The first time I saw Alexei off-ice at the arena, I was there to watch the men's practices, and Alexei's group was second. I went into the arena and stood in one of the walkways looking at the first group practice. At first I didn't notice that Alexei was standing right across from me on the other side of the walkway.

Pretty soon, someone came up to him and asked for his autograph, which made me look over. Then of course I knew exactly who was standing there. Alexei shook his head at the person apologetically, and said something quietly that I think was "After", meaning after his practice. It was obvious he was checking out the rest of the field, and focusing on his practice coming up.

So I just stood where I was, and continued to watch the men's practice. Of course, I couldn't concentrate at all! I occasionally looked over to see what Alexei was doing, and he was standing there with his arms folded, watching what the men in the other practice group were doing. Several more people came up to him to ask for his autograph, and he politely declined, and directed them to ask him after the practice. If he had started signing, he would have been mobbed, and not been able to focus on getting ready for his practice.

I decided that there was no way that I could possibly concentrate on the practice with Alexei standing right across from me. I also didn't want Alexei to think I was just standing there checking him out, even though I sort of was! lol So I went out into the corridor to get some water. I figured I would just hang out there until the other practice group started. But then Alexei also came out into the hall, and started doing his stretching for his practice! It was unbelieveable to me, because here I was doing my best not to disturb him, and I couldn't get away from him! LOL

He caught me looking at him, and I gathered from the look on his face that he was hoping that I didn't ask for an autograph. Luckily, I knew better. But several people did come up to him. He finally started doing some jogging, and what I can only describe as leaping back and forth in the hallway. I think this was to warm-up, but it also made him a moving target for autograph seekers, so I wondered if there was a dual motivation for him doing this.

Anyway, since I was now in the hallway, where I had decided to stay, I wasn't sure what to do, as Alexei kept going by, jogging, jumping, and leaping. If I went back into the arena, I thought Alexei might think I wasn't a fan, and was trying to get away from him! If I stayed where I was, I was afraid Alexei would think I was stalking him! Being a skating fan is so complicated. lol

Luckily I didn't have to decide what to do, because the men's first group was finishing, and Alexei got his bags and started heading down to practice. He had been approached a few more times for autographs, and he was always moving, so he would say something to whoever it was that was asking for an autograph as he jogged by (I think he usually said "after"). When he got his bags to leave, I saw that he was going to pass right by me.

So then I was thinking, should I say something? Again, another quandry. If I said something, would he think I was standing there checking him out the whole time? (Ok, I did check him out, but I went into the hall first, right? It would have been impossible not to notice him hopping back and forth in front of me!). If I didn't look at him or say something, it would be like I was pretending that I was SO above being a fan! lol

When I thought about that, I realized that by the time the weekend was over, he would know I was a fan anyway, so there was no point in pretending not to be one. So as he walked by me, I said, "Good luck". Alexei said "thanks", and didn't smile, but looked a bit surprised, almost like, if I knew who he was, why didn't I bother him for an autograph?

When he and the rest of his practice group were waiting for the ice to be resurfaced, I could see Todd talking to Alexei while waiting to take the ice. It's apparent that they get along very well, and that the handshakes you see them give after competitions on TV are not just for appearances' sake. There is obviously a respect for each other that is genuine, and nice to see.

After the competition that day, my friend and I were at the official hotel, shopping at the gift shop. Someone from the Alexei Yagudin board came up to me and said, "HE's playing pool!". The bar and grill was across from the gift shop, and you could see the pool table through some windows. Sure enough, there was Alexei shooting pool!

My friend said something like, "Oh, my!", and I think I was too stunned to speak. Alexei looks nice on TV, but it really doesn't do him justice. He was wearing a T-shirt at this point, and my goodness, he has very nice arms, to say the least. lol

There were other skaters in the bar and grill, too, as well as lots of skating fans scoping them out. My friend and I decided not to get a table in there, though, because it was loud, and we were pretty tired. We did see two tables down the hall outside the other restaurant, so we decided to sit there, and that if anyone passed by, we would ask for autographs/pictures/etc. if they didn't look too busy.

Alexei came out of the bar after a little while, and started walking in our direction! One of us (my friend, I think), called out his name, and asked for his autograph. He stopped, and when he saw me, gave me a big smile! I think he remembered that I didn't bother him earlier at the arena, and appreciated that I left him alone before his practice. So he walked over to us, and posed for a picture with each of us! This was another one of those situations where I was trying to stay conscious, although since Alexei had his very strong arm around me, he likely could have caught me if I had passed out cold, lol.

Alexei autographed my friend's ticket stub. He paused for a moment, I think probably assuming that I would want an autograph, too! I should explain that while I do like autographs, I usually don't ask for them. I prefer pictures so much more, and try to restrain myself to ask for only one thing from a skater. So instead I just wished him luck, and my friend did, too. He smiled again, and thanked us, and off he went. We saw him a lot more because he went back and forth between the bar and probably his room several times.

At the now-famous "pool table" bar and grill at the Delta Hotel, the televisions were showing the ABC coverage of Skate America on Sunday. (This was after the SC exhibitions, and many fans were filtering back into the popular hangout). Alexei came in to play pool, and noticed himself on TV. Someone later said he might have thought at first that they were showing his Skate Canada performance. When he realized it was Skate America instead, he shook his head in mild disgust, and proceeded to play pool, doing his best to ignore the TV! lol I did notice him sneak a few peeks at it, though.

My friend and I later spoke with a girl who worked at the other restaurant next door. She said that she didn't really watch much skating, but she was going to start, having seen Alexei around the hotel all week, lol. She was too shy to ask him for an autograph though. While we were talking to her, Alexei headed towards our vicinity (in the hall outside the other restaurant), and I went up to him and explained that this girl was too shy to ask him for an autograph.

He was so sweet to her. The only thing she could find for him to write on was a post card. Alexei asked her name, and proceed to write a personalized autograph that filled up the entire card. He even signed his name twice; once in English, and once in Russian! I asked Alexei if I could take a picture of them, and he graciously agreed. After that he said goodbye, and off he went to continue playing pool.

Later, my friend and I were having dinner at the bar and grill. We noticed skaters were passing by, on their way to the post competition reception, and looking great, all dressed to the nines. We wondered if Alexei was going to skip the reception altogether, since he was still playing pool. Eventually, he wrapped up his game, and within minutes had gone to change, emerged in more formal (but still fairly casual) attire, and off to the reception he went.

After an hour or so, the skaters starting heading back from the reception. After a little while, my friend wanted to leave, though, and I was going to drive her back to her hotel. She had to catch an early train, and wanted to pack up her stuff and get to bed.

I didn't mind driving her back to her hotel, but I wanted to do it quickly, so that I could get back, and see what all the skaters were wearing. It was neat to see them all dressed up like that. So when my friend said she was ready to go, I started walking through the lobby to exit the hotel. But every time I would almost get to the front door, I would realize she suddenly wasn't with me, just as I could hear her calling me back to take a picture of her with some skater who was returning from the reception.

So I would go back, and take the picture, and then she would be ready to leave again. So I would start walking out of the hotel, only to be called back yet again! After a few times, I was really ready to go, because she continually said that she wanted to get back to her hotel and pack, and that THIS time she was ready! lol

Finally, after about the third time I was halfway out the door, I could hear my friend calling out to me. She had caught Alexei coming back from the reception, and wanted to get a picture with him again. I went back over, and took the picture. My friend told Alexei that he alone was worth the trip from Ohio, and I agreed. He seemed quite pleased to hear that.

Then we thanked him, and I started to turn to leave again. Unfortunately, at this point I did something rude. My friend stopped me as I started to leave and said, "Don't you want your picture with him?". And I said, "NO, I DON'T!", very loudly! I was immediately mortified, because Alexei was standing right there, and even though someone else was saying something to him right then, I was so loud that there's no way he could have not heard me.

I immediately tried to dig myself out of the hole. I said to my friend that I already had my picture with him, and that I was very tired, and could we please just GO if we were going to? lol I know I sounded like a total brat, but I cannot even begin to explain the depths of how tired and exasperated I was feeling by then. I don't know if Alexei heard me explain that the reason I didn't need my picture with him was that I already had one, but I hope he did. His friend was still talking to him at this point, so all he likely heard was the part that I yelled about not wanting a picture with him.

My friend realized that I was exasperated about the fact that first we were leaving, then we weren't, then we were, etc. She was ready to go then anyway, figuring that seeing Alexei was a good way to end the trip. So I drove her back to her hotel, apologizing profusely the whole way back for being so rude. I really felt awful, both for her and for Alexei, as well as for myself, lol. But my friend knew that I had gotten about 3 hours sleep every night since the night before I left for Canada, and she understood.

And luckily I saw Alexei later at the bar and grill again later, and was able to say a few words to him, so I think he realized I didn't suddenly hate him! Thank goodness. Anyway, he was still very nice to me, so he must not have been bothered by the fact I didn't want to get another picture, lol.

Nicole