Starbuck11
Thank you for the articles, I'm reading many of them.

In my (and in general Russian view, for we stand united behind our figure-skating) what is happening is post Tourine games - in which no one could do 4-revolution jumps but Russians - these jumps were out-casted.
The message is "Americans can't do them so they are no good".
The appeal to non US/Canada nationality judges was "you should agree with us, because your country skaters can't do them either, right?"

These jumps officially are not written off from the "book of elements", they exist, and they are rated high, but the work was done on the judges' community, and, in wider terms, on the figure-skating community (coaches, retired skaters-to-become-coaches, associations - it is quite big an industry) that what Americans do not - it is BETTER that others do not either. B-ing own way through, to make it safer and more comfortable for the US to win in the nearest future.

Mind my word, the moment the US team is able to do 4-time revolutions - the 4-revolution jumps will be back again and heralded into all trumpets as the top of desires. Just not now.

That's why all this un-healthy buzz regarding these jumps in particular,
absolutely un-proportional to their real value in a performance. because, OK, they are rated 13 for a jump "by the book", as compared to an ordinary 3-revolution jump, which is, say, 8.
13-8= the difference is just 5 scores.
How many those tricky ones can a skater do during a short or a free programme? say, 2 (as Plushenko (rarely) can. This is the ceiling, 5 multipled twice - gives a scater 10 scores of advantage.

In reality, it doesn't, because with those subjective minus or plus, additives or destructions ? distractions? when they minus, from the "book element value", at own (and anonymous) preference - never a triple jump is 8, but is easily rated 11 or even 12 (or, the opposite, 5-6).

So the ability to do 4-turns does not translate into "won by all means". With 10-15 "elements" in a programme, the judges have enough lee-way to upgrade a single or a double jump into something out of proportion, as they like it, to say nothing of 3-turn jumps.
Combinations 2+3 or 3+3 give further possibilities for a judge to do what they want, to say nothing the very jumps are different, facing backwards, facing forward, done from the inner blade of the skate, from the outer blade of the skate, landing on the outer, landing on the inner blade - various jumps' names originating from it (toeloop, Salkhov, Lutz etc.)

The anti-Russian and anti-Plushenko, in particular, campaign stems from the very fact we go against the tide, against the opinion of the (current) figure-skating majority, where the rules are set to a large degree by the Americans. That's a revolution that we have a difficulty making. Russia wants to dictate its figure-skating rules further on, to continue to set the fashion in the figure-skating world. we have that idea that 4-turns are good for men, and, I am sorry, we are into 5-turns now, in fact )))))))) Plushenko does 5-turns, and other men in the team attempt and train for. Even that they are not yet in the "book" at all )))), as credited "impossible by nature" )))))

We think that's in the Olympic spirit - to break the records and do the impossible. that is the spirit, isn't it?

Plushenko was punished for doing 4-turns. especially that he did them twice in a programme.

For all the rest there was in his programme, is, how to put it softly, )))) is not worse a content than anyone's. he doesn't do 4-turns cannibalising on the other elemenst of the performance.
He does them on top, as the icing, to the cake ))))

He does the steps sequel, and the swirls, and he doesn't exactly lack in impressionism, and in artistry, is in accord with his music, and in his power of expression, and quite powerfully brings the message of the dance to the audience. to say nothing of the simpler "jumps".

Americans just snatched at the 4-turn jumps as at a bone, trying to explain by this - I don't know what. for - what? What's the crime?
That Russia sets a trend. that is a crime.

Between Tourine and Vancouver all world championships were won without Plushenko and without 4-turn jumps. it was a quiet pond grown over by moss.
To which Russia now brought again a disturbance )))) violating the peace and quiet of this stinking eh standing water, driving the engine forward. Plushenko did the main thing he returned back to the Olympic games for - brought a current of fresh air.

After the news got spread he is going to be back for the Olympics - 5 skaters included 4-turn jumps into the short programme (declared) and 3 -for the free programme of yesterday. None did, all fell. he did alone - again - twice a quadriple and once a quadriple. And not separately, but in a session: 4 turns -3 turns -2. )))))

He is a real hero, and not after "medals". The lay-out was clear long before the Olympics start. to please the judges in their current moods - one should NOT attempt 4-turns.
Plushenko drives the figure-skating progress forward.

And it is amazing, the condition of the current men's figure skating, how laid back and relaxed it became, if a man who hasn't been on ice for 3.5 years, to say nothing of "intensive training" ))) - is able to easily take a silver.
To say nothing of his plastic knee recently installed by Germans (which Western media prefers not to mention )))) - as he skated right out of the operation table in the European championship last month and on pain-killers injections. Because this makes his performance and true fighter spirit even more stunning.

Russia is absolutely thankful to him, and in total hats off condition now. for he was going against the tide, which is never easy, for the sake of the future of the sport discipline. And after an op. And - in the heaviest psychological pressure condition possible - because the country demanded of him "only gold", as the rest of the Russian Olympic team is showing lousy show, failed the event entirely, he was the country's only hope. The pressure and responsibility weight on his shoulders was enormous, even without the shameful industry campaign ran against him, and focused on one man. Ugh.

If Evgeny fell on ice - he wouldn't weep spectacularly, like the Lycicek, rest assured.
He is a man on ice, and it is seen.

And if men's figure skating is a sport - they will jump 4-turns and 5-turns in future. as Russia says. Because otherwise it is not a sport but a ballet. What's this suddenly "no risk" attitude, in Olympics? Skiiers risk, luge risk, most men disciplines in the Olympic winter games have a high amount of risk. Why suddenly men's figure-skating is to be a ballet?
Let's take away ice then, it's slippery.

If I were an American, I would be ashamed to look at the mirror today.

Complain about this comment