Evan Lysacek - the most underappreciated champion?

[Areski]

It's somewhat surprising how little love & appreciation he gets for skater of his calibre. Is that Olympic Gold in Vancouver that made him unlikeable for people after beating favoured Plushenko without quad or was he just "boring"? Or does his personality / public image mattered? What do you thought / think about him, do you like / dislike or you are just indifferent towards his person and his skating? It seems he's not an idol for anyone unlike other famous retired skaters like Lambiel, Joubert, Takahashi or even Buttle.

 

[caseyedwards]

He gets just as much appreciation as he deserves. Most of the original appreciation came from his beating a Russian. How is that sustained? He wasn't Hamilton or Boitano. He was math on ice. Not artistry or technical dazzle. What's done with that?

 

[Marco]

I imagine this is what would have happened to Nancy if she had won in 1994. Looking back, everyone would be hard pressed to say she didn't deserve the win, but it still wouldn't make her an Olympic Champion calibre kind of skater or made people regard her as the best skater of that cycle, that year or even that competition.

Evan holds the two biggest titles of the sport and won them fair and square. He may not have had a glaring weakness but he is just not strong in any skating related qualities. He should be celebrated for holding it together and delivering those two times when it counted (and others like Daisuke, Patrick and Stephane didn't), but he just will never be regarded as a great skater DESPITE those titles.

 

[slipchuk]

I imagine this is what would have happened to Nancy if she had won in 1994. Looking back, everyone would be hard pressed to say she didn't deserve the win, but it still wouldn't make her an Olympic Champion calibre kind of skater or made people regard her as the best skater of that cycle, that year or even that competition.

Nancy was generally the skater to beat of 93-94 and I think had she won the OGM redeeming her failure of the 93 worlds, she would be regarded by most as also being the "best" skater of the 93-94 cycle if that even counts as a cycle. Who else would be? I guess Kristi but she was a pro, so Nancy would be the best amateur skater of the cycle.

Otherwise I agree with you.

Regarding Evan I think he is a clear cast of medal/titles dont automaticaly = best. Even if alot of people consider his World and Olympic titles just, and even that isnt total, there are still many who argue Plushenko deserved the Olympic Gold (I totally disagree), some argue Takahashi did even with his 1 fall, and many argued at the time for Chan deserving the World title in 2009. It doesnt make him the most memorabl, impactful or even best skater of that period. Skaters like Lambiel and Takahashi are roughly equal in achievements, they dont have the Olympic Gold but each has an Olympic medal are are slightly above or above in almost everything else, but they will be remembered as better skaters since they made far more artistic impact, they were even technically more capable (both had very good quads, Lambiel is a great spinner), and you would rewatch them skate more times. Even someone like Weir or Sandhu many might regard as better skaters, just much weaker competitors.

And that isnt neccessarily wrong. He is remembered for what he was. A very solid all around skater who was an excellent competitor, and peaked at the right time to win a major title of each kind. It doenst make him an icon though.

 

[Marco]

Nancy was generally the skater to beat of 93-94 and I think had she won the OGM redeeming her failure of the 93 worlds, she would be regarded by most as also being the "best" skater of the 93-94 cycle if that even counts as a cycle. Who else would be?

She may well be a favorite at the time but I am not sure if she is the one to beat. Nancy won her medals in the early 90s with mistakes-ridden free skates and failed to materialize on her competitors retiring after 1992 (Kristi, Midori). Even if she won Lillehammer it would still be like "she finally skated well for once and won", instead of "wow, this is so expected given how she skated in the previous 2 seasons". In that sense, she was the exact short program skater that Sasha would become. (yes I can't believe this comparison too)

Who else? There was also Oksana, Surya, Lu etc who placed above her at 1993 Worlds and who won various titles and medals at internationals in 1993 and 1994. I actually don't believe that short cycle/ era had one strongest skater even if Oksana was the only one to have won the two biggest titles therein. [Apologies for drifting the thread]

He is remembered for what he was. A very solid all around skater who was an excellent competitor, and peaked at the right time to win a major title of each kind. It doenst make him an icon though.

