Interview with Johny Weir `I can't do a comeback like Pluschenko'

[BigB08822]

I actually believe him when he says he doesn't know the rules. How many times has Weir ever maxed out his points in a LP? Once in the Olympics LP? He constantly left points on the table and it was usually the easy points (as in easy to remember), like not bothering to do a 3 jump combo or leaving a combo out completely.

[Nomad]

I actually believe him when he says he doesn't know the rules. How many times has Weir ever maxed out his points in a LP?

Not once. He came close in Vancouver, but CoP is exhausting and unfair and the judges hate him for being a special snowflake and he missed the bus because his make-up wasn't perfect and he felt a cold coming on and he was nervous going into the FS and his boots didn't feel right and and and....Am I really the only one who doesn't buy all this crap?

[VarBar]

I have to wonder how many skaters do understand COP. Does Nathan Chen for instance know at the age of 13 what all those points he gets stand for? My guess is that he is just following the instructions from his coaches and has a plan B prepared in case Plan A doesn't work. Since Johnny says his coaches know the rules, he would just need to follow their instructions but either he can't do more complicated stuff or is just too lazy to do it. JMHO.

[PinkFeathers]

Oh god, people STILL take Johnny's comments, all of them, at face value? Are you new?

[lala]

1. Johnny knows the IJS is mathematics! The COP is COLLECTING POINTS! That's what the "COP experts" are doing, they are trying to discover how skaters can win a lot of points! Yes, fall and fall, and can win. And the people don't understand , how is it possible? Johnny is right, absolute right.
2. Johnny was robbed in Vancouver.

[manleywoman]

It always seemed odd to me that Johnny doesn't like, understand, or maximize COP, because when he was on the rise he seemed to be using it before they actually adopted it. Remember his gorgeous early routines, jam-packed with transitions and difficult entries to jumps and spins?

I loved those programs. The Pricsilla Hill programs. That was the Johnny whose skating I adored and found so interesting.

[Ziggy]

Not once. He came close in Vancouver, but CoP is exhausting and unfair and the judges hate him for being a special snowflake and he missed the bus because his make-up wasn't perfect and he felt a cold coming on and he was nervous going into the FS and his boots didn't feel right and and and....Am I really the only one who doesn't buy all this crap?

[aftershocks]

For example when I look at my marks I don't understand what they mean. And, frankly, I'm not even trying to find out.

I love Johnny’s skating, butt, ... he def needs to do his CoP homework, that idiot!

Fortunately my coaches understand the rules. They tell me what to do, provoke me all the time to make the programme harder, for example to put a 3A in the 2nd part of the programme.

Ooooh that Johnny, he’s such a clueless CoP slacker. Good thing there are so many enforcers and rules mavens among fs fans these days!

I always tried to express myself, show the emotions.

Yeah, Johnny, sure, keep up with the excuses. At this rate, you're going to induce "screaming" from manleywoman , and seriously, the only way you are going to make it to Sochi will be in a broadcast booth!

Oh god, people STILL take Johnny's comments, all of them, at face value? Are you new?

1. Johnny knows the IJS is mathematics! The COP is COLLECTING POINTS! That's what the "COP experts" are doing, they are trying to discover how skaters can win a lot of points! Yes, fall and fall, and can win. And the people don't understand , how is it possible? Johnny is right, absolute right.
2. Johnny was robbed in Vancouver.

Hey wait just a CoP minute here, Pink Feathers and lala, you do realize that you are in marked danger of being accused of being a Johnny uber! Tsk tsk!

I doubt he really doesn't know the rules. He just likes to mention things like that in interviews to show how unfair and stupid COP is, so when he doesn't get the points others do, it's not his fault, it's this convoluted system and the old fogey judges who don't like Lady Gaga

I like Johnny, I do, but sometimes he is tedious.

Johnny gets the award for most "tedious" figure skater of any generation. How could he have ever thought that boring he could bring even one fan back to figure skating. What a lousy CoP-brainless, forgetful single-loop lacking loser!

I loved those programs. The Pricsilla Hill programs. That was the Johnny whose skating I adored and found so interesting.

Johnny of yesteryear … ((sigh)), never shall we see his like again.

Pssst, they weren’t actually Priscilla’s “programs,” btw. And in any case, Pris unfortunately was never able to teach the divalicious one about CoP (for shame, for shame), nor how to be mentally strong, nor how to read bus schedules and how NOT to wear a gifted souvenir Soviet jacket ( boy, the nerve of that Tot creature) to U.S. figure skating practices, and yadda yadda …

Galina, OTOH, knows how to rap Johnny’s fingers and get him to train. And, even if she did tamper too much with his gorgeous jumping technique, at least Galina understands all there is to know about CoP, which totally makes up for Johnny’s utter idiocy and irredeemable shiftlessness.

[mag]

I have to wonder how many skaters do understand COP. Does Nathan Chen for instance know at the age of 13 what all those points he gets stand for? My guess is that he is just following the instructions from his coaches and has a plan B prepared in case Plan A doesn't work. Since Johnny says his coaches know the rules, he would just need to follow their instructions but either he can't do more complicated stuff or is just too lazy to do it. JMHO.

