Comebacks: Ando, Kim, Plushenko, Weir, etc.

[heyang]

Come-backs sound glamorous but when it really has to happen few can do it in any sport. Nastia Lyukin was painful to watch. Janet Evans an amazing effort but not to be. An ex-Olympian always has that competitive fire, but time marches on.

A comeback is always tough. Just think about all the pro-skaters who came back in 1994 for the Olympics. Boitano, Browning, T&D, E&G, M&D, Petrenko(?), Witt, Zayak, etc. Witt and Zayak didn't plan to be in medal contention. Boitano didn't even win Nationals in 1994, but was # 2 for the US. However, most of them had not skated competitively in 4 or more years (unless you count World Professional.), but were all active show skaters.

As for Plushenko, he's going to have to learn how to use COP better. Evan beat him because of all the transitions and spreading out of the jumps. Plushenko front loaded his program and left points out there because he didn't do much during the latter part of the program. For me, Evan was a bit frenetic, but he was doing something every second of his program and Plushenko has excellent jumps but not a well choreographed program (for COP.)

[seniorita]

Plushy: ><

Hanyu: ^^

Fans: @@

Agents: $$

LOL
I thought it would be interesting cause when Hanyu first met Plush and had his bracelet,etc etc Plush said to him "beat me".

[Jaana]

As for Plushenko, he's going to have to learn how to use COP better. Evan beat him because of all the transitions and spreading out of the jumps. Plushenko front loaded his program and left points out there because he didn't do much during the latter part of the program. For me, Evan was a bit frenetic, but he was doing something every second of his program and Plushenko has excellent jumps but not a well choreographed program (for COP.)

Based on the PCS Plushenko is getting, he does not need to have transitions or a better choreography. He gets high reputation scores anyway.

[blue dog]

Based on the PCS Plushenko is getting, he does not need to have transitions or a better choreography. He gets high reputation scores anyway.

Even he admitted to not even having transitions.

[Buttercup]

^ Oh boy, is that a dead horse, and one buried in shaky ground, since the one person who reported the comment never clarified what exactly was said. Let's discuss Salt Lake City next! Maybe S/P can make a comeback? Sarah Hughes is still young enough to compete, though she would get killed with URs. But some SLC skaters are still around, so I guess no comebacks are necessary.

As for Plushenko, he's going to have to learn how to use COP better. Evan beat him because of all the transitions and spreading out of the jumps. Plushenko front loaded his program and left points out there because he didn't do much during the latter part of the program. For me, Evan was a bit frenetic, but he was doing something every second of his program and Plushenko has excellent jumps but not a well choreographed program (for COP.)

Based on the PCS Plushenko is getting, he does not need to have transitions or a better choreography. He gets high reputation scores anyway.

Whereas Evan Lysacek has never been the beneficiary of reputation judging in his entire career? Ha. He and Frank Carroll actually complained when they felt that he wasn't being given a sufficient reputation bonus.

Plushenko is the only active skater to have defeated Yagudin. And nobody can beat that!

[yaya124]

Even he admitted to not even having transitions.

For his program in 2010 probably, but not for his programs in the last season, and certainly not for the programs in the coming season. But I guess, for some people, Plushenko=no transitions, no matter what he does.

Nevertheless, this season would be very interesting with all these "old" stars competing.

[blue dog]

For his program in 2010 probably, but not for his programs in the last season, and certainly not for the programs in the coming season. But I guess, for some people, Plushenko=no transitions, no matter what he does.

Nevertheless, this season would be very interesting with all these "old" stars competing.

I asked PJ Kwong and Sandra Bezic via twitter what they thought of Plushenko's 2012 LP. Both responded, and both felt it was his best work to date--both said he had plenty of transitions, and was less of the 6.0 Plushenko.

[chuckm]

Sarah Hughes ain't coming back. She not only didn't get her triples back, but now she has lost all her doubles as well. When she skates, all she does is spins, a spiral and maybe a waltz jump.

Maybe she is so busy writing her book about skating (she's been working on it for about two years now) that she has no time to practice. Or maybe she's found that her name is enough and she she doesn't have to live up to it any more.

[blue dog]

Sarah Hughes ain't coming back. She not only didn't get her triples back, but now she has lost all her doubles as well. When she skates, all she does is spins, a spiral and maybe a waltz jump.

Maybe she is so busy writing her book about skating (she's been working on it for about two years now) that she has no time to practice. Or maybe she's found that her name is enough and she she doesn't have to live up to it any more.

OMG I CAN compete with Sarah Hughes now!

