Which of the men do you see becoming "it" by Sochi

[bek]

I've been thinking about what happens in the next quad leading into Sochi. There is a lot of talented men coming up. Kozuka, Rippon, Brezina, Florent, Fernandez, Denis Ten, the Japanese men.

I'm wondering who everyone thinks is going to be the next star. For me, while I don't think he's the skater Kozuka or Chan is. And I don't think he's as well packaged right now as Florent or Rippon.. If I had to put my money on any of the young guys its Brezina.

Its just he's a great jumper, and a lot of the other guys are not great jumpers. And I think he does have artistic potential too, even though his choregraphy especially needs work. If he can do those quads consistently, and manage to get the type of levels he got at worlds, I think he will start winning competitions quickly..

My gut is telling me that he's going to have an easier time improving his PCS marks, transitions, footwork spins. etc, than someone like Chan, or Rippon will have at becoming great jumpers. Or Kozuka at developing consistency at this point too. If he can keep on getting the types of levels he got at worlds, he won't loss out to much on spins or footwork..

I'm curious about what Frank does with Ten too. And the young man who won Juniors.

[igniculus]

I've been thinking about what happens in the next quad leading into Sochi. There is a lot of talented men coming up. Kozuka, Rippon, Brezina, Florent, Fernandez, Denis Ten, the Japanese men.

I'd add Borodulin to the mix too.

Lovely years ahead os us!

[Wyliefan]

My fingers are crossed for Florent . . . but there aren't any on this list that I don't like!

[Jot the Dot Dot]

Whoever looks good in this costume: http://www.grace-marshall.com/photos...usin_itt_3.jpg

[attyfan]

With so many, I don't think we will have the same men dominating the podium, or with one or two places "reserved" for the same one or two (as with Yags/Plush)

[caseyedwards]

Whoever looks good in this costume: http://www.grace-marshall.com/photos...usin_itt_3.jpg

LOL-"which of the men do you see becoming 'IT'"

Brezina was third in the euros free skate and third in the worlds free skate in his first senior year. At the Olympics maybe because of nerves he doubled or singled some jumps very very uncharastically but he really is great at triple jumps most of the time-like 90% of the time.

[Lanna]

Yuzuru Hanyu I look forward to him and Kozuka in the upcoming quad

[ryanbfan]

Keegan.. and it's not too biased because I thought that when I first saw him skate.

[Fallcolor]

I would really like to say Adrian S, but basic skating is one thing he can certainly improve upon if he wants to move up the chain!
Amodio, Hanyu, Brezina, and Rippon are the ones to watch for too, among the obvious ones (Chan, Kozuka)

[caseyedwards]

I would really like to say Adrian S, but basic skating is one thing he can certainly improve upon if he wants to move up the chain!
Amodio, Hanyu, Brezina, and Rippon are the ones to watch for too, among the obvious ones (Chan, Kozuka)

Schultheiss definitely needs to work on his steps -level 2 mostly-but judges don't give him plus GOE on anything! Also in free skates-3 jumps after the halfway point? That has to change-if he can.

[bek]

With so many, I don't think we will have the same men dominating the podium, or with one or two places "reserved" for the same one or two (as with Yags/Plush)

See thats where I sort of disagree. Evan was able to be fairly dominanting (winning Worlds, GPF, and the Olympics) just by being fairly consistent. A lot of these guys are talented but not consistent. If someone like Brezina can add in not only consistency but something quads.....Some of these young talents are inconsistent with their triple axels-let along quads...

[judgejudy27]

I am not sure really. While he is not my favorite skater I think Chan might be the most likely at this point. Takahashi could be too if is able to stay healthy and stick around that long. Brezina I would also give pretty good odds to be it.

I think Rippon is the best U.S hope for Sochi but not sure how great his chances are. I think he will have chances, just not sure how great. I am very interested in seeing how he develops.

I would like to say Kozuka has a shot by then but I am not really sure. If Takahashi stays around his rise to being the Japanese #1 will be delayed longer and by the time it maybe happens it may already be too late. I think Hanyu is perhaps more likely in fact, and he might have a good shot by Sochi.

Who I am pretty sure wont be is Oda who I think is more likely to fall off the Japanese World team soon then he is to win a World medal. Nor Verner who I think will stay around and maybe make a comeback to success of sorts, but will have a hard time even becoming Czech #1 again. Nor Lysacek who even if he does comeback (I dont think he will) has probably already peaked in his own skating by now, and the skating is bound to only go up from the last couple seasons which in the big events hasnt been great to put it mildly.

[attyfan]

See thats where I sort of disagree. Evan was able to be fairly dominanting (winning Worlds, GPF, and the Olympics) just by being fairly consistent. A lot of these guys are talented but not consistent. If someone like Brezina can add in not only consistency but something quads.....Some of these young talents are inconsistent with their triple axels-let along quads...

