Inflation of marks is wrong no matter who benefits from it with flawed skates. Patrick has largely been skating like a champion this season with two clean or strong programs with no falls, which is why I've been off his case in terms of his marks. We have not seen any blemishes from him in the events that mattered this season until the SP here at the Final. I've felt he has fully deserved every high mark he has received this season, he has two great programs with great music and packaging, and I actually argue that he deserves higher marks for his LP skate here at the Final. No way he should have lost the LP to Hanyu here, IMO. It is what it is though, and why bother crying over spilled milk as the saying goes. Onward to Sochi for the men and hopefully onward to better skating for everyone!
I don't know if I agree with Hanyu's win in the free either. However, I think that Team Chan needs to take a look at the protocols. While Chan left a three toe on the the table and had a level 3 spin. Hanyu had a fall, level 3 footwork and a level one spin.
Right now Patrick is spotting quite a lot of base value points to Hanyu in the free. Once could argue Hanyu's PCS were high here. But if that Olympics, Hanyu skates that program with a quad sal and a quad toe clean, to think his PCS won't hit close to high 8s, low 9s.