Weir Willing to be Arrested in Sochi for Gay Rights

[Kitt]

with his statements and their current law, couldn't Russia just revoke or deny Weir his VISA to travel into Russia?

We'll find out soon, since he is supposed to go to Russia in October to perform.

 

[bramweld]

Good incentive for the USFSA to not pick him for the Olympic team. But seriously, we all know he's not going to make the team don't we?

 

[Olympia]

It certainly seems unlikely that Johnny will qualify at this point.

 

[Tonichelle]

It certainly seems unlikely that Johnny will qualify at this point.

That's my thought on it. I haven't seen anything to suggest he's in the top two of the current National crop.

 

[pangtongfan]

Poor Johnny! Always fell into victim of politics in skating. Last time in 2010, he wasn't able to be on the Olympic podium was because "they won't allow two skaters from the same country on the podium. Evan Lysacek was on there, so he couldn't be on there."

Which is BS. Had Abbott done his National performances you had better believe 2 skaters from the same country would have been on the podium (and probably Jeremy on the top spot instead). Weir wasnt on the podium since the judges rightly or wrongly just didnt want him there.

 

[Olympia]

Which is BS. Had Abbott done his National performances you had better believe 2 skaters from the same country would have been on the podium (and probably Jeremy on the top spot instead). Weir wasnt on the podium since the judges rightly or wrongly just didnt want him there.

Well, whom would Weir have replaced on the podium? Plushenko? Takahashi? Lysacek? I doubt it. And it's not as if Weir was a hair behind these guys in fourth place. He was in sixth. Between him and the podium were Oda (then at his peak, with those splendid springy jumps) and Lambiel. If indeed Weir believed that he belonged on the podium, he was fooling himself. As I recall his program was clean and beautiful, but the content was not as demanding as that of the other skaters. Additionally, he wasn't the only stylist in the group. Lambiel and Takahashi are two of the most artistically gifted skaters ever, Oda has that combination of crispness and grace that so many Japanese skaters seem to have, and Plushenko had and has a command of musical phrasing and beautiful posture. Even Lysacek has a grace of his own, whether one likes his style or not. So Weir had nothing that so outdid the five skaters before him. And, though I hate to point it out, he's probably got less now. He's older and hasn't competed for years.

 

[aftertherain]

Well, whom would Weir have replaced on the podium? Plushenko? Takahashi? Lysacek? I doubt it. And it's not as if Weir was a hair behind these guys in fourth place. He was in sixth. Between him and the podium were Oda (then at his peak, with those splendid springy jumps) and Lambiel. If indeed Weir believed that he belonged on the podium, he was fooling himself. As I recall his program was clean and beautiful, but the content was not as demanding as that of the other skaters. Additionally, he wasn't the only stylist in the group. Lambiel and Takahashi are two of the most artistically gifted skaters ever, Oda has that combination of crispness and grace that so many Japanese skaters seem to have, and Plushenko had and has a command of musical phrasing and beautiful posture. Even Lysacek has a grace of his own, whether one likes his style or not. So Weir had nothing that so outdid the five skaters before him. And, though I hate to point it out, he's probably got less now. He's older and hasn't competed for years.

:thumbsup:

Stephane and Daisuke had four of the highest PCS at the Olympics for good reason. They pretty much live through their music.

 

[Olympia]

:thumbsup:

Stephane and Daisuke had four of the highest PCS at the Olympics for good reason. They pretty much live through their music.

What a lovely way to put it!

 

[pangtongfan]

Well, whom would Weir have replaced on the podium? Plushenko? Takahashi? Lysacek? I doubt it. And it's not as if Weir was a hair behind these guys in fourth place. He was in sixth. Between him and the podium were Oda (then at his peak, with those splendid springy jumps) and Lambiel. If indeed Weir believed that he belonged on the podium, he was fooling himself. As I recall his program was clean and beautiful, but the content was not as demanding as that of the other skaters. Additionally, he wasn't the only stylist in the group. Lambiel and Takahashi are two of the most artistically gifted skaters ever, Oda has that combination of crispness and grace that so many Japanese skaters seem to have, and Plushenko had and has a command of musical phrasing and beautiful posture. Even Lysacek has a grace of his own, whether one likes his style or not. So Weir had nothing that so outdid the five skaters before him. And, though I hate to point it out, he's probably got less now. He's older and hasn't competed for years.

Oh I agree he did not deserve a higher placement. However I remember some others at the time argued he did, which is why I said rightly or wrongly, as I know there are varying opinions on that. IMO his program lacked both the technical difficulty, transitions, and speed to place any higher, despite that it was still a very good skate, and the relatively mediocre event.

It was actually Chan who was 5th ahead of him, and Oda 7th behind him, but I can understand the confusion as it is Oda who should have placed 5th, and Chan who should have placed 7th, but well you know things are when it comes to judges scoring Chan, LOL!

 

[gmyers]

For an all triple program weir was far superior to lysacek but not in the construction which jumps were placed wrongly at 4/4 and not 3/5 with the second half not starting out with a triple axel. He also wrongly did not have a lot of nonsense moves for moves sake wit no connection to music or program just moves.

