Guess what?

Evan Lysacek nu vine la Torino, la CM, in martie, sa-si apere titlul mondial castigat anul trecut, la Los Angeles (in absenta lui Plushenko, pentru necunoscatori).

Evan Lysacek nu vine la Torino, in martie, pentru o noua confruntare, a doua confruntare din viata lui, cu Plushenko. Adevarata confruntare, as zice eu, o confruntare nemarcata in vreun fel, neinfluentata de un public care a avut greutatea unui arbitru la Vancouver.

Evan Lysacek nu vine la Torino, in martie, si pierde ocazia de a arata ca a castigat pe bune titlul olimpic. Pentru ca atunci cand castigi aurul asa cum l-a castigat Lysacek, cu un scandal imens dupa finala si cu lungi discutii si comentarii, ar fi asteptat ca incerci sa dovedesti, cu prima ocazie care ti se ofera, ca tu esti cel mai bun, ca meriti medalia suprema.

Evan Lysacek nu vine la Torino si da apa la moara carcotasilor. Iar eu sunt unul dintre eci mai aprigi: vino, frate, si arata ce poti! Arata ca esti bun si la a a doua intalnire, una la care nu urla fanii ca descreieratii, vino si pe teren european sa vedem cum te descurci (oricum publicul torinez ar fi fost de o eleganta desavarsita, bag mana in foc. Poate doar eu sa fi afisat un tricou cu "Go home, American boy, you are not the winner" - glumesc, desi gandul, recunosc, exista).

Evan Lysacek nu vine la Torino, dar zice ca acesta nu e sfarsitul activitatii lui competitionale. Eu as zice sa fie mai grijuliu cu declaratiile. Am invatat in timp sa fiu circumspecta,vizavi de traseul competitional al americanilor. Daca e ceva ce le lipseste unora dintre ei, asta e constanta in participarea la competitii. Un european va veni an de an sa-si apere titlul sau sa incerce sa castige un titlu: ganditi-va la Slutskaia, avea vreo nu stiu cate titluri europene, sase?, sapte?, si ea tot venea. Ei, in cazul unor nord-americani... ai aurul mondial, ai aurul olimpic... atunci se cheama ca ai luat tot ce se putea lua si nu mai merita sa te stresezi sa revii anul urmator in competitii, ca sa dovedesti ca-ti meriti medalia, ca te lupti sa-ti pastrezi suprematia. Acuma, pe bune, cine a mai auzit de Tara Lipinski dupa titlul olimpic? De Jamie Sale si David Pelletier? De Sarah Hughes? (Nancy Kerrigan, da, era mai constanta, dar ea cred ca a fost o exceptie. Sunt rea, stiu. Si exagerez cumva. Ca si Todd Eldredge a patinat pana tarziu, si Michelle Kwan si Sasha Cohen a fost destul de prezenta in competitii... dar sunt unii care dispar tot atat de repede precum au castigat un titlu suprem, fie el mondial, fie el olimpic. Pe principiul "mi-am facut datoria catre tara, catre mine", ma retrag, fac bani din showuri demonstrative, din publicitate, din actorie, din altceva.

Asadar, sa tratam impreuna cu rezerva informatia ca Lysacek nu intentioneaza sa se retraga din activitatea competitionala. Pana una-alta, un singur lucru e cert: nu vine la Torino si ma enerveaza teribil ca a luat decizia asta. Intr-un fel, mingea era la el: si el a decis sa o puna la subrat si sa plece in acasa, in loc sa arate unora ca mine ca arul n-a fost o intamplare. Ei, asta spune multe. A fost sfatuit, probabil, ca nu merita sa adanceasca acest conflict, care, la Torino, s-ar fi acutizat. Conflict privind calitatile lui de patinator, privind sistemul de punctaj, privind faptul de a fi meritat sau nu aurul olimpic... Mda. Uite si stirea oficiala:

Evan Lysacek to skip worlds in Turin

2/25/2010, 8:59 p.m. EST The Associated Press

(AP) — VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek will not defend his title at next month's world championships in Turin, Italy.

Lysacek, who won gold at the Vancouver Olympics a week ago, said he is not retiring.

"I still want to continue to compete, though," the 24-year-old Lysacek told icenetwork.com. "I'm not afraid to lose. Regardless of medals, I still have so much to thrive on in the sport. I'm not ready to say goodbye."

Ryan Bradley, who placed fourth at the U.S. championships, will replace Lysacek. Bradley was 15th at the 2007 worlds.

Five-time U.S. ice dance champions Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto also will bypass the worlds and are expected to retire from competitive skating. They will be replaced in Turin by Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre, the first alternates. Navarro-Bommentre were 12th at the 2008 world championships.

Lysacek's sensational season comes to an end with wins at Skate America, the Grand Prix final and then in Vancouver. He is the first American man to win Olympic gold since Brian Boitano in 1988.

Yu-Na Kim. That girl has attitude.

And the looks, too.

Cine ma cunoaste, stie ca despre fete la patinaj n-aveam nicio vorba de lauda. De cand s-a retras Maria Butirskaia, care era oricum bunicuta patinajului cand ma uitam eu (si superba in acelasi timp) nicio patinatoare nu m-a mai entuziasmat. Unde mai pui ca proba asta, la orice competitie de patinaj, era si cea mai bleaga proba. A se citi cea mai slaba. Uf, feministelor, sa nu sariti in sus. Dar, in patinaj, fetele nu s-au ridicat niciodata la nivelul baietilor. Si tindeau sa balteasca mult si bine in mlastina asta de duble si triple usoare. Erau niste balerine, niste fete gratioase, care-si falfaiau aripile cateva minute si asta era tot. Adrenalina zero. Si nici sanse sa se produca vreo revolutie in patinajul feminin nu erau.

