NBC Coverage of Grand Prix Final - December 8, 2013 | Page 3 | Golden Skate

NBC Coverage of Grand Prix Final - December 8, 2013

Icey

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
I reacted to chain's statement as many of you did, but on reviewing I really think he was being sarcastic and it misfired.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Nonsense, you can have a winning attitude and still be respectful and gracious to your competitors. Yuzuru here and the likes of Daisuke Takahashi, who's beloved not only for his skating but his humble personality, come to mind.

Anyway, this was an unfortunate thing to say but I think Patrick just had another foot in mouth moment here, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. Still, he has to be more careful of his words from this point on - in the runup to the Olympics, people are going to be analyzing his every word and he needs to expect that. Hoping he gets through the Olympics with minimal controversy, so the attention can be solely on his skating.

ITA. For the record, I wasn't extremely upset or anything, just wanted to note that I took pause at the statement, as my husband, who was watching with me. I don't think Patrick is a bad person, just, as pitterpatter noted, puts his foot in his mouth with what he says sometimes.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
... It seems like some hang on every word out of Patrick's mouth and turn it into a negative.

I reacted to chain's statement as many of you did, but on reviewing I really think he was being sarcastic and it misfired.

I agree that Chan's comment was intended to be ironic and self-deprecating.

~~~~~~~~~~

The following is a bit of a non sequitur, but Chan kept the media at TEB waiting many minutes in order to spend time with fans first -- as reported by one of our own at GS, Sara M.

The point is that pleasing the media is not Chan's #1 priority -- and that is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned.

SaraM shared her observations in a TEB thread. Her real goal had been to meet Jason Brown (who also was/is a lovely person), and then she happened to meet Chan too.

... I also met Patrick and boy was that funny, first of all i have a newfound respect for Patrick now, he is not cocky whatsoever and you can see that he appreciates his fans, he was willingly posing for pictures then kathy came and started chase everyone away, babling about theyre on a tight schedule and he needs to rest, she was running in and out of the elevator like a headless chicken like shes so important and kept saying come patrick, Patrick just ignored her and kept interacting with the fans, very classy! Also i noticed after he got his record score today, all the media and everyone was around him and he just left them and instead started signing autograps for fans from the tribune for like 15 min! And the whole time the media wanted to talk to him but he just kept signing!! ...
 

SGrand

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
I agree that Chan's comment was intended to be ironic and self-deprecating.

~~~~~~~~~~

The following is a bit of a non sequitur, but Chan kept the media at TEB waiting many minutes in order to spend time with fans first -- as reported by one of our own at GS, Sara M.

The point is that pleasing the media is not Chan's #1 priority -- and that is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned.

SaraM shared her observations in a TEB thread. Her real goal had been to meet Jason Brown (who also was/is a lovely person), and then she happened to meet Chan too.


He was smiling when he said it. Yeah, probably not the best thing to say, but he seemed to be joking and being sarcastic. We are also not shown what the interviewer asked him, we're we? I deal with press junkets and media a lot, and interviewers are not stupid and they know how to lead and it can be very confusing when they only air segments and questions are cut out. That said, I like how candid he is, but he cod use a bit more media training (it's not easy though people!). Also, he is allowed to have confidence, they all are, they are world class athletes in their sports. Honestly, as much as I like Hanyu, and he killed it this weekend, I'm over the whole him not believing he's a threat. Like, come on lol, you're amazing and people have been touting you as the next big thing for the last few years and you are proving yourself. You are a threat, own it and stop the shocked humble stuff. Lol
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
:agree: Agree with your complaints against Schlanger after showing Davis/White's FD.
Virtue/Moir broke D/W's world records in both the SD and FD ... and then D/W broke both of V/M's minutes-old WRs.
Although D/W are Americans and NBC is an American network, shame on Schlanger for ignoring the real take-home message of the GPF dance competition: the rivalry btwn D/W and V/M is very much alive. :yes:

On a different subject: glad that NBC acknowledged the pairs competition this time. :)

And thanks to SS and to the mods for getting the thread title changed. :bow:


Of course the Marlie/Voir rivalry is very much alive. It's been the same story for the last five years. Marlie races out to an early lead; Voir catches up; and then the team who best hits their levels and makes the fewest mistakes wins Olympic and/or World Gold. I'm still perplexed why this seems to be a "new" story every year.

