New Johnny Weir Interview

[Spun Silver]

I think that fans often forget the economics of skating in their perennial advice to focus only on skating.

Johnny isn't wealthy and hasn't been to college AFAIK. Skating is his one real skill and in a few years it'll be over. Given the shrinking audiences, all the US skaters are wondering about their futures and keeping other options open. We had another thread that talked about the dearth of endorsement deals for male skaters. So how can Johnny not be looking for other ways to capitalize on his moment of fame, which may already be fading?

I adore his skating and I too wish he could focus only on skating. But I'm not seeing how he could do that and survive economically. Even if someone(s) paid his bills for the next few years, how would that help him build a future or put his kid brother through college? (I think I read somewhere that he's doing that.)

It's also interesting to consider the effect of timing. Johnny became US champ and develop an international fan base at an early age and now in his early 20s seems to need to explore other options fast, while he's still seen as a contender. Evan, just a tad younger, is just now getting to that level of success and reputation, which will probably allow him to "just focus on skating" for at least a couple of years, thus giving him a competitive edge.

Painful stuff. It doesn't inspire the fans so you're not going to hear the skaters talk about it, but I can't believe it's not a big factor in their actions. It's sad to think we have a skating artist-athlete of Johnny's caliber who can't afford to "just focus on skating" but I'm afraid it's true.

ETA: This is pure speculation on my part.

 

[emma]

Great Posts!

I'm also speculating -- maybe focus isn't the issue as much as methods of training. Johnny has said he spends three hours on ice 5-6 days a week in training time, and does two pilate sessions a week. Does anyone think part of the problem is that he needs more off ice training to build strength and stamina so that when competition nerves set in and his legs feel like led, he has the power to overcome that feeling especially in the long?

 

[Spun Silver]

I've been wondering about this too. He has said twice lately that his body can't take more training than he does. I'm guessing it's the back? That's no joke. Can off-ice work help with that?

 

[antmanb]

I think that fans often forget the economics of skating in their perennial advice to focus only on skating.

Johnny isn't wealthy and hasn't been to college AFAIK. Skating is his one real skill and in a few years it'll be over. Given the shrinking audiences, all the US skaters are wondering about their futures and keeping other options open. We had another thread that talked about the dearth of endorsement deals for male skaters. So how can Johnny not be looking for other ways to capitalize on his moment of fame, which may already be fading?

I adore his skating and I too wish he could focus only on skating. But I'm not seeing how he could do that and survive economically. Even if someone(s) paid his bills for the next few years, how would that help him build a future or put his kid brother through college? (I think I read somewhere that he's doing that.)

I love Johnny, i love his skating and i love his personliaty both on and off the ice. However, if he is so strapped for cash that he's just hanging in here for the money either to pay for his skating or put his kid brother through college i would recommend he stop buying Louis Vuitton handbags and maybe cut back on the amount of money he spends on designer clothes

Ant

 

[antmanb]

Great Posts!

I'm also speculating -- maybe focus isn't the issue as much as methods of training. Johnny has said he spends three hours on ice 5-6 days a week in training time, and does two pilate sessions a week. Does anyone think part of the problem is that he needs more off ice training to build strength and stamina so that when competition nerves set in and his legs feel like led, he has the power to overcome that feeling especially in the long?

I'm not sure that more of ice would help his conditioning necessarily. I think it would depend on what he does on ice. Double run-throughs are renownedly very good for improving conditioning and making a single run through feel like a walk in the park. Its also very good to train for high altitude competitions.

I think johnny feels that off ice training other than pilates might be a hinderance. Many skaters (joubert included) have commented that trainining with weights (even light weight hi rep stuff) tends to bulk them out too much. Maybe more cardio off ice would cause johnny weightloss which he doesn't need and Pilates is teh best thing for him?

I've spoken with a Russian off-ice coach and choregoraphy who swears that core strength obtained from pilates in the one good way to stregnthen a figure skater's body.

