Greatest male skater of "all" times!

[Tonichelle]

Todd Eldredge? Not really.

why not? he's got 6 US titles, a World title... that's about the same as Brian Orser... the only thing he doesn't have is an Olympic Medal... but if that is what you're gunning for take Kurt off the list... he barely made the top 5 in 1994...

 

[All that Jazz]

Tonichelle, I've tried to make my selection based on facts, which means all the guys above won (an) Olympic (Gold) medal/s and/or several World titles. Any other criterion would've been only subjective. Because of these facts some of my favourite skaters aren't included either. Because of these facts I had to put some skaters in there I really dislike. I admit it was a huge mistake to "forget" Brian Orser; didn't he win two Olympic Silvers and at least two (?) World titles? But Todd Eldredge? One World title is not bad, but still - Olympic Gold means way more. That's why I made my decision in favour of Kulik and Urmanov (even though it's the only "big" thing they won) and "against" Eldredge. And sorry, national titles don't really count here. Todd is not the only skater with boatloads of them.

Of course titles and medals are not everything. Of course we can discuss endlessly what real "greatness" and "popularity" is about. But somehow I had to build my selection.

As for Paul Wylie, yes, I remember him. I guess his Olympic Silver performance in Albertville was the only time I saw/noticed him. I'm from Europe and from what I know he's almost unknown here.

 

[curious]

unfortunately the silver at the 92 Olympics was Paul's biggest achievement. Too inconsistent.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

This is a total subjective view of figure skating. The so-called 'greatest' is in the eyes of the beholder. Many of the posters have never seen any skaters before 1980 so the term 'recent' is ok if what is 'recent'.

Tonichelle hit the mark with Kurt, imo. Not only Yags but Kulic also were not only awed by Kurt's performances but changed their styles of skating because of him. It paid off! Before that, there was only Petrenko from the USSR and he was a standard competitor nothing special, imo.

So without Kurt (who is in debted to John Curry), male skaters in recent times would be given standard performances albeit with the big jumps.

Joe

 

[Antilles]

Kurt, but Brain Orser needs to be on the list. I like Cousins too, and agree Button and Curry need to be on the list.

 

[show 42]

Going by just the ones listed, I went right away with Kurt, with Yags a close second..........42

 

[Tonichelle]

least two (?) World titles

Brian Orser only has ONE World Title... same as Mr. Eldredge... 1987 would be the only moment of "Glory" for Brian... Boitano and Hamilton kept him off of it for 7 outta 8 years

 

[mmandel]

Scott!!!

 

[merfsk8s]

Todd Eldredge, Todd Eldredge, Todd Eldredge!!!

I don't care that he doesn't have any Olympic medals (I believe Kurt Browning, another great also has that problem). No other male skater has been able to take my breath away and stir my emotions with his skating like Todd Eldredge (w/Paul Wylie a close second).

Todd Eldredge is the reason I fell in love with skating. I'd always liked it, but at the '94 Goodwill Games in St Petersburg, Russia, Todd did an exhibition skate to "Gethsemane" from Jesus Christ Superstar that still gives me chills when I think about it. That was it - from then on I was completely, head over heels in love with the sport. Any sport that can bring that kind of emotion out of a person is just something special - and any athlete that can perform like that is too. That skate was the first (but not the last) skating program that ever stirred me deeply enough to cry. It started it all.

And, Todd always showed good sportsmanship and was known for his incredible work ethic.

He is and always will be, to me, the greatest male figure skater ever.

 

[Antilles]

I thought Boitano only had 2 World titles. Did he win Worlds in '85 as well?

 

[boggartlaura]

I thought Boitano only had 2 World titles. Did he win Worlds in '85 as well?

You're right. Fadeev won.

 

[amykaren]

Boo-hoo only 8 votes for Brian Botanio? I consider him one of the greats in recent times. As far as american skaters go, I'd have to say the greatest is Brian Botanio, then Scott Hamilton, then Todd Eldredge.

 

[Sadie]

I had a really hard time deciding between Kurt and Alexei. But in the end, I had to go with Kurt.

 

[Jaana]

As I look in the statistics, how many GOLD medals in Olympics and Worlds all male skaters have achieved, these skaters seem to be the greatest (in no particular order) of all times:

Gillis Grafstom: Olympics 3 and Worlds 3
Karl Schäfer: Olympics 2 and Worlds 7
Dick Button: Olympics 2 and Worlds 5
Ulrich Salchow: Olympics 1 and Worlds 10

Marjaana

 

[Germanice]

Jaana, when it comes down to titles you're absolutely right of course, but how can we judge about them now? How can I say Grafstrom was "better" than Salchow? I guess they're victims of their time, without well developed cameras, pictures, documentaries, tv, fluffs , video and internet. And even with all this stuff included it's a fact: Time runs fast and glory simply fades away. I wonder if somebody in, let's say 50 years, will remember even one of these guys above?!

Anke

 

[Jaana]

Anke, the athletic achievements (figure skating is a sport) of those I mentioned above, will remain in the statistics for ever. The same goes in ladies for Sonia Henie.

BTW, statistics and traditions... That brings into my mind that the first Worlds competition was held in St. Petersburg in 1896. In 1996 they held "Centennial On Ice" competition which Ilia Kulik won with two perfect performances. In the broadcast was shown the photo of the first winner, so I have no doubts that in 2096 there will be a competition also. In that they will show Ilia, and have something better than a photograph only. Russians love traditions...

Marjaana

 

[Mathman]

ITA, Jaana, that it's hard to overlook Ulrich Salchow, with 10 Worlds Championships. Dick Button once said that one of his biggest thrills in the sport was when he met Salchow in person.

But I also agree with GermanIce that in every sport it is hard to compare athletes of one era with those of another. In Salchow's time, I believe, figure skating was trruly an amateur endeavor. Competitors were expected to earn a living, and skate in their spare time. Even if they were independently wealthy it was still considered a gauche to concentrate on only one sporting endeavor.

I think that Sonja Henie found ways to make money from her skating even while she was nominally an amateur. I also think that her family supported her, so that she didn't have to work as, say, a seamstress or a nanny to make ends meet. Dick Button trained as a lawyer, but I don't think that he every practiced.

What about Ulrich Salchow? Do anyone know if he practiced a profession? Did he continue in the comercial end of the sport (like Dick Button did) after he retired from competition?

Mathman

 

[berthes ghost]

Salchow was president of the ISU between the 2 world wars.

IIRC, Papa Henie was rich from the fur trade.

Giles Grafstrom was an Architect.

Manfred Schnelldorfer was an architecture student when he won the Olys.

The Jenkins brothers went on to become a Doctor and a Lawyer, but after their skating success, not during it like Grafstrom.

 

[berthes ghost]

Three more plugs for Grafstrom:

1. He invented many moves like the flying sit spin, the camel spin and popularized others, like the spiral.

2. He was an inspiration: both Button and Curry list him as thier role model when fashioning thier own careers.

3. He was also a coach, and worlked with Henie, the most influential female skater of all time.

 

[Mathman]

How do you know all this stuff, Berthesghost? That is very interesting information. Thanks.

Mathman