General Yuzuru Chat

[kiches]

6 minutes ago, meoima said:

Figure skating needs stars (well all sports need stars, but team sport less so a bit). The only way ISU can develop strong interest in some countries are making stars out of them. Which is why we see they're working on it with junior grand prix, streaming through YouTube and do interviews with young promising skaters to attract viewers.

However, it depends on each culture to see if the stars can be made. You want to attract American casual views? Americans need to develop strong ladies. They only need like half of the dozen ladies that Russia has right now.

I like what they're doing with the junior grand prix, I like how it's accessible to watch for nearly anyone with internet connection.

 

It's true in the US, figure skating doesn't get a ton of coverage compared to the past. When I started becoming a more serious fan after Sochi I struggled to find where I could watch competitions regularly, particularly because I don't have cable TV or any other tv programming outside what is available over the air for free. Eventually I figured it out of course.

 

I think the USFS is stuck on the idea that to have a star in skating they need to have a female champion. They've had champions in ice dance with Davis and White, and Nathan has garnered a lot of attention as well and now they have a junior world champion in Vincent. They need to promote the sport better as a whole and not focus on just the ladies because that is clearly not where their strongest competitors are. The fact that the men's discipline is now arguably the most popular globally out of all four disciplines says it's possible and that fans, even casual fans, can enjoy and become hooked on the sport through something other than ladies skating. USFS just seems incredibly outdated (much like the comments from Bianchetti in the article, which goes to show that those in the ISU are also outdated in their thinking), even their website looks like it'd something out of the 90s and Ice Network isn't much better. They need to get with the times and make the sport easier to watch and information more readily available, but they try to make it more entertaining by hiring Tara and Johnny to do color commentary rather than people that know how to educate and explain what is happening in the performance. It's just incredibly misguided, they're not making it easier for Americans to get into this sport as a fan.

[Valkyria]

58 minutes ago, Hydroblade said:

I'm just realizing that it's possible to breathe FS during the season.  Look at our calendar for September! It's insane, and i'm still adding the JGP events 

ETA: November, holy shit...

 

 

Welp, it's been a while since I was this excited to pull all-nighters. Only a handful of days left, now 

[Hydroblade]

3 minutes ago, Valkyria said:

 

Welp, it's been a while since I was this excited to pull all-nighters. Only a handful of days left, now 

I haven't added the Lombardia Trophy individual events yet but i am pretty sure you could do nothing but watch FS all day for three days

[Lunna]

1 час назад, xeyra сказал:

 

 

 @gladi

Цитата

 If he can feel that way, Yuzuru can do anything

Цитата

There were parts of last year when he was working through pain. 

 

 

3 часа назад, KatjaThera сказал:

Like my favorite F1 driver always says about the eternally - and sometimes not much less stupidly - changing rules in his sport - and like Yuzu has actually said about FS in the past, too - the rules are the same for everyone.

Kimi? 

[Valkyria]

1 minute ago, Hydroblade said:

I haven't added the Lombardia Trophy individual events yet but i am pretty sure you could do nothing but watch FS all day for three days

 

Pity that menial things like sleep and now uni get in the way of my binge watching. I need more holidays, please 

[meoima]

29 minutes ago, kiches said:

I like what they're doing with the junior grand prix, I like how it's accessible to watch for nearly anyone with internet connection.

 

It's true in the US, figure skating doesn't get a ton of coverage compared to the past. When I started becoming a more serious fan after Sochi I struggled to find where I could watch competitions regularly, particularly because I don't have cable TV or any other tv programming outside what is available over the air for free. Eventually I figured it out of course.

 

I think the USFS is stuck on the idea that to have a star in skating they need to have a female champion. They've had champions in ice dance with Davis and White, and Nathan has garnered a lot of attention as well and now they have a junior world champion in Vincent. They need to promote the sport better as a whole and not focus on just the ladies because that is clearly not where their strongest competitors are. The fact that the men's discipline is now arguably the most popular globally out of all four disciplines says it's possible and that fans, even casual fans, can enjoy and become hooked on the sport through something other than ladies skating. USFS just seems incredibly outdated (much like the comments from Bianchetti in the article, which goes to show that those in the ISU are also outdated in their thinking), even their website looks like it'd something out of the 90s and Ice Network isn't much better. They need to get with the times and make the sport easier to watch and information more readily available, but they try to make it more entertaining by hiring Tara and Johnny to do color commentary rather than people that know how to educate and explain what is happening in the performance. It's just incredibly misguided, they're not making it easier for Americans to get into this sport as a fan.

Lady event was still the event that attached the most audience at Boston WC, so no.  And at Olympic, ladies will be the last event and we all know who decided Olympic schedule. So overall, To US casual views, it's still the ladies that represent figure skating. 

Of course male skaters as long as they do well will get attention, but will never be famous as ladies. I have no doubt saying this, had Yuzuru been American, he wouldn't get as much loved as Kwan was loved back then. 

[KatjaThera]

22 minutes ago, Lunna said:

Kimi? 

Yes. In a way it's one of his trademarks lol That's why I had to laugh when Yuzu basically said the same thing

 

And I confess, I'm kind of happy I only really care about Yuzu and Javi in FS, or I would go nuts with all that stuff... Yuzu has already almost completely taken over my life

[katonice]

Sep 13 (Wed)

No Yuzu schedules programs, but the following FS-relates programs will be aired

 

10:10~10:25 Legend Program Rika Hongo CS TV Asahi 2

23:30~24:00 Kenji's Room Mihara and Sakamoto JSports4

 

 

[EisElle]

2 hours ago, xeyra said:

 

 

 

thank you @gladi for bringing us Tracy's interview

You are spoiling us

I'm really enjoying reading all these interviews from Yuzu and his team, it feels like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. And what a heartwarming picture we get... and very soothing, too, after all that ISU craziness

I'll keep it brief this time.

Quote

I’ve always felt that Tracy is a mama who would tuck you in bed, but also a truly thoughtful coach who has the development of her skaters in mind ❤️ – gladi.

 @gladi I totally subscribe to your comment here

 

Now

Quote

He is really strong. Although he holds the records for the world’s highest scores, he never considers the option of playing it safe. I’ve always been impressed by that. The question of “how do I further progress?” is always on his mind. He’s already a master, but at the same time, he still feels like a student. Compared to the past, he is a different person now. He has grown up a lot. He has conviction, self-confidence, and an extraordinarily strong vision. Even so, his hunger remains. You often see this sort of thirst when people are young and eager to prove themselves. He has already proven himself over and over, but he still wants to prove himself, even now.

This hunger comes from his character and has grown even more <compared to the past>. I feel that it’s not only for himself. It also has to do with this sport, and what he can accomplish in unison with fans. That is to say, this hunger is balanced upon these two sentiments––what he himself wants to accomplish, and also what the fans and the FS community hope for him. This is an aspect [of Yuzuru] that everyone highly appreciates.

IMO his hunger is what sets him apart from everyone else. It's a hunger which is also strenghtned by his sense of responsability and his gratitude, I think. Yuzuru wants to win, and be better, but he also wants to gift something more to the sport and the fans. He takes pride in his role. He's never stopped improving, he's never stopped evolving, he goes on pursuing his ideals even if he makes things harder for himself. But, because he has that hunger, he is the one still owning the scene in an era of huge technical development. And despite what someone may say, he is the highest embodiment of that fusion of art and technique that everyone keep saying they want in FS and that ends merrily disregarded when it cames to properly rewarding and encouraging it. Yes, ISU and ISU judges, I'm looking at you again!

Yuzuru broke the COP system because in his personal quest for evolution he happened to show that the highest tech quality can be matched by the highest "artistry" (if we want to call like that all that is not purely tech). He left the others playing catch up while he still moves forward.

 

Quote

Teaching true top skaters is an enjoyable affair. Where you watch them and where lessons take place, it becomes something like a dance party. You’ve got to bring presence and energy to support their training.

Lovely comparison

 

Quote

He never backs off, never stops challenging. We would have understood even if he were to give up, but he never did. I like such attitude in him, and I love the manner in which he’s bringing programs that had already broken records into [further] completion, and then, his approach of raising technical difficulty as well. Surely, that is what a true champion looks like.

Go Tracy!!!

And last but not least, my favourite quote

Quote

<First thing is never to forget your sense of humor (laughs). And then, not losing your sense of playfulness. And the viewpoint that what we’re doing is something we enjoy.> This is absolutely necessary at times.

[...]

begin with the feeling of “How lucky for us to be doing what we’re doing.” Enjoy practice, and work as hard as possible. Hard training is essential as it is the foundation to everything. But, we mustn’t forget the joy [in skating] and the playfulness

Just

[SSS]

3 hours ago, Xen said:

But ISU never really liked him...and I suspect they didn't like Yagudin either. If the idea was we hate quads, Yagudin and Plushy really pushed it, especially Plush with his yolo combos....

So ISU hates all the greatest skaters...or i should say they want skaters within their control...

No wonder they are killing themselves...

 

 

 

 

BTW , nathan, Shoma, boyang, Yuzu, who does that lady like best...Curious...

[ralucutzagy]

 

[Aotoshiro]

3 hours ago, Yoa said:

He also won his first important international competition in Toruń. When he still was a little mushroom  So come here Yuzu, come... 
But I just realised.. he would just ninja his way in and out of Poland... and nobody would know  

Possible since we're "the ice desert"...nobody would even recognize him T.T But, meybe he'd like that? A bit of privacy xD

[ralucutzagy]

   @gladi

[Sombreuil]

@gladi Thank you very much for the translations and especially for your attention to the nuance of what is being said, given the ' lost in translation ' aspect of these articles - we're all very grateful.

[kiches]

4 hours ago, meoima said:

Lady event was still the event that attached the most audience at Boston WC, so no.  And at Olympic, ladies will be the last event and we all know who decided Olympic schedule. So overall, To US casual views, it's still the ladies that represent figure skating. 

Of course male skaters as long as they do well will get attention, but will never be famous as ladies. I have no doubt saying this, had Yuzuru been American, he wouldn't get as much loved as Kwan was loved back then. 

I think you're misunderstanding my point a bit. I'm not saying ladies aren't what the US audience is most interested in, that is true at the moment and has been in the past, and NBC influenced the schedule at the Olympics hoping to draw more viewers.

 

My point is, if they devoted that type of resources or energy and were smarter and more efficient at promoting the other disciplines as well that they wouldn't have to rely solely on the success of the American female skaters to generate interest in the sport within the US. Besides Michelle Kwan who else does the general US audience know from the figure skating world? At the moment my guess would be Meryl Davis as she's had the most exposure after Sochi with being on Dancing with the Stars even though she's not a singles skater. You can only generate so much interest without putting in effort, money, and some PR to get people take notice of the sport, and clearly the USFS has failed to do this properly in ladies, AND in the other disciplines.