Stojko Speaks Out

[OHgal]

Is anything more fashionable and masculine than the mighty finger?

http://erikabranca.blog.uol.com.br/images/john_travolta.jpg

:r

By today's standards, in that picture he looks totally ridiculous and more than a little gay!! And since he didn't flap his arms at all in that movie, he must not be the least bit masculine.

Oh wait. His hip-thrusting did cause females to scream. Darn! It was masculine after all!!:chorus::chorus::chorus:



This whole "masculine or not" debate is so silly, it deserves all the ridicule we can give it.

 

[Nadine]

As a huge fan of Elvis, I just worry about his well-being & wonder sometimes if he is happy, really happy, because honestly he doesn't seem like he is, but that could be because of the way the article(s) are slanted (as I mentioned earlier).

Lol, good to know that Elvis lives close by Toller (another fav of mine)......both outcasts, both very outspoken, both unique & one-of-a-kind......the very best!:thumbsup:

The aforementioned remind me of Tim Robbins character in the movie "Shawshank Redemption" (one of the best movies ever made btw), particularly at the very end, when Andy is discussing with his friend Red where he would like to go if he gets out of prison -- a small town in Mexico near the Pacific Ocean because he says the people of Mexico say the ocean has no memory. Interesting that's where two of my all-time favorite male skaters ended up at too.

 

[skatefancan]

Elvis Stojko is a joke.

He was never an artistic skater and has no creative energy flowing through then nor does he now. If he was to skate now, even with the quads....his pcs scores would be nil.

He likes Joubert, Plushenko, Verner...all who can jump but in my opinion who dont skate with lines through their bodies or through there blades. To really connect to the creative energy you must visualize that your blades are connected through the ice...not just on top of it.

Again....i do not want to take away from what he has accomplished in the sport...but I never liked his skating. I am a proud Canadian and would root for him purely on patriotism. Now skatig is different and in my opinion for the better. Spins get credited, as does footwork and spirals. These are all skating skills just as jumps are.

 

[Raatkirani]

Come, come, I wouldn't say Elvis is a joke. He appreciates athleticism more than artistry. And he was a big factor as to why the boys today are doing the big tricks. To me, he's the one that made the quad and quad combo a necessity to win.

 

[jennylovskt]

I agree that Stojko is a joke. From suggesting to boycott Beijing Olympics to the talk of masculinity, whenever he opens his mouth, he says mostly stupid things.

 

[Tigger]

No, not when he was winning titles because, as you said, he made the Quad manditory back in the day. Now though when he keeps spewing the same ol same ol bitter blathering about how "masculine skating" is better than a fluid skater and that's all he's saying...Well, yes. Elvis is becoming a bit of a joke and it's actually pretty sad.

What really made my eyebrows go up though was seeing him being interviewed a few months ago up here in Canada. One of our entertainment shows, the one on CTV called ETalk, interviewed him in connection w/the skating show that was taking place at The Ricoh Coliseum that was part of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in August. The entire time he answered any question that would have started w/, "I think that...." or "I needed to...", he said it instead like this....

"Elvis needed to go to Mexico to get his head straightened out and figure out what he was going to do next."

"Elvis thinks this is a great idea for the EX to add to the show and he hopes it's going to be a great success and not a one time thing."

My Mom and I just looked at each other after the piece ended and we had the same looks of disbelief on our faces.

Sorry I can't remember who said it, but whomever said it earlier in the thread that she thinks Elvis isn't happy is on the right track, but after watching that interview w/him back in August.... I have a bad feeling it could be more than just him not being happy.

I hope I'm wrong about that, but I've just got this lingering feeling I'm not.

 

[antmanb]

Hey, I'm all for the screaming!

So am I

Ant

 

[Nadine]

No, not when he was winning titles because, as you said, he made the Quad manditory back in the day. Now though when he keeps spewing the same ol same ol bitter blathering about how "masculine skating" is better than a fluid skater and that's all he's saying...Well, yes. Elvis is becoming a bit of a joke and it's actually pretty sad.

What really made my eyebrows go up though was seeing him being interviewed a few months ago up here in Canada. One of our entertainment shows, the one on CTV called ETalk, interviewed him in connection w/the skating show that was taking place at The Ricoh Coliseum that was part of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in August. The entire time he answered any question that would have started w/, "I think that...." or "I needed to...", he said it instead like this....

"Elvis needed to go to Mexico to get his head straightened out and figure out what he was going to do next."

"Elvis thinks this is a great idea for the EX to add to the show and he hopes it's going to be a great success and not a one time thing."

My Mom and I just looked at each other after the piece ended and we had the same looks of disbelief on our faces.

Sorry I can't remember who said it, but whomever said it earlier in the thread that she thinks Elvis isn't happy is on the right track, but after watching that interview w/him back in August.... I have a bad feeling it could be more than just him not being happy.

I hope I'm wrong about that, but I've just got this lingering feeling I'm not.

Thanks for the update, Tigger, and that was me - Nadine - whom said that, as I am concerned about him. Have been for a while, to tell the truth.

I know Elvis reads this board, and I want to say to him that 1.) I'll always be your fan no matter what, and 2.) YOU DID GREAT AT ALL 4 OLYMPICS (seriously, how many people are good enough to go to 4 Olympiads, and to medal at two!):thumbsup:

You have nothing to be ashamed of, Elvis, or to feel inferior, it just wasn't meant to be, that's all, fate, time to move on. Which you are doing with several projects -- singing, touring, shows, karate, coaching, yahoo thingie, lol, etc. etc. etc.

I personally think you should try college, broaden your horizons in that area, maybe even become a judge, mmmm. You are outspoken, no holds barred, and wouldn't be afraid to make your opinions known. Just think of the changes you could make...

