as it should be. US Men's is where it's at!Originally Posted by ARipp42014
as it should be. US Men's is where it's at!
Scott liked Brezina, it was Sandra who didn't. Scott added at the end that Brezina needs time to work on improving his skating skills/polish. (What Sandra said about others) I didn't want to be rude to Sandra but I'd love to tell her that it may be easier for Brezina to polish up and improve his skating skills, than it will be for Chan to become a great jumper.
How old will that tiny little Japanese guy be in 2014? (Sorry, don't remember his name. I think he might be a junior by now.)
If he's not cooked yet, then I'm calling it for Chan, Fernandez and Amodio!
That is, if Chan agrees to let his feet do the talking. Otherwise, everybody move up a notch and Oda for Bronze.
Oh wait, I forgot about Armin. If he continues he could be in the mix.
2014 Sochi might just be as crazy as 2010 Vancouver. It's going to be CRAZY! Too hard to call...I really have a soft spot for Rippon (probably because he started late and really made a splash when he started skating internationally). Chan and Kozuka have the best skating skills and a little more experience. Rippon has incredible natural talent, and Orser has don't a great job with him in just one year. Ten is ONLY 16, he'll be a force in Sochi (age 20) and in the 2018 Olympics, where he'll be 24...he's already been working on a quad for a year. Brezina, the boy skates fast and has springs for legs, a little more training and he'll be great. Amodio knows how to perform, he needs a little more consistency. Oda is only 22, and I'd really like to see him stick around, his jump landings are INSANE! great knees. There are sooo many others too b/c so much can happen in 4 years. If by the end of these Olympics, Plushenko and the Russian Federation haven't killed all respect for men's figure skating, it will be THE EVENT in Sochi.
I hope we see Takahiko Kozuka, Jeremy Abbott, Nobunari Oda, Michal Brezina, Adam Rippon, Artem Grigoriev, Florent Amodio, Denis Ten, Javier Fernandez, Artem Borodulin, and Armin Mahbanoozadeh all at their full potential!
Wow ... does that mean Men's figure skating actually has a future after that disastrous Olympic result?
Disregarding all the bs that has come from these Olympics (I do not only mean FS here; a death of an athlete, Petra Majdic breaking her ribs while plunging down the hill to a gully due to absolutely no safety borders beside the road etc) I truly hope to see some of the athletes succeed in Sochi and for the Sochi games to be better arranged. Although I wouldn't bet on it. Russia does have it's disturbing tendencies when it comes to construction - not a rule but there are some bad experiences from the past.
There are so many new and promising names really.
Brezina is an athlete of amazing technique. As for his jumps... wowThe height is amazing and the cleanness of his 3A is mind-boggling. Yes, I am a fan of his, I've got to admit. His skating doesn't lack passion but he has to and definitely will work on the choreographic aspect. As well as footwork. What a great guy.
Ten. Well Ten is something of a sort of young miracle if everything goes well for him. Considering his age I'd say he has all the possibilities of becoming at least two time olympic medalist if not more. I don't know how the consistency part will work out for him but time will tell obviously. Flexibility is of course great and all but there are many many details he needs to work on.
Amodio is a born artist. His performance impressed me the most these games. I'm watching his skate again and again and what amazes me is that not only is his performance great but he is capable of jumping a quad for example. He knows how to work the crowd and enjoys it. Big hopes on this frenchman.
Borodulin left a positive impression. After getting used to a relatively weak field of russian future figure skating he did appear as a small beacon of hope.
In conclusion what I really really don't want to happen is for these young and promising athletes to take up ´the "neat and clean choreographically superb but technically average road." They are all capable of much more and it would only benefit figure skating as a sport if the new generation would continue to improve the side of skating that cannot be judged subjectively.
I hope they will prove themselves to be remarkable athletes for they sure as hell seem to have what it takes.
Florent Amodio
Denis Ten
Patrick Chan
Jeremy Abbott
Adam Rippon
Michal Brezina
Artem Borudulin
Kozuka
These are people that we'll have to count on, but other people could emmerge too. It also depends on who's going to retire. I'd love it if Tomas were to stay and have more regular performnaces.
It's waaay too early to start having 'dream podiums' for 2014, but these are my favorite youngsters based on the past season:
1. Takahiko Kozuka (his teddybear-factor does me in every time)
2. Adam Rippon (cuteness factor, divine curls, overall skating quality)
3. Nobunari Oda (less a 'youngster' than the above three I think? but still; divine skating skills)
4. Patrick Chan (lose the attitude, keep the edges and general flow)
About US Men; I'm not sure whether Mroz, Abbott and Carriere are going to stick around until 2014? Carrierre probably; Mroz and Abbott? Not sure? Abbott might retire in case he wins a World title somewhere along the line? Not sure...
Others: Denis Ten needs to smile. Michal Brezina needs to lose the attitude but keep those gorgeous jumps, Artem needs a little more personality but looks very promising.
Yep.Wow ... does that mean Men's figure skating actually has a future after that disastrous Olympic result?
No future, it's only downhill from here. Thanks you Inman, Speedy and North American consumerism.
Take heart, oxade21, the COP is still relatively new, and generally after each Olympics it gets tweaked (even 6.0 was tweaked after each Olympics).
And with the controversy over the quad in the mens competition (like the controversy over the Olympic Champion's win in 2002), the system was changed thereafter. I'm pretty sure the same will apply here. *smile*
The Japanese mens field is deep, and any of these 5 men could podium depending on who they send... Takahashi (if he sticks around for a 3rd Olympics), Oda (hopefully will stick around as well), definitely Kozuka... but also Machida (4th Japanese Nationals, 2nd 4CC and also only 19), and Hanyu (1st JGPF, 6th Japanese Nats and also only 15). For Japan, I see Takahashi retiring and the Sochi team beind Oda, Kozuka, and Hanyu.
For the US... Abbott, if he hangs in there, Rippon, Mroz (although I don't think he has a shot at the podium), and possibly Brown (2010 Junior Champion. but not for the podium)
Canada... Chan will definitely be clawing his way up the podium steps, and Reynolds will be in his shadow and not podium worthy
Others.... Ten (Khazakstan), Brezina (Czech), Amodio (France), Fernandez (Spain)
Sounds goodbut I'd add Javier to the list, he has the best energy!
I didn't put Javier onbecause I believe he's got European-level potential, but not really world or Olympic potential.Sounds good
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