Alexei Yagudin

[ciocio]

I always found Yagudin more interesting as a skater anyways. And he was better at his peak. To bad an injury derailed his career but at least he won the OGM before he had to quit.

Some posters keep using Plushenko's threads to gush over Alexei Yagudin. Now, we all know Plushenko wouldn't mind but I think Alexei deserves his own love thread.
Maybe it's more fun to be offtopic on Plushy's threads , but I invite all Alexei's fans to post here long and often.

[let`s talk]

I am sure they will stick on Plu threads.

But yeah, why not to invite them here. Here's Yag at one of his recent shows "Morozko":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOpLCRJlTvo

[ciocio]

Unfortunately Plushenko's threads are full of "Yagudin was a better skater" (was, as if he were dead ), but his recent videos on youtube have only a couple of views.

[StereoLove]

Big fan of Yagudin. Wish he could have gone on to the 2006 Olympics.

[deedee1]

Thank you so much for this thread!

For me, this is probably the most favorite performance by Alexei. Though he did not win World title, I love this one, more than his OGM-winning The Man in the Iron Mask. He shows so much emotion. He lost SP (3rd place), so was ON FIRE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwy-pNScPA4

Was that 3A-half loop-3S? or -3F? What a 'gorgeous' combination! Who else can do that among the current crops of skaters? Hanyu. And Aaron, maybe.
I also love Alexei's speed while doing Circular Step and Straightline Step Sqs, which I miss under CoP rules these days.

Off topic: I often love watching performances in the Free of those who made mistakes in SP or who got lowbelled in SP unfortunately. Because they are ON FIRE. e.g. Gracie at 2013 US Nats and Dai at Japanese Nats come to my mind.

[figuristka]

More great skates and exhibitions
overcome exhibition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GvEMcd9qcs
2001 short http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og59QN4L_ko
gladiator SC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPEHwF4S470
OG short winter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grLOpxcJt4s

[Tonichelle]

They were rubber knives as I recall.

[dorispulaski]

I swear I remember whoever the commentator was saying they were real, the first time I saw him do it. If he had sense, he replaced them with rubber though.