Mike to do USATODAY.com online chat

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 11:30 a.m. - noon

Michael talked about his career and the sport of figure skating during an online chat at USATODAY.com on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Here are the questions and answers:

Comment from Michael Weiss: Hi everybody and welcome. Thanks for your questions and thanks for your support. Hopefully I can answer some of your questions accurately. Let's get started.

Radford, VA: Hello Michael Good luck this weekend at the Grand Prix Final. What do the American men need to do to beat Evegeny Plushenko?
Michael Weiss: Plushenko is obviously an incredible competitor and great technician. He is extremely consistent. But figure skating has always been a sport of the moment, and on any moment or any competition, anything can happen. So I think for the Americans to be competitive, we need to put together a competition that is skated technically clean with quadruple jumps and also skated with high emotion and passion.

Portland, Maine: What do you think of the new Code of Points judging system compared to the old 6.0? Even if you like Code of Points do you miss having the chance to earn 6.0s for your programs?
Michael Weiss: Initially, with the new judging system, the athletes were encouraged, but as the competitions have unfolded throughout the season, I think there still needs to be some adjustment made to the new system. It's going to take a while for all the athletes to not be 5.7, 5.8, and change their expectations to 220 and 230. Very different from a 5.9 and 6.0. I do like the fact that the new judging system is accumulative from the short program to the long program. This allows a skater to build up a good lead after the short program, and it will probably get the accurate winner over the course of two programs.

Cleveland, Oh: With the new judging system in place for the Grand Prix, wouldn't it be better to concentrate on more triple triple combinations for the final if the quad is still giving you a problem?
Michael Weiss: You are right. I think that's one of the adjustments that needs to be made to the new system. When a triple toe-triple toe combination is worth 9.0 and a quad toe loop is worth an 8.0, there's no reason for the athlete to risk it unless they can be assured a quad-triple combination. In terms of skating smart, triple-triples in the new system are a smarter bet.

Fairfax, VA: I've heard top figure skaters make a good living... Do you guys compare to say football players?
Michael Weiss: Yes. It just depends on which football player. Michael Vick makes a bit more, but Rock Cartwright probably makes a little bit less. I'm very blessed that I get rewarded financially for a sport that I am passionate about performing in.

Portland, Maine: You constantly perform amazing spins, jumps, and footwork and make it look easy. How much does off ice conditioning help and what do you for it weight training, cardio, yoga?
Michael Weiss: My off-ice training consists of Pilates three days a week, focusing most of my exercises on figure skating positions. I also do work on choreography of my program and, two days of week, work on plyometrics jumping exercises to maintain and increase muscle twitch for jumping quickness and height. I also get massage once a week to revive and relax my muscles that I work during the week.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Hello Michael. What has been your proudest moments as a father and how has it impacted your skating?
Michael Weiss: My pride for my children is in seeing them grow and develop personalities and watch them learn and play together. As far as one proud moment, I would have to say there are two. One came recently when my daughter read her first book -- it was "See Sam." The other moment was when my son began sharing with his sister. There were three pieces of candy, and they were told they had to split the three pieces. And he said, "There's three pieces, so you have two, and I'll have one." For a four-year-old, that was a big step. Fatherhood helps you put things in perspective as an athlete and realize that, although figure skating is important, family always takes priority. Whether a successful day of competition or a failure, your kids are always there to see you as Dad and not as a skater. And that's comforting when you go out to compete.

Atlanta, Georgia: Congrtulations on all of your success this season! Whom in both men's and women's skating do you feel of this current generation will have the kind of impact on future generations as skaters like Button, Fleming, Hamill, Hamilton, ect...have had on yours?
Michael Weiss: I think there are a number of skaters who have impacted the development of men's figure skating. Elvis Stojko took the sport to a new technical level, and Alexei Yagudin mastered that level. Todd Eldredge showed the importance of speed in spins in the men's event. As far as ladies go, Michelle Kwan has obviously been the epitome of a consistent champion, while Sasha Cohen has more raw talent than anyone the sport has seen in a long time. But overall, I think all the athletes that perform at the world level have some direct impact and influence on the direction of the sport.

Yonkers, NY: My favorite jump of your's is the "Tornado". How did you invent that?
Michael Weiss: My dad was an Olympic gymnast and started me flipping and twisting when I was a toddler. In gymnastics, it's called a back full, and I did it at a young age with my dad spotting. But it was not until the 2002 Champions on Ice tour, when I had some of my skating friends over, that we got out the trampoline, and everyone started playing with back flips. I can do a Tornado on the trampoline, and the other skaters saw it and told me I had to do it on the ice, and that it would be so cool. After many months of nervousness and being scared to even try it, I put on a lot of protective gear, including a helmet, and started with a harness to assist me through the learning process. After the harness, we moved to hand-spotting, where my dad, as a gymnastics coach, stands on the ice, and I skate close by and he hand-spots me through the element. The first one I ever did in front of an audience was in Columbus, Ohio, last December. I've never been more nervous to attempt a jump before because this one has serious physical injury consequences. The one that I did in Columbus, I put my hands down on, but I survived. The next one that I did was in the show at the World Championships, and I did it there successfully for the first time. It's an element that is different from anything people usually try on the ice, and I like to try to be different and innovative, so I felt it was something that I needed to do. Don't try this at home.

Chesapeake, VA: I know that you have two adorable children, have they shown any intrest in figure skating, and will you put them on the ice when they are a bit older?
Michael Weiss: My daughter showed interest when she was 3. She begged me to get out on the ice with her own skates, so I finally gave in and put her on skates, and she was interested for about two months and then was over it. Now, she loves ballet and gymnastics, and I don't see a figure skating future for her. My son has a strong interest in ice hockey. He loves watching it, playing it and anything that has to do with hockey, he wants. I've kept him from skating lessons until he's a little bit older. I don't want to get him started too young and frustrate him with the difficulties of learning to skate at a young age. He also likes baseball, football and soccer. No matter what sport or academic pursuit, I will try to be supportive and encouraging of their desire to become successful.

Gaithersburg, MD: Have you decided whether you are going to stay in for the next Olympics in 2006?
Michael Weiss: I haven't decided yet, but I am encouraged, and it's definitely a possibility. I'm currently taking it one year at a time. At the end of each year, if I still have the desire and conviction to still be competitive, then I will continue to go out and try and do my best.

Ontario, Calif.: Do you ever see mind games going on between competitors in figure skating?
Michael Weiss: I think the ladies play more mind games than the men. I haven't experienced many attempts to psych another male competitor out. I'm friends with most of my competitors. We have a respect for each other's competitive ability, but we leave our competitive spirit on the ice. When we're off the ice, we can maintain a friendship.

Los Angeles, CA : The contest you are offering sounds great and I would love to win the trip to the Nationals. What do I need to do?
Michael Weiss: I have felt that I have had fans that have supported me through the ups and downs and successes and failures of figure skating, and so many of them sit at home and cheer in front of the television, and this is an opportunity for me to bring them to the arena to cheer live. After all of the support that they've shown, this is a way for me to get to thank them. If you want to participate, visit my Web site (michaelweiss.org), and thank you for your support.
Comment from Michael Weiss: Nick Castaneda of Wachovia Securities was kind enough to sponsor the contest and bring two loyal fans to attend and cheer on the skaters at the U.S. national championship.

San Francisco, California: Hi Michael and congratulations on a great season so far. Since athletes can't compete forever, I was wondering what plans you have after you retire which, hopefully, won't be for quite a while. Thanks.
Michael Weiss: After a brief show skating career, I plan to get involved in telling my story and hopefully motivating and inspiring younger athletes and businesspersons to set goals and achieve them through motivational speaking.

Comment from Michael Weiss: Thanks for all your questions. After this weekend's Grand Prix Final, I will continue training hard and preparing for the U.S. national championships in January. See you there.