Johnny Weir Announces He Won't Compete At the 2013 US Nationals

[Vagabond]

Is there any way he can skate on the Grand Prix next season? He won't have a Season's Best score, let alone be in the top 75.

[judgejudy27]

IMO, it is too early to count Lysacek out of contention for the Olympic team. Although he has not competed, Evan has been training for two years. From eyewitness accounts, he was skating at a high level before the injury. He also skated well with the injury, as evidenced by his performances at Kaleidoscope on Ice, which was six days before his surgery. Even if the injury prevents him from competing at 2013 Nationals, by Fall 2013 Evan would have been training for three years, and should be able to compete at a high level.

I dont think Evan would really come back unless he thinks he has a chance at an Olympic medal, not just make the U.S team, and that would require him skating better than ever has, which I think unlikely.

[MacMadame]

Is there any way he can skate on the Grand Prix next season? He won't have a Season's Best score, let alone be in the top 75.

He can get one at a Senior B early in the season.

[skatesindreams]

I applaud Johnny's honesty and graciousness.
I hope that he can meet the "competition standard" he aspires to; so that he will be able to end his career in a way that satisfies him, should he chooses to continue.

[Vagabond]

He can get one at a Senior B early in the season.

Unless there's a rule change, he'd have to win, and he'd still be stuck at the bottom of the alternates list.

Having to skate at Sectionals (and even Regionals) wouldn't be the worst thing for him. *shrug*

[Carolla5501]

Marketing. Would an effective plan b...."pay your money see if he shows up?". After this year, I am not sure he has the 'marketability' he had last year.
But I expect USFSA will find him events to 'spare' him the 'lessor' events. Not sure they should, but....

[victoriaheidi]

I hate to sound rude, but as long as Johnny has the potential to put on a show (off-ice, I mean), he'll be marketable on some level.

[NadineWhite]

Kudos to Johnny for living up to his word, being honorable, that's more than could be said for Evan at this point, injury notwithstanding, I'm talking about last year's supposed comeback.

*If* both compete next year, it will be interesting, because even though I think Evan's the one to secure a Team Medal at the Olympics, I wouldn't count Johnny out. May the best man win!

[MountainTime]

At least we can watch Johnny starting January 9th (?) on the Food Network I saw advertised this week. He's competing in a celebrity cooking show with eliminations every episode like Biggest Loser, Amazing Race etc. Glad he's still enjoying his life outside of skating. I know he recorded this show a while back so it would not affect his training schedule.

[apatinar]

I just hope that when he comes back next season, he will have ditched that Lady Gaga nonsense and get a real competitive short program...

[skateboy]

I just hope that when he comes back next season, he will have ditched that Lady Gaga nonsense and get a real competitive short program...

This.

[Vagabond]

I just hope that when he comes back next season, he will have ditched that Lady Gaga nonsense and get a real competitive short program...

I just hope that when he comes back next season, he will have ditched that coaching team of his and gotten a real, competitive coaching team.

[Jenny]

It's great when a skater wants to come back, but it seems they usually want to pick up where they left off - straight to the GP, on the podium at Nationals, off to Worlds and/or the Olys. It seems Johnny is only recognizing now that things have changed - the competition has changed, the nature of winning programs has changed, and importantly, he's changed. Physically they're all getting older, and not having been in full training mode for some time certainly doesn't help. But it's also emotional - the commitment, the drive, the competitiveness. It sounds like Johnny forgot some of that in his excitement to perform (more so than compete), show his new programs, return to his beloved Russia, and stage a triumphant return.

I'm not sure what is options even are next season, but it might be better to take one step at a time - do the summer and regional comps that lead to nationals, get the body and head back in the right place, and then maybe be in the right space for nationals. And instead of doing reality shows and fashion events etc, take every opportunity possible to skate - club shows, Christmas shows, whatever is possible (realizing there are not that many opportunities, and I believe at least one show Johnny was supposed to do this season was cancelled). And at those shows, instead of doing more show programs, do the SP and/or LP, perhaps watered down a bit so as not to be physically stressful, and perhaps shortened in the latter case. But get comfortable with those programs, and continuously tweak and improve them, so when it counts, he's ready to kill it in front of the judges.

And he should get his face out there - not in the celebrity press, but back in the skating world. Definitely go to nationals as a spectator if nothing else, be a presence at his club, cheer on other members of the US team (not just his Russian friends!), etc. Show everyone that he's back and serious and willing to do the work to get back on the podium.

I can't imagine how hard it must be for him, Evan and so many before them to announce a big comeback, only to have to pull back with tail between legs. So disappointing - but then again if you set the bar so very high, with goals that were difficult to achieve even when they were in top condition, training full time and fully immersed in the effort - it's somewhat inevitable.

Has there ever been a skater who left the sport for 2+ years and then returned to take the same place on their national team and achieve the same or better results at Worlds and/or Olys that they did in the past? Not many I think.

[toddlj]

Unless there's a rule change, he'd have to win, and he'd still be stuck at the bottom of the alternates list.

Having to skate at Sectionals (and even Regionals) wouldn't be the worst thing for him. *shrug*

He could be assigned to Skate America as a host pick.

[Jenny]

He could be assigned to Skate America as a host pick.

If that's his first comp and/or the first time he skates his programs in front of judges and audience, I think that would be a mistake. I think he's better off doing a series of summer comps and shows (using his competitive programs or versions of them at least) so that if he goes to SA, he's fully comfortable with the programs, has had feedback from judges and made improvements and is fully in competition mode. Otherwise I fear more disappointments.

[Willowway]

Johnny's statement through USFSA was really down to earth, honest and in that way, very special. Good for him - he said he'd try and he really did. I think anyone looking at the protocols from the men at the GP finals this past weekend would think that any talk (from fans, I mean) of an international comeback is unrealistic - skating has moved beyond what Johnny, and Evan for that matter, gave us in Vancouver and can potentially achieve. Coming back after several seasons off to match skaters years younger doing things you never achieved at your athletic peak? That's expecting too much of anyone, and I think Johnny's statement makes it clear that he knows that now in a very real way. I would doubt that we'll see him on competitive ice again - why should he set himself up again for the level of frustration he describes experiencing this year? He doesn't need to, and I doubt that he will.

[Vagabond]

He could be assigned to Skate America as a host pick.

IINM, he cannot receive a host pick without a Top 75 Season's Best score. It used to be that host federations could assign any of their own skaters, but a season or two ago, any initial selection had to be in the Top 75, and this past season, I believe, even the substitutes had to have a Top 75 score. Weir got his berths this season as a comeback skater, but he won't be a comeback skater next season.

I am sure that the USFSA will send him to a Senior "B" if he needs a higher score than he already has to qualify for an ISU Championship (or the Olympics, if qualifying scores are required), but, given the rules and the extraordinarily large number other U.S. men who can be competitive internationally, that may be as much as they can do for him.

I do wonder whether his coach has ever explained this to him, but, then again, there are a lot of things that I wonder whether she has ever explained to him.

[manleywoman]

Kudos to Johnny for living up to his word, being honorable, that's more than could be said for Evan at this point, injury notwithstanding, I'm talking about last year's supposed comeback.

My tell me that USFS is really pissed with Evan's not making a commitment to Nationals, or updating them regarding injuries. They are using him for marketing after all (see: Skate America). Having said that, it's really USFS' fault for choosing to use Evan's image on marketing materials with no guarantee of his return, since it just sets everyone up for failure. I will then say that I agree that Johnny deserves kudos for not stringing anyone along, least of all himself, if he's feeling under-prepared, and giving all parties enough notice.

I just hope that when he comes back next season, he will have ditched that Lady Gaga nonsense and get a real competitive short program...

I just hope that when he comes back next season, he will have ditched that coaching team of his and get a real, competitive coaching team.

Oh, how much I agree with both of the above. Oh how I miss the Priscilla Hill days of Johnny's skating.

[toddlj]

IINM, he cannot receive a host pick without a Top 75 Season's Best score. It used to be that host federations could assign any of their own skaters, but a season or two ago, any initial selection had to be in the Top 75, and this past season, I believe, even the substitutes had to have a Top 75 score. Weir got his berths this season as a comeback skater, but he won't be a comeback skater next season.

I am sure that the USFSA will send him to a Senior "B" if he needs a higher score than he already has to qualify for an ISU Championship (or the Olympics, if qualifying scores are required), but, given the rules and the extraordinarily large number other U.S. men who can be competitive internationally, that may be as much as they can do for him.

I should have been more clear with my answer... what I was trying to say to Vagabond was that Johnny wouldn't need to win his senior B assignment to get to the GP. He could be assigned to a senior B, while SA is left "TBD", and then given SA if he gets the minimum score.

[haribobo]

I enjoy Johnny, but assigning him to Skate America, while presumably passing over other guys who frequently finish in the top 10 at Nationals and compete well internationally, would be really obnoxious on the part of USFS. I really hope it doesn't happen. Keegan and Max, among others, could really benefit from having an opportunity to achieve an ISU SB score.