2014-2015 GPF Mens Free Skate 12/13

[OS]

Unpopular opinion here but Yuzuru left me a bit cold. He was technically amazing but he looks like he was focusing a bit too much on them. He did eventually open up after he fell and in the last 30 seconds but that's it. hwell:

Other than that, what a mess this GPF is

I agree to an extent, I think performance/emotional expression wise I actually prefer the CoC even. There's just something about the extreme character of the Phantom (raw, genuine, stubborn, deeply lonely and largely misunderstood) that resonate with his real life circumstance at the time, it added extra poignancy to that performance I really liked, he skated like his life depend on it, something the character Phantom always does, verge on the brink of life / death extremes.

Today it feels more about managing the conditions, stamina rather than going all out, gun blazing and attack, with nothing to loose. It feels more calculated, skating for TES. It works as a strategy for optimum sporting performance, which was tremendous, hope he improves and surrendering his emotions with abandonment to his WC performance.

 

[matmuh]

I put it on Yuzuru's topic.





I think they were referring to one of the RAI commentators who called him spoiled kid, small puppet. Not tonight of course.

wow really? noone brought that up before or i missed it :scowl:

"people are crazy... crazy for me and javi", no yuzu you are crazy, crazy cute nice recovery and your english is gonna kill me, and your random falls , just cant help himself can he? so happy for medalists, well deserved and i loooveeee how they supported eachother, hug between yuzu and javi right before medal ceremony, so geniune i was gonna cry

 

[sunnystars]

no, I understand you. This was a performance in which I think Hanyu was concentrating first on his elements and second on emoting. After having such a rough start, he needed to not 'get lost' in the emotions of the program to the detriment of completing his elements.
I hope to see more emotion from this beautiful program soon.

Good point. I hope to see more emotions from him too then! He has Japan Nats. and 4CC before Worlds so he has the time

edit: I agree with you too, os! his CoC LP has this wild aura and it had this organic feeling that you'd expect from him and from the phantom. Again, hope to see his culmination of work at Shanghai

 

[chezzu]

I get so emotional when Yuzu does his ina bauer. Judge me.

youre really not alone, he times his so perfectly with the music

 

[Wo|flax]

They chanted Javi's name in the medal ceremony
I also think Yuzuru was more focused today than on emoting; esp compared to what he can do.

 

[chloepoco]

How proud Brian Orser must be!! Congrats to him as well!!!!

 

[OS]

I put it on Yuzuru's topic.





I think they were referring to one of the RAI commentators who called him spoiled kid, small puppet. Not tonight of course.

Thanks for the translation! Eat Crow RAI commentators, that is just darn right rude. It is one thing to criticise his scoring, but attacking him personally is just wrong.

Although Hanyu had been rather lucky with past scorings (especially his OGM, it was a hand out basically) over great skaters like Dai and Patrick, it comes with the territory with being one of the world's bests and future of the sport for one of the powerful feds that support the sport), he proved today beyond a shadow of a doubt, he IS worth the hype. Now work on your artistry Hanyu!!! ... and stay humble!

 

[Elen2702]

Isn't Kovtun the homophobe and racist one?

How get you know it about Max? Was it statement or question? Or just your fantasy?

 

[Rissa]

How get you know it about Max? Was it statement or question? Or just your fantasy?

His twitter apparently? There's a portion of Men's Short thread that discusses it. People are divided on the racist issue and willing to give him a pass due to cultural differences; the homphobe issue is harder to excuse.

That said, I wanted to ask if that perceived racism/homophobia thing is the reason Kovtun is so disliked on these boards? I've been lurking for some time and wow, most would root for a potato over Kovtun? People REALLY don't like him. Is it mostly about his off-ice persona or something on-ice as well?

 

[plushyfan]

Max is very sad
google translating

"I skated today, just as at the last World Cup, and did not understand why I so strongly punished - said Maxim Kovtun. - Assessing put down 10 points. It's a shame. After this ride (skate?) even do not want to."

 

[Kalina]

I think they were referring to one of the RAI commentators who called him spoiled kid, small puppet. Not tonight of course.

No, I don't think they ever called him that Alba the person you're talking about is someone who hates on Yuzuru and sometimes posts on a certain facebook group we both know very well

 

[Meoima]

Max is very sad
google translating
"I skated today, just as at the last World Cup, and did not understand why I so strongly punished - said Maxim Kovtun. - Assessing put down 10 points. It's a shame. After this ride (skate?) even do not want to."

He lost 10 points in PCS? Did he mean so?

 

[MIM]

I am away from home and just found out the result. Holly!!
My 6th placers on the prediction list, Ashley and Voronov ended up with a bronze medal! I love to see the underdog come back strong.
So excited to watch their performances. Congratulations all podium finishers!

 

[silverfoxes]

His twitter apparently? There's a portion of Men's Short thread that discusses it. People are divided on the racist issue and willing to give him a pass due to cultural differences; the homphobe issue is harder to excuse.

That said, I wanted to ask if that perceived racism/homophobia thing is the reason Kovtun is so disliked on these boards? I've been lurking for some time and wow, most would root for a potato over Kovtun? People REALLY don't like him. Is it mostly about his off-ice persona or something on-ice as well?

Where is the proof that he is a homophobe? Just because someone keeps repeating it doesn't make it so. And I am no fan of Kovtun's at all. I don't think it's nice to perpetuate rumors about anyone based on nothing...so if there is no proof, then that person should quit bringing it up. Or at least those posts should be removed.

 

[Hanmgse]

Max is very sad
google translating

"I skated today, just as at the last World Cup, and did not understand why I so strongly punished - said Maxim Kovtun. - Assessing put down 10 points. It's a shame. After this ride (skate?) even do not want to."

He's sad but I'm so happy for Voronov

 

[evangeline]

Where is the proof that he is a homophobe? Just because someone keeps repeating it doesn't make it so. And I am no fan of Kovtun's at all. I don't think it's nice to perpetuate rumors about anyone based on nothing...so if there is no proof, then that person should quit bringing it up. Or at least those posts should be removed.

During the 2012-2013 GPF, Kovtun wrote a tweet on his personal Twitter saying that Daisuke Takahashi skated like a f**, along with some things that weren't very complimentary. The tweet was written in Russian, and some Russian fans translated the tweet into English and people were understandably very angry. Kovtun may have deleted the Tweet by now, but I definitely saw the Tweet at the time and the angry comments people made about it on Twitter (note: I cannot read Russian so I'm taking the word of the Russian fans who translated the Tweet).

 

[Ophelia]

Max is very sad
google translating

"I skated today, just as at the last World Cup, and did not understand why I so strongly punished - said Maxim Kovtun. - Assessing put down 10 points. It's a shame. After this ride (skate?) even do not want to."

Dude must've gotten too comfortable with his GP wins.

 

[Ophelia]

Thanks for the translation! Eat Crow RAI commentators, that is just darn right rude. It is one thing to criticise his scoring, but attacking him personally is just wrong.

Although Hanyu had been rather lucky with past scorings (especially his OGM, it was a hand out basically) over great skaters like Dai and Patrick, it comes with the territory with being one of the world's bests and future of the sport for one of the powerful feds that support the sport), he proved today beyond a shadow of a doubt, he IS worth the hype. Now work on your artistry Hanyu!!! ... and stay humble!

How the heck was Hanyus OGM a handout? Chan couldn't deliver even when the Gold was at his door.

 

[Rissa]

Where is the proof that he is a homophobe?

I'm sorry, I just don't feel like digging through the threads to find that discussion, but apparently he said that another skater (Daisuke Takahashi, I believe it was said) skated like a f*g. But I do not follow Kovtun myself, so I have no concrete proof, just repeating what other have said. The thing is, the dislike towards Kovtun is very intense here, and of a totally different kind than towards "Hanyuflation" and whatnot, and I'm really curious as to why. Homophobic comments made in the past would certainly explain a lot.

But then again, here:

Max is very sad
google translating

"I skated today, just as at the last World Cup, and did not understand why I so strongly punished - said Maxim Kovtun. - Assessing put down 10 points. It's a shame. After this ride (skate?) even do not want to."

he does come as a bit full of himself, so perhaps the reason for the dislike is much more mundane.

 

[HanDomi]

I am really happy that grandpa ( ) Voronov made it to the podium, but sad that Tatsuki had such a nightmare. Hope he stays strong after that. It hits unfortunately all skaters at one point