tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7014745169058552044.post1293759932781307977..comments2023-03-09T09:56:19.039-05:00Comments on THE TRIPLE AXEL: Weir Accepts US Championships Results, But His Fans Deny Them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7014745169058552044.post-50833754654507881112008-03-17T11:08:00.000-05:002008-03-17T11:08:00.000-05:00Johnny's fans need to suck it up and realize that ...Johnny's fans need to suck it up and realize that he lost fair and square:<BR/><BR/>COP, Easy As 1-2-3<BR/><BR/>Under the Code of Points, every point counts. Shocking, right? I've been surprised by how many people can't seem to grasp this truly astonishing concept. You know how you can earn those points? By reading the rulebook and noticing that hey, you can attempt three jump combinations in the free skate! Fancy that!<BR/><BR/>Of course, Johnny’s thought process is, "Rulebook? I don't need your silly RULEBOOK!" Johnny looks down on you plebes—so obsessed with minutiae! Can't you see that he is an artiste?!<BR/><BR/>The simple fact of the matter is that Johnny could have easily tacked a double toe on the end of one of his jumps and he would have won. It doesn't get much more straightforward than that. He's been making this error for years and has yet to correct it. It's his own fault that he lost.<BR/><BR/><BR/>It's The Halfway Mark, Stupid<BR/><BR/>Under the Code of Points, landing jumping passes after the halfway mark—that is, the second half of a skater's program—earns a 10% bonus on the jump's base value.<BR/><BR/>It stands to reason, then, that a skater has much to gain by placing as many passes as they are capable of after this mark.<BR/><BR/>Johnny had three jumping passes, containing one combination, after the halfway mark. Evan had four jumping passes, containing two combinations, after his. These things add up. Evan may have had a hard time muscling out the jumps tonight, giving Johnny the edge on quality, but he and his team had the smarts to lay out his program in such a way to maximize the point value.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Fancy Footwork<BR/><BR/>Having higher level spins and footwork is a wonderful way to safeguard your program when the jumps are sketchy. Team Lysacek realizes this. Good on them.<BR/><BR/>Evan in particular is known for his intricate, commanding footwork. Lately he has been achieving a rare level four on his straightline footwork—this is compared to Weir's level three.<BR/><BR/>It's a numbers game, and Johnny is losing.<BR/><BR/><BR/>You Are Not A Beautiful Or Unique Snowflake<BR/><BR/>Johnny and his supporters love to cry that Johnny is somehow being held down by the USFSA in favor of the admittedly less controversial Evan Lysacek.<BR/><BR/>Right.<BR/><BR/>That is why in 2006, Johnny won the National Championships with 225.34 points – over Evan's 224.47. That is a mere 0.87 difference. You can't tell me that the big bad USFSA couldn't have nudged Evan's score up the tiniest little bit to take that title if they truly hated Weir and wanted Evan to be their National Champion going into the Olympic Games.<BR/><BR/>In 2007, Evan barely beat Johnny in the short program. It was anyone's game in the long. Evan just happened to skate one of the best programs in Nationals—hell, in skating— history, and Johnny had a complete meltdown.<BR/><BR/>In 2008, as we all know, Johnny won the short program, and overall Evan and Johnny tied, with the nod going to the best free skate—Evan's. Yeah, that sounds like the work of an evil federation.<BR/><BR/>Johnny is not being discriminated against for being outlandish. He is not getting held down because of the utter nonsense he spews whenever there's a camera pointed in his general direction. He is not being disrespected because he is a "character." He is losing titles because he is a Code of Points moron. It is insane for anyone to play the "Johnny is a beautiful, misunderstood artist and is being oppressed by the establishment!"-card.<BR/><BR/>Johnny has won three National titles. He almost won a fourth. Evan opened the door tonight—he kicked it wide open—and Johnny didn't step through it. Plain and simple.<BR/><BR/>And that's how Evan won fair and square. Get off it already. Evan isn't cookie cutter either. He knows to keep his mouth shut and learn from the old saying "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."Katrinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12801780865287742435noreply@blogger.com