US Men of the Past!

[On My Own]

Yep! I appreciate the interview, by the way, I think I might have read it before, but completely forgot.

I think it was 2006 Nationals, going to link that here too.

M. SAVOIE - 2006 US NATIONALS - FS

MATT SAVOIE - 2006 US NATIONALS - FS

www.youtube.com

What I appreciate about his transitions, is that I 100% think quite a few of those being used properly in terms of phrasing. Not all of them, but quite a few of them, which I just don't expect from figure skating. Guy even did a forward spiral into a 3Lz here, most would just do a back spiral, so difficulty too.

eta: turned out to be his (also beautiful) sp lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwCxEkmEP3c&ab_channel=SKATING102

 

[On My Own]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w872zjNfzY&ab_channel=shineluvslambiel

Rather familiar music from Gershwin, I actually prefer this program to Yuna's. And yet another stunning entry into the 3Lz, and soooooo late in the program.

I think he's the male contemporary of Michelle during this time. It's great that the States produced such amazing overall skaters who competed during the same time.

 

[bardtoob]

David Jenkins

1960 Winter Olympics Figure Skating Carol Heiss and David Jenkins LP

Bearing the pressure of being favourites to win in their home country, Carol Heiss and David Jenkins live up to expectations and deliver the goods to become ...

youtu.be

 

[bardtoob]

Tim Wood

Tim Wood - 1969 World Championships LP

Surely one of the two greatest performance of the 1960's (along with Don Jackson in Prague, 1962). Here Tim skates to perfection before a home crowd, showcas...

www.youtube.com

 

[bardtoob]

Thomas Litz is interesting to watch. He does do his 3T here. I admit I do feel a little like I am watching Timothy Goebel when I watch him.

Thomas Litz USA - 1964 OG Free Skate (first man to do triple toe loop)

In an era when men were practically forbidden from raising their arms above shoulder level, musical interpretation had to be done from the waist down and bac...

www.youtube.com

 

[On My Own]

He does do his 3T here.

Funny that someone did a 3Lo before a 3T.

 

[On My Own]

Don’t forget Braden Overett’s Pirate of the Caribbeans. Is there a video somewhere?

Braden Overett 2007 Regionals LP

2007-08 LP. Self-choreographed and won that season's choreography award.

www.youtube.com

And of course many of Jeremy’s programs which I loved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFj1FXhvgj0&ab_channel=biscuitz123 (mostly the steps)

Jeremy Abbott - 2008 US Nationals SP (NBC)

His musicality tho...

www.youtube.com

Jeremy Abbott 2008 GPF SP - Adagio in G Minor

Jeremy Abbott 2008 GPF SP - Adagio in G Minor

www.youtube.com

2008/2009 GPF FP - Jeremy Abbott (USA)

www.youtube.com

2014 US Nationals-Jeremy Abbott SP [HD]

www.youtube.com

 

[bardtoob]

Funny that someone did a 3Lo before a 3T.

True story ... In 1952 Dick Button was also capable of 3F, although he claimed the 3Lo was more difficult.

Dick Button skating in 1952

youtu.be

 

[Seerek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w872zjNfzY&ab_channel=shineluvslambiel

Rather familiar music from Gershwin, I actually prefer this program to Yuna's. And yet another stunning entry into the 3Lz, and soooooo late in the program.

I think he's the male contemporary of Michelle during this time. It's great that the States produced such amazing overall skaters who competed during the same time.

I know this was the 6.0 era, but the fact that this long program placed 11th in the segment at 2002 Worlds is just ...

Any historical thread is good reason to post Robert Wagenhoffer - who knows how his career could have gone without figures.

Robert Wagenhoffer - 1982 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA - 1982 United States Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program - Robert Wagenhoffer placed 2nd in the Long Program and ende...

youtu.be

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I know this was the 6.0 era, but the fact that this long program placed 11th in the segment at 2002 Worlds is just ...

Any historical thread is good to post Robert Wagenhoffer - who knows how his career could have gone without figures.

Robert Wagenhoffer - 1982 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA - 1982 United States Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program - Robert Wagenhoffer placed 2nd in the Long Program and ende...

youtu.be

Robert was a fantastic free skater.

Even with the tiny blips in his free skate at the 1981 World Championships, I personally thought he should have won that portion of the event over the likes of Hamilton, Bobrin, Santee, Igarashi and Orser. His musicality here is out of this world. (If there was any question about his technical ability, he could apparently land quad toes in practice. Just look at the first triple toe he hits in this routine at the forty second mark. It is gigantic!)

Robert Wagenhoffer - 1981 World Figure Skating Championships FS

Rare broadcast footage of Robert Wagenhoffer at his first worlds as a singles skater in Hartford 1981. A brilliant and hugely underrated skater, gone way too...

www.youtube.com

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Terry Kubicka won the free skate at the 1975 World Championships against the likes of John Curry and Toller Cranston.

Looking at this routine he skated the following year in Innsbruck, I can believe it!

Terry Kubicka - 1976 Olympics - Free Skate

Terry Kubicka's Free Skate from the 1976 Olympics

www.youtube.com

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Jeremy Abbott - 2008 US Nationals SP (NBC)

His musicality tho...

www.youtube.com

Jeremy Abbott 2008 GPF SP - Adagio in G Minor

Jeremy Abbott 2008 GPF SP - Adagio in G Minor

www.youtube.com

2008/2009 GPF FP - Jeremy Abbott (USA)

www.youtube.com

2014 US Nationals-Jeremy Abbott SP [HD]

www.youtube.com

Oh, Jeremy. What might have been.

It always kills me how great he skated at the 2010 US National Championships, only to fall apart a month later at the Olympic Games. If Abbott had skated the same way in Vancouver that he did in Spokane, gold would surely have been his for the taking.

 

[jlai]

Oh, Jeremy. What might have been.

It always kills me how great he skated at the 2010 US National Championships, only to fall apart a month later at the Olympic Games. If Abbott had skated the same way in Vancouver that he did in Spokane, gold would surely have been his for the taking.

Doesn’t that apply to most of the medal contenders though? At the end of the day, usually only a handful of the medal contenders skate clean at the big events

 

[kwanfan1818]

John Misha Petkevich
https://youtu.be/lhlNhiIVp_Y

Despite Dick Button's wait for a 3Lz, which he didn't do.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Doesn’t that apply to most of the medal contenders though? At the end of the day, usually only a handful of the medal contenders skate clean at the big events

Probably. But in this instance, commentator Sandra Bezic indicated in Spokane that if Jeremy skated like he did at the 2010 US National Championships at the Olympics, he would have been on the podium in Vancouver.

 

[bardtoob]

John Misha Petkevich
https://youtu.be/lhlNhiIVp_Y

Despite Dick Button's wait for a 3Lz, which he didn't do.

I never got the appeal of this guy but he did have a following.

 

[On My Own]

I never got the appeal of this guy but he did have a following.

He's a great technical skater, but yeah, I was expecting something more and something very different for the things some say about him.

 

[On My Own]

Since some already discussed results, does anyone also think Matt should have won the free skate at 2006 nationals lol?

I found the TSL link to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgjZ4xZSzUw&ab_channel=TheSkatingLesson

There's nothing remotely special about Lysacek's skating, and I'd give a huge PCS lead to Matt. Several parts of Johnny's program were also better than Lysacek's, but it's still quite bland, so wouldn't mind letting Lysacek have the lead in the free over him.

 

[bardtoob]

Charlie Tickner (USA) - 1980 Worlds, Men's Long Program

Dortmund, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY - 1980 World Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program - Charles Tickner of the United States moved up from 4th ...

www.youtube.com

 

[bardtoob]

Kenneth Shelley - 1971 World Figure Skating Championships LP

Ken Shelley won the bronze medal in pairs at this competition with his partner Jojo Starbuck, but he also competed in the men's event placing 9th in figures ...

www.youtube.com

The only men's skater with a comparable record across Pairs and Singles to Ken Shelley was Rudy Galindo.

Ken never won a singles medal at Worlds, but he did win a singles bronze at the North American Championships, which did not exist in Rudy's time. Ken won more competitions.

Rudy Galindo - 1996 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Long Program

Music: Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky

www.youtube.com

Rudy never won a pairs medal at Worlds, except every type in Jr Worlds, which did not exist in Ken's time. Rudy introduced the 3F to pairs and did 3A-3T in singles.

 

[screech]

There need to be more 'tongue in cheek' skaters like Ryan Bradley. (There also need to be more people skating to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy)

 

[kwanfan1818]

Charlie Tickner (USA) - 1980 Worlds, Men's Long Program

Dortmund, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY - 1980 World Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program - Charles Tickner of the United States moved up from 4th ...

www.youtube.com

The entire Moonlight Sonata penultimate section was exquisite: everything just breathed.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Tim Dolensky 2015 SC. I don`t think he ever landed a quad and he was not the strongest competitor, but otherwise such a complete skater. I thought his head would fly off on the final headless scratch spin.

2015 SC Timothy Dolensky FS ESP

www.youtube.com

 

[briancoogaert]

Tim Dolensky 2015 SC. I don`t think he ever landed a quad and he was not the strongest competitor, but otherwise such a complete skater. I thought his head would fly off on the final headless scratch spin.

2015 SC Timothy Dolensky FS ESP

www.youtube.com

I remember his name, but not his skating. Thanks for sharing, he is very pleasant to watch ! Nice basics, big jumps !!

 

[bardtoob]

1956 World Figure Skating Championships - Ronnie Robertson USA LP

Here's the king of spin Ronnie Robertson winning the long program but with a 20 point deficit to Hayes Alan Jenkins after figures his 10 point superiority in...

youtu.be

 

[DORISPULASKI]

There need to be more 'tongue in cheek' skaters like Ryan Bradley. (There also need to be more people skating to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy)

Ryan skated an SP to among other things, "Happy Birthday" variations, in the persona of a clown performing at a child's birthday party. It was really good at Skate America 2006 that season.

 

[viennese]

He's a great technical skater, but yeah, I was expecting something more and something very different for the things some say about him.

He has astounding speed and the height on his jumps is fantastic. I like the moves from that era of figure skating - delay axels, huge split jumps. You can hear the crowd reacting with awe.

 

[On My Own]

He has astounding speed and the height on his jumps is fantastic. I like the moves from that era of figure skating - delay axels, huge split jumps. You can hear the crowd reacting with awe.

Right, as I said, he's a great technical skater.

 

[Seerek]

Mentioned previously in this thread, Terry Kubicka would go on to be a veterinarian, now practicing in Concord, CA.

Another men's skater from that era who would go on to be a doctor was 2 time national silver medalist (1977 and 1979) Scott Cramer, who went on to be an chiropractic orthopedist, now based in Colorado Springs.

(also mentioned in the thread, John Misha Petkevich is also a PhD recipient, albeit in biology).

Scott Cramer (USA) - 1979 World Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program (Canada CTV)

Vienna, AUSTRIA - 1979 World Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program - Scott Cramer of the United States placed 6th in the Long Program to finish in...

youtu.be

 

[jlai]

Does anyone have alink to Scott Dyer's On the Waterfront? That was one program I really liked from him.