Men's Free Skate - Thurs, 18th 8pm EST

[silverlake22]

My general comment on Mens competition - it was a disappointment. After all, there was so much excitement about it, due to numerous medal candidates and interesting programs. But it was a let down at the end. Actually, I enjoyed the most some of the youngsters - future medalists.

ITA! Kozuka was fabulous, and I really enjoyed Brezina aka Czech Buttle too! That kid seems to have a bit of an attitude going though, he should keep that in check-its a turnoff, his skating is wonderful though! Javi and Borodulin were also great, despite the mistakes. And then obviously Chan is lovely. I actually thought some of the top place finishers were kind of boring (not Dai), even though they skated really well.

 

[seniorita]

I know just how you feel, Seniorita. I have 17000 posts on this board (I know -- get a life, right? ), but in all that time there was only one skater that I ever made an emotional investment in.

When posters said unkind things about Michelle Kwan and gloated that she didn't win the Olympics, it just really hurt me like she was my own daughter. (Fortunately, as a moderator, I could ban their sorry butts, which made me feel a whole lot better. (kidding...sort of .)

I m not sad about his silver, except for first night that I changed all colors of rainbow from crying. I m happy about the damn silver but all the post dramas dont leave me to enjoy it. I wish he was also happy. I dont know what Plushenko has said except the first moments after the end of competiton, if he has been talking all days, if he talked just one time and got crucified, if he hopped on podium on purpose, what Ciquanta said, what Pinsiev said, has THE Pope and Obama spoken yet???I decided to pass and stay in total ignorance, cause I read just a few comments and my heart went bleeding. This is turning to a nightmare. I dont think some people would change their minds about him, cause most needed just a single word of him to hate him. But I dont. I dont agree for how he reacted but I can understand his frustration.

Hey, banning sounds cool. I can help!!!
I hope I ll reach 17000 posts one day ..and win a prize!

Anyway, bottom line, Evgeni today is the same person that he was yesterday and the day before and the day before that. In the grand scheme of things none of this can touch him -- or you.

thats what my dad said also. He also told me to listen to all people what they have to say but stand by what I feel. He got too involved in this Olys, probably because I brought the house down in Lp night, lol, and he thought he should interfere to save some porcelains in the kitchen.

 

[Tonichelle]

Mathman wants GS to be MKF the Sequel which is why I am here gotta keep teh balance.

 

[Dee4707]

Hey, banning sounds cool. I can help!!!

During the Olympics we got lots of people who were here just to cause trouble. YOu won't see them after next week. Last Thursday night after the men's LP, I couldn't even get on...all the newbies were on the board. Anyhow about banning....one of my Canadian friends contacted me and asked how to report a poster. The poster offended my friend in regards to the luge incident. I think when people are cruel they should be banned.

I hope I ll reach 17000 posts one day ..and win a prize!

Seniorita, to put up with Mathman through all those post is really a difficult thing to do.

thats what my dad said also. He also told me to listen to all people what they have to say but stand by what I feel. He got too involved in this Olys, probably because I brought the house down in Lp night, lol, and he thought he should interfere to save some porcelains in the kitchen.:rolleye:

Seniorita, I think this comment is the thing Toni is talking about. We know that you're upset but you can make comments like this and it makes me laugh. You're a special person, just like me.

 

[Spun Silver]

Nice post, Daniel55555 - and I loved Javier Fernandez. Not so much his drunken sailor routine, but he just performed excellently. I happened to glance away just when he fell on the quad attempt, so as far as I saw, he was perfect! I really look forward to seeing him get better and better.

 

[Artistry]

I'm okay with Men's results (except for Johnny), but I do have a question or two. I'm wondering if the fact that Krick's wife Sissy who was the technical controller in both sp and lp proved crucial. I remember reading about this family's involvement w/the sport, but I don't remember if was it her or her husband that took part in those educational DVDs - the guides/'critiques' by the ISU of Plushenko? Could she have really called the shots, by simply raising Evan's step sequences to L4? Seems like those points are the ones that added up in the end, to make the difference.

Someone said of this new system that instead of 6.0, where you needed to bride 5-6 people or get them on your side, now you only need to do this with one person -the technical controller.

Isn't that so? I think Evan showed better overall skating in line with today's rules, but I still wonder about the power of arbitrarily assigning levels at the Olympic or Worlds level by biased technical specialists. Don't tell me they aren't human and have no favorites. W/Dance, it seems also to be the same thing - one sequence judged at L3 and not L4, and you can control which top team is ahead.

This is what seems to be problematic with CoP for me. Any thoughts?
Could somebody also clarify the power relations between the technical controller and the other two people on the panel?

 

[lcd]

Just rewatched all the free skates. Top 3 seem right, but Johnny got dumped.

 

[Nadine]

Finally, I was able to watch Evgeni's FS on NBC's site (& also Evan's)!:thumbsup:

Since I was actually there *live* on Thursday night, I never was able to see it on t.v. until today. Every time I went to the NBC site this past weekend I was unable to watch any of the LPs. Either Evgeni's FS wasn't there (but his SP was, which I didn't need to watch since I had already seen it on t.v. last Tuesday) or else my computer crashed. Not today, not today, yes!!!!!!!!!!!

