Chan feeling like figure skating 'underdog' | Golden Skate

Chan feeling like figure skating 'underdog'

gsk8

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Jun 21, 2003
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The 22-year-old from Toronto will be aiming for his third consecutive world figure skating title this month, but has talked about feeling like an “underdog” for the first time in awhile.

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plushyfan

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Jun 27, 2012
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Hungary
I've always said that it was easy for him to compete, despite he made some mistakes, he could win.. Was a huge advantage. After this season, he knows if he makes mistakes he won't win. But I wish him the best.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I think it's healthy for Chan to feel like a bit of an underdog. It will make him work smarter (I don't think he can work any harder than he's obviously been doing). It's good that it's happening this year and not next. At Worlds and then next year at Sochi, if we're all lucky, he and all the other men will skate better than they've ever skated before, and each competition will be one for the ages. Then it almost won't matter which skater wins--like 1996 Worlds, where Michelle Kwan and Chen Lu outdid each other in such splendid style, or 1998 at Calgary, where the two Brians made skating history. Or the 1992 Albertville ice dance competition, when any of the top three could have been stood at the top of the podium and it would have been equally fine.
 

noskates

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Jun 11, 2012
I've always said that it was easy for him to compete, despite he made some mistakes, he could win.. Was a huge advantage. After this season, he knows if he makes mistakes he won't win. But I wish him the best.

I'm not sure I agree with this or even understand it. Patrick has made mistakes in the past and not won. It's only been in the last couple of years that no one was really challenging him. Yes he can make a mistake or two but his presentation scores usually make up for it. That's figure skating.

But I agree with Olympia, it's not a bad thing to go into a big competition feeling like the underdog. It's good not to let that edge soften......(and I don't mean edge on the ice - altho that's not good either)

But Patrick still has youth on his side, he's injury-free, he's working harder than ever, and if he skates well I don't think there is anybody who can beat him. Anybody!
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Welcome to Detroit, Patrick! We're glad to have you!

Stick around and we'll put up a banner for you right next to Tara's. :)
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I'm not sure I agree with this or even understand it. Patrick has made mistakes in the past and not won. It's only been in the last couple of years that no one was really challenging him. Yes he can make a mistake or two but his presentation scores usually make up for it. That's figure skating.

But I agree with Olympia, it's not a bad thing to go into a big competition feeling like the underdog. It's good not to let that edge soften......(and I don't mean edge on the ice - altho that's not good either)

But Patrick still has youth on his side, he's injury-free, he's working harder than ever, and if he skates well I don't think there is anybody who can beat him. Anybody!

This year he leaves too much on the table in terms of points compared to the rest. I can't imagine him winning. While I agree feeling like the underdog helps him this year, that's because he almost is.
 
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Jammers

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Nov 4, 2010
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United-States
Patrick better think about getting a real coach next season too. Especially a tech coach who can work with him on his jumps. A modern dance teacher is out of her element with something like that.
 
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lcd

Match Penalty
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Mar 11, 2007
Seems such an explicit effort to make the point that he is not receiving any coaching from anyone other than his current coach. Seems strange to not event get some consultation from some pure skaters and fine coaches such as Yuka Sato.. I mean, why not?
 

silverlake22

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Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Chan is no underdog, but I understand what he's trying to say and his status is a lot more vulnerable this time around, I would agree.
 

plushyfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Country
Hungary
I'm not sure I agree with this or even understand it. Patrick has made mistakes in the past and not won. It's only been in the last couple of years that no one was really challenging him. Yes he can make a mistake or two but his presentation scores usually make up for it. That's figure skating.

But I agree with Olympia, it's not a bad thing to go into a big competition feeling like the underdog. It's good not to let that edge soften......(and I don't mean edge on the ice - altho that's not good either)

But Patrick still has youth on his side, he's injury-free, he's working harder than ever, and if he skates well I don't think there is anybody who can beat him. Anybody!

I remember his face at GPF...He was surprised by the final result... I don' want to start a debate, but in my opinion, who fall two or three times, it's not too artistic. The fall spoils the artistic impression.
 
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ImaginaryPogue

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Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I remember his face at GPF...He was surprised by the final result... I don' want to start a debate, but in my opinion, who fall two or three times, it's not too artistic. The fall spoils the artistic impression.

It's worth mentioning that this Grand Prix season, he hasn't fallen a lot. He fell once at the GPF and once at Skate Canada. It's just now that he's making those costly mistakes that he wasn't in the past, and his success forced the field to up their game.
 

momskate

Rinkside
Joined
May 4, 2012
Patrick better think about getting a real coach next season too. Especially a tech coach who can work with him on his jumps. A modern dance teacher is out of her element with something like that.
No way he is leaving the dance coach, he is dating her daughter
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Its unfortunate that an area that should be all business with chan is now so wrapped up in his personal life.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Patrick is a young man who wants it all and is very talented but he is letting testoterone, youth get in the way. I was a bit scared when i hear a 22 year old is looking into buying a house without finishing post secondary schooling especially when he is getting support through sponsors and fundraising especially the chinese community. patrick better smarten up. Losing might even be good for him but he should have been working on the quad sal or flip this season. there isn't a lot of room forhim to gain points on pcs. He gve away his shot at OGM if he doens't do something on the offseason. Fernadeze and them al hve the programs now. He should almost be panicking ok exaggerating but really he is lettong ogm go bye bye and how man young relationships have we seen end up torpoedoed??? I just saw a picture signed by some friends and two peole signed it together and now they are married to someone else. Ah young love is often young lust and such foolishness can lead him with no OGM and 10 or 20 years down the road realizing his desire for lust or whatever led to his downfall. Sad but it has happened before all for the love or lust of a girl....
 

Janbo

Spectator
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
I too believe that Patrick needs a figure skating coach. To paraphrase, he who coaches himself, coaches a fool. Ask Michelle.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
At the very least, Chan needs to be putting a 2nd 3a in his program, or if he doesn't want to do that, I agree he should be working towards a 4s or 4f. Two 4t and one 3a might not be enough to do the trick considering at this point he's unlikely to land all 3 of those jumps cleanly. Javi, Kevin, Yuzu, Brezina, Amodio have more tech and are getting better in terms of PCS, even Dai goes for two quads and two 3a in his FS, and his PCS can even exceed those of Chan. Patrick better figure something out and quick or else I would not be surprised at all if he winds up off the podium in Sochi, in fact, he might not even improve upon his 5th place in Vancouver considering Plush may be back and will have the advantage of skating on home ice. Hopefully he can skate pretty cleanly here because if not, I worry about a repeat of the GPF outcome, or worse (Javi nearly bumped him off the podium then and has momentum from his stunning Euros).
 
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