Cine ma cunoaste, deci, stie ca in topul meu, fetele erau pe ultimul loc: puteam sa ratez proba feminina, fie ea si finala, fara sa am vreo remuscare. Si n-am incercat sa conving pe nimeni (boys included) sa se uite la patinaj, la proba fetelor. Vrei patinaj, uite-te, frate, la proba masculina! Lasa fustitele si uite-te la cvadruple, la aventura, la nebunie, la programe complicate, bine alcatuite, cu idee clara, cu linii fantastice de pasi: sa ma ierte Ali ca recomand asta, dar uitati-va pe youtube la programul scurt de la Salt Lake City al lui Alexei Yagudin (Winter - AICI, de pe la minutul 1.40 in sus). Si uitati-va la toate programele lui Plushenko, scurte, libere, nici nu conteaza (vezi AICI pe Plushenko, la Salt Lake City, pe muzica de Michael Jackson). Dupa baieti, in topul meu, urma proba de dans. Fabuloasa! Dupa aceea, perechile. Si de-abia la coada cozilor, gratioasele. Fetele :)

Ei, la olimpiada asta a fost altceva. Desi intentionam sa dorm ca un bebelus in patul meu caldut, m-am trezit sa vad fetele. Cu oaresce dubii, dar m-am trezit. Vazusem programele scurte ale fetelor de pe locurile 1, 2 si 3 si m-au uimit. M-a uimit inainte de toate ca se executa in competitii triplu axel!, acel triplu axel pe care nici toti baietii nu-l stapanesc pe deplin, ca se executa triplu axel in combinatie cu dubla! (mama, mama, fetele rules!) si ca se executa combinatii de triple una si una! Aproape ca finala de azi noapte a fetelor a fost mai palpitanta decat a baietilor. Mai, oameni buni, la olimpiada asta fetele au avut curaj! Ceea ce anumitor baieti, sa ne intelegem, le-a cam lipsit. Pai, Yu-Na Kim aproape ca i-a dat clasa lui Lysacek! (am o fixatie stiu, dar e fixatia mea si fac ce vreau cu ea!)

Despre Yu-Na Kim e, pana la urma, vorba in acest post. Iertati introducerea lunga, dar am vrut sa-mi intelegeti surpriza. S-o asez in context. Ei bine, Yu-Na Kim, din Coreea de Sud, e campioana olimpica la patinaj artistic, editia Vancouver 2010, si-si merita titlul cu varf si cu indesat.




Fata asta le are pe toate: sarituri, atitudine, gratie... ma, si mai e si frumoasa pe deasupra. "Queen" Yu-na, cum i se zice, a luat prima medalie olimpica de aur pentru Coreea si e deja o vedeta in tara ei. De cand a luat titlul mondial, anul trecut. Aurul olimpic n-a venit, deci, ca o surpriza. (Pentru mine a fost, insa, dat fiind ca n-am prea urmarit cu interes fetele in ultimii doi ani).

Yu-Na Kim a venit la Vancouver in postura de favorita, cu frumusetea si cu un bagaj tehnic excelent. Dar asta nu inseamna ca n-a avut emotii. A intrat in concurs cu japoneza Mao Asada (care avea si ea o misie grea: sa faca in asa fel incat sa pastreze medalia olimpica de aur pe care a castigat-o pentru Japonia, acum patru ani, Shizuka Arakawa).
Iar japoneza venea la Vancouver gata sa execute in programul liber doua sarituri triplu-axel. Una simpla, una in combinatie. Ei, ca sa va lamuresc, Mao Asada e SINGURA patinatoare din lume care executa in competitii saritura asta, considerata inca dificila pentru fete. O mai executa in anii 90 tot o japoneza, Yuka Sato. De atunci, fetele au ocolit cu obstinatie saritura asta. Dar Mao Asada o executa cu usurinta cu care executa o saritura simpla, cu o rotatie. Si mai e si antrenata de Tatiana Tarasova, un "monstru" de antrenor, in sensul bun al cuvantului. Mi-a placut si programul ei liber, curajos si patinat cu entuziasm. Asta pana cand a bestelit o combinatie si dupa aia, gandindu-se la tampenia facuta, a facut o simpla in loc de o tripla. Ramane, insa, o evolutie foarte interesanta, cu caracter, cea a japonezei Mao Asada (mai jos):


Asadar, Yu-Na Kim avea concurenta la Vancouver. Coreeanca a facut insa un program scurt impecabil, pe muzica din filmul James Bond, si s-a instalat confortabil in postura de favorita. Programul a fost memorabil, pentru ca a fost "program" in adevaratul sens al cuvantului: a fost gandit, a avut o idee, un fir conducator, a avut poveste. Fetele la capitolul asta erau varza, cum v-am zis: falfaiau din aripi, toate erau niste lebede, de la inceput pana la sfarsit, si asta era. Yu-Na Kim a fost altfel la programul scurt. Iar la programul liber a fost si ea o lebada, una albastra, dar o lebada convingatoare. Fragila, frumoasa, dar puternica.






Si a luat aurul. Si a fost urmarita, in direct, de o multime de conationali.





Si va continua sa fie un star in tara ei. Zic va continua, pentru ca patinatoarea avea si pana acum contracte fabuloase de publicitate. Interesant este ca prin ea, a luat aurul si cel care o antreneaza, canadianul Brian Orser. De doua ori vicecampion olimpic, Orser a pierdut aurul in fata lui Scott Hamilton (in 1984) si in fata lui Brian Boitano (in 1988 - confruntare numita in presa vremii The battle of Brians). Asa ca prin eleva lui, Orser a luat si el aurul la care ravneste din anii 80.

