U.S. Men 2025-26 Discussion - Quad God and the Mere Mortals

[Debbie S]

Why not? Button was a trailblazer on the jumps front as much in his era as Malinin is in his.

I was referring to the analysis of where skaters finished in their first Olys. Prior to IJS, and even 15 years ago, we saw fewer swings/less variation in results from one comp to the next. With skaters doing multiple high-risk elements, placements are more unpredictable. My point was that exact placement is less important than how skaters approach the performance in that moment. Ilia said afterward that he has learned from this experience.

I agree that having an Oly experience when one is not the favorite can prepare one for the next Olys, but we have no way of knowing whether going to Beijing would have helped Ilia in Milan or not. Whatever the issues that caused his meltdown, it sounds like he is acknowledging them and learning from them. I'm looking forward to seeing his 'redemption' skate at Worlds and how he approaches the next 4 years.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Again, it would be a leap in logic to conclude that going to the first Olympics is what caused the gold medal at the second Olympics. (I'll bet you could find plenty of skaters who skated at two Olympics and did not win gold at their second one.) It seems much more likely that these skaters you listed did better at their second Olympics because they were better skaters by their second Olympics. (Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, and Evan Lysacek all were around the same age as Ilia at their first Olympics.) How many of these guys - especially in the modern era - already were reigning World Champions at their first Olympics and overwhelming favorites to win? I don't think any of them were. How many of them were named to their first Olympic team without having had any experience at a major senior international competition, which is what would have been the case for Ilia if he were on the 2022 team? I doubt any of them except maybe Dick Button - in a very different era.

I hope that Ilia doesn't really think that the main reason he didn't win in Milan is merely because he didn't go to Beijing and now everything is taken care of.

You missed my post where I pointed out that skaters like Michelle Kwan never won gold (although she still won a silver and bronze), and skaters like Kurt Browning never won an Olympic medal of any kind.

No one can say one way or the other, but I will ALWAYS maintain that it would have been very beneficial for Ilia to have gone to the 2022 Olympics. No one is going to persuade me otherwise. You clearly hold a different opinion and I have mine.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Why not? Button was a trailblazer on the jumps front as much in his era as Malinin is in his.

And with much different training and equipment like softer skates that were cut higher on the boot!