What's in store for Michael Weiss? | Golden Skate

What's in store for Michael Weiss?

S

SkateFan4Life

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It seems to me that Michael Weiss is no longer a contender to win the US men's title, not against the likes of Weir, Goebel, and Lysacek, and also because Weiss continue to deliver sloppy long programs. Once again he two-footed the landing of his quad lutz, and he had several other errors throughout his performance. Fifth place is about where he belonged, IMHO.

Michael's time has come and gone, as far as I'm concerned. He won three US championships, two World bronze medals, and was a member of three Olympic teams. Very, very impressive, by any standard. He is still a strong skater and probably could enjoy a wonderful professional career. It's his decision, of course, as to whether or not he remains in the game. However, after last weekend, it really does seem that his skating and placement are going down, not up.

What do you think? And please, I'm not bashing Michael personally!
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
In my opinion, Michael Weiss' decline from the standings isn't so much a matter of "age" (he's 28) as it's a matter of conditioning. When he was younger he was beefier and more muscular, and his programs looked stronger. He has lost weight and has a leaner "look" than he did five or six years ago. However, that weight loss seems to have also resulted in a loss of energy and stamina.
At least that's the way it appears to me.
 

soogar

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Dec 18, 2003
SkateFan4Life said:
In my opinion, Michael Weiss' decline from the standings isn't so much a matter of "age" (he's 28) as it's a matter of conditioning. When he was younger he was beefier and more muscular, and his programs looked stronger. He has lost weight and has a leaner "look" than he did five or six years ago. However, that weight loss seems to have also resulted in a loss of energy and stamina.
At least that's the way it appears to me.

I think he said that he got leaner so that way he can do the rotations in the quad. I too preferred Mike when he was heavier, but perhaps his body couldn't hold up doing those rotations with the added weight. I do hope he stays in there for another year and try to make the World team. Maybe he will get another coach to help him with that jump technique.
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
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Pro or amateur, I still will like his skating. I have seen him perform several times live, and his programs are always a crowd pleaser........42
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
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Oct 22, 2003
The funny thing is, if you talk to Mike about the weight loss - he denies it and says his weight is unchanged...so go figure. I'll be very surprised if he comes back next season, at age 29. Sure - there's the lure of putting in a decent performance at One More Olympics, just as Todd and Elvis tried to do. But, he's already got 18 or so shows with SOI this season - so it would seem like he'd say hmmmm.....maybe it's time to take my bows and go pro.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Michael passed up the chance to do COI last summer, but now he seems to be interested in joining up with SOI. Does SOI pay more? It seems like COI would be easier -- basically just one solo performance a night, with not nearly so much group choreography to learn. But maybe that's what professional skaters like doing.

To me, Mike has an unlimited future as a professional. He is more consistently entertaining than either Todd or (dare I say it?) Alexei.

Mathman
 

yelyoh

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I do think that it is unlikely Mike can be on top of the US Nats podium again. And now he has to compete with the likes of young Evan and the new improved Matt not to mention up and comers like Rogers and others. I think if he dumped the quad he could do better in the SP and the LP. No US man is nailing them now with any regularity anyway including Tim. He really seems to have lost muscle mass on his upper bod. Maybe that has sapped his power. He looks quite slight to me. I think it is only a possibility he could skate well enough to capture a bronze medal and that is no more than a possibility. I do think his best days are behind him but if he wants to continue competing and can take the disappointment of not being on the podium (a big if) he should. I'm sure the fact that he cannot master the quad and that others are passing him hurts but hey that's sports.
 

childfreegirl

Final Flight
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Jan 6, 2004
I agree with what you said skatefan. I'm a Mike fan, but I don't see him sticking it out for one more year, nor do I think he should. I think he'll probably do the shows with SOI (And I get to see him in Orlando. I'm so excited!) and then probably evaluate then. I saw him on the last tv special and thought he was much better in that type of program than competitive. It's less pressure and it lets his personality shine through and be more relaxed. And who knows? Maybe once the pressure is off, he'll finally land that quad.
 

iluvtodd

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I think Mike will go pro at this point. I have enjoyed his skating show programs this season (the Disson ones, Bocelli on Ice, & Holiday Celebration on Ice). He is our "guest star" for our SOI shows (Philly & Trenton), and while I'm not a fan of the "cheesy" programs he did in his last few seasons with SOI, I am hopeful that he will perform entertaining, but tasteful programs with the show. I know he can do it, & I hope he will. Through his competitive career, I really enjoyed his Santana program, the Beethoven one (Egmont Overture?), "Mulan," & "On the Waterfront."

