Jeremy Abbott Uber Thread

briancoogaert

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I love his new programs. The LP seems easier than his previous programs (in term of transitions), but it was just a show. I can't wait to see them in competition !!!!
 

aftershocks

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^^ Yes, me too! His fp under show lights is abbreviated from what he will perform during the season.

Could anyone make out what Jeremy was wearing on his hands during sp interview?
 

aftershocks

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^^ Oh, thanks, Marni. :) In the linked video, the color of the gloves did not show up against Jeremy's skin, so all I detected was the outline of the black trim on the gloves, which appeared to be a tatoo on his skin, but then his fingers seemed to be covered with something. Thanks again for the pics.
 

aftershocks

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What a beautiful, beautiful skater is Jeremy.

Seriously, where does he go from here? I love this guy and his talent so much. At this point, it seems Jeremy may need to decide if he really wants this for himself, and if he does try figuring out exactly what he needs to do to get over his enormous lack of focus daze when something goes wrong. He needs to stop the hemorrhaging of his confidence as well as the judges' lack of confidence in his tech skills under pressure. Just doing the work preparing for the season and skating beautifully and feeling ready and talking the talk without being able to back it up on competition ice is obviously not enough.

I've heard enough of the "h" word too from fans. Jeremy needs to examine what is the root of the problem. Keep his coaches, but bring in someone who can actually dissect what's going on and help him make the necessary changes. It is an understatement to say this is not a good start to the season for Jeremy. I hope he and his team don't go there with trying to say all the right things and continuing with status quo. Please don't say he suffered an injury either. Throw out the excuses.

1. You are not an "h"
2. Do you really want to continue competing? Do you enjoy competing?
3. If you do, find someone who can help you figure out the root of the problem
4. Develop the mental strategies that are going to work for you
5. If you are going to talk the talk, you must back it up in competition
6. No excuses
 

Cyn

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Tweet(s) from Jeremy following his disastrous FS at Skate America:

Just talked with the physio. I have a compression in my spine that is apparently pushing on the nerves that connect to me legs... (Contd)

This is causing the muscle to cramp and not fire properly. Thank god because I'm in the best shape of my life and was worried why... (Contd)

My body felt like it was completely shutting down on me. Wish I had the means to have a trainer with me daily like Takahashi....

Since I don't its back to the drawing board!

On another note thank you all so much for your love and support of what I do. All of you keep me going and push my art to a higher level! <3

Having dealt with spinal compression on nerves that affect the legs, I'm amazed he was even able to do double jumps. It's like fire going down your leg(s).

Sending prayers and good vibes that this isn't something serious and he'll be back to kickass form in no time.
 

aftershocks

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^^ When did the compression in his spine happen I wonder? Over time with the training? What's the remedy for that? I would just love to see Jeremy perform kickass clean programs consistently throughout a season, and build confidence and stature going forward. I really want to see that. The question is, what does Jeremy want?

He's a great skater, the PCS marks show how good he is and that the judges respect his artistry. He has the jumps too, but whether unfortunate injury or bad timing or not a good jump layout, I hope he figures it out soon. Is it more than just compression on the nerves in his spine? I hope he doesn't downplay or ignore the mental aspects that he's got to work on too.
 

Foolhardy Ham Lint

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^^ When did the compression in his spine happen I wonder? Over time with the training? What's the remedy for that? I would just love to see Jeremy perform kickass clean programs consistently throughout a season, and build confidence and stature going forward. I really want to see that. The question is, what does Jeremy want?

He's a great skater, the PCS marks show how good he is and that the judges respect his artistry. He has the jumps too, but whether unfortunate injury or bad timing or not a good jump layout, I hope he figures it out soon. Is it more than just compression on the nerves in his spine? I hope he doesn't downplay or ignore the mental aspects that he's got to work on too.

That's quite worrying.

Given that an athlete's body is their bread and butter, injuries similar to that ended several tennis careers. I think Tracy Austin had to hang up her racquet because of ongoing sciatica.
 

museksk8r

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^^ When did the compression in his spine happen I wonder?

Jeremy was having problems with his back after Nationals last season and that was the reason for his WD from the 4CC event in February. :( This sounds like a very serious problem and I really have to wonder how wise it is to continue on with the rigorous training and competing that is required of an Olympic level athlete. I fear the consequences his body will face from all the daily pounding. :wuzrobbed
 

skatesindreams

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Tweet(s) from Jeremy following his disastrous FS at Skate America:



Having dealt with spinal compression on nerves that affect the legs, I'm amazed he was even able to do double jumps. It's like fire going down your leg(s).

