Pj's all-time top 10: Men

Here is D. Jenkins 3A from a 1957 news reel. 20 years before Taylor, but more significantly, less than 10 years after the first 2A.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2unFSmlNjI

I am surprised Lambiel is not on the list, to me he revolutionised the spinning in the men's game took it to another level, overall choreographically his programs were also good.

I would not have Dick Button in the top 10 sorry!!

Maybe Alexei Yagudin should be No:1 - took the technical level to another level, with Patrick Chan a very close No2-took the skating skills and transitional moves to another level.

Artistically - John Curry

Musicality - the best I have seen David Liu and Petr Barna - but I suppose their results don't warrant them a top 10 finish.....

Yes Plushenko, Stojko, Browning should be in top 10, maybe Petrenko too

I guess it comes down to the question: contribution/impact to the sport, or contribution/impact to my enjoyment of the sport. Because those are two different sets of men altogether.

ImaginaryPogue said:

I guess it comes down to the question: contribution/impact to the sport, or contribution/impact to my enjoyment of the sport. Because those are two different sets of men altogether.

Click to expand...

Just what I have wanted to say so I'll expound on it with my views.

I would have two seperate lists for the Top Ten. The subjective list would be comprised of those who have excellent skills and whose performances are emotionally appealing and entertaining. The objective list would include those who fit two criteria - personal achievements and contribution/impact to the sport, IOW they are the overachievers and the milestones. There are those who ovelap and those who belong only to one list. E.g. I am not a fan of Stojko but his accomplishment as well as impact on the sport will certainly put him on my objective list. OTOH, I adore Lambiel's skating with his peerless artistry and exquisite spins but his excellence is exclusively his without influencing other skaters, much admired without changing the sport. Ditto Takahashi. They are among the deservedly most beloved and admired skaters in recent history who definitely belong to my subjective Top Ten. Then we have Chan, as young as he still is, has both personal accomplishments and a signifigant impact on the sport, not just raising the level of skating skills and footwork but also making the combination of intricate choreography and quad jumps an achievable and required standard for his peers and skaters ro come. The earlier greats such as Dick Button and John Curry, go into one or both lists too because, though nowhere near today's techical standard, they played very significant roles in the progress of the sport to figure skating as we know it today, just as the recent greats in turn will be surpassed but their influence and importance are part of the sport's historical progress. I would include also the namesakes of the jumps. Heck, whoever first had the crazy idea of attaching blades to boots should be number 1 on the list if only I had their name(s).

Actually I see Lambiel features apart from the spins like headless skating and loose body in many skaters, so I think he has really influenced a lot the next generation.

I see Lambiel's possible great contributions to come as a choreographer and a coach/mentor, not so much as a skater.