Can Patrick Chan cope with the pressure of Olympic favouritism?
- Thread starter Mao88
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I have no idea. He has coped so well at 2011 Worlds, but has been having trouble for tunnel vision at competitions most of the time.
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Until the results are known, there is no answer to this question. Judgements will be passed accordingly then.
I believe Patrick's jump success or failure is a mental rather than technical issue. He still does all his jumps very well but sometimes some of the fail him. He has not lost a particular jump. As well, he depends a lot on the rhythm and breathing into a jump and Lori Nichol was the one who knew him and his skating best. Patrick and his new choreographers has taken time to build the synergy. He took the two years between his first Worlds title and the next Olympics to explore and focus on particular aspects of his skating. Now, saying that the Olympic season is not the time to experiment, they have chosen comfortable programs to showcase what he does best.
I see Patrick's progress has always been based on a plan with the Olympic Gold Medal in mind and he has the luxury to have and to execute such a strategy. That is a good thing, whether or not it puts more pressure on him.
I believe Patrick's jump success or failure is a mental rather than technical issue. He still does all his jumps very well but sometimes some of the fail him. He has not lost a particular jump. As well, he depends a lot on the rhythm and breathing into a jump and Lori Nichol was the one who knew him and his skating best. Patrick and his new choreographers has taken time to build the synergy. He took the two years between his first Worlds title and the next Olympics to explore and focus on particular aspects of his skating. Now, saying that the Olympic season is not the time to experiment, they have chosen comfortable programs to showcase what he does best.
I see Patrick's progress has always been based on a plan with the Olympic Gold Medal in mind and he has the luxury to have and to execute such a strategy. That is a good thing, whether or not it puts more pressure on him.
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Hopefully not. Don't want to see him win the Olympic Gold. Being gifted 2 additional World titles he never deserved is already bad enough.
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That is your opinion, not everyone's. If you want to argue 'being gifted skaters', I can give you many examples. And that's my opinion, of course just like yours.
Well said. Who knows? The ice is slippery. There are a handful of favourites, not just Chan although I think if he skates well, he will definitely podium.Skatefiguring said:
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I don't agree. Olympic favoritism means that reporters will be down your neck at all times at the Games, which can be very disruptive of your preparation process . Brian Orser did not deal well with this pressure, and even Kurt Browning faltered under it. So did Debi Thomas, and Midori Ito found the expectations quite crushing. Sometimes it is better to be a bit under the radar, like Liz Manley.
Patrick Chan has the advantage that this is not his first Olympics, though.
Patrick Chan has the advantage that this is not his first Olympics, though.
That was one of the great things that Brian Orser did for YuNa Kim: he kept her largely sheltered from Olympic pressure, especially pressure from her home country. I'm sure that this helped her maintain her concentration and confidence.
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Perhap more than Orser, the fact that the Cricket Club is a private club, so reporters can't just wander around willy nilly was a help?
And yes, Chan's coachlessness can be a problem. It certainly didn't help Michelle Kwan.
And yes, Chan's coachlessness can be a problem. It certainly didn't help Michelle Kwan.
Patrick seems to think he's at a point in his skating career where he doesn't need a coach anymore. That is the height of arrogance and stupidity. He's just happy that now he's the one calling the shots and not being pushed as hard as he was with Krall. Well that is all well and good but even the all time great skaters needed a coach and someone to push them.
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The tone of this thread going forward will depend on how Patrick skates in the Grand Prix. If he skates well this season, all this griping won't be as much of an issue. On the other hand, if he has a season like last season, well, we all know how GS exploded after Worlds. I'm excited to see how everything plays out. Besides the skating, a lot depends on the judges and what scores they give out, and this is something that is out of the skaters' control.
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Oh, I meant the judges' favorite. But yes, no one does well under intense media pressure.
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Yeah, the GP will play a huge role in his set-up to Sochi. That being said, you don't need to have a great GP season as long as you can get it together for Olympics/Worlds (see Denis Ten).
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That is true. :agree:
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This is how I see it, and I was very disappointed at this decision. OK, so it wasn't really a firing, more like a demoting. With all of Krall's experience, expertise and history with Patrick, I imagine it was a slap in the face to have Kathy Johnson take over.
Patrick at his best is incredible with his amazing skating skills and effortless quads. No other modern singles skater I have seen comes anywhere close--male or female. However, I don't think he will won Gold. His lack of an experienced coach, especially one who was instrumental to his success (Krall), I fear, is affecting him and will snowball with the pressure of the Olympics. I HOPE I am wrong. I have many other sentimental favourites, but when it comes to the pure skating aspect, no one mesmerizes me with their blades like he does.
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Michelle Kwan had no coach for a while. Such strong opnions about another person. Hopefully we all focus on our own lives just the same.
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Well, who knows? He has gotten a world record setting SP without a technical coach. I think one might need to wait until after Sochi to make such assertion.
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Who says he has no coach? Isn't Kathy Johnson his coach? There are many skaters who went without a coach including Kwan. So they are all arrogant and stupid? We don't train with them so how do you know what is going behind the scenes? Are they obligated to tell all? Why are you so obsessed with Patrick's coach? I have said this and I will say it again. Move on Jammers. Patrick has, Krall has, Patrick's family have, I have, and many of Patrick's fans have.
No, the griping won't stop. I have learnt from skating forums that whinging, howling, feet stomping, biitching, conspiracy theories are all very closely associated with this sport (unfortunately)skatingfan4ever said:
Who knows who the next target will be when Patrick retires. Will see. 
A quote from a former elite skater: When you are up there, they will try to bring you down.
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Fact checking:
1. Patrick has a coach, who originally gave him the epiphany to land quads overnight, and he also consults with various experts and get inspirations from different champion athletes. He is always observing and seeking advice whenever he has a chance. E.g. He associates with Browning and Buttler, and the first time he met Stojko, he consulted him.
2. While "coachless", Patrick podiumed at every competition he entered and ending the season with another Worlds title with a world record. IOW, he was the most successful Men skater in the world during this "coachless" period even with more and more skaters raising their standards.
Krall was right for him at the time but whatever happened, everyone has moved on, with Patrick winning another World Championships the following season. Not to discredit her but Krall has not had a champion before or after Patrick, which means a skater's success is not entirely determined by the coach.
Facts are not personal opinions and judgements, such as who is not a coach and who should win a competition. Who here giving all the criticisms and advice is qualified to coach a World Champion? And knows more than Patrick and his team including his family and Skate Canada, about him and his training? Obviously online armchair coaches don't know what qualifies a coach or an adviser to a top athlete.
1. Patrick has a coach, who originally gave him the epiphany to land quads overnight, and he also consults with various experts and get inspirations from different champion athletes. He is always observing and seeking advice whenever he has a chance. E.g. He associates with Browning and Buttler, and the first time he met Stojko, he consulted him.
2. While "coachless", Patrick podiumed at every competition he entered and ending the season with another Worlds title with a world record. IOW, he was the most successful Men skater in the world during this "coachless" period even with more and more skaters raising their standards.
Krall was right for him at the time but whatever happened, everyone has moved on, with Patrick winning another World Championships the following season. Not to discredit her but Krall has not had a champion before or after Patrick, which means a skater's success is not entirely determined by the coach.
Facts are not personal opinions and judgements, such as who is not a coach and who should win a competition. Who here giving all the criticisms and advice is qualified to coach a World Champion? And knows more than Patrick and his team including his family and Skate Canada, about him and his training? Obviously online armchair coaches don't know what qualifies a coach or an adviser to a top athlete.
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