It's odd seeing it on t.v. & then comparing it in my mind's eye to what I saw live. Like I've said a hundred times before I prefer t.v. over live, but live does have it's advantages. *smile*

First off, what strikes me most of all is that live all the small guys don't quite have the presence that the taller, longer limbed guys do. And in person you can see who actually utilizes the ice the most, going from one end of the rink to the other in record time, and filling up the rink as well. That's the difference between live & t.v. IMHO. But that said, t.v. makes it seem like a movie, ALL of the skaters are larger-than-life, glamorous, et al, even the audience, lol. However, in person it doesn't seem that way. Leastways that's my opinion.

Okay, after watching the Top 2 go head-to-head on television, my opinion has changed somewhat. Evgeni comes out the winner by a hair IMHO -- jump for jump he was much better than Evan -- and his presence just blew everybody else away.

Funny, in person/live Evan seemed better than what I saw on t.v., seriously. In person he was larger-than-life, filling up the rink with his tall, long-limbed body & bravura program. Also, the audience was obviously pro-North American, and I could have been influenced by them when I watched him live. Either way, it was awfully close, but now that I've seen it on t.v. I would've given it to Evgeni. But like I've said before I accept the results, they are what they are, Evan was meant to be the 2010 Olympic Champion.

Now regards Evgeni, I have to admit as far as his program goes it looks much much better on t.v. In person it was okay, but on t.v. it was a lot better. Still don't really like the program, but television makes it look better IMHO. But seeing him in person & landing those jumps doesn't even come close to seeing it on LIVE!!!!!!!!! In person my heart was in my mouth, and the audience as well, when he magically landed those jumps (they were right in front of me literally). They were huge, and the ones that were off in the air honestly looked they were going to fall, but I swear God put his invisible hand upon Evgeni & set him down like a cat; it was like seeing something in slow motion live, I can still see it, lol. And nothing, NOTHING compares to his opening 4/3 jumping pass, that moment will be forever emblazoned upon my mind. The moment, the audience collectively holding its breath, everything just meshed. The moment, the skater, the music became ONE.

Also I wanted to discuss the interviews that have been talked about, while I just watched them all, and I honestly saw nothing wrong. Mr. Evgeni Plushenko is a gentleman through and through. He smiled, expressed his opinion when asked, and also restated from the beginning that he would accept whatever result, and that two silvers & one gold isn't bad. Yep, great in fact! He's now one of three immortals ~ Grafstrom, Henie, Plushenko. Not bad at all. *wink & smile*

 

[Bennett]

During the Olympics we got lots of people who were here just to cause trouble. YOu won't see them after next week. Last Thursday night after the men's LP, I couldn't even get on...all the newbies were on the board.

Aren't there new posters just because the forums have become private and you can't read the forums without logging in so that more people registered? I recall the forums were down at the Ladies event of the US Nationals. Perhaps too much traffic.

 

[chronos13]

As a lurker and relatively new skating fan, I was extremely disappointed (which is quite an understatement) with the men's free skate. Honestly speaking, I thought that Evan was completely lackluster and one of the more boring skaters. He did little to inspire me and my friends as we were watching the free skate final. We thought that Plushenko had more shownmanship and was far more entertaining with or without the quad. We thought that Takahashi and Weir had the best choreography overall and they skated beautifully. I believe that these skaters were completely robbed.

This is why I (along with many others) don't like figure skating. All the politics involved to prop up other skaters and keep better ones down bothers me and turns me off. This is why figure skating is losing so many fans. While many believe that figure skating is a marquee event of the Winter Olympics, I guarantee you that as long as politics keeps interfering with fair judgment, fans will find a new marquee event (speed skating is on the rise).

The accusations against figure skating were not uncalled for and I hope that the ISU learns for their mistakes and makes the necessary changes for the future if they want to ensure that figure skating remains a legitimate sport, let alone at the highlight of the Olympics.

 

[Hsuhs]

Found an 'anomaly' in Evan Lysacek's fs PCS ('anomaly', because from an official point of view, it is not). Judge N 1 and Judge N 8 gave Evan exact same points in exact same order:
http://www.isuresults.com/results/owg2010/owg10_Men_FS_Scores.pdf

No, they didn't give him 9s or 10s, they worked in a discreet way, yet in a perfect unison:

SS: 8.00 and 8.00
TR:8.00 and 8.00
PE: 8.75 and 8.75
CH: 8.50 and 8.50
IN:8.50 and 8.50

I couldn't spot the same kind of 'coincidence' in other mens score, but maybe I just missed it.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I'm okay with Men's results (except for Johnny), but I do have a question or two. I'm wondering if the fact that Krick's wife Sissy who was the technical controller in both sp and lp proved crucial. I remember reading about this family's involvement w/the sport, but I don't remember if was it her or her husband that took part in those educational DVDs - the guides/'critiques' by the ISU of Plushenko? Could she have really called the shots, by simply raising Evan's step sequences to L4? Seems like those points are the ones that added up in the end, to make the difference.

