you're trying to get as much as possible, you've made a mistake (no one Zayak's/Combo-faults without a previous error). At Worlds 2008, Takahashi, Carriere, Chan, and Kovaleski ...

i know but me I didn't comment on why Chan did the mistake while competing, that's understandable, I commented on his interview above my post that he thinks the rule is complicated. I don't think the rule itself is complicated and is certainly not a new one for an elite skater, but of course things happen while on ice.

[SGrand]

I'm amazed what comes out of Patrick's mouth at times. First he made fun of Plushenko in the pre-event interview, now he's insulted Oda in the post-event interview! As well as sounding like quite the sore loser.

I actually don't think he means to insult Oda, it seems as though he was making a light joke about it because it's so well known that Oda used to have a problem with that, probably just kind of slipped out a la Chan style (he makes quite a few jokes that don't always go over so well). I've read about it here so much (re: Oda Zayaking) and I haven't been around for all that long, but it's obviously extremely well known throughout the FS world.
And I would also think that these guys have known each other and hung out and some have bonded for years now, it wouldn't surprise me if Oda maybe gets a little teased about it from time to time (or maybe even makes comments about it himself). Wouldn't surprise me if Chan was teased by fellow skaters about flying into the boards at last years GPF or his weird 'waxel' in Nice. Not everyone's nice as pie to everyone and not every comment that 'reads' as mean, really is.

Now, I do cringe from time to time regarding what he says, he doesn't have the most PC filter and he's too honest for his own good (FWITW, I don't like that he brought Oda up, keep that away from the press for obvious reasons). He definitely knows what is said about him and some of his more controversial wins, he doesn't live in a hole and he's not stupid; he was booed in France and maybe it wasn't totally personal, but I'm sure he 'get's it', hence the comment about people being happy about his more recent scores.

To me, he seems to try and project confidence, but I'm not always totally convinced that he 100% believes in himself and this season has been trying for him due to the fact that everyone's catching up to him now. I don't think he quite knows how to deal with it yet. There's no buffer left anymore and he knows it.
He's not like Plu, who exudes confidence and knows how to play the game. Some hate him for that, some love him for it, but he gets reaction. I respect Plu for his attitude, he knows how to use it and play it to his advantage and I can't fault him for it (although he's made me cringe before as well, but come on, let's look at how most sports really are, they are full of trash talking and just because someone's wearing sequins or lace, doesn't mean they're super sweet and happy to take a loss, this is sport after all). I was involved in competitive dance for almost 20 years and it's full of crazy catty people who will cut you if they get the chance lol, and those were the parents and teachers as well as kids and teens.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong and Chan is the biggest jerk ever, but I dunno, it just seems like there are a lot of people who like to blow things out of proportion. I too wish he could deal with the criticism like Plu and not care, but I think he does and that's when doubt creeps in and the nerves go crazy and he tries to joke about himself and it's just taken the wrong way.

[Mirunna]

he was booed in France and maybe it wasn't totally personal, but I'm sure he 'get's it', hence the comment about people being happy about his more recent scores.

I was so mad with Patrick's scores in France but I hated the fact that he was booed. He didn't ask for it and I think all the negativity towards his scores are affecting him more than he will admit. His comment about people being happy about his recent scores prove it.I absolutely don't think he is a bad guy or a jerk.

[seniorita]

I really think/hope any booing at an event is directed to judges and not skaters. So Chan must not feel any guilty about it.

[pitterpatter]

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong and Chan is the biggest jerk ever, but I dunno, it just seems like there are a lot of people who like to blow things out of proportion. I too wish he could deal with the criticism like Plu and not care, but I think he does and that's when doubt creeps in and the nerves go crazy and he tries to joke about himself and it's just taken the wrong way.

For myself and I think the majority of people here, its not that I think Patrick is the biggest jerk ever or that I'm terribly offended by his comments, its just the stuff he says is indeed cringeworthy at times. I don't think he meant to offend Oda, but I mean, he had two of Oda's Japanese teammates with him, and the media at the event was likely mostly Japanese. In short: I'm rather than I also agree w/ other posters about his last comment, it's a bit troubling.

Also, while I believe a modern dance coach isn't a viable long term solution for Patrick, I'd hate for him to switch coaches after this just because of all the opinions flying around. Only he knows the full picture, and tbh, changing coaches now after expressing commitment to KJ would definitely mean he's allowing others' opinions and criticisms to affect him.

[SGrand]

For myself and I think the majority of people here, its not that I think Patrick is the biggest jerk ever or that I'm terribly offended by his comments, its just the stuff he says is indeed cringeworthy at times. I don't think he meant to offend Oda, but I mean, he had two of Oda's Japanese teammates with him, and the media at the event was likely mostly Japanese. In short: I'm rather than I also agree w/ other posters about his last comment, it's a bit troubling.