Exactly. Then again, I never felt winning the Olympics (or Worlds) alone makes anyone an icon or a legend. It only means that person skated the best at that particular competition (hopefully if judged fairly) - it doesn't make that person the best skater at that competition, that season, or that cycle/era.

 

[Meoima]

He doesn't have charm. I guess.

 

[slipchuk]

She may well be a favorite at the time but I am not sure if she is the one to beat. Nancy won her medals in the early 90s with mistakes-ridden free skates and failed to materialize on her competitors retiring after 1992 (Kristi, Midori). Even if she won Lillehammer it would still be like "she finally skated well for once and won", instead of "wow, this is so expected given how she skated in the previous 2 seasons". In that sense, she was the exact short program skater that Sasha would become. (yes I can't believe this comparison too)

Who else? There was also Oksana, Surya, Lu etc who placed above her at 1993 Worlds and who won various titles and medals at internationals in 1993 and 1994. I actually don't believe that short cycle/ era had one strongest skater even if Oksana was the only one to have won the two biggest titles therein. [Apologies for drifting the thread]

Fair enough. I still think if Nancy had actually won the 94 Olympics I would consider her best skater of that cycle, even with her blowing 93 worlds. Even if largely by default. I agree that was a cluster**** half quad though with no true dominant figure for sure, and as the results came out I guess now Baiul was unofficial queen of it even if both her titles were controversial.

Exactly. Then again, I never felt winning the Olympics (or Worlds) alone makes anyone an icon or a legend. It only means that person skated the best at that particular competition (hopefully if judged fairly) - it doesn't make that person the best skater at that competition, that season, or that cycle/era.

ITA! I will always probably consider Angela Nikodinov for instance a better skater than Sarah Hughes despite achieving way less, and Hughes probably deserving her medals/titles including her OGM.

And in Evan's case of his own generation, Plushenko and Chan inarguably achieved much more, and Takahashi, Lambiel, Joubert (considering his longevity) all arguably achieved more too even when factoring in Evan's OGM. He just didnt have the impact of those others, and his skating does not stand out as remarkable either technically or artistically even for the time. I do think he is underrated some places, but not really on a site like this. How much love will he realistically get when his absolute best ever performances (probably 07 Nationals) compared to Hanyu's, Fernandez's, Chan's best only 5-6 years later look like a complete joke by comparision both technically and artistically if we are being real. And he didnt leave a legacy with his longevity and dominance in a certain part of the world like Plushenko, Takahshi, or even Joubert did. He has less U.S titles than Abbott and Weir, and most Americans prefer rewatching their skates than Evan, even though Evan is the one who brought them the big titles.

 

[DreamSkates]

Why criticize Evan now? As stated, he won "fair and square" - the judges awarded him points as deserved, they added up to the be the most points, and he did so with enough quality to satisfy the judges (who are the ones awarding the points). I think he has some style, while Plushenko had none (he did, usually, have fine jumps). There is no point in comparing him to anyone who came after his win. He did not compete against them, so it's a moot point (a waste of thought in my opinion).

 

[Areski]

Why criticize Evan now? As stated, he won "fair and square" - the judges awarded him points as deserved, they added up to the be the most points, and he did so with enough quality to satisfy the judges (who are the ones awarding the points). I think he has some style, while Plushenko had none (he did, usually, have fine jumps). There is no point in comparing him to anyone who came after his win. He did not compete against them, so it's a moot point (a waste of thought in my opinion).

I thought that he won fairly too, never belonged to that ''outraged'' group.

 

[lala]

@DreamSkates : "I think he has some style, while Plushenko had none (he did, usually, have fine jumps)."
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I like Evan as a person, but I find him deadly boring as a skater. And I say this not because I'm a fan of Plushenko... I don't want to see his any program again.

 

[chapis]

he is boring to me. But my sister loved him in Torino, and each time she listen Carmen she can't help mention him, it bothers me a bit because for me there is not other Carmen than V / M .

