Loads of talent but not enough success to match it

[aka_gerbil]

Early in his career, I thought Roman Sadovsky might be able to be the one to break the curse, but he is such a headcase.

 

[Bigbird]

Early in his career, I thought Roman Sadovsky might be able to be the one to break the curse, but he is such a headcase.

Is it that they struggle to take it one element at a time during competition? Would be curious to find out the secret to Nathan Chen's seemingly superior mental strength.

 

[Vagabond]

John Misha Petkevich
Laëtitia Hubert
Júlia Sebestyén

Viktória Pavuk flashed great talent when she finished fourth at Europeans in 2004. The advent of COP and a series of injuries doomed her.

 

[Lemonade20]

I think Nathan Chen is super focused because it comes naturally to him.

 

[Vash01]

John Misha Petkevich
Laëtitia Hubert
Júlia Sebestyén

Viktória Pavuk flashed great talent when she finished fourth at Europeans in 2004. The advent of COP and a series of injuries doomed her.

I think Petkevich won a world bronze. That was about what he was capable of, from the fs video I saw. I never saw him skate. Way before my time. Hubert got lucky early in her career but I never thought of her as great talent. Julia Seb did underachieve, I think.

 

[Japanfan]

Ilia Klimkin just came to mind. Loved him.

 

[bardtoob]

But in Miss Kwiatkowski's case,most of the cause of her lack of success came down to unfortunate internal USFSA politics.

She should have gone to the 1998 Olympics. However, she was doing herself no favors until 1996, when she actually started springing off those technically exaggerated jump entrances.

In the same vein as Patrick, we could almost add Kurt Browning to the list.

Did Stojko thrive tho?

Stojko managed to grab silver, and he handles competition nerves better than Chan.

Stojko had two clean programs at an Olympics, 1992, and I think it really did not sit well with him for the rest of his career that his marks were wild and clearly political in the LP. He was literally given whatever marks preserved the previous placements in the competition, as if he did not even skate the LP when he was the final skater of the night. This judging really made figure skating look like it wasn't a sport.

Elvis Stojko (CAN) - 1992 Albertville, Men's Original Program

Albertville, FRANCE - 1992 Winter Games, Figure Skating, Men's Original Program - Elvis Stojko of Canada placed 6th after this skate.

www.youtube.com

Elvis Stojko LP 1992 Albertville Winter Olympic Games

Elvis skated the best technical program of the evening only to be dropped farther in the standings on a crazy night of judging.

www.youtube.com

On the other hand, Patrick, who I adored, pissed away years when he could have been technically developing being fed snake oil while having his ego stroked by Madame Dance Lady.

 

[Vash01]

Ilia Klimkin just came to mind. Loved him.

I mentioned him early in this thread,along with Sasha Abt.

 

[overedge]

I think Petkevich won a world bronze. That was about what he was capable of, from the fs video I saw. I never saw him skate. Way before my time.

He never won a world medal.

He was regarded by most of his peers as one of the best skaters ever. Just because he didn't do the high-level jumps and spins that skaters do now doesn't mean he wasn't a great skater. There is a story that Dick Button gave him a trophy that Button had been given by Ulrich Salchow, to recognize how admired Petkevich was. Petkevich later passed the trophy on to Paul Wylie.

Petkevich also wrote one of the best skating instructional books ever: https://www.amazon.com/Books-John-Misha-Petkevich/s?rh=n:283155,p_27:John+Misha+Petkevich

 

[caseyedwards]

Tomas Verner. He was a really good skater and performer, and should have had more than his Euros title/medals to show for it.

His fall 2010 was remarkable! He couldn’t do quads for some reason and beat Patrick Chan because everything he did was done well l! Makes you think!

 

[museksk8r]

Well, Patrick Chan has also been one deemed lacking in success even with TEN national titles and 3 World championships.
This is a tough room!

Yeah, don’t forget his individual Olympic silver and team Olympic gold and silver medals as well. What an underachiever!

 

[museksk8r]

Indeed. But in Miss Kwiatkowski's case,most of the cause of her lack of success came down to unfortunate internal USFSA politics.

