Is Plushenko the best male skater who ever lived? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Is Plushenko the best male skater who ever lived?

plushyfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Country
Hungary
Mishin:
“Many skaters are good, but Evgeni has charisma,” said Alexei Mishin, his longtime coach. “He radiates power. He radiates a sense of beauty. He radiates something what spectacles need. The majority loves him, the minority jealous.” :laugh::laugh:
 

pitterpatter

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
I'd say he's definitely the best competitor for sure, and his charisma can't be denied. I'd hold off on the 'best jumper' title though. It'll be interesting to see how Yuzuru develops over the next quad, as I think he has some of the most beautiful and effortless jumps of the field.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
On the prime time television coverage in the U.S. that concluded a few minutes ago, Scott Hamilton looked straight into the camera and said, "Evgeny Plushenko is...the…greatest…male…figure skater… of all time --or at least the most successful."
 
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emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
He is - the greatest male competitor, period - and yes, successful - and yes, charismatic in spades. The sheer command he has over the ice and audience is spellbinding. So, all the stuff already said. One of kind.
 

sweetskates1

Medalist
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
I agree, except I would switch out Taka for Kozuka.

He certainly is the most successful modern skater but when I think of individual performances that amazed me athletically and moved me emotionally. Skates that I'll watch over again, none are his. Kwan was the best at creating that magic for me, but Yagudin, Abbott, Lambiel, Buttle, and kozuka can too. Plushy never has for me
 

s_parks

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Just saw so many tweets about Plushenko. :laugh: He may not be the greatest, but one sure can't look away.
 

bestskate8

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
How Plushenko haters even survive when he skates so long, then they start to bring all this crap about him, his marks and his skating. Probably it gives them some satisfaction for a while. But facts are all on videos and anyone these days can watch and see the reality!
I just wish those haters at least watch Plushenko skating in HD video before they post silly posts and pretend to an experts :laugh:


I just love to see them all turning into.. ///// every time he wins medal :biggrin:
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Some of you are probably clueless enough to be judging Plushenko on his level of skating from 2009-2014. That is an old Plushenko, many surgeries and many years past his prime. That and with the sport always evolving in technical demands and presentation, a skater should be judged mostly on what they did for their own time (plus in some cases like Plushenko amazing longevity as well). Like I said earlier I laugh at even imagining what Chan and Hanyu would look like vs the future field competing at 30 (we will never find out as I highly doubt either will skate amateur past 25, but it would not be pretty).

I think his 2006 LP is a pretty good example of what every has talked about ... good consistency in jumping and that's about it. If you want to go earlier around 2002, his programs were slightly better. But following CoP and no actual rival, his skating never lived up to its potential (except save for maybe Euros 2012). In terms of accolades and consistency and being a competitor, he is the best ever. But Hanyu and Chan, jumps/consistency aside, are vastly superior skaters overall.

Age is impressive but it has little to do with it. Should we say Shen and Zhao are the best pairs figure skaters who ever lived because of their Olympic gold at such a late age? Arguably, they have more of a case than Plushenko because there are several aspects of their skating that they can be lauded for, and are a modicum of what well-rounded skaters should be.

Nobody (other than an uber) can ever say that Plushenko is a well-rounded skater, and for that reason, he cannot be the best male skater who ever lived.
 

plushyfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Country
Hungary
I think his 2006 LP is a pretty good example of what every has talked about ... good consistency in jumping and that's about it. If you want to go earlier around 2002, his programs were slightly better. But following CoP and no actual rival, his skating never lived up to its potential (except save for maybe Euros 2012). In terms of accolades and consistency and being a competitor, he is the best ever. But Hanyu and Chan, jumps/consistency aside, are vastly superior skaters overall.

Age is impressive but it has little to do with it. Should we say Shen and Zhao are the best pairs figure skaters who ever lived because of their Olympic gold at such a late age? Arguably, they have more of a case than Plushenko because there are several aspects of their skating that they can be lauded for, and are a modicum of what well-rounded skaters should be.

Nobody (other than an uber) can ever say that Plushenko is a well-rounded skater, and for that reason, he cannot be the best male skater who ever lived.

Do you know what? Who cares of it? I'm a little bored this, and I'm a little bit angry too. Everyone is a little bit envious, as Mishin said. A decade or two from now, if anyone look at the history of figure skating will see his results. End of the story .. Who will remember that there was a figure skating forum where some "experts" explained why he is not the best??
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
If you honestly think Plushenko in 2006 was the best artistic skater, more than Lambiel or Buttle.. had better skating skills, transitions, or choreography, etc. then you're an even bigger fool than you already make yourself out to be. I consider "best male skater" as the most well-rounded skater not just in terms of elements but in terms of programs, and Plushenko's programs pale in comparison to tons of male figure skaters, even though not all had his jump proficiency or consistency.
 

plushyfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Country
Hungary
If you honestly think Plushenko in 2006 was the best artistic skater, more than Lambiel or Buttle.. had better skating skills, transitions, or choreography, etc. then you're an even bigger fool than you already make yourself out to be. I consider "best male skater" as the most well-rounded skater not just in terms of elements but in terms of programs, and Plushenko's programs pale in comparison to tons of male figure skaters, even though not all had his jump proficiency or consistency.

You are so boring CSG.
 

bestskate8

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Do you know what? Who cares of it? I'm a little bored this, and I'm a little bit angry too. Everyone is a little bit envious, as Mishin said. A decade or two from now, if anyone look at the history of figure skating will see his results. End of the story .. Who will remember that there was a figure skating forum where some "experts" explained why he is not the best??

Don't worry plushyfan, Plushenko is well -rounded skater, his skating record at Olympic, Worlds, Euros..etc. proves that. As Mishin said very precisely, who denies it just simply jealous. Nothing is matters, ONLY skating record.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
A program can be impactful with command of the ice with excellent jumps but still be a poor representation of what ideal figure skating is. Surya Bonaly had strong, consistent jumps and usually a strong presence on the ice, and I doubt anyone would call her even close to an ideal skater (and even she has more intricate choreography than Plushenko's 2006 LP). Stojko as well isn't the best male figure skater ever, even though he had superb jumps and ice presence.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Don't worry plushyfan, Plushenko is well -rounded skater, his skating record at Olympic, Worlds, Euros..etc. proves that. As Mishin said very precisely, who denies it just simply jealous. Nothing is matters, ONLY skating record.

Well, in that case, Dick Button, Ulrich Salchow, Karl Schafer and Gillis Grafstrom are arguably better than Plushenko by virtue of having more world+Olympic titles than him.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
A program can be impactful with command of the ice with excellent jumps but still be a poor representation of what ideal figure skating is. Surya Bonaly had strong, consistent jumps and usually a strong presence on the ice, and I doubt anyone would call her even close to an ideal skater (and even she has more intricate choreography than Plushenko's 2006 LP). Stojko as well isn't the best male figure skater ever, even though he had superb jumps and ice presence.

Plushenko is definitely an improvement on some of the best skaters in the 1990's. For example, Petrenko usually spent the first 30 seconds of his programs just doing crossovers to gain speed for his 3A (watch his 1994 SP to see what I mean). Plushenko at least does some turns into a few of his jumps and between elements. Chan and Hanyu have improved upon what Plushenko does and I'm sure in a few years we'll see men doing even more. You have to remember that Plushenko skated under 6.0 for much of his career (when he was competing regularly) so it's understandable that his skill set doesn't match exactly to what is expected now.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
I just want to say intricate can be soulless nothingness and doesn't automatically deserve high scores!!!

Plushenko is great and amazing and totally impactful and an inspirational figure of skating history who fulfilled his potential times a million!!!
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Plushenko is definitely an improvement on some of the best skaters in the 1990's. For example, Petrenko usually spent the first 30 seconds of his programs just doing crossovers to gain speed for his 3A (watch his 1994 SP to see what I mean). Plushenko at least does some turns into a few of his jumps and between elements. Chan and Hanyu have improved upon what Plushenko does and I'm sure in a few years we'll see men doing even more. You have to remember that Plushenko skated under 6.0 for much of his career (when he was competing regularly) so it's understandable that his skill set doesn't match exactly to what is expected now.

Euros 2012 showed he's capable of matching his programs to the standard expected now. Prior to that, after Yagudin left, he never brought himself up to that standard as he had no rivals to match him technically, and a clean skate (of which he was capable of) meant perfect marks and a win. With the Olympics in Russia, he's realized that he can go back to empty choreography and get high marks, as long as he skates clean or close to clean.
 
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