[Tonichelle]

A comeback is always tough. Just think about all the pro-skaters who came back in 1994 for the Olympics. Boitano, Browning, T&D, E&G, M&D, Petrenko(?), Witt, Zayak, etc. Witt and Zayak didn't plan to be in medal contention. Boitano didn't even win Nationals in 1994, but was # 2 for the US. However, most of them had not skated competitively in 4 or more years (unless you count World Professional.), but were all active show skaters.

As for Plushenko, he's going to have to learn how to use COP better. Evan beat him because of all the transitions and spreading out of the jumps. Plushenko front loaded his program and left points out there because he didn't do much during the latter part of the program. For me, Evan was a bit frenetic, but he was doing something every second of his program and Plushenko has excellent jumps but not a well choreographed program (for COP.)

IIRC Browning didn't really "comeback". He skated and won worlds in 1993, and then when it was announced that 94 was going to be the next games hed planned to stay in after the debacle of 92... I could be wrong though

[seniorita]

Plushenko is the only active skater to have defeated Yagudin. And nobody can beat that!

It is late here and I read: Plushenko is the only alive skater to have defeated yagudin..

[ImaginaryPogue]

^ Oh boy, is that a dead horse, and one buried in shaky ground, since the one person who reported the comment never clarified what exactly was said. Let's discuss Salt Lake City next! Maybe S/P can make a comeback? Sarah Hughes is still young enough to compete, though she would get killed with URs. But some SLC skaters are still around, so I guess no comebacks are necessary.

Kwan was robbed in Nagano. Figures suck. Damn those Austrian judges. Didn't Sonja Henjie's dad bribe the audience?

[deedee1]

I asked PJ Kwong and Sandra Bezic via twitter what they thought of Plushenko's 2012 LP. Both responded, and both felt it was his best work to date--both said he had plenty of transitions, and was less of the 6.0 Plushenko.

I would give millions of my (humble ) credits any day to those who SURVIVED such a crucial transitional period from 6.0 to COP, successfully TRANSFORMED themselves and WON the big titles under the current system; such as Evgeni Plushenko, Stephane Lambiel, Brian Joubert, Jeffrey Buttle, Evan Lysacek and Daisuke Takahashi.
Who else DID actually win the Euro and Worlds since 2004? Only Patrick Chan and Florent Amodio (correct me if I am wrong).

And more remarkably, some of them Evgeni, Brian and Daisuke STILL compete at this elite level and aim for an Olympic medal at Sochi.

What stands out the most about Plushenko (to me at least) is this dude HAS NOT FALLEN JUST ONCE at any competitions after Mens SP at Salt Lake City in 2002 to this date! @_@ The number of competitions he entered was limited of course, but who else could have done that?
He already won 1 OGM, 2 OSMs, 3 Worlds, 4 GPF, 7 Euros and he STILL WANTS to improve as a skater. His skating was not my cup of tea for a long time (because I rooted for Alexei around 2002), but I now respect and admire Evgeni and Mr. Mishin so much.

To all boys, "Bring your A game if you want the win."

[deedee1]

Plushy: ><

Hanyu: ^^

Fans: @@

Agents: $$

Priceless!!!

[Olympia]

I would give millions of my (humble ) credits any day to those who SURVIVED such a crucial transitional period from 6.0 to COP, successfully TRANSFORMED themselves and WON the big titles under the current system; such as Evgeni Plushenko, Stephane Lambiel, Brian Joubert, Jeffrey Buttle, Evan Lysacek and Daisuke Takahashi.
Who else DID actually win the Euro and Worlds since 2004? Only Patrick Chan and Florent Amodio (correct me if I am wrong).

And more remarkably, some of them Evgeni, Brian and Daisuke STILL compete at this elite level and aim for an Olympic medal at Sochi.

What stands out the most about Plushenko (to me at least) is this dude HAS NOT FALLEN JUST ONCE at any competitions after Mens SP at Salt Lake City in 2002 to this date! @_@ The number of competitions he entered was limited of course, but who else could have done that?
He already won 1 OGM, 2 OSMs, 3 Worlds, 4 GPF, 7 Euros and he STILL WANTS to improve as a skater. His skating was not my cup of tea for a long time (because I rooted for Alexei around 2002), but I now respect and admire Evgeni and Mr. Mishin so much.

To all boys, "Bring your A game if you want the win."

Gee, I never thought of it that way: all those old 6.0 guys are the ones who have been winning. Amazing.

I feel the way you do about Plushy. I didn't start out loving him, because I was an Alexei fan, and then of course I became a Daisuke fan. But I admire Plushy and Mishin immensely, and I'm always thrilled to see Plushenko do well. We know for sure that he gives it his all every time. That in itself, even without all his other fine traits, is worth a lot.