-BB

USFSA politics made her melt down at the 1993 Worlds QR, made her fall on the 3flip in the 1995 Nationals FP and go from 1st to 3rd, made her melt down in both the 1997 and 1998 Nationals FPs, thus missing a spot on the 1997 Worlds team and 1998 Olympics team? Your position would hold weight if Kwiatkowski had actually delivered clean skates at these crucial moments in her career.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

I said Patrick because despite his obvious monumental talent, I would go so far as to say generational talent, (with Hanyu being the only other one) he never did have the kind of success he could have had if he'd been a fierce competitor. Imagine what he'd have achieved with his talent both technical and artistic coupled with Stojko's competitive mindset. He'd have won everything in site - including a couple of individual Oly golds. He "lost" to Hanyu's 1st Only gold for want of a double axel. If he'd skated to his potential he'd have creamed him.

I agree he could have won in 2014, but not sure how he could have won a "couple" individual golds. He was never winning in 2018.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

Brian Orser (1984, 1988)
Kurt Browning (1992, 1994)
Elvis Stojko (1994, 1998)
Patrick Chan (2014, 2018)

Have I missed anyone?

Out of these four, Browning and Chan had the best chance to win the OGM. They were the favorites In those years (they had competed a year earlier, as potential).

There could be a surprise in the future. A Canadian man who is not the favorite or Co-favorite May win the elusive OGM. I don't expect it to happen in 2022 though.

I would add in the 2 Donalds.

Donald Jackson won Worlds in 62 with that epic performance, but had to retire for financial reasons.

And a little know Donald, Donald MacPherson, won the 63 worlds. He also had to retire only a year from the Games for financial reasons. Back then skaters did not have sponsors and help like today. Manfred Schnelldorfer who won the Gold, lost all 3 of his head to head meetings with Donald M, and had been beaten easily by him at the 63 worlds where he was 3rd to Donald's 1st. He won the Olympics with an uninspiring performance.

 

[Vash01]

I would add in the 2 Donalds.

Donald Jackson won Worlds in 62 with that epic performance, but had to retire for financial reasons.

And a little know Donald, Donald MacPherson, won the 63 worlds. He also had to retire only a year from the Games for financial reasons. Back then skaters did not have sponsors and help like today. Manfred Schnelldorfer who won the Gold, lost all 3 of his head to head meetings with Donald M, and had been beaten easily by him at the 63 worlds where he was 3rd to Donald's 1st. He won the Olympics with an uninspiring performance.

You are quite a historian. Impressive.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

You are quite a historian. Impressive.

I am also Canadian and our lack of a mens gold at some point is gut wrenching to me. I have wanted it so badly, and needless to say it looks nowhere on the horizon now. I am not saying we deserved it any year, but given that there were so many possibles and it hasn't happened, ugh. It is our strongest discipline I believe and the only one we don't have a gold in, and so many legendary men.

 

[Vash01]

I am also Canadian and our lack of a mens gold at some point is gut wrenching to me. I have wanted it so badly, and needless to say it looks nowhere on the horizon now. I am not saying we deserved it any year, but given that there were so many possibles and it hasn't happened, ugh. It is our strongest discipline I believe and the only one we don't have a gold in, and so many legendary men.

True. Orser, Browning, Stojko, Chan were all capable of winning the gold. It just didn't happen.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

To the thread title some that come to mind:

Caryn Kadavy- Such a talented skater. Very competitive technical content for the time, with a triple loop in the short program (many of her rivals were doing triple toes) and 5 triples, including 2 triple loops, planned for each long program. Incredible artistry, lines, choreography, programs, and look on the ice. Could have possibly been a dominant skater with just a bit more confidence. Her timing was bad in a sense in this is when the Witt/Thomas rivalry was a huge thing. She also struggled so much with consistency and confidence, which prevented her chances to ever build up more momentum. 87 worlds was when she came closest. Skated great, but so did Thomas and Witt, and she wound up bronze. She also doubled her last triple toe and singled her last double axel which probably cost her the silver atleast, and possibly even the gold. You can't make mistakes like that when competing with the big guns who have a bigger name than you do.

Elizabeth Manley- She won that great Olympic silver but had all the tools to take over as the dominant skater of that era from Witt at some point well before Calgary. She struggled with depression, which she refreshingly openly talks about now, and due to the depression weight gains off and on. And consistency in competitions. Sometimes she was also trying too many jumps and too much content, sometimes planning 6 or 7 triples a program and missing many of them. For the Olympic season she finally got it right and only included 4, but including a triple lutz, and it worked out much better for her. Her performance at St Ivel in 86 would have undoubtably IMO won 87 worlds, even with Witt probably having the LP of her career there. And would have made a huge difference going into Calgary, although with her inability to handle pressure it might have been worse for her.

Midori Ito- This is more the system and bad luck than anything she did wrong. She was decades ahead of her time in technical ability, and contrary to what many tried to insist she had artistry as well. Maybe not the traditional beautiful type of artistry of say Kadavy, but she had an underrated interpretation of music, strong use of edges and the ice, and beautiful flow and easy speed. Had it not been for figures and the political nature that surrounded it, plus an injury that caused her to miss 85 worlds, she could have been the dominant skater much sooner. Then when figures were finally eliminated after the 90 worlds she had bad luck at both the 91 worlds and 92 Olympics. Only 1 world title and no Olympic Gold for a groundbreaking skater like her seems incredible.

Tonya Harding- She goes without saying, but contary to what she believes the main one she has to blame is Tonya herself. Had she done her Skate America performances or 91 Nationals performances, minus the silly double axel fall in the Skate America short, she wins the 92 Olympics given the other performances, particularly neither of her 2 main rivals Kristi and Midori, skating their best. She wins the 91 worlds if she doesn't lose focus after the triple axel. She had all the potential to win many more titles and medals the 91-94 period (she had some bad luck in missing both 89 and 90 worlds) but didn't keep herself in shape and made so many excuses. She also blames the toxic people in her life like Jeff, but who chose to keep these toxic people in her life? I do believe her story that the USFSA might have pressured her to return to Jeff in 94, but she could have cut him out long before that but kept returning. I do believe in part she wasn't the USFSA or judges favorite, but she could have easily been the female Stojko. Skate well enough and do enough jumps they can't deny you. He also bucked not being the federation or judges favorite, and she had enough jumping and skating talent to do the same thing. Stojko is basically what Tonya could have been if she set her mind to it, rather than being often inconsistent and lazy, and giving it to a victim complex rather than like Stojko using it to get even more determined.

Angela Nikodinov- She struggled with confidence and consistency but mostly got super unlucky to be in arguably the toughest US era ever, led by arguably the best US skater ever Michelle Kwan. She could never break out of being that 3rd or 4th girl no matter what she did, and probably misses the 2002 Olympic Team even with a clean skate.

Those are some of the main women who come to mind. I will do some of the other disciplines later.

 

[Seerek]

John Misha Petkevich

I think Petkevich falls more in the category of "competing in the wrong era" - he would have won Olympic and world medals if it was just free skating in the 1970s (as would have a few of the other men in that era, such as Ron Shaver or Yuri Ovchinnikov).

 

[Vagabond]

Petkevich tended to make sloppy mistakes in the Free Skating. Had he delivered squeaky clean programs, he would have had better overall results.

#proto-TTW

 

[Pink Cats]

I agree he could have won in 2014, but not sure how he could have won a "couple" individual golds. He was never winning in 2018.

If Patrick had not been injured in the fall of 2009 he would have won the 2010 gold, he got the quad toe in the summer of 2009 but could execute it because of his injury. Evan Lysacek score was 257.67 at the Olympics, Patrick score at 2011 worlds was 280.98. And more than likely you can add World 2010 if he had not been injured.

 

[Xela M]

Tonya Harding

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

If Patrick had not been injured in the fall of 2009 he would have won the 2010 gold, he got the quad toe in the summer of 2009 but could execute it because of his injury. Evan Lysacek score was 257.67 at the Olympics, Patrick score at 2011 worlds was 280.98. And more than likely you can add World 2010 if he had not been injured.

