2014 Olympics Mens Short Program

[YesWay]

Paul Bonifacio Parkinson... great performance again - love that guy, he had me smiling for his whole routine. Shame he didn't qualify for the FS.

Michael Christian Martinez, he's a mini Hanyu! Romeo and Juliet... donut spin... bielman... ina bauer...

Jason Brown... for me, when Takahashi retires, he will take over as the #1 most artistic mens skater.

Hanyu... OMG awesome.

Chan... he may have been lucky not to get a downgrade on his 3A too (in slo-mo, looked to me like he might have been more than 180 degrees pre-rotated before take off), but otherwise brilliant, and setting up real battle for gold.

Competition for bronze will be hot hot hot...

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

That's the irony about the Team Event for some of these skaters. It's giving many of them an opportunity to win an Olympic medal, but at the same time it is also creating a situation where some have left their best performance in the Team Event rather than having it in the Single Event.

Or it could work the other way around, as it did for Abbott and Chan. You would have to imagine if Abbott skated as he did in the team SP, he might not even make the FS.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Michael Christian Martinez, he's a mini Hanyu! Romeo and Juliet... donut spin... bielman... ina bauer...

MCM was stellar! Small axel mistake but what a wonderful achievement to be the first Philippines skater and to make the FS!

 

[Skater Boy]

I thought so too. It was ridiculous that Hanyu's SS were almost the same as Chan's when the latter has much more flow and deeper edges. That being said, Hanyu deserves a lead of around 2-3 points so 3.5 isn't much greater.

Normally I agree with Ziggy but I think his spins are a lot better than people give credit for. Great basic positions, huge air and lovely position on the flying sit, a true crossfoot spin, maybe his camel is slow but most men's are and at least his position is good. One thing Hanyu and Dai have though is they actually emote with their arms during the spins adding a greater level of musicality to them.

I do thinkHanuy will win but I am glad others see what I saw. I ss and transitions not only should lead to much great pcs imho but goes are affected. It is possible remember a person with a fall because of all the factors cfan beat someoen with more tech difficulty ie Evan beat plushy in 2010 and evan's quality was far from that of Buttle, lambiel or Dai or chan. Maybe all those anti chan's are inflencing the scoring.

 

[Skater Boy]

Did anyone hear Jeremy's short interview with Tracy Wilson. He came off sounding a bit arrogant. He said something along the lines of
" I may not be Olympic champion, but I showed the world what perseverance is" ( something like that, not verbatim)

C'mon Jeremy, you never stood a chance of being Olympic Champion!!!

AGain, how can you make yourself a hero when you made the situation. It's like you cut yourself and beat yourself up and then skated so you look like a hero. I appreciate he got up. Still what a talent. He reminds me a bit of Emanuel - very similar skating and personal issues, lifestyle etc. talent and inconsistency.

 

[Angryyew]

After re watching Jeremy on the prime time broadcast, can't believe how much longer it seemed like he was on the ice the first time I watched. Not that it wasn't a long time compared to the usual fall and pop right back up, but it seemed like he was down forever when I saw it the first time. Crowd was very supportive.

 

[Kinga]

no, its disturbing Abbott and Reynolds gets an Olympic medal
while Javier, Takahashi might not get any medal at this Olympics at all

I am so tired of this. It is a team event. It is like a relay, thus different from the individual competition. That is its specific that weaker skaters could medal. Get over it people.
Plus, Takahashi already has an olympic medal.

I do not understand how people think that Fernandez was overscored, but Takahashi was not. They BOTH were. Daisuke had a horribly DG quad and a doubtful combo. Plus his program is not even half as good as some of his other SPs (In the garden of souls, for example). Double standart much?

 

[Angela V]

bizarre sport with mops and brooms

My kids Curl. My son describes it as Chess on Ice. It's not bizarre at all! You have to have the skill to be a good curler. Just like a skater.

 

[AnneC]

I spoke with several people from Russia, in person, a few (5-6) weeks ago.
Some were middle-class but some were in a money-is-no-object position.
All said the same thing: we tried to get ticjets, but it's SOLD OUT.

Weird hearing that and seeing the empty seats.
Maybe some kind of corruption or restrictive strategy...

I highly doubt wealthy folks would blink at any price.

This really annoys me. What the hell was going on? Where's the Olympic dynamic energy and audience?

Where was the Olympic spirit when the Winter Games were given to Sochi, of all places? Where are they going to put them next time? Mallorca? (No, of course not - because nobody will pay to get them to Mallorca...)

I was in Russia in the nineties, for several months, and as long as I was there, it was never ever possible to buy a single ticket for the Bolshoy theatre. No matter when you would come to the ticket office, tickets for whatever, whenever performance were completely "sold out". You could get them only via the black market.
Besides, when I asked Russians about why the drivers in Moscow would not let people cross the streets in peace but would literally chase after them instead, even speeding up if they saw that some 300 metres in front of them, some poor pedestrian was trying to get to the other side, I was told that people with a normal salary (including educated people like doctors, teachers, lawyers etc.) would never be able to afford to keep a car and that those who could were all criminals and members of the mafia.

I naturally cannot prove it but I would not be surprised if quite a few people in the audience, particularly in the event where national hero Plushenko was supposed to skate and with the best seats, would rather deserve to be in prison (although they certainly are by far too influential to ever end up there).

 

[Angela V]

Kurt Browning said (don't know if this is just Kurt's own take, with a wink) that Reynolds was supposed to be portraying the shy kid who rocks out to AC/DC in his room when he thinks no-one is looking. So the lack of "costume" would be understandable!

There's been many skaters who have used simple costumes. If it fits the program, I don't see what the problem. And Reynolds hair suits him. Just wish he had skated better!

 

[Mathman]

My kids Curl. My son describes it as Chess on Ice. It's not bizarre at all! You have to have the skill to be a good curler. Just like a skater.

Curling is way cool and it is one of the few Olympic sports that I like to watch, along with figure skating. As for the comparison to chess, the curling TV commentators actually do a pretty good job of explaining the strategies available to the teams in different situations.

 

[icekiwi]

Thank God - that Plushenko has withdrawn. Now let the 'real' and 'proper' skating begin. Bye plushy and don't come back. Haven't missed you before so won't miss you in the furture. Plus, now that the unnecessary 'distraction' is gone, the other skaters can get on with their skating, especially the 'men's'. This current group of men has put in so much work in their choreographic content, transitions and footwork. It would be an utter traversty and an insult to skaters, coaches and choreographers alike for judges to prop up Plushenko for 'slow' skating, empty programs and endless preening. Plushenko's departure puts a breath of fresh air to the men's competition. What a relief.

Credit to Jason Brown for sitting at No.6 going into finals - his program is jampack filled with choreographic characterised moves and program content which I read in his interview, really drains his energy. So, it is no easy feat to do all his dance moves. Also read in another article i an interview Yuzuru, all the footwork sequence that David Wilson asked him to do is hardwork - all the different turns and edgework is energy draining. These guys aren't awarded marks for standing around the rink like Plushenko. Think the marks on the men is very much on par to how they skated, nothing overly inflated. Personally, I won't have put Javier at 3rd place with turn out on 2 jumps plus his program is just boring - didn't like the music and he never was the artist on ice in the league of Daisuke/Patrick/Yuzuru. Would have given 3rd place to Daisuke, he only has one mistake which is on the quad. Only he can skate to the Sonatina on Violin with such emotion. Javier acts as he is told rather than feeling and skating to every note and beat of the music. May the best skate on the night win.........

 

[Silvia451]

For both Yuzuru and Chan, I'll keep in mind the SP.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Thank God - that Plushenko has withdrawn. Now let the 'real' and 'proper' skating begin.

He is the remnants of the 6.0 to CoP transition, and thankfully for him he had lots of success under 6.0, so that immediately translated to higher CoP marks than deserved. He's still had an admirable career and was one of the best jumpers and competitors, if not the best, of all time.

 

[pangtongfan]

Thank God - that Plushenko has withdrawn. Now let the 'real' and 'proper' skating begin.

Yes and we sure saw that real and proper skating today, LOL! Nothing we have seen in the last 6 years, the all time dark hole of mens skating really, even holds a candle to prime Plushenko (1999-2006 vintage). Maybe the odd performances (Hanyu at Nationals or the GP final, Chan at Trophee France and 2012 Canadians) but nothing on a consistent basis at all.

 

[BlackPack]

Where was the Olympic spirit when the Winter Games were given to Sochi, of all places? Where are they going to put them next time? Mallorca? (No, of course not - because nobody will pay to get them to Mallorca...)

I was in Russia in the nineties, for several months, and as long as I was there, it was never ever possible to buy a single ticket for the Bolshoy theatre. No matter when you would come to the ticket office, tickets for whatever, whenever performance were completely "sold out". You could get them only via the black market.
Besides, when I asked Russians about why the drivers in Moscow would not let people cross the streets in peace but would literally chase after them instead, even speeding up if they saw that some 300 metres in front of them, some poor pedestrian was trying to get to the other side, I was told that people with a normal salary (including educated people like doctors, teachers, lawyers etc.) would never be able to afford to keep a car and that those who could were all criminals and members of the mafia.

I naturally cannot prove it but I would not be surprised if quite a few people in the audience, particularly in the event where national hero Plushenko was supposed to skate and with the best seats, would rather deserve to be in prison (although they certainly are by far too influential to ever end up there).

Yes, I'm sorry to upstanding Russians, but this event is full of corruption from before the event started. First it was Putin persecuting gay people, and now the supposedly most beloved Russian sport of figure skating has only commanded arenas with 50% attendance or so. It got better in the LP but come on... ridiculous.

Hey, they should have the next Winter Olympics in Dubai. They know how to make fake snow and cold conditions with new technology. They actually have a man-made ski resort.

I'm disappointed in Sochi. Disgraceful really.

According to many skaters and attendants, Lillehammer was the best winter Olympics. Let's do another Winter Olympics there.

 

[Icey]

Plushenko did not rob Kovtun. Had Kovtun skated better and gotten onto the podium at the Europeans, the spot would have been his.

Well, Plush should have had to skate at Europeans too and prove himself there.

 

[pangtongfan]

Given Plushenko's physical woes it is understandable he could not handle that many competitions in a row. BlueBonnet is right (for once). The spot to Sochi was Kovtun's to lose at Europeans (unlike someone like poor Voronov who had no chance no matter what he did at Europeans) and he blew it. Why would Russia use someone who has proven time and time again he cant handle serious pressure, and did again at Europeans; and has lower scoring potential to boot considering Plushenko had to bomb Nationals to barely lose to a very in form Kovtun. If Kovtun skated like he did at Europeans Russia would be screwed or atleast severely handicapped in their chances for gold in the Team Event; which remember was not expected to be as easy over Canada going in as it ended up. He proved at Europeans he cant be counted on in such a setting, and at last years Worlds with Olympic spots on the line to.

 

[Figure 8's]

I think skating back to back programs took it's toll on all. It will be interesting to see how this will affect the Ladies.

 

[Ophelia]

^Wasn't Ladies at Vancouver back-to-back also, or is my memory failing me?