Sending prayers and good vibes that this isn't something serious and he'll be back to kickass form in no time.

I hope that his doctors can treat this problem effectively.
Wishing him a complete recovery.
 

Sylvia

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I wish he had left out Takahashi's name from his tweet last night.

Abbott is quoted in the Golden Skate SA Men's FS recap article as follows:
&#8220;You know, it could be my head,&#8221; said the U.S. champion. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been working really hard with my sports psychologist and we&#8217;ve had a lot of breakthroughs and really good things. There&#8217;s just something that&#8217;s missing that nobody can put a finger on. It&#8217;s just going through the process to find, and I pray that we find it before all of this is said and done.&#8221;
 

skatesindreams

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If he can address his physical/medical issues, the rest may take care of itself.
No matter how strong a competitor is; it is natural to "hold back" to protect the body from injury.
 

aftershocks

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Oh, Jeremy, forget about your competitors, forget about your fans, forget about your loved ones, forget about everything and everyone and concentrate on what you want!

You are one of the finest all-around athletes and artists in the sport of figure skating.

Heal physically Jeremy, and find a different way of addressing the mental/ competitive pressures. Seek out additional information and additional professionals if you are truly motivated to CHANGE your competitive outcomes. Relaxation techniques and meditation (and perhaps yoga later on) may also help you both physically and mentally. No matter what you do or decide, or what transpires in the future, YOU are extraordinary! :saint:

Sciatica:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001706/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sciatica/DS00516

http://www.medicinenet.com/sciatica/article.htm

Competition nerves:

https://www.competitivedge.com/staying-cool-and-calm-clutch

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/spo...d-nerves-from-getting-the-better-of-you-31994

http://www.ironpsyche.com/#/over-thinking/4540868839

http://www.get2theleague.com/how-to-calm-nerves-before-game/
 

centerpt1

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They have great Physio/training support at DSC. If they can't keep him up and running, maybe it's time to retire. The mind and heart may say "fight" but the body can only be pushed so far. He's an old boy now, and hasn't he had back problems ever since he was a Jr?

It's a shame he was never able to get that World Medal.

I think he would have a lot to offer other skaters in some way, because he does have so much creativity and vision. He just may need to carry on from the other side of the boards.
 
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aftershocks

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^^ Yes, I agree skatesindreams. No need to start talking about Jeremy&#8217;s career in the past tense. Obviously, the judges appreciate his talent and will give him the marks if he goes out there and delivers consistently.

In the ladies thread, a link to a Lifeskate interview was posted in which Susan (Lifeskate founder) jokingly commented: &#8220;I love it when strangers give me unsolicited advice.&#8221; :lol:

However, there&#8217;s something about Jeremy&#8217;s skating that connects with me. I&#8217;m a fan and I&#8217;d like to provide encouragement and support. Maybe he&#8217;ll read this, or maybe someone who knows him might consider passing it on. I&#8217;m not a sports psychologist or an authority on any of this, but I&#8217;m hoping there&#8217;s something Jeremy might find helpful in the ideas and encouragement offered. Above all though, I think Jeremy must decide what he truly wants for himself, and then fight for it. Sift through the ideas and seek out additional professional help. Many sports psychology techniques are similar, but there might be different strategies that Jeremy hasn&#8217;t yet tried. Work with someone new if what he&#8217;s been working on so far re mental strategies is not proving to be entirely successful.

Don&#8217;t overdo reading or thinking about all of this, but try something different. Maintaining the status quo and hoping things change, will not significantly change outcomes. Prayer helps, but taking decisive action is also necessary. Quit thinking about what his competitors have and what he doesn&#8217;t have. Find a way to get what he needs. If it&#8217;s not possible to have a personal trainer traveling with him, just get the proper physical therapy, exercise and mental preparation before competitions. Don&#8217;t lean on extraneous excuses. Stop verbalizing that &#8220;we&#8221; need to find out what&#8217;s missing. Of course he needs experts to assist and provide tips and strategies, but ultimately the answers reside within him.

