Major Elvis News

[Steffi]

http://www.skatecanada.ca/english/press/2003/sep26.html

[calypso56]

Well, that is no surprise. Elvis is no quitter, so he must be very disappointed that his attempt to return to competetive skating is not successful.

Good for Elvis for telling SC in time to find a replacement. The Canadian men will be able to make plans with greater certainty now.

I wish him every success in the future.

[Arsenette]

Not to sound awful but I'm glad. I think he needs to really recoup and he can have a wonderful Pro career. ;)

[iskater13]

Elvis RULES:lol: :lol: :lol:
I was surprised when I heard he wanted to come back to an amateur career. I gree he nees to enjoy his life and skate pro, Elvis will never leave the building:lol: :lol:

[Blade1]

So does that mean that Elvis is NOT going to be competiting AT ALL the season? He'd decided to step away from it and continue to stay "Pro" ??

I Wish Him All The Best In What Ever Decission He Decides!

[skootz]

Here is an article from The Star (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1064572078553&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064)

I will be sad to see him go...but if this is what he wants and what is best for him and his health...it is a good decision.

[Tigger]

You know something....I'm glad he's done this. Not because he's not my favourite skater, but because I think if he'd comeback and not been able to do what he wanted to do... Not only would that not make him happy, but also in a way not leave many w/good memories.

I remember when Midori Ito made her comback during the 95/96 season and seeing her skate at Worlds that year was heartbreaking to me. That wasn't the Midori I remembered and it isn't the way I want to remember Midori either. I would much rather remember Elvis the way he skated the last time I saw him live. W/that amazing LP at 2002 Canadians, instead of watching him try to do something that just isn't possible anymore.

I wish Elvis all the success in the world w/whatever he does. W/that amazing drive he possesses, I'm sure he'll be fantastic w/whatever he chooses to do.

[jcspkbfan]

I'm disappointed Elvis won't be able to do what he set out to do this season, but he always said he wanted to end his eligible career on a high note--that was one of the reasons why he stuck around so long after his groin injury at the 1998 Olympics...to try and get back to the level he used to be. As much as I admired his dedication, I have to admit his struggle to achieve that high note has been heartbreaking to watch at times...and if he came back this season with the injury and illness he's suffered lately, I'm afraid Elvis' comeback wouldn't have produced the results either him or his fans would want him to end his eligible career on. :cry:

I'm glad Elvis has made the best decision in regards to his health (and considering how much he loves to compete, I'm sure it must have been a very difficult decision to make). I wish him the very best of luck in whatever the future may hold and I hope to see him skate for many more years to come during his pro career. :)

[bbtano]

I'm not sure I understand why he changed his mind. In one of the articles, it says he was battling fatigue....does he have some sort of sickness? Or can someone make it more clear as to why he decided not to compete.
Thanks!

[jp1andOnly]

All I know is that Elvis contracted some sort of virus earlier in the summer. I believe it might have something to do with his blood cell count/cells in general, etc. I just heard from various sources so please don't quote me. I'll see if I can find out more info

I hope his health improves. BEst of luck to him

[jcspkbfan]

I also seem to remember another article saying Elvis had recently injured his ankle...but I can't remember where to find it. :(

The "mystery illness" Elvis was suffering from was described as some form of mononucliousis, IIRC...and anyone who's ever suffered from that disease knows how difficult it can be to make it through day-to-day life without tiring out--let alone skate!

I wish I could find the articles which talked about this in more detail...and of course, I also wish Elvis recovers and gets well soon!

[sillyskates]

I'm glad Elvis has made this decision. He has contributed greatly to the evolution of his sport. Sometimes when athletes attempt to give it "one more try" and experience disappointing results, their place they've worked so hard to achieve in their sport becomes diminished. He may have attained his goal for this year, or perhaps not, but I think by making this decision, his place as a skater who "pushed the envelope" technically, establishing new standards, is secure.

