Pre-Season Favourite Programs

Christina Carriera and Anthony Pomonorenko FD. They have two essentials: Expression and Emotion. They're not just doing elements; they're dancing with passion. Also I have the impression of such long beautiful lines when they skate; I think it's because they hold their positions, so we get to appreciate them. Their unison comes from the inside out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtbYwi6W3MM

On a serious note, I am already in love with Max's Bring Him Home/One Day More.

And with the concept of Brendan's Everybody Wants To Rule The World.

and I know, I just know, that when Joshua finally, finally gives us all Pines of Rome, it will be glorious.

Satoko Memoirs of a Geisha
Mirai Miss Saigon
McNamara/Carpenter SD
Jason B. FP

I've never been the hugest Patrick Chan fan. I love him in a way because he's Canadian and I love all the Canadian skaters, but these two new programs he has makes me want to watch. His LP is gorgeous. The footwork sequences timed so perfectly with the music is breathtaking. I hope he has a moment of perfection when it really counts, if not just for him.

shine said:

Since....Plushy?!

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To each's own, but I'd say since Yagudin, if we're going off of recent epic Russian skaters.

shine said:

Since....Plushy?!

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Uhhhh. YEAH! Since Plushy.

Ic3Rabbit said:

While I agree with you on Patrick, I'm going to have disagree to the point of "since Plushy," though I do have to put in an honorable mention for Jeremy Abbott and his blade work.

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Ic3Rabbit........ My heart!!!

mrrice said:

Uhhhh. YEAH! Since Plushy.

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But the defining qualities which make Patrick one of the all time greats Plushy lacks most of them........

shine said:

But the defining qualities which make Patrick one of the all time greats Plushy lacks most of them........

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Having seen BOTH of them perform live, I'm going to disagree. Patrick has deeper, smoother, and better edging than any skater I have ever seen. They are both great jumpers and spinners. They both have Multiple World Titles and even though Yags has a couple of wins over Plushy but, he never beat Plushy at Nationals. At this point, the biggest thing that sets them apart is Plushy's OMG. If Patrick wins the OGM, he may go down as the greatest skater in History. I already believe he's the greatest Canadian skater in history. Patrick and Plushy are both hall of fame worthy skaters and will be in the history books of skating.

mrrice said:

Having seen BOTH of them perform live, I'm going to disagree. Patrick has deeper, smoother, and better edging than any skater I have ever seen. They are both great jumpers and spinners. They both have Multiple World Titles and even though Yags has a couple of wins over Plushy but, he never beat Plushy at Nationals. At this point, the biggest thing that sets them apart is Plushy's OMG. If Patrick wins the OGM, he may go down as the greatest skater in History. I already believe he's the greatest Canadian skater in history. Patrick and Plushy are both hall of fame worthy skaters and will be in the history books of skating.

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Alexei Yagudin is also a hall of fame worthy skater, in my book. Not everyone feels the need for more gold medals or more competitions.

skylark said:

Alexei Yagudin is also a hall of fame worthy skater, in my book. Not everyone feels the need for more gold medals or more competitions.

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Skylark, I agree. I'm actually including Plushy's lengthy post skating career as well. He and Alexei both performed in shows but, it Plushy's Academy that puts his total career a notch above Yags. I feel the same way about Brian Orser. He may have lost the Battle Of The Brian's but, he won the hearts of many, and in the last 8 years he's been one of the greatest coaches in history. Both of the Brian's were very special and didn't seem to fall into any of the cracks that some skaters do. I think Brian Boitano is still cooking in San Francisco and he had cooking show on the food network.

skylark said:

Alexei Yagudin is also a hall of fame worthy skater, in my book. Not everyone feels the need for more gold medals or more competitions.

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I'd say no "in my book" necessary there - Yags is in the hall of fame, end of story. It's not even about liking him, but his capabilities, achievements and status are pretty clear IMO (same for Plush).

mrrice said:

it Plushy's Academy that puts his total career a notch above Yags.

