http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympic ... mpics+blog)
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SINCE TWO-TIME U.S. OLYMPIAN
JOHNNY WEIR is so passionate about all things Russian, it was natural to ask whether he thinks he or Plushenko is the more Russian skater.
Weir figured actually being Russian gave Plushenko the edge, even if the Russian is more of a jumper and less of an artist than the traditional, balletic skater from the Motherland.
"That's what he does well; he jumps well,'' Weir said. "
He brings a lot of theatrics and firepower to the ice, and that is something that is also very Russian. We tend to think of ballet as the Russian art form of choice, but also Russians are very fiery strong people, and I think Plushenko brings that to the table.
I have the balletic side.''
Weir is not surprised by how Plushenko has regained his jumps after three years out of competition, during which he gained 20 pounds that he shed last summer.
"
He is a very driven person,'' Weir said. "I never had any doubt that if he decided to come back, he would be able to do it. He has solid Mishin technique (from coach Alexei Mishin, who also gave 2002 Olympic champion Alexei Yagudin his technical grounding). His body is very strong.
And mentally he is able to say, 'This is what I am doing right now.'''...
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http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010 ... n+-+Sports)
By Dan Barnes, Canwest Olympic TeamFebruary 13, 2010 Plushenko, Lambiel idolized by younger skaters
VANCOUVER — Evgeni Plushenko and Stephane Lambiel have allegedly come back to push the kids.
Up into the air, as the altruistic half of the theory goes? Or just off the Olympic podium? There is evidence to support both stories and skaters willing to buy one more readily than another.
"They came back for themselves," said American
Johnny Weir. "Skating is skating. Skating is at a high level regardless who is skating. Two or three years after Plushenko sat a world record at the Olympics (in 2006) it was broken by a Japanese skater (Daisuke Takahashi at Four Continents in 2008) and Plushenko wasn't skating then. Lambiel was on his way to retirement before coming back. So in no way do I see them coming back to raise the level of skating. I see them coming back on a personal mission to compete in another Olympics."
And Weir has no problem with that.
"People are very cynical when they are talking about the comebacks and returns of these great stars. If you can compete in an Olympics once, you are blessed beyond belief. If you can do it two or three times, what more do you need? If you can do it, do it. If I'm still in good enough health in four years and I feel like I'm still on the ice and want to try again, I'll do it. A three-time Olympian? Come on. Who wouldn't want that?"
But we are told to believe that's not all they want. Though Plushenko isn't talking until after the short program, he has said in the past that his motivation to retrain himself into elite shape after years on the exhibition circuit came from different sources. He craves the adrenalin from competition as much as he does the medal. And he apparently wants his rivals to man up and start doing quads in both the long and short programs. The more the merrier. The past two world championships were won by Canadian Jeffrey Buttle and American Evan Lysacek without a quad and that just won't do.
"They saw there was two times the world champion without a quad. From Todd Eldredge ages there was nobody without the quad to win the world," said Czech skater
Michal Brezina. "I think they did it just because of this. They want to show, if you want to be world champion of the ages you really have to do the quad. I don't think there is any other reason.
"If you want to be really, really good you have to jump like Evgeni and skate like Stephane. These two, if they can be one person, it would be the greatest skater of the world."
And if the stars of Russia and Switzerland were just one skater there would be another medal up for grabs here. Because Plushenko is a lock for a spot on the podium, quite likely the top, and Lambiel is in the mix for another. Their comebacks have shrunk the theoretical size of the podium but for a lot of skaters it was out of reach anyway. So it's hardly an intrusion for the reigning Olympic champ to waltz back onto the ice with them. In fact, a guy like
Denis Ten of Kazakhstan can hardly believe his luck.
"When I watch their skating I feel like, oh my God they're my idols. I can learn a lot from them. I think it's great they come back."
Lysacek sounds somewhat less enthusiastic, though he does appreciate the spotlight that Plushenko focuses on the men's event. And he does retian hope that Plushenko is not invincible.
"I don't think anyone is unbeatable right now, because of the way the sport is judged," said Lysacek. "Obviously there's a lot of room for error but there's also a lot of room to gain extra points on what you are doing."
Brezina's chances at a medal here were infinitesimal anyway, but he is looking well past his own Olympic hopes at what is best for his sport, and he has little doubt that the comebacks have been beneficial. Not just for the obvious increase in media attention, either.
"I think it's good because you can see everyone is now trying to do the quads. In the previous seasons there was not so many attempts to do the quad in competition. I came from the Europeans without a quad in the program and right now I'm practising them because if you want to beat some of the big stars and you don't have the quad, you have no chance."
Ahem. That seems like bad news for Lysacek and Canada's Patrick Chan,
but
Weir wasn't buying that either.
"I don't think necessarily you need a quad to win a medal here," he countered. "
Plushenko, he's a rock star. What can I say? He's a king of this sport. I'm honoured to be on the ice with him again. It's such a pleasure to watch him come back and compete and be so strong.
But I don't think people are trying quads just to compete with them. I think people are trying to better themselves. I want to be perfect. I want people to be transported to a different planet when I'm skating. That's my goal. Some people want to do a quad. Some people are a lot younger than me and will have another Olympics or two Olympics. This is probably my last one. I want to go out with a bang, not falling on a jump that's only 50/50."
So what about the money potential? What about the real gold that Olympic champs can mine?
"
Plushenko is a celebrity in Russia," said Weir. "He's not coming back for the prize money. He's coming back for pride. He's in music videos in Russia. He's all over the news. He has a very famous wife. He's a star in Russia. So he has no need or want for anything. He's coming back for personal pride and to compete again in the Olympics."
The comebacks of Plushenko and Lambiel aren't figure skating's only retro stories at these Games. The Chinese couple of Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao are back with a bang in the pairs competition. Despite touring as pros for two years, they came back to Olympic-eligible competition and won both their Grand Prix assignments. They look ready to add a gold to a pair of bronze medals gleaned from three previous Olympics. In Chan's eyes, that makes the comeback worthwhile.
"The Chinese pairs, they're absolutely amazing. I think my opinion is if you make a comeback it better be a darn good comeback. It's got to be really out with a bang and the Chinese pairs did that. They're phenomenal and beautiful. If you're going to come back, really go out and give it your all because it's your last one."
At least, right up until you make another comeback.