To me, dominant means more than "successful"; it applies to skaters whose place on a podium is close to a sure thing -- as with MK or Yags or Plush during the 6.0 era. While Evan was successful, there were also enough guys capable of beating him to prevent any one of them from dominating in that sense.

[screech]

See thats where I sort of disagree. Evan was able to be fairly dominanting (winning Worlds, GPF, and the Olympics) just by being fairly consistent. A lot of these guys are talented but not consistent. If someone like Brezina can add in not only consistency but something quads.....Some of these young talents are inconsistent with their triple axels-let along quads...

Evan didn't really 'dominate' though. Dominate, to me, means that you own those spots. Evan won one world title and the OGM. He's barely more dominant than Jeff Buttle was upon his retirement. Someone like Yags or Plush is dominant because it was pretty safe to bet that at any given competition, each would place 1st or 2nd.

A skater can be consistent, but that doesn't mean that they're the best ones there and will always win. Joannie Rochette isn't always the most consistent skater, but in the past 2 seasons it's been a pretty safe bet that she'd podium at any given event.

Based on the 'up and coming' skaters and their results at events, Patrick Chan is the most consistently placed (which doesn't mean that he's a consistent jumper) because the other aspects of his skating are so good and the jumps he does, he does really well. If he keeps going as he's going, of the 'young ones' he's the dominant one with two world silver medals, regular qualifications for the GPF and 5th at the O's. If retired skaters hadn't re-instated he would have medaled (I know, no point in what-ifs). So for youngsters, he's the dominant one and if he keeps improving, is the most likely to remain so.

But we have no idea what will happen in the next quadrennial. But if not Chan, I don't think any one skater will dominate. Some of the 'older' guys like Joubert and Verner can always sneak in there - we can't forget that in the past 7 years, Brian has podiumed at Worlds 6 times and can go from 16th at the O's to 3rd at worlds within less than a month. Some skater we have never even seen before could come out of nowhere and win 2 world titles and the OGM in the next quad for all we know.

The mens event is so unpredictable and has been since 2006 because there are so many talented men who can mess with our minds so badly. In the last 4 years we have had 4 different world champions. I don't think there is any one 'it' for mens, unless Chan gets a consistent quad.

[caseyedwards]

Chan also places a premium amount of jumps in the second half of his free skate. He basically does two short programs and then the second half of his free skate is jump time. It is probably much smarter for him to get those triples consistent. It's not like he has major problems doing any jumps-no bad technique there but to try to get a quad now that is risky.At this point he could probably ease up on transitions and still get high marks because of his rep. That is really cynical but he can start winning if he got those jumps and of course doing less stuff before them would help.

[pinky166]

Brezina, Rippon, Hanyu for sure
Ten, Amodio, Fernandez likely
Song, Schultheiss, Borodulin maybe

[Jaana]

If I had to put my money on any of the young guys its Brezina.

Its just he's a great jumper, and a lot of the other guys are not great jumpers. And I think he does have artistic potential too, even though his choregraphy especially needs work. If he can do those quads consistently, and manage to get the type of levels he got at worlds, I think he will start winning competitions quickly..

Four years ago after the Torino Olympics I had same kind of feelings about Tomas Verner´s success and predicted him for the 2010 Olympic champion, LOL...

In this point now I think that Ten working with Frank C. would have great chances to become something. Of course it depends on whether he is a really hard worker and has self-discipline and drive.

To me, dominant means more than "successful"; it applies to skaters whose place on a podium is close to a sure thing -- as with MK or Yags or Plush during the 6.0 era. While Evan was successful, there were also enough guys capable of beating him to prevent any one of them from dominating in that sense.

Evan dominated in 2009-2010, because he was the one who beat others and won Worlds, GPF and Olympics. After 1984 there has been no reigning World champion managing to win the Olympics in men´s discipline.

[Zokko!]

Amateur Lysacek was just lucky 'cause the judges had a "favour" for him ... he'll still remain as one of the most ridiculous ..."... Olympic ... "Champion" ..." ... for decades.

As for the question, the talented guys, I'd say Rippon, Ten, Amodio, Borodulin.

[briancoogaert]

I've been thinking about what happens in the next quad leading into Sochi. There is a lot of talented men coming up. Kozuka, Rippon, Brezina, Florent, Fernandez, Denis Ten, the Japanese men.

I agree with your list. Those guys are amazing.
But I didn't see very good ones at 2010 Junior World. We'll see next season.

[MOIJTO]

Four years is a long time and all kinds of things can happen. As far as the "IT" factor. I would say that there are a few who have it now even though they haven't seen a senior world podium.