Shephard Clark on EOE

[mikemba]

I remember Dick Button laying him out at one nationals (Clark was a perennial top10 finisher, but never medalist). Button said he should either make some serious changes to his training or give up competing.

I remember that, and found it a very inapproprate thing for Dick Button to say. Shepherd seemed to skate for the sheer joy of it, and also seemed to take great pleasure in the audience's enjoyment of his skating. I was one of the many people who thoroughly enjoyed seeing Shepherd skate. He got some huge ovations over the years.

It seems that Dick didn't realize that Shepherd should skate for his own reasons, not to do what would make Dick Button happy.

[Nomad]

^ I remember that, too, but Uncle Dick has said things like that about many skaters. He always seemed to take it a bit personally if a skater didn't measure up in his opinion.

[BreakfastClub]

^ I can't recall exactly what Dick said either, but he only said things like that if you had potential and talent. Shep had both in spades but things came easy to him and he preferred the performance aspect of skating, couldn't focus and train with the consistency needed to be a champion. Shep frustrated Dick and quite frankly, me too... .

massive triple axel with classic Shep flourish
http://youtu.be/J8tKS72xIaU?t=56s

quintessential Shep!
http://youtu.be/pG0yNIsFBoE?t=8m17s
(Watch the whole thing http://youtu.be/pG0yNIsFBoE?t=4m13s for a performance that starts with two ginormous triple axels, a 3lutz3loop and and power, speed and brilliant stretched positions from beginning to end.)

Much like Rohene Ward, I feel the same about Shep: wuzrobbed of a great champion, but feel privileged to have seen him skate.

[aftershocks]

I don't have a problem with him being proud of his skating, and I knew that he was into jewelry design, but I find this interview disturbing. His appearance, treating his cat like a person, the random interview topics, the set, the bizarre looking interviewer - it's as if he's sunk to doing anything for attention. This isn't arty, it's just weird.

I disagree with how you perceive Shepherd based on this interview. I don't think Shepherd was treating his cat like a person simply because the cat wore a jeweled collar, and was spoken to by Shepherd and the host. Frankly, Purrl is quite lucky to have found a home with someone like Shepherd to love and care for her. Shepherd indicated that he finds homes for other abandoned cats, and that's wonderful. If there were more caring people like Shepherd in this world, it might be a better place. Eccentric, passionate, or whatever, I'm glad to see that Shepherd did not go the route of suicide, but found a reason to continue living, and is busy pursuing creative and business-related goals, helping other people, rescuing animals in need, and not simply navel-gazing, web-surfing, or hoarding his wealth. Everyone who lives long enough will one day reach 50 and beyond. It's inevitable, so be prepared to live through it, endure it, survive what that stage of life might hold.

[essence_of_soy]

Gosh, I would love to have Shepherd's talent as a painter. His work certainly has a Toller Cranston flair to it.

The first time I saw him skate live was at the 1988 World Junior Championships in Brisbane where he won the short. He really was the class of the field that day.

[aliceanne]

^ I remember that, too, but Uncle Dick has said things like that about many skaters. He always seemed to take it a bit personally if a skater didn't measure up in his opinion.

I think that Button felt Clark was spinning his wheels, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[skatesindreams]

aliceanne, that's how I interpreted his comments, also.

[ioana]

I couldn't even focus on what Shep was saying. The woman conducting the interview had so much plastic surgery I had to and about 5 mins into this.

[zaphyre14]

I found the interviewer's appearance and voice extremely distracting and unprofessional (she looks like a hooker or a Vegas stripper to me). Other than having gained some weight, though, that's pretty much the Shep I know - verbose, grandiose and full of enthusiasm for his projects. Any conversation with him is verbal roller-coaster and I generally end up more confused than enlightened. But I know he's been working on this show concept for many years so it's nice to see that it's getting off the ground at last. I wish him the best of luck and I'm happy that he seems to have found his niche.

[Rex]

^ I remember that, too, but Uncle Dick has said things like that about many skaters. He always seemed to take it a bit personally if a skater didn't measure up in his opinion.

That's how I looked at it as well.
I actually kind of enjoyed Clark's skating. But he always looked, at least on camera, rather large and muscley for a singles skater, even bigger than Boitano.

