Summer Questions - Men

Summer Questions - Men

<strong>Do you have any opinions on the following?</strong>

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his <em>Olympic best</em>?

2. Will Elvis make a <em>Golden</em> come-back?

3. Is Plush a <em>shoo-in</em> at Worlds 2004?

4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?

5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?

6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?

H<strong>ope you have an opinion on some of the questions, and maybe a few questions of your own for us to ponder.</strong>

Joe

Re: Summer Questions - Men

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?
I would say no, but he will still be good IMO.

2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?
I doubt Golden his first year back, but if he stays in awhile, I see no reason why he couldn't contend.

3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?
I think less of a shoo-in than I thought for 2003 Worlds, but the odds are still in his favor.

4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?
I think he will ... that is why I think Plushy will have a harder time of it.

5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?
Probably 4th or 5th.

6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?
Joubert ... definitely Joubert!!!
Sadly, I don't hold out much hope for Weiss.
Li might have a chance.
Not much for the others IMO.

Re: Summer Questions - Men

If Alexei skates I don't think he will be at his best technically. He hasn't been working on his quad and after surgery it will be tough getting his jumps consistant again.

I think Elvis will be up there but alas, not Golden. I think his best years are behind him technically. He never seemed to totally recover from his groin injury.

Don't think Plush is a shoo-in. He could win on reputation or he may win just because he skated the best. I feel he may not be as consistent in 2004 as in the past.

Tim has improved every year and I think he will continue to do so. Would love to see him win at World's. I hope the judges recognize his improved presentation. I don't think he got the credit he deserved this year.

Takeshi??? I would guess 4th or 5th.

Joubert on the podium. Li could also surprise us. It will be tough for all of them if we have Alexei, Plush, Tim and Elvis all at Worlds.

Re: Summer Questions - Men

Joesitz:

All good questions. Certainly give one "food for thought." At this point it is merely speculation. Alexi and Elvis both have their work cut out for them. Alexi has injuries to deal with. Elvis has to get back in the "groove" again. Tim - if he improves his artistry - I am sure will keep climbing the ladder. Plush could be a "shoo in" at Worlds 2004 - but better not let his guard down - there are plenty of other guys chasing him. Takeshi made great strides this last year - I think he will give Tim a "run for his money." I keep hoping to see Jeff B. on the podium for his artistry, but he has to nail those jumps. Sandhu - consistency is the key. As for Weiss - I imagine he will keep at it. I love Alexander Abt's skating, but he is plagued by injury. I hope we see him next season.

That is all I an comment on for now. We will have to wait and see!


Ladskater

Re: Summer Questions - Men

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?
Close to impossible, he's been skating "around his pain" for so long, he may have to recapture some of his kinetic memory to have consistant jumps. I'd rather he were fully recovered so he can make a comeback, than injure himself trying too soon.
2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?
Medal, maybe, Golden, doubt it. See Todd Eldridge.
3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?
No one is a shoo-in, especially in this sport. He's already suffered one injury and (IMHO) Mishin techniques for skating seem to leave them vulnerable.
4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?
I hope so, and I believe he will, I'd just like to see him get it together at Nationals so that he has no self doubts and makes it into a horse race. He very nearly did this year.
5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?
Fading fast, I've never ever seen him be consistent over a season. I fear his "million dollar legs" are going to devalue if he doesn't find some sort of inner moxie to pull it together and keep it that way.
6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential:
Either Joubert, Lambiel, or Klimkin. They are all the great artist that are young, have time on their side and also have the atheletic goods.

Re: Summer Questions - Men

1. Alexei: I don't see how it is possible for athletes to perform when they are injured. But sometimes they do. I think that Alexei could give Evgeny a run for his money again, but I almost hope that he doesn't attempt it. He could end up with serious hip problems for the rest of his life.

2. Elvis: I don't see how it is possible for athletes to perform when they are old and over the hill. :lol: But sometimes they do! I think that Elvis is still capable of winning a National championship, unless Emanuel S. gets his act together. I doubt if he could medal at Worlds, though.