Ant

 

[Hsuhs]

If everything is so great and right, why does he look so tired in the LP? He even stumbled a couple of times.

 

[psycho]

If everything is so great and right, why does he look so tired in the LP? He even stumbled a couple of times.

He did not look tired in the LP at nationals. In fact he wasn't even breathing hard. Did you see Buttle after his free-skate? He was breathing so hard he looked like he would pass out. That's what tired looks like.

 

[Hsuhs]

Frankly, my recollection of Nats is very vague. I was too disappointed.

But I remember SC and CoR earlier this season. Johnny didn't look fit.

 

[psycho]

Frankly, my recollection of Nats is very vague. I was too disappointed.

But I remember SC and CoR earlier this season. Johnny didn't look fit.

Did anyone look fit at SC? And now that I think about it, did anyone except Joubert look fit at CoR? That was very early in the season, so we can't draw conclusions from those events.
At nationals he looked fit in both programs, but unfortunately his nerves could not handle the pressure in the FS.

 

[Snowgirl]

So he indeed wasn't in top shape at the beginning of the season, he hadn't much time for preparation, plus in Russia he suffered of jet lag. At Nats it was much much better. Hope Johnny will be in top shape for Japan!

 

[Hsuhs]

So far we have:

- Hadn't much time for preparation
- Nobody looked fit at SC
- Nerves / Pressure
- Russian jet lag

I'm glad it's not the pilates.

 

[jennylovskt]

layman and 1cmarie, I think you've gotten very good points. Why don't you write it directly to Johnny? He should hear it even if he doesn't agree or follow your advice. He said he reads all the fan mails. Who knows? He might accept it and adjust his training regimen or attitude accordingly. He is stubborn but that doesn't mean he won't listen to any advice. I think he will listen and he will think, then decide what he should do. You should let him hear your voices. That is the best way to help him.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

These speculations, and they are reasonable about Johnny, fail to address that there may well be a personal non related skating reason for his lack of 'spark' in recent competitions.

Having read a recent post on Evgeni's marital problems which began before the 2006 Olys, I can now understand what brought on that lack luster performance in Torino. Evgeni style of skating is that he loves to 'show off'. He didn't use this style in Torino, and I believe it was because of his impending divorce.

Personal, non skating problems do have an affect on practice and on competitions. There are many examples, Jenny Kirk, Angela Nikidinov, others. It sometimes takes time to heal. Sometimes never.

I believe Johnny has had a personal problem(s) and that it has affected his focus on competitions. Not worth nitpicking his skatin problems. Let's hope he can get over it and come back to our expectations. He doesn't have to win. Just give us the 'old' Johnny.

Joe

 

[Hsuhs]

There was an article a couple of month ago (by Vaitsehovskaya, again. It's not my fault she writes so much about sports) about Marina Anissina/ Johnny Weir. It's the one where MA explains what Johnny's problems exactly are. There was a translation (done by someone else) on FSU.

I've translated the part about Johnny, myself. If anyone's interested, I could post it here.

 

[layman]

Since we are discussing what Johnny actually said in his interview and since he did not mention any "personal" problems that are interfering with his skating, I think we must stick with trying to understand the issues that Johnny actually brought up himself.

He says in the interview that he feels burned out and needs a vacation. He says that he will probably return to his own artistic style in the near future (hinting perhaps that the experiment with a new style has not been a complete success). He says that he wants to win. He says that he is looking forward to the end of the season. He says that he does pilates to improve his conditioning but no other off ice regimen. He says that he has other interests outside of skating. He says that he is not sure about the future.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Since we are discussing what Johnny actually said in his interview and since he did not mention any "personal" problems that are interfering with his skating, I think we must stick with trying to understand the issues that Johnny actually brought up himself.