Also, while I believe a modern dance coach isn't a viable long term solution for Patrick, I'd hate for him to switch coaches after this just because of all the opinions flying around. Only he knows the full picture, and tbh, changing coaches now after expressing commitment to KJ would definitely mean he's allowing others' opinions and criticisms to affect him.

[suzukifan27]

People are reading too much into Chan's comment on Oda. I don't find it offensive at all. The last comment however showed he's a sore loser. He's now facing the uncomfortable situation under which pcs alone will not be able to save him.

[Layfan]

True, but Patrick has yet to show that he can perform a competitive short program to this music with the same qualities as his exhibition version.

Somehow that doesn't bother me! It only makes me really want to see his exhibition which I haven't seen. A lot of times the exhibition programs are blah throwaways so if Chan a good one, yay!

I haven't read the comments he made that people are complaining about but sorry to hear that he's still being a bit of a boob.

Still, I think Patrick just says what comes to his mind without thinking it through (he's gotten better) but doesn't mean harm. And I actually think that inside he is actually one to take losses seriously and he will work hard after to make sure he stays on top. At least I hope so. It's good to be the one chasing sometimes.

[Mathman]

Somehow that doesn't bother me! It only makes me really want to see his exhibition which I haven't seen.

Your wish, my command.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZKX--skJTIA

[ImaginaryPogue]

He's right - except he was last in his second GPF, not his first. But casual fans certainly don't remember and even serious fans might need to consult Wikipedia. Can you name every winner in every discipline going back to Patrick's first GPF (2007-8) - without help from Wikipedia or other sources? I couldn't.

And really, he was so young then, it sounds like he was just trying to cheer himself up. Not everything Patrick Chan says needs to be turned into a controversy.

Lambiel, Abbott, Lysacek, Chan, Chan, Takahashi
Kim, Asada, Kim, Czisny, Kostner, Asada
S/S, P/T, S/Z, S/S, S/S, V/T
DomShabs, DelShoes, D/W, D/W, D/W, D/W

Pshaw, at least give me a challenge!

re: Chan
His high scores for unclean skates have been brought up. Hell, he was booed at the Nice WCs when he was going to the podium. And while he's handled these questions with a great deal of class (other questions, not so much), it's clear that the constant negativity has it's toll (I mean, seriously - if anonymous people disliked you and what you do/say, and derived pleasured from that dislike as much as let's talk hates Chan, how would you react? I feel bad and I'm not even him!). Mentally, I'm not convinced he's the strongest skater, though he's clearly a smart one.

I think in general skaters should follow the rule, "plan your skate, skate your plan." If you mess up one element, put that behind you and skate the rest of the program as designed.

At the most, you could have a plan A and a plan B. Michelle Kwan's plan A was hit the triple-triple at the beginning, then for the last element do a split jump as a choreographic exclamation point. Plan B was miss the triple-triple, then do a triple toe as the last element. Either way, the layout of the program was not disturbed.

I actually sympathize with Patrick. Your program is whizzing by you at a mile a minute and you are required to ponder, let's see now -- I missed my quad combo so therefore I better do another combo -- no wait, that second quad will be hit by a phantom sequence (scored as a sequence even though no sequence or combo was done or attempted). By that time you have flubbed your next element.

Oda, on the other hand, had an insurmountable problem the last time out. He did the worst thing you can possibly do -- pop your 4T/3T into a 3T/3T. Now you are screwed every which way from Sunday. You can't do your planned 3A/3T. You can't do any kind of triple-triple at all.

I would tend to agree.... except that I think you should avoid creating an insurmountable problem. Using a current example, Fernandez is repeating the 4S and the 3S this season. But if he pops a 4S, he's gotta be very quick on his feet and remember to replace his final 3S with the 2A (I actually think that might be reason we're not seeing a lot of two quad LPs either) or it won't count. Fernandez' bind: his salchow is GORGEOUS. He hits it, the judges give him good GOES. His stamina is such that he can do the quad in the back-half of his program, and he actually ends with a 3S. So, how much of a risk is it?

[figuristka]

He also said:

“I remember when I came last in my first Grand Prix final,” Patrick Chan was reminiscing the other night. “I thought, geez, who remembers who won the Grand Prix final anyway? Nobody remembers. People only remember who won the Olympic Games and the world championships.”

I noticed let's talk you keep going out of your way to find anything about Patrick which may upset you personally. I must say i adore Dai and Yuzuru. I love the sport and fall in love with their skating also. I could never imagine looking for anything they say or do that might upset me and going against them just because they are Patrick's competiton. Even for Joubert or Plushenko who may have upset people in the past, i don't hold anything against them. I appreciate what is good about them. Patrick does seem to care about what other's think about him. No every skater is everyone's cup of of tea but they should all be appreciated for their hard work and talent.

[Mathman]

Moderator's post. The incessant bickering and ad hominem one-upsmanship on this thread has made it boring for other Golden Skate members.(Not to mention making more work for the moderators in writing warnings and infractions.) We are here to discuss figure skating, not to make witty insults against skaters or fellow posters.