 

[feraina]

But I think regardless of how exciting he was as a skater, he could have more of an impact/legacy if he didn't choose to walk away from the sport completely. He is after all the last US man to win major titles or even medal, and even the last single skater to do so until Ashley last year. I've never seen him talking skating with NBC or appearing in Icenetwork articles - except a while ago to say he's moved into commercial real estate.

He's a good looking guy. So I would've thought he could get traction staying involved if he wanted to.

 

[slipchuk]

Why criticize Evan now? As stated, he won "fair and square" - the judges awarded him points as deserved, they added up to the be the most points, and he did so with enough quality to satisfy the judges (who are the ones awarding the points). I think he has some style, while Plushenko had none (he did, usually, have fine jumps). There is no point in comparing him to anyone who came after his win. He did not compete against them, so it's a moot point (a waste of thought in my opinion).

I dont see him being criticized. He is just not talked about much these days. Which I think is the OP's point, why is he not more a household name like Boitano or Hamilton or Hamill or Kwan are. So in a thread like this some of us are giving our opinions exactly why we think he isnt.

But I think regardless of how exciting he was as a skater, he could have more of an impact/legacy if he didn't choose to walk away from the sport completely. He is after all the last US man to win major titles or even medal, and even the last single skater to do so until Ashley last year. I've never seen him talking skating with NBC or appearing in Icenetwork articles - except a while ago to say he's moved into commercial real estate.

He's a good looking guy. So I would've thought he could get traction staying involved if he wanted to.

In fairness he didnt try to just walk away. He tried for 3 years to make a comeback but things kept getting in the way- injury, re-injuries, USFSA contract feud, etc...

 

[Areski]

@DreamSkates : "I think he has some style, while Plushenko had none (he did, usually, have fine jumps)."
------

I like Evan as a person, but I find him deadly boring as a skater. And I say this not because I'm a fan of Plushenko... I don't want to see his any program again.

Yes ... it sounds brutal but he indeed was boring as a skater. As for Plushenko - no matter how empty his program was, you could always see his personality & characteristics coming thorugh.

 

[MAXSwagg]

I liked him on DWTS...but his skating was absolutely nothing special whatsoever. Like watching paint dry (though watching paint dry may be more exciting).

I had Takahashi winning 2010 (barely), Even second, Plush third. Takahashi didn't get anywhere near the credit he deserved for his innovative and refreshing programs compared to the other two and should've been at least five maybe even 10 points ahead in PCS (of course scoring was different back then so...).

I am not upset with the results (I was more invested in Ladies and lairs back then) but Evan is really just a "whatever" champion to me. I've only watched his his OG programs twice: once live on the television and then once a few months ago on YouTube.

 

[petro]

I adored younger senior Evan (2005-2007), especially his Spanish short program in 2005/2006. He was passionate and kind of wild and fun to watch in those days IMO and did have a real flair and personality back then. As he got older he became very serious and intense (and tan...) and although I enjoyed his skating less, I was still an enormous fan. He does get a tremendous amount of hate but I, for one, will always love Evan!!!

 

[AxelAnnie]

I always thought he was kind of creepy to watch. As to walking away from skating, really after winning the OGM there is not much left to do.

 

[VGThuy]

Evan seemed to lose any semblance of being a relatable, fully-realized person after the 2006 Olympics. I'm not surprised that nobody really thinks about him or his skating these days or that no man really emulates his style (though all young skaters who want to be champions can learn work ethic by observing how Evan prepared for the 2010 Olympics).

 

[E.A. Week]

Evan seemed to lose any semblance of being a relatable, fully-realized person after the 2006 Olympics. I'm not surprised that nobody really thinks about him or his skating these days or that no man really emulates his style (though all young skaters who want to be champions can learn work ethic by observing how Evan prepared for the 2010 Olympics).

