Johnny Weir Will Return to Competition in 2012-2013

[kwanfan1818]

A quad is not enough to make him competitive as he was not able to skate to CoP choreography in 2010 which was the cause for his Olympic PCS scores.

It worked for Plushenko.

[aftershocks]

I don't see how this is going to work - what he said was his finest skate landed him in an appropriate 6th place in Vancouver. I can't believe that he has more than that in him as he gets older and the field of competitive men moves on and up from Vancouver levels (and they really are).

Skaters don't make Olympic teams on 3 hours of skating a day; skaters make Olympic teams on 7 or 8 hours of work a day and not much in terms of distractions. I have always been impressed by exactly how much hard work with an unflagging focus it takes to even make a team - that hasn't changed. I think his plan as he described it is to do this "on the cheap" in terms of investment of time, energy and focus. That just never works, not for anyone.

I think he should do what he would like to do; I hope however that no younger skater who needs USFSA financial support has to wait in line for a few additional years or get less support because those dollars are going to Johnny. Try to come back, sure, but with his own (or privately raised) dollars.

And therefore you must feel the same way about Evan possibly coming back too, et al.

You don't know how "this is going to work." Probably Johnny isn't exactly sure "how this is going to work" either! Sure and but, I bet it ain't gonna keep him from giving his all toward the effort.

Better watch that karma you are giving off naysayers, but yes go on having a ball questioning and dissecting. Down the road a little in your own life, when you ain't eager to retire but are forced out and find it difficult to be hired b/c people think you ain't got what it takes anymore... remember your over-obsession with Johnny's announcement that he wants to try and make a comeback. And if you are retired now or own your own business or are independently wealthy, well slot in some other desire that you want to reach for but others just keep going on-and-on about how you don't stand a chance, and you are in the way taking a chance away from someone else.

Any skater with desire and fire in their belly and enough talent and confidence will not be moaning and groaning about Johnny. Many are probably eager to see what Johnny has left, interested in the prospect of competing against him, and rarin' to beat him. If anyone has the whiny attitude that, "Oh, Johnny and Evan are going to take away my financial support," then I doubt such skaters are going to make it anyway in this most difficult of sports.

[Willowway]

If anyone has the whiny attitude that, "Oh, Johnny and Evan are going to take away my financial support," then I doubt such skaters are going to make it anyway in this most difficult of sports.

First of all, I was commenting on Johnny's press conference which did not, as far as I read, include Evan. Further, Johnny himself is well known for moaning and groaning and the whiny attitude. I didn't say any skater would complain; I said (and meant) that any USFSA funds would, in my opinion, be badly invested if invested in Johnny's "comeback". He doesn't describe a training life in which he's giving it his "all." He describes a life in which he wants to have it all. Of course we all want that, that's human. But many people know that while you can have it all, you can't have it all at the same time. I think he will be spreading himself way too thin to get into "Olympic team" shape. It needs, as I noted, a singular focus and that is not what he described.

And I'm really not worried about the karma I'm putting out in questionning all of this. He put the topic out there by calling a press conference which is an invitation to question, comment and discuss. And questionning once is not being "overly" obsessed or even obsessed in the slightest. Your loyalty to Johnny is admirable but over-reacting to anyone who isn't a believer doesn't advance the continuing conversation - and it's ok that it's a continuing conversation.

[AJ Skatefan]

Skaters don't make Olympic teams on 3 hours of skating a day; skaters make Olympic teams on 7 or 8 hours of work a day and not much in terms of distractions.

Really? Skaters actually spend 7 or 8 hours a day on the ice skating? Wow. That's a lot.

[kwanette]

Aw, come on...Johnny invented the whiny attitude. I didn't say any skater would complain; I said (and meant) that any USFSA funds would, in my opinion, be badly invested if invested in Johnny's "comeback". He doesn't describe a training life in which he's giving it his "all." He describes a life in which he wants to have it all. Of course we all want that but some of us who, yes, are very close to retirement know that you can have it all but not at one time. I think he will be spreading himself too thin to get into "Olympic team" shape.

And I'm really not worried about the karma I'm putting out in questionning all of this. And questionning once is not being "overly" obsessed or obsessed in the slightest. I'm sorry you can't tolerate what you see as criticism of Johnny; it's mostly criticism of his plan.

