Interesting Vancouver Sun Emanuel Sandhu article

[jcspkbfan]

Emanuel responds to everyone who has criticized his inconsistant performances (using particularily strong language towards the middle of the story--just a warning!):

http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=25f4c58c-a15b-48cf-a800-b95c2ceecefe

Interesting photo accompanying the story, too. ;)

[summertime]

Thanks ! Good article !

[Aaron W]

I hope things go well for Emanuel in DC. I'll be cheering for him!

[Spinner]

Holy Cow! He claims to have landed a 4toe/3toe/3toe/3toe in practice! Would that be legal in competition?

Good luck to him in DC!

[blades]

wellll...i can guarentee you that I will never want to kiss his behind...but i will continue to watch him fall on it...not to mention tripp'n over his ego...

[Canadian Chick]

That's not legal. You can't have 3 of the same jumps like that....if one of them was a loop it would be different, but it would depend on the rest of the program, cuz he may have more 3toes included, which wouldn't work either.

But that's great to be able to do it :D

[NAdancefan]

Originally posted by blades
wellll...i can guarentee you that I will never want to kiss his behind...but i will continue to watch him fall on it...not to mention tripp'n over his ego... Oh, what an absolutely shocking reaction, coming from that corner... :roll: :roll: :roll:

[blades]

8-)

naaaa...i thought it was rather predictable...;)

at least i didn't comment about the "long suffering" joanne (an it really hurth bitinn my tonngue!!!)...:??

[Polish]

blades, your Sandhu/McLeod digs are getting a tad bit old. :roll: You'd think after all these years, you'd have some new material already. :roll:

Anyway, this was a great article. He's certainly not giving your typical skater sound bites which is refreshing.

[legjumper]

Did the designers of Bratz Boy Dylan steal their inspiration from Emanuel?? You decide.... ;)

http://www.a-passion-for-fashion.com/Dolls/Dylan.html

[blades]

8-)

well polish...soon as he does something different from his usual...i will...;)

i will give the dude credit that this year (so far) he's kept going after a prat fall...in previous years...that would have been the end for him...hmmm...guess that's different...but the "tude" is still the same...

[Norlite]

Thanks for the link......

I have a problem with his focus on being a "Star" when he talks about marketing and recognition, and Brad Pitt.
And his quote "I'm just a performer"

As I see it, that is his real problem. See, I thought he was an athlete, trying to be the best in his sport. Focus on that Emanuel, not being a star.

[Ice_On_Winnipeg]

Legjumper....that link is hilarious!! Who copied whom??

I have to agree...I wish he'd worry a little less about his star quality and more on his mental preparation.

[wesrc5706]

I'm really glad that Emmanuel has kept it somewhat together this year, but I really think he needs to get his priorities straight. I mean, why is he soooooo stuck on being a star?!? If he wants to be a star, he should try out for american idol. Skating is not all about coming in to the rink wearing a pretty outfit and leaving a star. You have to get out on the ice everyday and dream your dream... you have to love the training, the travelling, the competition, etc. Skating should not be about being a star for 30 minutes!!! That's all he'll get with an attitude like that!

[donnamarie]

This article did not portray Emanual in a positive light, to me. Where I had kept an open mind about him, this interview made me not like him at all. His potty mouth - the chip on his shoulder - his bad attitude - this is not my idea of being unique and different, nor is it my idea of having class or character.

[SShaste]

Well I've never really liked Emanuel and this article did not help much. All I kept thinking when I read the article was "geez Emanuel don't trip on your ego on your way onto the ice you have enough problems already". Sorry but I hate his additude. He always has a million and one excuses for his problems on the ice. At one point I heard him say that the reason he wasn't skating well was that the pressure was just too much because people were saying he was the next in line when he was just 17 and he couldn't even concentrate in school because it was like being one of the Backstreet Boys or something like that. Well I'm sorry but Elvis, Alexei, and Evegeny were all skating Internationally in the top 10 in the World when they were 17 and they all seemed to do just fine. Now his excuse is that there wasn't as much media attention or whatever when Elvis was starting out and that it's worse now, how does he know what Elvis went through when he became the top guy in Canada. It's time he leaves the excuses behind and just goes out and skates. Part of being a champion is not placing the blame on other things or other people and the skaters that are true champions such as Elvis, Michelle, Alexei, etc. never place the blame on anyone else when they have a bad day. I agree it's time for Emanuel to stop thinking about what a star he's going to be and just concentrate on being an athlete. Of course that's just my opinion.

[Chris_M]

I think it is very good article...
He says it how it is... as blunt as it is... i think it is good

[TRAxel]

I agree with you Chris.

[Polish]

Gotta love how all the Stojko fanatics come out in full force whenever there's a Sandhu thread. :roll:

To me, this article barely touched on him being a star but instead was talking more about his new focus (ie. not thinking about anything beyond the 2006 Olympics) and how and why his training is going a lot better than before. The Brad Pitt comment was made only in response to WHY he refuses to discuss his personal life. It's obvious that Gary Mason asked him about this and that was his response-- He's in the public eye in Canada, as is Brad Pitt in the public eye, and he doesn't want to talk about his life to a bunch of strangers. I recall Sale & Pelletier having this exact same type of thinking until the Olympic year. A lot of other athletes, actors, etc. are the same way and I don't see why Sandhu saying he wants to do the same thing as being any different.

[Polish]

BTW Chris, just wanted to tell you nice triple axel in the LP at Canadians!!! ;) Also, I loved your SP.

[Polish]

Originally posted by SShaste
Part of being a champion is not placing the blame on other things or other people and the skaters that are true champions such as Elvis, Michelle, Alexei, etc. never place the blame on anyone else when they have a bad day.

He is not blaming other things and other people. He did not elaborate on what his issues were, and for all we know some of them could have been brought on by himself and were just compounded by problems with his family (mainly his father), the media frenzy in 98/99 and being undecided about pursuing skating. He is certainly not the first teenager/early 20-something to struggle with life. He just happens to be doing it in front of the Canadian public.

[blades]

8-)

not everyone who dis' sandhu is a elvis fanatic...but i'm sure it's convenient to lump us all together...

skaters i like for both their skating and their positive attitude (not to mention downright niceness...): jeff buttle, ben f, kurt browning, brian orser and ravi w. to name a few...all have had good times and bad times...yet they never have taken themselves too seriously nor have they blamed a bad skate on a haunted hotel room...:roll:

[Polish]

And just as you were wrong about the Sandhu drug rehab story last summer, blades, you are wrong about the ghost story. He talked about the haunted hotel room the day of the SP and did not blame his skate on that.

For someone who hates Sandhu so much, you sure do spend a lot of time and effort posting on threads about him. :roll: :

[singerskates]

Emmanuel needs to watch what he says. The ISU does listen and so do the judges. Emmanuel might be skating a bit more consistant right now, but to kids he doesn't come off as a good role model with mouth like that. What parent wants their child to repeat what he just said in that article? Not one. I'm sure Emmanuel has a better vocabulary than that. He should use it. Sure Elvis didn't have the ballet stuff but what he had between his ears was decency and smarts. Maybe Emmanuel needs to read "How To Win Friends And Influence People".

Brigitte

[Polish]

singerskates (another Elvis fan, right?), maybe you should read this thread again. 16 year-old figure skater Christopher Mabee posted that he thinks it's a great article. Although your religious convictions may not want you to believe that kids swear, think again. They do.

Also, you are kidding yourself if you think the ISU really cares about what Sandhu says to a Vancouver newspaper. :roll:

[Lynnet]

