Michal Brezina -The New John Curry?

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Not since Kurt Browning have we seen a Figure Skater who can perform as a stage dancer, and with music that is basically syncopated. Watch out Stephane!

 

[beep_beep]

Joe! It's been a while...

Brezina is really something, I love the way he *skates* and his musicality and it's even better when he lands the jumps...

But I have to admit that Abbott's SP at NHK had some shades of John Curry as well, I could watch it all day...

 

[viv]

No. I like both Brezina and Abbott, but John Curry was very, very special - he was sublime. His programs, when I see them on youtube, still make me cry. There definitely will be no second John Curry. (And if, Adam Rippon would fit the part much better.)

Brezina and Abbott are great skaters in their own right, but not special in the way John was or Adam could be one day.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I must agree with you both. Abbott and Rippon are both musical skaters, but as the humble opinions go, I go with Brezina, and after this Oly, he will be among the most talked about skater. :thumbsup:

 

[janetfan]

I must agree with you both. Abbott and Rippon are both musical skaters, but as the humble opinions go, I go with Brezina, and after this Oly, he will be among the most talked about skater. :thumbsup:

Good call on Brezina Joe!! :yes:

Long time /no time - hope you have been well.

 

[ae9177]

I agree with Joe, Brezina was great tonight, he wuzrobbed on PCS. I'll root for him in the next Olympic cycle!

 

[evangeline]

You know, Joesitz, the only reason why I started taking notice of and watching Michal Brezina awhile ago was because you kept mentioning him in your posts, and curiosity got the better of me. Thanks!

Although he not--yet--quite at John Curry's level, he really is a fantastic skater: that musicality, those jumps. Glad to see that he picked up his first GP medal.

 

[bekalc]

Brezina and Abbott are great skaters in their own right, but not special in the way John was or Adam could be one day.

I like Brezina better than Adam. I'm not sure Adam will ever have a consistent 3axel or a quad. Brezina's jumps are really incredible-better than Adam's. And he's artistic as well. Adam though makes me think of a more balletic/Russian type skater. While Brezina reminds me of people like Orser/Kurt Browning. I see Brezina with more potential to be the all around skater.

 

[Spun Silver]

Chan is the young one who reminds me of Curry. He brings me to tears - I don't know if I can explain it. It has to do with the timeless beauty of his style - there's nothing trendy or fussy about him. Brezina was very good last night and may have a big future, and I have my eye on him. But so far he's not in a class of his own by a long shot, IMO. Kozuka and Denis Ten and maybe Borodulin are also great. Oh yeah, Rippon is on my short list too.

 

[Buttercup]

I don't find Michal at all similar to Curry; I get more of a (potential) Browning vibe watching him skate. Anyway, I don't like referring to skaters as the new anyone. I like Brezina as Brezina, period.

Any discussion of future stars has to include Yuzuru Hanyu, IMO. Assuming puberty doesn't cause too many issues for him, he could go very, very far. His PB is already over 200 at the age of 14, he's landed 3As in competition with good GOEs (solo and in combination), his spins are good, and his presentation is great, too. He'll probably need to work on his flip, but other than that he's been looking really strong this season.

 

[Ladskater]

Oh now I know who you mean. Yes, I quite liked this skater today and his program, one of the few who I did really like. Actually Kurt Browning compared Michal to Jeff Buttle - who happens to be this kids skating hero and who he wants to meet when he comes to Skate Canada. Very talented skater.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Brezina definitely has the makings of a special skater, but there is much improvement to go still in his presentation abilities before I would consider him "the new Johny Curry".

Abbott fits that bill much better and has proven himself to be a true artist.

BTW, Brezina's 3Flip is amazing. I thought it was a Quad when he did it one time.

 

[Ginask8s]

Good jumper,but I thought he looked sloppy and had unfinished body line. I know the music is casual, but I did not really enjoy the programs choreogrphy.

 

[demarinis5]

Oh now I know who you mean. Yes, I quite liked this skater today and his program, one of the few who I did really like. Actually Kurt Browning compared Michal to Jeff Buttle - who happens to be this kids skating hero and who he wants to meet when he comes to Skate Canada. Very talented skater.

Michal reminds me of Jeff Buttle too. Wonderful skater with a lot of talent.

 

[merrybari]

IMO it's a bit too soon to cast him as anyone but himself. This was a breakout and lovely perfromance, but it's too soon to see if he can keep it up when he's under the pressure of the spotlight rather than coming in under the radar.

I agree he will be one to watch. Only time will tell how he develops. I wish him well while we find out.

 

[gkelly]

Not since Kurt Browning have we seen a Figure Skater who can perform as a stage dancer, and with music that is basically syncopated.

Curry didn't skate to a lot of syncopated music, especially in his amateur career. When I think of John Curry, I think of very clear, precise body lines and edges.
I don't see the comparison there.

Browning makes a better comparison.

 

[Olympia]

Thanks for pointing out this wonderful skater!

I don't think he's in the league of Curry or Browning yet, and I don't know what he'll turn out to be, but he certainly could be one of the excellent ones. He doesn't yet have that smoothness of flow that one sees in either Curry's or Browning's routines, but certainly he did the Gershwin justice. He has a flair for footwork, which I'm always happy to see (it's one of the reasons I love Browning so much), but he's not yet for me at that "How'd he do that?" stage where I forget to breathe while I watch.

Seeing all of you supply names of other current skaters whom you admire as much as or more than Brezina makes me realize what a good era this is for male skaters. There are a lot of top-notch ones out there right now, aren't there? Sigh...not something we can say about the ladies right now. Well, the Men's competition in the Olympics this season could end up being one for the ages, and that's worth looking forward to! (Ice dance too, I suspect.)

 

[Binthere]

Kudos to you JoeSitz for highlighting this talented young skater, and I have missed you. (Not that I don't disappear for stretches). Brezina reminds me of many different skaters and along with Rippon it is so much like the good old days when an exciting next generation comes along with breakthrough performances during an Olympic season to plant seeds of excitement for the next cycle.

To tell you the truth though, my first thought with him was how much he is like a young Kurt Browning. For him to be like John Curry I will need to see what he can do with musical themes more like the ballet scores. I am probably using an unfair measuring stick and not being open minded enough, but to me the iconic Curry programs were Don Quixote from the Olympics and Afternoon of a Faun from his professional days. I will definitely keep an eye on Brezina to see how willing he is to expand his artistic horizons in these directions someday too.

 

[herios]

Brezina definitely has the makings of a special skater, but there is much improvement to go still in his presentation abilities before I would consider him "the new Johny Curry".

Abbott fits that bill much better and has proven himself to be a true artist.

BTW, Brezina's 3Flip is amazing. I thought it was a Quad when he did it one time.

Well Abbott will have to drop the quad in order to have a clean skate, otherwise he is playing with the fire (he is a make it or break it type of skate quadwise).


Brezina's jumping is excellent, heightwise in Sabovcik's category, perfect position in the air and yes his flip is something to behold, I am sure he could do a 4 flip is he would train it, he completed it so much earlier than anybody else.


Michal could be the next big star in Europe and who knows perhaps the next Nepela.

 

[KayMil01]

How to do pronounce his name? I've heard "me-shawl" and "me-hall" which is it? lol.