Nobu pulls out of Japanese Nationals, so no Worlds too

[sorcerer]

Oda pulled out of the coming nationals this week, statement from him said to be a half day ago.
Some news source say the reason is a psychological one.
So he can't show himself in the Worlds too.
JSF seems angry about this.

If you can read Japanese...
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/flash/KFullFlash20071224022.html

 

[debdelilah]

It seems very sudden, not a well thought out decision. Is it too late for him to change his mind?

 

[Mathman]

I think Oda's whole career might b in jeopardy. He just seems crushed by this incident.

The Japanese Skating Federation should be thinking about how they can support and nuture him in his state of despondancy, rather than be angry that they might not get three places at next years worlds.

 

[kandidy]

My god, poor him.

 

[bekalc]

A part of me wants to shake him because I refuse to feel sorry for him. He made a mistake and well he has to move on with the mistake. IF he cannot handle the pressure and move on he'll never get the success he could receive. I wish someone would shake him and tell him to stop his pity party.

 

[emma]

Oh, I hate to hear this. I was so worried that not doing the GPs would make his Nationals a poor outing, I never expected a 'no-show'...and this really will make next year rougher, if there is even one for him. I do hope there is.

 

[DragonPhoenix]

Very sorry to hear about this.

Hopefully, he can come back strong next year.

 

[slutskayafan21]

He wasnt a contender this year anyway. The favorites are Lambiel, Takahashi, Joubert; the challengers are Lysacek and Verner; the dark horse is Weir. I wouldnt be surprised if his best days were already behind him. I dont mind if they are since I never cared for his skating at all and always found him overrated. He has some qualities, but he has such an immature skating style, it is like 9 year old performing. Sorry if that sounds mean but it is how I feel.

 

[emma]

I don't entirely disagree with slutskayafan21 - last year, Oda had a youthfulness about him and his skating versus a matureness of other skaters; I thought he placed accordingly, and really enjoyed his jump spring and cool/calm landings with nice run out, and looked forward to seeing what a summer of training would do to change his skating (including, maybe, a quad - or a new style or whatever). I was saddened that we didn't get to see that this Fall, and while I am repeating myself, still fill sad that now we won't see him at all this season. I wish him the best.

 

[hockeyfan228]

I am very sorry to hear this. I was looking forward to seeing him skate this year.

I understand that the Japanese Federation's actions were squarely within the cultural norm, and now they must live with the consequences, which culturally, they should be prepared to do.

 

[demarinis5]

I think Oda's whole career might b in jeopardy. He just seems crushed by this incident.

The Japanese Skating Federation should be thinking about how they can support and nuture him in his state of despondancy, rather than be angry that they might not get three places at next years worlds.

I agree Mathman. I am concerned about his emotional well being. The shame thing is very tough in some cultures, imo.

 

[bekalc]

I agree Mathman. I am concerned about his emotional well being. The shame thing is very tough in some cultures, imo.

While I don't feel sorry for him, I'm actually concerned with his well being too.

 

[Mathman]

I do feel bad for him. Nobu is obviously in a very fragile emotional state right now. It is easy to say, buck up, pull yourself together, put you troubles behind you and get on with your life. Sometimes it doesn't happen that way.

I think we should walk a mile in his shoes before we say, oh well, I didn't care that much for his skating anyway.

 

[Hsuhs]

How sad.

 

[Oscilla]

I sort of expected that, though I would never admit it aloud in fear of tempting fate.

He is too good-hearted a person to get over a thing like that so easily. If the press and JSF made him believe that he is "worthless", then nothing short of turning back time could stop him from hating himself.

For him, skating was not to get medals, but to share his joy and love of skating, and to see happy faces in audience was his greatest happiness. Now when he probably believes that people are angry at him or hate him, how he is supposed to skate in front of those people?

Some of the Japanese articles really painted him as the heart of blackest evil, twisting facts to add more dramatics. There were a few trolls that appeared on figure skating message boards and saying that Nobu should be banned from competing forever, and that if he appears at Nationals, they will throw stones at him. Judging by the language they used, they were most probably jealous teenagers, but if Nobu read some of the messages (which were sent to his blog, too), then it is very probable that he thought that if he does skate in Nationals, people will hate him even more, that they will treat it as act of stubborness and lack of humility, as laughing in the face of victims of all car crashes.

I'm beyond devastated for him - I'm afraid that torn between wanting to please fans/JSF/coaches through competing and cleaning the family name; and between wanting to please his haters through disappearing from the public - he will chose the only way to reconcile those two options and commit suicide.

I just do not have words.

I do, however, have a few words that I would like to tell to JSF, most preferably supported with a more physical expression of my distaste. First they treat him as a piece of trash that got stuck to their shoes - and now they are disappointed that they will lose 3 spots? Have they no heart or imagination? ...Rhetorical question, I know. :disapp:

 

[yelyoh]

I'm disappointed and saddened to hear this news. I did not like either Oda or Mao when I first saw them skate. Too cutesy. But I did like their athleticism. I can see how Mao has matured into a really good skater whom I like watching a lot now. I expected that Oda would go through the same maturing process and I really looked forward to his presence at World's.

I remember his crying when he was happy with a competition result a couple of years ago and this suggested someone very sensitive. If he is that sensitive, that would account for his reaction in part. Having lived in Japan I have seen first hand how difficult it can be for Japanese youth to be punished in a public manner (disallowing Oda to skate in the Grand Prix series). That was something I had to learn as a teacher. Of course, his driving while drunk was a bad choice of behavior and he needed to have it impressed upon him that he needed to make more mature decisions. Perhaps he is being childish or perhaps very embarrassed and hurt.

I think the Japanese Fed is misguided sometimes in its reaction to skaters' behavior/success. They can also be very fickle. Everyone is losing out in this: Oda, the Japanese Fed and fans and skating fans in general.

 

[Jaana]

I was very surprised about the news that Oda will not be competing at the Nationals as I kind of expected him to arrive there well-trained. Apparently I did not fully understand the cultural difference, about that shame feeling. Of course it is natural that people feel ashamed after having done something bad, but Oda got his punishment and the matter should be over. After having read Oscilla´s posting above I can though understand now about his unwillingness to appear in a public event. On the other hand if Oda does not appear in any skating event now, the matter of appearing might get to be even more difficult for him next season?

 

[Tinymavy15]

I think Oda's whole career might b in jeopardy. He just seems crushed by this incident.

The Japanese Skating Federation should be thinking about how they can support and nuture him in his state of despondancy, rather than be angry that they might not get three places at next years worlds.

I sort of expected that, though I would never admit it aloud in fear of tempting fate.

He is too good-hearted a person to get over a thing like that so easily. If the press and JSF made him believe that he is "worthless", then nothing short of turning back time could stop him from hating himself.

For him, skating was not to get medals, but to share his joy and love of skating, and to see happy faces in audience was his greatest happiness. Now when he probably believes that people are angry at him or hate him, how he is supposed to skate in front of those people?

Some of the Japanese articles really painted him as the heart of blackest evil, twisting facts to add more dramatics. There were a few trolls that appeared on figure skating message boards and saying that Nobu should be banned from competing forever, and that if he appears at Nationals, they will throw stones at him. Judging by the language they used, they were most probably jealous teenagers, but if Nobu read some of the messages (which were sent to his blog, too), then it is very probable that he thought that if he does skate in Nationals, people will hate him even more, that they will treat it as act of stubborness and lack of humility, as laughing in the face of victims of all car crashes.

I'm beyond devastated for him - I'm afraid that torn between wanting to please fans/JSF/coaches through competing and cleaning the family name; and between wanting to please his haters through disappearing from the public - he will chose the only way to reconcile those two options and commit suicide.

I just do not have words.

I do, however, have a few words that I would like to tell to JSF, most preferably supported with a more physical expression of my distaste. First they treat him as a piece of trash that got stuck to their shoes - and now they are disappointed that they will lose 3 spots? Have they no heart or imagination? ...Rhetorical question, I know.

Again proving my point that the japanese skating world will killl it'seft in a few years. The things that those skaters go through is not normal. The media there is cruel and will bring doom to the very people the idolize. I wish that the japanese skating world would get back to reality.

 

[Oscilla]

what happened here? psychological? does that mean personal problems? did he lose somebody close to him?

No, that means mental problems. He is unable to get over the guilt, as I said in my previous post.

I doubt he ever needed to be "taught a lesson". I think that if at that night he choose a different road and not right into the checkpoint just 50m away from the station, and later learned that he wasn't as completely sober as he thought he was, he would be just as devastated. He so much wanted to be a perfect kid and be acknowledged and praised...

He could blame himself for the strangest of things - he had tears in his eyes when a year after he won 4CC 2006 he said that he cannot forgive himself stopping the program for awhile. He had bruised hip, he had to be given oxygen after that perforormance, he won anyway - and still, a year after, a memory of this "failure" could him bring nerly to tears a year later.

On the other hand if Oda does not appear in any skating event now, the matter of appearing might get to be even more difficult for him next season?

I start to doubt we'll ever see him competing or in shows. I just pray for his personal happiness.

I'm sorry for babbling, I was just really hard hit by this...

 

[bekalc]

He could blame himself for the strangest of things - he had tears in his eyes when a year after he won 4CC 2006 he said that he cannot forgive himself stopping the program for awhile. He had bruised hip, he had to be given oxygen after that perforormance, he won anyway - and still, a year after, a memory of this "failure" could him bring nerly to tears a year later.

But Oda cannot be like this if, he wants to be a world and Olympic champion. He will have to accept that he's not perfect. This is an opportunity for Oda to do so..