I'm sure Nathan does understand. The kids that my dd skates with all know about the points. They love it! They work on spin combinations to max out points. They talk about jump layouts, transitions, choreography, skating skills. COP gives them power and control over their skating. It makes them take responsibility for their placements. Is there grumbling about marks? Yes. Do people still questions placements? Yes. But at least there are report cards to look at. The kids can clearly see what the other one did that got them more points. They go back to the practice rink after a competition and demand better choreography. They challenge jump layouts and don't just shut up and take what they are given. My dd doesn't have the jumps that some of her competitors have. She and her coach have been working on her spins to max out the points. They have increased her base value by a whole point just on spins.

As to Johnny's comments that "People don't understand it." Thanks Johnny for assuming we are all idiots. I don't know and I don't care whether or not he gets it. But it pi$$es me off that he assumes other people don't get it.

[aftershocks]

As to Johnny's comments that "People don't understand it." Thanks Johnny for assuming we are all idiots. I don't know and I don't care whether or not he gets it. But it pi$$es me off that he assumes other people don't get it.

^^ Yeah mags, give that Johnny dumb dumb what for. Enough of the d**ning him with faint praise in this thread ... that's just sooo outre. We gotta put on our boxing gloves for that Johnny pi$$ant.

How dare he make a$$umptions about what other people under$tand about CoP!!!

[Jenny]

So either he doesn't actually know the rules, or he does but he's pretending not to so he can blame them when he does badly?

Any national or Olympic level athlete should know the rules of their sport inside out and backwards, particularly when they present a road map for winning.

And if they don't like those rules, then they either need to do something productive to change them (by offering tangible alternatives, getting on the review committees, submitting proposals etc), or stop competing within that sport.

To use either ignorance or act like you are above the rules is just making excuses, rather than taking responsibility for your own performance.

I mean he could easily make a living off being a celebrity but he's taken a huge risk.

I think the reason he's come back to competition is because he's run out of other options.

[overedge]

Johnny gets the award for most "tedious" figure skater of any generation. How could he have ever thought that boring he could bring even one fan back to figure skating. What a lousy CoP-brainless, forgetful single-loop lacking loser!

If you bothered to read what triple_toe said before throwing a hissy fit, the "tedious" comment was referring to Johnny's public statements, not to his skating.

[aftershocks]

So either he doesn't actually know the rules, or he does but he's pretending not to so he can blame them when he does badly?
...

And if they [Johnny] don't like those rules, then they [he] either need to do something productive to change them (by offering tangible alternatives, getting on the review committees, submitting proposals etc), or stop competing within that sport.

To use either ignorance or act like you are above the rules is just making excuses, rather than taking responsibility for your own performance.

Right, right Jenny, all of the above! Johnny should even at the very least try to become a judge himself. Maybe then he'll have fewer idiot excuses. He could even give himself better marks! Yah! Hmmm, well, oh yeah, I forgot, he can't be in two places at one time. Totally against the rules.

...

I think the reason he's come back to competition is because he's run out of other options.

How pre$cient you are Jenny! You saw right through that lax Johnny's lame-a$$ excu$e about being bored $itting on the couch at home for two year$ fielding celebrity offer$ while eating chicken finger$ and drinking Chabli$.

...Any national or Olympic level athlete should know the rules of their sport inside out and backwards, particularly when they present a road map for winning...

D**n right! But at least we have Evan Ly$acheck to rely on (hopefully). He's a CoP geniu$, not to mention a $talwart, “inside out and backwards,” forwards and upside down competitive OGM-winning athlete with brain$ and brawn, and (finger$-cro$$ed) reliable QUAD$.

[Proustable]

I'm disappointed that Weir doesn't care about knowing the rules, but I'm more impressed that he came back. He put his money where his mouth is, which is more than we can say for some.

[PinkFeathers]

I am OK with being accused of being an uber I'm also an uber fan of some of Johnny's competitors, and everyone who isn't the skaters I hate

[antmanb]

I am OK with being accused of being an uber I'm also an uber fan of some of Johnny's competitors, and everyone who isn't the skaters I hate

To be fair, you come across as a fan and have a lot of worthwhile things to say. Other people, however, ....

[arakwafan2006]

I love Johnny's skating, but if he keeps with this opinion:

. . . then he has no reason to complain about his marks being low. He just refuses to learn the system.

What an ignorant thing to say as a professional in your sport. If this were me and the case, I wouldnt say it. Dont tell me he's a role model when he says stuff like this. Why SHOULD anyone take him seriously? He doesnt.

[Jenny]

aftershocks, you might want to check in with your IT people as your "s" key seems to have been replaced with your dollar sign key. Or maybe it was subtle message of some sort? I can't seem to find it among your attempts at sarcasm (or is this the Johnnyspeak people are referring to - that nothing he says should be taken seriously?), and who is this Evan you keep talking about? Is he Johnny's new CoP coach?

[Wiery]

I just took that statement to mean that Johnny didn't want to talk about COP rules, not that he actually doesn't know them. I mean, the guy speaks fluent Russian and French; he's no dummy; playing dumb when convenient perhaps...

[Jenny]

I just took that statement to mean that Johnny didn't want to talk about COP rules, not that he actually doesn't know them. I mean, the guy speaks fluent Russian and French; he's no dummy; playing dumb when convenient perhaps...

In what scenario is playing dumb convenient?