MENS LP and the Results | Page 33 | Golden Skate

MENS LP and the Results

jennylovskt

Medalist
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
He's the male Sasha Cohen.

:rofl: I can never make such connection. Sasha has the most beautiful lines and grace like a swan. Where is Chan's? To me, his LP is just so so in choreography. His skating is amazing in terms of using edges, but his entire body lines and expressions are totally burried into this pool of extreme talented skaters. His hands are extremely annoying actually. Except his edges which people have used as a fashion now, nothing is special. Johnny Weir is much closer to male Sasha Cohen.

Anyway, no matter who's camp everyone's in, I believe Takahashi won with no dispute. So Takahashi saved the day! I can imagine what would be like if Chan won.:eek:;)

A little sad for Joubert. But at least he's on the podium again,:) and he's happy.:love:
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I started this earlier and got sidetracked, hence some outdated comments.

0. My goodness, this thread took a turn for the poisonous.

1. Daisuke Takahashi: In one of the posts here people listed their favourite programs of the season. The only man to get a consistent, high total for both programs was Mr. Swan Lake himself (Abbott and Oda had the SP and LP of the season, individually. Yu Na Kim had a lot of support for Gershwin, but Bond dwarfed it by about twenty-five votes). Takahashi: the first Japanese male to win gold at Worlds and also the first Japanese male to medal in Olympic Figure Skating. What else can be said?

How about this. He goes for a quadruple flip despite the fact that the system doesn’t reward it (or more accurately, the ancillary bonus in PCS is basically negligible with him), despite the fact that it’s hugely risky. And despite the fact that he’s been back after a year long break. Why? To challenge himself. To push himself. And he nearly lands it (UR? Who cares at this point). In a season with a lot of teeth gnashing about it being a funeral for quads, moreso than Plushenko or Lysacek or Chan or Abbott, this is the guy who’ll inspire the next group of figure skaters. In 2026, there’ll be people competing at the Olympics in ... (insert city of choice) who’ll cite Takahashi as the reason they got involved. They’ll mention the wonderfully choreographed trip in “La Strada” or the dazzling dance in “Swan Lake” or the confidently sensual Tango. Maybe they’ll mention that cool flip he opens his program with.

2. Patrick Chan: Reflecting on Chan’s season, I’m more and more impressed with his silver medal here (and I’m fine with him winning silver. Ideally, it would’ve been bronze, but Brezina’s still got a ways to go). Think about it: a major injury in an Olympic season that sets back training by months; losing his coach a month before the biggest event of his life; the pressure of a nation proudly tubthumping its “Own the Podium Program.” Of course, if this was anyone other than Chan, we’d be commenting on what a remarkable accomplishment it is to win second Worlds medal in only three seasons.

But Chan’s divisive. So let’s concentrate on the positive. Despite these things, he still committed to a massively difficult long program (if he had dumbed down the transition going into the triple loop, he likely would’ve landed it). He committed to a level four footwork sequence despite the fact that it’s worth less than a triple toe (seriously, check it out. Tell me if you think that’s a fair assessment of their difficulties). So, what now? I hope he takes a page from the champion’s book and pushes himself. Get the quad. He doesn’t need it, but it’s a good thing to possess nonetheless. Challenge himself to explore new arenas musically (I know he loves Lori Nichol, and so do I frankly, but maybe ask Kurt Browning for a program in the future?). And contradicting myself, perfect POTO. Work on those jumps and nail them so people don’t dismiss him so readily (as if improvement is impossible at this stage – see Lysacek and Buttle). Take a course in media management. I know, it won’t quell the volcanic bile hurled at this youngster, but it’ll make it easier for his fans to love him. Now, all we have to love is what he leaves on the ice. Thankfully, that’s a lot.

3. Brian Joubert: You know, I gained a lot of respect for him as a competitor these two days. I don’t love his skating – I don’t even like it very much. But to come back from such a disasterous outing that we saw in Vancouver? To have a five time World medalists have to do a test skate just to see if he could go to Worlds? An injury disencumbering his season? Those things couldn’t have been easy. So to see his strength of character and his will out there on the ice.... amazing. Two quads? Awesome.

4. Michel Brezina: The old guard better watch their backs, the kids are coming and they will devour them whole. Is he perfect? Nope – he’s gotta work on his speed and his programs aren’t as cohesive as the top skaters. But 4th at his first worlds? Awesome. Those jumps? Incredible? That CONFIDENCE? Divine.

5/6. Jeremy Abbott/Adam Rippon: Rippon following his two junior golds with a sixth place debut? Wonderful. Abbott’s highest placement in an ISU competition since 2007? Pretty cool indeed. Three spots for the USA? Perfect.

7. Samuel Contesti: I won’t deny it – I really wanted more after his breakthrough season last year. Okay performances on home ice, but I thought he would be a darkhorse medal contender. Oh well.

8. Kevin van der Peren: 4-3-3. 19 points with one element. Wowza.

9. Adrian Schultheiss: Yeah, I don’t get this program. I don’t like Prodigy’s music in general though, but surface weirdness does very little for me.

10. Takahiko Kozuka: Is he a headcase? Silver in Russia, off the podium at NHK, fine at the Olympics, meltdown here.

11. Kevin Reynolds: Proof that the quad bonus for PCS is real. Because really, that hair alone should lower his Performance/Interpretation scores.

Also, cool to see Fernandez’ growth (I sorta hope he does for Spanish FS what Kim did for South Korea’s). Amodio’s still very cute and I look forward to see where he goes next. Ten needs to re-evaluate his competition/training regime. Voronov might consider retirement because it’s clear who the Russian Fed is backing.
 

ARipp42014

Medalist
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Anyway, no matter who's camp everyone's in, I believe Takahashi won with no dispute. So Takahashi saved the day! I can imagine what would be like if Chan won.:eek:;)

Chiddy winning=GS shuts down do to the shock

Words to Chiddy for next season, keep your mouth shut and you'll get some love!
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Patrick Chan does not excel at ALL the non-jumping elements of figure skating. He has great choreography and transitions, yes. But he is NOT a great performer. His skating is robotic, he is stiff, and he makes little or no connection with the audience. Chan was definitely not at his best this season, and he wasn't all good at Worlds 2010, particularly in the performance and interpretation areas. I do not think he deserved the ridiculously high PCS scores he received in SS, PE and IN. He should have been about 8.1 in SS, 7.90 in PE, and 7.8 in IN.


When Takahashi is on and in top form, he does excel in ALL elements of figure skating, including jumping and non-jumping elements, and he was in great form at Worlds 2010. IMO, there should have been a much greater point spread between Takahashi's and Chan's PCS scores, especially in SS, PE and IN.

Takahashi will probably successfully defend his title next year at Worlds in Japan. I wonder how Chan will feel being a bridesmaid yet again.:biggrin:
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Takahashi will probably successfully defend his title next year at Worlds in Japan. I wonder how Chan will feel being a bridesmaid yet again.:biggrin:

Were you one of those who predicted Takahashi would win in Gothenburg? Though more curiously, has anyone been second place to three consecutive world champions?
 

Ren

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
1. Daisuke Takahashi: In one of the posts here people listed their favourite programs of the season. The only man to get a consistent, high total for both programs was Mr. Swan Lake himself (Abbott and Oda had the SP and LP of the season, individually. Yu Na Kim had a lot of support for Gershwin, but Bond dwarfed it by about twenty-five votes). Takahashi: the first Japanese male to win gold at Worlds and also the first Japanese male to medal in Olympic Figure Skating. What else can be said?

How about this. He goes for a quadruple flip despite the fact that the system doesn’t reward it (or more accurately, the ancillary bonus in PCS is basically negligible with him), despite the fact that it’s hugely risky. And despite the fact that he’s been back after a year long break. Why? To challenge himself. To push himself. And he nearly lands it (UR? Who cares at this point). In a season with a lot of teeth gnashing about it being a funeral for quads, moreso than Plushenko or Lysacek or Chan or Abbott, this is the guy who’ll inspire the next group of figure skaters. In 2026, there’ll be people competing at the Olympics in ... (insert city of choice) who’ll cite Takahashi as the reason they got involved. They’ll mention the wonderfully choreographed trip in “La Strada” or the dazzling dance in “Swan Lake” or the confidently sensual Tango. Maybe they’ll mention that cool flip he opens his program with.
:agree: :clap: I hope they'll also mention how he rocked "Eye." :)
 

BigJohn

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 22, 2008
The plain truth from Patrick Chan

March 25, 2010
By Scott Russell

Turin, Italy -- Refreshing.

That's the way Patrick Chan is - refreshingly honest. And he discusses matters in such a way that he separates himself from most other elite athletes out there.

"It stinks," he said of his fifth-place finish at the Vancouver Olympics. "Then it settles in and you understand that you're not the only star here Patrick. You're not the only one working his butt off to get somewhere."

That qualifies as an epiphany.

It seems the Olympic experience actually meant something deeper than a medal chase and an endorsement deal to Canada's top male figure skater.

This is the same skater who struggled with injury and parted with a long-time coach just prior to the Games. Chan is a gifted world championship silver medalist who once wondered aloud if he could commit another four years to the dream once Vancouver was over.

"The Olympics transform you," Chan proclaimed, his eyes the size of frying pans. "No one can explain it to you. They are a different kind of animal. Being with so many other athletes and seeing what they are capable of ... the biathletes, speed skaters and ski jumpers, well, it motivates you to go on."

Wants the quad

So at the world figure skating championships here in Turin, Chan is plotting a course. He claims it will take him to the next Olympics in Russia in four years time. He's talking about getting the highly coveted quad jump yes, but he's also looking into a crystal ball and he likes what he sees.

"There's definitely no outside pressure on me," Chan said. "Here it's all about me. I definitely want to win and think I can."

That's the key. In spite of what unfolds in the present, Patrick Chan believes he can win in the future. Something happened to him at the Olympics and it served to change his mind.

It made him full of wonder again.

"I saw that one day I could dominate," he figured. "I saw that I could one day leave a lasting impression on my sport."

Patrick Chan is only 19-years-old. His words have sometimes been misinterpreted as hastily conceived or even worse - false bravado.

Watching him closely now, one is left with a completely different impression.

He is a supremely talented kid who actually speaks the plain truth.

On top of what he does on the ice, that is why I love Patrick Chan. And the fact is he knows a lot more about skating than all the haters on this board.

I love that he's ambitious, I love that he's a straight shooter, and I love that he knows just how good he is.
 
Last edited:

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Were you one of those who predicted Takahashi would win in Gothenburg? Though more curiously, has anyone been second place to three consecutive world champions?

Nope. Dai wasn't quite as hungry then, and a lot more inconsistent.

But being a "bridesmaid" doesn't necessarily mean silver. It could mean bronze (all those upandcomers, ya know).
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Oh, golly, Daisuke won! My only complaint: why did he have to choose the year there's no TV coverage in the U.S.?! I hope YouTube rises to the occasion eventually, because I don't get any of the other sources. But he won! Great to hear.

I'm interested (and delighted) to see that his win is almost universally acclaimed on here. The last time I remember a world or Olympic champion getting that kind of acclaim is Yagudin (correct me if I'm wrong). I think it's for the same reasons, too: he's got the combination of technique and magnetism that pulls viewers in. I remember the first time I realized this guy was a special skating experience--it was the Rachmaninoff, I'm fairly sure--and no injury in skating distressed me more than his (except maybe Hongbo Zhao's in 2006). I hope, for his sake and ours, that he can stay strong and at his peak until Sochi, because I'd love for him to get an OGM. But, as with Michelle Kwan and Kurt Browning, his skating itself is the achievement. You don't see that quality every day, or indeed every year. Yay for Daisuke!
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Most eligible figure skaters believe they can win in the future, or they wouldn't be in the game, practicing day in and day out for years. But very few figure skaters spend as much time touting themselves in the media the way Chan does.

And now we hear Chan is bringing back "Phantom" for another year. This much overused piece of music has a strong emotional component that some skaters have used to their advantage (Davis/White, e.g.). But touching the emotions of the audience is Chan's very major weak point, and this music does him no favors, but makes him appear even more robotic than usual. Bad move, Patrick.
 

ARipp42014

Medalist
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Most eligible figure skaters believe they can win in the future, or they wouldn't be in the game, practicing day in and day out for years. But very few figure skaters spend as much time touting themselves in the media the way Chan does.

And now we hear Chan is bringing back "Phantom" for another year. This much overused piece of music has a strong emotional component that some skaters have used to their advantage (Davis/White, e.g.). But touching the emotions of the audience is Chan's very major weak point, and this music does him no favors, but makes him appear even more robotic than usual. Bad move, Patrick.

As I said before... Daisuke's Phantom from 2007>Patrick's Phantom from 2010
 

prettykeys

Medalist
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
I'm just tired of hearing that in men's singles skating-being an all around skater doesn't include having great jumps. While this isn't figure jumping, jumps are a HUGE part of the tradition of men's single's skating. The all around skater should be able to pull of the hard jumps, hard spins, and hard footwork. Like Daisuke [pretty much did] tonight.
:clap:
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I disagree that it's a bad move. It might not do him any favours, but for someone who's jumps aren't consistent, keeping music you're familiar with and having one less thing to work on seems like it could help. Only time will tell. Buttle won his worlds with repeated programs. Hell, Chan just won his second silver medal with the same short program music as he had last year.
 
Top