[Ryan O]

I think this was the right decision. I was never one of the people a few years ago that thought he should retire after '98, because I knew he was capable of more as he showed at 2000 Worlds when he won a medal and when he won 2002 Nationals. But this last time was the right time to retire. He can't compete with the other guys technically, and some judges were always on the fence about his artistry. He is going to be 32 in March. They did a big retirement tribute for him on CTV last year. He was just getting settled into doing a good job at 2003 Worlds in the CTV booth. He should stick with it.:) I guess Rod Black will be disappointed though, since he kind of has a thing for Elvis... ;)

[sillyskates]

Originally posted by Ryan O
I guess Rod Black will be disappointed though, since he kind of has a thing for Elvis... ;)
You can bet the first words out of Rod Black's mouth on CTV's first skating coverage of the season will be, "Elvis has left the building ... for good!!" (Blech):roll: He just won't be able to resist!

[Keely]

Originally posted by bbtano
I'm not sure I understand why he changed his mind. In one of the articles, it says he was battling fatigue....does he have some sort of sickness? Or can someone make it more clear as to why he decided not to compete. Thanks!
Changing his mind seems like the only sensible thing he's done in months. He's old (considering the competition) and he'd been retired for over a year already, after ending with a series of performances that got less inspiring each time. The comeback seemed like a fantasy. I heard he wasn't having much success getting back his triples, let alone a quad, there was a nagging fatigue problem that may just have been his body telling him to quit... then he got sick and missed quite a bit of training... Skate Canada in a month? Not a chance... The rest? Doubtful. Even Elvis has to see the writing on the wall some time.

It probably frustrates him he never got the Olympic gold and didn't have an amazing skate as a swan song, but I think he got a bit too wrapped up in his own psychobabble as far as the comeback idea... He peaked long ago. To compete with the current men's field he would have to be better than he ever was. How likely was that?

[aloha]

You know what... i wanted him to... but deep down inside i knew he would not compete this year. i know he's not a quitter but i know he would never come back after going pro for almost a year. obviously he wanted to keep the level up in canadian male figure skating but with him not being able to do the jumps he was clearly not going to medal at this years nationals. i really liked elvis and his perseverance during his competitive years but having him come back after such a great farewell two nationals ago i knew for sure he would not be back. not once did i believe that he did not truly want to compete this year but i did believe that this was for sure a way for skate canada to up the level in training by the up and coming senior men to want to compete and place higher against elvis... he was a mentor to all male figure skaters and he always will be. and i can definately say he is for sure a "professional" figure skater

i wish him the best of luck in his professional years

[duane]

A comeback at age 32 in the sport of eligible figure skating--where the men are landing two quads minimum--definitely would have been difficult. I was excited to hear that Elvis--who had always been my favorite male skater--was attempting to do so, but in the end, he realized it would be futile.

I appreciate all he has brought to the sport. I credit him for forever upping the ante in technical merit in eligible skating. No, he wasn't the first to land a quad in competition, but he was definitely the first to land them consistently. I also always believed that his presentation was underrated by the International judges.

Elvis will have a fine career in professional skating.

[singerskates]

Originally posted by jp1andOnly
All I know is that Elvis contracted some sort of virus earlier in the summer. I believe it might have something to do with his blood cell count/cells in general, etc. I just heard from various sources so please don't quote me. I'll see if I can find out more info

I hope his health improves. BEst of luck to him

I second you in hoping that Elvis gets well soon.

I just wish Elvis' competitive nature wouldn't have made him over train and then leave his body open to viruses by being run down. I think it's a good thing that Elvis is returning to the pro ranks. He'll have less opportunity to over do it for the sake of competition. Elvis is just simply an addictive competitor and there's no middle ground in Elvis' heart. Either he goes beyond the beyond to get where he wants or he takes himself out of the competition one way or another. Good for Elvis for choosing the wiser more intelligent thing to do even if it feels disappointing at the moment. I hope he realizes that no Olympic Gold medal or World medal is worth loosing his life over and he's better for his recent choice. God Bless Elvis