[zaphyre14]

The last thing She was when he was skating was large and muscly! Tall, yes. As he says in the interview, he's a little over 5'11" which is tall for a singles skater but I think when he was skating he tried to keep his weight in around 140 pounds with something around 4% body fat. (He's always been obsessed with stuff like that.) His difficulty with training was always that he had trouble doing the same choreography every time out. He improvised a lot which played havok with his consistency. But a nicer, friendly guy you could never meet. And a devoted cat lover.

[Rex]

The last thing She was when he was skating was large and muscly! Tall, yes. As he says in the interview, he's a little over 5'11" which is tall for a singles skater but I think when he was skating he tried to keep his weight in around 140 pounds with something around 4% body fat. (He's always been obsessed with stuff like that.) His difficulty with training was always that he had trouble doing the same choreography every time out. He improvised a lot which played havok with his consistency. But a nicer, friendly guy you could never meet. And a devoted cat lover.

He looks muscley in this pic.

[zaphyre14]

I think it's the angle.

[aliceanne]

Here he is in 1993 in a strong technical performance (not his highest placement in an event though). He was about 22.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ammB0JJj9_I


In the late 90's he started wearing tights, which made him look longer and thinner.

After watching several of his vids I take back what I said about him being a weark jumper. His problem seemed to be more that he ran out of stamina in the long, and started improvising - adding missed jumps, leaving out elements he was too tired to do.

I think that was not unusual in the 90's, when skaters won based on how many triple jumps they completed. Yagudin admitted to skipping footwork in his Olympic long in order to save himself for the jumps. So much for figures and 6.0 system adding to artistry!

[overedge]

I don't have a problem with him being proud of his skating, and I knew that he was into jewelry design, but I find this interview disturbing. His appearance, treating his cat like a person, the random interview topics, the set, the bizarre looking interviewer - it's as if he's sunk to doing anything for attention. This isn't arty, it's just weird.

It made me feel sad. Google the interviewer's name and you will see all sorts of bizarre inflated and unsupported claims about her credentials, acting "ability", accomplishments, etc. If Shepherd wants to publicize his upcoming show and his activities, great, but he's really hurting his credibility by associating himself with someone as pathetic as this.

[Morry Stillwell]

I don't have a problem with him being proud of his skating, and I knew that he was into jewelry design, but I find this interview disturbing. His appearance, treating his cat like a person, the random interview topics, the set, the bizarre looking interviewer - it's as if he's sunk to doing anything for attention. This isn't arty, it's just weird.

Misty, my cat takes exception at any one refusing to recognize her as a person.

Shephard has always been an intresting person.. I was Team Leader when Shephard was part of the U.S.Junior Worlds Team in Sarajavo, Yugoslavia. He was a joy to deal with at that time.

BTW, we won the Ladies that year.

[aliceanne]

Misty, my cat takes exception at any one refusing to recognize her as a person.

Shephard has always been an intresting person.. I was Team Leader when Shephard was part of the U.S.Junior Worlds Team in Sarajavo, Yugoslavia. He was a joy to deal with at that time.

BTW, we won the Ladies that year.

Every cat I have ever met has considered itself superior to mere humans.

I wish Shepherd Clark all the best, but sometimes when it comes to art more is less. That interview set reminded me of Toller Cranston during one of his periods of wretched excess, and Toller is my favorite skater of all time.

By the way Morry, you must have quite a photo alblum.

[Morry Stillwell]

Every cat I have ever met has considered itself superior to mere humans.

I wish Shepherd Clark all the best, but sometimes when it comes to art more is less. That interview set reminded me of Toller Cranston during one of his periods of wretched excess, and Toller is my favorite skater of all time.

By the way Morry, you must have quite a photo alblum.

I do have a lot of pictures, but my organization of those sucks as they are not digita. Pictures that I take next week at a competition in Yucatan, Mexico will be saved on my computer.

[BittyBug]

Well he's definitely on a different wave length than most of us, but I love his energy and he seems very happy. Nice to see.

[Iceman]

He's turned into Norma Desmond.

or The Madwoman of Chaillot