It seemed to me we were discussing what we interpreted from his interview. At least I was. Hsuhs listed a slew of excuses. Therefore I thought it might be more of a personal problem which causes these excuses and his struggle to get back to his 'old' self. Hence, his probable return to his old style.

I still think he is stressed out for personal non skating related reasons. Of course, that would not be in the interview. It's just my opinion.

Joe

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

There was an article a couple of month ago (by Vaitsehovskaya, again. It's not my fault she writes so much about sports) about Marina Anissina/ Johnny Weir. It's the one where MA explains what Johnny's problems exactly are. There was a translation (done by someone else) on FSU.

I've translated the part about Johnny, myself. If anyone's interested, I could post it here.

Please Hsuhs. I'd love to read it.

Joe

 

[jennylovskt]

There was an article a couple of month ago (by Vaitsehovskaya, again. It's not my fault she writes so much about sports) about Marina Anissina/ Johnny Weir. It's the one where MA explains what Johnny's problems exactly are. There was a translation (done by someone else) on FSU.

I've translated the part about Johnny, myself. If anyone's interested, I could post it here.

Please do! Thanks in advance!

 

[jennylovskt]

He says in the interview that he feels burned out and needs a vacation. He says that he will probably return to his own artistic style in the near future (hinting perhaps that the experiment with a new style has not been a complete success). He says that he wants to win. He says that he is looking forward to the end of the season. He says that he does pilates to improve his conditioning but no other off ice regimen. He says that he has other interests outside of skating. He says that he is not sure about the future.

It's depressing to read all those He Says.

 

[Hsuhs]

Elena Vaitsehovskaya.

The faded ice.

An athlete's reputation in sport is something to take seriously. This is why athletes often try to avoid competitions, at all costs, if they feel they are not ready. This was the case with Belbin and Agosto, who haven't shown up in the (GP)Final. Officially, the reason of their omission was the recent exacerbation of Agosto's old injury. But I don't know anyone in St. Petersburg who would believe it. Nor would anyone believe in the severity of the 2 time US Champ Johnny Weir's injury, which, according to the official report, had baffled him to the point that he withdrew from the competition after the disastrous short program.
.............

Of all the people in the arena Marina Anissina, the Salt Lake City's Olympic gold medalist, was the most upset with the American's performance. But she shouldn't blame herself: she started to choreograph Weir's programs not so long ago. Besides, what we have seen in this program, were in fact the wasted remnants of the original choreography. Yet, Anissina looked disappointed.

- I really wanted to help Johnny. He's such a wonderful guy, he's very talented, but at the moment he's out of shape, physically. I started working with him during COI. Frankly, I didn't plan on becoming a choreographer, but Johnny begged me to choreograph programs for him. It soon became clear to me that there was a difference between being a skater and being a choreographer. I can have many ideas, but he's the one who realizes those ideas on ice. When a skater is out of shape, it's hard for him to skate a perfect program, to let things run on autopilot. This is why Johnny leaves so many things out: like certain elements and steps. I do, however, hope to work with him more intensely. We still have time. Johnny has accepted offers from two ice skating shows in Moscow, in the meantime, we'll go on with the practices. We haven't decided on a rink just yet.

How responsive is he in following coach's instructions?

Since we met on the tour, I’ve been trying to convince him he needs to reinvent himself. Talent is not enough. It's hard to keep training while traveling with tour. But even during the tour I used every occasion that came along to take him to a rink: I knew he needed it. As for what was going on in his head, a lot of things changed during the summer. Looks like I could get through to him.

What do you think, is Weir aware of time passing fast?

Johnny is a wise person, he analyzes his experiences, he is very ambitious, and has his principles, he has focus, but I don't think he is at that point yet. He has so many fans worldwide, wherever he goes, he is always enthusiastically received. All these things are great, but time is passing fast. He was given so much credit. Thus far, he has not lived up to the expectations.
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* Pls, keep in mind I'm not a licensed translator.
** The original article is available on http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?132097