Your favorite skating rivalry of all time?
- Thread starter Bijoux
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I would definitely list Browning v Stojko. l liked both skaters ( but Browning more ) and they genuinely seemed to respect and like one another, which made the whole of their rivalry that much more accessible. Since they were pleasant in their jousting, their fans tended to follow suit.
In terms of fierceness it would be hard to outdo Yagudin/Plushenko, as it was clearly a grudge match between competitors that did not like another. Fortunately I was never an enthusiastic fan of either skater, so I could happily avoid taking sides.
In terms of fierceness it would be hard to outdo Yagudin/Plushenko, as it was clearly a grudge match between competitors that did not like another. Fortunately I was never an enthusiastic fan of either skater, so I could happily avoid taking sides.
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- Jun 27, 2003
hm. I don't think Elvis was all that civil. didn't he whine about Kurt sticking it out for one mroe go in 1994? and he makes jabs at his 'artistry'. but maybe I read more into it than it was.
Yah, now that you mention it, I do recall some sour grapes coming from Elvis, but nothing that seemed particularly vindictive or personal. Perhaps there might have been more had Elvis not had a more successful Olympics than Kurt in 94.
That is an area of interest to me. Can one of the Japanese fans who posts on these boards talk about the rivalries between the Japanese ladies?
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- Jun 27, 2003
as I recall he was pretty impressed with himself when he 'beat' Kurt (though really Kurt beat himself more than anything else. Kurt + Olymics = do not mix). I think there were some snide hasbeen comments on Elvis' part.
Always found the irony that Elvis held on so far 'past his prime' in skating after his crap about Kurt.
I hadn't remembered any snappish remarks from Elivis about Kurt. Interesting. Elvis was snappish about Ilia, too, up through the 1998 Olympic cycle--the artistry thing again. I think Elvis was just a defensive sort of guy, which is too bad considering his talent. He should have let it speak for itself. I think he felt devalued by the skating establishment for his style, but that's not the fault of other skaters. They're all doing their best to win, too, which is kind of the point. There are moments when his sheer guts on the ice have brought me to tears, and when he shoots off at the mouth, it just spoils things. I'm glad Kurt didn't respond in kind. But then, Kurt seems to be a gentleman--a trait I'm valuing more and more as time goes on.
I guess if I had to choose a favorite rivalry of all time, though, I'd choose Michelle/Irina...because when it was going on, it meant they were both still skating! I miss them.
I guess if I had to choose a favorite rivalry of all time, though, I'd choose Michelle/Irina...because when it was going on, it meant they were both still skating! I miss them.
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The Battle of the Brians
Here's a nice feature about one of the most compelling rivalries in sports.
'Battle of Brians' still a classic, 22 years later
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=425874.html
Here's a nice feature about one of the most compelling rivalries in sports.
'Battle of Brians' still a classic, 22 years later
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=425874.html
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- Jul 26, 2003
I don't think I'd consider Kwan vs Hughes a rivalry. They never really battled it out consistently for any title - as in Hughes was never really considered a true consistent threat to Kwan's or Slutskaya's dominence at the time. The only reason for this consideration is due to Hughes's surprise Olympic medal.
Roca/Sur and Punsalen/Swallow was a friendly rivalry that ended unwell. The 2 US dance teams were very friendly until P/S objected to the expediting of Sur's citizenship for the 1994Olympics.
Yags/Plushenko was definitely not a friendly rivalry, as well, but defintiely pushed Men's skating, as did the friendlier Battle of the Brian's.
Roca/Sur and Punsalen/Swallow was a friendly rivalry that ended unwell. The 2 US dance teams were very friendly until P/S objected to the expediting of Sur's citizenship for the 1994Olympics.
Yags/Plushenko was definitely not a friendly rivalry, as well, but defintiely pushed Men's skating, as did the friendlier Battle of the Brian's.
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- Jun 27, 2003
His parent's taught him right.
Cerulean, that's a lovely feature about the two Brians. It shows their character as well as their achievements. And it demonstrates that the rivalry between Orser and Boitano was one of the great ones in terms of its contributions to skating, because of the technical advances that resulted from it. What's nice is that both Brians remained active in skating as pros in competition and also in innovative programming. Anyone remember the Carmen they did with Katarina Witt? I believe Boitano was Don Jose while Orser was Escamillo. Also, there was a really interesting narrative skate-dance done to Holst's The Planets, starring the Duchesnays and choreographed by Lar Lubovitch. Brian Orser portrayed Mercury, on skates, while most of the other gods were played by dancers. The long arm of coincidence: Venus was played by a ballerina...none other than Sonia Rodriguez, later to become Mrs. Kurt Browning. I located at least part of it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwa3vct-kiU
And now Orser is a coach of Olympic caliber! Don't you love it when things turn out well?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwa3vct-kiU
And now Orser is a coach of Olympic caliber! Don't you love it when things turn out well?
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- Oct 20, 2006
I would choose Yagudin/Plushenko rivalry.
The second must be the battle of the Brians.
The second must be the battle of the Brians.
My fav from videos
Battle of Brians
Battle of Carmens
My fav in real time
The Kween vs anyone, but the rivalry with Irina was the most adorable
Yagudin vs Plushenko
Yuna vs Mao
Plushenko vs Lysacek? lol. Nope, not even for a fluff. Evan won Evgeni in the Olympics. Thats about all the rivalry. They were not the only two fabs for gold, like 2002 olys. Even Brian or Stephane vs Evgeni would be more valid to name it rivalry over the decade. Otherwise by result Plushenko vs Sandu was also a rivalry?I dont think so.
This is a good point-There was no rivalry between Sandhu and Plushenko-Sandhu just beat Plushenko in one event-like Lysacek. Real rivalries are like Plushenko and Yagudiin or Witt and Thomas.
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- Mar 5, 2004
"Carmen on Ice" is one of my all time favorite figure skating movies. We recorded it when we had HBO. I am so thrilled for both Brians, for their many great accomplishments and I sense they have great respect for each other too.
Yes that was funny I remember that one
Brians
Kwan vs. Slutsk
I wouldn't consider Mao vs Yuna a rivalry since Yuna has to mess up for Mao to win. Maybe in the future when Mao's improved her technique.
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Yes that was funny I remember that one
Brians
Kwan vs. Slutsk
I wouldn't consider Mao vs Yuna a rivalry since Yuna has to mess up for Mao to win. Maybe in the future when Mao's improved her technique.
Hmm.... But isn't it common situation that in a rivalry, one skater would win over the other if the other messes up? It's not like Irina could win if Michelle did not make mistakes. I guess you could say the rivarly was not as intense as it was a few seasons ago. However, it seems like Mao is still the closest rival Yuna has at present, since she's the only who has shown to take advantage of Yuna's mistakes since Yuna entered her dominant period.
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- Joined
- Nov 27, 2009
I'm suprised that only one other person has mentioned the Johnny vs. Evan rivalry. I guess its not so much a rivalry on the international field, but it is/was in the US. My first skating rivalry was Tara vs. Michelle.
My favorite rivalries are:
Ladies:
-Tara vs. Michelle
-Michelle vs. Irina
-Sasha vs. Irina
-Yuna vs. Mao*
*I'm not sure if I would techincally consider this a rivalry because Yuna is in a league of her own. Yuna has to mess up big time for anyone to even come close to beating her. A perfect Mao can not beat a perfect Yuna. Take Michelle vs. Irina for example--a perfect Irina could beat a perfect Michelle. I hope all that makes sense.
Men:
-Lysaceck vs. Weir
-Plushenko vs. Yagudin
Pairs:
-Elena/Anton vs. Jamie/David
-Shen/Zhao vs. every other pair
Dance:
-Tanith/Ben vs. Meryl/Charlie
-Tessa/Scott vs. Meryl/Charlie
My favorite rivalries are:
Ladies:
-Tara vs. Michelle
-Michelle vs. Irina
-Sasha vs. Irina
-Yuna vs. Mao*
*I'm not sure if I would techincally consider this a rivalry because Yuna is in a league of her own. Yuna has to mess up big time for anyone to even come close to beating her. A perfect Mao can not beat a perfect Yuna. Take Michelle vs. Irina for example--a perfect Irina could beat a perfect Michelle. I hope all that makes sense.
Men:
-Lysaceck vs. Weir
-Plushenko vs. Yagudin
Pairs:
-Elena/Anton vs. Jamie/David
-Shen/Zhao vs. every other pair
Dance:
-Tanith/Ben vs. Meryl/Charlie
-Tessa/Scott vs. Meryl/Charlie
Could a perfect Irina really beat a perfect Michelle? I always thought Michelle had the edge in the second marks if both went clean. Is Lysaceck vs Weir really a rivalry anymore? It seems Johnny has fallen out of a favor with the judges for a long time now.
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