Did anybody see this Johnny Weir dude?

[Roc Doc]

The other night Karin and I were watching the Olympics on TiVo, and the men's figure skating came on. Now normally I would immediately change the channel and make sure I wasn't wearing a pink shirt, (so that nobody would think I was gay ), but they were doing one of those ever-so-interesting background pieces on this Johnny Weir dude. This guy makes Prince seem humble and Richard Simmons out 'Man' John Wayne, it was like watching a train wreck or "Showgirls", so bad, you just couldn't turn it off. Anyway I'm sure you all care about this little turd-burgler about as much as I do, but the following was written by Tim Dahlberg, from the AP.

After Missing Bus, 'Terrified' Weir Can't Pull It Together
American Skater Looks Uncomfortable, Finishes Fifth, Storms Off in Disgust
By TIM DAHLBERG, AP
Sports Commentary
TURIN, Italy (Feb. 16) - Johnny Weir was busy as he prepared for the biggest night of his life. Getting ready in the athletes' village, his schedule went something like this:

-Make sure swan costume from short program securely put away. Check.

-Clean dorm room floor one more time. Check.

-Glue missing sequins back on outfit. Check

-Catch bus to arena.

Oops.

Weir's worst Olympic moment didn't come on the ice Thursday night, where he blew a chance to win a figure skating medal. It came when he was wandering around in the cold wondering if he would ever get to the arena.

Bus schedules? Those are for the concierge to read.

Besides, as much as Weir was talking all week, he didn't have time to listen.

America's only hope in the men's figure skating arrived late and never recovered, skating a tentative one-bear program and dropping from second place to fifth in his first Olympics.

That's one bear, as in only one fan threw a bear on the ice after he was done. Evgeni Plushenko got dozens, and a gold medal to wrap around them.

It was that bad, and Weir knew it.

"I just couldn't get comfortable in this building tonight," he said. "I need to train better. I need to train for every circumstance."

Such as?

"Being late to the arena."

If there wasn't so much at stake, this could have seemed like a bad "I Love Lucy" rerun with Lucy running around the parking lot frantically trying to hail a cab.

But there was nothing funny about Weir walking out from the village to the bus he expected to be waiting with less than two hours before his skate. It wasn't there because the Italian organizers had changed the schedule and the buses that used to run every 10 minutes were now running every half-hour.

It doesn't take much to shake up the average figure skater. Takes even less to rattle a self-described "princessy" one who complained the minute he came to the village that there was no room service, the bed was hard and there was dust on the floor of his room.

He wanted a hotel and limo service. He got a twin bed and a bus schedule.

If he hadn't found a volunteer with a car after about 20 minutes of walking around, he might have had to walk to the arena.

"It was never brought to my attention it would be changed," Weir said. "I guess it's my fault because I didn't bother to ask."

Maybe Weir could have squeezed the question in between interviews. With Michelle Kwan out and Weir sitting in second place after the short program, he was on NBC more this week than Jay Leno.

One of his less memorable quotes was that he would urinate if he won a medal. Turns out he didn't need to worry about that after a program in which he managed to stay upright but was shaky from the beginning.

Weir planned to try his first quad ever in competition but gave that up because he didn't have enough time to warm up after he missed the bus. He two-footed a triple axel, had a shaky landing on a triple lutz and was thinking too much the whole way around.

By the time his program was over, he knew his medal hopes were, too.

"I was terrified today. I wasn't comfortable and that's why I was so scared," Weir said.

Weir barely waited for his bad numbers to pop up on the overhead scoreboard before storming from the kiss and cry area.

"I didn't feel my aura," he said. "I was black inside."

The fall from contention came after a meteoric rise to stardom. Just a few days earlier, Weir backed up his mouth by skating a short program that put him in second place and gave him a chance to grab an unexpected medal for the United States.

Back home, they were paying attention.

It's hard not to, though, to a skater who dresses as a swan, admits to being pretentious and said this week that he doesn't like to be called a jock because it makes him think of spandex-clad football players.

Dick Button he's not. Tonya Harding acted tougher than this guy. But, hey, you have to respect anyone who dresses like a swan in public.

Weir said he had 25 fan mails day before the short program. When he checked before his final skate, he had 897.

"I talked to one of my friends and they said, 'You made this person's Web site as a D-list celebrity.' Great. I'm Kathy Griffin."

Weir talked about being mad at himself, but he didn't sound all that upset afterward. He ran the media gauntlet, stopping to talk to anyone who wanted to listen, and said he would be back in four years to try again.

Meanwhile, he still had something to take from the Olympics. He said he learned he can compete on a big stage, and more.

Like what?

"I learned I definitely want to stay in a hotel," he said.

