2014 Olympics Mens Free Skate

[gmyers]

Keep up the good work!

Yep, and he will probably remain an invalid for the rest of his life because of his making such an inflated use of this ability...
I saw him at the warming-up of the SP, and I am absolutely sure that his pain was real. Plushenko never was a great actor - we would have noticed that before - he could not pull off what would have been a Grammy-deserving performance. Plushenko never gave in under pressure and forced his tortured, pained and broken body to deliver until it collapsed. If he is not made to pay for this dearly in later life, he will be very lucky indeed. (And please do not take me wrong: I wish he´d get to be so lucky, I just strongly doubt it.)

I absolutely agree. Besides, Lysacek was such a bore (sorry, you Lysacek-fans, that is, of course, just my personal impression), something you cannot say about any of this year´s medalists, whatever it may be you are criticizing them for (again imo). For example, it may be unfortunate for Patrick that he tends to buckle under pressure. But this characteristic serves to render him even more interesting as a person. I admit that, given his previous history, it would have been just great if he had succeeded in controlling his nerves this time, even more so just because, in the past, he has sometimes had such a hard time with that. But, reasonably, it was not to be expected that he would. He certainly can work on this but he will probably never excel in this field, unlike others who seem to be born to have stronger nerves. It would imo be as unfair to blame Patrick for that as it would be unfair to blame a skater for never being able to do a quad. Of course, it is hard work, but it is also a gift, and if you do not have that, you can work all you like, it will always get you only so far, and no further.

Better to be messy than worthless which is my opinion. So all triples is nothing to me.

 

[Becki]

There's a lot of people like that on the forum. *runs away*

I honestly thought they were gonna give to Patrick despite all his shaky landings. I was just so shocked when Patrick came short of winning mainly because of Yuzu's lead in the SP.

But yeah as a gigantic Yuzu fan, I am proud he's the Olympic Champion

 

[Matilda]

This a hundred times. I am sure that Yuzuru, while certainly happy, will always feel a bit bitter about this win! The thing is everyone is critizising now and even saying "Well, if Plushy/Skater X would have showed up he could have won this!" I just say, no! All the skaters who didn't skate tonight would've faltered, too. Look at Machida and Fernandez. Everyone underperformed. Peter Liebers said on TV that it was incredibly hard to skate tonight. The pressure was too much, there was not a day where they could've rested, so that showed, imho. And all that talk about quads being too important. We know it is possible to land quads we've seen it all before, what these skaters can do. It just wasn't meant to be tonight. Let Worlds come and everyone show what they can do!

I really don't understand why they scheduled the SP and FS back to back. If you insist having the team competition first, at least give the skaters a bit of a rest between the two parts of the individual competitions! I really like Denis Ten and am very happy for him, but I can't help wondering if the fact that he could focus just on this competition helped him? Yuzu and Patrick only skated the short in the team competition, but still, they had to split their focus between the two events.

 

[aftertherain]

LOL.

Also, has anyone seen the tags for this thread (located at the bottom).

They are HILARIOUS.

 

[vegarin]

It seems Yuzuru said after his skate that he was sorry and the performance was regretable. He even said he wasn't happy when Patrick didn't beat him, so it's not as if he liked winning like this. But I think SP and FS considered, he deserved to win and at least be 2nd, but of course, he's already the 2nd most help-up skater

I'm honestly sorry for Patrick. After Yuzu skate, I really wanted him to skate great and take it... hopefully both of them will redeem themselves at worlds and the media leaves them alone. They don't own anyone else to skate well besides themselves and aren't happy with this either. Hold your heads high, guys!

A great post, and I feel exactly the same way. Aw, Patrick.

 

[Rachmaninoff]

What was wrong about what Rochette said? Hanyu opened the door and Chan didn't take it. That's what happened. She simply said it how it is and I don't think that she did it in some particularly mean way.

I thought it was an play on words, not intending to be mean at all. And it was true. Yuzuru really opened the door, and Patrick shut it. It doesn't mean Patrick deserves to be chastised by any means, but no point in mincing facts.

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't see what was so horribly mean about it. All she did was state in a rather clever way what I'm sure Patrick knows perfectly well. I doubt he's hurt by it.

Jeremy reminds me of how Adam Rippon achieved one of his best performances and results. It was at a Skate Canada when he jumped and landed on Patrick during the warm up. According to Adam, he had been feeling sorry for himself that day with a cold and the collision knocked life and determination into him. It seems sometimes some hard knock can shake a person up in a way nothing else can.