NBC's coverage of figure skating is, on the whole, atrociously jingoistic. Always has been. Why is this shocking too? I praise the heavens for the internet, because now I don't have to listen to the rah rah USA crap parade on NBC--even if this means sitting through commercials for every known medical malady on Latvian television. Actually, the Latvian commercials were hilarious and definitely far more entertaining than listening to some NBC talking head speaking out of, well let's just say, a completely different orifice!
 

zydeco88

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Like, come on lol, you're amazing and people have been touting you as the next big thing for the last few years and you are proving yourself. You are a threat, own it and stop the shocked humble stuff. Lol

This is what he said after Trophée Eric Bompard, originally published in a Japanese article on November 19, 2013.

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/sports/figureskate/all/1314/columndtl/201311190003-spnavi
A day following the conclusion of the competition, Hanyu took a fresh look back.
"It's a huge accomplishment to have been able to deliver my performance without getting carried away by Patrick's great presence. In the free, I believe that I'm capable of breaking 100 points in TES if I land the quad salchow. Instead of being overly conscious of Takahashi, Machida and Patrick, I should focus on my own performance and of course, it'd be great if it shows in the result. That's not to deny that I want to win, that I'm full of regrets, that I want to become stronger and that I want to see a gold medal after a long while. It's just that I've come to think that if I perform [to the best of my ability], I definitely can win, so I want to focus on myself. [It's about finding] balance. I think the way I maintain my focus may have changed a bit."

It's the matter of drawing the line between confidence and arrogance. "I can swear that I don't see myself a rival at all" and "Patrick is an existence above the clouds (unreachable)" but "if I perform [to the best of my ability], I can win."

He's not exactly self-effacing, he's a confident and proud young man but he knows when to be modest, regardless of whether it's intentional or not.

That said, I don't think that Chan's remark is so distasteful that it warrants a few pages of overblown reactions.

Don't athletes in sports other than figure skating say this kind of stuff all the time -- without the perception of being dismissive of or condescending toward their rivals? :confused2: :think:
This. :thumbsup: To be honest, I've heard the phrase so many times that I've become desensitized by it. That, or I've learned to paraphrase every comment Patrick makes as he's not exactly the most tactful skater around and is relatively prone to make a Freudian slip.
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
You know, there are just some people who think they're clever and witty and funny and simply cannot tell a joke or carry off an ironic comment. Mr Chan strikes me as one of these types.

Then again, trash talking is a great sports tradition--especially in North America. My goodness, what Mr Chan said is nothing compared to what you might hear at any average American Little League game any given summer. And that's only what you hear from the spectator/parents!
 

SGrand

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
This is what he said after Trophée Eric Bompard, originally published in a Japanese article on November 19, 2013.

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/sports/figureskate/all/1314/columndtl/201311190003-spnavi


It's the matter of drawing the line between confidence and arrogance. "I can swear that I don't see myself a rival at all" and "Patrick is an existence above the clouds (unreachable)" but "if I perform [to the best of my ability], I can win."

He's not exactly self-effacing, he's a confident and proud young man but he knows when to be modest, regardless of whether it's intentional or not.

That said, I don't think that Chan's remark is so distasteful that it warrants a few pages of overblown reactions.


This. :thumbsup: To be honest, I've heard the phrase so many times that I've become desensitized by it. That, or I've learned to paraphrase every comment Patrick makes as he's not exactly the most tactful skater around and is relatively prone to make a Freudian slip.