I wish Emanuel all the best with his skating but I'll likely never be a fan. Not because I don't think he has what it takes to be a great skater - I do. But he has not got what it takes to be a great Canadian Champion. Brian, Kurt and Elvis managed to do it with a certain amount of class and that's what this young man apparently doesn't have. And saying that there is more media/marketing etc. now than when Elvis was his age - well he is obviously too young to remember but when Elvis was his age, he was up against Kurt and on the World podium and the media attention was huge. I have seen newspapers from Canadians etc. around that time, and I have seen the TV coverage. The attention given Emanuel right now is nothing compared to that. What does he think it was like for Elvis to see headlines in the Edmonton paper saying "Elvis is Dead" after a fall on ONE jump in the short program, and all the negative stuff/the naysayers Elvis had to deal with all those years at the top? What does he think it was like for Elvis to carry the expectations of a whole country for a gold medal into Nagano? Emanuel doesn't have a clue what pressure is, and what he will face in the years ahead if by some chance he does manage to get to the top for a little while. He'll find that nothing lasts forever and that when you are on top, the pressure is far greater than when you are climbing. In other words, he ain't seen nothin' yet! He needs to get over himself - saying 'I've always been called the Amazing Emanuel' By who, when? Maybe in ten years when he's managed 3 or 4 World Championships, and a handful of other medals; maybe when young skaters look to him as a role model; maybe when he has earned it! But right now, the only thing that is amazing is that he has the nerve to say these things - he is still a whiney adolescent who needs to put his skating where his foul mouth is. He apparently has a larger ego than Michael Weiss if that's possible. I am one Canadian who isn't yet proud to have this young man representing our country on the international scene. (Although I don't suppose he would care what my opinion is anyway. <g>) But there it is for what its worth.
Emanuel grow up and stop kissing your own ..... until you do, it's not likely that the rest of us will. (Please excuse the phrasology - hope you will recognize the reference to the article.)

[blades]

8-)

naaaa...i don't HATE the guy...but i sure don't much care for him (big difference)...

i do give credit to him for his incredible talent...jus' don't like his "tude"...never did...

(sigh!) this is going in circles...and i'm waaaaay past the old "three post" rule...so i'll be off to "spread my cheer" elsewhere...

defend thy champion with reckless abandon polish...i'll enjoy the read...;)

[Polish]

Well blades, at least i'm not bashing Sandhu and Joanne McLeod at every corner with reckless abandon like you do.....does Bernie Ford pay you to write this crap?

[NAdancefan]

Originally posted by Lynnet
He needs to get over himself - saying 'I've always been called the Amazing Emanuel' By who, when? Maybe in ten years when he's managed 3 or 4 World Championships, and a handful of other medals; maybe when young skaters look to him as a role model; maybe when he has earned it!Um, some of his fans who value pure skating talent over results seem to think he already has "earned" it. "Amazing Emanuel" was a nickname given to him by his Japanese fans, and signs with the nickname on them have appeared at several events he's competed in over the years. I believe there was also an "Amazing Emanuel" website, made by one of his fans, that was online a few years ago. This isn't just something he made up because he's egotistical. :roll:

[Lee]

Originally posted by Polish
Well blades, at least i'm not bashing Sandhu and Joanne McLeod at every corner with reckless abandon like you do.....does Bernie Ford pay you to write this crap? Okay, Polish and blades...this is getting a little too personal for public consumption. If you wish to continue this discussion between the two of you, please take it to private messages or e-mail. ~Lee

[Excidra]

Great article.

If Emanuel believes in him self and delivers consistent programs, he has what it takes to become the greatest skater Canada has ever produced.
He makes everything he does on the ice look too easy. I love his SP.

I wouldn't be suprised to see this guy on the podium in DC.

Good luck Emanuel.

[lBrokenAnkle]

Maybe instead of a sports psychologist, Emanual needs a media consultant. As an American Elvis fan, (though I personally tend to reserve the word "fanatic" for those who reply 7 times to one thread :lol: ) I realize my opinion is completely valueless, and yet, I feel compelled to post.

See, I am a little puzzled by the thought that the press has been unfair to Emanual. I assume that's what he means with his, shall we say, intemperate language. He's won Canadians twice, he's got, I think 2 international medals, silver at Skate Canada ? this year and I think bronze a couple of years ago at Lalique ? And his best finish at worlds is 9th. Is it not the press's job to report this? How is it different from reporting on someone with a similar record like Vincent Restincourt? Would the press be doing its job if it *didn't* wonder why someone with a great deal of talent has not been able to achieve more? The article suggests that the word "inconsistant" stings Emanual, and I am sure it does, but I am hard put to find a more accurate word. And when you get right down to it, it's about as tactful as the press can get.

I understand he has been anointed "The Next One" from an early age and of course that is a tough label to live up to, off ice issues or not. And Elvis's legandary performances, strength and courage are a tough act to follow. But as Lynnet said, it's not going to get any easier, in fact, media attention will get heavier and stronger and yes, harsher, as Emanual's success grows. The press has very long memories, ask Barry Bonds about this. Barry is a pretty successful guy, but I don't see the press kissing his, er, hind quarters, now that he is the home run king, quite the contrary in fact! It really is not in Emanual's best interest to diss people who may very well be writing about him for the next 4 years.