Patrick beat himself. Joanie is right though it seems such public statement is sort of unkind at this point. However, she probably is one of a few who can make such a comment because she had brought it under extremely difficult situation. OTOH, I wonder if the grief also overtook competition jitter and wiped the Olympic anxiety out of her.

Yeah, it's really funny how the human mind can work. Joannie wasn't a great competitor herself for most of her career (although she'd gotten better her last couple years on the scene) and she may have ended up skating better than she would have otherwise. Likely not so different from what happened with Jeremy...a shock to the system can end up interrupting that mental chatter get in the way of doing what you can do.

Daisuke Takahashi deserved higher PCS than everyone else competing at this event and no one can tell me otherwise.

Well, I won't be trying to tell you otherwise. Farewell, Dai.

 

[text_skate]

Re. Jeremy going to Worlds: I don't think that's for anyone to say but him. I'm not done watching his beautiful skating and hope he *does* give the Worlds a go. Jason has many years ahead of him. Plus he needs to work on 3axel and quad.

Agree. He should dismiss his quads and just do his magic. Clean skates. (I always liked him and was a bit sad, I had always watch nationals on youtube for the amazing performances he delivered)

 

[s_parks]

I really don't understand why they scheduled the SP and FS back to back. If you insist having the team competition first, at least give the skaters a bit of a rest between the two parts of the individual competitions! I really like Denis Ten and am very happy for him, but I can't help wondering if the fact that he could focus just on this competition helped him? Yuzu and Patrick only skated the short in the team competition, but still, they had to split their focus between the two events.

Interesting point, because I thought skating in the team event would help them get used to performing at the olympics and the ice specifically. Denis looked rather unwell, but I'm really happy that he pulled through. I agree, a day between the sp and fs would have been better.

 

[Iscariot]

I just watched Daisuke's program! How wonderful he is as a skater, 5 points from bronce was not a lot, shame about the jumps but the coreography and the expression its like no other i am gonna miss him a lot!.
Congratulation to the medalits, i cant imagine how much pressure they were under, shame some people on these forums are that blind to not understand them.

 

[imisscohen]

Who ever compared Jeremy to Sasha Cohen...come see me in the parking lot out back. I'll introduce you to my friend -- Tonya.

 

[KwanIsALegend]

Well it is a shock that Chan didn't win. He has been held up so many times and positioned as the next Olympic champ and nope, when the time comes it doesn't happen.
There are no guarantees in figure skating.
There was no glory at this men's competition, the top two were not clean. It would have been great if Jason managed to skate magnificently and win, that would have been huge and the kind of thing that you'd expect at the Olympics. As it stands it was kind of underwhelming.
But still, I am loving all the skating!

 

[seniorita]

We have had a vivid discussion on the train backC, thinking how deflated this competition was, it didn't feel like Olympic Games, no ambiance as in pairs, and I m wondering if I m the average viewer cause I have a tone of questions and thoughts, I haven't read any reactions yet..
Why Joubert was so low? Btw, He had maybe the best reaction from audience. Why Fernandez was below Ten ? Except for two footed quad why Daisuke was below Fernandez and Ten? The most emotional skate of the night for me. And Abott deserved better.
European men apart from Javier and maybe Hendrickx and Kovtun and Liebers are doomed..
Breezina has the worst posture, non existent choreo and zero charisma
I hate Majorov style, bring back schultheiss
Reynolds and Machilda are also in bad posture compartment, I missed kozuka.
Is this the event crippled Plush would have been below 10th? Really? If 50% of him could have skated, I hope he is really not bagging his head on the wall right now.
I am a huge fan of Hanyu and I had said I want Hanyu Oly champion but not like this , sloppy posture, going through choreo in second half , two falls, at this point I found myself hoping for Chan to skate clean, and I thought he would/ should have won here, it looked to me he did enough, better program , good posture, attention to detail, and I m not even close to be a fan..I m not happy he didn't won, during Liebers it looked like he was crying in KnC, I felt awful, it was frustrating..
I missed celebration finishes a la Trankov, the reactions of plush , I even missed a clean skate a la Lysacek..someone to show some emotion for skating there..amodio was heartbreaking too.
Jason Brown saved the day but really as much as excited I was at pairs this was blah..

 

[UnChosen]

On another note, can someone explain to me why did both Chan and Yuzuru get 9+ average PCS if the had that many mistakes? IMHO no skater with several faults in his program should be awarded 9+ marks on the PCS, except for maybe, choreography which not entirely depends on the actual performance of the program.

As a figure skating fan for about twelve years now, I think the only skater awarded the pcs he deserved was Daisuke Takahashi. In spite of the mistakes he made, he kept the flowing of the program until the end.

Making major mistakes in a program should have a mandatory deduction on PE and IN (and maybe CH). When a skater is falling all over the place then the performance and interpretation obviously takes a hit.

In one year Hanyu went from 7-8 PCS in the FS with no falls to 9+ PCS with two falls. I don't get it...

 

[gmyers]

Chan lost in the sp. too bad.

 

[onodian]

There are no guarantees in figure skating.

I disagree. It was deadly clear to everyone that Chan and Hanyu would be 1/2, in whatever order, unless they slashed their own throats with their blades during their programmes. Which is exactly what happened. One fall, two falls, missed this, missed that, whatever. 1 and 2. Absolute guarantee.

 

[onodian]

Making major mistakes in a program should have a mandatory deduction on PE and IN (and maybe CH). When a skater is falling all over the place then the performance and interpretation obviously takes a hit.

In one year Hanyu went from 7-8 PCS in the FS with no falls to 9+ PCS with two falls. I don't get it...

Absolutely agree. Falling twice and yet getting 8.89 in execution? I absolutely agree a mandatory 0.5 or 1 point deduction in certain PCS would be the way to go too.

 

[Silvia451]

For me the saddest part of tonight's competition is some people's opinions about Yuzuru. I said before the program that there aren't many bad comments about him (compared to other skaters). Now the situation changed drastically. He's judges' pet and his scores are too high and so on. A performance does not define a skater. And this was his worst performance this season. Looking forward to see him at the WC.

Anyway, it's quite late here so good night everyone. It's a pleasure to talk about figure skating with you.

 

[SGrand]

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't see what was so horribly mean about it. All she did was state in a rather clever way what I'm sure Patrick knows perfectly well. I doubt he's hurt by it.

"Yeah, it's really funny how the human mind can work. Joannie wasn't a great competitor herself for most of her career (although she'd gotten better her last couple years on the scene) and she may have ended up skating better than she would have otherwise. Likely not so different from what happened with Jeremy...a shock to the system can end up interrupting that mental chatter get in the way of doing what you can do."

I guess I can see that she wasn't trying to be snarky, that's where social media is weird, you get no tone. Just got defensive (and rushed to judgement......and didn't take my own advice maybe lol) because I really feel for Patrick, and for Hanyu for that matter (although to a lesser degree). as none of this played out how they wanted it, and it just sounded like a kick to someone who is down. I have such great admiration for all of these guys and don't know how they do it. It was shocking at first, but when you think about the pressure, it's kind of crazy.
And I agree about how Joannie handled herself in 2010, her body went into fight mode and totally took over just long enough. I'm sure the weight of it all came crashing down around her when her skating was finished.

 

[noskates]

Unless Plushenko skated absolutely clean and gave the artistic performance of his life (no posturing, no posing, no blowing kisses) - I don't see where he would have medaled. The GOE of the top skaters is just getting really difficult to beat with that type of choreography. It's like Johnny Weir said, Joubert was a 6.0 skater - and I would say so was Plushenko. It's been hard for some of the old-timers to make the adjustment. One skater I really did enjoy today and never much cared for before was Takahashi. I thought his music was perfect, the choreography was perfect - only wish his skate had been. He's been a true sportsman throughout his career and I wish him well in whatever he takes on next.

I'm curious as to who will actually go to Worlds and who will not.

 

[Ziggy]

The big test for the US will be worlds. Hopefully Jason can step it up and help the men get 3 spots.

He might not even get to go.

What a disastrous long program in men. It was like a curse. Nobody got clean.

Jeremy Abbott.

Misha Ge had some low quality landings but he was more or less "clean" depending on your definition.

Abbott isnt going. So it will be Aaron and Brown anyway.

He hasn't made a final decision yet.

On another note, can someone explain to me why did both Chan and Yuzuru get 9+ average PCS if the had that many mistakes? IMHO no skater with several faults in his program should be awarded 9+ marks on the PCS, except for maybe, choreography which not entirely depends on the actual performance of the program.

Mistakes on technical elements are not part of the PCS criteria. How do mistakes impact CH less than for example IN?