Si asta e povestea. Povestea care m-a convins sa ma duc si la finala fetelor, la CM de la Torino. Ca ma gandeam sa sar peste ea si sa vizitez orasul... Uf, Torino, imi pare rau, se pare ca n-o sa te prea vad de data asta.

In spatele fiecarui campion e un antrenor rus

Celor care cred ca suprematia rusa in patinaj e pe cale sa se incheie, dat fiind ca Rusia e posibil sa nu ia niciun aur la actualele JO din Canada, le spun doar atat: va inselati amarnic. Lucrurile stau chiar invers: rusii conduc lumea, cand vine vorba de patinaj. Cele mai mari nume ale patinajului, originare din Rusia, dupa o cariera fabuloasa si medalii cat cuprinde, au devenit si cele mai mari nume ale antrenoratului. Fostii campioni europeni, mondiali si olimpici, care au reprezentat Rusia in tineretile lor, sunt astazi si cei mai tari antrenori. Si niciun sportiv care se respecta, fie el american sau ce-o fi, nu concepe sa nu fie antrenat de un rus daca vrea sa aiba la un moment dat aurul de gat. Ca isi iau antrenor rus full time sau ca trece cateva luni pe la scoala de patinaj a unor rusi, asta conteaza mai putin. Ceea ce conteaza e ca nu poti sa ratezi o perioada de pregatire cu un rus daca vrei sa contezi in patinaj.

L-ati auzit pe americanul Johnny Weir vorbind in rusa cu antrenorii din stanga si dreapta lui si zicand, catre camera, nonsalant, "vsem privet" (salutare tuturor)? Stiti ca Lysacek (da, da, acest Lysacek cu aere si medalie de aur castigata pe triple) a trecut pe la Tarasova? Ca si Sasha Cohen? Ca extrem de multe perechi sunt antrenate de Natalia Liniciuk si Ghenadi Karponosov? Ca britanii Kerr sunt indrumati de Evgeni Platov? Ca Tess Virtue si Scott Moir, cei care sunt pe locul I inainte de programul liber la dans, sunt antrenati de Maria Zueva si Igor Spilband? Ca si cei de pe locul II acum, Meryl Davis si Charlie White? Ce ziceti de Elena Ceaikovskaia? De Vladimir Kotin? De Nikolai Morozov? De Viktor Petrenko? De Alexandr Julin?

Cu alte cuvinte, desi medaliile de la olimpiada asta merg si vor merge masiv catre sportivi care nu vin din Rusia, Rusia ramane o putere extraordinara in patinaj. Ok, nu sunt medalii pentru Rusia (din motive pe care nu le mai comentez, ca ma dor deja buricele degetelor), dar ce e important e ca in spatele fiecarui campion (de oriunde ar fi el) e un antrenor rus. E o aberatie, deci, sa spui ca suprematia rusa in patinaj e pe cale sa se sfarseasca. In realitate, scoala rusa de patinaj e peste tot.

Poze mai vechi si mai noi cu cativa dintre campionii-antrenori rusi.

Tarasova. Tatiana Tarasova. Infofolita aproape intotdeauna intr-o haina de blana, apriga si concentrata.


Marina Zueva si Andrei Vitman, anii 70

Marina Zueva si Igor Spilband, astazi, unii dintre cei mai cunoscuti antrenori:

Natalia Liniciuk si Ghenadi Karponosov, pe la finalul anilor 70, cand concurau.

Astazi, formeaza o echipa de antrenori de top. Aici, incadrandu-i pe favoritii mei, rusii Oksana Domnina si Maxim Shabalin.

Mai jos, Nikolai Morozov. Un tanar antrenor cu o viata amoroasa foarte complicata. A fost casatorit cu patinatoarea Tatiana Navka, a divortat, s-a recasatorit cu patinatoarea Caroline Douarin, ca sa divorteze si sa se recasatoreasca apoi cu alta patinatoare de top, Shae-Lynn Bourne:

Si last, but not the least, my very personal favourite: Evgeni Platov. Unul dintre patinatorii mei de suflet. Care a castigat doua titluri olimpice consecutive in proba de dans cu Pasha (Oksana) Grishuk. Astazi, antrenor. Mai jos, cu Pasha:

Plushenko si medalia lui de platina

Nu pot sa nu pun pe blog filmuletul de care vorbeste Dia in comentariul ei la un post precedent, asa ca iata-l: (Plushenko explica de ce a pasit pe prima treapta a podiumului - a simtit ca ala e locul lui, de ce a dat jos repede de la gat medalia de argint, "cantarea prea mult", a zis zambind, de fapt, nu era medalia lui, cum sotia lui a spus ca azi a castigat, de fapt, medalia de platina):

O sa iasa un roman fluviu aici, dar zic sa fim in tema cu desfasurarea evenimentelor.

Si, mai jos, o stire Reuters care se incheie in acelasi ton: "Cine si-o aminteste azi pe Sarah Hughes, care a castigat aurul la Salt Lake City, in fata favoritei la aur Irina Sluskaia? Asa o sa se intample si cu Lysacke, n-o sa-si mai aminteasca nimeni de el...). Da, ce-i drept acum imi vin in minte toate coincidentele tampite de la JO americane...

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Olympic men's figure skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek is not a "true champion," his predecessor and Vancouver runner-up Yevgeny Plushenko has told Russian media.

Plushenko, hoping to become the first man in almost six decades to win back-to-back titles, lost to the American by 1.31 points on Thursday.

"You can't be considered a true men's champion without a quad," the 27-year-old told Russian state television RTR.

Lysacek did not attempt a quadruple jump, considered the most difficult in figure skating, in either Tuesday's short or Thursday's free programs, instead wowing the judges with artistry and exquisite footwork.

"For someone to stand on top of the podium with the gold medal around his neck with just doing triple jumps, to me it's not progress, it's a regress because we've done triples 10 or even 20 years ago," Plushenko said.

