Patrick Chan Interview with Maclean's

[Bluebonnet]

Disagree. More like 'candid' and 'truthful' or 'politically incorrect' at worse.

I agree with this. It is very clear that if Patrick does what he's done at 2012 Canadian Nationals, no one with two clean programs could beat Patrick, not Takahashi, not Abbott, not Kozuka, none.

 

[seniorita]

I agree also, I never liked false modesty or pc words, and if you don't think you are the best you won't be the best anyway, Chan has champion mindset. If you skate like you have won already, you will win
The opposite are Kozuka and Abott, in my opinion.
Daisuke is already there as Chan, especially after Vancouver.

 

[jettasian]

He is as blunt as ever when he says that he's now the one to beat. But it's only arrogance if you're wrong!

Well, pretty much everyone believes that if he skates like he did at National, nobody can beat him. So why can't he say the same?

 

[Dragonlady]

He is as blunt as ever when he says that he's now the one to beat. But it's only arrogance if you're wrong!

You've taken his comments completely out of context and twisted them into something he didn't say. He said his goals changed after last years Worlds because up until he won Worlds and set the record for the highest score ever, there was always someone he wanted to do better than, someone he was aiming to knock off the podium, but at the beginning of this season, there was no one to look at and say "I want to knock him off the podium" because now the rest of the guys are looking at him and saying that about him because as World Champion and highest score ever, he's the one to beat.

Sounds a whole lot less arrogant when you put the entire comment into context.

 

[Violet Bliss]

He's just keeping the same mindset as the first time at the Nationals as the Canadian Champion. He said then he didn't come to defend his title but to attack it. One wins by knocking off the top guy/gal, and now that's himself. So he wants to be better than himself at last Worlds. When you have a winning formula, keep it.

eta. I don't think Serious Business called Patrick arrogant, more like acknowledging his current status. Just how I read her post.

 

[Spun Silver]

Especially considering that many people consider Kurt one of the best skaters of all time. He's definitely in my Top 2.

Who's the other one? Patrick?

*

Wonder how many skaters have compression pants. They look like rocket science!

 

[Violet Bliss]

Wonder how many skaters have compression pants. They look like rocket science!

It's really a simple idea but a matter of having them designed and manufactured. Enough athletes use them to make it a good enough market for their production. They might have originated as a medical device.

 

[Mathman]

Seriour Business said that Patrick is not arrogant, being not wrong. Right? (Maybe "arrogant only if" wiuld make it more clear than "only arrogant if." )

 

[Bluebonnet]

Seriour Business said that Patrick is not arrogant, being not wrong. Right? (Maybe "arrogant only if" wiuld make it more clear than "only arrogant if." )

Right. If Patrick won, he is not arrogant. If he didn't win, the only thing left for him if he says this is arrogance. That's what I understood Serious Business' meaning.

However, to me, Patrick is telling the absolute truth. So it is not arrogance whether he wins or loses. If he wins, all things are in order. If he loses, it means that he didn't skate the best he could in order to beat the old-himself. So it's Patrick battling with old-Patrick.

 

[Dragonlady]

Who's the other one? Patrick?

Alexei Yagudin

I think Patrick could be Top 3 in the future but it's way too early to tell.

 

[mmcdermott]

I find it rather condescending-your reply. Why would I know of a publication like this? There are a million US large publications I don't know. We're just so parochial here south of the border.

Of course you wouldn't, that's why I said "Of course, as an American you probably haven't ". It's just one of those funny differences between countries, that's all. Don't take me so seriously It's all in jest!

 

[seniorita]

You've taken his comments completely out of context and twisted them into something he didn't say. He said his goals changed after last years Worlds because up until he won Worlds and set the record for the highest score ever, there was always someone he wanted to do better than, someone he was aiming to knock off the podium, but at the beginning of this season, there was no one to look at and say "I want to knock him off the podium" because now the rest of the guys are looking at him and saying that about him because as World Champion and highest score ever, he's the one to beat.

Sounds a whole lot less arrogant when you put the entire comment into context.

you dont say..Plush was beating his own world record (total, sp and lp) throught the whole olympiad losing gold only two times, something I m sure Patrick is set up to do now each season, saying that after Yagudin there was none to chase, but somehow I remember a different drum from you

But as I said it would be ridiculous for Chan not to believe /say sth like that, since it is pretty much true. Although in just my opinion I want to see both him and Daisuke totally clean in sp and lp, skate to their full potential.

