New Johnny Weir Interview

[Spun Silver]

From a Russian skating page:
http://fsnews.ru/page-id-303.html

-He's leaning toward going back to his own/old skating style next season.

-It sounds like his less than stellar skates this season have really gotten him down. And he sounds very tired from the post-Olympic season as well as depressed by COP and the sacrifices he's had to make.

C'mon, Johnny, take a couple days off and come back fighting! Go, Johnny!!!

 

[1cmarie]

Johnny's a great interviewee and I love his 'old' style. I felt his SP was better than Evan's at Nats. He just needs to believe to achieve.
I'm rooting for him

 

[Dee4707]

What do you think about this season? Was it successful or unsuccessful in general?

It was… No, it wasn’t successful. I lost my National Championship, I skated badly in the Grand-prix. I mean, I still took medals, and I placed well and I made the Final but in general it wasn’t successful. I didn’t win anything. I think the main thing is that I didn’t deserve to win anything either. I’m not skating well. But nobody can be perfect every time, not 100%, not even Plushenko. So, it’s a difficult season, and I wish that it would be better and I’d win all of my Champioships but I didn’t win everything this year but next year I can win everything. It’s just my idea. It’s not successful, but I know that I can be successful.

Loved how he answered this quesiton.

Dee

 

[Tonichelle]

Good to hear he's thinking about returning to Johnny... this other skater has me confused lol

as for the COP - I really wish he'd use this energy he's using to complain (this isn't the first season, it won't be the last) about it (by all means speak out, but don't obssess over it as he seems to be) and turn it into a fire inside so he can just blow the competition out of the water... *shrugs* just my feeling on it. It's almost like he's built a mental wall around the COP and has just decided he can't get around it.

 

[jennylovskt]

I am actually sad after I read his interview. I do like his old lyric style. I like many, many his old programs. To name a few: Dr. Zhivago, Otonal, Rondo capriccioso, My way, Unchained melody, ... But I like his new style, too. I am very much looking forward to seeing his development in this new style. The fact that he felt it's hard for him to do the programs this year makes me sad. I know this probably will go against most of the Johnny fans, but if I truly speak my mind, I have to say that The Swan is the signature skating of his old style, but it has reached the top of it. Any further in that style, I would rather see the ladies' skating instead.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I am not a fan but I feel badly for him in a way. The field has passed him by with Lambiel, Buttle, Joubert, the Japanese, and even another American, all regularly favored and beating him in competitions now. He looked like he could be the heir apparent to Plushenko only a few years ago and now he has been dropped almost from the top group of skater altogether. He looks like he needs his best skates to even finish in the top 5 at Worlds these days. Also the COP is hard for him as it constraints his creative side, and I think that is frusterating him and comes across in some of his interviews too. There have also been potshots at him, like the Mark Lund interview I created a thread on earlier, and it seems he is on the outs with alot of people even within the USFSA at the moment.

I hope he has a great competition at Worlds, even if hopes for a medal this year are slim to none, just for his own self satisfaction and give him something to build and hope for going into next season.

 

[twinsissv]

Nicely said. :agree:

 

[Tinymavy15]

I felt his SP was better than Evan's at Nats.

funny, so did i. I am a much bigger evan fan, but after johnny's short i was positive the judges were going to mark him first. His spins and footwork looked harder and more smooth. I was shocked when he was second. i am sure he was too. i think that the judges really wanted to give evan the title, and his skating flawlessly in the short and lfreeskate gave them the perfect exuse!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think Johnny can handle both styles. For competitive purposes he should use the one that is most comfortable for him. He and Stephane, and maybe Nobunari are the only true male musical skaters around. They skate with their feelings and their bodies as wll as competing the tricks.

I'm all for Johnny's choices.

Joe

 

[Spun Silver]

He and Stephane, and maybe Nobunari are the only true male musical skaters around. They skate with their feelings and their bodies as wll as competing the tricks.

Joe, you don't think Takahashi belongs in this group? I'm not so sure about Oda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2sbAl9wRk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjA2xAczKSA (make sure to watch all the way to the closing footwork of the *2nd* full exhibition number)

I've been in love with this guy since the Olympics. Not that I don't still adore Johnny but Takahashi appears to have a lot more determination right now.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Joe, you don't think Takahashi belongs in this group? I'm not so sure about Oda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2sbAl9wRk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjA2xAczKSA (make sure to watch all the way to the closing footwork of the *2nd* full exhibition number)

I've been in love with this guy since the Olympics. Not that I don't still adore Johnny but Takahashi appears to have a lot more determination right now.

SS - Daisuke has come a long way. I remember him in Dortmund and thought he has potential but just a great technician. He does't move me as a skater who brings his whole being to the ice. Yes, he brings his determination (sneers a lot) and yes, he could win with that. It's a sport and he is good at it.

Oda, is not good at it. He tends to get winded after 3.5 minutes but what he does in those minutes is quite unique with his body posiitons, his rythym by landing jumps to the music, his phrasing of the choreoraphy. He's very much a dancer on the ice.

So what can we say? I like them both but for different reasons and my favorites are those with flow over the ice with musicality, and then I go to the tech. Anyone for a Quint?

Joe

 

[pollyls]

I am actually sad after I read his interview. I do like his old lyric style. I like many, many his old programs. To name a few: Dr. Zhivago, Otonal, Rondo capriccioso, My way, Unchained melody, ... But I like his new style, too. I am very much looking forward to seeing his development in this new style.