You remind me a lot of Scott Hamilton, and I think if you put your mind to it you too could create an ice skating show that has longevity like Stars On Ice has become. I'm hoping your new show has that same appeal!:thumbsup:

As a fan of not only your skating, but more importantly your personality/soul/self, I honestly just want you to be happy, Elvis, and to do whatever it is that will make you so.



GOOOOOOOOO ELVIS!!!!

 

[ManyCairns]

"Elvis needed to go to Mexico to get his head straightened out and figure out what he was going to do next."

"Elvis thinks this is a great idea for the EX to add to the show and he hopes it's going to be a great success and not a one time thing."

My Mom and I just looked at each other after the piece ended and we had the same looks of disbelief on our faces.



I hope I'm wrong about that, but I've just got this lingering feeling I'm not.

There's at least one poster here who refers to herself by her screen name in just that fashion, and I, too, have moments of disbelief whenever I see such references. What's next, the royal we?

The articles and quotations that have been brought up in this thread seem very mixed to me. Personally, I can identify with wanting the relaxed lifestyle of Mexico. DH and I did pretty extensive research a year or so ago into retiring there ourselves someday. DH has been there, but I haven't, but it seems to be just like Elvis described, very relaxed pace, fresh foods and open air markets available if that's your thing, very inexpensive compared to U.S. and Canada, etc. Not that it's nirvana, of course, there's apparently all kinds of red tape and long lines for any kind of service from the post office on to just about anything else. So liking an easygoing lifestyle in Mexico alone doesn't raise any red flags for me, but some of the other stuff does, like the references to himself in the third person and the somewhat bitter tone I do detect.

And just as a woman I found his constant classification of things as masculine or not actually somewhat offensive, because if you're defining men so strictly then by the same token you are defining women as whatever is "not [your definition of] masculine." Geez, I just thought we were getting beyond such strict gender stereotyping, especially in the western world.

I do hope Elvis realizes that there are many who enjoy his skating and admire his longevity in the sport, myself included. I hope he is at peace with himself or finds a way to be so, and if coming back to skating is something he wants to do, that's really great.:agree:

 

[Nadine]

Aha, as I first suspected, the articles are slanted! I did what I should have done from the beginning, I went to the source -- click here http://www.elvisstojko.net/

Elvis is in a beautiful place in his life, all because of a quote from T.S. Eliot that a fan had inadvertently left (btw there is no such thing as coincidence as Elvis knows all too well).

Funny I didn't even know that Elvis is only a few years younger than me, here I thought I was the grande dame speaking to a 20+ year old. Lol, my mind must still be back in 1994.

Still, it's never too late to go back to school if one wants too (I recall reading about the oldest graduate getting her doctorate at age 90!). Then OTOH it's good to keep in mind that one's learning does not end with a piece of paper. No, learning is a lifetime experience. In fact, I think the best examples are those people that have never had a formal education, but rather learned all on their own. Books are a magical thing, they can transport you anywhere in the world.

I'm a bad fan, I don't keep up with skaters' official sites, not even my favorites like Elvis & Oksana & Sarah & Sonja.


GOOOOOOOOO ELVIS!!!!

 

[MasterB]

Let's all remember that Elvis has views just like the rest of us. He of course has a view with a microphone. I do strongly agree with him that the triple axel and the quad are not scored high enough in relationship to some of the triple combos out their. As for the gayness of skating what can you say. As masculine as Joubert is his outfits scream gayness, same with most straight guys out there who are top level skaters. I am so conditioned to these outfits that they don't really bother me anymore. I still think less is more when it comes to skating outfits.

 

[Antilles]

I agree with his griping about Canadian Nationals. They aren't the only ones to over-inflate, but it's ridiculous, and makes the sport look silly.

When he talks about technical difficulty, he only seems to be talking about jumps. He praises Plushenko, whose spins and footwork sequences aren't very good, IMO. I don't mean they aren't pretty, but they lack difficulty and aren't done proficiently.

I also agree with those who like both "technical" and "lyrical" skating. I think each skater should be allowed to skate to their own preferred style, instead of trying to fit into someone else's mold. Elvis seems to be pushing the exact opposite criticism that was hurled at him throughout his career. To each his own. It makes skating more interesting.

 

[berrycute]

Let's all remember that Elvis has views just like the rest of us. He of course has a view with a microphone. I do strongly agree with him that the triple axel and the quad are not scored high enough in relationship to some of the triple combos out their. As for the gayness of skating what can you say. As masculine as Joubert is his outfits scream gayness, same with most straight guys out there who are top level skaters. I am so conditioned to these outfits that they don't really bother me anymore. I still think less is more when it comes to skating outfits.

You know, I think it's kind of hard to determine from Elvis' comments (and the comments of federations and the like) whether they are concerned with male skating being considered "feminine" or "gay", because the two things are not the same and shouldn't be treated as such. Regarding skater outfits, perhaps it would be interesting to see the reaction if a male skater goes out dressed in ***-less leather chaps and a spiked dog collar, that probably gives off "gay" but not "feminine" so for Elvis and co it would be ok, right?

 

[Mathman]

..."gay" but not "feminine" so for Elvis and co it would be ok, right?

http://www.sale-pelletier.com/images/elvis.jpg

 

[berrycute]

http://www.sale-pelletier.com/images/elvis.jpg

hahahaha nailed it!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

While I appreciate Elvis' thoughts, I do not think there is any way figure skating can be butched up to attract more male fans to its fold. But I think Pairs may be able to.

 

[berrycute]

While I appreciate Elvis' thoughts, I do not think there is any way figure skating can be butched up to attract more male fans to its fold. But I think Pairs may be able to.

Pairs? Interesting! How so?