Yeah I forgot about 2010. It is hard to remember since ultimately he was 5th or 6th, so he didn't feel in contention for gold but hypothetically he was. Just as Lambiel who was 4th could have easily won with his best skates. Even Abbot who was in the teens could have won with his Nationals performances (maybe).

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

Some men who come to mind.

Emmanuel Sandhu- Do I even need to go into explanations on him, L OL! I am sure anyone on this sub remembers him.

Alexander Abt- Amazing he never even won a world medal. He was a victim of a combination of inconsistency, competitive nerves, injuries and a serious nasal/sinus ailment (which he only finally corrected with surgery in 2001), and being stuck in the era of Yagudin and Plushenko in Russia. If he just landed that quad at the start of his 2002 worlds long program he likely wins silver, but missing it and it being his only quad attempt, he narrowly lost bronze to Honda.

Takeshia Honda- Tons of talent and a lot of people expected him to achieve more. He like Abt, got stuck in that brutally tough era with Plushenko, Yagudin, and Goebel throwing all kinds of quads. He struggled with consistency in competition his whole career. Then had injuries that all but ended his career after the 2003 season. He competed off and on, while continuing to get injured (and a horrific and scary injury at 2005 worlds) before ending his career at Japanese Nationals 2006 as a shadow of his old self and realistically no way to make the team vs younger stars Takahashi and Oda.

Alexander Fadeev- A favorite of mine as you can tell by my username. He did have a fine career, but after winning his first world title in 1985, a lot expected much more. He had a huge lead going into the LP at the 86 worlds and only needed to finish 3rd in the LP to ensure the gold, but had such a disaester he wound up 5th in the LP and dropping to bronze behind surprise winner Boitano (who at that time was not as highly regarded and only 4th going into the LP) and Orser. From that point he slowly lost ground to the 2 Brians who kept improving while he really didn't, while continuing to struggle with consistency issues. He also annually skated much better at Europeans than worlds. Compare his 87 and 89 Europeans performances to his worlds performances which could have won worlds both years, particularly 89. In Calgary he was still considered a near lock for atleast a bronze but after winning figures, a 9th place finish in the short (where he fell on the combination, and the entire top 12 besides him were clean), combined with a subpar long where he was 4th left him 4th behind the rising Soviet Victor Petrenko. He actually won Soviet Nationals over Petrenko in 90, and was 2nd at NHK behind Petrenko but over Browning, but quietly dissapeared before Europeans and worlds 1990 without ever announcing retirement. A strange ending to his strange career.

Jozef Sabovcik- He had a ton of jumping talent, and while the rest of his skating did not live up to his jumping prowess, according to Orser's book a lot of that was laziness and general lack of work ethic. He did win the bronze at the 84 Olympics, but mistakes left him off the podium at both the 84 and 85 worlds. He had a great shot at the world title in 86, and would have won with his Europeans performance, but had a total disaester and wound up 11th in the long and 6th overall. He wound up needing to take a break with injury but quietly retiring before the 88 Olympics.

Mark Mitchell- A very talented skater, but suffered with difficulties with the triple axel, and being caught in a deep US era with Eldredge, Bowman, Wylie, and Davis. Also was never a favorite of the USFSA and never made a strong enough stand at the world level to force their hand. Had a great shot of a medal at the 93 worlds but did not come through, and that was essentialy the end of his career with Boitano returning and only 2 spots for the US to the Games. Was very controversially left off the 92 Olympic team where most agree he should have beaten a flawed Wylie at Nationals, and the bye was then given to a very injured Elredge, who in fairness was the man who gave the US 3 spots to the Games.

 

[canbelto]

Bechke/Petrov?

I know they got an Olympic silver medal, but it was as if someone else was always ahead of them in the queue. They also had a reputation as not very consistent.

 

[bardtoob]

Adelina Sotnikova

 

[screech]

I know he has an OGM, along with many other medals, but I almost think Alexei Urmanov may fit the bill. I remember being heartbroken in 1997 at Worlds when he was finally in gold medal position after the SP but then had to WD due to injury.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

And now onto pairs and dance:

Shishkova & Naumov- Such nice people and such a constantly underrated and overlooked pair. I feel for them. They first came on the scene as the upstars, in the shadow of older champion teams like Miskutienok & Dmitriev and Bechke & Petrov. Although they did have a big win over both at the 91 Soviet Nationals which is impressive. They had an outside shot of a medal at the 92 Olympics, particularly with all the mistakes by nearly everyone, but couldn't deliver a clean LP, and wound up 5th. They finally made a world podium after near misses in 91 and 92 at the 93 worlds. In the 93-94 season they hit their peak and had their all time best skating. However the reinstated pros Gordeeva & Grinkov and Miskutienok & Dmitriev cost them, and they wound up missing the Olympic bronze by .1 to the reigning World Champions Brasseur & Eisler. Many thought they were kept off the prevent a Russian sweep and also to not have the World Champions skating very well and not even medalling. Without the reinstated pros there is a good chance they win Olympic Gold this year. They then win their only world title in 94. At the 95 worlds they come in as underdogs after a subpar season but skate cleanly, and with the favorites Kovarikova & Novotny and Woetzel & Steur both making major error, most agree they should have won, but Kovarikova & Novotny were possibly given both a retirement gift, and a make up gift for controversially losing the 95 Europeans in Germany to Woetzel & Steuer. At the 96 worlds they came in off a dominant and undefeated season. They had mistakes but all the top contenders- Eltsova & Bushkov, Woetzel & Steuer, Kazahkova & Dmitriev also had major mistakes. They were somehow pushed off the podium in a crazy split with 4 1st place ordinals and 1 3rd, where they very nearly won gold. They could have easily have been 3 time world Champions at this point. At the 97 Europeans they had a fall in the short but a beautiful long which got underscored and were narrowly left off the Russian world team in favor of Kazahkova & Dmitriev (with Eltsova & Bushkov and Berezhnaya & Sikharlidze securing the top 2 spots with the Nationals and Europeans results). They skated cleanly at the 98 Russian Nationals, while the other 3 contending teams all had atleast 1 mistake, but by this time were politically out of favor and again missed out on the 3rd spot to Kazahkova & Dmitriev (who ironically won the Olympic Gold).

Kovarikova & Novotny- They were an elegant and beautiful team, even if they lacked some of the power and dynamics of their competition. They controversially lost out on a medal at the 92 Olympics to Brasseur & Eisler. They had some mistakes in their LP but Brasseur & Eisler fell in the short, and had a disaester in the long. Brasseur & Eisler came in as silver medalists at the last 2 worlds though, and seen as the main challengers to the gold medal favorites Miskutienok & Dmitriev, while Kovarikova & Novotny were 8th and 6th at the previous 2 worlds, and had not even won a Europeans medal yet. This result was almost certainly reputation based. They skated a clean LP at the 92 worlds, that would have forced the judges to give them a medal in Albertville, and won silver. They had a subpar entire season in 92-93 after their breakout 92, including being 4th at European 93 where they were favored, but came into worlds in 93 on home ice hoping to contend for gold, but had a disaester and wound up 4th. They had a very subpar season in 94 where the reinstated pros virtually put them out of contention anyway, with 4th at Europeans, 6th at the Olympics, 5th at worlds, all where they had a bunch of mistakes, and never got any momentum going at any point. Came back strong for their final amateur season, and controversially lost Europeans to Woetzel & Steuer in 95 on German ice, then controversially won worlds with mistakes in their LP over defending Champions Shishkova & Naumov who skated cleanly. They turned pro and did have a fine pro career.

Berezhnaya & Sikhardlize- They might seem like a strange choice given their success, but they really had potential to be seen as a GOAT pair. Inconsistency, bad luck, and politics conspired against them. They had a great shot to win worlds in 97 in their debut season, especialy as they skated last, 3rd after the short, after every contender had made major errors. They had just a nightmarish skate and dropped to 9th though. They had a dominant Olympic season in 97-98 and came into Nagano as clear favorites, especialy as nearly all the contenders had issues with injuries, inconsistency, and lackluster seasons. 1 major mistake in the short and 2 major mistakes in the long cost them the gold though. Had he not dropped her on the last lift, they still likely would have won. They won their first world title easily in a depleted field at the 98 worlds, with 3 of the top 4 from the Olympics not competing. People believed they would dominate the entire next quad. They had a disaesterous GP final in 99 where they lost to Shen & Zhao who were already emerging as their new rivals. They won worlds which IMO was fully deserved but was deemed a controversy to some people since they had one fall in the LP and Shen & Zhao had an exciting and technically great skate. I still have no idea why this was ever a controversial result as the Chinese still had a long ways to go in polish and very simplistic choreography in their Mulan free skate, and B&S had only the one mistake, but this was the sign of B&S being treated harshly by fans and media. In fairness the stupid toe tapping incident, the kind of stuff I hate about this sport, probably led to some of the controversy too. They had an inconsistent 99-2000 season, but likely missed out on a 3rd straight world title due to her positive doping test. They controversially lost the 2001 world title to Sale & Pelletier on home ice despite skating cleanly and Jamie Sale bombing her solo jumps in both programs, but Sale & Pelletier had a massive political push behind them by this point so it didn't matter, they were going to win every outing no matter what anyone else did, so long as they didn't have atleast 3 falls. Then the whole SLC thing. This was the end of their amateur careers.

Usova & Zhulin- They got stuck in an incredibly tough era with Klimova & Ponomarenko, Duchensays, Gritschuk & Platov, Torvill & Dean who returned for 1 of their 2 Olympic seasons. They also got super bad luck at times. Leading into the FD over K&P and the Duchensays at the 91 worlds, having 4 1st place ordinals in the free dance, but still somehow dropping to 3rd overall. Duchensays with very subpar skates at the 92 Olympics but reigning World Champs on their home ice. Initially beating Torvill & Dean at the 94 Europeans, but a weird ordinal flip after Gritschuk & Platov's winning free dance pushing them to 3rd in the FD and 3rd overall and Torvill & Dean to overall winners. Then losing the Olympic Gold by .1 to Gritschuk & Platov.

Krylova & Ovsiannikov- They were stuck behind Gritschuk & Platov who were a firmly established dominant team until the Nagano Olympics. Then took over as the dominant team, although they narrowly beat Anissina & Peizerat at the 99 Europeans and 99 worlds. Her back injury ended their career prematurely, before having a chance to try for the Olympic Gold in 2002.

Delobel & Schoenfelder- A technically superb team with a lot of interesting and captivating programs, who were often seen to be underrated and victim of politics. They also had a tendency to make silly mistakes in crucial moments. Had a frusterating strong of 4th place finishes at 2005 worlds, 2006 Olympics, 2006 worlds, 2007 worlds, before winning a surprise world title in 2008. Had a dominant 2008/2009 season and would have been heavy favorites to defend their world title in 2009, but had a fluke injury in the exhibition of the GPF which they won. She then unexpectedly got pregnant, which all but ended any realistic chances for the 2010 Olympics which they showed up at with barely any training and unprepared to contend.

Denkova & Stayviski- They did win 2 world title but many believe they were often underrated. Many feel they deserved to be higher ranked and contending in 2002. They did win bronze at the 2003 worlds, but were overtaken by Navka & Kostomarov the following season, with some people questioning some of the results, particularly 2004 worlds. They had a subpar 2004/2005 season and looked to be out of contention after to many. They rebounded for the Olympic season but failed to medal at the Games after a subpar original dance, but then won 2006 and 2007 worlds. It is super strange to see a team like Grushina & Goncharov and Lobacheva & Averbuhk with Olympic medals and the D&S teams though.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

Bechke/Petrov?

I know they got an Olympic silver medal, but it was as if someone else was always ahead of them in the queue. They also had a reputation as not very consistent.

