Mikhail Kolyada

[rachno2]

Many thanks for keeping us posted! The Russian drama goes on
My feeling is that Tallinn is better than the Cup Final, he needs a boost of confidence before Worlds. I can imagine that SP is not an issue but to skate Carmen in a no pressure situation might be just what he needs. If he doesn't skate it well there at least there will be a chance to re-work the layout (again!) for Worlds
I wish Mika will just put his ambitions aside this season and let us enjoy a clean-ish skate of Carmen with two 4Ts in Saitama, but ..a sigh ... one can hope

It's crazy how for most of the season we thought all Misha had to do was survive the short, because he could produce a decent Carmen. Now it's the other way around

 

[Tutto]

It's crazy how for most of the season we thought all Misha had to do was survive the short, because he could produce a decent Carmen. Now it's the other way around

Only because he kept bombing SP...
Terrible as it sounds but his best Carmen was probably at RusNats where he was in a semiconscious state.

 

[vorravorra]

I blame Plush for most of this. I was re-watching Mika's SP in Boston yesterday (for like 150th million time ) and what struck me was a reaction of BESP guys, he hardly finished the skate as they said that Russia has been looking for a strong male contender since Plushenko and maybe Mikhail is the one who will pick up the mantel....
so can we really blame RusFed and Russian fans for some sort of mania to see a successor to the throne in any male skater who shows any promise?
It's just something Russian men have to be prepared to deal with or to change the country.
In a way it is similar to American ladies, with their history of producing one legendary skater after another, when it finally stopped on Sasha, everyone who showed any potential is being crushed under the press of expectations e.g Gracie
But I agree that RusFed should know better

How can you be prepared to deal with it at 13? How does anyone know if they will be prepared to deal with it? Nobody will let you change the country if you have shown promise, the Fed isn't stupid to create competition with their own hands. Why can't Russian fans just be satisfied with the ladies? You can't be strong in every discipline.

 

[vorravorra]

Only because he kept bombing SP...
Terrible as it sounds but his best Carmen was probably at RusNats where he was in a semiconscious state.

I don't know, it's too obvious how unwell he is in it for it to be an enjoyable performance.

 

[vorravorra]

It's crazy how for most of the season we thought all Misha had to do was survive the short, because he could produce a decent Carmen. Now it's the other way around

Not really my idea of "decent", to be honest.

 

[Tutto]

Not really my idea of "decent", to be honest.

Exactly. Mika still 'owes' us a good Carmen, and the last chance for that epic skate we all are hoping for, probably will be at WTT.

Upon watching the 4 Continents, I declare that without any doubt Mika has the most beautiful jumps in the current field - delayed rotation, air position, classical lines on landing it is all there. Others can jump but only Mika's jumps give such pleasure.

If we all only could find the way to instil more self belief in him!

 

[Tutto]

Mika, the musician:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Btupog4F-HU/

Looks like his wrist is fine?!

 

[yinchulin]

Upon watching the 4 Continents, I declare that without any doubt Mika has the most beautiful jumps in the current field - delayed rotation, air position, classical lines on landing it is all there.

I wouldn't call Misha has delayed rotation, I mean compared to polina tsurskaya's lutz, it's not like he has that visible delay. Overall, I agree with you, I think his jumps are joy to watch, they're light and easy. They're effortless. I like when he finished up early in the air, I like when he entered his jumps with full speed, most of all, I love when he has straight axis and landing the jump with check position.

 

[Tutto]

yinchulin;2339353]I wouldn't call Misha has delayed rotation, I mean compared to polina tsurskaya's lutz, it's not like he has that visible delay. Overall, I agree with you, I think his jumps are joy to watch, they're light and easy. They're effortless. I like when he finished up early in the air, I like when he entered his jumps with full speed, most of all, I love when he has straight axis and landing the jump with check position.

I don't know how else to describe that wonderful illusion he creates of hanging on in the air.
Aesthetically, only Patrick's jumps were as good (not axel of course ) and with him retired I think Mika is No 1 (in my eyes anyway!)

 

[rachno2]

Mika, the musician:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Btupog4F-HU/

Looks like his wrist is fine?!

So glad his wrist seems to be doing fine. I noticed he took his ukulele with him to the last two comps, so this must be a new passion of his

People in the VK group are already talking about how ill-advised this post is, but I’m personally happy to see him doing non-FS activities. He’s competed (and will compete) so much this season.

 

[QueenOfTheRoad]

So glad his wrist seems to be doing fine. I noticed he took his ukulele with him to the last two comps, so this must be a new passion of his

People in the VK group are already talking about how ill-advised this post is, but I’m personally happy to see him doing non-FS activities. He’s competed (and will compete) so much this season.

May i say i will never understand fans and particularly Russian fans? Some really believe that Mika is first touring all skaters instagrams to see if anyone has posted a 4-turned jump and after that decided to post his music video? Or that he should not post his video when someone else posts a video of 4f?

Also i am not enjoying the amount of critics he gets from his fans (compared to Aliev or Kovtun) and as such i haven't read to often threads about him lately. I prefer to enjoy his skating as it is from now on, flawed jumps and all and be happy as long he keeps competing. These over-the-top critics (for Mika, for Alina, for Jenia etc) destroy my love for skating in general, so i have to choose .

 

[coldblueeyes]

Man, I didn't even get the whole thing with the headphones, so any criticism towards this video goes clearly over my head. It's not like his whole life has to be dedicated to skating and only that. He's still bringing in good results, perhaps only decent at times, and he trains a lot. But this is like, his first year without the same amount of activities and studies compared to his life up to now.

 

[rachno2]

Man, I didn't even get the whole thing with the headphones, so any criticism towards this video goes clearly over my head. It's not like his whole life has to be dedicated to skating and only that. He's still bringing in good results, perhaps only decent at times, and he trains a lot. But this is like, his first year without the same amount of activities and studies compared to his life up to now.

Didn’t you know? Misha is not allowed to have fun, make money, or do anything except (1) mull over his failures and (2) train the quad lutz

 

[Tutto]

Didn’t you know? Misha is not allowed to have fun, make money, or do anything except (1) mull over his failures and (2) train the quad lutz

yeah it certainly look that way Russian fans seem so intense about everything even his VK group is not as supportive as it used to be.

I wonder what his layout be like at Tallink comp

 

[coldblueeyes]

I wonder what his layout be like at Tallink comp

I doubt it will have anything less than three quads.

 

[Tutto]

I doubt it will have anything less than three quads.

So I fear though the 4sal is not the issue in itself if he could skate the rest of the program with two 4T and 3As

 

[coldblueeyes]

So I fear though the 4sal is not the issue in itself if he could skate the rest of the program with two 4T and 3As

It all depends on which state he'll be to compete. Worlds is still more than a month away, and if he wants to peak with his three quads, he'll have to get them out and compete, which is why I think he's going with the same layout from Euros.

 

[Tutto]

It all depends on which state he'll be to compete. Worlds is still more than a month away, and if he wants to peak with his three quads, he'll have to get them out and compete, which is why I think he's going with the same layout from Euros.

Which is totally understandable considering the level of competition he is to face in Saitama, but I so wish that he would put it aside till the next season and let us enjoy a clean-ish Carmen for once. Because lets be honest the medal this year seems very unlikely anyway ... sigh...

 

[coldblueeyes]

Which is totally understandable considering the level of competition he is to face in Saitama, but I so wish that he would put it aside till the next season and let us enjoy a clean-ish Carmen for once. Because lets be honest the medal this year seems very unlikely anyway ... sigh...

Aside from Nathan, who seems to have become really consistent with his jumps, none of the other guys is, although not as inconsistent as Misha. We just don't know until the competition comes around. And we don't know what kind of level these guys can be in the coming seasons anyway.

 

[Metis]

Aside from Nathan, who seems to have become really consistent with his jumps, none of the other guys is, although not as inconsistent as Misha. We just don't know until the competition comes around. And we don't know what kind of level these guys can be in the coming seasons anyway.

I don’t think it’s as simple as consistency or lack thereof — if Misha were falling on one jump per free skate (but not the same one each time), I think people would be much more optimistic and consider that “within the acceptable level of messiness expected for the men.” The problem is that he regularly pops even relatively easy jumps, which is more indicative of a mental issue than a technique/random bad luck one. And there’s also the standard fall. Misha is basically Russia’s Keiji Tanaka.