Is Plushenko Too Old For This Sport?

[drivingmissdaisy]

It was sad to see Plushy skate injured and perform far below his high standard at Europeans. He has now withdrawn due to injury. I think the sport is so hard on the body that for someone who has taken a beating from 20+ years of intense training is too much. I admire that he wants to skate in Sochi but it seems like a bad idea to continue training to compete at the highest levels when he can do permanent damage to his knees, hips, back, etc. He has won EVERYTHING in the sport already so I just question if skating an Olympics in your home country is worth the risk.

[koatcue]

I think he should retire..

[gmyers]

Last year he won euros very easily after the fs. He won it very clearly and it was only a year ago. Maybe the problems have really suddenly deteriorated unfixibly? That the issues now are just too great. He said the surgeries went well! And at the Russian nationals he did 4t and 3a. Maybe he just Wasn't prepared Enough. He just did these elements in December? Maybe this it but he just did the stuff!

[pangtongfan]

Last year he won euros very easily after the fs. He won it very clearly and it was only a year ago. Maybe the problems have really suddenly deteriorated unfixibly? That the issues now are just too great. He said the surgeries went well! And at the Russian nationals he did 4t and 3a. Maybe he just Wasn't prepared Enough. He just did these elements in December? Maybe this it but he just did the stuff!

He won Europeans last year since it was a horribly skated event. This year even if he skated well he would likely have found himself behind Fernandez, Amodio, and possibly Joubert if they mantain their SP level of skating in the LP, and yet those two guys (Amodia especialy) are way behind Takahashi, Hanyu, and Chan in the World pecking order now. It isnt hard to dominate an event where all you have to beat is Gaschinski.

I agree he should retire. Too many years of injuries and pounding on the body and knees doing those quad jumps. It is too big a health risk just for a chance to come 6th at the Olympics.

[LRK]

Lynn Rutherford: "No. He will be there in Sochi if he can walk. Great, great champion, IMO the greatest. But no one lasts forever"

[wallylutz]

Last year he won euros very easily after the fs. He won it very clearly and it was only a year ago. Maybe the problems have really suddenly deteriorated unfixibly? That the issues now are just too great. He said the surgeries went well! And at the Russian nationals he did 4t and 3a. Maybe he just Wasn't prepared Enough. He just did these elements in December? Maybe this it but he just did the stuff!

I don't know if Plushenko is too old or not, only he knows how he feels and we should respect him for whatever decisions he makes regarding his future in this sport. That said, to compare this year to last year's Euro would be a mistake. The standards of men skating have risen rapidly. Last year, Patrick Chan could probably clean up the competition in his sleep - this year, it's a lot harder. Even if Plushenko was clean today, he still wouldn't have been in the top 3 after the SP without a Quad. So at best, his SP ranking would have risen by two and a still about 10 points behind the #1 and 2 after the SP. In other words, his chance of winning this year's Euro is slim to begin with. And the competition at Euro isn't even the strongest he will have to face. This still feels just a like national championship to him, where he made two major errors but only one was properly punished (the fall) but the other one (solo jump not preceding by connecting steps) was unjustifiably ignored by 8 of the 9 judges. So if this competition is already too challenging for him, imagine at Worlds or Olympics where the whole contingent of Japanese and North American men descending to the ice and land Quad after Quad - plus the judges there will likely be a lot more strict and less forgiving about major errors. He practically stands no chance. So if he is injured, he ought to take this opportunity to reassess his plans and also for the Russian Fed to ponder carefully what they should do re: the future of men's skating in Russia - not counting on Plushenko to recapture their past glory.

[kwanatic]

I think so but it's not our call.

Don't worry. His body will let him know once it has had enough...it's been speaking all season, so my guess is it's screaming at him now...

Plushy ain't no spring chicken. If he wants to be able to walk for the next 50+ it may be time to call it quits.

[Dragonlady]

Each of Plushenko's comebacks has been shorter than the last. His body has had enough but he's not listening to it. His knees have been aging in dog years since he started doing 3A's and quads, and each comeback attempt has ended in surgery.

I doubt that we will see him in Socci. Frankly, I was surprised he made it to Vancouver, but he did and he skated amazingly well, all things considered. But the knees are done.

[kwanatic]

But the knees are done.

And once those go, it's a wrap.

[LRK]

Hmmm.... I wouldn't start ordering the flowers and wreaths for the (figurative) funeral just yet if I were you people - and don't put in too much work on the eulogies (complete with backhanded compliments or not). This is Plushy we're talking about.

[SkateFiguring]

It is up to Plushenko to decide what price he would pay for what prize he is after.

[gmyers]

Hmmm.... I wouldn't start ordering the flowers and wreaths for the (figurative) funeral just yet if I were you people - and don't put in too much work on the eulogies (complete with backhanded compliments or not). This is Plushy we're talking about.

So true!! There is already nonsense!

[seniorita]

He won Europeans last year since it was a horribly skated event. This year even if he skated well he would likely have found himself behind Fernandez, Amodio, and possibly Joubert if they mantain their SP level of skating in the LP, and yet those two guys (Amodia especialy) are way behind Takahashi, Hanyu, and Chan in the World pecking order now. It isnt hard to dominate an event where all you have to beat is Gaschinski.

I agree he should retire. Too many years of injuries and pounding on the body and knees doing those quad jumps. It is too big a health risk just for a chance to come 6th at the Olympics.

This year Amodio and especially Fernadez have raised the bar. By the way it was a pleasure to watch Morosov looking at Fernadez's Sp

Plushenko last year had won 84 points in sp with no quad and skating to second *I think* group. His Lp with one quad was 176+ regardless of what others did there.. I m not sure what his goal is in Sochi, maybe to skate in front of home crowd and say goodbye? It is his to decide. Do you wish Takahashi to retire being 28 next year in his third Olys? No.

[blue_idealist]

The way he is now reminds me of Stojko in 2002. I think he can still compete in the next Olympics, but I think he'll get something like 8th-10th place. Seeing him skate now just makes me think of Elvis's programs at the 2002 Olympics, where he finished at the bottom of the top ten. I don't think he'll contend with people like Takahashi, Chan, Hanyu, Amodio, Fernandez or even Joubert (who seems back on the rise). He'll be hard pressed to beat someone like Jeremy Abbott or Michal Brezina.. even Kevin Reynolds.

[figuristka]

Its not just about age. He skated fairly well the last season he competed and even Russian Nationals this year. He still has the drive and has always been strong mentally. If his body can hold up and he has time to prepare i think he will still be in Sochi and will be top 5. If he has serious injures i think he shouldn't risk it. Got to respect him for trying though i worry he does himself some damage.