Again, does Jeremy enjoy competing, and does he truly want to compete as an eligible skater, or is he doing it to please someone else, or because he thinks he has to or because he&#8217;s done it for so long and his family have devoted so much time, money and energy in his career. If he doesn&#8217;t enjoy competing and if he doesn&#8217;t really want to compete, those other reasons are not the best reasons to continue. I don&#8217;t want Jeremy to stop competing eligibly, but what I want for him or what any fan wants for him, or what his family and coaches want for him matters not and makes no difference at all. The only thing that matters is what Jeremy wants and what he&#8217;s willing to do to get what he wants.

Maybe none of what I&#8217;ve said is relevant for Jeremy. But from his comments, I do think he needs to consider what he wants and realize that he has control over his thoughts. He said, &#8220;Maybe it&#8217;s my head.&#8221; Again, stop hypothesizing and realize that a lot of distracting chatter is always going on inside everyone&#8217;s head. But there are ways and techniques to learn how to stop negative thoughts and quiet distracting thoughts. The first step may be in realizing that we are not our personalities and we are not our egos. Our personalities are what we present to the world, and our egos are ignorant three-year-olds who love drama and conflict. The real I is inside of each one of us, and it is not a simple matter to access that I, which is our true individual essence which guides us without judgment or attachment of any kind. We need to learn how to be in tune with who we are, and get out of our own way.

Don&#8217;t identify with the disappointment and the embarrassment and the pain, Jeremy. Decide what you want. Access your inner I (through meditational practices). Seek expert help to find what is going to work for you as a mental strategy in competition. But first you have to know what YOU want. There are no easy answers and no easy decisions. But you do have control over yourself, your thoughts, your decisions, your actions and your reactions.

In the fell clutch of circumstance &#8230;
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears &#8230;
the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid &#8230;

I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.


Invictus &#8211; William Ernest Henley


Read this article on understanding focus in sports. Do you have an internal focus style or an external focus style, Jeremy?

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201007/sports-understanding-focus-in-sports
 

orbitz

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I like Jeremy's SP.

I'm not sure about his curve entry into the 4t. It was underrotated in both the SP and LP, and the miss seemed worst than when he did it from the straight entrance. I wonder what is his success rate with this new entrance during practices.
 

aftershocks

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^^ Jeremy seemed to have mastered the 4t somewhat with the straight entrance last season (eventually successful on GP and at Nats). Possibly he changed to the curve entry due to the requirements of his choreography?

I haven't heard anything new re Jeremy's compressed spine injury. Has he tweeted anything more regarding it?
 

jlai

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I like Jeremy's SP.

I'm not sure about his curve entry into the 4t. It was underrotated in both the SP and LP, and the miss seemed worst than when he did it from the straight entrance. I wonder what is his success rate with this new entrance during practices.

I wonder about the same thing. More often than not, I thought he just didn't have enough speed going into it, but what do I know about quads? :)
 

Proustable

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I wasn't gonna watch the program - watching someone have a bad skate isn't thrilling to me (I'm a Chan Uber, but I still haven't seen that JO performance). I eventually succumbed and I will say that "Bring Him Home" might be Jeremy's best LP ever. I like the SP, but LOVE LOVE LOVE that long.
 

jl22aries

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^ me too Proustable, on the Chan aside. I LOVE both of Jeremy's programs. The short is so freaking fun. I can't wait to see if Jeremy choreographs for other skaters, like Jeff...I think he'd produce some really interesting programs. He seems to have a very unique vision and vocabulary of movement.
 

spikydurian

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I enjoy both his SP and LP. I am sure as the season advances, his programs will improve and he will podium at the USA Nationals. Just hope his back injury is minor and he will heal fast and well. Go Jeremy go!
 

centerpt1

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Icenet has the two Skate America video interviews Jeremy had with Tanith up.

He talks about how the curved entry quad is going in practice, how the SP went together, issues with the first version of his SP costume, how the FP is going in practice, etc.

Also- if you love or hate the SP music, blame Kaitlyn Weaver. She found the Spy music and suggested it to him.
 

aftershocks

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^^ OT, in your profile, I couldn't help but wonder whether Ashley Wagner should still be considered an "underdog," but yeah I too enjoy cheering for Ashley, and for the really talented underdogs and skaters who have difficulty performing under pressure. However, I wouldn't call them "headcases." I think that term is unnecessarily derogatory and fairly inaccurate. Every performer and athlete has nerves and anxieties prior to going out to compete/ perform, and every person deals with similar butterflies on different occasions, just as we all suffer from negative chatter and over-thinking. The key is in how to manage nerves effectively and make them work for you. Everyone is different.

