Plushenko intends to restart career

[Sandpiper]

Why not? If the other Russian guys remain wildly inconsistent there's really no reason why they wouldn't welcome Plushenko back.

*sigh* There needs be a "State of Russian Men's Figure Skating Thread," to match the hand-wringing on the US Ladies Thread. In fact, I think I'm going to make one today...

I was going to say something about his intentions being Euros' - but then I came across this article:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/532351/plushenko-set-to-resume-ice-skating-career

"I'm planning to take part in the Grand Prix this autumn to win a place in the GP series final at Barcelona."

So, who knows, really? No doubt we'll see...

Huh. Now that's actually quite interesting (if it's true, which I doubt, considering the competence of these articles in general. I don't think his health would allow it either.)

 

[4everchan]

not to sound like a hater.. but I think the guy is a bit ill …. his back is completely destroyed… he could lose the ability to walk in his 40-50s… that's just sick… and why? Hasn't he achieved everything a skater wishes to achieve?

 

[cheerknithanson]

not to sound like a hater.. but I think the guy is a bit ill …. his back is completely destroyed… he could lose the ability to walk in his 40-50s… that's just sick… and why? Hasn't he achieved everything a skater wishes to achieve?

Everything and more.

 

[Crossover]

Let's see..today is not obviously April Fools' Day.:confused2:

 

[Watermelondrea]

They should have had Kovtun on board in case something happened.

Kovtun originally was selected to skate individually while plushy was only gonna skate team, but plushy demanded that he skate in the individual too, and boy the fed sure does love plushy so they let him.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Kovtun originally was selected to skate individually while plushy was only gonna skate team, but plushy demanded that he skate in the individual too, and boy the fed sure does love plushy so they let him.

I think that was what the Russian Fed hoped they could do, but as it turned out the rules didn't allow that so Plushy had to do both.

I'm not sure Maxim Kotvun would have been a good pick anyway at least for the Team Event, at least then he hadn't had much international experience and the Olympics is a big deal...

 

[jenaj]

I was going to say that Plush will not be able to beat Hanyu but then I remembered how Hanyu (and Chan) skated at Sochi. Plush probably could have won if he had skated two clean programs! That said, I think it is time for him to retire. How much punishment can a body take?

 

[Sandpiper]

Kovtun originally was selected to skate individually while plushy was only gonna skate team, but plushy demanded that he skate in the individual too, and boy the fed sure does love plushy so they let him.

How many times does this need to be said? Plushenko said he'd skate team when asked hypothetically by journalists "which one would he pick"--if he could only pick one. The rules do not allow a country with a single representative to have different people skating team and individual; when Plushenko realized this, he said that he'd skate both if selected (which was the only thing he could do anyway).

The Russian Fed boxed themselves into a corner with the "rule clarification" business. If they withdrew Plushenko after the Team Event, it would look like a suspicious fake injury.

Kovtun has seen his own share of questionable assignments (2013 Europeans, 2013 Worlds). He is not unloved by his Federation--quite the opposite.

 

[Jammers]

I was going to say that Plush will not be able to beat Hanyu but then I remembered how Hanyu (and Chan) skated at Sochi. Plush probably could have won if he had skated two clean programs! That said, I think it is time for him to retire. How much punishment can a body take?

Hanyu beat Plushenko easily in the SP in the team event in Sochi. Plushenko is kidding himself if he thinks he can compete against the top guys. He's good for maybe 2 competitions a year and that's it and in 2018 he might be down to one. I guess he wants to win another Gold in the team event to make him look good but the fact is he still has only won one Gold medal in the individual event in his career.

 

[LyraAngelica]

I hope he gets some actual choreography instead of his "posing" between jumps.

 

[4everchan]

i think that the judges are perhaps protective of the top skaters right now even when they fall, since their programs are filled with transitions… but if ever plushie comes back he would have to be flawless…. he won't get high PCs if he isn't clean

 

[Skater Boy]

Well we supported Pang and Tong, Kavaguti and Smirnov, Savchenko, Zhang, Kostner, Korpi so why not Plushy too? I guess I am trying to be fair. Can you imagine him and Menshov representing Russia in men's skating? Still I kind of wish he would retire on top - did great at Sochi with a team gold. He should be proud - two gold and two silver and many world medals. I know we are all selfish but really he is so well loved he can skate in shows. he is like Kwan - they don't need any more titles. At least he still skates - not sure when she last skated.

 

[dress]

I can understand if he wants to compete a little more to retire on a better note than a WD. It could be nice to retire at the european championships.

I would be surprised to see him compete in 2018

 

[Crossover]

Well we supported Pang and Tong, Kavaguti and Smirnov, Savchenko, Zhang, Kostner, Korpi so why not Plushy too? I guess I am trying to be fair. Can you imagine him and Menshov representing Russia in men's skating? Still I kind of wish he would retire on top - did great at Sochi with a team gold. He should be proud - two gold and two silver and many world medals. I know we are all selfish but really he is so well loved he can skate in shows. he is like Kwan - they don't need any more titles. At least he still skates - not sure when she last skated.

All of the list skaters don't have an Olympic gold medal and have maintained a good health condition to compete while Plushenko already has two OGMs including a team event one and had to withdraw himself in the men's single event for his spine. I don't think his returning to competition is worthy enough to trade his life with a good health.

 

[rollerblade]

I guess he wants to win another Gold in the team event to make him look good but the fact is he still has only won one Gold medal in the individual event in his career.

OMG only ONE [individual] gold medal! What a terrible and bad-looking career.

 

[Alchamei]

Tbh, I am not as negative as other posters here. Sure, he is crazy. And injured like hell. But after all, it is his decision amd I welcome that. I would be happier if he only competed in 2018 but I will cheer for him amd hope he won't destroy his body.

 

[Winnie_20]

Tbh, I am not as negative as other posters here. Sure, he is crazy. And injured like hell. But after all, it is his decision amd I welcome that. I would be happier if he only competed in 2018 but I will cheer for him amd hope he won't destroy his body.

This, + 1. We're talking professional athletes. These people have been trained to know what their body can and cannot take from almost the moment they started skating. They are old and wise enough to decide for themselves if something is worth the risk or not. Clearly, for him it is. (Like it was for Yuzuru Hanyu this whole season.. that didn't turn out too bad, now did it?)
I'm not a Plushenko fan, in fact, if I never see him in competition again, it will be too soon. But this is about him, not me, so... *shrug* Go for it.

 

[daphenaxa]

Him coming back is probably not the best for his health but it will certainly be terrible for mine. I will be so f stressed out every time. And that's going to be such a change because from all my favs I knew he would be the one that systematically delivered so I didn't have to worry!

 

[LiamForeman]

Tbh, I am not as negative as other posters here. Sure, he is crazy. And injured like hell. But after all, it is his decision amd I welcome that. I would be happier if he only competed in 2018 but I will cheer for him amd hope he won't destroy his body.

This is how I feel. He's been elite for 17+ years. He knows his body, and probably still wants the challenge of pushing his body to its limit. What else should he be doing? He has tons of money, doesn't need to settle down with a 9 to 5 job. If he wants to keep going. hopefully he'll be more about the components so that he'll have better programs, but maybe it's still all about the quad and jumps. He was in amazing shape last season, barring the injuries. If he can manage the injuries he still could be competitive possibly. Like someone upthread mentioned, look how badly the men's event in Sochi was. A clean Plushy could have given it a run for the money.

 

[Fee]

I have bein thinking about buying a Penny board, but i also saw a cruiser that i liked, i have a qeustion, is a cruiser easyer or a penny board? My friend says a Penny, but i don't know. Help me out here i'm new!!!!