I've watched Evan and Rachael live. Watching Evan live didn't change my opinion about his skating one bit. I was unmoved just like I watch him on TV. Rachael looked better on TV. She was so slow live. The one thrilled me live was Jeremy Abbott. Abbott's speed was surprisingly fast and very smooth.
In SOI Lysacek gives 100% in every performance. Fierce intensity may not be to everyone's liking, but he gives the audience their money's worth every time out.
Rachael's skating may look about the same on TV as live, but her personality and connection with the audience comes across much better live, IMHO.
I haven't seen her since she became a senior, but I wasn't ever all that thrilled with her at the nationals I attended... I preferred Caroline "back then"...Originally Posted by Olympia
I find Evan exciting, and talented. Hard worker we hear, and for some reason, he is not appreciated. He is a very consistent performer and deserved his gold medal. I am a Plush fan as who has had his longevity? He is very talented despite his shortcomings, and his style never played well in North America, but dissing Evan became trendy, as he won without a quad.
Kim won without a triple axel (or 3). Some felt that was badly scored. Evan barely won because of the rules rewarding jump attempts, even squirelly landings. Plushenko is a legend, and deservedly so, but Evan did not just get "lucky." He skated the best that night. I'm not surprised to hear he skates his heart out in SOI performances. I have enjoyed his skating and he has had a career to be very proud of. Same with Tara and Sarah who get dissed all the time for leaving the sport when so young. They too earned their gold medals. "Luck" plays a part in everything, but these skaters were all young, consistent phenoms. I don't think Evan is the best skater ever but he certainly deserves respect for dedication and yes, results. OGM fairly won is hard to argue with, along with a wonderful WC championship skate.
And since this was a Johnny thread, he skates with such beauty and I hope he continues to display what beautiful skating is without injuring himself with jumps he might find inconsistent. I hope he keeps it about the skating and not about getting publicity. I hope his SP to the Gaga music lives up to his best skating. and further hope the costume etc is not so over the top. I am no huge Gaga fan. I just hope it is an "inspired" (for her) piece of music but I won't hold my breath. LP sounds more promising.
Last edited by skateluvr; 06-25-2012 at 12:45 AM.
I couldn't agree more!
typo-I meant deserved. Thanks Evan for giving us gold in mens after 22 year drought.
Johnny Weir-Voronov @JohnnyGWeir
"Please come see me 1 & 2 September in Fukui, Japan! http://www.fukui-tv.co.jp/event/fantasy_ … I will perform one of my new competitive programs! @JpJweAngels"
12:11 AM - 29 Jun 12
I'm not surprised to hear that. This guy is a workhorse, and that's a talent in itself. I admire him tremendously. Moreover, as Skateluvr points out, he brought the OGM back to America after a drought of over two decades. That's not chicken feed.
Is this not Johnny 's SP to Chopin music? I'm wrong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFBHY2pOT54
It was such a horrible embarrassment with the whole system having to be redone to value quads again! His win was a total technical regressive disgrace to mens skating. It was lucky in that smart realised doing quads was totally worthless and why PLushenko was the only one to succeed in doing quad triples in the free skate.
Well, I am admittedly NOT a fan of Evan's - I don't think he relates to his audience on or off the ice...BUT, I do defend the fact that he had the best skate under the rules at the time of the Olympic long program. That was a once-in-a-lifetime skate for him where all the planets were aligned, the moon was in the seventh house, and he delivered! I was happy for the USA! I was happy the drought ended. I didn't see anything embarassing about how the scoring was done and while I think quads definitely should be valued highly, I do not think they are the be-all and end-all that some make them out to be. There are plenty of male figure skaters that can rip off quads like they were just a walk in the park but the rest of their skating is not necessarily pleasing to watch nor does it show versatility and balance. I think the best male figure skater should have a balance between artistry and athleticism. Since this is a Johnny Weir thread I will say that Johnny leans more toward the artistry and with alot of work could probably balance out between the art and the athleticism. I don't, quite frankly, see Plushenko ever being artistic no matter what ballet music he skates to. I sincerely hope the ISU never values the quads higher than anything else in the program. I think that would ruin the enjoyment of watching figure skating! JMO
eta: I think the male skater who best exemplifies both artistry and athleticism of anybody in the world today is Patrick Chan. Again, JMO.
It is a Weir thread but even though he is not known for COP savvy and doesn't even like COP of course it was very smart for him not to attempt any quads ever in the 2009-2010 season. That would have been the dumbest thing he could've done under the rules. It was dumb for anyone to do them and winners did not do them in competition after compeittion. So him talking about adding quads shows the results of the rule changes that were absolutley mandatory after the mens comptition was won without a quad for the first time since 1994. Not even an attempt because of course attempts were very very stupid. Do a flawed quad and you could get 1 point. Weir has to be more PCS mainstream. Copy or do versoins of all the high scoring PCS things. The return of quads to programs is a return of technical balance. You have all the required elements of spins and steps and jumps but you can't say triples are the max jump you need to go to a quad as well because that was the norm from either 1997 to 2007 or 1998 to 2007 but not this total regression into no quad skating that won the worst Olympics for men skating.
"I don't, quite frankly, see Plushenko ever being artistic no matter what ballet music he skates to."
Dear Noskates! Look at these videos, please!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEJXkfMYTX4
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7WXLsJlAiw
Plushenko is artistic!
Read the comments please!
Last edited by plushyfan; 06-30-2012 at 05:34 PM.
Plushyfan, I can tell by your screenname that you are a big fan of Plushenko. I have watched him for years as well and just do not like his style of skating. He's fabulous, he's athletic, but just not my cuppa. Doesn't mean I can't appreciate his accomplishments or the hard work he's put in. Different strokes and all that....
Yeah, that makes sense. Just like I think Patrick Chan has zero artistry, you may think the same of Plushenko. Everyone has his own opinion.
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