Alexei was brilliant at those Games and I was SO HAPPY when he beat Stojko for the gold. His skating skills versus Stojko were absolutely superior overall.
I so miss the old scoring system. I hadn't seen this performance in so long, but upon seeing it again, I feel he should've gotten the 5.9s for technical ability and the no higher than 5.8 for artistic with mostly 5.7s. His triples were absolutely beautiful but the spins were weak. I find it hilarious that the French judge placed him 5th!
I generally prefer the classical/balletic style that Urmanov had here for example, but I felt so much more passion & emotion from Elvis' program that I felt he should've gotten the gold
There were a few moves in his choreography that I absolutely hated. Yes, he won because many great skaters made major mistakes. He was not so well-known. But that is how it is: it is the best skater, on THAT night. Remember Sarah Hughes at Salt Lake? Judges too often "held up" skaters of greater reputations, through decades. I think the new judging system is worse because judges now are TOTALLY anonymous. Always something to argue. Alexei had such beautiful line and artistry.
I've never been a fan of Urmanov's skating and believe his artistry is overrated, but he is a terrific athlete. That said, I cannot believe he won this competition so convincingly with such weak spins. For such a good skater, he is woefully incomplete in that area and the judges should have docked him for it. His spins are such an eyesore that they detract from an otherwise decent performance.
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@intldawn I actually think all of Urmanov's transitions were aweful, not only his spins, for at least a whole second he literally came to a standstill in his GOLD Medal winning performance -- I don't think I've ever seen any Men's GOLD Medal winning Olympic champion actually come to a complete standstill for a whole second (and possibly more) during their winning program, and I've been watching the Winter Olympics since 1976.
@TheWhatsinaname That being written, Urmanov won this championship because the other men had other troubles during their LP's as well. I wasn't ever happy with Urmanov's jumping technique, it's just this time his lack of technique didn't hurt the majority of takeoffs, positions in the air or landings as they normally would and he stayed vertical a lot better in this championships then the other men.
@TheWhatsinaname I would agree that the story of 1994 Men's Figure Skating Medals would have been totally different if say Elvis Stojko, Kurt Browning or even say, Brian Boitano or Todd Eldredge had stayed totally vertical and had totally smooth takeoffs, positions in the air and landings than they did have at these championships. Any of those four men would have definitely beaten Urmanov on any other night of skating.
@boobeam: You mean the long curly haired Philippe Candeloro? :) Alexei Urmanov always has been one of my faves! I love his interpression of the music. Love his long programs. The best spinner in 1994 is Scott Davis in my opinion! Boy can he spin!
I am really trying to put together his music for this program. I don't know if its spliced from a few different peices, but it seems to end in parts of Suppe's "Poet and Peasant" however, it certainly doesn't start that way, any thoughts?
Very lucky here. A lot of the favourites bombed in the short. Really thought Elvis should have won here but he had to wait till Worlds that year where he was fantastic.
Never liked Urmanov's landings especially on combos where the 2nd jump was always small and sometimes awkward.
I remember this program. I thought he stepped out on his 2nd 3a but it was his wonky flip landing instead. However, he still landing on 1 foot regardless how messy it looked. He had almost no spins. Overall, I did enjoy his program though.
To me this is boring -Elvis all the way in my opinion - but then I am not a judge! Oh I just got to the point he almost went head first into the boards -first excitement in whole program!
Alexei has always been very artistic and elegant on ice, his lines are irreproacable as these ones of a ballet dancer. He was instable sometimes, but seeig his programs brings a lot of esthetic delight.
Not the best men's gold medal performances. But unlike Elvis, Urmanov didn't bend his knees and land close to the ice while landing the triple jumps. Perhaps that made him appear more artistic?
Alexei was cuter than Elvis - in the end that's what made the difference.
Just kidding - but seriously this was a sort of light-hearted boyish program. I love the way he moves on the ice in between the jumps - something Elvis in all his athletic greatness never learned to do. Everybody makes fun of the knee wiggles but i think they fit in with the light-hearted mood here. Just my honest opinion - don't freak out. He was a great skater and he is now a great coach a good father as well.
I know I'm in the minority, but I actually liked his costume. The tights and boots suited him and his classical Russian personality. He skated with great enthusiasm and ebullience on his face as is especially apparent at the end of his program. Even back then, I was taken aback by Kurt Browning's rude little smirk on his face. No one tugged on his leg when jumping--it's all his own fault he never won an Olympic medal. At least Elvis was more gracious.