They were definitely in the shadow of the great Miskutienok & Dmitriev. They were also inconsistent, and lost medals at the 91 and 92 worlds due to mistakes. It is dissapointing they only won 1 world medal in 89, only a bronze, plus their Olympic silver but with Miskutienok & Dmitriev firmly ahead of them in the Soviet pecking order, and Brassuer & Eisler with strong backing from the extremely powerful Skate Canada federation, I am not sure if there is anything they could have ever done to win a major title.

Even as pros where they gained in confidence and consistency they were frustratingly often bridesmaids though. Winning 1 world pros handily, but I think finishing 2nd 5 different times to 4 different teams- Gordeeva & Grinkov twice, Underhill & Martini once, Kovarikova & Novotny once, and Leonova & Khavalko once.

 

[Bouffantrex]

Some men who come to mind.

Emmanuel Sandhu- Do I even need to go into explanations on him, L OL! I am sure anyone on this sub remembers him.

Alexander Abt- Amazing he never even won a world medal. He was a victim of a combination of inconsistency, competitive nerves, injuries and a serious nasal/sinus ailment (which he only finally corrected with surgery in 2001), and being stuck in the era of Yagudin and Plushenko in Russia. If he just landed that quad at the start of his 2002 worlds long program he likely wins silver, but missing it and it being his only quad attempt, he narrowly lost bronze to Honda.

Takeshia Honda- Tons of talent and a lot of people expected him to achieve more. He like Abt, got stuck in that brutally tough era with Plushenko, Yagudin, and Goebel throwing all kinds of quads. He struggled with consistency in competition his whole career. Then had injuries that all but ended his career after the 2003 season. He competed off and on, while continuing to get injured (and a horrific and scary injury at 2005 worlds) before ending his career at Japanese Nationals 2006 as a shadow of his old self and realistically no way to make the team vs younger stars Takahashi and Oda.

Alexander Fadeev- A favorite of mine as you can tell by my username. He did have a fine career, but after winning his first world title in 1985, a lot expected much more. He had a huge lead going into the LP at the 86 worlds and only needed to finish 3rd in the LP to ensure the gold, but had such a disaester he wound up 5th in the LP and dropping to bronze behind surprise winner Boitano (who at that time was not as highly regarded and only 4th going into the LP) and Orser. From that point he slowly lost ground to the 2 Brians who kept improving while he really didn't, while continuing to struggle with consistency issues. He also annually skated much better at Europeans than worlds. Compare his 87 and 89 Europeans performances to his worlds performances which could have won worlds both years, particularly 89. In Calgary he was still considered a near lock for atleast a bronze but after winning figures, a 9th place finish in the short (where he fell on the combination, and the entire top 12 besides him were clean), combined with a subpar long where he was 4th left him 4th behind the rising Soviet Victor Petrenko. He actually won Soviet Nationals over Petrenko in 90, and was 2nd at NHK behind Petrenko but over Browning, but quietly dissapeared before Europeans and worlds 1990 without ever announcing retirement. A strange ending to his strange career.

Jozef Sabovcik- He had a ton of jumping talent, and while the rest of his skating did not live up to his jumping prowess, according to Orser's book a lot of that was laziness and general lack of work ethic. He did win the bronze at the 84 Olympics, but mistakes left him off the podium at both the 84 and 85 worlds. He had a great shot at the world title in 86, and would have won with his Europeans performance, but had a total disaester and wound up 11th in the long and 6th overall. He wound up needing to take a break with injury but quietly retiring before the 88 Olympics.

Mark Mitchell- A very talented skater, but suffered with difficulties with the triple axel, and being caught in a deep US era with Eldredge, Bowman, Wylie, and Davis. Also was never a favorite of the USFSA and never made a strong enough stand at the world level to force their hand. Had a great shot of a medal at the 93 worlds but did not come through, and that was essentialy the end of his career with Boitano returning and only 2 spots for the US to the Games. Was very controversially left off the 92 Olympic team where most agree he should have beaten a flawed Wylie at Nationals, and the bye was then given to a very injured Elredge, who in fairness was the man who gave the US 3 spots to the Games.

This is a very comprehensive list. Although I never particularly cared for Mark Mitchell.