I spoke with Nikolai Morozov the other night and he's got his whole troupe training in Grenoble: Brian Joubert, Daisuke Takahashi, Grushgon & Goncharov, Gregory & Petukhov, and Arakawa.
Brian knows that the last couple of Olympic champion men have been the golden age of 21, hence his remarks about having the age advantage - it's not really that he expects to medal four years from now - he knows that 25 tends to be overripe for the men when it comes to OG medals.
I think it's encouraging to read his 'hunted and hunter' remarks. Brian is nothing else if not a fighter. What is he supposed to do? Roll over now and concede to Plushy? Is Plushenko going to win? Probably. And the skaters have mentally prepared themselves - including Brian - to fight for silver if need be. But still....anything can happen...these are the big games - Plush could have an off-night, and who knows - stranger things have happened.
Go Brian! And I know people disagree with me saying this ad nauseum, LOL, but there is simply not another top guy out there who could do as good a job as an ambassador for the sport as Brian. Some other will either be considered to be too 'out there' or 'technically brilliant, but socially remote' or pick your criticism. Nobody could carry that torch like Brian could in an era when the popularity of men's skating is dismally low.
