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Post by sk8erfan on Sept 19, 2013 17:53:30 GMT -8
Here's an interesting article where Flou talks about his last race where Charles Hamelin was injured and Flou got a yellow card www.lapresse.ca/sports/autres-sports/patinage-de-vitesse/201309/19/01-4691072-francois-louis-tremblay-prend-sa-retraite.phpIt's in French but I've translated the quotes from Flou that I found interesting the best I could. "I think that there are not many people who expected me to offer as good of a performance at Canadian selections this year and until the last race I was fighting for third or fourth place. This yellow card then really cost me in points: I slipped to seventh place. Being in seventh, I was too far behind to receive a discretionary choice. I am fully convinced in my head that I had done the right thing and that I had given the performance I needed. This is unfortunate, but the ax had to fall, and it fell in front of me."
"I cried for hours and hours. What I wanted was to get to the truth; I never thought I’d be the discretionary choice. It was my coach Derrick Campbell who told me the decision. He explained why and he ended by saying that despite what I could bring to the relay, I would remain in seventh. After this discussion, I knew my career was over."
"But I wish I had a real last race, where people had praised me and I would have had a little special mention from the announcer. We always think we’re going to get one last race and it will be a beautiful moment, while there, I went in silence, in controversy after the one yellow card in my career. It was an extremely difficult experience."
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 19, 2013 19:25:40 GMT -8
OMG, how incredibly sad! Such an amazing career, effectively ended with his only yellow card ever. He certainly deserved that memorable 'last race'. "I loved every moment of it. 1984-2013" ~ Francois-Louis Tremblay
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Post by mtnme on Sept 19, 2013 20:42:39 GMT -8
Oh how heartbreaking for Flou. Reading this just makes you want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be alright. The article sure explains a lot. I said on FB that if it were me, I'd be sticking around a few more months, just in case. You never know what can happen between now and Sochi. It pretty much sounds to me like Flou was told that no matter what, even if every freaking skater ahead of him got a broken leg somewhere along the line, he still would be out of the running and off the Olympic Team. Does anyone else get that impression? I say age discrimination here. At 33, I'll bet he was written off before he even stepped out on the ice. He still held his own until the very end of that competition. The above comments sure makes the whole yellow card situation seem suspicious. To our youth obsessed society that declares you can't accomplish anything after the age of 25, I've got two words for you. Dara Torres. In fact, I'll add another two. Paul Wylie. He won his spot on the Olympic Team by a fraction of a point, and there were many who wanted to hopscotch over that fraction and send another younger skater. All the commentators proclaimed 'he had his time. Send the younger guy, he's our future'. Due to whatever heads prevailed that sent Paul anyway, history shows that he proceeded to skate the two greatest performances of his entire career. He wasn't expected to place anywhere near the podium, and walked away with the silver medal. Some said he should have gotten the gold. He was planning to go directly to law school as he didn't see any more future in skating, and instead, went on to have a brilliant pro career before he finally retired. What I'm saying in my long winded way, is imagine the possibility of what Flou could have accomplished if there was belief in him. He certainly still had belief in himself. Francois Louis. If you happen to be reading our small, little forum, let me say that we Americans have been big fans of yours. I know this isn't the way you wanted to go out, but I assure you, it won't be what we will remember as our last memories of your brilliant skating career. This is more Canada's loss than it is yours. Chin up and be proud. You feel you did your best, then that is all that really matters - and don't let anyone tell you different, or that you're too old to do anything. You're awesome, and awesome you shall remain. Photo by John Huet
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 19, 2013 22:16:18 GMT -8
Well said. I don't wanna be all sappy, but your comments brought a tear to my eye. It truly is the end of an era.
And yeah, I did get that impression Mtnme. I remember hearing about a USA skater once-upon-a-time, who was told before the competition was even over that if he/she didn't make the Top 4, he/she would NOT be a discretionary pick for the World Cups - not only he/she, but several others as well. BTW, ALL of those skaters have since earned their way onto World Cup teams - they weren't unskilled or over-the-hill, they were simply 'out of favor' for whatever reason.
I'm with you - I'd love to have seen Flou hang in there, 'cause you never know what can happen. That being said, if 'whatever' happens, I doubt that an announcement of retirement would keep the powers-that-be from coaxing Flou back onto the ice if it was the appropriate choice!
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Post by sk8erfan on Sept 20, 2013 8:03:06 GMT -8
I don't think there was any discrimination in this. He had to finish top 4 to make the team like everyone else (after Michael got injured since he'd get the 5th spot). and he didn't. I think 3 people ahead of him would have to get injured to the point where they couldn't compete at the Olympics and he would make the team but it isn't very likely and he wasn't willing to stick around for that chance.
As for the yellow card, he made a bad pass and he had no where near enough room to complete it and he took out 2 other skaters in the process. In my opinion the yellow card was deserved. You can watch the video on YouTube and form your own conclusions but I agree with the decision.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take away from Flou and his career but I'm just saying that it's not really a controversial decision that he didn't make the team, it's just the way it played out.
I do agree with both of you that it would've been nice for him to stick around for a little bit. I think it would've been nice for him to compete at the Canadian Open Championships in November so he could've had his final race the way he wanted it to happen without all of the pressure of Olympic Trials. Given the fact that Olympic trials ended in August it gave Flou the opportunity to start a new semester of University after that and he chose schooling over training for a few extra months which you can't fault him for.
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 20, 2013 8:26:13 GMT -8
Thanks for your insight, sk8erfan! I suppose it's just us feelin' bad that it didn't turn out better for him. But that's short track.
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