Thoughts on the '10 Olympics Figure Skating
As you may or may not know (probably not... unless you stalk my youtube channel or something) I am an avid figure skating fan. Well, I suppose I should qualify that a little. I'm not quite on the level of breaking down every competition looking for spin levels and comparing GOEs... (yet!). I can call the most basic spin positions - A spin, scratch, camel, sit, change of edge and change of foot, and the like - but no more than that, and know the simplest of footwork elements. I've never skated myself, aside from a few lessons when I was really little. But I can call all 6 jump varieties, count revolutions, and catch wrong edge takeoffs. And the more obvious underrotations. I haven't missed a competition aired on US TV yet, and I watched Euros online. So I'm not a skating uber ;) but I do know quite a bit.
Of course my excitement knows no bounds right now with the Vancouver Olympics literally just around the corner. For those interested - opening ceremonies, Feb 12th! And the Skating segment starts within the week. Since this has all been on my mind I thought I'd put out some musings on the subject.
My #1 fav discipline is men's, which I blame entirely upon THIS man: (and Edvin Marton, his crazy violin-playing compatriot who composes a lot of his program music.)
EP is already the reigning Olympic champion. He "retired" 4 years ago but has always made noises about coming back, and this season he actually up and did it, and astonished everyone that he managed to train himself back up to his old level. This guy is a jumping machine. In an age where the quad is a huge risk for most of the elite skaters to do, he drops them left and right with a 90+% success rate. The guy's done over 100 in competition, and tacks a triple (sometimes two!) like it's no big deal. Speed, power, consistency, and he overflows with charisma. My sense of fairness says "hey he already has an olympic gold! move over!" but the guy can totally earn it again.
Unfortunately along with his section of loyal fans there are plenty less than charmed with his cocksure consistent style and his 'dramatic arm movements' (less polite terms are used on some FS boards). So he has plenty enough ill-wishers.
Someone else who has plenty of ill-wishers, and it's a pity too, is America's own Evan Lysacek. He's the reigning World Champion (you should have seen how excited I was when that happened). His triple axel is always scary to watch - he's GOT it, but it's awfully swingy on the takeoff and just SCARES me - but his footwork is to die for. Always brings the audience screaming to their feet. And he's almost - almost - as consistent as Plushenko. Given that Olympic pressure makes headcases out of so many men, he may just nip in there for the silver. (I could totally go for him being Olympic Champion also, but I just don't see Plushenko having the meltdown he'd need to lose to Evan.)
There are a whole slew of talented guys out there - Takahashi, Oda (both from Japan), Chan (Canada), Abbott and Weir (the other two Americans), Vernier (Czech Republic)... and my other 2 favorites, both of which I wish could medal. But there are an insane number of tiebreakers in Figure skating, they'd both have to get the exact same SP and LP score and the exact same Technical Elements and Program Components scores... not going to happen. Still I can dream of a double bronze between Brian Joubert (France) and Stephane Lambiel (Switzerland), can't I?
In all fairness either of those two have the mettle to be Olympic Champion. If Plushenko goes perfect and Joubert goes perfect it's half a dozen one way and six the other which one wins this time around. If Lambiel nails everything, he has the PCS to put him in first over anyone else. Unfortunately his triple axel is a prayer at best and he NEVER nails everything... it would be so glorious if this were to be his night.
So I've got 2 dream podiums floating around...
1. Plushenko
2. Lysacek
3. Lambiel / Joubert
1. Lambiel
2. Lysacek
3. Plushenko / Joubert
Do I have something against Plush winning the silver? Why yes, I do. In addition to his 2006 gold he came in second in Salt Lake City in 2002... so if he's not going to repeat as Olympic Champion (something no man has done since Dick Button) he may as well have the full medal set! *nods*
Also, there's a rumor going around it's between Plushenko and the captain of the Russian hockey team for flag bearer in the opening ceremonies... fingers crossed?
Of course my excitement knows no bounds right now with the Vancouver Olympics literally just around the corner. For those interested - opening ceremonies, Feb 12th! And the Skating segment starts within the week. Since this has all been on my mind I thought I'd put out some musings on the subject.
My #1 fav discipline is men's, which I blame entirely upon THIS man: (and Edvin Marton, his crazy violin-playing compatriot who composes a lot of his program music.)
Click to viewEP is already the reigning Olympic champion. He "retired" 4 years ago but has always made noises about coming back, and this season he actually up and did it, and astonished everyone that he managed to train himself back up to his old level. This guy is a jumping machine. In an age where the quad is a huge risk for most of the elite skaters to do, he drops them left and right with a 90+% success rate. The guy's done over 100 in competition, and tacks a triple (sometimes two!) like it's no big deal. Speed, power, consistency, and he overflows with charisma. My sense of fairness says "hey he already has an olympic gold! move over!" but the guy can totally earn it again.
Unfortunately along with his section of loyal fans there are plenty less than charmed with his cocksure consistent style and his 'dramatic arm movements' (less polite terms are used on some FS boards). So he has plenty enough ill-wishers.
Someone else who has plenty of ill-wishers, and it's a pity too, is America's own Evan Lysacek. He's the reigning World Champion (you should have seen how excited I was when that happened). His triple axel is always scary to watch - he's GOT it, but it's awfully swingy on the takeoff and just SCARES me - but his footwork is to die for. Always brings the audience screaming to their feet. And he's almost - almost - as consistent as Plushenko. Given that Olympic pressure makes headcases out of so many men, he may just nip in there for the silver. (I could totally go for him being Olympic Champion also, but I just don't see Plushenko having the meltdown he'd need to lose to Evan.)
There are a whole slew of talented guys out there - Takahashi, Oda (both from Japan), Chan (Canada), Abbott and Weir (the other two Americans), Vernier (Czech Republic)... and my other 2 favorites, both of which I wish could medal. But there are an insane number of tiebreakers in Figure skating, they'd both have to get the exact same SP and LP score and the exact same Technical Elements and Program Components scores... not going to happen. Still I can dream of a double bronze between Brian Joubert (France) and Stephane Lambiel (Switzerland), can't I?
In all fairness either of those two have the mettle to be Olympic Champion. If Plushenko goes perfect and Joubert goes perfect it's half a dozen one way and six the other which one wins this time around. If Lambiel nails everything, he has the PCS to put him in first over anyone else. Unfortunately his triple axel is a prayer at best and he NEVER nails everything... it would be so glorious if this were to be his night.
So I've got 2 dream podiums floating around...
1. Plushenko
2. Lysacek
3. Lambiel / Joubert
1. Lambiel
2. Lysacek
3. Plushenko / Joubert
Do I have something against Plush winning the silver? Why yes, I do. In addition to his 2006 gold he came in second in Salt Lake City in 2002... so if he's not going to repeat as Olympic Champion (something no man has done since Dick Button) he may as well have the full medal set! *nods*
Also, there's a rumor going around it's between Plushenko and the captain of the Russian hockey team for flag bearer in the opening ceremonies... fingers crossed?