Should Patrick Chan go back to Chopin?

Isn't anyone else finding it slightly weird that Patrick Chan, one of the "old men" of competitive figure skating, appears to be too young at a casual glance to buy alcohol? I'm a relatively new fan of the sport, only started to pay attention during Sochi, so I'm still at the stage where I'm finding the short competitive life of skaters quite disconcerting. A quad is such a short time to enjoy a skater, see a variety of programs and poof! they're off the scene and the hunt for a new fave begins...

emipeters said:

Isn't anyone else finding it slightly weird that Patrick Chan, one of the "old men" of competitive figure skating, appears to be too young at a casual glance to buy alcohol? I'm a relatively new fan of the sport, only started to pay attention during Sochi, so I'm still at the stage where I'm finding the short competitive life of skaters quite disconcerting. A quad is such a short time to enjoy a skater, see a variety of programs and poof! they're off the scene and the hunt for a new fave begins...

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well...this is slightly off-topic but the law in BC is very strict. Anyone "who looks" under 25 is required to show photo ID, even if the drinking age is 19. For clubs, everyone no matter how old they look must show ID at the entry.

While I don't mind Chopin (I mean, it is an absolute masterpiece), but I think Hallelujah has the potential to be a great program too. He just needs to get used to the program and choreography and keep up with the jumps. What happened in Skate Canada was probably due to a rushed schedule and lack of conditioning. If he is better prepared next time he will definitely own the rink.

mrrice said:

Absolutely not!! His new LP is brilliant. When I saw the video from the Onyx Challenge, I was blown away by it. If he's healthy and skates well, I have no doubt he'll have a great year.

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I love his Hallelujah program but I think he is a guy who thinks too much and the Chopin program out of all his long programs seems to be the one that gives him no time to think and let his mind wander. His health and training have never been the issue in my opinion, it is whatever is going on in that mind of his.

I work in a winery and the Alcoholic Beverage Control in this state requires that anyone looking under the age of 30 be carded for their age. This smacks to me of an incident blown completely out of proportion and has virtually nothing to do with Patrick's commitment to skating, training, etc. I've met and talked to Patrick and he does have a young looking face. It's a judgement call.

NONE of us knows his commitment or how he feels about skating. He had a very bad competition. It's not unheard of. But to just automatically assume it's because he isn't committed is just wrong.

In many other threads people support the fact that Max Aaron is skating to music "some" think is not within his style - and yet he wants to skate to that music. Why is Patrick being judged differently. If I was a skater and had to listen to the same piece of music many times for days and weeks and months you can bet I would want to like it!

^^^

discombobulated said:

Should Patrick go back to his Chopin masterpiece?

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I would vote yes, but mainly because I cannot stand Hallelujah. I think it's an incredibly overrated song. Even Leonard Cohen felt it was performed far too often, by too many people.

It's entirely up to Patrick whether to change or not to change his program. However, we don't see the program's full capacity yet because Patrick was completely off at Skate Canada and subsequently withdrew from NHK trophy, so we won't see his appearance perhaps until Nationals. I wonder changing his program in the middle of the season is good for him in the end, because he has to take the full responsibility for whatever outcome will be. Moreover, he should consider about his participation in the Team Event. It's not an easy choice for him and Team Canada. Though, I'm not sure it's worth for him to take it unless the program is harshly criticized by many such as Tarasova/Morosov's FS. I don't see the case at all in Patrick's program.

Honestly, I was not entirely satisfied with the music choices of Patrick, but I initially felt the same about Sui/Han's music this season. Their SP is the same music as Patrick's FS. However, when they sold two programs with confidence back to back at Cup of China, my dissatisfaction about the music was away although I still think the choreography and music edit of the programs are not spectacular. They filled the gap with their charms and clean elements, so could Patrick. If he sticks with the Hallelujah, I'm fine with it.

The issue is not whether or not Patrick's program is a great one. Even at Onyx, we can tell it is a masterpiece. I was not a fan of the music but the choreography is so good that it made me love the program instantly. The OP was simply suggesting that Patrick did very well with the Chopin as it is mostly fast in tempo and it allowed Patrick to just go, skate and do his business. However, the Chopin was already an old friend having started it for Japan Open one full season before he came back...

Patrick learns his programs gradually. It was the same with Beatles and Journey. He gets better each time we see him compete... the only issue we are having is that we haven't seen him lately....
I wouldn't worry so much about Patrick right now. If he doesn't bring it at Nationals, then fine, let's worry then... but there is no point, in the next 6 weeks to doubt. He is a very experimented athlete. He knows what he is doing.

No better way to use my 10,000th post of GS than to look back at Patrick Chan at his best, 2016 Four Continents, skating to Chopin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMWoPkP1cJk

CanadianSkaterGuy said:

Gonna use my 10,000th post of GS to look back at Patrick at his best, 2016 Four Continents, skating to Chopin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMWoPkP1cJk

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what a brilliant use of a 10,000th post... OMG... check your inbox LOL

Mrs. P said:

I'm in the minority. I like both his programs and I think they are a breath of fresh air. Patrick, I think, just needs to refocus and skate the way he can.

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I think that getting back to an old program does not guarantee automatically a better start/competition and more confidence about it just because one skated the program already. This 'excellence' of an old program, memorable/successful performances of it in the past won't make present 'excellence' itself - I think that Chopin was indeed one of Patrick's best programs in entire career, but the time for it was then, he's probably in a different place in his skating now, physically and mentally. Bringing back the program just because it brought success therefore and is associated with good memories won't cure automatically all issues Patrick is going through - there is still work to be done even on the nicest memory, to re-create it in present time and surroundings.

And I'm with You in this minority - those programs put for me another light on Patrick and allow me to associate with his skating in different perspective/on different level. Their simplistic feel/vibe makes it easier for me to focus on the skater in all of it, not how loud the embellishment around him is; some would see it as a vice, this more 'personal exposure', for me it's brave, open, eye-opening experience. The sole circumstance that they were not cleanly skated/they did not score high yet does not make them automatically as ill-fitting, bad programs, nor it should - as You said, those programs need a skater to lead them, these are not 'going through the motions' pieces to sell themselves aside of a skater.

Wishing Patrick all the best, regardless of him plans for programs.

Yes.

Have you read this article?
https://bevsmithwrites.wordpress.com/2017/08/31/patrick-chan-dust-in-the-wind/

Chopin was certainly a wonderful program.
However, I think that music that he loves and is close to his essence is music of this season.
This season will be his last season.
I think that it is important that he enjoys Olympic from the bottom of his heart and that he choose music that he do not regret.

Should Patrick Chan
Go back to Chopin
Or should he
Go back to Elegy?

Mathman said:

Should Patrick Chan
Go back to Chopin
Or should he
Go back to Elegy?

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or Aranjuez or Take Five or make Esqualo as a program etc.... Patrick has given us many fabulous programs. He chose this year to start fresh because he has grown a lot since Sochi. Let's give him a chance to express himself. What we have seen so far isn't finished... but it is very promising.