Kim's representatives end Orser's coaching relationship threads merged

[ImaginaryPogue]

I always thought from the interviews that it was DAVID who opened up Yu-na emotionally. I remember reading an interview in 2007 where Brian mentioned that he and Yu-na have very much a coach/student relationship but that David and Yu-na do things together outside of skating. He takes Yu-na to shows etc. And also it was David who mentioned his goal of trying to get Yu-na to smile. Don't get me wrong it seemed liked Brian and Yu-na got a lot closer later on, but I always thought Yu-na was way closer with David Wilson than she was with Brian.

And I really don't see Yu-na falling for Brian. I mean I could be wrong, but I mean dont' get me wrong Orser is attractive, but the guy's no Sasha on Make it or Break It. :lol: I do feel for Brian because he does seem to be geniunely hurt. But I do call bss a bit on the out of the blue given the Cricket Club Reports. Something went down.

Probably. I'm not actually familiar with who was more responsible, but my point was more that I believed this team to be awesome and that it's end surprises and saddens me. That it's ended with this much acrimony is disappointing, and that makes this even more sad.

 

[feraina]

What's for certain is that both seem very hurt by the situation. It helps me personally to have at least some semblance of an explanation, though most of you might not agree -- within my take of the situation, I can at least understand why both have been acting the way they have without either having been insincere or unfair. I don't think we'll ever hear the real story from either side, especially if I'm right, so whatever personal explanation you can find to set your mind at ease, I say go for it.

 

[aftertherain]

I don't think Feraina was posting a romance rumor, she was openly speculating which is different. Just as I wonder if maybe Orser realized the relationship with Yu-na is done, so Mao may be showing up at the Cricket Club. Who the heck knows.

I understand that, but open speculations can turn into rumors. I'll leave it at that.

 

[brownfox]

I can't believe how messy this is. Just see the Google page and you have 350 plus articles already about the split up and painted Yuna's mom as the evil one. Sad.

 

[lavender]

Wow I'm just surprised how shady this sounds. Yu na is confused because she's probably not pulling the strings and have to obey her mom but she didn't email Brian back at all after he continued to contact her. Just sounds off.

 

[R.D.]

Feraina, I did not say all Koreans were cold. They aren't. But the Yu Na group has behaved in a very cold manner in their dealings with Brian. I have never thought Yu Na was a warm skater who related to the audiences on that level.

I agree. However, she did find a way to turn on the charm in "DSTM".

As for Brian being straight or gay, speculating that Yu Na had romantic designs is utterly laughable.

Also agree here. In fact, when I first read the speculation I SMH and started laughing out loud. What's next? Yuna conspires with Kwan to pull "Dump Successful, Longtime Coach 2.0"?

 

[R.D.]

We still don't know if it was Yuna who actually wrote the tweet though...

I don't think she did. But it's too bad because what is posted on that account ultimately reflects on her.

I wouldn't be totally shocked if it WAS her, though. If both stories are combined, maybe Yuna really is the middle(wo)man in all this. I don't buy that she was completely oblivious to the situation (she had to know SOMETHING was up), but it's entirely possible that she did not have the final say in the end of this relationship.

 

[Cerulean]

Also agree here. In fact, when I first read the speculation I SMH and started laughing out loud. What's next? Yuna conspires with Kwan to pull "Dump Successful, Longtime Coach 2.0"?

I can't speak for others but I personally felt that they made an awesome team, on the ice and off the ice, so I find this split rather shocking and disappointing. So in my own way, I'm trying to find a rationale for the sudden breakup and must admit, am entertaining even the most bizarre scenarios.