Thanks for that! It's nice to see, I thought he was kind of in disbelief all of the time and was shocked. Good to know he has confidence and it's building. I agree with everything you're saying here. As someone who always tries to joke and make light of things, I have put my foot in my mouth and said "a few"awkward things so I can relate to PC lol. Maybe he's not the most tactful and quick on his feet when thinking in interviews, but I don't really think any of his competitors think ill of him for what he says. They are all competitors, but they know and respect each other, for the most part I'm sure. There are probably lots of jokes that we don't know about.
 

SGrand

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
You know, there are just some people who think they're clever and witty and funny and simply cannot tell a joke or carry off an ironic comment. Mr Chan strikes me as one of these types.

Then again, trash talking is a great sports tradition--especially in North America. My goodness, what Mr Chan said is nothing compared to what you might hear at any average American Little League game any given summer. And that's only what you hear from the spectator/parents!

Hahahaha! Totally agree here, with both paragraphs. I think he would really like to joke around, but then tries to be serious and then the delivery is all wrong and blows up in his face.
I'm a fan of his and grew up with numerous sports in my family, so interviews with figure skaters, even Chan Lol, are the most tame things I have heard haha! Although I wonder if they trash talk each other during warm up or before they hit the ice? Haha! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are intimidation tactics going on, but they are hardly like a lot of sports out there.
 

Sasha'sSpins

Medalist
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Country
United-States
Patrick just said he "let Hanyu win this one." Oh Patrick... I love your programs but ...

That didn't sit well with me either. :disapp: It reminded me of Gracie Gold's rather arrogant remark from last year that Ashley 'belonged' up there 'with her'.

Bored watching Ashley ..... Johnny thinks that the audience did not connect with her FP performance.

I agree with Johnny's assessment. I wish so much that Ashley went back to her "Black Swan" FS. This one is okay but it's not GREAT imo.

If Lipnitskaia had a fall, I would agree with you. But I dislike the whole falling on a more difficult jump = win over someone skating a clean program.

I think Julia should have won the FS but that Mao should still have won overall on the strength of her SP. In the end though I think all of the placements were correct.

I suggest people go back and listen again to what Patrick said. He didn't say he LET Hanyu win this one - he said it was OKAY for Hanyu to win this one. BIG difference people. And yes I would agree that the dance competition is going to be fierce but don't think Schlanger was out of line....the last 2 times the teams have met, D&W have won. Doesn't matter if its a landslide or a tenth of a point. They won and certainly deserve to be considered the favorites going into the Olys. I think the Free Dance at the Olys is going to be the most exciting competition of the whole season.

Patrick's remark still came off as arrogant. It was off-putting the way that he phrased it. It's not the first time he's made such remarks either. I really love his skating when he's on but as a person not so much.

Nonsense, you can have a winning attitude and still be respectful and gracious to your competitors. Yuzuru here and the likes of Daisuke Takahashi, who's beloved not only for his skating but his humble personality, come to mind.

Anyway, this was an unfortunate thing to say but I think Patrick just had another foot in mouth moment here, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. Still, he has to be more careful of his words from this point on - in the runup to the Olympics, people are going to be analyzing his every word and he needs to expect that. Hoping he gets through the Olympics with minimal controversy, so the attention can be solely on his skating.

Well put. You don't have to come off as a jerk to have a champion's mindset - and once too many times Patrick comes off as obnoxious. Whose he to say he'll 'let' Hanyu win the GPF? It reminded me of another obnoxious character - Kanye 'Taylor, 'im a let you finish' West.

Sure, athletes in other sports have said and acted worse - doesn't mean we have to like it or just accept what Chan says without comment. We all have opinions and have a right to express it if an athlete seems to have Foot in Mouth disease.

I'd rather see small jumps over attempted big jumps with falls.

Same here.
There have been skaters on the podium in the past who were not great.

THIS. I think that when she's on Julia IS great and she'll deserve a place on the podium in Sochi if she skates lights out in both of her programs there. I think general Olympic fans and the media will really take to another child-woman Olympic star.
 

100yen

You can't explain witchcraft
Medalist
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
I understand how some people can accept Patrick's statement and even applaud him for the arrogance, but I think to a lot of casual FS viewers, it comes across as being very conceited and a sore loser. As zydeco88 mentioned, there is a very fine line between coming across as confident or obnoxious. Watching the GPF with a few friends and family members who don't follow skating closely, he just came off as kind of a jerk to them. :eek:hwell:
Sure Patrick can live up to his words. But just because you can say something doesn't always mean you should...and this certainly isn't a rare occurrence with him.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I understand how some people can accept Patrick's statement and even applaud him for the arrogance, but I think to a lot of casual FS viewers, it comes across as being very conceited and a sore loser. As zydeco88 mentioned, there is a very fine line between coming across as confident or obnoxious. Watching the GPF with a few friends and family members who don't follow skating closely, he just came off as kind of a jerk to them. :eek:hwell:
Sure Patrick can live up to his words. But just because you can say something doesn't always mean you should...and this certainly isn't a rare occurrence with him.

My husband definitely felt that way too. He said that he felt the interview started out well but then went into "douche land" with that comment.
 

wallylutz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
My husband definitely felt that way too. He said that he felt the interview started out well but then went into "douche land" with that comment.

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...nd-not-a-rival&p=803522&viewfull=1#post803522

Courtesy of Mathman from a related thread :

Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek finished in an exact numerical tie (244.77) at 2007 U.S. Nationals, and Lysacek won on the tie-breaker. IIRC Weir's comment was, "Well, I have three (U.S. titles), so I'll let him have two."

Waiting for the Santos and Santas of this thread to unequivocally condemn Johnny Weir. :rolleye:

Another wise point made by the legendary Mathman, and I quote :

Cultural norms. The "Heroic Boast" in western literature goes back to Beowulf, Homer, and Gilgamesh. Courteous speech is more valued in Japan.

My view is that there are just too many fake people and those who smile at you but backstab you in this world. Times after times, we learn from news that the worst of the crooks turned out to be sweetest talkers and often, the best liars. No need to look very far however, just ask yourself, how many times have you or have one of your girlfriends fall for a sweet talking guy who turned out to be a jerk? What's amazing to me people keep falling for the same trick without learning the lesson, not that I am talking about any poster in particular.

Figure Skating is already very much a politically correct sport. With few exceptions, most of the so called "controversial" statements from a number of skaters are really much ado about nothing and nothing. I am reminded also of the "onry one sandwrich" incident from Graice Gold - again, much ado about nothing and nothing. Seriously, people who find these statements objectionable really need a life and get away from their computer screen for a while. There are so many real injustices and real discriminations in this world that seriously demand our attention, even in sports, that these non-senses just seem like a joke in comparison.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Math is right. The epic boast is a traditional genre. I always figure the best follow at it was Mike Fink, king of the riverboatmen on the Mississippi.



http://books.google.com/books?id=yh...A#v=onepage&q=I'm a Salt River roarer&f=false

I'm a Salt River roarer! I'm a ring-tailed squealer! I'm a regular squealer from the old Massassip! WHOOP! I'm the very infant that refused his milk before its eyes were open and called out for a bottle of old Rye! I love the women & I'm chockful of fight! I'm half wild horse and half cock-eyed alligator and the rest of me is crooked snags and red hot snappin' turkle. I can hit like fourth proof lightnin' and every lick I make in the woods lets in an acre o' sunshine. I can out-run, out-jump, out-fight, rough 'n' tumle, no holds barred, any man both sides of the river from Pittsburgh to New Orleans an back agin to St. Louiee. C'mon you flatters, you bargers, you milk white mechanics an' see how tough I am to chew! I ain't had a fight for two days, and I'm spileing' for exercise. Cock a doodle do!