3. Evgeny: Anything can happen, but I would say, yes, Plushenko is as close to being a shoo-in as it is possible to be in this unpredictable sport. At 2003 Worlds he gave a pretty bad performance in the LP, yet still won handily (9 judges to 0) over Tim Goeble's career best.

4. Tim: He continues to amaze me. Every time I think that he has now reached the limit of his talent, he goes one better. The sky's the limit!

5. Takeshi: Another skater who I think I has reached his peak. He will be pushed to stay on the podium.

6. Others: I like Li. He's already a great jumper, but he needs to work on his stamina to continue to land impressive jumps in the middle and end of his program. His presentation is improving without losing its distinctive character. I think that the judges will be willing to acknowledge the merits of a different style of presentation rather than just the standard balletic version.

Mathman

Re: Summer Questions - Men

<strong>1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?</strong>

No, besides in my opinion he was not in the Olympics his best (at least not in freeskate). I don´t believe he is competing in Worlds 2004, only in fall GP competitions. And even that remains to be seen.

<strong>2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?</strong>

No. Not in the Worlds anyway, and I doubt that he will even medal there.

<strong>3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?</strong>

I don´t know what "shoo-in" means. Anyway, I believe that Plushenko will win the competition.

<strong>4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?</strong>

No.

<strong>5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?</strong>

Bronze is a possibilty. Of course if he will become more consistent, the silver is a possibility also.

<strong>6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?</strong>

Joubert and Lambiel.

Marjaana

Re: Summer Questions - Men

A "shoo-in" is someone who is certain to win and/or gain admitance.

Here are some examples:
web.ask.com/web?q=what+do...rc=2&ste=0

Re: Summer Questions - Men

Thanks, Berthe´s ghost!

Marjaana

Re: Summer Questions - Men

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?
No, i don't think so.

2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?
lol, again, no, don't think so

3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?
Basically, i say yes. Unless certain skaters get a quad and become really consistant, Plush is a shoe-in.

4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?
Probably, but it isn't going to help him if his only improvement is tech.

5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?
Well, if he can handle great choreo, which i think he should go for. If he becomes consistant, he could concievable defeat plush, but i don't think so.

6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?
Definitely Abt, he just skates so powerfully, now if only he could get the jumps. Klimkin, I love his strangeness, something different, again he needs to be consistant. Lambiel, of course, he just needs quads and consistancy. Sandhu and Weiss are also possibilities.

TV

Re: Summer Questions - Men

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?

Doubt it. His condition sounds severe.

2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?

Nope. Didn't during the last comeback and he was 4 years younger then.

3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?

Yes. In 2003 there was Plushy and then all the others.

4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?

Please dear God I hope so. Still has a long way to go to beat Plushy tho.

5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?

Same as always, fighting Abt, Weiss and newer guys (Klimkin, Jubert, etc...) for bronze. Maybe silver if Tim falls.

6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?

Yes: Abt? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Weiss?

No: Buttle? Li? Sandhu?

I assume you mean in the future, as Weiss has been their twice already.

Re: Summer Questions - Men

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?
Nope. He may skate one or two GP competitions well enough for the gold or silver, depending on the competition. But as his hip takes the repetitive stress, I think he will start having problems again, as much as I hate to say it.

2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?
No.

3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?
Barring injury, which is a significant possibility, I think he's as much as a shoo-in as I can think of. Although if Goebel is healthy, I think he will be Plushenko's main competition.

4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?
I hope so but again, these hips having to take the repetitive stress of quad quad quad on boots designed for singles, well, it's just ridiculous and awful for the skaters. It's destroying their hips and there is no reason for it. Figure skating boots have already been designed to reduce the stress on the hips, but the USFSA and skaters just won't use them. It's the old resistance to change thing.

