Live Chat on CBC.com
John & Jerri Grimley asks: Hi Brian. Are you going to be at Copps
Nov 30/Dec 1? Can you give us a hint of your performance(s) for
this season, please?
John and Jerri: Yes, I will be at Copps doing two new programs.
The long program is an instrumental version of 'Against All Odds'.
L T asks: Tell us about working with Elvis on gladiator program.
LT: It was a thrill working with him. After seeing Yagudin's version of Gladiator I know we are right on track.
null asks: Despite all the personal tragedies you suffered what kept you going?
Null: My passion for skating.
sue-ann woo asks: Brian I love your skating and was wondering if
your still coaching in Ottawa?
Sue-ann, I do some coaching around the country, but I do train in
Ottawa and I do some coaching while I'm there.
null asks: Brian: What's the best advice you can give on landing
axels, I always seem to be cheating the landing
null, next time you try your axel, try to bring your free leg through first before you leave the ice.
Brad Ford asks: As an elementary teacher, do you have any advice
on how I can protect my students from the pressure of coming first, while encouraging competition?
Brad, I think the instinct to come first comes naturally with the
student and that is something that we can't change or take away.
However, it is important to make the student aware of the lessons that we can learn with winning and not winning.
Judy Bonello asks: Besides Skating, Brian, do you have any other
hobbies or passions?
Judy, I love the game of golf. I love spending time with my family and friends, especially at the cottage.
Pam Perri asks: If you had one word to describe yourself and then
Kurt Browning, what would you say?
Catherine Hopley asks: Do you stay in touch with your fellow Canadian team members from past years?
Catherine, one of my favourite things is to run into former team
members - or old team members! Particularly, Tracey Wilson, Barb
Underhill, Lloyd Eisler, Tracey Wainman.
Caro asks: Who was your idol growing up?
Caro, my skating idol was Donald Jackson and my non-skating idol
is my father.
Megan Kennedy asks: hi i am an 9yr old girl and i love skating. I
was wondering when was your MOST embarrasing moment?
Megan, when I was on tour in 1981 I was skating in Edmonton in front of 12,000 people wearing a one-piece costume and my zipper split!
Emily Wirta asks: Brian, what do you think about the rush for quads in mens
Emily, it's inevitable. We always have to push the envelope and
take risks.
Pam Perri asks: Out of the cities you travelled to during your career, do you have a favourite?
Pam, I have a lot of favourites for different reasons. Skating a
udiences in Canada, in any city, are always awesome.
Gina Jones asks: How do you select your music?
Gina, selecting music is one of the hardest parts of developing a
program. I usually go by advice of other people. Do you have any?
Andrea Boyd asks: Does it hurt alot when a jump is missed? Not that you missed very often :)
Andrea, emotionally no, physically yes.
Thane Fotopoulos asks: Do you plan on coaching or judging olympic
eligible skating in the future?
Thane, I have some interest in coaching and I have done some judging in the past and believe it or not, the judging is just as difficult.
Jenn Mydlo asks: I look forward to seeing you in hamilton! If you weren't a skater, what would you have been?
Jenn, I've been asked this question before and I honestly can't i
magine doing anything else.
Sheila Martin asks: What life lesson has silver taught you that
gold would not?
Sheila, not winning gold helps you look at the big picture and it
is there that you can see other qualities that are golden to you
and others.
Ron Scammell asks: Brian, Canada has had great success in men's skating, pairs and ice dance, but it's been a long time since we've developed medal winner at worlds or Olympics in women's skating. Why do you think that is?
Ron, in most disciplines we go through highs and lows. Our trend
now is leading towards a peak. We need to be patient and let the process happen naturally.
Andrea Boyd asks: How do you mentally prepare (i.e. psych yourself up) before going out to perform during competitions
Andrea, the best way is to be prepared!
LeeAnne Fullerton asks: Does Mr.Knebli still make your skates??
LeeAnne, I always loved wearing his skates however, Mr. Knebli
passed away about three years ago. So now, I'm wearing Graf.
Kristine Blanchette asks: How much did you really dislike figures??
Kristine, at first I disliked figures a lot but near the end of my amateur career, I learned to like them. It was always nice to
have three hours everyday of your own time.
Jenelle Leegsma asks: Brian, what is the best thing and the worst
thing about skating for you?
Jenelle, you have to take the good with the bad and the bad with
the good. Winning is always great but some of the best lessons are learned from not winning.
fredfan00 asks: What can the Canadian fan do to show our athletes
how much we appreciate them regardless of the colour of their medal?
Fredfan, I think the fans have been awesome. I think it is up to
us to continue to entertain. So keep doing what you're doing.
Patrick Bibeau asks: Brian, what is the first thing you like to do after a show?
Patrick, I always need to unwind and after a show there's usually
a lot of stories about a performance so generally we get together and hash out the evening.
Kristine Blanchette asks: Where do you keep your medals now? Are
they on display in your house?
Kristine, after a lot of years of keeping my medals in a gym bag,
I finally put them on display at my house in Ottawa.
Lisa Culbert asks: Brian: As a beginning skater what was the hardest jump for you to learn
Lisa, if I was to pick one jump I would have to say that the 'loop' jump was the most difficult.
kcraven asks: What is the one thing you've done that you are most
proud of?
kcraven, I have so many proud moments on the ice, however, the thing I am most proud of was taking the time to care for Rob when he was sick and my mom when she was sick.
Gina Jones asks: Do you choreograph your own programmes or do you work with a variety of different people?
Gina, I choreograph very few of my own numbers. I tend to be mor
e creative working with a variety of people and every year it's different people.
null asks: The South Park Motion Picture portrayed Brian Boitano
as an absurd hero. With that in mind, do you like way in which Hollywood comedy has satirised skating?
null, any publicity is good publicity.
Gina Jones asks: How do you cope with being on the road so much and away from family and friends,?
Gina, when I am on the road I feel as though I am with my family
and friends. Most of these people I grew up with and we've shared many of the same experiences.
Mallory Gray asks: What kind of tips do you give skaters who are
going through a bad stage?
Mallory, it is always tough to go through a bad stage, and we all
do. For me, I get in touch with why I started skating in the first place and that is because I love to skate.
Rod Minor asks: Brian, during the segment on Life & Times, your sister mentioned you retiring, please say it ain't so!
Rod, well, I'm not getting any younger and there comes a time when you really need to look at other options. Now it's not going to be tomorrow, or soon after that, but when it happens everybody
will know.
Gaetan asks: Have you ever thought doing a show to benefit Ottawa
Aids Awareness?
Gaetan, I have done a couple of major events for AIDS research and awareness some time ago. And you're right, it is time to bring
my friends together for one more show. Thanks for planting the
seed!
lisa currer asks: Has the price you pay for carrying the tremendous pressure of being a national athlete taken away your ability to enjoy your life?
lisa, actually, quite the opposite. It has taken some time and I
enjoy life more than ever.
Spencer Metcalfe asks: How do you keep from being nervous before
a competition? I am 10 years old and will be competing in my first ever out of town competition. You always seem so calm and focus
ed when you skate!
(this question was never answered-- the chat froze at this point)
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