Men's Free Skate | Golden Skate

Men's Free Skate

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Results are in and Johnny won.

http://www.isufs.org/results/gpfra04/SEG002.HTM

Somebody who's at the rink reported on FSU that Brian's skate was a pleasant surprise. E-Man bombed (3 falls) but he still ended up in third overall. Johnny apparently popped a loop and a flip. Takahashi had a total meltdown. Sounds like the ice was VERY slippery today.

DG
 

SailorGalaxia518

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
GO JOHNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for him. It was also nice to see Brian Joubert come back. He must have hit his quads if he won the free skate. I can't wait to see this on TV :)


Here is the link to the final standings which should be updated soon:
http://www.isufs.org/results/gpfra04/CAT001RS.HTM


It would be very interesting to see Weir and Joubert take on Plushenko at Cup of Russia if Plushenko is still competing
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Two interlocking questions arise:
Can Johnny win without a quad?

Must Brian execute quads to win?

Two aside questions:

Is Evgeny trying to figure out Johnny if Johnny comes up with the quad?

How much is Stephane hurting from that surgery.

Joe
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Tidbits from France...

Still following things on FSU. Apparently the French are getting a bit of TV coverage. They aired Joubert and Weir FP's prior to some apparent live coverage of the Free Dance. From the sound of things, maybe some of the reported recent changes to Brian's choreography might be improving this program. It was mentioned that he is skating more on 1 foot than two, and has made changes to the step sequence (Thank Goodness!) He apparently landed a great 4T/3T but it sounds like the 2nd planned quad didn't turn out to be a quad.

It sounds like Weir may have struggled a bit more (i.e. spins traveling more, and 2 popped jumps) than NHK, which just seemed about flawless to my eye.

I'm VERY glad that whatever small problems Johnny may have had, he did not melt down. My fingers are crossed that he has the mental toughness for competition to match his talent.

Joe, as far as your question goes, here's my opinion. Johnny has already proved he can beat Brian when Brian has a quad and Johnny doesn't. I have a hard time imagining Brian winning against top guys without a quad - I just don't think he has the quality and difficulty in the rest of his elements to make up for it.

Now...can anyone beat Plush without a quad?? I have a hard time imagining that. COR will be interesting assuming Plush plans to show up. I somehow imagine Plush & team focusing aggressively on a max point program all the way, even if it takes weird choreo to get there.

DG
 

elingrace4eva

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
Joesitz said:
Two interlocking questions arise:
Can Johnny win without a quad?

There is no question in my mind that Johnny cannot beat Evgeny without a quad. As far as I'm concerned, Johnny is head and shoulders above Evgeny artistically. However, even if he beats him artistically, which is not a for sure thing, without a quad he would be slaughtered technically. At no point during last season did Evgeny score lower than a 230 cumulative with the COP system. Although Johnny's scores this season are extremely high compared to the other men competing, they haven't been higher than about 220. With a solid quad, he could get up to the 230 range, but he's never going to reach that, or Evgeny, without one.

The only aspect of this that could possibly but a damper on my prediction is if Evgeny has been more affected by his injury than we thought he was. If his technical skills need work, if he isn't solidly landing his quads, if he's falling all over the place, then, of course, Johnny could gain the edge. However, as we saw in Campbells, that simply isn't the case. Evgeny, so far, has not been so horrible hampered by his injury that it affects his competitive skills, so it looks as if that will not be the case at Cup of Russia.

We'll have to see, however.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Thanks DG and Elingrace for your comments on the top Men this season. I have to agree with both of you. I personally do not like much of Evgeny's presentation but I do respect it. Enough so, that it will be close to anyone better. In looking at the breakdown in the scores for the men's final, I saw Brian with Tech marks higher, and Johnny with Component marks higher. I think both of them should be doing something about that because Plush has both.

Still thinking about Stephane. I hope he skates Worlds and if so, it's another ball game.

Joe
 

SailorGalaxia518

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
So they question becomes:

Can anyone (besides Brian Joubert) possibly beat Plushenko before the 2006 Olympics????

I don't mean no disrespect from him its just that the way he is going he is going to the OGM hands down. I would like to see a non-russian win for a change considering that they have won the past 3 Olympic Games. But we will have to see :eek:hwell:
 

equestrianguy

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
So Jonny didn't have the perfect skate like at NHK... Just a couple bobbles? Well I'll forgive him..lol Hey he still won and is still making a statement in the judges eyes..I am glad with this new judging system they are judging over all quality of skating and not just jumping beans.. Yes, Jonny will need one quad to over take Plushy...BUT!! Plushy, hasn't been back on the scene yet to show us what he's got! He will need some new tricks up his bag to win the Olympic gold medal....It's going to be FUN to watch!!!
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
E-Guy

What type of horses do you ride / show? Former horse person myself in the Saddlebred world.

I'm not sure that anyone puts out a "perfect" performance every time. I hope you didn't take my speculations about Johnny in a negative way. He's my Great Amerian Hope right now. If he indeed struggled a bit today, I'm THRILLED that he didn't melt down.

ITA that Plushy will have something to "skate" about this.

DG
 

elingrace4eva

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
One thing we should remember, though, is that Johnny claims to have a quad, and all the commentators keep saying "he's been practicing quads, blah blah blah", so it's safe to assume that he can do one. If he adds it into his program and pulls it off in competition, it's safe to assume that he may become comparable.
 

Hikaru

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 23, 2004
I think Johnny will need a quad to boost his technical score a bit more. His advantage is in the component mark, where he is just over the top, and it has been helping him keeping the gap between him and the other competitors. I'm happy to see that Brian made a comback (who doens't like to see a great comback lol!). If you see, the difference between their technical score wasn't that much, a little more than 3 points, and that was with Johnnys 2 popped jumps.

Now if we talk about Plushy, like Joe said, his choreography and skating stil is not my favorite, but I respect him (actually last season's FS to the music of Edvin Marton was my favorite Plushy program, and that's saying a lot). Johnny could do at least one quad to have enough points in the technical score. True, Plushenko had more points last season, but also the value of the elements changed from what they used last season and this season (although I don't think the change in the value was too significant). I think that Johnny may be trying to do the GP without the quad to see if he can challenge Evgeny, Brian and the other top skaters, and if this is the case, he'll know what to do at Worlds. But of course we cannot count out that Brian is defo going to work on his presentation as well. And there's Tim as well. Bottom line: it's gonna be a heck of a competition. I do hope Plushy goes to CoR, I want to see that competition!!!
 

equestrianguy

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Hey Doggygirl, I show Appaloosa's and Quarter horses on a world level.. I have for about 23 yrs.. I show in both western and english disciplines..My family also raises horses.. You used to show Saddlebreds? Very cool..Although, I am not familiar with that type of horse or showing techniques..I do love and appreciate all types of horses and enjoy watching their talents and loyalty they give people..They are truely like humans..They are not machines and don't perform perfectly all the time.... They are more fragile than we think...
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Goodness, Daisuke Takahashi went from third in the short to dead last in the free and overall. That's the CoP for you.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
SailorGalaxia518 said:
So they question becomes:

Can anyone (besides Brian Joubert) possibly beat Plushenko before the 2006 Olympics????

Joubert did beat Plush as did Sandhu and Yagudin. We'll see if Johnny can before 2006. If no one can beat Plush before 2006, I'm not so sure he is a shoo-in anymore but I do believe he will be the favorite. He should be, he's been around the longest and has had lots of experience.

Joe
 

equestrianguy

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Well if you look back at the last two Olympics MK was the favorite in the ladies. Of course, you all know the outcome..Tara out jumped her in 98 and MK fell in 2002... So anything can happen at the Olympics if Plushy's the favorite or not.....
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Hi all!

Equestrian Guy, WOW 23 years and competing at the World level. How cool! I'd love it if you started a thread in Le Cafe and tell us more about the nature of your showing....I've never followed quarter horses and appaloosas much, but would be interested in hearing more. I've been away from the horses for quite awhile now, but still miss them sometimes.

IIRC, only 3 men skated with no deductions, but Takaheshi had 4. Some people were speculating that he might be injured.

I can't wait for COR, especially if Plush shows up to see how that goes. I'm not crazy about his style either (just a personal preference) but like everyone else, I respect him. Definitely a powerhouse. BUT...he's not undefeated, so favorite or not, no one is unbeatable.

ITA that the men's comp should be very exciting through the Oly's.

DG
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
equestrianguy said:
Well if you look back at the last two Olympics MK was the favorite in the ladies. Of course, you all know the outcome..Tara out jumped her in 98 and MK fell in 2002... So anything can happen at the Olympics if Plushy's the favorite or not.....

Tara was the reigning Worlds Champion going into the 98 Olympics. That's fact!

Irina was the odds on favorite in 2002 Olympics with her outdistancing MK, SC and SH in the technical. That's just about fact. You all know the outcome.
I believe Plush should be the favorite, but as you say, anything can happen in the Olys and it certinaly did in 2002.

Joe
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Eman apparantly crashed and burned on both quad attempts, and as gravity shows, it rolled downhill from there.....

Kasey
 
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