The French judge had him in 5th? Oh well, he got the gold he deserved. It was the most artistic program and I think that final series of jumps, the triple toe followed by a loop and a few turns into triple salchow -- or was it the other way around? -- sealed it.
Oksana did not skate the cleanest. She two-footed her Triple Flip and also touched down a bit with the free foot on the Triple Toeloop. Those mistakes are somewhat made up for by the quality of her Lutz and Loop being greater than Nancy's, but Nancy also actually had combinations in her program, including the important Triple-Triple, so she deserved to be .2 above Baiul for technical, imo.
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I really don't see why they saw Urmanov over Stojko in the SP or LP... IMO, his choreography is kind of ridiculous and robotic and his spinning is just terrible. I think he was favored because he was Russian.
Very nice skate, but not the best I've seen. Out of all the Olympic Skater's I've seen on tape or youtube John Curry and Brian Boitano gave the performances of the amateur careers.
A near fall on a triple flip - and he still wins?!! Elvis was flawless that night and deserved the gold. Plus Urmanov's choreography was dreadful - the flapping knees!! What was with the "answering the phone" movements twice in the program? I don't think there were phones in Rossini's day. And a mandatory .5 deduction for that costume - although it was an improvement over that horrible SP costume in which he appeared as some kind of drag Queen Elizabeth I.
Calling Elvis a cry baby is like calling the Terminator a pussy.
Elvis won silver in the Olympics with a severe groin injury so bad he couldn't even skate to the podium, but limped. He's a national inspiration for his toughness and courage. Look up some facts!
Elvis was amazing. I absolutely agree with you - he never made excuses or accusations. His performance to "Dragon" in 1994 was so exhilarating it brought me to tears. My dad thinks Elvis' performance in 94 was one of the best ever! I agree!
Yah, I just thought I'd set the record straight. I really hate it how on youtube people who know absolutely nothing about the history of figure skating or what all the various athletes have accomplished will run around and mock various people. Like there are actually people who just love to say that Plushenko "can't skate." I mean honestly. What will they say next? Jordan can't jump?
Ha! I love it. You're obviously a very informed and knowledgeable person on the subject of figure skating. If Pluskenko "can't skate" then I guess the world is flat, right? Plushenko is a breath-taking skater - in so many, many ways.
Thanks =) Yes, he is absolutely breath-taking, and has 50+ gold metals for a reason! I think it's the die hard Yagudin fans who mostly say things like that though. Or American idiots who watch the Sex Bomb exhibition show and pipe in with "That is gay!" and "Those muscles aren't real!"
These are the same fools that say figure skating isn't a sport because of its subjective nature. Actually, all sports are somewhat subjective - witness the 1972 gold medal basketball game when a poor judging decision cost the US the gold. If we'd had the same technology in 2008 that we had in the 1960 Games, Michael Phelps most likely would have come away with 7 golds - most judges back then would have deemed his finish in the 100 meter free to merit only second place.
There are plenty of subjective sports. Any sport with a referee or a judge is subjective - football, baseball, soccer, etc. Maybe sports that involve artistry are "more subjective" but still, it's obvious whether the performance moved the audience into a standing ovation or not, isn't it? You can't put a finger on artistry, but you know when it's there. I can't really think of many finishes in a skating competition where I thought the placements were completely wrong.
I agree - there aren't a whole lot of competitions where I totally disagreed with the placements but the 1994 ladies Olympics does come immediately to mind. The 2002 pairs initial placements got a lot of flack - including from me - but really, good arguments could be made as to why either the Russians or Canadians should have won. I thought Oksana should have won the silver in 94 because her performance was much easier than Kerrigan's and she made a few mistakes like two-footed landings.
If I remember right Kerrigan made a bunch of mistakes - from two-footing to popping a triple. Oksana not only skated the cleanest she did a wonderfully original and artistic swan program. She was rightly rewarded for doing something beautiful and out of the box, IMO. And her performance is what originally inspired Johnny Weir to start skating, so she should have gotten yet another gold just for that! =)
Nope - the only mistake in the LP Kerrigan made was turning a planned triple flip into a double at the very start of her program. She later included a triple flip. Her program was extremely clean and far more difficult than Oksana's. Oksana's was more passionate and lyrical but I don't think it should have won gold. I also don't think Oksana should have beaten Surya Bonaly in the 93 World's for the same reasons. I love Oksana's style of skating but it just IMHO wasn't gold medal winning.
