Plushy's Return

[Zazanuka]

Totmianina/Marinin are on the fence---they might still come back.

I've read today Maxim Marinin said he decided (99 %) he never return.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Regardless of who is coming back, I think it would be in the interest of the RFSF
to take more seriously the development of their young talent. Gold medals are pooh poohed after one year so a Federation should always be trying to improve new talent. Resting on laurels just doesn't do it, unfortunately because there is a constant flow of new fans coming in every year and will say something irritating like 'I'm not interested in the past. I want to see *** do his quint lutz.'

Just me carryin on.

Joe

 

[Zuranthium]

Resting on laurels just doesn't do it, unfortunately because there is a constant flow of new fans coming in every year and will say something irritating like 'I'm not interested in the past. I want to see *** do his quint lutz.'

Just me carryin on.

Joe

:scratch: :disagree:

I don't even know what you are saying. Let's look at the statement "Resting on laurels just doesn't do it, unfortunately". What does this mean?? You want more well known skaters to be held up?

And what does the past have to do with me wanting to see Plushenko try at the Quad Lutz again? I'm not "pooh poohing" his previous successes at all.

You bewilder and frighten me.

~Z

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

:scratch: :disagree:

I don't even know what you are saying. Let's look at the statement "Resting on laurels just doesn't do it, unfortunately". What does this mean?? You want more well known skaters to be held up?

I'm not sure what you are saying. Held up????? I was simply suggesting that young talent in Russia and there is a lot, should be taken more seriously than getting the old guard back. How Pisesev prepares his team is up to him. I was just suggesting he look at what he has.

And what does the past have to do with me wanting to see Plushenko try at the Quad Lutz again? I'm not "pooh poohing" his previous successes at all.

I don't believe you are a 'new' fan which is what I mentioned would be not interested in anything from the distant past. By all means enjoy Plushenko's quad lutz. I have no interest in taking that enjoyment away from you.

You bewilder and frighten me.~Z

That's better than what others have to say about me.

Joe

 

[enlight78]

Am I'm a bad skating fan if I don't want him to come back?

 

[Zuranthium]

I understand your post now. I drank a whole bottle of wine to go with the Oscars last night, so my train of thought was different earlier this morning.

You don't really frighten me at all, maybe bewilder slightly.

~Z

 

[Jaana]

And there's always that little itching fact for Plushenko that he never beat Yagudin at an Olympics; he won after the man had retired.

Well, doesn´t that happen always that new champions arise as/because the older ones have retired? Just to name a few cases: Lambiel won Worlds as Plushenko was not competing, Yagudin won 1998 Worlds as Stojko and Kulik were not competing, etc. And even while not beating Yagudin at the Olympics, Plushenko did beat him in many other competitions though.

 

[Zanzibar]

I hope that he continues to compete - I've always looked at this season as just a brief 'respite' he was taking. And I hope that he does well and skates at or near his previous level. I'm one of those who thinks Plushenko is really, really something special. Even at COI last summer he just stole the show - he's that commanding.

When I travel to an event I might miss any skater's program - for whatever reason - might feel like sleeping in, going to eat, talking on the phone, sending an email, meeting with friends - you name it - there always exists the distinct possbility that no matter who it is, I might miss their program - long or short. But if it's Plushenko? And especially a Plushenko free skate? Oh no....definitely not missing that one. He's a 3 time world champion, 4 time European champion, blank-blank Russian National champion, Olympic silver medalist AND the frickin' reigning Olympic champion....I can't imagine not wanting to see him skate.

 

[Hsuhs]

It's a :disapp: news. I hope he doesn't come back. But if he does, who can stop him?

I still hope though he won't. It seems like he has a mil projects going on, and he just loves material stuff too much (as everyone who used to be poor).

 

[amber68]

I hope that he continues to compete - I've always looked at this season as just a brief 'respite' he was taking. And I hope that he does well and skates at or near his previous level. I'm one of those who thinks Plushenko is really, really something special. Even at COI last summer he just stole the show - he's that commanding.

ITA. People who have not seen him live cannot really understand what's so special about him because TV doesn't do him justice. He is not just a jumping machine as some people believe. He has superb basics (deep edges, great posture, stroking, great flow), he is very smooth and his fantastic speed surely is impressive. I know that there are people that think that speed is not that important. I agree, it is not that important...but only for the TV viewers .
Live, the speed makes the difference and also the height of the jumps, flying entrances because everything looks so much more impressive.
Taking into account that a LP has 8 jump passes (more than 50 % of the LP elements) the quality of the jumps has a very important contribution to the overall impression.
When Plushy jumps I always fell like WOW(seen live of course not on the video clips or TV )! ( lately his jumps have regressed a bit, but in his prime Plushy truly had extraordinary jumps); his butterfly entrances have the same effect on me.
I absolutely agree that Plushy needs a choreographer, like yesterday, and he needs to add transitions but I feel he manages to compensate these flaws by the quality of his basics and of his elements.
It is not true that he is held up because of his reputation. He was just 15 at his first worlds and did not have almost any reputation (O.K he was the junior world champion, the youngest ever) but still managed to win a bronze. Even under 6.0 it was difficult to get marks above 5.0 for technical merit from the first season as a senior but he did this.If he was a lesser skater , he would have never challenged Yags. And it wasn’t only about jumps.
End of rant.

 

[slutskayafan21]

Navka/Kostomarov will definitely not be back, but Totmianina/Marinin are on the fence---they might still come back.

I think Plushy needs competition to keep his edge and not let his skills go to pot. But I also think the RFSF is encouraging him to come back and will make it worth his while to do so.

I am glad to see the others guys are upping their games since Plushenko left, so if he does return I expect him to have more of a battle on his hands then before. Joubert, Oda, Takahashi, and Lysacek are all skating much better then when he left. If Lambiel comes back motivated and with some good health as well the mens event could become very exciting over the next 3 seasons.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Given the rationale that Piseev needs gold medals, will we ever see new Russian skaters to be at least competitive without the old guard?

Joe

 

[Jaana]

Given the rationale that Piseev needs gold medals, will we ever see new Russian skaters to be at least competitive without the old guard?

Joe

It seems to me that the new guard needs more experience. I really don´t know if at the present there is anyone in seniors who might reach the level to win a medal e.g. in Worlds, but future will tell. With the help of old guard (Plushenko) more Russian skaters are able to get a slot in a competition.

The same has happened in other countries, too. With the exception of Wylie´s silver, has any US male skater won an Olympic medal after Boitano?

 

[Mathman]

Tim Goebel won bronze in 2002.

 

[slutskayafan21]

Given the rationale that Piseev needs gold medals, will we ever see new Russian skaters to be at least competitive without the old guard?

Joe

The development system seems to be in trouble there. The only worthy successors to the old gaurd are Domnina/Shabalin. There are no up and coming pairs, women, or men who show any potential or hope to break into the contending ranks in the future.

That is why Piseev is probably pushing hard for the old gaurd like Max and Tatiana, and Evgeny, to return. Combined with the dance team of Domnina /Shabalin he is probably hoping they could scrape together another 3-gold, or atleast 3-medal performance in Vancouver and by then the next group of up and comers will be better and it will somehow look like the Russian system never lost any of its lustre. Good luck to him I say if that is his plan, a bandage can only keep for so long.

 

[jennylovskt]

Do I hope to see Plushenko comes back? If you ask me this question right after 2006 Olympics, I would say, "No". He would really ruin everybody's chance.

This season is not over yet, but we have already seen so many stars rising. They pushed each other to the perfection technically and artistically. We've been saying that the men's figure skating level has slipped down after Alexei's retirement. Now I've seen the graduate return and moving up. I still think that the general artistic level of men's skating hasn't reached the Alexei's era yet (with the exception of Johnny Weir. Alexei and Johnny are totally different. I cannot really compare them.) But the technical side has. The gap between Plushenko and the rest of the men is much less. Lambiel and Joubert have the abilities really challenge him. In fact, Joubert has done once before. Now Joubert is even better. I'd like to see Plushenko comes back.

Many people used Plushenko's 2006 Olympics' LP to summarize his skating. I think it's TOTALLY WRONG. That was not his signature skating. That was the program which he used for the purpose of winning his desperately wanted Olympics title. To me, he is a passionate, artistically and technically superb skater. I expect to see him to be at the same level of skating as he was. I expect to see the real fight in the men's field next year among the three men.

However, this could mean less chance for the two top American men Evan and Johnny.

Are we going to see the CoP 200 next year?

 

[temperboy28]

Plushenko and even Lambiel coming back to competing will make it harder for the 2 top Japanese men-Oda and Takahashi, and the 1 top American man-Lysacek to win medals. Weir didnt have much of a hope as it was, Weir's window as a contender has long ago closed as it was. Plushenko and Lambiel coming back just means his chance of ekeing out a top 5 somehow is much less, that is all.

 

[Dee4707]

Many people used Plushenko's 2006 Olympics' LP to summarize his skating. I think it's TOTALLY WRONG. That was not his signature skating. That was the program which he used for the purpose of winning his desperately wanted Olympics title.

Jennylovskt, after his 06 Olympic skate, I really resented him for what he did, or didn't do. He had the gold in the bag and to go there and NOT do a program was uncalled for. All evening I waited for a wonderful skate from him and I felt robbed!!! It doesn't make sense to me why he did that---it was almost arrogant. Here was his time to shine. As you said that was the program he used for the purpose of winning his desperately wanted Olympic title. Why was he so desperate??

Dee

 

[Spun Silver]

I'm not sympathetic to the point of view that says the old guard should make way for the new guard. The best skaters out there should win, whatever their age. Let Plush come back and see if he still has the drive and power. If it's Joubert's, Lysacek's or Takahashi's time, it will happen. Welcome back to Stephane, too!

But ITA with Dee re: his Olympic FP - it was a sorry followup to Alexei's MITIM in 2002.

 

[SeaniBu]

The best skaters out there should win, whatever their age.

:agree: