Just listened to the whole podcast. So interesting, and I agree with Phil on so many points. For example, the need for greater musicality and more musical experimentation by skaters. Also, I loved hearing him talk about pairs, basically saying that when it's done well, it is possibly the greatest of all the disciplines. The only thing I wish is that the interviewer had asked him more about Michelle Kwan (as a skater) and Yuna Kim. Anyone who reads Phil's columns knows what a fan he is of Michelle and, in particular, Yuna. I would've liked to hear a bit more about this.
The interviewer pressed him quite a bit on his oft-critical remarks about skating. I personally have no issue with Phil's comments about the Patrick Chan situation at Worlds, for example. What bothers me is I feel he's too critical about up-and-coming U.S. skaters. With U.S. skaters, all he seems to care about is medals. If we're not winning medals in every division at Worlds, we're failing. It doesn't make much difference to him if we're placing 4th or 22nd, all that matters is it's not a medal. On an ultimate level, he's right--success is winning. I guess I just like to celebrate what successes we do have. This year, Ashley & Gracie combining to get the third spot back for the U.S.--that, to me, felt probably as good as a medal.
I was interested also in his opinion that figure skating boards should not be anonymous. He is right in noting that board posters are often intensely personally critical of skaters, far more so than he is in print, yet because we're anonymous, we can "get away with it." He has a point, I think. I wonder how many posters here would be willing to post under their real name.
He swears he will never post though.
:
