Team Japan

[Xen]

I'm not really worried much about Yuzu or Shoma really. What would be a nightmare fanwar scenario is if:

At Nats, Daisuke places 4th and a younger skater places 3rd (keiji or Kazuki), and the point difference is small. Now objectively you might want to give to the 3rd place skater because well, they placed 3rd, and more likely Keiji and Kazuki (Kazuki especially) has a bigger body of international competition results. Objectively I think JSF would give it to the 3rd place skater, but I don't think the die-hard Daisuke fans will see it that way (if what is said of some of them is true). =/ And that will lead to a more targeted move against a skater with a smaller fanbase. 

It could get worse if say, either Shoma or Yuzu both do well internationally, but due to some fluke had to miss JNats. Due to body of work, it's stupid if JSF doesn't include them on the team, but that's an opening that the diehard vocal minority would take to a mile. =/ 

 

It's just the blah blah blah drama-llama-dingdong would be a nightmare. It is a minority, but it would seriously put a damper on his return. And that fanbase, that would do that, pretty much I don't think they've ever cared for Daisuke's opinions. 

 

Time to get out armor....*sigh*

[sun1985]

I'm just worried whether certain anti group will re-surface again and ruin the atmosphere in the arena  (Ex: throw things at Yuzu or yell bad thing) It happened in the past and I surly hope won't happen this year. 

[Murieleirum]

Since I entered the FS and Hanyu fandom late, today I decided to try and get informed and searched on GS information regarding Japan Nationals 2013, and the antis hate I hear a lot - but seldom encounter myself. 

Let's just say it took me little time to find it and I wish I didn't. Ew. People are ew. 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

*dusts off an old expression* HYPE.

 

1 時間前, sun1985さんが言いました:

I'm just worried whether certain anti group will re-surface again and ruin the atmosphere in the arena  (Ex: throw things at Yuzu or yell bad thing) It happened in the past and I surly hope won't happen this year. 

 

Poor Takahashi. It's as though the guy's return has both a bright side and a potential dark side, through no fault of his own. But I wouldn't worry too much about it, least of all with Hanyu once again on the receiving end of abuse. With him practically a god in Japan now, whose legion of fans completely obscures Takahashi's even in his hey-day, I sincerely doubt that it would unfold the same way back when his senior experience was still shallow (and he was chomping at the bit to stand among and ultimately overtake his highly accomplished seniors). When that happened before, he was still considered a young upstart gunning for a place with the greats who have been doing what they were doing for years when he still had yet to "pay his dues". And with Takahashi himself expressing that he felt threatened, these fans probably felt they had to protect him

 

Now that Hanyu's gone so far and beyond any greats that have ever existed, and more than paid his dues in the form of two shiny OGMs (and the endless struggles he went through to get them), and with Takahashi the one that's starting from a much lower position after being absent for so long, and as such shouldn't be feeling threatened, I doubt even the most ardent and illogical of his fans would be so out of their minds as to target anybody, least of all Hanyu. I mean, of all people. Like, you don't touch the b2b OGM and a People's Honor Award bearer. It just isn't done. They should at least have enough sense to know that doing that would only make them look like utter imbeciles (not that it didn't before) and hurt the skater they are cheering for.

 

'sides, guess who's the one with the  protective fans now, who can possibly get as scary as Takahashi's once were, if not scarier? >_< I mean I don't think Hanyu fans would take it out on Takahashi the way Takahashi's ones took it out on Hanyu...but they'd probably be very quick to educate these...wayward thinkers, should they lack a sense of self-preservation and do the unthinkable by openly starting something.

 

Jokes aside (or was I really joking back there?), while I'm hoping they won't reemerge at all, or have mellowed out over the years, even if they were to resume where they left off, they'd probably go for an easier target should Takahashi not end up right behind Hanyu and Uno, where I think they would at least grudgingly accept thinking that's the spot he should be in. If that happens, even if the unfortunate young skater has a much smaller fanbase, I'm not sure if Hanyu fans would stand for it, knowing that the skater would be going through what Hanyu himself went through.

 

That said, it is exciting to see what he has to offer now. And the effect his presence would have on other skaters. Guy's a legend. I bet it'd be surreal to the younger ones to have a chance to skate against him. It might feel surreal (with a touch of nostalgia) even to Hanyu, and it will definitely feel that way for Uno.

[Xen]

So it's been translated: 

 And more importantly this- so we can worry less. 

 

 

[Yatagarasu]

Um. Ok. 

 

Anyway, yeah, I'll say it, I believe he will compete internationally if he can. The rest is just politeness. He wants Worlds.

[Winnie_20]

5 minutes ago, Yatagarasu said:

He wants Worlds.

As well he should, with it being in Japan. Go for it, Dice!

<--- this coming from someone who died with joy at seeing Kazuki Tomono skate the skate of his career so far at Worlds. 

But I love all Japanese skaters. No exceptions. So, yeah, let's see the return of the wonderful Dice! May the best man win Nats, may the best three men get to Worlds, and may we all enjoy the beauty that is Japanese skating by even more incredible skaters than we already thought we would this season. Hurah!!! 

 

pssst Hey Mao-chan and Takahiko Kozuka, wanna give it a shot, too? For my sake? Make my year? ;-)

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

23 分, Yatagarasuさんが言いました:

Um. Ok. 

 

Anyway, yeah, I'll say it, I believe he will compete internationally if he can. The rest is just politeness. He wants Worlds.

 

If he proves to be good enough, I hope he gets it, too. Skaters should qualify by their own merit, not simply by the privilege of being young. Privilege in competitive sport, in my most honest and humble opinion, has to be something that is earned, so it should only apply to skaters with achievements under their belt and even then only on specific occasions with all conditions met. If the younger skaters lose to him despite having the advantage of being younger and having actively kept up with training because Takahashi is better even after a gap of 4 years, then these kids should really step up their game. Because that's just reality if they seriously want to be competitors that bring actual results. If they want international competition experience so badly, then they've got to prove that they fully deserve it.

 

Just my two cents, ofc. I have a lot of pennies saved up. >_<

[Yatagarasu]

13 minutes ago, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

 

If he's good enough, I hope he does. Skaters should qualify by their own merit, not simply by the privilege of being young. Privilege in competitive sport has to be something that is earned, so it should only apply to skaters with achievements under their belt and even then only on certain occasions. If the younger skaters lose to him because Takahashi is simply better, then these kids should really step up their game. Because that's just reality if they want seriously and badly want to be competitors that bring actual results.

 

Of course he should, I was commenting on the previous post, this one and the second tweet. 

 

Yes, indeed it does need to be something that is earned. By the young, or the old. Because the old shouldn't bring privilege either, no matter what reputation and backing they may have.  And of course, in reality, while you're mentioning it, we've seen many, many interesting things throughout the years.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

12 分, Yatagarasuさんが言いました:

 

Of course he should, I was commenting on the previous post, this one and the second tweet. 

 

Yes, indeed it does need to be something that is earned. By the young, or the old. Because the old should't bring privilege either, no matter what reputation and backing they may have.  And of course, in reality, while you're mentioning it, we've seen many, many interesting things throughout the years.

 

Ah no. I was only using your comment as a springboard to launch my opinion to those who were worried for younger skaters. ^^;;

 

By privilege that skaters with achievements get, I meant instances as showcased by Hanyu's several byes and Plushenko being picked over Kovtun as the sole male singles skating representative in Sochi, because those are given to them due to trust, faith and confidence, all of which they have earned throughout their entire careers. Those are well-deserved. 

 

The judges aren't going to be kind. Whoever can deliver best is the person to send.

[Yatagarasu]

1 minute ago, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

 

 

By privilege that skaters with achievements get, I meant instances as showcased by Hanyu's several byes [..] all of which they have earned throughout their entire careers. Those are well-deserved. 

 

Plushenko aside, am not sure which privilege did Yuzuru have and when? What bye?

 

If you mean Helsinki and Olympics team, those are not privileges. Those are per rules earned qualifications with his work.

[Sammie]

What byes that Yuzu got that we don’t know about? 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

18 分, Yatagarasuさんが言いました:

 

Plushenko aside, am not sure which privilege did Yuzuru have and when? What bye?

 

If you mean Helsinki and Olympics team, those are not privileges. Those are per rules earned qualifications with his work.

 

That's basically what I meant but I'm also saying it's still viewed as a privilege to some degree when you don't have to fight for a representing spot in a preceding qualifying comp, because you have a body of work for people to measure. Hanyu and most other champions seem to feel this way which tells me why they are always competing at Nats when they can, even if the rules technically say they don't necessarily have to. I mean besides wanting to be the National champion, that is, which I understand is a big deal in countries where the sport's presence is strong. 

 

12 分, Sammieさんが言いました:

What byes that Yuzu got that we don’t know about? 

 

I mean, aren't his JNats 17 and 18 as well as his recent Olympic qualifications technically byes, since he didn't compete in the preceding year's Nats which also acted as qualifying comps? Or am I understanding the term wrong? Because that could be a real possibility. I'll admit, I think my understanding of quite a few aspects of the sport is still quite rudimentary. So feel free to correct me if I'm very wrong.

[Fay]

1 minute ago, Sammie said:

What byes that Yuzu got that we don’t know about? 

He missed two Nationals in a row. But lol at the idea the current GPF champion/World Champion not deserving to go to the Worlds/Olympics. The JSF would have been shooting themselves in the foot. 

[Yatagarasu]

22 minutes ago, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

 

That's basically what I meant but I'm also saying it's still viewed as a privilege to some degree when you don't have to fight for a place in a preceding qualifying comp, because you have a body of work for people to measure. Hanyu and most other champions seem to feel this way which is why they are always competing at Nats when they can, even if the rules technically say they don't necessarily have to. I mean besides wanting to be the National champion, that is, which I understand is a big deal in countries where the sport's presence is strong.

 

Well that's not entirely true because the only way you can miss the Japanese Nationals and be considered is if you're not participating because of injury or unavoidable circumstances. So technically you do have to participate. If you don't for the reasons above we get into the whole list of what conditions need to be met. And the list does take into account qualifying comps, just not Nationals. It's not the whole of BOW either; it's very specific few things - top 3 of ISU world standing, season world ranking or season best.

This is not something just for Yuzuru either; every single skater taking part has this option available to them in case they're injured/sick/etc. 

 

So no, I don't really consider that a privilege. If they invented something, or bent the rules for Yuzuru, then it would be but as things stand, no.