2015 NHK Mens Free Skate

[MaxSwagg]

Yes, in a fit of pique about the constantly over-high scoring, particularly on PCS, I said that Hanyu has his Olympic gold medal and Please go away! Yep that was a childish comment which Hanyu personally did not deserve. I am more upset by the judging and the over-weighting of quads, and the manipulation of PCS.

Still, I did not say that I expected Hanyu to retire after Sochi though, as it never entered my mind that he would. And there is certainly no indication that anyone expected it or he ever considered it. That's y'alls' interpretation of my frustration over the scoring of quads, and Hanyu's and Javi's overscores on PCS.

Mind-readers and crystal-ballers galore abound in figure skating.

Yep, and we all enjoy who we enjoy. I think Hanyu's quads are amazing when he's on, and his performances at NHK are rightly ones to celebrate, but not because he completed 3 quads in the fp, moreso because he skated two clean performances with body-bending tech content and some concerted focus on developing his artistic presentation skills. Overall, it didn't grab me in the way it has a majority of fans. But it is what it is.

IMO, Interspectator, Yuzu has the sport part pretty well in hand, the Art of Figure Skating, he still has a ways to go. I wouldn't hand him the crown of ultimate artist at the moment, no matter who cares to do so. It is a problem I understand to be able to focus fully on artistry when one has to maintain focus and energy on all the jumps and other elements, and going completely clean too. Yuzu could do a lot more with bringing the Seimei character out, but I don't think that's his priority. Still, it's early in the season. No skater wants to peak too early, so we will see what more he can bring to his characterization while trying to maintain a high level of consistency and technical excellence.

BTW, Machida has my complete respect and admiration. Dai Taka is one of the all-time greats, and he wuzrobbed of a gold medal at Worlds 2012, and he wuzrobbed of first place in the 2010 Olympics sp. Kozuka I also have enjoyed so much, and I'm sorry he has been having physical problems and difficulty remaining competitive. I have never enjoyed Mura's skating, although he did have some very good programs last season, but did not perform well throughout the season. D Murakami is looking very competitive this season and he is a fine skater. I really love Shoma Uno, and I hope he has an opportunity to grow and to continue to improve. He is a dream to watch, and his emulation of Dai is very apparent, but at the same time he is finding his own point of view as an artist and technician too.

Popping jumps and falling? He has about as many mistakes per program as Patrick, Denis, and Javier. He has arguably the best spins of the field, the best jump technique, the most diverse programs aside from probably Denis, great skating skills and every other component...I don't know what more. In the end, judging is about ranking and comparing one to another. If this were 6.0, he and Patrick would still be getting the majority of 1st and 2nd place ordinals. If Yuzuru's components should be lowered, everyone else below him (which is every single man except maybe Patrick) needs to be lowered too.

Shoma is good but his jump technique is dodgy. Dai is it for me but you're taking about two different eras. Components scoring was very strict even in 2010-2013. Taka-chan is even MORE inconsistent than Yuzuru (and that was before his injuries) and Machida as well (and he had NO serious injuries). Dice has almost no personality on the ice and Mura is good but is one of the most inconsistent of all these Japanese men mentioned (with maybe the exception of Machida and Taka-chan).

Whether you or anyone likes it or not, jumps have been the focus of the sport for decades and decades and decades now. The sooner people realize that the better off they will be. Even if figures were still in place, I bet Yuzu and Patrick would still be winning handily...

 

[MIM]

Figure skating is neither jumping/spinning nor dancing/acting. It touches upon so many areas that its boundaries are limitless. A skater can push any boundaries he wants/likes. Any kinds of evolution in FS is equally valuable and blessing, IMO. (A score system may disagree with me, but eventually it will)

I was amazed to see full of enthusiasm and personality in Shoma's skating at the SA. Patrick at the SC struck me with such poised body movements as well as ever great skating skills. The COC had the genius, authentic Matador, Javier and the quad wonderboy, Jin. At the NHK, Yuzu brought the house down with the record breaking technical and performance scores. Then, Denis skated to this contemporary music gloriously in Zagreb.

The top tier skaters are putting their best foot forward and pushing the boundaries they chose in FS; Patrick with overall, head to blade, body movements, Javi with superior characterization, Boyang with the most various quad pallet, Yuzu with the perfect performance, Denis with the artistry using the experimental music. I think I am lucky to witness the figure skating get pushed various directions by these handful talented skaters.(please mind my figure skating experience is less than 6 years)

Developments the skaters brought in the FS might not satisfy you. Well.. you are an over-achiever, which can be a good thing, too. You have an athlete's mind!

Or, if you rather like to see some other areas to be pushed by these skaters, I think first we need to appreciate the boundaries they already pushed. Contemporary figure skating is very demanding. Not everything can be done once. That does not mean it is impossible. Boyang will certainly catch up the skating skills. I think it is possible for the most balanced skater like Yuzu to improve the areas he is less perfect (his arms!). Patrick's 3A, Denis' health(?) likewise.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

That's according to your interpretation, Wannabe Mind-reader!

Indeed, smelling the is always a good thing.

:giveup:

Aww, don't give up, I think that was a straight 10 in Interpretation

 

[Interspectator]

When I saw the protocol for Yuzu, I too thought that 10s in IN/PE might be a bit much so soon. I also found it odd that though TR is his strongest PCS area, he got no 10s there.

However, if you are a judge sitting there live and you have seen a group consisting of some flawed performances and THEN see a performance like Yuzu gave, and felt the mounting tension in the crowd, and heard the roar when he completed his elements so cleanly, and most of all, when Yuzu is staring you in the eye with that killer-look he gets sometimes, it could indeed translate into 10s because the moment is so unique and special. In that moment and in the few minutes after which the judges have to decide the points, they felt that the performance was '10' worthy.

I agree with MIM though that not everything can be pushed at once. Each skater has strong and weak points, Yuzu, Dai, Pat, Javi, anyone.

 

[Rissa]

That's according to your interpretation, Wannabe Mind-reader!

Indeed, smelling the is always a good thing.

Omg, so late for the party, but how was that even open to interpretation? It's impossible to read it any other way!

That said, I guess it must be annoying when so many people including the judges love a skater and his art, when you don't, but I just don't understand why some people aren't able to just shrug it off as others' cup of tea. Not every skater that gets high scores appeals to me (Patrick, Farris, Daisuke Murakami) but you won't see me ranting because I've seen enough evidence that they appeal to others. Hanyu's artistry appeals to LOADS of people, why not try to deal with it? It's like being butthurt that millions of people listen to rap music and that it wins Grammys when one thinks it's all crap.

Thankfully, with Yuzu, I'm with the majority, I could watch him skate various programs all day long, so I'm most happy he continues to compete. He's the one who's single-handedly got me back to watching figure skating, after all.