A little history:
Patrick's public image took a beating during the Vancouver Olympics. He had just turned 19, been well loved by the Canadian skating community and media so he was used to being open and honest with his sunny personality, totally unprepared for the worlds media converging at the Olympics looking for controversies to write up, making some up if necessary. Patrick was a focus of attention for Mens figure skating, being the Canadian Champ and World's Silver Medalist, with awesome ground braking footwork. Plushenko, of course, was the other focus. He was experienced and wise enough to not talk to the media before he competed, leaving the Canadian upstart kid to deal with the sharks. Naturally, pitting them against each other, they threw questions at Patrick about Plushenko. Patrick defended himself with emphasis on footwork under COP, considering Plusenko's emphasis on quads only old school. I was shocked at the headlines the next day all over the world that "Chan Blast Plushenko As Being Old" (of course these days it's the same article(s) issued and reported by all the media). So he offended one of the most beloved skating stars with the most passionate fans.
Who were the other skaters with the most passionate fans those days? Well, next it was Johnny Weir's army up in arms about Patrick beating Johnny who finished sixth at the Olympics. What made it worse that Johnny didn't get to show his Poker Face at the Gala that his fans thought would turn the world into his fans. There was a confession here in the GS about how Johnny's fans in the Chinese media spinned the reports against Patrick.
Oh, before all that it was the skating hunk Joubert, who had criticized Buttle's Worlds titles as invalid for lack of a quad. Patrick defended Buttle against Joubert at Worlds 2009 and again gave the controversy loving press a great story. What was ironic and funny was that Patrick beat Joubert and then, at the press conference, Joubert turned to Patrick for translation when he was asked what he thought about losing to the quadless skaters.
The you go, busting on the Senior scene with a high profile, Patrick immediately offended the three most popular Men and outraged their zealous passionate fans. Patrick was the target of ridicule, derision and worse. His eye problem, a skating handicap he had to overcome, was called rape eyes.
Patrick refused to change his open attitude toward the media, even after suffering the deliberately timed twisted report that he would rather skate for China, so his words were often taken out of context and given a negative spin.
Things have actually improved much and the most vile and immature slanders are over with the retirement of the three popular skaters, though one can't be sure about Plushenko. His chief rival was Takahashi but they were good friends. Negative impression and reputation remain somewhat but more attention has been switched to the bitterness against his wins, called undeserved due to judges' favoritism. His skating has been called robotic, cold, etc and focus was placed on his falls and 3A being inconsistent. I think a little part of Hanyu's popularity was due to his potential and ability to beat Patrick. Well, you all know what's going on these days.
Patrick is embracing his hunting position instead of being the hunted these days . He has been a big red target for so long. But his is mature now and confident again. He is in a very good place.