I feel the same way. The Nazareth program had SO much potential, and if he'd been able to skate it well, it would have blown the whole field away. I was really looking forward to his showing more forceful athletic power, too. I didn't care for the music for his SP, but it certainly took him in that direction. I hope he can hang in there and continue to develop, and get himself back in physical and mental shape. I'm a big fan.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Joe, you don't think Takahashi belongs in this group? I'm not so sure about Oda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2sbAl9wRk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjA2xAczKSA (make sure to watch all the way to the closing footwork of the *2nd* full exhibition number)

I've been in love with this guy since the Olympics. Not that I don't still adore Johnny but Takahashi appears to have a lot more determination right now.

I think Takahaski is an amazing skater... i love watching him. he makes it all look so easy. Plushenko and joubert can do the hard stuff, but they dpn't have the quility that Takahashi has mastered. There is no scrachy snow or alkward moments in these programs. I really loved the Secret Garden program. very elegant. thank you for posting.

 

[76olympics]

Evidently, Johnny now has an official "My Space" page. I think he should have waited until after Worlds for this. I keep swinging between admiring his obvious dedication to his fans and feeling that he spends way too much time on this kind of thing for an amateur athlete. I do think his focus is too scattered and he pays the price in competition.

But, maybe he will prove me wrong at Worlds....

 

[Tonichelle]

I doubt he is the one who actually runs it 24/7... so why not have a myspace page... everyone else his age does

 

[Jaana]

-It sounds like his less than stellar skates this season have really gotten him down. And he sounds very tired from the post-Olympic season as well as depressed by COP and the sacrifices he's had to make.

Maybe Weir still fails to understand how to use CoP for artistic performances? I mean the way e.g. Buttle (and his choreographer) do.

About Weir´s "less than stellar performances this season", that is something which has continued in his freeskates at international competitions (Worlds) much longer, hasn´t it? As far as I remember, we can go back to 2005 Worlds... Anyway, I sure hope that Weir will skate well in 2007 Worlds!!!

I think that as much as I like to read Weir´s comments from interviews and from his own pages, I very much have the opinion that he should concentrate more for his skating training, just thinking about his skating and a lot less on being in public eye all the time. To me it seems that he is more hungry for the latter matter than winning titles?

 

[layman]

Nevertheless, I find the interview fascinating. Johnny's focus all season long has seemed to be on winning, winning and winning. With that mindset and a lack of training, I think that he has set himself up for failure.

Seems that he did better in competition and with the CoP when his mindset was simply on completing the elements cleanly and giving his best performance. During the 2004/2005 season (one of his most successful), he said that he was not concerned about the CoP but rather his focus was on his skating. It worked. He needs to return to that mindset, rather than be distracted by the CoP and mental gamesmanship. I think that Johnny has been psyching himself out all season long.

I think maximizing CoP values and so forth should be the work of the choreographer. As pointed out earlier, Buttle's choreographer seems to be brilliant at this. Johnny's problems with the CoP and his negative attitude towards it, really started during the 2005/2006 (Olympic) season when USFSA officials ordered/suggested massive changes in his programs because they thought the programs (as originally choreographed) would not get the maximum point values for the elements. Johnny felt that all the changes watered down and really wrecked his (and Tarasova's) artistic conceptions of the programs. He was unhappy with the result and never has been able to shake off his resentment towards the interference. He has been (publically) hating CoP ever since.

The problem with that attitude though is that it's self-defeating. The CoP is what it is. Johnny needs to make the best of it. He needs a choreographer/advisor that he trusts to work out the element placements that results in maximum point values, while he just concentrates on his skating (rather than worry about CoP).

Johnny seems burned out and may need to re-group and prioritize on what's important to him and what's not. Is his heart still in it? Is skating still his number one priority? Does he have anything more to give artistically and technically? He seems to be at a cross-roads and not sure which way to go with his skating and with his life (after skating).

If Johnny's heart is still in skating, I think he should forget all about winning, winning, and winning and rather focus on dazzling audiences (and judges) with his finest technical and artistic performances...focus on creating his legacy...focus on creating the image on the ice that he wants to be remembered for.

 

[Mathman]

Excellent post, layman.

 

[1cmarie]

I think Johnny is capable of being the best in the world, and I think he thinks he's capable, as well. However, I think he wants to do it *his* way, and, as layman has posted, he can't have it his way; he needs to play by the game of the establishment. He's young (and rebellious ). I think that, in the months to come, he'll get his priorities together, whether it be skating or something else. I think he'll still be skating, though, because, judging from his journals, etc., he's still got goals to accomplish. Whether he wins or loses, I know I'm in for a great show, so I'll still be watching out for him in years to come

 

[Dee4707]

I think Johnny is capable of being the best in the world, and I think he thinks he's capable, as well. However, I think he wants to do it *his* way, and, as layman has posted, he can't have it his way; he needs to play by the game of the establishment. He's young (and rebellious ). I think that, in the months to come, he'll get his priorities together, whether it be skating or something else. I think he'll still be skating, though, because, judging from his journals, etc., he's still got goals to accomplish. Whether he wins or loses, I know I'm in for a great show, so I'll still be watching out for him in years to come

Very good points!! One of the things I think was great was his attempt at the quad in competition. He two footed but at least he tried. I give him big kudos for that.

Dee