Is Patrick a lock for gold still? | Golden Skate

Is Patrick a lock for gold still?

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
His FS from Canadian Nationals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF9-rxiTJJg&feature=player_detailpage

It took a few days for these top skates to pan out. I have not read the folder for CNationals, just trying to follow our own very dramatic Nationals on top of flu, and yada yada.

I didn't link his Sp but it was good. I'd like to ask the board's opinions as many of you have the advantage of CoP knowledge above mine, as well as technical acumen many of us lack. I have seen nothing about the men, with hot button issues being, Jason's spectacular rise, Gracie's golden skates, sad Mirai hurting...so can we take it back to the men>

I am wondering who everyone feels has best chance at podium. The Nationals are done. I think at euro's maybe the mens free skate has yet to happen, but Javi won the SP and he has skated well with Orser. I am assuming her will win Euros. I am biased. He is my favorite European male single skater. I do not love his programs as a rule, but as a word medalist, he night make Oly podium.

Where do we stand now with almost all results know for Sochi? I have assumed gold and silver were between Hanyu and Chan. Dai, Jeremy, Javi, Jason, Machida seem to be fighting for bronze. can we have a respectful discussion of what your top ten looks like and why? Thank you for educating me. It will be a great event-My favorite is now Brown to darkhorse a bronze, even though he has no quad. Our Nationals was thrilling but he was the bomb as they once used to say. Sadly, the elegant Mr Rippon melted down. What is the buzz with men in Russia? Euros fairly scored for them? What men are representing Russia? I'm behind-the ladies threads have been high drama here in US as you know.

Every opinion counts. And please let us all and me included be more positive -a criticism is not hating. I know we want to share as we get Oly fever. I am a fan of about 7 men! So I wil be asking, not opining (is that a verb even?):laugh:
 

Ven

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Yep. I'm convinced even if he falls down on every jump he will still win.

I'm serious!
 

Peach

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
It's definitely going to be a battle (for gold) between Patrick and Yuzuru. However, I still think Patrick has the upper hand...as long as he doesn't make any BIG mistakes. I'm really excited to see what happens because last season I thought Patrick was going to win for sure, but now...not so much. I don't know how well Dai is going to do though. Will he get on the podium again and regain his "prince" status or is he going to retire with one olympic medal?
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Clearly the fave is Hanyu. They basically seem to have crowned him king of skates. Even though his edges and skating skills pale to Chan or Dai he is getting huge marks. Hanyu is the favorite now. Also don`t count out Fernandez he has the big tricks and Dai is due for a super skate too - all can beat Chan.
 

Li'Kitsu

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Skater Boy said:
Clearly the fave is Hanyu. They basically seem to have crowned him king of skates. Even though his edges and skating skills pale to Chan or Dai he is getting huge marks.

:laugh:

This thread title has a build-in mistake: no one is ever a look in figure skating. So Chan isn't either.
 

phaeljones

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
They skate very different styles. I prefer Hanyu, but when they are both at their best, I don't think it is fair to put one over the other score-wise even though there has to be a winner. For instance, the shorts at TEB should have been scored more equally imho. (I so respect the opinions of many of the contributors here who say differently on those shorts, but that is my honest opinion, and I think Chanaholics see things in a straitjacket.) I also do not think that Hanyu is as appreciated artistically now as he should be and will be over time, whereas Chan gets a lot of halo judging even on his off-days. For instance, I really thought Chan was off generally in his long program at GPF (looked haggard, tired and worn during his long at GPF and was over-scored on pcs (. . . I don't agree with others that his long was better than Hanyu's at that outing and I think that Chan deserved to lose not just by the amount he did lose by but by a lot more), and it illustrates the wall (and prejudice) in scoring that Hanyu is up against. That is not saying that one is better than the other, because at GPF, Chan did not bring his best game. (I also think that we have not yet seen Hanyu's best game.) But, sincerely, Chan did not skate well in his long, and Hanyu did with the exception of his salchow.

Bottom line is that, all things being equal, there will still a scoring advantage for Chan for pcs not necessarily based on relative merit. (These two are both ice gods.) Chan is therefore still the favorite. So I still think that Hanyu is the outsider and the underdog here.
 