5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?
Takeshi's biggest competition, IMO, is himself. If he can skate like he did at 4C (I think that was it) or wherever it was he did the three quads, and given good choreography Honda could challenge for the gold. BTW, Mathman, you said you love all Lori Nichol's programs. Does that go for "The Mummy" too?

6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?
Based on quads and consistency, Joubert. He's got a great clean style and beautiful ease to his quads and quad combos. The hotel deal at Worlds--some emergency where everyone had to leave their rooms at like 3am and come back an hour later the morning of the SP I believe--didn't help him, although it didn't bother other skaters. I LOVE Klimkin and would love to see him break through, but he's got to get consistent. As for Lambiel, man, I love the way this guy moves. This could be the year he puts it all together, but I think he will need another year before he gets on the podium. I see Lambiel as 4, 5, or 6 in '04. Abt, I'm so sorry to say, missed his last chance because of injury. I think that with all the injuries he's had plus his age, he's just out of it. I would LOVE for him to prove me wrong because I really love his skating. Abt is the emodiment of the importance of luck. Buttle: Gotta getta quad and a 3Axel, if I'm not mistaken. If Li could hold the energy he starts with in his LP throughout the whole program, he could be a definite force. Sandhu needs a major adjustmant in his attitude about who he is and how good he is. He's got to work it. Weiss--over. Sorry to say it, even with his poor PR. He's still a hard working beautiful skater, but somewhere along the way he lost something. You see it all the time, athletes who get on the podium in the second or third year and that's as far as they ever get. They keep working, the try changing coaches, try everything, and they just can't get it back. Very frustrating.

These are great threads, Joe, these summer questions ones. Good one! (or good two I should say, lol).
Rgirl

Re: Summer Questions - Men

Questions, Questions, Questions!!

(1) No, I don't think Alexi will be at his "Olympic best" next season, if he competes, but his form will, hopefully, be good enough for him to be a strong contender to medal at Worlds.
He may not have the quads, however, and if that's the case, he's in serious trouble -- assuming that the other men land their quads. While an Olympic title is a grand and glorious thing to take into a competition, if you don't deliver the goods, you can't win -- at least you should not win.

(2) Elvis may skate two clean programs at Worlds, assuming he qualifies for the Canadian team - which I would expect him to do - but I just don't see him seriously challenging the top men, not at this stage of his career. I just hope he doesn't return and finish, say 15th, at Worlds. Of course, he's won three World titles, two Olympic silver medals, so he doesn't have anything to prove at this point. His goal may be to just challenge himself to get back into competitive shape and to see if he actually be competitive with the top men. I would like to see Elvis return with a blaze of glory and skate his way to the podium!

(3) Plushenko is the favorite for the 2004 World title, but he's not a shoo-in, not by any means. He must skate two strong programs and not make any major mistakes. I would be completely shocked if he doesn't at least finish second at Worlds, however.

(4) Timothy Goebel may be the only man who can seriously challenge Plushy for the World title -- assuming the he (Goebel) has considerably improved his artistic content. It that's the case, and Tim lands his three or four quads - the World title could be his. That would be great!!!

(5) Takesi Honda may not even be on the podium this year.
Perhaps fourth or fifth place is a more realistic expectation for him. He still makes too many errors and doesn't skate with the confidence that is needed to win championships.

(6) Other challengers -- Joubert and Sandhu are my picks. Both have great artistry, and Joubert, particularly, has the look of a champion when he skates. As for Weiss, forget it!!
I wish he would turn pro and leave the eligible ranks. I've grown very tired of watching him skate flawed program after flawed program, with botched jumps and other errors. I've also grown very tired of listening to him saying "I don't know what happened." Come on, already - at the age of 27, you should know what you're doing! Just my opinion, of course.

Re: Summer Questions - Men

<span style="colorurple;font-family:georgia;font-size:x-small;">1. Alexei. I don't think he'll be at Worlds, either, but if he is, and doesn't try to kill himself relearning the quad, he should be on the podium or in the top five. His artistry can carry him, and Sergei Davydov proved this year you don't need a quad to be in the final six. You just have to skate well. I must agree with Jaana (I think) who said he didn't skate his best at SLC. His Worlds performance was much better.