 

[Soldier of Love]

This is definitely the most head scratchiest decision since MK leaving Frank when she did...I love Michelle very much, but I'll never understand that. At least YuNa waited until *after* she'd won the OGM. smh Btw, doesn't Michelle's initials look great together?----> MK ....i miss her....*tear*

 

[bekalc]

This is definitely the most head scratchiest decision since MK leaving Frank when she did...I love Michelle very much, but I'll never understand that. At least YuNa waited until *after* she'd won the OGM. smh Btw, doesn't Michelle's initials look great together?----> MK ....i miss her....*tear*

I have no issues with anyone deciding to leave a coach. Who knows what goes on personally. I don't think its fair to judge Michelle for leaving Frank, or calling her disloyal for doing so. Just in general while these are personal relationships they are also business ones. And everyone has to do what they think is best for themselves and their career. It doesn't make someone bad, it doesn't make someone ungrateful. It just is what is. HOWEVER, I thought her decision to go coachless was an extremely poor one. That for me was the head scratcher and made me wonder if Team Kwan was thinking at all.

 

[Olympia]

I have no issues with anyone deciding to leave a coach. Who knows what goes on personally. I don't think its fair to judge Michelle for leaving Frank, or calling her disloyal for doing so. Just in general while these are personal relationships they are also business ones. And everyone has to do what they think is best for themselves and their career. It doesn't make someone bad, it doesn't make someone ungrateful. It just is what is. HOWEVER, I thought her decision to go coachless was an extremely poor one. That for me was the head scratcher and made me wonder if Team Kwan was thinking at all.

I hear you! I was so distressed when that happened. I could barely watch the 2002 Olympics. I felt that Kwan had thrown away her chances for a gold. I wanted to be totally wrong about that, but alas....

But even though Kim already has an OGM, this feels much worse to me than anything that happened between Michelle and Frank Carroll. Whatever went on, those two behaved civilly and kept their feelings private--still do, I gather. I think Michelle and Frank are on cordial terms today. By contrast, this parting between Brian and Kim seems far more intense and more badly handled. It's unsettling and saddening. I'm sure that those of you who suggest there's some communication gap due to cultural differences are correct. I have no insights and can't speculate on the reasons or even the facts. But it's a messy business, and it's making me very sad.

 

[rossdale]

Just end of professional contract

I dont know why Brian Orser is creating this mess... Ok I understand that he was very disappointed... but the contract is contract. Yuna just wants to move on. According to her agency, it was discussed enough btw two parties...

Let's move on.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Well, if I'm even remotely right, then we can be sure that we will never, ever find out in public the real reason for the split. Kim's team certainly won't say, and if anyone else knows, say David Wilson, they will certainly not say anything to the media, and also not to Brian Orser himself.

This, btw, may also explain why David is still working with Yuna (since there wouldn't have been any kind of real conflict between Orser and Kim), and why there hasn't been any retirement announcement from Yuna -- I don't think she was seriously considering that. Although now she has lost Brian Orser, who has been a pillar in her corner, I think she might not find enough motivation to go on.

If anyone talks it will be Brian. he seems the most hurt by this and does not get over things easily ( think Calgary).

As for Yu-na not having motivation now, I think this whole thing will make her more motivated to come back and "show him" that she can do it alone. think Bulletproof.

 

[CAS]

Oh Frank was confused when Michelle left him just as Brian is confused today. So I guess from that we can assume that in 4 or 8 years from now when the next star suddenly leaves her star coach and the comments are made people will be wishing they could be as civil as YuNa and Brian were when they split

This too shall pass. If they are still making comments a few weeks from now then I'll be concerned but it really only became news within the last day so it´ll make its rounds on the sports section of papers and tv news and then it´ll be forgotten.

Forgotten everywhere but online forums where we will continue to speculate and create wild scenarios for what really went down.

 

[aftertherain]

I dont know why Brian Orser is creating this mess... Ok I understand that he was very disappointed... but the contract is contract. Yuna just wants to move on. According to her agency, it was discussed enough btw two parties...

Let's move on.

And I don't understand why you're blaming Orser for this.

 

[MrBerkeley]

Seems like Yuna, despite whatever rift may have been developing between Orser and herself, had not started looking for a coach.

