Lysacek is back on the ice

[Blades of Passion]

And what about Evanflation?

That's my fear. The men only have 2 spots available for Worlds. If the U.S. is determined to do the "top 2 at Nationals go to Worlds/Olympics" thing, then the two people who skate the best at Nationals **** well better be scored as such.

A similar situation - Todd Eldredge didn't deserve to be scored over Matt Savoie in 2001. If it wasn't for that bad judging in favor of a former champion, and Todd was marked in 3rd where he should have been, then he wouldn't have gone to Worlds that year (the U.S. also only had 2 spots that year). Now, granted, Todd did great at Worlds...but based upon what he did at Nationals he didn't deserve to go.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

That's my fear. The men only have 2 spots available for Worlds. If the U.S. is determined to do the "top 2 at Nationals go to Worlds/Olympics" thing, then the two people who skate the best at Nationals **** well better be scored as such.

A similar situation - Todd Eldredge didn't deserve to be scored over Matt Savoie in 2001. If it wasn't for that bad judging in favor of a former champion, and Todd was marked in 3rd where he should have been, then he wouldn't have gone to Worlds that year (the U.S. also only had 2 spots that year). Now, granted, Todd did great at Worlds...but based upon what he did at Nationals he didn't deserve to go.

Evan is going to get much better marks internationally than anyone aside from Jeremy. When Jeremy was left off the World team by a hair the USFSA really sent a weak field and I think they don't want to make the same mistake again. If it's a marginal decision I think you have to go with the reining OC because there is at least a floor that he won't be marked below (i.e. if he bombs the SP he'd still probably place in the top 10 in the World). If Evan is even 80% I don't see how he and Jeremy would not get 3 spots next year. With Olympic berths on the line the USFSA has got to send the skaters capable of the best marks.

 

[ice coverage]

New :32 video of Lysacek rehearsing for the Kaleidoscope on Ice show in Charlotte, NC:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=432256806840970

The live show takes place Wed, Nov 14, at 7:00 pm at the Bojangles' Coliseum.
The broadcast special will air nationally Sun, Nov 25, 2012, directly following the NFL game from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
http://www.kaleidoscope.org/show.html

 

[gmyers]

Probably opening up pandora's box here, and I know how you (gymers) in particular feel about jumps in skating, but you could say 2008-2010 were the years of pushing people to the edge of their potential regarding step sequences and everything other than jumps. Lets face it, some programs before then were alot of NOTHING in between jumps. So for a few years, jumping took a back seat to everything else. There are ebbs and flows in skating and now I'm sure you are ecstatic as the quad is once again valued higher. If nothing else, everyone was pushed to improve their basic skating and footwork skills.

I am particularly interested, though, how you can discount two years of figure skating just because you dont think the quad was valued high enough. Skaters were just responding to changes in the judging system, like they did again in 2010. Perhaps other people want to discount 2006-2008 because too many people splatted all over the place from attempting quads they could never hope to land.

It was one thing when worlds went quadless but far too much when Olympics went quadless. People with great steps and spins and all that didnt even try them. But like all the people who tried quads also had to do spins and steps and sometimes could even hit level 3 or 4. Just to messed up to have the winners not attempt the harder things of the losers when for 10 years winners did quads. Just not good and chan and Lysacek got into big fights with Jouber and plushenko with one side saying quads is not men and the other side saying the other wanted to abolish everything bu jumps and turn the sport into just jumps.

 

[Buttercup]

It was one thing when worlds went quadless but far too much when Olympics went quadless. People with great steps and spins and all that didnt even try them. But like all the people who tried quads also had to do spins and steps and sometimes could even hit level 3 or 4. Just to messed up to have the winners not attempt the harder things of the losers when for 10 years winners did quads. Just not good and chan and Lysacek got into big fights with Jouber and plushenko with one side saying quads is not men and the other side saying the other wanted to abolish everything bu jumps and turn the sport into just jumps.

I am by no means a fan of Lysacek, but this misrepresents things completely.

Lysacek never got into any fights with Joubert, or even with Plushenko that I can recall. Joubert had some comments about Buttle winning 2008 Worlds without a quad (not a fight) and Chan had a one-sided fight with Joubert at 2009 Worlds about how quads are not that important (they have since made up their differences, obviously) but Lysacek ignored all that, and who ended up on top of the podium? Exactly.