 

[pangtongfan]

I like Weir and his skating more than Lysacek, and I do think he is a more naturally talented skater. However by 2010 Evan was simply the superior skater, as much as I wish that wasnt the case. Much stronger spins and footwork, more dynamic jumps, and far more complex choreographed programs, with alot more transitions, and skated with more attack, oomph, and confidence.

On top of all that Evan had earned himself a reputation by winning the previous years Worlds, being super consistent for 5 years, and proving himself repeatedly while building momentum towards Vancouver. Weir unfortunately had done none of that. There are some areas the way they scored the two men were a joke (eg- Evan's triple axels vs Weir's, Evan's skating skills and interpretation scores vs Weir's), but even that is explained away by judges being human, and what Evan had done to earn a huge rep and status going into the Games, which Weir had not done.

 

[gsk8]

The Golden Skate Forum staff has tried to accommodate all members regarding discussions of Russia's new anti-gay law and the Olympics. Unfortunately, the threads have declined quickly with bickering and insults being tossed back and forth.

GS will not be used as a platform for this disruptiveness, therefore, all related threads will be moved to the Politics forum. This is not a free pass to be discriminatory. Abuse it and you will be banned.

 

[gmyers]

I like Weir and his skating more than Lysacek, and I do think he is a more naturally talented skater. However by 2010 Evan was simply the superior skater, as much as I wish that wasnt the case. Much stronger spins and footwork, more dynamic jumps, and far more complex choreographed programs, with alot more transitions, and skated with more attack, oomph, and confidence.

On top of all that Evan had earned himself a reputation by winning the previous years Worlds, being super consistent for 5 years, and proving himself repeatedly while building momentum towards Vancouver. Weir unfortunately had done none of that. There are some areas the way they scored the two men were a joke (eg- Evan's triple axels vs Weir's, Evan's skating skills and interpretation scores vs Weir's), but even that is explained away by judges being human, and what Evan had done to earn a huge rep and status going into the Games, which Weir had not done.

Weir had the better Olympics though. He actually without winning gold made people believe he deserved it. Not just a paint by numbers cop thing that meant nothing to anyone in any way.

 

[Olympia]

Oh I agree he did not deserve a higher placement. However I remember some others at the time argued he did, which is why I said rightly or wrongly, as I know there are varying opinions on that. IMO his program lacked both the technical difficulty, transitions, and speed to place any higher, despite that it was still a very good skate, and the relatively mediocre event.

It was actually Chan who was 5th ahead of him, and Oda 7th behind him, but I can understand the confusion as it is Oda who should have placed 5th, and Chan who should have placed 7th, but well you know things are when it comes to judges scoring Chan, LOL!

Oh, goodness! I mistakenly read the winners of the long program I think, not the final positions, which is how I must have ended up with the reversals of position. Thanks for correcting me. The funny thing is that I thought I had remembered Chan coming in fifth, but I couldn't remember who was fourth, so I looked it up--and then I read too fast. Whoops! I surely didn't mean to kick Chan out of his rightful ranking.

I'm sorry if I implied that you thought Weir should have been on the podium. I was trying to respond to the idea that Weir thought he belonged on the podium. Sometimes one thinks one is saying one thing, and the sentence comes out meaning something completely different. I should just rip that post up and start over. Thanks for untangling it!

As to your later post, I too agree that Evan's hard and meticulous work leading up to the Olympics, added to Frank Carroll's and Lori Nichol's creativity, gave him a better reputation with the judges than Weir had at that time. He's not the most inspiring skater in my estimation, but I have no trouble with his win at Vancouver. In fact, I admire him because he used every ounce of whatever talent he has and buoyed it up with sheer determined labor. But that night I was paying the most attention to Takahashi, and even though he didn't get the gold, I was thrilled with how far he had come after his awful injury. Getting a chance to see him and also the un-retired Lambiel were my two big joys of the men's competition.

 

[heyang]

As to your later post, I too agree that Evan's hard and meticulous work leading up to the Olympics, added to Frank Carroll's and Lori Nichol's creativity, gave him a better reputation with the judges than Weir had at that time. He's not the most inspiring skater in my estimation, but I have no trouble with his win at Vancouver. In fact, I admire him because he used every ounce of whatever talent he has and buoyed it up with sheer determined labor.

I agree - the most naturally talented skaters don't always find success - obvious examples being Christopher Bowman and Nicole Bobek. Both naturally gifted charismatic skaters who lacked the discipline to train and enhance their natural talent to achieve long term success.

 

[Olympia]

Ironic that both Bowman and Lysacek were coached at some point by Frank Carroll. I think Carroll must have thought he had died and gone to heaven when a hard worker like Lysacek showed up at his door.

 

[Tonichelle]

Ironic that both Bowman and Lysacek were coached at some point by Frank Carroll. I think Carroll must have thought he had died and gone to heaven when a hard worker like Lysacek showed up at his door.

Carroll is also less tolerant it seems for the type of lifestyle/attitude/what-have-you Bowman had. And his skaters know it.