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I just don't see it that way. Their careers have followed different trajectories, but I don't see a need for "notch above" or below. LOL. JMO.

I do think Plushy's Academy is great, that he's passing his knowledge on. I was very impressed recently when he talked about how he's thinking of coaching and managing Adelina Sotnikova.

I love both Brians. Boitano had a very long, very successful run in the professional competitions, and that may have satisfied him. He was still competing into his 30s. Orser's journey took a very different path. I still remember him saying shortly, "No!" when he was asked if his student Yuna Kim's OGM made up for his not having one. But he's absolutely a brilliant coach. One of the things I most admire about him is the way he suits his training methods to the individual skaters: he's completely different with Javier and Yuzuru; brilliant results with both. And I admire his team approach to coaching.

this goes in Intriguing characters thread.

I think the argument of who goes down in history as the best skater ever is ridiculous. If you want to measure it by OGMs than you're leaving out Kurt Browning who is definitely an icon as well as Stephane Lambiel and his spins, and a host of others who contributed to the sport with their performances. What it comes down to is the style of skating that an individual prefers. I never cared for Plushenko. I loved Yagudin. And because Yagudin doesn't have an academy, that doesn't make him any less of a skater. It's like comparing apples and oranges - who has the most of whatever. If I had to choose between Yagudin and Patrick Chan....boy howdy, that would be a tough one because I really, really appreciate both of them. Both are athletic, both can interpret music beautifully, both can jump and spin, both bring a certain personality to the ice. And I prefer them over Hanyu and Nathan Chen and Boyang Jin, etc. etc, because I like the artistic side much more than the jumping bean side. So who is the best is going to depend on each individual's liking.

noskates said:

I think the argument of who goes down in history as the best skater ever is ridiculous. If you want to measure it by OGMs than you're leaving out Kurt Browning who is definitely an icon as well as Stephane Lambiel and his spins, and a host of others who contributed to the sport with their performances. What it comes down to is the style of skating that an individual prefers. I never cared for Plushenko. I loved Yagudin. And because Yagudin doesn't have an academy, that doesn't make him any less of a skater.

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:agree: 100%.

It's like comparing apples and oranges - who has the most of whatever. .... So who is the best is going to depend on each individual's liking.

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I'm so happy that I never tell myself I have to choose between two skaters that I love and admire. And quantity of medals doesn't decide any question about quality of a career.

Thread is still hijacked.

noskates said:

I think the argument of who goes down in history as the best skater ever is ridiculous. If you want to measure it by OGMs than you're leaving out Kurt Browning who is definitely an icon as well as Stephane Lambiel and his spins, and a host of others who contributed to the sport with their performances. What it comes down to is the style of skating that an individual prefers. I never cared for Plushenko. I loved Yagudin. And because Yagudin doesn't have an academy, that doesn't make him any less of a skater. It's like comparing apples and oranges - who has the most of whatever. If I had to choose between Yagudin and Patrick Chan....boy howdy, that would be a tough one because I really, really appreciate both of them. Both are athletic, both can interpret music beautifully, both can jump and spin, both bring a certain personality to the ice. And I prefer them over Hanyu and Nathan Chen and Boyang Jin, etc. etc, because I like the artistic side much more than the jumping bean side. So who is the best is going to depend on each individual's liking.

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Completely true....I would also be leaving out 2 of my favorite ladies skaters. Maria Butyrskaya and Jennifer Robinson. Neither of whom have Olympic Medals of ANY color. In fact, Jennifer doesn't even have a World Medal but, she sure is pretty and the girl, Like Maria, could work a panel of judges....And the audience loved her.

noskates said:

And I prefer them over Hanyu and Nathan Chen and Boyang Jin, etc. etc, because I like the artistic side much more than the jumping bean side.

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Hanyu is not a jumping bean and does not even remotely belong in the same category as Chen and Jin.
Dislike is one thing, the other is simply not true.

shine said:

Since....Plushy?!