"Just doing nice transitions and being artistic is not enough because figure skating is a sport, not a show," he said.

"Of all the men who had competed tonight, only two -- myself and (Japan's) Takahiro Kozuka (who finished eighth) -- were able to land a clean quad.

"Later, when I saw Kozuka I shook his hand and congratulated him, saying 'Well done'. I also have a lot of respect for (Japan's bronze medalist) Daisuke Takahashi for trying to attempt a quad. That's a sign of a (future) champion."

Plushenko robbed

Plushenko, who came out of a 3-1/2-year retirement last month, said he was a victim of prejudicial judging.

"I did a great short program but didn't get the marks I deserved. When I asked why they told me I was skating early and they had to retain top marks for the last group," he said.

"Then, in the free program I was the last to skate, did everything clean and still didn't get the marks. That's prejudice. I thought I had done enough to get the gold but the judges gave it to someone else."

Most Russian TV analysts and commentators said Plushenko was robbed of a deserved gold by the judges.

When Plushenko walked into the RTR studio in Vancouver, host Alexei Popov presented him with a symbolic medal.

"You already have one gold and one silver so here's a platinum medal for you," Popov told the skater. "You are the real champion."

Another commentator called the decision scandalous, in the same mold as judging controversies at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

"We'd seen this before. In 2002 Irina Slutskaya unfairly was placed second in the short program so that Sarah Hughes could get a better shot at winning the gold," Alexei Vasilyev said.

Russia's Slutskaya, a favorite for the women's title in Salt Lake City, finished second behind American Hughes.

Incensed by what they thought was poor and biased judging, the Russians filed a protest, arguing Slutskaya had skated as well as, if not better than, Hughes. It was rejected.

"So what if Slutskaya lost?" asked the commentator.

"Who now remembers Hughes? Similarly, in a few years' time nobody will remember Lysacek while Plushenko would go down in history as one of the greatest of all time."

Mda. Cam asa e.

Elvis Stojko: "The night they killed figure skating"

Nici macar nu-mi place Elvis Stojko. Dar nu pot sa nu preiau - in continuarea a ceea ce am scris aici si aici - comentariul lui despre finala de azi-dimineata.

Asadar, integral:

"The night they killed figure skating

By Elvis Stojko, Yahoo! Sports

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Sorry, Evan Lysacek.

You’re a great skater and all.

But that wasn’t Olympic champion material.

In Thursday night’s men’s free skate, Lysacek skated slow and his jumps weren’t close to the technical ability of defending Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko.

How can you be Olympic champion when you don’t even try the quad? If you’re going to take the quad out, why not take out another triple axel and just have more of the other stuff so the International Skating Union can make it more into an “art.”

Plushenko had a great performance. His footwork was great and maybe his spins weren’t quite as good as Lysacek’s, but he had some spins that were fast. He also had a quad toe triple toe that wasn’t even attempted by anyone else. He did both triple axels, so all the jumps were there.

But the judges’ scoring was ridiculous.

Because of it, the sport took a step backward. Brian Boitano did the same thing, technically, in 1988. There are junior skaters who can skate that same program.

And the judges’ scoring probably killed figure skating because kids now are going to see this and say, “Oh, I don’t need a quad. I can just do great footwork for presentation marks and do a couple of nice spins and make it to Olympic champion.” With that type of scoring, you don’t have to risk it. You can play it safe and win gold.

In what other sports do you have to hold back in order to win?

The International Skating Union has taken the risk out of figure skating and it makes me sick.

Now, Lysacek does have quality to his skating. But when you compare it to Plushenko’s, there is no comparison.

If Plushenko was making a whole bunch of mistakes, then sure, maybe Lysacek deserves gold. But when you take the risk out of skaters’ programs, it doesn’t compute to me.

And it’s not a personal thing. I like Evan. But when you compare performances and have an outcome like this, the sport is going backward. And it hurts me to say it because I love this sport. But the judges made a mockery of it by giving Lysacek the gold.

I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade because it’s not the skaters’ fault. It’s the system. And the figure skating community wants to control who wins and who loses. And what it does is it makes the component score more valid than the jumps so it can control whatever it wants. And that’s exactly what happened Thursday night at Pacific Coliseum.

How can the sport be put back on the right path? I have no idea. I haven’t even thought about it. It’s not up to me. Because people at the ISU obviously seem to know what they’re doing. Well, they think they know what they’re doing.

For me, the outcome on Thursday night was disappointing.

A few more thoughts on the men’s free skate:

• I thought Daisuke Takahashi was awesome. He tried the quad and he had the guts to go for it, and he should’ve been ahead of Lysacek in that aspect.

• Johnny Weir was great. He should’ve been higher than sixth – above Patrick Chan, who was fifth. Weir outskated Chan. He might’ve skated a little bit slow but he went out there and did his stuff. I feel bad for him.

• People say I’m hammering certain skaters. I’m not. That’s why I’m telling you that Weir skated great and should have been higher".

Asta e. Daca pana si Stojko, canadianul Stojko, spune ce spune... well, I rest my case. Dar cui foloseste? Cui mai foloseste?

Stiri noi de pe Ria Novosti

Plushenko says might quit sport after Olympic silver

Russia's Evgeni Plushenko, who hoped to become the first repeat men's Olympic gold medalist since 1952, but won silver in the free skate in Vancouver, said on Friday he might quit sports.

Plushenko led the competition after the short program, but the U.S.'s Evan Lysacek, the reigning world champion, beat him with an overall score of 257.67 points. Japan's Daisuke Takahashi will take home the bronze medal with 247.23. Plushenko's overall score from both events was 256.36.

Plushenko, 27, said figure skating has changed and he may quit the sport. "This may be my last competition. We will see," he said.