Lysacek and Carroll did have some criticism about the judges, at both 2009 CoC and 2010 US Nats, but not any conflicts with other skaters that I can recall, and the stuff with the judges was not about quads, of course.

 

[Tonichelle]

The only real war of words that Lysacek participated in was against Weir.

 

[gmyers]

Its not misrepresenting the facts to say after plushenko said men's skating without quads is dancing or ladies and then Lysacek said you could just have a competition where the only thing the skaters do is their biggest jump. That wasn't exactly a direct confrontation but everyone knew what they were saying. not men's skating without quads and total abolition of everything in skating but jumps.

 

[ice coverage]

Evan has to compete in a Senior B before the ISU Championships to obtain the minimum TES, so I think he's going to try to regain his best shape in short time... I do hope he doesn't rush things, he could earn those TES without a quad...

But he could wait until after U.S. Nationals if that worked out better for him. If he doesn't make the national team, then he won't have to worry about qualifying scores fro worlds anyway.

Mathman was prophetic:

No competition for Lysacek before nationals
By Philip Hersh, Tribune reporter
5:04 p.m. CST, November 16, 2012
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...cek-before-nationals-20121116,0,4118104.story

Excerpt:
"The competition under consideration was Golden Spin of Zagreb Dec. 13-16, but Lysacek’s agent, Shep Goldberg, said in a text message Friday the skater would not be going there."​

 

[Tonichelle]

If Evan skates at Nationals I will be extremely surprised.

 

[noskates]

Tonichelle - amen!!! I just don't think Evan can compete with the top skaters right now. Skating in an ice show doesn't exactly keep up your competitive edge and rehabbing a groin injury takes time. I disagree with him having nothing to lose by competing. If the current Olympic men's champion doesn't medal at his Nationals - or doesn't even qualify, I think that would be highly embarassing. I don't remember exact details but haven't the winners of a couple of the Grand Prix's scored higher points than Evan did at the Olys? I personally think he should rest on his laurels. But, time will tell.

 

[Tonichelle]

I dunno either way he's got some embarrassment on his hands - this is year two his comeback has been in name only...

 

[pangtongfan]

Evan is going to get much better marks internationally than anyone aside from Jeremy. When Jeremy was left off the World team by a hair the USFSA really sent a weak field and I think they don't want to make the same mistake again. If it's a marginal decision I think you have to go with the reining OC because there is at least a floor that he won't be marked below (i.e. if he bombs the SP he'd still probably place in the top 10 in the World). If Evan is even 80% I don't see how he and Jeremy would not get 3 spots next year. With Olympic berths on the line the USFSA has got to send the skaters capable of the best marks.

I can very easily see a team of Lysacek and Abbott not getting back 3 spots. In fact I will be surprised if whatever team the U.S men send gets 3 spots back. For starters I expect whichever 2 U.S men are sent to lose to Chan, all 3 Japanese men, and Fernandez. That is even assuming Plushenko doesnt go to Worlds, but if he does, him as well. So I expect the top U.S finisher to be 6th, lets say hypothetically that is the consistent Lysacek (not that I think it will be as I dont think he will even show up at Nationals but anyway). The other US man will not likely come 7th to go along with that, Abbott will melt down badly enough to be 10th or lower probably, after all he just melted down and lost to the #6 Japanese man, and it was still an improvement on his first outing, lol! The rest just arent good enough to even come as high as 6th or 7th amongst todays field.

 

[Kitt]

A non-injured Weir and Lysacek could do 6th & 7th....but it's a long shot. Jeremy can be counted on as a meltdown, even if he wins Nationals. I like his skating, but let's be realistic.