To me that suggests either that there is nothing in her short term plan regarding amateur skating (including the worlds... and yes I doubt she planned this season to go without a coach) OR that this was not a development that she foresaw intellectually but rather an emotional struggle she was unready to deal with decisively (the fact Orser waited for 3 weeks apparently after being notified he was no longer going to be her primary coach/ jump coach suggests that there was some signal of undecisiveness on her part).

In reference to the other skater (guessing that it is NOT Mao) but rather other skaters that are under Orser's tutelage (friends of Yuna)...,

I'm kind of speculating that Yuna expected Orser to be kind of her lifetime coach (this was a close friendship built on trust & loyalty, not just a professional relationship). The one that always takes her side over other female skaters.

The fact that he was spending time with other skaters (due to the uncertainty of her return to competitive skating and the fact she wanted to take a break, quite natural imo) may have made her feel deserted. She was no longer Orser's main project for figure skating (it is unfair to expect a coach to wait for Yuna for a few years until Yuna gets her motivation back). Take into consideration she was Orser's first student and the one who got him into coaching in the first place and she was a lonely child and you'll looking at a very unique situation.

Not to mention that the Mao Asada offer that Orser himself verified to be true was denied by the Asada contingent makes me think there are a lot of things unclear about this. The fact that Yuna has a new agency and that her old one started playing games with Yuna for leaving just makes me unsure what facts to believe anymore. Subterfuge? Media play? Figure skating has a cold war?

Anyway, so far...

1. Team Yuna has not mentioned Asada (Korean news outlets suggest Asada but no statement from Yuna's side personally). Actually think there was a statement that it was NOT related. From Hersch's article. (BTW if thats her translator and public relations person, yikes, fire her and get a new one please ASAP, someone who speaks and writes fluent english). There was no issue with money either.
2. Brian Orser has suggested that Yuna is uncertain about the events and that Yuna's mother is the decision maker/ stage mom (not a good idea attacking someone's parent btw misstep even if true on Orser's part, the child will side with the parent even if everything said were true). Also suggested that Yuna should leave the skating club. (Sounds like he's going through a world of hurt but that was a huge misstep simply because he should have told her directly or without relying on the international world public to do so... Hersch comes off as a weasel publishing that in that fashion... probably meant for Yuna's good but it sounds like a king of my playground kind of comment).
3. Yuna tweets (Brian should stop telling the lie and she knows whats going on now and it was her decision). I'm guessing that Yuna is not necessarily calling Brian a flat out liar but rather that what he said was not the truth (opposite of lie) given the grammar of the twitter. This doesn't necessarily mean she is saying that Orser is knowingly lying (although she CAN mean that). I tend to the think the first because it doesn't say "B stop lying" rather "stop telling the lie" (in bad grammar).
4. I'm guessing that their relationship becoming UNCOMFORTABLE is true. I also think that there was a lack of communication. I don't think either of them are liars. But wow, given the level of the translator, I swear there must be a ton of mis-communication.
5. Orser says Yuna is unsure what was going on and was crying during her meeting with Orser and Tracy Wilson. Think that it may have been misinterpreted by Orser as a help me against my parent signal when it may have been a struggle with motivation to continue on to worlds (aka Michelle Kwan). If so, HUGE communication error there. We DO know that Orser and Mom have butted heads repeatedly before. Not surprised to see Orser seeing Mom as guilty (he loves Yuna I guess).

We'll see how it plays out. But wouldn't be at ALL surprised to see new hirings/firings within ATS. Some issue with Yuna's old agency and Orser. Some miscommunication between the 2 (especially given how David Wilson still seems to be in good relations between the 2 and there seemed to be no issues over the summer except some vague statements coming out now. I tend to dismiss the recollection of some club members stating things like just skating away... lol that stuff is hardly reliable, and may not even be unique).