Same here. I was a huge Johnny Weir fan, but I still enjoyed Evan's skating and thought he had a lot of potential. After 2006, though, he just lost me. I will always watch this and wonder where the heck that Evan went. He was so good-looking then, with his tousled hair and slightly kooky demeanor. I feel like Frank Carroll, in his quest to make Evan a champion, got rid of anything that made Evan interesting or that set him apart as a skater. IMO everything Evan did after 2006 seemed very generic and cookie-cutter to me.

Also, I saw Evan skate many times in Stars on Ice, and he was always mesmerizing. He was so powerful he could skate from one side of the rink to the other in about two long glides. When he performed, I couldn't take my eyes off him. I always wondered why this charisma didn't translate onto the TV screen. I never saw him compete, so I can't speak to any difference between competition and exhibition, but he definitely showed a different side of himself in the performances I saw.

 

[Winnipeg]

I found Evan boring as a skater...........

 

[Rock2]

On what basis are you saying he's underappreciated?

One of his bigger issues is that he's not very marketable. Takes (much) more than a gold medal to generate and sustain market interest so this is why he has sort of faded out of sight. That and he probably decided to move on to other things.

 

[Vash01]

I found Evan boring as a skater...........

Me too and it's not just limited to his 2010 Olympic win. When I watched him at the US nationals skate against Johnny, the difference was very clear. I loved Johnny's skate even though that program was soundly criticized. I found Evan robotic and never really liked the way he muscled through his programs, particularly the jumps.

IMO the reason he is underappreciated as an Olympic champion is that he won without a quad. Three Olympic champions prior to 2010 landed at least one quad. After 2010, with the quad getting more credit, more skaters went for multiple quads, and kept increasing the difficulty. Evan actually lowered the technical difficulty. That goes against the Olympic spirit of higher, faster, etc.

I don't know if he is The most underappreciated Olympic champion. Oksana Baiul didn't get much love after her OGM, and Berezhnaya- Sikharudlize could be The most underappreciated Olympic champions. Our media made them sound like third rate skaters who won the gold only because of politics (not trying to beat the dead horse here, but they were treated poorly in the USA).

 

[tylersf]

As far as Evan's achievements, he was close to the top before his last Olympics, and he won the 2005 Worlds before winning the 2006 Olympic Gold Medal (OGM). His accomplishments were the results of trying hard, believing in himself and getting good coaching. He belongs up there with many other World & Olympic Champions.

Although, Evan is tall, has a great body and is handsome, and he got some nice corporate endorsements (Ralph Lauren, Coke, AT&T), experts rated his overall endorsement prospects as "fair". Because of his look, I think he could play a "James Bond" or "Mysterious Stranger" type in tv or print ads. If he doesn't talk too much in the ads, he is still believable. Evan's agents didn't seem to find a way to shore up Evan's personality to increase his marketability. I think that they wanted to turn him into something that he wasn't. And when they couldn't mold him into something else, the management team just let it go.

In contrast to Evan, Nancy was very well-packaged by the Scotvolds to look like an ice princess, in contrast to her working class upbringing. She even fixed her teeth! Nancy didn't even win the gold, and she still got a $10 million Disney deal in addition to other endorsements. I also noticed that Nancy seems carefully rehearsed and coached for on-camera interviews. In situations where she is not coached, her "real" unpackaged, working-class personality comes out. She also ended up marrying her agent, Jerry Solomon. There was a scandal attached to that since he was recently separated from his wife and family right around the time he started to date Nancy.

However, IMHO, other skaters like Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano (both OGM winners) or even Johnny Weir (no Olympic medal) seem to stay in the public eye because of their personalities. Scott is bubbly and talkative during interviews and commentary. Brian Boitano can do cooking and HGTV shows. There is a South Park showtune written about him, "What Would Brian Boitano Do". Johnny gets to be himself on NBC Sports with his fashion forward outfits and colorful sports commentary.

It's somewhat surprising how little love & appreciation he gets for skater of his calibre. Is that Olympic Gold in Vancouver that made him unlikeable for people after beating favoured Plushenko without quad or was he just "boring"? Or does his personality / public image mattered? What do you thought / think about him, do you like / dislike or you are just indifferent towards his person and his skating? It seems he's not an idol for anyone unlike other famous retired skaters like Lambiel, Joubert, Takahashi or even Buttle.

