In Johnny's own words

[Spun Silver]

The thing I find confusing about J's comments re scoring is that he doesn't seem to accept that programs w/falls can - correctly, according to COP - get scored higher than those w/o them.

But from reading COP threads, it seems pretty clear that so many elements get marks that, yes, a fall can be outweighed by quite a few things.

HOWEVER, not only Johnny but many skating fans repeatedly protest about this.

So as a non-skater I am confused. I wonder why COP treats falls this way and if this will be changed. It is certainly counterintuitive.

Oh, and about J's putdowns -

I didn't see anything that was a true putdown but I think his "wuzrobbed" remarks - not only about himself but jumping into the ladies' competitions - are technically bad manners. Like I said, it doesn't bother me, but I can't defend the practice.

 

[76olympics]

The chief "putdown" of E-man is the warm-up comment. He said E-man was "intimidating" during the warm-up because he wouldn't move or concede ice to other skaters skating in his vicinity (unlike Plushenko who would move to accomodate someone coming his way). Like most of you, I doubt this was intentional. E-man is a very nervous competitior and the pressure was greater for him competing in Canada. I imagine that he was wrapped up in his own world and just not focusing on Johnny.

It is unusual that Johnny is so diligent about his journal and Q and A. He does seem to really feel a responsibility to give this personal attention to those interested in him. Unfortunately, it does give more fodder to people who feel that he needs to be more reserved. I have mixed emotions about him. I like elements of his skating very much and I think he has great potential to achieve much more. I enjoy reading his comments, but I think I would advise him to edit himself more if I was close to him. I am sensitive too and I can relate to this quality in him.

 

[debdelilah]

debdelilah - I read something that Joubert commenting on Stephane just before the Worlds said something to the effect that Stephane made that story up about his knee injury. Oh well. boys will be boys.

Joe

Yes. Stephane, as far as I know, has been kind to everyone, and I prefer his skating to Brian's, but Brian would have to go even further than that if he wanted me to be seething with fury. The extent of human unkindness can go much, much further than unkind or unjust comments.

Johnny's didn't offend me at all, but I have a bias towards him. I want him to win, and overall, having read a lot of what he has said, I like him as a person.

One more incident of a skater commenting negatively about his competitors:
Have you read Ilia Klimkin's post-Worlds interview where he criticizes feminine male skaters? He says they don't deserve their PCS scores. He was talking about North American skaters in particular, which might mean Weir, Sandhu, and Buttle.

 

[orchid]

I wish his off the ice comments would cool down. I do not find them 'honest'. I find them reaching out to be noticed.

Joe

Absolutely agree! Distracting to the skating and causes focus on the gender preference. I don't care who is gay or not, but when THAT becomes a stronger discussion point than the skating, I'll turn the channel.

Or acting, or music, or art or dance or....

The local morning radio crew refers to Johnny as the angry gay-guy. Is this how Weir wishes to be remembered? I guess he is too imature to understand..

 

[antmanb]

Gosh, thank you for that history. Who'da thunk it! I just remember how he struck me when he won - I didn't pick up on (or at least understand) his emotion - just saw something glorious and astounding.

So were they bitter rivals because Yagudin thought the judges were undermarking him? or just plain rivalry?

I think the bitter rivalry was around them both having been Mishin's students. I haven't read too many hard facts but many rumours about the situation and i think the rumour was that Mishin spent more time with Pluschenko and Pluschenko was the young golden boy who took over as Mishin's favourite after Urmanov anbd Yags was left with the "middling child" syndrome and went off to TT.

Ant

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

One more incident of a skater commenting negatively about his competitors:
Have you read Ilia Klimkin's post-Worlds interview where he criticizes feminine male skaters? He says they don't deserve their PCS scores. He was talking about North American skaters in particular, which might mean Weir, Sandhu, and Buttle.

IMO, Klimkin is the ONLY Russian male skater that is different than the others. Dobrin, Griazev are all Yagudin wannabees. Maybe this Uspenski(sp) can do something besides Toreadors or Warriors, but they dont wont to be considered sissies. Lyricalphobia.

Joe

 

[antmanb]

One more incident of a skater commenting negatively about his competitors:
Have you read Ilia Klimkin's post-Worlds interview where he criticizes feminine male skaters? He says they don't deserve their PCS scores. He was talking about North American skaters in particular, which might mean Weir, Sandhu, and Buttle.

That's quite funny because i was think of Klimkin as being the most "Femmey" skater of all the russians at the moment.

Ant

 

[Kasey]

Griazev has shown he can do lyrical. He has also shown, on Averbukh's tour, that he can do fun, and romantic. It would be nice to see him do a full program of it. I don't find him to be a Yagudin wannabe. Some of the choreography of course would be similar, with having the same coach/choreographer. But Yagudin's programs were very character driven throughout. I don't see that at all with Griazev.

I don't think of Klimkin as being a "femmey" skater at all....just different and skating to his own drummer. (Although he has performed programs dressed as a woman before!)

 

[debdelilah]

That's quite funny because i was think of Klimkin as being the most "Femmey" skater of all the russians at the moment.

Ant

It was being discussed at FSU a couple weeks ago, here: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37910

There's a link to the original interview, but it's in Russian. Part of it is translated in the first post.

His main points from the translated part are:

1) That he thinks COP values 3-3s too highly relative to 4-2s, and that this is done to favor North American skaters.

2) That North American skaters get inflated PCS points just for being feminine and graceful.