In Ashley's case, she took stock, thought long and hard and made some difficult decisions. She decided she wanted to continue competing and she wanted to be on the top and she made sacrifices and moved across country and found a great coach and choreographer who believed in her and helped her bring out her best. Her coach also helped her learn how to manage her nerves successfully under pressure. Ashley was definitely an underdog, but never someone who I would ever consider a "headcase" in the way that term has been being thrown around a lot. I think Ashley has always been a fierce competitor. She has just taken things up a notch with the team she has put together to support her.

I think Jeremy has a great working relationship and creative bond with Yuka Sato. Going forward, I hope he makes some good decisions regarding what he needs to do to effectively manage the physical and mental challenges he is facing. His skating is so wonderful to watch -- and I'm rooting for him to develop the competitive strength he needs to back up the amazing talent he possesses. And, kudos to Kaitlyn -- I love Jeremy's sp music and theme, and choreo (shout out to Benji Schwimmer too!).
 

NadineWhite

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Haven't read the 11 pp. of this thread, just wanted to add my *live* figure skating impressions of Jeremy Abbott from this past weekend's SA:

He didn't disappoint, my all-time favorite American male figure skater is even more AWESOME in person, if that's possible, than on t.v. The honest to God first thought that came to my head when I saw him skate live for the very first time on Friday night was "this is what it must've been like to see Janet Lynn skate live".
 

dinakt

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Absolutely, I agree. Jeremy started warming up and I turn to my friend and say- "And there you see beautiful skating"

There is so much anguish going on about what Jeremy should do, or should have done, that I feel that what he actually HAS done is getting lost. He established himself- in five years on International scene- and one of the most creative and individual skaters that skating has ever seen. It went from- "beautiful skating skills, where did this boy come from" to "one of the most, if not the most, musical skater competing"- to "a creative force to be reckoned with, with a possible future as a choreographer" in a rather short time in a skater's life. If you add to that that Jeremy is, by all accounts, an introvert, that blossoming of his talent is to be celebrated. Sure, I, like everybody here, hope he'll put it all together at Worlds one day. But if he does not- I would say he already underwent a great journey, uncovered where his talents lie and is gifting us year after year.
 
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Sylvia

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There is so much anguish going on about what Jeremy should do, or should have done, that I feel that what he actually HAS done is getting lost.
Yes, I agree. Thank you for your eloquent post. I mean, c'mon really, who wants to see "anguish" in an Über thread? ;)

Thanks for sharing your live impressions of Jeremy's skating in Kent, NadineWhite! :)

ETA:
Jeremy skated "I Won't Give Up" in the exhibition on Sunday (kwanfan1818 posted in the SA forum: "Emo program, lovely flow and expression. Jumps still missing. Would have been a fine program with none") and he tweeted afterwards:
... Time to find a full time therapist. :)

I've been informed when I say "therapist" it makes people think mental. Although I'm a special brand of crazy, I was referring to physical.
 
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arakwafan2006

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Yikes... Yuka and Jason's students sure are injured these days... It must be frustrating for them as well
 

aftershocks

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^^ :lol: Thanks all for your reflections, especially dinakt and Sylvia. Yes, upon further reflection, no need to anguish about any skater's less than stellar performance in an early season GP. Jeremy's fp debut at SA was a beautiful performance, obviously with great potential (despite lacking the jump content he is capable of delivering). I just felt a bit of what I perceived as being Jeremy's anguish and disappointment in the moment. As I said, I was offering encouragement and ideas because I love his skating and what little I know of him (whether he needs to hear my two cents or not -- yeah pretty presumptuous). ;)

Seriously, whenever we as fans go on our rants or offer even well thought out responses, it is more based on who we are, on our own presumptions and life experiences and perceptions. I suggested that Jeremy not identify with the pain and disappointment... well, quite often when we offer others suggestions (or even throw out criticisms of others), if we stop for a second, we will see that what we are projecting onto others is actually something we personally may need to take heed of ourselves. :p

Jeremy's on his own journey as an athlete and an artist, and a human being, so I shall judge not. We can not all reach the pinnacle, but it is in making the attempt and never giving up that the greatest lessons are learned. I will try to learn how to not identify so much with whatever happens to any of the skaters I root for. And, in the meantime, I will see the glass half full and enjoy and appreciate Jeremy's immense talent and great accomplishments. Thank you, Jeremy. :)
 

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