 

[Violet Bliss]

I don't think Kurt is just being modest. Actually Kurt is not alone in holding this opinion. Rod Black thinks so as well:
http://www.tsn.ca/figure_skating/story/?id=309724

Philippe Pelissier (skating coach and commentator) of France already declared Patrick Chan the best male skater in history. Kurt, of course, has been a long time fan of Patrick's skating, and is seeing even more potential.

Personally, I think Browning and Yagudin still have their years over Chan who needs more time to develop his artistry and versatility, to have a bigger and more varied repertoire, and to win more titles. But he is certainly among the best at his age, taking into consideration all aspects of figure skating. I don't think anyone has achieved his level in all areas of a program at 20 and now 21. (Of course, the sport progresses with time.) In fact, I think so far his biggest impact on the sport is combining quad jumps with exquisite and non stop footwork. This is one bar that has been permanently raised.

 

[Tonichelle]

^ Although...Kurt has seen a lot of them.

but he admits he doesn't watch himself, so....

If we were to fairly compare these guys, we'd have to wait until Kurt retired fully from skating and Patrick hit whatever age Kurt retires at... comparing Pat's age now to what Kurt looked like at the same age - I think Patrick has him beat, based wholey on the choreography (I don't think Kurt's skating got interesting until Casablanca, even his exhibitions were subpar choreographically). Blade to ice, I still think Kurt had him beat. And Kurt's 3A is the best in the world IMO, so...

 

[Serious Business]

Right. If Patrick won, he is not arrogant. If he didn't win, the only thing left for him if he says this is arrogance. That's what I understood Serious Business' meaning.

I know people are sensitive because Patrick has been besieged by antifans all the time. But I was agreeing with Patrick. He's just saying what any reasonable observer of figure skating is saying now: he's the one to beat. I don't think Patrick is being arrogant at all. He is, by far, the best male singles skater in the world right now. It was absolutely true when he said it. Now it's possible he'll deteriorate as a skater at worlds and/or have a really bad day or two. But that doesn't negate the fact that when he said this, he was right.

To recap: I don't think what Patrick said was arrogant. That won't change even if he loses worlds. And I stand by my statement of him being "blunt". It is a blunt thing to say, and not just from a PR standpoint, he is directly acknowledging to himself and everybody else that he has the most to lose right now, since he is the frontrunner. It works for him and it's great.

 

[Mathman]

but he admits he doesn't watch himself, so....

If we were to fairly compare these guys, we'd have to wait until Kurt retired fully from skating and Patrick hit whatever age Kurt retires at... comparing Pat's age now to what Kurt looked like at the same age - I think Patrick has him beat, based wholey on the choreography (I don't think Kurt's skating got interesting until Casablanca, even his exhibitions were subpar choreographically). Blade to ice, I still think Kurt had him beat. And Kurt's 3A is the best in the world IMO, so...

I believe that Scott Hamilton said that Kurt was the best skater he ever saw.

And Marie Davis of Far Rckaway, New York, thinks that Scott is the best she has ever seen.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29222.../scott-hamilton-trump-great-guy/#.TzQpk1F5nHg

 

[Spun Silver]

Alexei Yagudin

Browning and Yagudin - can't argue with you there!

 

[Tonichelle]

I believe that Scott Hamilton said that Kurt was the best skater he ever saw.

And Marie Davis of Far Rckaway, New York, thinks that Scott is the best she has ever seen.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29222.../scott-hamilton-trump-great-guy/#.TzQpk1F5nHg

I've seen Scott skate live TWICE... and he's the reason I'm a fan of the sport at all (he stole my heart at age four) it's just been the last, oh, ten years or so that I've said Kurt's the best SKATER ever... but best performer might still go to Scotty

 

[Serious Business]

While I prefer the skating of everybody from Browning to Yagudin to Chan to Takahashi, Plushenko, to me, is undeniably the greatest male skater ever. His sheer technical wizardry in jumps, his speed and command, and of course, his longevity in a sport that has become increasingly unfriendly to long careers. No one else comes close to his dominance and consistency.

Also, Chan is not going to overtake Browning in the greatness department unless he wins a few more World gold and/or the Olympics.

 

[Bluebonnet]

Chan is not going to overtake Browning in the greatness department unless he wins a few more World gold and/or the Olympics.

Agree!