Someone said of this new system that instead of 6.0, where you needed to bride 5-6 people or get them on your side, now you only need to do this with one person -the technical controller.


Isn't that so? I think Evan showed better overall skating in line with today's rules, but I still wonder about the power of arbitrarily assigning levels at the Olympic or Worlds level by biased technical specialists. Don't tell me they aren't human and have no favorites. W/Dance, it seems also to be the same thing - one sequence judged at L3 and not L4, and you can control which top team is ahead.
This is what seems to be problematic with CoP for me. Any thoughts?
Could somebody also clarify the power relations between the technical controller and the other two people on the panel?

Very interesting theory. can it be proven?

Did Sissy actually and simply raise the Level of Evan's step sequence? Can that be proven? What would make her do that? if it can not be proven then the theory has to be held in abeyance.

Was the Step Sequence Level of Evan the only factor for his scores which gave him 1st place?
Has any official or rabid fan looked at the pro tocols and said the same thing?
What if he got Level 3 as with Plush, would that have changed the results tremendously?

I think if the Technical Panel is composed correctly, there is no single power to declare a Level. Surely 2 others would have complained unless there is a conspiracy theory. If 2 of the Panelists agree then it is valid.
btw, I'm not trying to tear apart your theory. I really love theories. Just practicing my one semester of Law which you may be up against.

 

[Hsuhs]

just for the sake of justice, and b/c the other thread got locked:

'Plushenko learned he is recipient of platinum award from media reports'

According to Plushenko's agent Zakaryan, that (the awarding) was a foolish action, and whoever did that, had no right to do so.

http://vancouver.lenta.ru/news/2010/02/24/unaware/

 

[Tonichelle]

Funny, in person/live Evan seemed better than what I saw on t.v., seriously. In person he was larger-than-life, filling up the rink with his tall, long-limbed body & bravura program. Also, the audience was obviously pro-North American, and I could have been influenced by them when I watched him live. Either way, it was awfully close, but now that I've seen it on t.v. I would've given it to Evgeni. But like I've said before I accept the results, they are what they are, Evan was meant to be the 2010 Olympic Champion.

I really like having your take on it. I was so underwhelmed with Evan's skate. I truly believed he was skating for silver - you make it sound like he was skating that night to win. It could very well be what you felt that night in teh arena, and the cameras didn't capture it...

 

[JuliusFelix]

Aren't there new posters just because the forums have become private and you can't read the forums without logging in so that more people registered? I recall the forums were down at the Ladies event of the US Nationals. Perhaps too much traffic.

I'm one. I've been lurking at GS for 4 years... not that long compared to some, I admit. But not having an account stopped me from posting inane commentary that I decided the world didn't need.

When I couldn't read the forums without registering, though, my hand was forced. And now that i've logged in, posting is just so easy, it tempts me...

 

[sk8rmom]

I'm not a Evan fan, but even so, that was to me an underwhelming Olympic performance. It was tidy enough,but there was just no soul to it. Think back. Think to Olympic performances that made you hold your breath. For me, Gordeeva and Grinkov. Alexei Yagudin. Sale and Pelletier. Remember the Battle of the Brians?? Evan won, and that's great for him, but will you remember that skate in 10 or 20 years??

I'm Canadian, and won't even show partisanship....in my opinion, Johnny Weir was the robbery victim of the men's division.

 

[screech]

It doesn't matter if we rememebr in 10 years. The whole night was kind of a downer, but the least downer-ish won. Sucks that's what it came to, but it did. His win will go the way of Urmanov's probably - super close, but nothing really outstanding and not a fan favourite, but still proud owner of an OGM for life.

 

[blue_idealist]

I think the skate IS memorable, because of the passion Evan showed during it and the emotion he showed afterward, at the end.. especially that.

 

[Tonichelle]

Evan won, and that's great for him, but will you remember that skate in 10 or 20 years??

considering the shock and awe I felt after it was announced that he won I definitely will remember this event in 10 - 20 years.

 

[moscow]

I will most def not remember that skate. It lacked everything for me. There was no spark, no fire, no nothing. So he skated clean, good for him. So did Johnny and look where that got him? I was infuriated by the results to the point that I just don't want to watch anymore. This sport is just way too subjective and the IJS was supposed to fix that but obviously it hasn't. There was absolutely NO reason Johnny's two clean and beautiful performances were beat by Lambiel and Chan. Screw the whole transitions and utilization of the ice thing. It's a bunch of crap. This sport is losing interest because people watch skaters like Johnny skate beautifully then get screwed and can't figure out why. Who wants to watch a sport where there is no clear winner? I love to rewatch Alexei's 02 performance because to me that's a real champion. Evan will never reach that status for me. Sorry he just isn't of the same caliber and it makes me a little embarrassed for my sport. (no offense to Evan here, he skated well) Just not in the same category as some of the greats. Evan will never be great.