Patrick's saying are very mild compared to Mike's
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
My view is that there are just too many fake people and those who smile at you but backstab you in this world. Times after times, we learn from news that the worst of the crooks turned out to be sweetest talkers and often, the best liars. No need to look very far however, just ask yourself, how many times have you or have one of your girlfriends fall for a sweet talking guy who turned out to be a jerk? What's amazing to me people keep falling for the same trick without learning the lesson, not that I am talking about any poster in particular

Figure Skating is already very much a politically correct sport. With few exceptions, most of the so called "controversial" statements from a number of skaters are really much ado about nothing and nothing. I am reminded also of the "onry one sandwrich" incident from Graice Gold - again, much ado about nothing and nothing. Seriously, people who find these statements objectionable really need a life and get away from their computer screen for a while. There are so many real injustices and real discriminations in this world that seriously demand our attention, even in sports, that these non-senses just seem like a joke in comparison.

First of all, I'm not saying the statement is controversial or even that big of a concern. Nor do I consider it a huge injustice or travesty. Just that it gave me pause. As it did for my husband.

And my husband even said "I'm sure Patrick Chan is a nice guy, but he really comes off as a douche with that statement." That's all he said. He didn't make a big deal about it. In fact that's all he said about it. That conversation lasted all but 10 minutes on our way home from dinner.

And Johnny Weir's statements are just as questionable. Had I been around for that comment in 2008, I probably would have reacted the same way. For the record, I didn't care for the fact that he was picking on Patrick during his commentary of 2010 Worlds on Universal Sports.

In the end, I agree Patrick's statement wasn't all that maddening, but again as 100yen pointed out, it's worth noting that casual fans (or even non skating fans) are taking pause.
 

spikydurian

Medalist
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
My view is that there are just too many fake people and those who smile at you but backstab you in this world. Times after times, we learn from news that the worst of the crooks turned out to be sweetest talkers and often, the best liars. No need to look very far however, just ask yourself, how many times have you or have one of your girlfriends fall for a sweet talking guy who turned out to be a jerk? What's amazing to me people keep falling for the same trick without learning the lesson, not that I am talking about any poster in particular.

Figure Skating is already very much a politically correct sport. With few exceptions, most of the so called "controversial" statements from a number of skaters are really much ado about nothing and nothing. I am reminded also of the "onry one sandwrich" incident from Graice Gold - again, much ado about nothing and nothing. Seriously, people who find these statements objectionable really need a life and get away from their computer screen for a while. There are so many real injustices and real discriminations in this world that seriously demand our attention, even in sports, that these non-senses just seem like a joke in comparison.

The reality is that the figure skating audience are mostly female and more so in Asian countries judging from the many glimpses of the audience. Women like words to be 'apologetic' because it shows humility. Never mind if what is being said is straight from the heart. So long it sounds good, it is good .. ..while the charade lasts.

People forget this is MALE skating not FEMALE skating. The masculinity of sport or figure skating. The Elvis Stojos, the Plushenkos, the Yagudins etc. They survived because they believe in themselves. In the male dominated kingdom of sport, I don't think any athlete who insist on being politically correct will ever survive. Let us not forget they are elite athletes and not politicians. We tend to forget that. We like our athletes pre-packaged in all glittery, shining and perfect armour. Alas in many instances, perfect armours fall apart to reveal an ordinary human soul much like all of us - warts and all.

dorispulaski said:
Math is right. The epic boast is a traditional genre. I always figure the best follow at it was Mike Fink, king of the riverboatmen on the Mississippi.
How about Mohammed Ali? His classic, "I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee". His fame reaches every nook and corner of the earth. Who doesn't know Mohammed Ali? Ask the men. Those who find Patrick's jest comment arrogant, they will find Mohammed Ali an a##$%hole.
 
Top