Johnny hardly invented whining. There was whining in skating long before Johnny Weir.

[Iceman]

I had rather see Lady MacBeth with Lady Gaga than Carmen. lol

[RobinA]

I'll believe it when I see it, same as with Evan. More power to both of them if they do it.

My reaction exxactly. Yah, right.

[Iceman]

Johnny has a hard row to hoe to even make the team.

[MacMadame]

Really? Skaters actually spend 7 or 8 hours a day on the ice skating? Wow. That's a lot.

They don't though. Some of that time is spent doing off-ice training. It's still training, but skates are not involved.

[aftershocks]

And yadda, yadda, yadda. Keep the conversation going ... that's easy enough, innit? No hours of training needed for that.

Woohoo

http://www.people.com/people/article...563245,00.html

How dare you try to have it all JWe? Ha ha

Everybody sees what they want to see, reads into anything what they want to read into it. The bigger battle is working on oneself and one's own life, and staying aware and in the present moment. Don't mind me ... keep the conversation going!

[Pikachuusb]

I for one am excited that he's thinking about coming back. I could see him getting invited to Skate America & Cup of Russia. At any rate, I wish him the best of luck. Bring on Gaga's Carmen Lol

[Wyliefan]

Johnny hardly invented whining.

No . . . he just raised it to an art form.

[REO]

He's a very artistic guy. What's your point? lol

Seriously though. I was a little worried by his comment in the press conference that Victor pushed him to return sometimes with his agreement and sometimes without. This needs to be totally about him or it will never work.

As for oldsters making a comeback and taking support money from younger guys, I think whoever is the best man for the job should get the support whether he's 20 or 40. If Johnny and Evan can outskate the younger guys then those guys have to step it up. That's sport.

[Cheylana]

I just find it hard to believe Johnny is really going to make a comeback. From what he's previously said, training was a grind, he had little/no social life, Galina was a total PITA, and the Code of Points was hampering his ability to win events. Other than potential fodder for his reality show, I'm not seeing much upside.

[Carolla5501]

You're imagining all those scenarios that you don't even know exist. Only time will tell if he can stick it out for the long term. I certainly hope so. The men's field just became a whole lot more interesting, that's for sure.

It did?

Neither of the "comeback" kids have actually skated.

What's more interesting is the talk on here, but the actual skating so far is not really where it's at.

Men's event MIGHT be more interesting if the "comeback" men show up and skate, but considering Evan was "coming back" all season and we haven't seen him......

And yes I "imagined" scenarios... I did not present them as "fact" If I did I did not mean too. (I even said "I THINK" as someone happily bolded... that's not "I KNOW" (Well... Tara is there it's a fact honestly she's done nothing for his career or anyones that really impreses me, but... ) I don't assume that he's "happy" Actually he sounded rather conflicted about the whole skating thing, he spent a lot of time outlining the things he didn't seem to like IMHO.

I do think that things can occur that are going to be speedbumps (AKA as "do I want to do fashion week or go train") Speedbumps occur for all athletes. The difference is that MOST eligible skaters haven't been exposed to the "fun life" Even in his press conference he said that was going to be hard. (Heck most of them don't get the exposure and "fun" events Weir has had after thier career ends... they do boring things like get jobs etc.... )

And for those of you worried about his age.... didn't you get the part where he claims that since he started skating at 12 and most other skaters started at 4 his "body" isn't older.

(Of course the most scary part of the press conference were his food comments... I hope he's just joking!)

[Nomad]

nm

[BigB08822]

I think Carolla makes a good point. The talk is more interesting but does anyone outside of the internet skating community (which is actually really small) know anything about it? Will they EVER know anything about it if the two don't ever show up to an event? It will be as if it never happened and actually, it never would have happened. A comeback starts on the competition ice, not at a press conference or on a message board.

[Sparks]

They don't though. Some of that time is spent doing off-ice training. It's still training, but skates are not involved.

Yes, and does anyone think Johnny doesn't KNOW that? He's been to 2 Olympics.

[nubka]

It worked for Plushenko.

Not really, Johnny wants the gold...

[AJ Skatefan]

They don't though. Some of that time is spent doing off-ice training. It's still training, but skates are not involved.

And that's what Johnny said he was going to do. 3 hours on ice combined with off ice workouts. To start.