"It is hard to say anything as I was sure I had won my second Olympics. With the old [judging] system... A quadruple jump is a quadruple jump," he said.

"I'm not ready to skate well and then lose. The [judging] system needs to be changed. This is men's figure skating and not pairs. I am not ready to lose with a quadruple jump."

"It's clear why the judging system was changed because the United States and Canada don't have anyone who can do a quadruple jump," Plushenko said.

But Plushenko said he was happy to return to the ice and skate in Vancouver.

"I did the right thing. I am immensely grateful to God, my coach, parents and wife who supported me throughout the season allowing me to win all those competitions after more than three years of retirement."

"Today I faced defeat, well that's fate. But everything was just great," Plushenko said.

Plushenko skated freely, with his usual charisma, drawing laughs from spectators with his seductive tango. He held up his index finger when he finished showing he was sure of his victory.

The 2006 Olympic champion began his number to Tango Amore by Edwin Marton with a quadruple and triple jumps, but ommitted a double Rittberger. He also made an imperfect landing after a triple axel. But his footwork and spins cost him the most points.

But the skater's longtime coach, Alexei Mishin, criticized the judging system.

"It is nonsense when a skater wins in the Olympics without a quad jump. The judging system takes figure skating back to the past," Mishin told reporters after the competition.

He sounded upbeat about Plushenko's future in the sport: "We will continue skating. I am proud of my student."

The 2006 Olympic winner and three-time world champion Plushenko returned to the ice late last year after a self-imposed retirement following his stunning performance in Torino.

He easily won an international Moscow cup in October and the Russian national championship in December. He also triumphed at last month's European Championships.

MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti)

Plushenko's olympic silver "worth gold" - Putin

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in a message to Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko his silver Olympic medal is worth "gold."

"Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your superb performance at the XXI Winter Olympic Games," the message said. "Your silver is worth gold."

Russia's defending champion Evgeni Plushenko managed to secure only the Olympic silver medal in Thursday's free skating event in Vancouver, beat out by the U.S.'s Evan Lysacek who took the gold medal.

Japan's Daisuke Takahashi will take home the bronze medal in the men's figure skating event.

MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti)

"Lectia" de la Vancouver: tocilarul ia aurul, curajosul ia argintul

Ceea ce parea, in viziunea mea, de necrezut, tocmai s-a intamplat: Lysacek, the most boring skater of all times, cu succesiunea lui de triple si cu lacrimile lui de crocodil si de actor de Beverly Hills, a luat aurul la patinaj, la JO din Canada (ca in alta parte a lumii, exceptand, of course, SUA, aceasta stupiditate nu s-a fi intamplat).

O sa ziceti ca sunt prea nervoasa, la jumatate de ora de la incheierea finalei, si ca dramatizez. Ca Lysacek a avut un program bun, curat, bla, bla, bla. Dar nu cu asta se castiga la olimpiada. Ci cu inventivitate, curaj, chef de a patina, bucurie, entuziasm... Aurul se castiga cu "pachetul Plushenko", o combinatie fenomenala (si in alte tari organizatoare, de neinvins) intre partea tehnica (singurul din concurs care a facut combinatia cvadrupla-tripla, nu cvadrupla simpla, sa ne intelegem) si partea artistica.

Sunt gata sa pariez pe multe lucruri la care tin ca pe Lysacek posteritatea NU il va retine! Ce dracu' a facut Lysacek la programul liber? Si de ce naiba a primit la tehnic note de parca ar fi atins Luna cu mana? Si de ce el si Chan au luat la artistic cat au luat? (Chan mai avea putin si urca pe podium, fara sa straluceasca prin nimic). Ca sa o citez pe Ali, Lysacek e ca un tocilar care si-a spus lectia invatata la perfectie, care a invatat pe deasupra toate capitolele cu exceptia celui mai greu: cvadrupla. Nu o face, dar a luat ochii unui juriu deja domesticit de ideea atat de batatorita in ultimul timp ca se poate lua aurul olimpic fara cvadrupla, ca nu e nicio problema, absolut nicio problema, cu chestia asta.

Ca sa nu imi spuneti mie ca toate aceste discutii din ultimul timp despre "cat de importante sunt toate elementele, nu numai cvadrupla, bla, bla, bla", despre cum "pasii de legatura ai lui cutare american si cutare canadian sunt asa si pe dincolo", n-au avut o menire, si inca una foarte clara: de a pregati, in cazul in care Lysacek (sau Chan) facea un program curat, cu toate triplele lui, o victorie a acestuia. Sa nu ziceti ca nu v-am spus. Si ca nu v-am pregatit pentru asta (cititi postul precedent). Si nu ma acuzati ca pic usor in patima conspiratiei sau ca sunt orbita de Plushenko si nu mai judec clar. Ca nu e cazul. La intalnirile directe Plushenko-Yagudin (ala da patinaj!), puteam sa recunosc, in anumite cazuri, superioritatea lui Yagudin. Deci as fi putut-o recunoaste si acum. Si daca Plushenko facea greseli grave, puteam sa accept sa castige un Daisuke Takahashi (excelent la toate capitolele, tehnic si artistic) sau un Stephane Lambiel (cu un simt al muzicii fenomenal). Dar nu un Evan Lysacek sau un Patrick Chan (sau ce patinator mai inventeaza americano-canadienii), care nu vor ramane in istoria patinajului cu evolutiile lor inodore, incolore. (Am suficiente argumente ca sa nu fiu acuzata de scenarita. A se veadea olimpiada de la Atlanta pentru gimnastele romance...).

Pentru cine a urmarit discutiile de pe forumuri din ultima perioada si articolele din presa nord-americana, ce s-a intamplat in dimineata asta nu e deloc o surpriza. Pentru ca s-a incercat prin toate mijloacele sa se imprime o stare de spirit favorabila castigarii aurului fara niciun pic de risc. S-a dat drumul, cu arul lui Lysacek, la medalii care proslavesc lipsa de curaj in patinaj si conformismul: "fac sapte triple si zece pasi de legatura si am rezolvat". Asta e lectia pe care o serveste JO de la Vancouver lumii, o lectie absolut paradoxala, din care nu mai intelegi nimic: "avem pista cea mai rapida la sanie, ce daca mai moare cate unul?, a gresit, e eroarea lui, redecshidem pista... dar la patinaj sa castige tocilarul".

Sa nu ziceti ca nu va spun de acum: si in proba de dans, Oksana Domnina si Maxim Shabalin o sa aiba probleme. Au un dans obligatoriu pe ritmuri aborigene, iar comunitatea aborigena a sarit in sus de zece metri (unde era comunitatea asta la alte concursuri, cand s-a patinat pe ritmuri de felul asta) ca nu se respecta regulile, ca nu e nimic acolo ce seamana cu dansurile lor, bla, bla, bla... Iar povestea asta a fost mediatizata la extrem, de cateva saptamani bune, si surprinzator, ca sa citez un comunicat de pe site-ul organizatorilor, cu o zi inainte de compulsory dance, "Controversy looms at ice dance". Si mai spun ceva: Tess Virtue si Scott Moir din tara gazda si o pereche de americani de care n-au auzit nimeni pandesc aurul ca niste vulpi flamande. Pe reteta deja probata in cazul baietilor: "Se ia un exercitiu corect-corect, fara niciun pic de sare si piper (a se citi risc), se adauga un pic de E-uri de la plic (a se citi controversa), cat sa nu se observe ca ai schimbat gustul, si aia e. Aur. Inghiti pe nemestecate si esti fericit. Dupa o ora (a se citi o zi, doua, o perioada), o sa ai un gust in gura de-o sa-ti vina sa vomiti si o sa te intrebi cum dracu' a fost posibil sa inghiti ca prostul o asemenea tampenie". Asemanarile cu cazuri reale sunt intamplatoare, evident, si acesta este un pamflet.

Pe principiul priramidei inversate (pentru cine a ajuns pana aici), faptele sunt urmatoarele: Plushenko a pierdut medalia de aur la JO de la Vancouver in fata lui Evan Lysacek. La un punctsi vreo 30 de zecimi.

Ca sa recapitulam, Plushenko a mers excelent, cu cvadrupla-tripla, si cu o alta serie de triple, plus parte artistica super consistenta, dar a pierdut. A fost un exercitiu excelent, memorabil, Plushenko a intrat ultimul, si-a stapanit nervii si a dat tot ce putea in acel moment. Cand stia deja ca Lysacek se instalase in varf cu programul lui "corect". O tripla cu un zbor putin mai aplecat in aer, dar aterizata excelent, a dat un excelent prilej de scadere - "se poate scadea un punct, se poate scadea un punct! - urla aproape satisfacut Marius Negrea, comentand pentru TVR". Si asa a si fost, s-a scazut ceva aici, si destul de mult, se pare. Iar Plushenko a pierdut aurul, desi e imposibil de crezut ca toata seria lui de sarituri, chiar si cu aplecarea asta in aer la o tripla, a fost mai slab punctata decat triplele "curate" ale lui Lysacek.

O sa ziceti ca am ajuns ca Vadim, critic tot si toate si o dau in conspiratii. Eu zic ca nu-i asa si, oricum, pe principiul "Gigi", "pe blogul meu fac ce vreau eu". Dar eu va spun altceva: pe youtube sau in reluare, priviti fara patima (si fac si eu chestia asta) cele doua exercitii: Lysacek si Plushenko, chiar in ordinea asta. Ordinea intrarii in concurs. Si spuneti-mi cu ce ati ramas dupa urmarirea evolutiilor celor doi. Cine e adevaratul campion olimpic? Cine o sa ramana in istoria patinajului? Eu zic ca raspunsul e evident.

Iar in timpul galei a facut-o si pe-asta: a luat-o pe podium, pe la locul I, ca sa ajunga la locul lui :)

Si niste updatari, care vor continua toata ziua (nu doar eu am vazut altfel lucrurile):

Gold for MEN's figure skating should be associated with a quad. Lysacek will be remembered as being extremely lucky tonight. Plushenko had really bad luck tonight - he should have beaten Lysacek - someone not in his class.

The scoring system squelches passion and encourages carefullness. Figure skating has become a CYA sport.

Evan did not deserve this medal. And this unfair poor judge is the only way that American lossers can get this medals. Guys, this not sport likely...

Reigning world champion Evan Lysacek gave the United States their first Olympic men's figure skating title in 22 years with a risk-free performance on Thursday... and so on.

Ce finala va fi!

Facts:

Plushenko e pe primul loc dupa programul scurt, la JO de la Vancouver.

Plushenko e pe primul lor, dar e la foaaarte mica, prea mica, distanta de americanul Lysacek (90.85 - Plushenko, 90.30 - Lysacek) si de japonezul Daisuke Takahashi (cu un scor de 90.25). As cita-o pe prietena mea Ali, intr-un sms trimis la 6 dimineata, dar mi-e teama ca s-a exprimat prea colorat pentru acest blog. Ca sa reformulez, diferenta asta infima dintre Plushenko si patinatorii care-i sufla-n ceafa o sa ne dea noua, mie si lui Ali, un car de emotii in noaptea finalei.