Poodlepal

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
I don't think I've ever seen Hanyu skate clean. I've rarely seen Patrick skate clean, either, but I did see all the "infamous" competitions in which he fell, skated into a wall, went off his music and tripped on his footwork and still won a medal over clean(er) finishers. Admittedly, it's not as bad now as it was a few years ago, but still.

I also think the sport will be in serious trouble if a stumbling Patrick beats a clean skater on some edging technicality.

So, yes, I think he is a lock to win, and my only concern is that he actually skates well enough to "deserve" the win in the eyes of the average viewer. I don't know who else will be on the podium, but I could see Hanyu getting the silver or having a meltdown and getting nothing.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
He doubled the axel and lutz in the SP at Canadians. He did only one quad in the FS, doubling the second.

This with no competition at home, after losing the GPF to Hanyu. I'd say he's showing some vulnerability and is not the lock he appeared to be a year ago.
 

tripletwizzle

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
I don't think Patrick is as much of a lock for gold as Yuna is. The men are less predictable than the ladies, as we saw at Worlds 2013. I do think Patrick & Yuzuru are the top contenders for gold & silver, however, you can never count out Mr. Daisuke Takahashi completely :). If he is able to skate like he did at NHK I will weep tears of joy. We also can't forget about Machida, I think he's definitely in the mix for the podium. Javi for me would be a dark horse contender for podium.
 

kresslia

Medalist
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Patrick has never been a lock. If he's clean, he wins, most likely. If he's not (and he probably won't be), it's up in the air. Patrick and Yuzuru are definitely the top two contenders, but they both lack consistency. I guarantee at least one of those two will make a big mistake -- and I just have a feeling it's going to be Patrick, sadly.

One more thing -- Patrick can eff up his skates badly, but Hanyu is prone to complete meltdowns at times. If that happens, he could not even receive a medal like at Worlds. Still, I feel like that's not going to happen this time.
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
I think there are probably 5 or so men who are capable of winning. It depends on how they skate. If one of the non-favorites has the SOHL and the favorites falter even a bit, there could be an upset.

That said, if he skates clean... Chan will win.
 

jace93

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Patrick has never been a lock. If he's clean, he wins, most likely. If he's not (and he probably won't be), it's up in the air. Patrick and Yuzuru are definitely the top two contenders, but they both lack consistency. I guarantee at least one of those two will make a big mistake -- and I just have a feeling it's going to be Patrick, sadly.

One more thing -- Patrick can eff up his skates badly, but Hanyu is prone to complete meltdowns at times. If that happens, he could not even receive a medal like at Worlds. Still, I feel like that's not going to happen this time.

that's actually a little unfair... hanyu was injured durin london's world and he was still able to score the highest tes of the free skating... that said he sure his prone to meltdown as both 2012 skate america and 2013 skate canada show
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
that's actually a little unfair... hanyu was injured durin london's world and he was still able to score the highest tes of the free skating... that said he sure his prone to meltdown as both 2012 skate america and 2013 skate canada show

Those are both early-season competitions. Skaters aren't usually in prime competitive shape at that stage. Most gear themselves to peak gradually for the major competitions later on.

Javier Fernandez skated poorly in the GP but was much, much better at Euros and said he plans to improve even more by Sochi.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Who are the top five best male skaters in the world and what is innthe tech arsenal of each? It seems that while we love an artistic skater, it comes down to quad and quad combos. What will Chan, dai, hanyu, javi Machida, Jeremy and Jason bring in trmss of difficulty. I ask one of the members like blades that know the men very well to lay out the difficulty. Who are the top 10 in world according to ISU rankings? If Chan and hanyu are best shots at gold or silver in either order, then who right now has the third best scores this year to look like a strong chance for bronze? Would it be Javier? or Machida? Despite a beautiful showing from Jeremy, he melts down in competitions. I don't believe he can replicate his Nationals. I hope I am wrong.

I would truly like to know who is the top ten, and who will be standing in top 6 after sp. The final flight, will be????
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
just opinions. Last year everyone said Chan would win even with falls, Times and opinions have changed...
 

Poodlepal

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
When has Patrick Chan not won something? Are there other competitions that I'm missing? Every time I see him he wins whether he skates well or not. I've never seen Hanyu do much.

I'd be shocked if anyone else won. I think he's much more of a "lock" than YuNa, who hasn't been around for a while and could lose to Mao or Julia if she falls more than once.
 
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