 

[judiz]

Evan seemed more down to Earth in the earlier stages of his career. Once he was driven to becoming National Champion, he seemed too serious and too cookie cutter. I always got the impression, listening to him speak, that he chose his words very carefully, as if not to go off the script or plan that was mapped out for him. I also think he had a reputation of not being as accessible to fans as other skaters and that might had affected people's opinions. I never met Evan in person but I always wondered if he was different when he was one to one with a fan.

 

[Kecasyl]

This whole thread is . Where is @Yazmeen when I need her?

Evan is actually very down to earth and a nice, well-mannered guy. He never voluntarily walked away from the sport so IDK why people are trying to say that. He had his own special niche being he was one hell of a determined and focused competitor and I always loved his intensity. I feel like once the guys that were in Vancouver for the US disappeared from competitions, things got really boring on the American skating front. And sorry Nathan Chen does nil for me.

 

[Marco]

I blame Frank and Lori for this. He had great basics to work with - long, elegant line, good posture, good extension, musical. If he had been able to experiment with different choreographers and styles, things could have been quite different. Instead he stayed with the same classical style and warhorse music choices all through his competitive career.

I kept thinking what could have been if he was taught to use his arms better. He is one of those whom I would like to see skate with his arms tied behind his back (like Evgenia).

 

[DreamSkates]

I liked him on DWTS...but his skating was absolutely nothing special whatsoever. Like watching paint dry (though watching paint dry may be more exciting).

I had Takahashi winning 2010 (barely), Even second, Plush third. Takahashi didn't get anywhere near the credit he deserved for his innovative and refreshing programs compared to the other two and should've been at least five maybe even 10 points ahead in PCS (of course scoring was different back then so...).
.

Personally, I enjoyed Evan's skating (everyone has their favorites for whatever reason) but if I were to choose favorites, Takahashi is one of my all time favorites and I was sad when he retired from skating. Not so much with Evan, although I enjoyed seeing him at ice shows and, to me, he had more style (maybe more freedom to express himself) in shows.

According to enough judges, Evan had enough "special" to earn more than just an Olympic gold medal. I appreciate artistry, but have to remember (as Scott Hamilton reminds people), this is a sport (ISU not ice shows) so that's where the "special" is most important.

 

[Kecasyl]

I blame Frank and Lori for this. He had great basics to work with - long, elegant line, good posture, good extension, musical. If he had been able to experiment with different choreographers and styles, things could have been quite different. Instead he stayed with the same classical style and warhorse music choices all through his competitive career.

I kept thinking what could have been if he was taught to use his arms better. He is one of those whom I would like to see skate with his arms tied behind his back (like Evgenia).

Actually he didn't in reference to music and style. He was choreographed by Kurt Browning and Tarasova among others. Tarasova did his Worlds winning programs and Kurt choreographed his Passion program. He'd also worked with Mark Ballas and others.

 

[MAXSwagg]

Personally, I enjoyed Evan's skating (everyone has their favorites for whatever reason) but if I were to choose favorites, Takahashi is one of my all time favorites and I was sad when he retired from skating. Not so much with Evan, although I enjoyed seeing him at ice shows and, to me, he had more style (maybe more freedom to express himself) in shows.

According to enough judges, Evan had enough "special" to earn more than just an Olympic gold medal. I appreciate artistry, but have to remember (as Scott Hamilton reminds people), this is a sport (ISU not ice shows) so that's where the "special" is most important.

I take almost everything Scott says with a grain of salt ever since he said a 3Lz+3T is more difficult than a 3A+2T...

 

[DreamSkates]

I take almost everything Scott says with a grain of salt ever since he said a 3Lz+3T is more difficult than a 3A+2T...

Certainly your prerogative, but SH is much more an expert on figure skating than I or you. Discounting his expertise over one comments seems a bit silly IMO.