Practic, cu punctajele pe care le au acum, fiecare dintre cei trei poate lua aurul.
La programul scurt, spun astia care se pricep si spun si eu, diferenta a facut-o saritura cvadrupla: dintre cei trei, Plushenko e singurul care a inclus-o in program. Suna excelent ca rusul a facut saritura cu patru rotatii, dar ma enerveaza sa ma gandesc ca fara ea nu era pe primul loc la programul scurt.
Se poate sa fie doar o impresie (as vreau eu sa fie doar o impresie), dar se pare ca arbitrii nu mai sunt asa entuziasmati de componenta artistica a exercitiilor lui Plushenko. Si la Europene, la partea artistica, Plushenko a avut un punctaj mai slab decat, sa zicem, Lambiel (dar Lambiel e o exceptie, ca are un simt al muzicii extraordinar). Acum insa, la artistic, Plushenko a primit 39 de puncte si ceva, iar Takahashi a primit in jur de 41. Si cred ca a mai fost unul cu punctaj mai mare in zona asta, de interpretare.

Drept sa spun, treaba asta ma cam seaca. Serios si obiectiv vorbind, cvadrupla NU este singura chestie care il diferentiaza pe Plushenko de restul patinatorilor. Il urmaresc pe Plushenko din 97, de cand era doar un pusti slab, cu parul mult mai scurt, care facea pirueta Bielman, si l-am si vazut patinand de vreo doua ori in fata ochilor mei. Si mi-e clar ca emana o energie fenomenala, o bucurie teribila de a patina, are o usurinta incredibila in a face sa para super simple elemente foarte complicata. Si-atunci de ce e in situatia asta? De-a fi la foarte-foarte mica distanta de ceilalti?

In anii trecuti, la campionatele mondiale si europene, era clar: nu faceai cvadrupla, nu erai in carti pentru medalii, nu puteai sa emiti pretentii. Si-acum? Sa fii (tu-Takahashi, tu-Lysacek, tu-Chan) la Jocurile Olimpice si sa vrei sa iei aurul fara saritura cu patru rotatii? Si, mai mult, sa nu faci cvadrupla si sa fii la jumatate de punct distanta de Plushenko?

E enervanta toata povestea asta. Dar se explica intr-un fel prin ce s-a intamplat, ce s-a spus in ultima perioada: de cateva saptamani bune, patinatori americani si canadieni, plus o gasca de specialisti de aceeasi origine, fac lobby pentru ideea ca nu e nevoie de cvadrupla sa castigi cea mai tare medalie. In saptamanile trecute, un arbitru american s-a aflat chiar in centrul unui scandal dupa ce a trimis un mail - vezi-Doamne - de "atentionare" catorva alti arbitri din proba masculina, ca sa aiba grija cum arbitreaza, sa nu se lase influentati de "legenda" care il precede pe Plushenko, ca sa fie atenti ca rusul e cam slab la partea de legaturi dintre sarituri, ca o sari el cvadrupla, dar sunt si alte elemente care conteaza si care ar trebui notate ca atare...

Nu mai spun ca Patrick Chan, reprezentantul Canadei, a facut si el ditamai tam-tamul chiar in ultimele zile ca Plushenko are un stil invechit de a patina, ca el, canadianul, are in program pasi si elemente de legatura care trebuie sa fie punctate similar cu o cvadrupla. Aceeasi discutie si in cazul lui Lysacek. Nu reusim sa aterizam cvadrupla, asa ca macanim ca se poate sa castigi si fara. Si mi-e teama ca unii o sa inceapa sa creada chestia asta. In fine. Ca sa nu-l mai aduc in discutie pe Weir (care e un patinator bun, dar cu ifose) care a declarat ca el nu mai e impresionat de "o coama de par blond fluturand prin aer" (ghici cine e coama?) Pana una alta, dupa programul scurt, Weir e pe 6, iar Chan e pe 7. As zice "sac" acum, dar ce ma seaca e ca toate discutiile astea apar, asa, ca de nicaieri, in toiul unor JO care se desfasoara in Canada (care Canada si-l prezenta pana mai ieri, cu mare fast, pe Patrick Chan drept favorit la aur. Fara cvadrupla, evident:). It sucks (fara ca eu sa ma las influentata de idei conspirationiste, pare cel putin ciudat acest lobby pentru "aur fara cvadrupla"...)

Un razboi al nervilor, imi e clar. Asta a fost cumva atmosfera din perioada premergatoare programului scurt, iar Plushenko a ales sa nu comenteze. A intrat intr-un soi de silenzio stampa si a spus ca va spune ce are de spus dupa programul scurt.

Si dupa programul scurt a vorbit. Si a pus el presiune pe adversarii sai. Destula presiune incat sa le tremure picioarele in finala :)

Preiau comentariul scris de Martin Rogers pentru Yahoo! Sports. Textul vorbeste de la sine, asa ca nu-mi mai bat capul sa traduc. E un fel de rezumat al conferintei de presa de dupa programul scurt.

Plushenko playing mind games

By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – If gold medals were handed out for winning mind games, Evgeni Plushenko would already be headed to the Vancouver airport, ready to jump on a flight to Russia with another Olympic title stashed safely in his baggage.

After surging into the lead after the short program in the men’s figure-skating competition, Plushenko proceeded to turn up the heat on American rival Evan Lysacek with a series of barbed comments that will further fuel a heated showdown set for Thursday night.

Plushenko gleefully poked fun at Lysacek’s refusal to incorporate the quad jump – figure skating’s toughest and most exciting maneuver – into his program. Lysacek suffered a stress fracture in his foot attempting the move last year and will not try it in his long program.

“I believe the future of figure skating lies in the quad jumps,” said Plushenko, with the hint of a sneer dancing across his face. “We can discuss a lot whether it is good or not or whether it is good to focus on other things, but by doing so we are going backward in time.”

It’s not as if any Olympic battle between the U.S. and Russia needs any extra electricity, but Plushenko appeared determined to pick open some psychological wounds on Lysacek before the figure-skating version of a Cold War recommences on the ice at the Pacific Coliseum.

