From what I gather about the two exceptional competitors, I would think Yagudin would come back for Russia and Evgeni would come back for a price. Not sure of this at all. Just putting pieces together. They may be the wrong pieces, though.
My own feelings about their return is totally irrelevant.
Joe
Well I don't remember if that interview was posted here or at FSU but Tikhonov said that when Yagudin talked to him about coming back, he said it was because of the money. And actually I do think the whole for the money and for Russia applies to both. They are both very proud people and I think the fact that they're seeing Russian sinking on the men event (well now with Voronov around, hopefully Worlds would be a little better for Russia) is really hurting them considering they both were the reason Russia dominated the men event for over 8 years (98-06).
Thanks jennylovskt for posting my post from FSU here (I was so sleepy that for a moment I thought...there's another Ximena fan of Plush? hehehe and it was me)
I don't know if it's allowed to post YT links here, so if not someone tell me and I'll erase it, but for those who keep saying he is no longer in shape and doing 3t and that barely, here is his wonderful 3ax from 10 days ago in St. Moritz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VijXI8yHKCM
Was he on bad shape and doing barely triple toes? yes but that was back in oct-nov of last year. Was he overweight (FS overweight I mean)? Yes, but if you've seen any pictures of him recently he has a lot a lot of weight, last week he did an interview he said he already lost 11 pounds but he needs to lose a little bit more.
As for him being overscored, I'm a huge fan of Plush, HUGE and I will be the first to admit his Olys scores were insanely high when in my opinion he skated so much better at the GPF 05 or Euros 06; but none here can say that he is now the only overmarked skater now, you can see a lot of other resutls which marks are just insane. Not only that, but the terrible job of some tecnical callers missing underrotated triple axels and quads left and right. So the overmark thing, yes Plush is overmarked in transition by a mile (and yes some of you think he is overmarked in everything else) but he is not the only one getting the overmarked scores from the judges at all. Is it fair? No (go ask Savoie), but you can not put him as the only one getting that benefit.
As for his comeback means he will again sweep the competition off, I think these last two years he is been away has proved that won't be the case. He has said so himself, he said that he is very much aware that he is going to lose some events (eventhough he won't like it)
I also think he is aware his time is passing by because there was interview to Verner from the russian press and Verner said, while asked about Plush that he was happy if Plushenko came back, though he knows Plush was not healthy but he wants him back to compete against him and because he is his idol and he told Plush that and Plush told Verner that Plush's idol was Petrenko and when he beat him at a competition Petrenko told him that it's normal because this is a sport and sometimes the idols are beaten. Will Plush, two-three years ago would have hinted the idea of him losing? Never, but I think this time he probably think it's high posibility.
I too was one that thought when Plush was talking about come back that it was pure talk, mostly because of his lack of training and then Mishin stated just the same. He said that difference now is that Plushenko is now present (this was Sept of last year) meaning that he came back to Mishin to start training seriously; and that's when it convinced me that he really had the intention to come back this time.
If anything, I think Plushenko is risking everything by coming back. He took his break being pretty much unmbeatable for 4 seasons. It's very likely (thought I will hope not) that he will retire on 2010 with nothing. In an interview to Verner he said something along the lines "if Plushenko comes back, he will have to win because any other place will look as a failure to everyone else" and it's true. Would his fed support him as they do if Plushenko suddenly starts losing? Will he keep winning Russian people, athlete, entertainer of the year if he loses every event? Will his tour get the success it had if Plush won't even podium? No. And really for someone (me) that has been reading pretty cocky interview of him for years, his last ones are very down to earth in the sense that he knows what's at risk; but he really wants to take the risk and compete again.
Unfortunately Plushenko is not one to care much about his own health in the sense that he pushes himself when he does not need to, and while he is being more concious this time about it, none knows if his body will take the full time training well and he may not make it back, but IMO if he does not come back, none would more sorry than him.
Sorry for the long post, I know most of you don't like Plush but like any fan of a particular skater, one jumps to their defence.
Now it has gotten your information to surport.:yes:
True, his body had been through the ringer and he was out of competition shape for awhile, but c'mon! He's barely 25 years old, and he's already proven himself repeatedly to the folks who try to say he is less than he is. You guys are just hoping he's doing nothing but running his mouth about the 2010s because you know if he's not, your favorite stands a very real chance of losing. :yes:
