Stojko Speaks Out

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Most of what he says, I agree with. It's a good read.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100117&content_id=7929494&vkey=ice_news

 

[n_halifax]

Most of what he says, I agree with. It's a good read.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100117&content_id=7929494&vkey=ice_news

I agree with some of the points he has made, others not so much. The point that I really have to agree with is the 90 points for Chan .vs. the 80 for Abbott. I'm sorry, but it's really hard for me to take that seriously.

 

[Spun Silver]

A manifesto for masculine skating and no mention of Lysacek?

Why can't we have speed, power, AND musicality, choreography and interpretation? The ideal should be the perfect skater, not the half-perfect one.

 

[sk8rdad]

Lets remember that Elvis was first and foremost a jumping bean choreography is a fairly alien concept for him. Secondly Elvis has had very little to do with competitive skating since he retired and his knowledge of COP should be considered suspect until he proves he understands it.

Spun Sliver I agree completely. The whole package is a requirement to win not one trick.

 

[evangeline]

....well, at least he's honest.

And IA with SpunSilver.

 

[Pixie Cut]

I don't dispute some of his points, but he needs to find a better way of communicating. His bitterness always shows through.

 

[Mathman]

"Last April or May, Skate Canada came to me and said, 'We're trying to promote men's skating, we don't have enough young guys getting into the sport, we want to push how athletic it is,'" he said.

"So, I did some interviews, and I spoke candidly, just as I'm doing now. Well, I got heat from Skate Canada; they left me out to dry.

Absolutely true. Skate Canada ended up with egg on its face and tried to put the blame on Stojko. :disagree:

 

[n_halifax]

Absolutely true. Skate Canada ended up with egg on its face and tried to put the blame on Stojko. :disagree:

Here's what gets me: the whole "campaign" was apparently initiated to get more male skaters involved in the sport. This year at Nationals, there were 18 junior men and 18 novice men. At the Eastern and Western Challenges, 25 pre-novice men, 25 novice men and 20 junior men vied for spots at Nationals. Not counting the many talented men that did not even qualify to participate this years qualifying for Nationals, the senior men of the future and all of the pre-juvenile, juvenile and test level skaters who I'm sure we will see more of in future years, does that sound to you like there is no "future" of mens skating in Canada? I'm well aware there are a lot more ladies than men figure skating in Canada - or any country for that matter - but launching a campaign like this? Was it ever even necessary?

 

[i love to skate]

Absolutely true. Skate Canada ended up with egg on its face and tried to put the blame on Stojko. :disagree:

That isn't what happened at all

Elvis' bitterness towards Canada and Canadian sport is fairly obvious. He also ruffled a lot of feathers when he said that our Canadian athletes should boycott the Beijing Olympics.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Is a quad really harder than a triple flip triple toe combination (something Stoijko mentions)? It's worth 9.8, whereas that's worth 9.5 (a 3lz-3t combo is worth 10).

Anyways, I definitely think Stoijko doth protest too much

 

[millie]

I agree with Elvis 100%. I watched Patrick's short program and was shocked when I saw his marks. Vaughan and Russell, were far better. The thing about is that they can give him the high marks now, but that won't get him on the podium in February. (by the way, Russell is from my home province.)

 

[n_halifax]

I agree with Elvis 100%. I watched Patrick's short program and was shocked when I saw his marks. Vaughan and Russell, were far better. The thing about is that they can give him the high marks now, but that won't get him on the podium in February. (by the way, Russell is from my home province.)

I skated on the same ice as Russell for a summer years ago - he was so young then but you could still tell he was going places!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Elvis made several points so are you attacking his personality or what he is saying?

l. Skating is NOT ballet, and I would add, Ballet is not Skating

2. Plushenko is the guy to beat.

3; Speed and power must be rewarded.

4. Masculinity is not about being gay but what is shown on the ice.

5. Joubert is masculine and he enjoys his skating.

6. A Quad in a program changes the equation.

Surely, some of these points all of us has to agree with.

 

[Mathman]

That isn't what happened at all

I knew I was going to be in the dog house for saying that. Well, anyway, for whatever reason Skate Canada lost control of a well-intentioned public relations campaign, which unfortunately came back to bite them in the behind.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Elvis made several points so are you attacking his personality or what he is saying?

l. Skating is NOT ballet, and I would add, Ballet is not Skating

2. Plushenko is the guy to beat.

3; Speed and power must be rewarded.

4. Masculinity is not about being gay but what is shown on the ice.

5. Joubert is masculine and he enjoys his skating.

6. A Quad in a program changes the equation.

Surely, some of these points all of us has to agree with.

Yes, I agree with some of his points. What I don't agree with is his extremely narrow view of masculine behaviour and the massive chip on his shoulder comes through in his comments. He's also got a different view of what powerful skating is. Additionally, in between the lines, implicitly he is commenting about gender roles in a way I find harmful and spurious at best.

 

[Nadine]

As always, Elvis speaks his mind, and what usually comes after is a firestorm, rotflmao! Oops, by the way, I agree with him.

GOOOOOOOOO ELVIS!!!!

 

[calica]

Additionally, in between the lines, implicitly he is commenting about gender roles in a way I find harmful and spurious at best.

But because he implicitly says something between lines or because your you want to understand implicitly something.?

 

[janetfan]

Elvis made several points so are you attacking his personality or what he is saying?

6. A Quad in a program changes the equation.

Surely, some of these points all of us has to agree with.

I agree with point 6 - but it is because I agree with Jeremy's recent comments about quads.

Jeremy said having a quad in a program can help boost a skater's pcs.

Of course this is the exact opposite of what the IJS is supposed to be about but as many have noted "judges are human."

Having a quad and a little charisma helps skaters weak in IN, spins, choreo , etc get better scores than what they are actually showing on the ice,

So yes, I agree a quad can change the equation quite a bit.

We also see this frequently in the Ladies - and just knowing that a skater might do a 3x3, or did one a couple of events ago seems to boost pcs even when they don't perform a 3x3.

Unfortunately reputation still rules .............

 

[yelyoh]

Yes, I agree with some of his points. What I don't agree with is his extremely narrow view of masculine behaviour and the massive chip on his shoulder comes through in his comments. He's also got a different view of what powerful skating is. Additionally, in between the lines, implicitly he is commenting about gender roles in a way I find harmful and spurious at best.

ITA, skating should be about speed, control, power, strength, grace, consistency, interpretation of music and overall athletic ability. What the hell does some concept of masculinity have to do with it? It does not make one a better skater if one fits into the mold. Maybe it makes folk who have issues with gay men uncomfortable but those same folks could easily have had the same level of discomfort with race in the past. And they probably wouldn't be watching FSing anyway.

 

[ks777]

I agree with Stojko. All these men are too feminine. Isn't that why we have ladies and men? I mean if all the men want to skate like girls, why we have two different categories? The general male audience just do not enjoy watching guys being feminine and graceful.