Two Russian articles on Plushenko's plans for this season

[jennylovskt]

Now Plushenko's come back is really in question. I didn't know his knee problem is such serious one. Who is more likely to come back in the future, say before 2010? Yagudin or Plusheko? Will Alexei changes his mind with such big money offer? Unpredictable but very interesting people.

 

[jennylovskt]

We should have special Worlds and special Olympics for these former champions who were injured but wanted to come back competing.

 

[Kypma]

We should have special Worlds and special Olympics for these former champions who were injured but wanted to come back competing.

But would those competitors who were champions really like to be champions within a weaker, injured field? I know some skaters were proud to be World Professional Champions, but then again the requirements were slightly different from the competitive world. Also, how would you define 'injured' skaters? The line would have to be drawn very precisely... I mean, a groin injury doesn't really qualify you to compete with those who have no more cartilage in their landing knee, such as Plushenko...

Kypma

 

[jennylovskt]

But would those competitors who were champions really like to be champions within a weaker, injured field? I know some skaters were proud to be World Professional Champions, but then again the requirements were slightly different from the competitive world. Also, how would you define 'injured' skaters? The line would have to be drawn very precisely... I mean, a groin injury doesn't really qualify you to compete with those who have no more cartilage in their landing knee, such as Plushenko...

Kypma

Well, they have to face the reality that they are injured. What I am suggesting was different from what we had for pros or pro-am. I don't really liked pro competitions. What if we have special Worlds and special Olympics formated exactly the same as amateur competitions? The only difference will be that the competitors might skate only one quad or only thriple axels instead of two or three quads in a program. I can't draw the line who is in or who is out. I am not an expert. At least it's more fair than competing with the healthy skaters. I do think it will create a strong rivalry in the competition, especially there is the fact that so many skaters were injured.

 

[nubka]

RATS !!!! That all I can say...

 

[manleywoman]

Well this is very interesting. Why didn't he just say that in teh first place?

Too bad that can't TT/MM get a similar deal.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Well this is very interesting. Why didn't he just say that in teh first place?

Too bad that can't TT/MM get a similar deal.

Shen and Zhao are back and they are not injured!!!

Joe

 

[attyfan]

Shen and Zhao are back and they are not injured!!!

Joe

I thought that they were taking the upcoming season off -- and are undecided about a return for Vancouver.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I thought that they were taking the upcoming season off -- and are undecided about a return for Vancouver.

Shen/Zhou have pretty much retired and there is only a very small chance they return for Vancouver.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Shen/Zhou have pretty much retired and there is only a very small chance they return for Vancouver.

What will the ever demanding Chinese Federation say about that?

Joe

 

[Ximena]

Plushy said Wednesday (12th) that he is training again after the surgery(ies) (I'm still not sure if he got the second one) and that so far he is doing doubles and triples jumps. He said that he is preparing new programs and he really don't want to quit amateur.

Then yesterday Mishin was interview and he said the same about the jumps, that Plush is skating well and that Mishin feels that Plush really wants to get better and in shape. Mishin said that he does not know when Evgeni will compete, and maybe he'll be at Nationals (since they take place in Petersburg). He said that after Plush comes back from Korea, they start working a new training that's harder than the one they've been doing so far.

 

[Ximena]

The other day there was an announcement made by Ari Zakarian, Evgeni's agent saying that considering how Evgeni is training (the fact that he is doing triples, and even those he gets pain from) they have decided they won't compete on the Russian Cup in Kazan (it's a series of competitions, but they are just with Russian skaters) nor in the ISU Cup of Russia; and their new aim is Russian Nationals in Petersburg on early January, and hopefully that will be followed by Euros and Worlds.

 

[jennylovskt]

Ximena, thank you very much for the updates. I wish Plushenko recovers soon and well.

 

[kandidy]

Money conquers champion.
SO sad, i was hoping to see him in competition.

From now on, I won't expect anything from champion and just cheer those new comers.

 

[Ptichka]

Money conquers champion.
SO sad, i was hoping to see him in competition.

From now on, I won't expect anything from champion and just cheer those new comers.

I actually believe that this time it really is about injuries, not money. Remember, Evgeni pulled out of the Dancing on Ice show, which he was supposed to paid very good money for (figure reported in the media was $750,000). I doubt he'd have done that if he weren't in real pain.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I actually believe that this time it really is about injuries, not money. Remember, Evgeni pulled out of the Dancing on Ice show, which he was supposed to paid very good money for (figure reported in the media was $750,000). I doubt he'd have done that if he weren't in real pain.

Absolutely. The poor guy is suffering with that knee. I'm certain the surgery is much better today than in my day having had the meniscus removed. One should understand the 'cartilege' is like a rubber band separating the area where two bones meet (a joint). Without the cartilege, the two bones hit each other. Not comfortable.

I have no idea what the therapy is for him nowadays. It may be that he will be able to skate. I hope so. Isn't he scheduled to do Russian Nats, Euros and Worlds? My best to him and hope he skates the best he can.

Joe

 

[Ximena]

Well the original plan was the Russian Cup in Kazan in early November and the CoR in late november. After that, when the second surgery brought up complications (Evgeni said something along the lines that there was bone growing) and he had to fly back to Germany to see what went wrong, it was said that Evgeni was going to ask for a bye at Nationals. Now that he is training again, it does seem he'll make it to Nats, and as Ari said hopefully Euros and Worlds will follow.

I think that if he asks for a bye, Pissiev will make Evgeni skate on a Test Skate or something like that considering Russia has two spots for Euros and one for Worlds, and the Russian team for what I read seems to have gained some consistency.

Dobrin (now with Mishin), Lutai, Griazev, Voronov an Uspenski are doing GP series. I'm sure Griazev now will get CoR since he is the only one who has only one event, but if Evgeni does not make it to Euros and Worlds, it's going to be really difficult to think which of the 5 guys will get that one spot at Worlds that the RF want so desperately turn into three for next year. Even Yags (that was most likely joking) mentioned that he wanted Evgeni to come back this year so there would be spots for 2009 for him to fight for.