2. Elvis...I actually think he'll be in the top five or six at Worlds, too, if he has his quad back. While I don't think he necessarily is "artistic," he has a certain presence and flair on the ice that Timmy will never have.

3. Is Plush a shoo-in? Favorite, yes, shoo-in, no. There are only a couple skaters capable of beating him, IMO, and those are Alexei (injured) and Alexander Abt (inconsistent). And Mathman, that's twice in three days you've disparaged Evgeni's Worlds performance! It wasn't GPF, but good Lord, man, he was injured! And it wasn't a "bad" performance by any stretch of the imagination. Other skaters wish they could have a "bad" performance like that.

4. Timmy. Unless he skates like he did at Worlds (and it took him two years to get that program right) I don't see him getting silver again. He'll be bronze or lower at the next Worlds.

5. Takeshi. I agree with rgirl that if he skates like he did at 4CC, he could be on the podium, even at the top, though that would be a long shot. But he's a great skater, he could move up.

6. Ah, the fun part. I would love to see Alexander Abt on the podium, preferably in second place. He's been robbed of medals twice (gold at Euros 02, bronze at Worlds 02), I would just like to see him get the credit he deserves. Brian Joubert is another favorite of mine, I had him pegged for silver this year and I'm not sure what the heck happened! Others survived the alarm incident, but they weren't favorites or skated later (Tim). I like Li a lot, too, he improved SO MUCH from Bofrost to Worlds, I see him on the podium at some point. He's got Elvis' flair, I think. My long shot picks for the podium are Sergei Davydov, Vakthang Murvandizde, and Kevin Van Der Perren.

This is fun!

Laura </span>

Re: Summer Questions - Men

AAAHHHHH.....something in the air told me that splendidly
gorgeous ruskie skater Alexander "Sasha" Abt was
being discussed...so I had to join it.
But first.......

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?

No - history has proven that being on the eve of your 26th birthday is not a winning
age for male skater Olympians - but....you never know,
after all he has the "Yagudin Mystique".


2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?

I hope it's as short-lived as possible, LOL.


3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?
No such thing as a shoo-in, although Alexei's latest
comments are that if he's healed he'll be at GP events for sure, but probably not Euros and Worlds...but then
again....if he does well and wins an event at Lalique
or Bofrost/Cup or China....I'll bet he does Worlds - count
on it.


4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?

Unlikely - he could add another quad - especially with
the new CofP system - and he could not stumble at
the end - but he seemed, well...almost inspired this
year at Worlds - interesting to see if he can find that
again. To "better" his performance, he'd have to wind
up on the top of the podium, and so far his choreography,
music, costumes, posture, and lags in charisma do not
bode well for him winning a gold medal - even though
he could kick ass at Skate America this coming season.


5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?
In third place, as always - but hopefully not robbing Abt
of a medal again, LOL. He's great and all...but something
about makes me yawn - the only exception was when
he did the Morozov (tm) footwork sequence...otherwise,
I'm snoozing....now....not like I'm snoozing when Weiss
is out there - that's like a full blown coma....just too
relaxed to be really interested in what Takeshi is doing out on the ice to generate much inner excitement.


6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? He is currently UNINJURED - yah-hoo!!! If Sasha stays healthy and Zhulin designs a hot LP this season (they're keeping the same SP from last year) - then yes, dear Sasha could wind up with a medal. Unfortunately, he's up against
Plush at both of his GP events this season, and due to
missing Worlds, he's not in three events like last year.
He was throwing out some very nice 3-3-3 jumps on his
japanese and french tour this summer - and on tiny ice.
With a chance to build up some speed and the security
of bigger ice, it looks like he could be delivering some
beautiful jumps this coming season - go Sasha!!!


Buttle?
Only in a GP or canadian event at this point.


Joubert?
Brian is young (still only 1 , powerful, determined, focused,
talented, and learning to perform under pressure.
He will be the major contender battling it out with the russians for the next Olympic medal - he'll be the magic
age of 21 - still young enough for the big jumps, yet
seasoned enough to command major attention and bring
presence into the arena - and.....stay composed under pressure. Brian - you go baby, you hot french sweetie!


Klimkin?
Hope not - 'cause I like Plush, adore Sasha, and
a complete russian sweep seems unlikely.

Lambiel?
Ladies and Gentlemen - this is the #2 contender for the
next Olympic threat to the Russians - right behind Joubert.
IF he gets his jumps, and ONLY if he gets his jumps consistent - but this guy is all about artistry and amazing moves - he looks good, and again - he'll be at the magic age -
in fact, he might slip in to the Olympics at age 20!

Li?
He's mega-improved. A definite threat with the CofP deal...
Sadly, his swoon factor is at the bottom of the barrell.

Sandhu?
Never the gold at Olys or Worlds - but a top 4-5 finish
is possible.


Weiss?
Nope - that Hummer has upped and left town......


Thanks to all above who posted commentary about
Sasha Abt - ahhhh.....is my bias showing???:smokin:

Re: Summer Questions - Men

Do you have any opinions on the following?
*Yup, I sure do!! :lol:

1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?
*Probably not. He more than likely won't have his quad back right away and who knows what all the pounding will do to his hip again. He has won everything that matters in his career so I kinda wish he could just go the tour route and maybe even help revitalize the pro ranks. They need a few more skaters to turn pro to get that going again (but this is a whole other subject...LOL :lol: ). It sure would be great to have the Yags/Plushy rivalry back though as it really pushed both of them to be better and better.

2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?
*Maybe at Canadians he can be golden (due to Sandhu being SO unpredictable) but I can't see him medalling at Worlds with all the problems he has had in the past few years. He hasn't been doing quads this past year either. If he can get his quad back and get some consistancy, he could challenge for top six IMO. I would love to see him skate again though!

3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?
*He will be the one to beat, more than likely, but I wouldn't call anyone a shoo-in for anything this soon before Worlds. Its a bit early for those type of predictions!! LOL

4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?
*YES!! I have been watching him for a few years now and he just keeps improving step by step, year by year. I love that he not only wants to improve technically but continue to develop a style on the ice too. Doing more shows and getting more experience under his belt will only benefit him more and more as we head to the next Olys. It was so great to see him smiling through his Worlds LP!! I have this feeling the best is yet to come from Timmy.
*Random Note: I found out yesterday that Timmy is going to be at a skating show I am going to see in Windsor, Ontario this September, so I am very excited I get to see him skate live again!!

5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?
*Hmmm, good question. He has the goods ('million dollar legs') but he doesn't deliver them at the right times like at Worlds. Let's see how he does with his consistancy this season. I really enjoyed seeing him skate live this past year and I would love to see him give Timmy and Plushy a run for their money at Worlds. I liked seeing him and Timmy on the podium the last two years!

6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?
*Abt has never done anything for me, Li either. Weiss just drives me crazy with his comments in interviews. I was very impressed with Klimkin at NHK last year when he won the gold medal. Sandhu is SO unpredictable but his spins are wonderful. Joubert impressed me a lot last year and I adore Jeff Buttle SOO much. All that said, I can see Joubert, Buttle, and Klimkin, more than anyone else, on the podiums next season. Jeff needs more work on his quad and get that triple axel consistant but I love watching him skate. Can I add that I want Ryan Jahnke to be on a few podiums this coming year too!??!


MY Question: What music do you predict for the top men in their programs for this coming year?!?

Re: Summer Questions - Men

Ah, at last a topic I've decided to get my feet wet in!

