Lambiel withdraws from Europeans, unsure about future

[ilovepaydays]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070117/sp_wl_afp/fskateeurpolsui_070117154030

Sounds sad, but Lambiel has accomplished a lot and he should do what is best for him.

 

[Zuranthium]

Hmm, no word on an injury. I really hope he returns in full form.

~Z

 

[kittyjake5]

Thanks for the link. I will miss him at Worlds if he decides not to go.

 

[chuckm]

I think it's a culmination of having had 2 knee surgeries before he was 20, then winning two Worlds and an Olympic silver medal. Probably he does not feel motivated this year, and there is Joubert out there doing two different quads, and he has a good 3A. Add to that constant pain from his knees, and with the onslaught of more men doing quads, he sees his career as possibly all as downhill from here on.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

This news is not exactly a surprise to me. I could tell at Skate Canada that he was not himself and his withdrawal at NHK kind of clinched that he's not trying.

Skater and all athletes, for that matter, with chronic bodily problems with knees, hips, etc, and surgeries do not cure them, have to come to a conclusion about the future. I think he has.

Of course, I could hope, he tries again next year's season but only time will tell.

Good Night Sweet Prince.

Joe

 

[Tonichelle]

I must be so frustrating and discouraging to be in pain all the time and that one of your passions in life is what brings on teh pain... it'd be hard to continue, but it'd be hard to let go.

Hoping and praying Stephan finds a peace no matter what direction he decides to take.

 

[antmanb]

I think it takes a lot of guts to make an annoucement like that.

I suppose that even though he denies its his health in the yahoo statement, he must have ni the back of his mind whether his knees (or his back) will hold out until 2010. Many people have tried and failed to scale back on their competitions with a view to trying for the Olympic gold and he must know that his chances of staying healthy enough to be a challenger are quite slim. He's already got two world golds in the bag, would any more give him any greater pleasure?

It sounds like he's thought all of htis through and the answer he's getting back from himself is that he's had gret success and i suspect the only thing that would make it better would be an Olympic gold.

I hope he continues to skate in many shows and exhibitions since this is where i think his true skating skills come alive. The restrictions of COP do not bring out the best in Stephane.

Ant

 

[Mathman]

I hope he continues to skate in many shows and exhibitions since this is where I think his true skating skills come alive. The restrictions of COP do not bring out the best in Stephane.

This is so true. Stephane will be a tremendously popular show skater, if he decides to go that route.

He was the best spinner in the world until the CoP forced him to incorporate a lot of goofy changes of position and changes of edges, etc., to get his levels up.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Your praise of Lambiel is overwhelming. Toss the 2 time World Champion to the Pros even with his handicap.

This good news for you, MM. Oda has one less to worry about.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

Joe, I am not the one saying that Stephane is withdrawing from Europeans because he is "feeling jaded." These are Lambiel's own words, according to the article:

"Today is an important moment for me. The little prince that I am needs to take a step back.

"The fire that was in me in recent years is just not there anymore, it's taken me some time to understand that but today I have accepted it."

Yoiu may not think that he has a future in pro skating, but I do.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

MM - Lambiel is not skating in Euros and it appears he will not be at Worlds. Most fans of figure skating will say nice things about an apparent retiring skater.

It's no secret you prefer Oda (and I think the world of him too.) but I think if you can't say something nice, just refrain from trying to be nice. Why would you think he would be better in shows in his condition? duh! The pain doesn't go away because he goes from eligible to pro. Does it?

BTW. You adore those phrases you eked out of his comments. Not unlike how you go after him when reading protocols.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

Joe, this thread is about Lambiel, not about Mathman.

If you read my post I said, "Stephane will be a tremendously popular show skater, if he decides to go that route," and "he was the best spinner in the world" until the CoP adversely affected his spinning style.

I will not follow your advice to "refrain from trying to be nice." I always try to be nice. You should, too.

 

[emma]

Wow - strange thread. Not to stir up troubled waters but MM strikes me as an unusually fair poster - 'just say'n'.

I really feel for Lambiel with regard to the fact that he has simply been so hindered by injury and the pain must be so difficult to live/skate with.

I really feel for ME too as a 'selfish' fan who really wanted to see him go for number 3 (and yes, he still might...but the tone of the article suggest otherwise, at least this year, and yes - Oda, Takahashi , Joubert -- I just wanted to see them all duke it out ---and others too Buttle/Weir/Lysacek etc.).

I do think it takes a lot of guts to make this kind of announcement, and I really do hope that he feels quite at peace with it; and I do wish him the best of luck with whatever he chooses to do. Again - the 'selfish' part of me does hope that can include shows. True, Joe, pain doesn't go away just because one is not competing - I'm just hoping that his pain may be more manageable if he is not doing all the contortions/changes of edge and ALL of the jumping (especially the axel)....BUT if not, I'll remember his competitive years fondly and - THANK GOODNESS for YouTube!!!!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Joe, this thread is about Lambiel, not about Mathman.

