I don't know what to make of this guy these days...Elvis Stojko is making Skate Canada uneasy right now with his persistent interpretation of what they are looking for in figure skaters. His remarks are being interpreted by many as being "anti-gay" and he's starting to get many skating fans all worked up.
So much to the point that Skate Canada Execs are publicly distancing Skate Canada from Stojko, pointing out that he in no way speaks on behalf of their organization. Trouble for Skate Canada is, Stojko is speaking to the press left and right, and many are connecting his remarks to Skate Canada creating a PR Mess for them. I have this vision in my head of the Board of Directors in a meeting about this screaming..."I wish he'd shut up already!"
What is Stojko's beef with, to quote him, "soft, lyrical, feminine" skaters? To be sure, Stojko was the exact opposite of that...jumps full steam ahead. But as a great champion (and I do respect Elvis as one of the greatest champions this sport has seen) I would have thought that he would have a broader view of what skating should be, not just a narrow view that highly resembles his own personal style.
I do recall a small temper-tantrum from Stojko at the 1994 Olympics. One of those "soft, lyrical, feminine" skaters beat him out for Olympic Gold (Alexei Urmanov)...maybe he just has a slight complex with the issue?
I'm curious to know which skaters that are competing today exemplify those qualities Stojko believes is the core of figure skating? I'd also be curious to see where those skaters are in terms of ranking?
4 comments:
can you say ted haggart?
go back to your karate (and locker room antics E.S.).
Saw Stojko on ABC News. Glad he clarified that skating 'doesn't want to totally obliterate' gays and gay fans. How charitable of him. No wonder Skate Canada is distancing themselves.
In terms of ranking the most successful figure skater is Alexie Yagudin who is definetly straight and masculline
I like him but he could NEVER survive in the NEW SYSTEM...
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