If Emanual thinks of himself as the Brad Pitt of skating in Canada, then he needs to learn how to deal with the press. If times are harder nowadays than they were lo those many years ago when Elvis was a wee tyke of 22, well, nowadays there are also people who you can pay to offer advice. I know skaters don't make a lot of money but if Emanual is really bothered by this, it might be worth the investment.

Laura

[Polish]

Originally posted by lBrokenAnkle


If Emanual thinks of himself as the Brad Pitt of skating in Canada, then he needs to learn how to deal with the press.

Laura, didn't some people on FSU try and point out to you that he is actually not comparing himself to Pitt? He was making a point about being in the public eye therefore not wanting to divulge details of his private life because of it. You're not getting it.

[Ice_On_Winnipeg]

Originally posted by Polish
Well blades, at least i'm not bashing Sandhu and Joanne McLeod at every corner with reckless abandon like you do.....does Bernie Ford pay you to write this crap?

Polish I think perhaps it is you who is taking the comments made about this article far too seriously. We all *get* the article. Opinions can be stated here. Your comments are becoming rash and angry. Take a break.

[JD]

Very interesting article.....

It won't be one my 10 yr old daughter reads. I said once that she didn't identify with him...not the way she did with Elvis, or all time hero Browning....[her heros, other than Tara, interestingly,are all male...]

in my biased yet tactful opinion, young men like Jeffrey Buttle, and up and comers like Chris Mabee (great spirals---we are impressed), Eric Ritter, Ken Rose (wow) etc...etc are ones she identifies with more...and we are happier with these choices as role models.....

This being said, I think that Emmanuel reminds me of Toller Cranston...an undoubtedly intelligent, and in my mind, one of the most creative skaters we have ever seen.....and maybe a touch of the unique is a good thing in our sport.....

[Vashty]

I didn't have a problem with the article, quite enjoyed it in fact. Yes, the language was a little salty but I've heard worse :)

Comparisons to Toller Cranston are quite appropriate, and like Toller Eman is a maverick and an original. I also liked Christopher Bowman a great deal for the same reason, and in his day he made Sandhu look like Little Mary sunshine :D

Vashty

[gandalf]

I liked the article. I don't fault Sandhu for wanting to be a star - alot of skaters would say the same thing if they were being honest with themselves. I do, however, agree that "he ain't seen nothin' yet" where the media attention is concerned if he actually does manage to compete well on a regular basis. And he obviously wasn't paying much attention to the zoo that Elvis had to deal with from the 1990-1991 season on.

I enjoy Sandhu's skating very much and think he is World-podium material when he is "on". He has definitely made improvements this year in his ability to do it when it counts but I still won't be holding my breath for a World medal any time soon.

[ALLCONNAISSANCE]

Originally posted by Lynnet
I wish Emanuel all the best with his skating but I'll likely never be a fan. Not because I don't think he has what it takes to be a great skater - I do. But he has not got what it takes to be a great Canadian Champion.This may be your opinion, but I think many of us, including many people with high positions at Skate Canada, disagree. Your definition of a champion might include parrotting polite catch phrases in order to satisfy the media with a false angelic reputation, as many skaters try to do, but I for one prefer Emanuel's honesty and candour.

But right now, the only thing that is amazing is that he has the nerve to say these things - he is still a whiney adolescent who needs to put his skating where his foul mouth is. He apparently has a larger ego than Michael Weiss if that's possible.I'm not going to say that Emanuel doesn't have an ego, but let me ask this - what's wrong with knowing you're good and saying so? People are taking him to task for saying things like the fact he knew he could skate with mistakes at Canadians and still win. Well, guess what? It's true. Until Jeff Buttle gets a consistent quad combination and starts consistently landing two triple axels in his LP, and until Fedor Andreev gets more challenging choreography and a non-cheated quad, Emanuel can afford multiple falls and still fairly win Canadians. Everyone who knows anything about skating knows that. What's wrong with him admitting it out loud?