If you read my post I said, "Stephane will be a tremendously popular show skater, if he decides to go that route," and "he was the best spinner in the world" until the CoP adversely affected his spinning style.

I will not follow your advice to "refrain from trying to be nice." I always try to be nice. You should, too.

I AM always nice to skaters and resent that comment. I will admit some posters drive me up a wall but I try my best to keep that in control.

Reading emma's post and talking about pain how wonderful it would have been to see Lambiel along with Oda, Takehashi in Worlds as well as Joubert in Euros also, for competition. That's what this thread is all about. It's about sadness for some and a disappointment for others. It's not about that Lambiel should go into Show skating to make him feel better.

Joe.

 

[kajsa]

This is a very sad news but not a total suprise, as mentioned earlier. If he feels burned out it's definitely better for him to rest than compete. I think the only problem with his announcement is that it's coming quite late. Now, there's not that much time for his substitute skater Moris Pfeifhofer (or Pfeifferhof :scratch: , not sure about the spelling) to prepare for the Euros. I hope he's still able to skate well there. At least, according to his ISU bio, he seems to be a good skater. He has gained good results at his past (junior) competitions.

 

[Mathman]

Joe, you are angry for nothing. No one on this thread has said anything the least bit uncomplimentary about Stephane.

 

[antmanb]

I AM always nice to skaters and resent that comment. I will admit some posters drive me up a wall but I try my best to keep that in control.

To be fair (though i suspec ti might be one of the posters that cn drive you up the wall!) you always seem to be gunning for MM with regards to Lambiel and have for some time now. I fail to see how MM's post made you again be rude to him since he was being nice about Lambiel.

Since you are one of the people who has hypothesised that he's knees might be what does him in with the triple axel then i would have thought it possible that if Stephane drops the triple axel and quad from his training and sticks with the other triples and non COP spins then the pain from his injury may become manageable. He seems to rarely miss the other (bar the loop) so provided he's healed up from surgery and his back has healed then the practice schedule and the geenral shcedule from touring should be manageable for him.

Reading emma's post and talking about pain how wonderful it would have been to see Lambiel along with Oda, Takehashi in Worlds as well as Joubert in Euros also, for competition. That's what this thread is all about. It's about sadness for some and a disappointment for others. It's not about that Lambiel should go into Show skating to make him feel better.

Where is the post that you think says that anyone was saying that Stephane should go into show skating to make himself feel better?

There is an imlication that most skaters will head down the show skaters route (especially if they have titles) because (1) it earns them a living; but primarily (2) they have often skated since they were between 5-8 and they love it and wish to contniue doing it.

For myself i was commenting that COP does not being out the best of Stephane. I for one preferred his "You're Beautiful" exhibition piece than either of his world championships winning performances because the spins were so beautiful and held for an endless number of revolutions, not losing any speed and incorporating his amazing changes of position (but not chenge of edge!), and equally his footwork was gorgeously edgey and flowing and contained none of the now mandtoary toe picks jabs, stand still in one place, drop your body towards the ice and bend it every which way to rack up levels 3 and 4.

Ant

 

[Spun Silver]

I've never seen MM to be rude. He is in a very small class of always courteous posters on these boards, IMO.

Back OT - I feel bad for Lambiel. His announcement probably conceals a long period of painful emotions. Until he says otherwise, I'll expect him back in a few months when he has healed. He sounds depressed, not done, to me.

 

[SeaniBu]

I've never seen MM to be rude. He is in a very small class of always courteous posters on these boards, IMO.

OH You must have never got a PM from him, he is vicious!!!!

JUST KIDDING!


SL is someone made for the Pros IMO - maybe just because I would rather see him perform in the pros?? I think he could have a "take off like" Yuka did. Still amazes me, his spinning capabilities, that could never show in the comp ranks. If he was to do a all spins prog, I think he is one of the few that no one would mind and some wouldn't even notice there wasn't a jump.

Other then one or two of SL's outfits, that really shouldn't matter I know , there is nothing bad to say about him. Who hasn't had jumping issues. Jumping can on occasion force people into Dance and Pairs and Lambiel didn't and received the medals to boot. All the power to him, and I am curious where his "expression" will evolve in the pros.

 

[waxel]

This is disappointing news. Yes, there have always been injured skaters ... but again I blame CoP for the ever-increasing number of skaters coping with injuries. So many have become debilitating and/or career ending.

I think most of us can agree that CoP is responsible for the decline in quality spins.

Perhaps Stephane will go pro, and perhaps Sasha and Michelle will also make the leap ... and perhaps Pro competitions will make a resurgence.