Mathman, I still prefer Todd :love:, who can be quite entertaining. Yea, I know he has a pretty serious persona (& IMHO excels at his "serious," dramatic programs), but he has his "fun" side too. I'm glad he's getting a chance to show his "fun" side as well as his "serious" side in SOI.
 
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Joined
Jul 11, 2003
On my list of Fading Eligibles, along with Fumie Suguri, Michael's name now appears. This is not a bash of Michael (or Fumie) it is just that I believe their time has come. This is not a bash of Michael or anyone else who is on my list. It is just a reality of life. There are 'skating eras' where the skater is at his/her peak and those peaks do not last forever for any skater. It's his choice to continue to be eligible or not. That is his business, not mine.

There are others on my list but that is another topic.

Joe
 
Joined
Jan 30, 2004
I think it'd be in his best interest to go pro. He's not a favorite of mine overall but I've seen him skate well in the past....lately, he just plain looks like a "has been".
 

STL_Blues_fan

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Jan 24, 2004
Zanzibar said:
The funny thing is, if you talk to Mike about the weight loss - he denies it and says his weight is unchanged...so go figure. I'll be very surprised if he comes back next season, at age 29. Sure - there's the lure of putting in a decent performance at One More Olympics, just as Todd and Elvis tried to do. But, he's already got 18 or so shows with SOI this season - so it would seem like he'd say hmmmm.....maybe it's time to take my bows and go pro.


Are you sure?

I recall during the 2002 season and then 2003 he appeared in a number of fluff TV segments (he got a lot of TV time in 2003 since the Worlds were in his hometown, sort of) and he discussed how much fitter he got over the last season (and he did say how he altered his diet). He talked how cool it would be for him to look back on the Olympic footage years later and say "wow, what a great shape I was in".

Yana
 

Dee4707

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Mathman said:
To me, Mike has an unlimited future as a professional. He is more consistently entertaining than either Todd or (dare I say it?) Alexei.
Mathman
You didn't think I was going to let this go by did you, Math? :mad: I find your comment to be inane at best. Has senility settled in?? :sheesh:

This is the first competition that I saw Mike somewhat just give up.

Dee
 

lavender

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Jul 26, 2003
That's what I saw in Mike. It just looked like he gave up. It's like he knew they weren't going to give him the scores.
 

Tonichelle

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I discussed this with several people at nationals this year... and we all felt that he'd do better as a "pro" meaning he'd do better as a show skater(since some of us here don't seem to like the word pro :sheesh: )

I wan't him in SOI and I want to see the skater that I know he can be... I want him to ditch his current choreographer for a better one

and I want teh week to come back and be better in so many ways... :( :cry:
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
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Tonichelle said:
I want him to ditch his current choreographer for a better one
( :cry:
Toni, I agree. Doesn't he, she, whomever understand that. I don't understand why they don't understand. Who is holding him back?

Dee
 

PrincessLeppard

~ Evgeni's Sex Bomb ~
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Dee, honey, his wife is his choreographer. Makes it just a teeny bit hard to fire her without causing strife, and (I have to say....) giving up on some of the "action" in the bedroom. (hey, HE said it in a fluff piece.... :p )

He would be a good show skater. I was watching some pro-am a couple years ago, and I thought, wow, he has good presentation. And then Alexei skated, and I remembered why I preferred the Russians. But that's just my personal preference.

:)
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
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Oct 22, 2003
STL_Blues_fan said:
Are you sure?

I recall during the 2002 season and then 2003 he appeared in a number of fluff TV segments (he got a lot of TV time in 2003 since the Worlds were in his hometown, sort of) and he discussed how much fitter he got over the last season (and he did say how he altered his diet). He talked how cool it would be for him to look back on the Olympic footage years later and say "wow, what a great shape I was in".

Yana

Oh yeah - positive - many people asked Mike about it in Pittsburgh last October for Skate America because he seemed markedly smaller than previous events/seasons. There's a difference between weight/size/fitness. Alexei is actually a bit bigger than the Olympic season this year, but fitter in terms of upper body development and strength.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Dee4707 said:
You didn't think I was going to let this go by did you, Math? :mad: I find your comment to be inane at best. Has senility settled in?? :sheesh:
But, Dee, what about Mike's freedom blades, where he can skate on his heels? Isn't that worth a Yagudin quad-triple combo out of footwork?

Mathman :p
 
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