As for his "foul mouth" and him being a "whiney adolescent", well, I didn't see a lot of whining in the article. He admits he's skated less than his best at various competitions, and that he's been less than fully committed to his training in the past. I'm not a fan of gratuitous swearing, and have never spoken some of those words out loud in my life despite being only slightly older than Emanuel, but I think there's a double standard here. If he had used the same language off-ice while having a casual conversation with other skaters, I don't think people would take him to task for it, and if they did, I think it would be highly hypocritical, as almost everyone I know has used that kind of language on a fairly regular basis. I've listened to young skaters having conversations off-ice and their language is like that of the high schoolers I'm in contact with almost daily, which includes swearing. Suddenly pretending to be prim and proper when you meet the press is hypocrisy to a certain extent, is it not? Or is there one kind of "class" when you're speaking to reporters and another in your daily life?

I am one Canadian who isn't yet proud to have this young man representing our country on the international scene. (Although I don't suppose he would care what my opinion is anyway. <g>) But there it is for what its worth. You might not be proud to have him represent Canada, but I am, and I know many, many others are, as well. You know why? Because we don't think results are everything, and we don't care very much about what kind of language he uses off-ice. We love his skating and recognize the fact that he is exceedingly talented on the ice. And no - I don't suppose he would care what your opinion is, and I'd be glad if he didn't. :roll:

[Lynnet]

Just to be clear, my distaste for Emanuel as a representative of Canadian figure skating has absolutely nothing to do with medals or results. I have cheered enthusiastically for skaters like Jayson Denommee and David Schultz for example knowing full well that they were never going to make a huge impact on the international scene, or perhaps even on the national scene. But they behave like gentlemen in public. When they have been successful, (i.e. achieved their personal best - nothing to do with medals) they are thrilled with their own accomplishments and they are proud of themselves. But they have sense enough to express their pride in a way that makes you want to enjoy it with them, not in a way that makes you embarrassed for them. I am not naive enough to think that most young men in that age group have not used a vulgarity or two in their every day speech but they are mature enough to avoid doing it at inappropriate moments. If you consider that hypocrisy, that's your perogative - I consider it good manners and treating those around you with respect. I expect our Canadian Champions to learn how to behave in company and to realize that with success comes the responsibility to behave in a way that reflects well on their country.
I would have no problem with Emanuel saying something like "I want to be the best skater in the World and I think I can be. I plan to train hard and do the best I can, and if I do that, I believe I can be World Champion." That is considerably different from "I mean, people are going to be kissing my *** as soon as I start 'putting it together' ". Well sorry, but here is one fan who wont be doing that.
I don't expect to convince anyone who doesn't already see what I see as wrong with Emanuel's attitude that my point of view is the right one -we are all entitled to our point of view. We'll just have to agree to disagree on the subject of Emanuel.

[jp1andOnly]

I once commented to a friend about a skater I knew who was a b*tch to everyone. She was snotty, cocky, and wasn't the most sportsmanlike. However, I think to be a champion you need to have some sort of attitude. Now, I'm not saying this girl didn't need a good slap on the head, but she knew she was good and had the air about her that said "watch out..I'm gonna be the next big one". She did very well for herself over hte years and has proven herself to be quite the competitior. And she also has become a bit nicer

[Polish]

Someone on FSU (link here: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=61764#post61764 ) reminded me of some of Elvis' not so innocent moments with the press and a little "incident" with Eric Lindros. I guess Sandhu isn't the only bad boy Canadian skater afterall. :twisted:

[shopper]

the eric lindros episode never happened... elvis and eric are friends.

[jcspkbfan]

Elvis himself said last year that the fight between him and Eric Lindros never happened during an interview he, Kurt, Emanuel, and Brian Orser did with Debbi Wilkes at 2001 Canadian Open. Elvis and Kurt did however, tell a funny story about how they walked around with a video camera looking for Eric Lindros during the 1992 Olympics (Eric was hiding out somewhere and Elvis and Kurt kept asking various athletes around the Olympic Village where he was). Maybe that's how that particular rumor got started...

[donnamarie]

Elvis and Eric have both stated many times that the fight never happened - they weren't even in the same city at the time it was supposed to have happened.

Elvis has said "damn" in a couple of articles over the years ... that's about it. I'm not really sure what Elvis has to do with this discussion ... Sandhu has to sink or swim by his own words, regardless of what any other skater says or does.

[adrianchew]

I think its time to end this pointless discussion since its gotten to the point of trying to figure out which skater has the more foul tongue. Topic is officially dead.