So I don't see U.S. getting 3 spots back.:-(

 

[let`s talk]

Charming photos of Evan's family taken on Christmas: http://www.shannon-kblog.com/2013/01/12/the-l-family-gilbert-family-photographer/

 

[plushyfan]

Charming photos of Evan's family taken on Christmas: http://www.shannon-kblog.com/2013/01/12/the-l-family-gilbert-family-photographer/

They are very similar to each other

 

[noskates]

Been reading about Lysacek for months now - his comeback, his injuries, another comeback, another injury - yada! yada! yada! I don't think in Evan's prime he could beat the current Chan or Hanyu or even Takahashi. If all of them skated clean, I have no doubt Evan would be in a solid fourth position. And throw in Fernandes currently, Evan would be fifth at best! But I'm basing that on Evan's skating in his prime! It's difficult for me to imagine him skating to the level he was at during the Olympics when he hasn't competed in 2+ years, has been doing show programs, has aged a few years and has suffered some damning injuries. So when I read people projecting where he might place, I'm thinking it's based on the reputation of being the reigning Olympic champion (which frankly doesn't mean he can skate anywhere near that level now) or wishful thinking.

And I will readily admit , and have always thought, that Jeremy is a headcase! But IF he could put together 2 skates like he did at the 2012 US Nats (proving again that it is possible) he should not be counted out of any competition. Will it take a witch doctor or a fairy godmother to make him skate on the ice instead of in his head? I dont' know. But I do think he's in a much better position overall to best anything Evan puts down on the ice at this point in Evan's career.

In any case, I wish them both well and hope that the US can get 3 spots back!

 

[pangtongfan]

Been reading about Lysacek for months now - his comeback, his injuries, another comeback, another injury - yada! yada! yada! I don't think in Evan's prime he could beat the current Chan or Hanyu or even Takahashi. If all of them skated clean, I have no doubt Evan would be in a solid fourth position. And throw in Fernandes currently, Evan would be fifth at best! But I'm basing that on Evan's skating in his prime! It's difficult for me to imagine him skating to the level he was at during the Olympics when he hasn't competed in 2+ years, has been doing show programs, has aged a few years and has suffered some damning injuries. So when I read people projecting where he might place, I'm thinking it's based on the reputation of being the reigning Olympic champion (which frankly doesn't mean he can skate anywhere near that level now) or wishful thinking.

And I will readily admit , and have always thought, that Jeremy is a headcase! But IF he could put together 2 skates like he did at the 2012 US Nats (proving again that it is possible) he should not be counted out of any competition. Will it take a witch doctor or a fairy godmother to make him skate on the ice instead of in his head? I dont' know. But I do think he's in a much better position overall to best anything Evan puts down on the ice at this point in Evan's career.

In any case, I wish them both well and hope that the US can get 3 spots back!

Agree on all counts.

 

[mskater93]

And I will readily admit , and have always thought, that Jeremy is a headcase! But IF he could put together 2 skates like he did at the 2012 US Nats (proving again that it is possible) he should not be counted out of any competition. Will it take a witch doctor or a fairy godmother to make him skate on the ice instead of in his head? I dont' know.

Jeremy has had two performances at Nationals so in the zone that those would have easily, easily put him on the podium at the next international: 2010 and 2012. 2010 Nationals' performance would have likely WON him the Olympic gold over Lysacek.

 

[Olympia]

And I will readily admit , and have always thought, that Jeremy is a headcase! But IF he could put together 2 skates like he did at the 2012 US Nats (proving again that it is possible) he should not be counted out of any competition. Will it take a witch doctor or a fairy godmother to make him skate on the ice instead of in his head?

Isn't it heartbreaking? And the guy even does quads. He skates like poetry in motion at Nationals--seems as if he does that every year, in fact--and then he simply evaporates at Worlds.

Skate on the ice instead of in your head...we ought to embroider samplers saying that and sell them to skaters. We'd make out like gangbusters. We could probably quit our day jobs.

 

[Skater Boy]

I do believe Jeremy and Evan can bring back 3 spots and the glory back to the USA. Jeremy has it all though I have to admit with so many great and more consistent skater I do not want Abbott to skate the lights out at Olympics next year. Other skaters are well "more deservin - I know how do you decide lol. DAisuike T., Chan have paid their dues. Evan is one of the greatest competitors. His jumps aren't the best but consistent and he does it when it counts. and his artistry and pcs are second rate (or should be) behind all 3 Japanese men, Fernandez and Chan at the very least. I will be terribly disapointed if Evan pulls out of Nationals and if he does I kind of, and this is odd and will get boos, hope that he just retires gracefully and let others have their chance in the sun both in the us and world. But we are a greedy bunch.