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org


02/16/06 19:16 EST

[APRILRAZZ]

Cocky little shit isn't he

[BudTX]

Awww. He didn't feel his "aura."

[Roc Doc]

Notice the one red glove...how inspired and original.

[APRILRAZZ]

Originally Posted by Roc Doc

Notice the one red glove...how inspired and original.

It is supposed to be the swans beak you big silly

[CaryW]

Hmm, no mention of a supportive girlfriend. Suprising.

[APRILRAZZ]

Originally Posted by Aces'n'8s

That's because he was too busy

Fixed it

[Mustard Dog]

That pic makes him look like he'd fit in with thise NJ club fags

[APRILRAZZ]

Originally Posted by Mustard Dog

That pic makes him look like he'd fit in with thise NJ club fags

Nope. They would even beat him up


Or possibly ask him out for dinner and a movie

[Roc Doc]

Originally Posted by APRILRAZZ

It is supposed to be the swans beak you big silly

That's about par for the course, I just don't get it. That happens here at work, we'll be working on a production number and someone will ask me, "what do you think?", and I have to answer, "You're asking the wrong guy". I can appreciate the dedication and even the athletic ability of dancers and skaters, but as far a entertainment goes, it just doesn't do anything for me. The best show in Vegas, IMO, is 'O' at the Bellagio, but the technical stuff is what makes it so cool. The theater is really the star of the show.

[APRILRAZZ]

Originally Posted by Roc Doc

The best show in Vegas, IMO, is 'O' at the Bellagio, but the technical stuff is what makes it so cool. The theater is really the star of the show.

Too much $$$. We went to see Penn and Teller

[Roc Doc]

Originally Posted by APRILRAZZ

Too much $$$. We went to see Penn and Teller

[Sushi Chef Voice] Good choice! [Sushi Chef Voice]

[Keith Armstrong]

Man, two snaps in a circle fo that boy.

[mike]

After painfully watching his interview where he described his critics as "republican" and that they could "suck it", during which I was reminded of the people that I genuinely disliked in college... I laughed my ass off last night at the results. Course the guy that had a horrible previous performance and then came in 4th after this one I gotta respect.

[Roc Doc]

Originally Posted by mike

After painfully watching his interview where he described his critics as "republican" and that they could "suck it", during which I was reminded of the people that I genuinely disliked in college... I laughed my ass off last night at the results. Course the guy that had a horrible previous performance and then came in 4th after this one I gotta respect.

It's that whole 'Rebel' thing . He's like a gay Jesse James, he don't think what people think, he just gotta be he . What the fuck ever, he's just another AW, in the Sean Combs, Jesse James, any X-treme trickster, mould.

Hopefully he'll just fade away for at least the next four years.

[Mustard Dog]

Originally Posted by Roc Doc

It's that whole 'Rebel' thing . He's like a gay Jesse James, he don't think what people think, he just gotta be he . What the fuck ever, he's just another AW,

But if you're gonna have that attitude/image you better be able to back it up, this fag just got owned

[mike]

Originally Posted by Mustard Dog

But if you're gonna have that attitude/image you better be able to back it up, this fag just got owned

This dude couldn't back up a Plymouth enough to cover his attitude.

[tacoma73]

huh. Neat.

My wife was watching this, I came in and saw his prissy face when he had just gotten done blowing his chance at glory I guess. Seems I was right when I said 'who the fuck is that? transvestite figure skaters, aweseome" which got a pillow thrown at me for being 'rude'. I was right on the money LOL

I love when stuff like that happens to people who so richly deserve it.

[kodiak1232003]

my wife and i are way into the olympics..

(both of us were competitive athletes and all) but when i got done watching this joker, i told her.

you know, you wondered "why more men aren't into this part of the olympics".

the f#cking gay-a$$ swan guy, right there. he's a good example...lol

[rusted]

He's a good example of why white guys don't even WANT to dance.

[DMG]

Primadonna both the literal and figurative translation.

[BUZZISCRAZY2]

Hang 'em................

[DMG]

Originally Posted by BUZZISCRAZY2

Hang 'em over my open mouth

Fixed it for ya Gaylord

[DaGimp]

Gays dont bother me, flamers really bother me.

Good for you, you're a homo. Now go back in the closet and stay there, we dont care.

Then again who didnt think these guys were gay?

[ROKN ZJ]

Originally Posted by mike

After painfully watching his interview where he described his critics as "republican" and that they could "suck it"

Wow you butchered his comments. He said "Republican like", as in conservative (and I'd guess most of his critics are conservative) he didn't say all republicans hated him or that all his critics were republican, and then he said they can "eat it" not suck it, big different in the gay community. Get the fact straight Dan Rather...

And on the subject y'all may hate him, but at least he does something athletic unlike those Ice Dancers, talk about a worthless sport