What it says on the tin, because if there's one thing I agree with @caseyedwards on, it's that Lysacek didn't deserve this title.
Evan Lysacek
Daisuke Takahashi
Stephane Lambiel
He had a great step sequence in the SP. That's about it, IMO. https://youtu.be/njYkVabuIt8?si=bHCguGy2mceHRWXA&t=126 (ETA: Well okay, nice combo spin at the end too)tbh I don't remember Lambiel.
That was definitely my wish prior to the Olympics.Anyone but Plushy!
Plushenko did better jumps and spins than he did in 2006! So how could he have been shadow?I was in the arena. I was screaming at the end of Dai's SP. Couldn't believe they placed him 3rd for that. Total BS.
Evan was pedestrian in both segments, but got the job done
Plush was kinda embarrassing actually - a shadow of his former self, with extremely slow painful spins, and no choreo to speak of. A lot of mugging to the judges including wiping his palm over his tongue. It was awful.
tbh I don't remember Lambiel.
I remember Johnny said that one of the judges said afterwards that if they'd known he'd skate like that they'd have given him higher marks, but I found him slow - beautiful lines and clean performance, but no zip or charisma.
I also remember that apparently gold for Plush was prearranged, but in the end they couldn't give it to him.
Oh my god YESThey could have given Yuna both titles...
Forgot all about his existence. Punsihed so bad for being third Japanese man. Got edge warning and fell on second triple axel. Wonderful quad toe. Perfect!!People please look at Takahiko Kozuka's skates here, and tell me where do you think he should have been placed. He had fantastic speed and beautiful edge quality, with very difficult choreography in all 4 of his step sequences. Jumps done with proper technique too unless I'm forgetting his edges on lutz/flip.
Plushenko did better jumps and spins than he did in 2006! So how could he have been shadow?
There was a slight tilt on Two jumps in 2010. That’s it! Why is that so bad? In 2006 he doubled a planned triple flip meaning one of his jumps was only a double flip. And lysacek had a clear two foot, and edge call and horrible triple axel if you can call it that.I remember Plushy's tilted jumps and scratchy, no speed landings in 2010. The spins were the same. So no, Plushy was not better in 2010 than he was in 2006. He thought he deserved the gold simply because he stood up on a quad jump. Thankfully, skating judging didn't and don't work that way. Lysacek worked with the system at the time and won fair and square.
This is so hilarious I have been looking over 2006 very very closely and Savoie was spectacular. Medal would have been deserved compared to all the true meltdowns that were seen. I know he doubled lutzesN E Way, much like I've deluded myself into believing that Matt Savoie deserved 2006 OWG Bronze, I've similarly deluded myself into believing Takahiko Kozuka deserved a medal here.
My arguments are:
1. Some of the best step sequences in the competition (only Dai had a better set of four, for my money; Lambiel had the step sequence that was the best of the event in his SP, but the other three weren't all that good);
2. Third, maybe fourth best basic skating of the event (Chan, Lambiel definitely better, Abbott technically better but IDR how he skated anymore; Dai is slower even if he had better rhythm for his step sequences);
3. Did a quad in the LP, only major mistake was falling on a 3A late in the program;
4. Good basic spinning technique, which puts him ahead of all three of the real medalists on those elements;
5. LP choreography is complex, well ahead of many of his competitors for its time in terms of transitions, and I'd score it well on interpretation as well - I'd actually have it top three on CH/INT and maybe first on TR.
He is not the most charismatic performer, but he had a lot here that was better than everyone who finished ahead of him. I'm not sure how Oda and Weir finished ahead of him at all.