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yes, of course

MsSweetie said:

To each's own, but I'd say since Yagudin, if we're going off of recent epic Russian skaters.

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Yagudin wasn't better in anything. He lived in US, he supported the North-American skaters, teams at SLC , he wasn't rooting for Irina Sluts! He anted to move to US. He was the favorite Russian by far in US!! But he betrayed the Americans, too when he moved back to Russia.:scowl: He said they have no culture, they are like a robot they have no emotions....I don't repeat what he said about the women.
He skated in North-American style, his coach was Tat, he lived there for 7 years, he received every support from American commentators, he skated in many professional competitions there thus he is more popular there..

skylark said:

Alexei Yagudin is also a hall of fame worthy skater, in my book. Not everyone feels the need for more gold medals or more competitions.

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Yagudin had hip problems thus he finished the skating. But he said not once he doesn't care about the figure skating, he doesn't like it. He said after 2010 this is not that good FS as it was in his time. He wanted to do something else but he isn't talented enough so he remained in skating. He skates for money in Averbukh shows.
On the contrary Plushenko said not once he can't live without FS, without ice. He has own academy, own world class shows, for ex Kings on Ice shows . Plus he created the Snow King and the Nutcracker shows. Those are amazing and no one created such a high level shows before. If you don't believe me check it on YT, please . Do you really think they are on same level in FS history?

Li'Kitsu said:

I'd say no "in my book" necessary there - Yags is in the hall of fame, end of story. It's not even about liking him, but his capabilities, achievements and status are pretty clear IMO (same for Plush).

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Yes, he is in the hall of fame. Plushenko finished his career in this year officially. He had no time to be there.
But his capabilities, status, archievements are similar? Really? Yagudin misses 10 Russian champion titles, 1 Oly gold medal, 2 Oly silver medals, 4 European champion titles, 2 GPF golds and 4 GP golds to Plushenko's archievements. Plus Yagudin had no innovations he learned it what Plushenko did if he wanted to be competitive.

Not to mention Plushenko's star quality. You can't compare Yagudin's fame, succes, popularity to Plushenko's . The Russians choose Plushenko in that time, too. When Yagudin was invited to the world biggest shows? Well, Plushenko is continously in those shows...

skylark said:

I just don't see it that way. Their careers have followed different trajectories, but I don't see a need for "notch above" or below. LOL. JMO.

I do think Plushy's Academy is great, that he's passing his knowledge on. I was very impressed recently when he talked about how he's thinking of coaching and managing Adelina Sotnikova.

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Yes. The Academy is working for 5 months. Adelina was injured ( her ligament) again.. Every coach needs time. Plushenko has knowledge. He has a coach degree plus he learned everything during the 20 years in FS. Mishin built his jumping method with him, sometimes Plush stood on ice with Mishin for hours and showed Mishin's method for the other coaches...

And you don't mention the artistry, please. That is subjective and Plushenko has artistry from the very early age. He has innate artistry. He received much more 6.0s in his career as Yagudin, he was 16 when he received the first at NHK trophy...

Wow. You just made my point Plushyfan. We love who we love. There are many who would agree with you and many (myself included) that don't agree with you. It all comes down to who your favorite is!

Right now my favorite pre-season programs (to get this thread back on track and to prevent the savage beating of dead horses) belong to Jason Brown and Patrick Chan. Some will agree with me, some won't. Nature of the sport.

noskates said:

Wow. You just made my point Plushyfan. We love who we love. There are many who would agree with you and many (myself included) that don't agree with you. It all comes down to who your favorite is!

Right now my favorite pre-season programs (to get this thread back on track and to prevent the savage beating of dead horses) belong to Jason Brown and Patrick Chan. Some will agree with me, some won't. Nature of the sport.

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What I said those are facts those are on internet, in articles and on different pages. Do you can deny anything? Do it with facts, if you can, please. For ex their titles doesn't depend on who is my favorite. Their relationships to the FS don't depend on who is my favorite Yagudin doesn't like it, Plushenko adores it...