Todd may have been a more consistent and more powerful skater than Rudy, but I don't think that makes Rudy a lesser skater, at least in terms of ability and overall skating quality. Of course Todd had a far superior competitive record, but as my post earlier points out, that's not everything. Rudy had skating qualities on par with Cranston and Curry. As Doris points out, that included excellent spins with interesting positions and great flexibility. His jumps had very tight air position and quick rotation. is edges were great and his speed was and ice coverage were first rate. You don't show up to your first worlds in singles at that advanced age and medal without having some chops, US champion or not. Also, don't forget that he was also a two time US pair champion and top five finisher at worlds in one of the deepest pairs eras ever. That takes skills Todd never displayed.
Regarding Todd and Tara, he was a very nice guy and and unbelievably hard worker, but he routinely lacked a killer instinct, something Tara never had in short supply. There is no better competitive example than his finishing second at worlds three out of four years. I know this can be viewed as a positive, but I remember it a bit negatively. His second places in 97 and 98 should have been first place finishes. He singled his second triple axel and then fell on his final double axel after skating flawlessly up to that point in the 97 FS. If he'd been clean, he likely would have won. He just collapsed. In 98, he screwed up his SP and then won the FS over Yagudin to win silver again. Tara by contrast had nerves of steel when at her peak and suffered only one real meltdown after her 96 worlds debut when she fell in the SP at 98 nationals. But when the chips were down, there was rarely ever a more reliable competitor.
Regarding Todd and Tara, he was a very nice guy and and unbelievably hard worker, but he routinely lacked a killer instinct, something Tara never had in short supply. There is no better competitive example than his finishing second at worlds three out of four years. I know this can be viewed as a positive, but I remember it a bit negatively. His second places in 97 and 98 should have been first place finishes. He singled his second triple axel and then fell on his final double axel after skating flawlessly up to that point in the 97 FS. If he'd been clean, he likely would have won. He just collapsed. In 98, he screwed up his SP and then won the FS over Yagudin to win silver again. Tara by contrast had nerves of steel when at her peak and suffered only one real meltdown after her 96 worlds debut when she fell in the SP at 98 nationals. But when the chips were down, there was rarely ever a more reliable competitor.