Let's forget about the 'underdog' and pick out a favorite (or favorites);
Joe
Let's forget about the 'underdog' and pick out a favorite (or favorites);
Joe
Ladies: Cohen, Arakawa and Kwan
Men: Plushenko, Joubert and Lambiel
Pairs: Shen & Zhao and Totmianina & Marinin
Dance: Navka & Kostomarov and Denkova & Staviyski
Marjaana
Ilia Kulik photos & photolinks
http://koti.welho.com/mjylha2/index.html
Updated Sept. 2, 2004: http://koti.welho.com/mjylha2/index05c.html
Here are mine, in order:
MEN: Plushenko, Joubert and Weir
LADIES: Cohen, Arakawa and Kwan
PAIRS: S&Z, T&M and Pang & Tong
ICE DANCE: Navka & Kostomarov , Denkova & Staviyski and B&A (hopefully...depends on how they do against the Ukrainians this season)
I think this season will be pretty telling, as for who the favorites are going to be. Next season as well, of course. But there are some people maybe 'on the bubble' who could show greater difficulty, consistency or improved artistry this year. People like that (I'm keeping it to men's, my favorite discipline) could be Honda, Goebel, Weir, Weiss, Lambiel, Sandhu, Klimkin, Buttle, Griazev, Lysacek, Li, Joubert. I would still keep with Plushenko as the "favorite" right now. But any one of those men, or someone different even, could step it up this year and start putting more pressure on. Or several of them. Also, I know that there are more "up and coming" Japanese and Chinese skaters whose names escape me! And the same is true for the other disciplines. I think it would be easier to pick "favorites" after this season.
Kasey
Men:Originally Posted by Joesitz
Plushenko will be the highly favoured. Reminds me of Michelle in 2002. The only way someone else is going to take it is if he makes a mistake. But people will be watching Weir, Goebel, and Joubert as well. Possibly Lambiel
Women:
Kwan and Cohen. I think American media will hype this battle between the long time beloved Michelle verses her fiery rival. With a little bit of SHizuka Arakawa getting some attention but not nearly as much as Sasha and Michelle. But unfortunately I think there's going to be a lot of Kwan's final chance stuff happening.
Pairs:
Shen and Zhao as the overwhelming favourites. But with notes of how Totmianina and Marinin are fighting for the tradition of Russia winning the event etc.
In SLC it was all about Michelle, Irina, and Sasha.
I think this time it'll be all about Sasha, Michelle, and possibly Irina, Shizuka or Ando.
They won't be watching Sarah again, and she'll rock the house!
Kwan and Plushy.
While it is too early to predict my favorites. I will predict the favorites of the American media
Ladies:
As of now definately Kwan and Cohen. Sasha may receive more attention because Michelle has already been through the publicity as being the favorite twice. However it all depends on how everyone fairs at worlds. If Shizuka defends her title she will also be considered a contender.
Men:
Definitely Plushenko As of now he is the one to beat. Im sure the media will love Joubert (the hearthrob).
Pairs:
Shen and Zhao
Ice Dance
Navka and Kostomarov
[QUOTE=Eeyora]While it is too early to predict my favorites. I will predict the favorites of the American media
Ladies:
As of now definately Kwan and Cohen. Sasha may receive more attention because Michelle has already been through the publicity as being the favorite twice. However it all depends on how everyone fairs at worlds. If Shizuka defends her title she will also be considered a contender.
I can't see Sasha winning. It was all staged for her this year and didn't happen. Her LP jump content is no harder than Michelles', and at least you can count on michelle for landing them. Her jumping technique doesn't hold over an LP. I the winner is a clean but not risky program, i'd go for michelle. If it's a risky combo-filled program, then Arakawa or Ando. Let's not forget that both the last olys were won with two big combos. It would be odd to go back to a safe program winning,
Maybe I wasn't clear in the post. I was looking for the odds-on-favorite(s)as sports analysts would think. Not any poster's personal favorites. And there is a world wide media too, which should be included when one is discussing the 'favorite' going into the Olys.
And yes, it is early to be predicting but I think a close watch on the coming season will give the 'bookies' a hold on who will be the favorite going into the olympics.
(While I am hoping for an MK win, I don't think it will happen. I would go with either Shizuka or Miki along with Sasha. However, this season will tell me more .)
Joe
Plush is going to be the odds on favorite. Even if he loses Worlds, he'll still be the man to beat.
Sasha is the favorite for the ladies. She has been for a while and she will continue to be (even if she doesn't convert).
S&Z will be favorites, but T&M will beat them (my bold prediction) and uphold Russian glory.
No clear favorite in the dance though I would go with N&K.
Ladies: Kwan, Arakawa, Cohen
Men: Plushenko (no wonder he's still amateur! I think he's got the men's locked up already)
Pairs: Totmianina and Marinin vs. Zhen and Shao
Dance: ??? Honestly, I don't follow the dance much without Shae and Vic.
I see many posters are going with the Dortmund Worlds podiums. As I said it is early for predictions even for Moscow Worlds.
Joe
I think I'm one of the few that doesn't see Shizuka as a favorite for the Olympics. Perhaps if she medals at 05 Worlds then I'll agree, but as of now I don't see her as a favorite.
I think Cohen will be a favorite with the media even if she doesn't win Nats or Worlds. She's been a favorite since 02 and still is even though she has yet to win either Nationals or Worlds. I don't see that changing.
Kwan-I don't know if she'll be a 'favorite' per say, but she will get a lot of media attention, at the very least as a sentimental favorite. It will depend on how she performs at competions leading up to the Olympics
The favorites are not necessarily the most likely to win, based on most recent performances. I rather see them as the most hyped ones by the media, and viewed as the skater(s) to beat. All others that are very capable of winning are to be considered challengers.
With that interpretation, this is how I view it:
Men: Plushenko, unless he has a serious injury
Ladies: Cohen, regardless of how she is skating, and Kwan, because you can never count her out
Pairs: Shen & Zhao (they are the most likely of the favorites to actually win the OGM, for lack of serious competition)
Ice dance: This is the only discipline where I don't see a clear favorite. N&K and D&S may be co-favorites. However, if N&K win worlds 2005, they would be the favorites.
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