Their news conference shaped up as a verbal boxing match, which quickly turned into a one-sided smackdown reminiscent of Ivan Drago vs. Rocky Balboa in “Rocky IV” – without the fighting back.

Lysacek’s night had gone perfectly to that point. Skating in the final group, he produced one of the finest performances of his career, arguably even better than the one that won him gold at the 2009 world championships.

His 90.30 score puts him in second place at the midway point, just behind the indomitable Plushenko’s 90.85 and well in contention to score the first American men’s gold since Brian Boitano in Calgary in 1988.

However, it remains to be seen whether his low-risk policy of ditching the quad, a move he has performed successfully in the past, will come back to haunt him.

“For me, I have spent a lot of time working on every aspect of my routine,” said Lysacek. “If you ask a speedskater if one stroke is more important than another, they wouldn’t say that it was. It is easy to take the simpler moves for granted, but I am not going to do that and I will maximize the points and importance of them.”

By now, though, Plushenko was starting to warm to his theme and began to play to his audience like a musical conductor. The Russian was quick to pour scorn on Lysacek’s explanation, laughing and joking with reporters and scoring an undeniable psychological lift before eventually giggling to himself as he exited stage right.

“Of course we need transition and spins and steps, harder and harder,” he said. “But I don’t know, I was making triples in 1994. I know in speedskating they have timing [world records], it gets better. Biathlon, they have new timing. I think we stopped. Some people are going to say it is wrong. But that’s my point.”

American Johnny Weir will provide another dose of shock value with his outrageous and extravagant performance in the long program, but he sits in sixth place and seems well out of contention.

Lysacek, though, has a real chance, at least statistically speaking. However, he looked like a lost little boy once Plushenko got his claws out. The Los Angeles-based 25-year-old needs a confidence pick-me-up before Thursday.

Often too much is made of mind games and psychology, but Plushenko enjoys such a standing in the sport that his personality has the ability to overwhelm and crush prospective challengers.

Unless Lysacek steels himself like never before and comes up with the display of a lifetime on Thursday night, he could find himself swatted aside like so many hopefuls before him.

Da. Textul reda intr-un mod interesant si veridic - imi inchipui - atmosfera de la conferinta de presa. Dupa razboiul nervilor si atacurile mai mult sau mai putin voalate la care a fost supus el insusi in ultimele zile, mi-l inchipui pe Plushenko la conferinta satisfacut si increzator. Daca nu, chiar arogant. Cu aroganta aia pe care ti-o da constiinta faptului ca esti bun si da!, le-ai aratat tu lor! Pot sa mi-l inchipui si cu un zambet aproape dispretuitor fluturand pe buze, un zambet de atoatestiutor catre un copil pierdut. Dar, sa fim seriosi: cred ca autorul a exagerat putin transformandu-l pe Lysacek intr-o potentiala victima. Daca statea prost cu psihicul (daca era "labil", cum il etichetam eu si Ali pe Urmanov cand gresea o saritura), nu cred ca Lysacek ajungea aici. Asa ca oricata satisfactie imi produce comentariul asta, nu pot sa-mi permit sa-l subapreciez pe american. Si nici Plushenko nu poate. E o diferenta prea mica, sa fii overconfident. Asa ca vineri dimineata va fi o finala stransa. Iar eu si Ali ne vom roade unghiile. Ca Plushenko e ultimul care intra in concurs, al 24-lea. Alta potriveala tampita :)

UPDATE:
Linkul de la mai jos e de la Luiza, drept pentru care foarte multumesc. Se descarca si se asculta :)

http://www.mediafire.com/?3e0djtjdydn

Dupa sau in timpul conferintei de presa de dupa programul scurt, Plushenko asigura o ziarista italiana ca va fi cu siguranta la Torino, la Campionatele Mondiale, ca Torino, Palavela, inseamna foarte mult pentru el, de vreme ce acolo a castigat aurul la olimpiada. Iar eu voi fi la Torino in martie special pentru competitia asta... Ieeeee!

Noutati: 16 campioni la Kings on Ice - Olympic Tour

Blogul asta devine blog de patinaj... si cine se supara? Eu, in niciun caz. Am noutati. Si de-aia va bat la cap. Noutati legate de Turneul olimpic al patinatorilor campioni, care va include si Romania.

Asadar:

• 11 aprilie 2010, Bucuresti, patinoarul "Mihai Flamaropol"
• Cine: Evgheni Plushenko, Stephane Lambiel... si inca 14 alti patinatori, campioni olimpici, mondiali, europeni. Printre ei: Aliona Savchenko si Robin Szolkowy. Dupa ce s-au retras, una cate una, mai multe perechi de patinatori rusi cu care tineam eu in competitii (Natalia Miskutenok si Artur Dimitriev, Elena Berejnaia si Anton Sikharulidze, Maria Petrova si Alexei Tikhonov, etc.) am inceput sa tin cu Aliona si Robin, o pereche super-super faina si super constanta, antrenata de Ingo Steuer (care a patinat si el cu Mandy Wotzel ani de-a randul). Ei, ideea e ca stim acum 4 din cei 16 super-campioni care vor patina la Bucuresti. Asteptam si restul si pandim site-ul amphitrion.ro pentru vesti :)
  

Grammys' Lifetime Achievement for Michael

Azi-noapte, Michael Jackson a primit, postmortem, premiul Grammys' Lifetime Achievement. Inainte ca Prince Michael si Paris sa urce pe scena si sa accepte trofeiul, festivitatea Grammy Awards a inclus si un episod super fain: Earth Song, asa cum il pregatise Michael pentru turneul "This is it", interpretat insa de Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson si Smokey Robinson. Mai jos, un fragment: