So Is Brian Joubert Now Going To Complain About....

[Buttercup]

I kind of get what you're saying. He doesn't have the appearance that he loves it anymore. He just wants to win, and in a sport like this, just wanting to win usually isn't enough.

I would hesitate to analyze any person I don't know very well - and I don't know Brian at all. We know him from fluffs and interviews and skating - that's not a complete picture of who he is as a person. So I can't speak as to his motives, his goals and his dreams.

I don't know how many of you read it, but Jeffrey Buttle had a guest column in the LA Times right before Wolrds, in which he disucssed among other things his decision to retire kind of out of the blue. He wrote that he just realized that what he loved most about figure skating is not the compeition - though like everyone he wants to win - but to perform for an audience, and that he could do that outside competitive skating, and maybe be happier doing that.

Brian Joubert really wants that Olympic medal, but like Jeffrey I think he also loves to perform and to give people a performance to get excited about. Rise was practicially an EX - a converted one with all the content for CoP, but very much a gala program. When you watch him doing galas or on SSG, he's totally in his element and seems to really enjoy himself. I can't imagine Brian would call it a day without giving the Olympics his best shot. And I think he's right to do so. But I'm sure he'll also have a great career as a professional skater once he retires.

 

[screech]

I guess I should have written he doesn't 'seem' to express a love for the sport when he competes. It seems his main focus is winning and to me that isn't a healthy attitude to have.

 

[Buttercup]

What does concern me re Brian is that FFSG is apparently pressuring him to drop his current coach, and move away from Poitiers to train with someone who has experience preparing skaters for the Olympics - which Simond does not. I think pressure and coaching changes before an Olympic season is the last thing anyone needs.

Hopefully Brian find the best solution and come back motivated, happy ans strong next season.

 

[Medusa]

It seems his main focus is winning and to me that isn't a healthy attitude to have.

After his LP I thought for a second that he was going to cry (and make himself the laughing-stock of the Northern American media). He looked devastated. Crushed. Destroyed. And not in an active way, not like Verner, who could really mock himself and was mad with himself, but still managed a smile. Brian just looked so sad and defeated, just completely down. Simply miserable. He can't shrug his shoulders, he doesn't seem like he enjoys his successes and victories much... Burn-out syndrom?

What does concern me re Brian is that FFSG is apparently pressuring him to drop his current coach, and move away from Poitiers to train with someone who has experience preparing skaters for the Olympics - which Simond does not. I think pressure and coaching changes before an Olympic season is the last thing anyone needs.

Nooooo! Bad idea! I always thought that he should move away from home, like, you know, normal people do. Experience something new (Poitiers is quite provincial), widen his horizon... But not the year before the Olympics. Big No!

 

[Danale]

What does concern me re Brian is that FFSG is apparently pressuring him to drop his current coach, and move away from Poitiers to train with someone who has experience preparing skaters for the Olympics

Didn't know that, so weird ... I was just about to say that I would imagine that his strong desire for an Olympic title craving has probably something to do with his need to repent on Turin. Didn't he change coaches like 4 times before Turin? Does he refuse to learn his lesson?

 

[Danale]

One more thing:

... Brian just looked so sad and defeated, just completely down. Simply miserable.

I saw the LP press conference, and he actually seemed OK. I jokes about his fall, refered to it as "that beautiful 2A" with a smile on his face. Said it wasn't so bad, the bronze, and that tomorrow is a ne wday and he's already focusing on the OG.
Sure, he seems initially disappointed and hard on himself, but also like an athlete with an healthy attidute. I mean, if you don't care about winning anymore, that would be a burn-out sundrom.

 

[Buttercup]

Didn't he change coaches like 4 times before Turin? Does he refuse to learn his lesson?

It's not Brian's idea - it's Didier Gailhaguet, up to no good. I don't get it, either. If Brian is happy in Poitiers and that's were he feels comfortable, that's where he should train.

 

[Tonichelle]

After his LP I thought for a second that he was going to cry (and make himself the laughing-stock of the Northern American media).

you really have it in for us over here, don't you

I don't think his crying would have made much of a wave over here... he's in men's skating after all... there's like zippo coverage.

and the N. American media seemed to back off of Johnny Weir in Spokane when he had his breakdown - the board's weren't nice though.

even the most macho of US men in skating have cried at one point in time or another... including Mr. Lysacek... back when he had emotions

 

[Medusa]

you really have it in for us over here, don't you

I don't.

 

[TripletA]

I can honestly say I don't have a favorite men's skater. (I don't have any favorite skaters these days. THANKS Code) but reading all the comments Patrick Chan is the one coming out sounding like a jerk. Brian never mentioned a name. Chan has done nothing but name drop since the first comments came out.

What really made me start to be annoyed by Chan is the way he makes these obnoxious comments to the print media that he did not make to the TV media.
If he was even in his comments I might get why he is so upset but if he is going to act like Irina then I am going to feel the same way about him as I do about her. Irina was always so nice to the TV media but the comments in the Russian print media made me dislike her as a person as much as her skating. I don't want to feel that way about Chan.

 

[Hsuhs]

Irina was always so nice to the TV media but the comments in the Russian print media made me dislike her as a person as much as her skating.

Her infamous hamburger remark?

 

[Hikaru]

even the most macho of US men in skating have cried at one point in time or another... including Mr. Lysacek... back when he had emotions

OMG I almost chocked with a grape while reading this... lol

 

[Tonichelle]

sorry!

 

[Medusa]

This doesn't look good, doesn't look good at all...:think:
Short article about Gailhaguet on Joubert
Interview with Gailhaguet

La Fédération est prête à le soutenir sur les plans moral et économique. Mais si elle n’arrive pas à le convaincre, il sera de sa décision de faire autrement mais nous aurons un peu de mal à accepter qu’il ne souhaite pas être avec nous si près d’une telle échéance.

Cela ressemble à un ultimatum…
Je ne vais pas prendre Brian Joubert avec une corde au cou pour l’amener où je voudrais qu’il aille. Ca doit être une volonté personnelle et la Fédération soutiendra le plan que nous lui présenterons. S’il n’en veut pas, nous tirerons les enseignements qui s’imposent et il n’aura plus notre confiance.

Oh la la, that doesn't sound very friendly.

And whatever you say man, it sounds like an ultimatum.

 

[Buttercup]

This doesn't look good, doesn't look good at all...:think:

I read somewhere that FFSG has a press conference scheduled in Poitiers tomorrow, with DG and Brian. I really hope it's not what I think it is. Poor Brian, this is the last thing he needs to deal with right now.

 

[Medusa]

I read somewhere that FFSG has a press conference scheduled in Poitiers tomorrow, with DG and Brian. I really hope it's not what I think it is. Poor Brian, this is the last thing he needs to deal with right now.

But seriously, have you read that stuff? Hello? No wonder that Amodio, Ponsero and Préaubert bomb again and again - it's probably better than being the hope of the French Federation.

 

[Buttercup]

But seriously, have you read that stuff? Hello? No wonder that Amodio, Ponsero and Préaubert bomb again and again - it's probably better than being the hope of the French Federation.

Alban doesn't bomb, for the most part - he's just out of favor with the judges. And in all fairness, Amodio is too young and inexperienced for us to draw any conclusion about him yet.

I do feel for Brian, I imagine between DG and his mother he doesn't have much peace. And he has been FFSG's golden boy for seven years now - I can't begin to imagine how much pressure he's under. Maybe he should move to Russia to train just to get away from it all - and moving to Moscow looks to have done wonders for Nathalie and Fabian.

 

[Medusa]

I do feel for Brian, I imagine between DG and his mother he doesn't have much peace. And he has been FFSG's golden boy for seven years now - I can't begin to imagine how much pressure he's under. Maybe he should move to Russia to train just to get away from it all - and moving to Moscow looks to have done wonders for Nathalie and Fabian.

By the way, that was what I meant when I said that he seems unhappy and somehow not free.

But changing it all now, just a year before the Olympcis? Not the right strategy in my opinion.

 

[antmanb]

That is asbolutely disgraceful. I can't believe Brian has to put up with that. The one thing Brian obviously needs is some consistency in his coaching. Simond seems to have brought that and he seems to be happy skating in Poitiers. OK so both he and the french federation wanted a gold medal for him at the worlds. He had a few errors over the competition but it was hardly like he had Kostner's free skate. He came away with a medal. If he hadn't fallen on that damn double axel he'd probably have won. Why turn his world upside down because ni effect he fell on a double jump he can do in his sleep.

Didier Gailhaguet should ashamed of himself, truth be told after SLC he should not be allowed to have anything more to do with the sport at all.

Ant

 

[Buttercup]

Well, this is just online gossip and conjecture, but apparently Gailhaguet has been hoping to get Brian away from JCS for some time now - preferably to Annique Dumont - and is using Worlds as an excuse, saying that since changing the LP at the last moment was Simond's idea, he's a bad strategist. Which may be true, but ultimately this type of decision needs to be up to Brian and based on what he feels comfortable with.

But I agree that there is an acceptable amount of involvement for a federation, and Gailhaguet and FFSG are way beyond that here.