I do think Orser should have kept his mouth shut and not given ANY INTERVIEWS out at ALL. He was hurt and responded with an agency statement of "Yuna has fired me" and did interviews. That ATS hadn't issued any statement so far suggests either unprofessionalism or that it really WAS unexpected for Orser to release this statement.

Anyways off to bed. We''ll see what Orser says in his interview in the morning.

 

[Ladskater]

According to our CTV news this was a complete shock to Brian Orser. He is going to do an interview tomorrow morning on Canada AM. I will have to record it. It was Yuna's mother who gave Brian the news. I have a feeling Yuna did not have much of a say in this. It would not be the first time in figure skating for something like this to happen. As one of the skaters' said "Brian is a great coach and someone will be lucky to have him." Yuna's loss is another skater's gain.

 

[Mrs. P]

A comment on Aunt Joyce's blog has a translation of a letter Yuna wrote in CyWorld (kind of the Facebook of South Korea?).

Some key tidbits:

Everyone that's involved in this matter including coach Brian Orser and I know the truth.
An athlete and a coach may part ways, and there are always reasons behind it; but I am truthfully disappointed and hurt as to why they used the press to release the news about the break up, as well as the process of it, which we could've kept to ourselves, with untruthful statements in such haste.

Would it really be true that my mom alone decided that I part ways with my coach?
I am not a child anymore. My mom's the same. (This statement is a bit ambiguous..I'm guessing she means that her mom isn't naive or foolish either)
Whatever the case, he was my coach, and whether the decision be staying with him or parting ways with him, I have the ultimate say in this, and this is the decision I prudently came up with after discussing it with my mom.
And truthfully, would there be a person would would directly discuss with a coach when trying to end the relationship with him?
As a daughter, I don't want to be foolish to just stand and watch as my mom is being reproached without any reason or fault.

Reason for break up is only because of recruiting another skater...
There definitely was a problem tied with the offer from the other skater, but is that indeed the only reason?
Judging just by coach Brian Orser's interviews, it looks even to me, that it was not carefully thought out and was disrespectful, and made it look like it was our, no, my mom's fault.
Is everyone going to just believe this as it is?
For almost 4 years, did I indeed just train happily without any problems as it seemed?

For a few months now, we've been prolonging an ambiguous relationship and this matter came to an end just a few days ago.
If everyone knew the process, then you would understand how shocked we were when we found out his conclusion from the interview that was released by the press. However, I do not want to reveal that process and there's no need, because this is a problem between us.
It's stifling because I can't explain in full detail, and this situation of being expected to elucidate this situation as well as why this problem started, is very difficult for me.
This matter already became too big, but I can't just bury the truth that's wrapped in lies, can I?

You may be questioning whether or not my company forced me into writing this, but because I'm also human, I couldn't just stand still.
Either way, because this matter pertains to me, I wanted to tell the truth.
I swear to God that we were being prudent and that we didn't do anything that disrespected the other.
Please trust me.
I'm sorry to have worried you.."

 

[CAS]

A comment on Aunt Joyce's blog has a translation of a letter Yuna wrote in CyWorld (kind of the Facebook of South Korea?).

Some key tidbits:

Reason for break up is only because of recruiting another skater...
There definitely was a problem tied with the offer from the other skater, but is that indeed the only reason?
Judging just by coach Brian Orser's interviews, it looks even to me, that it was not carefully thought out and was disrespectful, and made it look like it was our, no, my mom's fault.
Is everyone going to just believe this as it is?
For almost 4 years, did I indeed just train happily without any problems as it seemed?

Curious why you bolded that line and what your interpretation is?

 

[Tinymavy15]

for four years did I indeed just train happily without any problems as it seemed? [/QUOTE

what does that mean? that things were not always so great even before the olympics? Yu-na seems very assured in her writing and seems to assert strongly that leaving Orser was her decision. My personal theory is that Orser wants her/ was pushing her to continue skating competively while her mom ( and perhaps yu-na herself) want to go pro and return to Korea soon.