Plushenko vs. Chan: Get Ready for a Skating Showdown

[peibeck]

I think the only skater who can beat CHan from now till Sochi is Takahashi or Kozuka with better pcs and if Fernandez keeps on podiums and his pcs rise, then Fernandez. Thats about all. I would want to add Hanyu please on the list.

Is Takahashi going to stay in through Sochi?

I can't believe Plushy is going to try and come back again next season after yet another surgery. (((Plushy's knees and ankles))) I'm beginning to think the guy has a masochistic streak in him (to match his sadistic streak of inflicting all those Mishin/Marton programs on us.)

[MacMadame]

I find it amusing after reading about how inflated Chan's scores are all season, I'm now reading how he's a wonderful skater, much better than Plushy, and Plushy is the one with inflated scores and that's the only way he'll beat Chan.

(I do realize it's probably not the same people saying these things about Chan, but it still amuses me.)

[caseyedwards]

This is premature because only Euros is in the cards this year so grand prix season or worlds 2013 at the earliest and there are great others that have been mentioned.

[clarie]

There are plenty of young skaters out there now who can and should beat Plushy besides Patrick. I'm hoping Javier beats him at Euro's.

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

I find it amusing after reading about how inflated Chan's scores are all season, I'm now reading how he's a wonderful skater, much better than Plushy, and Plushy is the one with inflated scores and that's the only way he'll beat Chan.

(I do realize it's probably not the same people saying these things about Chan, but it still amuses me.)

Oh, but it's much simplier than that!

You see, in the terms of scores inflation :

Chan > everybody else

but

Pluschenko > Chan

You see? So yes, Chan is overmarked compared to Takahashi and the likes, but compared to Pluschenko his marks are more than fair.

[berthesghost]

speaking of injured skaters who have been competing since dinosaur times, will Joubert be at Euros this year?

[pinky166]

Chan is not so invincible I think.

Plushenko, Takahashi, Kozuka, Fernandez, Hanyu all have a shot at beating him even right now, and the last two's chances are bound to increase between now and Sochi, maybe Kozuka's too as he is still pretty young. Olympics are in Russia and we know the international judges aren't afraid to give Gatchinski huge marks when he skates well, so while he can't challenge Chan yet, I think he could come Sochi. Add to the list Brezina, who seems to have stagnated a bit this season, but has a huge 4s and 3a (and also 4t) and lots of room to grow. If he can get better programs and gain some more artistry and maturity, he could challenge Chan in a season or two as well. Song has no artistry at this point but his jumps speak for themselves and he is storming up the rankings recently, so who knows what could happen with that kid. I fear it's too late for Jeremy but he is scoring very, very well (at least from a PCS standpoint) this season so if he puts it all together, who knows.

Men's skating is at a really great point right now and I'm so excited to see what the next few years bring. I'm not really worried about international competitions becoming the Patrick Chan show because, well frankly Patrick has never been that consistent and is always a little trip-y, and there are so many great talents emerging in the meantime.

[marbri]

In singles skating no one is invincible.

It's an article in a Canadian paper so they will go with the Canadian angle.

Chan, or any skater, will have to deliver to beat Pluschenko. Not because I think Pluschenko is great but because the only skater Pluschenko didn't beat at his last major outing was the one who did deliver (Evan).

[allezfred]

speaking of injured skaters who have been competing since dinosaur times, will Joubert be at Euros this year?

Yes. He'll be going for the outright record of medals earned at Euros. He currently has ten, a record he shares with Ulrich Salchow and Karl Schafer.

[Cherub721]

Everyone is missing the most important point of this article:

Chan has given an interview about a competitor in which he didn't sound like an egotistical ass.

Bravo

[Sally1214]

Everyone is missing the most important point of this article:

Chan has given an interview about a competitor in which he didn't sound like an egotistical ass.

Bravo

[senorita]

Yes. He'll be going for the outright record of medals earned at Euros. He currently has ten, a record he shares with Ulrich Salchow and Karl Schafer.

I didnt know that. But I knew Joubert had some kind of record already!
So if Plushenko wins any medal he joins Salchow and Schafer and Joubert?
This is the whole Jurassic Park!

[Eislauffan]

I didnt know that. But I knew Joubert had some kind of record already!
So if Plushenko wins any medal he joins Salchow and Schafer and Joubert?
This is the whole Jurassic Park!

Joubert has won ten consecutive medals at Europeans, starting in his debut in 2002.
Plushenko has won nine medals including six gold, at Europeans. He, too, medalled in each European Championship he atttended with his debut in 1998.

[falling_dance]

I didnt know that. But I knew Joubert had some kind of record already!
So if Plushenko wins any medal he joins Salchow and Schafer and Joubert?
This is the whole Jurassic Park!

[VarBar]

I know! Same that they gave Lysacek the gold also!

I'm quite surprised this thread hasn't turned into a new fight over who should have won the gold in Vancouver. But it's never too late.

[arakwafan2006]

Who's she? I doubt that PJ Kwong would have written something like this as its sort of silly when you think about it.

[dots]

lol


Plushenko was never going to win the world tittle to begin with, though he sure has a chance of a medal at Europeans. Maybe a bronze or a silver.

[misskarne]

Hmmm.

Chan good day: falls once. Sometimes lands everything and skates clean.

Chan bad day: Falls three times including on simple forward stroking.

Plushenko good day: Lands everything and skates clean.

Plushenko bad day: Lands everything and skates clean.


No point having "glorious deep edges" if you can't stay upright on them. Just saying.

[overedge]

Who's she? I doubt that PJ Kwong would have written something like this as its sort of silly when you think about it.

Beverly Smith has been covering figure skating for more than 20 years, mostly for the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto. And unlike a lot of writers who are assigned to write stories about figure skating, she has taken the time to learn about the sport and to treat it seriously.

[overedge]

Hmmm.

Chan good day: falls once. Sometimes lands everything and skates clean.

Chan bad day: Falls three times including on simple forward stroking.

Plushenko good day: Lands everything and skates clean.

Plushenko bad day: Lands everything and skates clean.


No point having "glorious deep edges" if you can't stay upright on them. Just saying.

And no point in having transitions in your program because they just waste time in between jumps. Just saying.