<strong>1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?</strong>
I wish Alexei all the best, but I'm afraid he may never be at his "Olympic best" again. Of course, only time will tell, but it seems very difficult to come back from such a serious injury or condition concerning the hip, Achilles tendon, groin, etc. It would be great for mens' skating, though, if he could regain his form and be able to compete directly against Plushenko. He has the fire to compete, but the body may not be able to follow the spirit.

<strong>2. Will Elvis make a Golden come-back?</strong>Probably not - I feel he achieved his peak some years ago technically, and after the groin injury was never able to sustain that level again. He could skate clean at Worlds, and others could fumble, and he could wind up on the podium as he did in 2000. That would be an extraordinary accomplishment at this point.

<strong>3. Is Plush a shoo-in at Worlds 2004?</strong>
I don't ever think that *anyone* is a shoo-in. I think he'll be the favorite to beat unless something drastic happens earlier in the season, but there are several others who could challenge him on a good day - or more than one, would be more accurate.

<strong>4. Will Tim better his 2003 Worlds performance?</strong>
I certainly hope so - every year you want to see an improvement across the board in someone's skating. For Tim, it will be the ability to perform like he did at Worlds, without being *in front of* the home crowd at Worlds. He needs to continue to work on his presentation skills and yes please stop hunching your shoulders. :lol:

<strong>5. Given the above-mentioned, where does Takeshi stand?</strong>
I want the "lyrical" Takeshi back. The changes this season didn't do much for me. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":\"> If he could get a program and choreo like in other years before this, and finally start to hit jumps consistently, he could move up. But there are several IFs.

<strong>6. Who among the following do you see as podium potential: Abt? Buttle? Joubert? Klimkin? Lambiel? Li? Sandhu? Weiss?</strong>I think they all have podium potential, with a good competition. And that means more than *one* good day. I nearly held my breath this year for Sasha Abt, hoping he would finally get to Worlds injury-free and as a real medal contender. Alas, it just wouldn't happen. Jeffrey Buttle may be Canada's next hope for the men - I like Emanuel Sandhu, but I keep waiting and waiting for him to put it together. I hope that Jeffrey can, especially since he finally landed the quad in competition. Stephane Lambiel is awesome! Get his jumps consistent, and he'll be a HUGE threat. Ilia Klimkin is one of the most creative male skaters out there - but I wonder how such things will be rewarded under the new judging system??? As for Weiss - I could be wrong, but I think his best chance at a very good podium finish came and went this year.
On an added note, I too would love to see Ryan Jahnke on several podiums this year. And would love to see Johnny Weir get it together. And love to see Matt Savoie injury-free.

In answer to Heather's question:
Not really an answer at all, since I have no idea. :lol:
I think it will depend on how individuals approach this new judging system. We could actually see something besides "Carmen" and "Malaguena" this year - PLEASE.

Re: Summer Questions - Men

I must say, there have been excellent well thought out opinions on the top skaters. Can't disagree with any of them.

Heather - I would like to see a male skater take a special go at Prokofiev's R&J. There are enough variations in music in that ballet and with the proper cuts, it can show off a Premier Danser Patinere (that is if there is one out there).

Joe

Re: Summer Questions - Men

<span style="colorurple;font-family:georgia;font-size:x-small;">I must agree with whoever said Weiss' best chance at another World medal was this past year. And he blew it. Next year, at Nationals, I think it will be much tougher (I still don't know why he was held up at US Nationals 02) for him to make the world team, especially if Timmy, Ryan, Matt and Johnny all skate well. The judges message to him after the SP this year was "your free ride is over." Then, alas, everyone tanked. Anyway.

I love Matt's skating. I meant to have him in my list of long shots for the podium at Worlds. (can you bet on this stuff in Vegas?)

Cheers,

Laura </span>

Re: Summer Questions - Men

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>1. If Alexei skates in 2004, will he be at his Olympic best?

No, besides in my opinion he was not in the Olympics his best (at least not in freeskate).[/quote]
Jaana, can you explain how Alexei was not in his Olympic best? Do you mean physical condition or his freeskate was bad? I am not sure what you mean.

Dee