Ugh. I stand corrected. Kerrigan didn't have a triple flip after all. But she had two very powerful combinations and Oksana didn't have any. I think that's why Viktor Petrenko beat Paul Wylie in 92 - he had a more difficult program with two combinations and Paul didn't have any. I certainly have loads of respect for Ms. Baiul, but all things being equal, she was way overscored on the technical mark in 94. Her artistic marks however were absolutely right on the money.
You can argue that Kerrigans program was a little tougher technically. But the problem is she also skated like it was...muscling her way through the elements, looking very nervous and frowning at the beginning of her program... she wasn't as light and exhuberant and joyful on the ice as Oksana, who was a pleasure to watch. Oksana was unselfconscious, which is to her credit, despite the fact that she was skating with several pain injections in her back. Kerrigan had the sympathy of the world and
an unprecedented TWO chances to stand on the Olympic podium in two years! No one else had that opportunity. With all the judges and the audience swayed to her side over the knee scandal, if she still couldn't win, then I can't blame biased judging. IMO Oksana is simply a more elegant, graceful, light-footed, original and flexible skater. And I personally can't stand the way Kerrigan yanks on her knee to do a high spiral or does bad form "rump-eagles" instead of spread eagles. To each his own!
I agree - it's a subjective sport. I guess my point is that if they were going to give the gold to Petrenko in 92 (with a very flawed performance) because of his more difficult content, they should have done the same with Kerrigan. But it's all the luck of the draw.
I would really have loved to see Oksana compete in another Olympics. As good as she was, can you imagine how much better she could have been? Wow. Mind-boggling.
I'd love to see everyone who wins an Olympics come back to try to defend their title. I really don't understand the mentality of "quitting" the sport as soon as you get Olympic gold. Perhaps the big endorsement and tour contracts are just so lucrative that I can't judge someone from a tough background for choosing the simpler thing and just going on tour and making money, but ... well who knows what the reasons are. But I'd really like more longevity for the sport, not a new crop every 4 years!
I think Oksana, even as great as she was as a young girl, would have totally blown us away with a little more seasoning. I'm sure the lure of the dough has a lot to do with earlier retirements but there's a lot to be said for mature skating!
Kerrigan and Baiul both did 5 triples. Baiul two footed one triple slightly. Kerrigan had no triple flip, one of the most important and difficult triples, while Baiul had all 5. Kerrigan had a triple-triple combo and a triple-double combo. Baiul had an extra double axel, one in combination. Baiul had much bigger and better quality jumps. Baiul had much superior artistry. Both had mediocre spins and almost no footwork, nice spirals. Baiul was the deserved winner overall.
Baiul didn't two foot that jump "slightly." She was lucky she didn't fall. Baiul also downgraded a planned triple toe - one of the easier jumps - to a double. Baiul's spirals were laughable in comparison to Kerrigan's. Baiul was all style and little substance. Perhaps the opposite could be said of Kerrigan - but I still would given the gold to Nancy.
Still, you make good arguments for why you think Oksansa was correctly picked for the gold. Subjective sports are always ripe for argument.
I don't understand your comment. In 1992, Browning entered the Olympics as the 3-time world champion - with a bad back. He performed poorly, due to his injury, and finished 7th overall. Throughout it all, he was gracious. Elvis was just as humble in accepting defeat in 1994 - though I think it's clear he should have won.
If you don't understand my comment, then you don't understand body language very well. That sad attempt at applauding by Stojko and smirk on brownings face.lol. Honestly?!
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Aren't you being a little unfair? I could understand if they started screaming or criticized the judges - but they were calm and didn't really react. I think you're reading too much into this but whatever.
You obviously have never seen John Curry's performances. Urmanov was a beautiful artistic skater but nothing nothing compared to Curry. Curry was quite simple perfection and the best skater of all time.
Seriously...R E L A X! I'm not a fan of either. I don't think any of them were ever brilliant skaters. AT ALL! The only one that improved over the years as a performer was Browning. As far as Curry being the best skater of all time. That's insanity. As Figure Skating grows, we can only suggest that someone is one of the greats, not the greatest. That I'm certain about!
I agree that it's difficult to ascertain who is the greatest of all time. Certainly Michael Jordan was the best basketball player of his generation - but of all time? It's all relative. But in Curry's case - as with Babe Ruth - no one can come close. Even Dick Button agrees that Curry is the best.
Oh my God, oh my God...finally !! I have been waiting to see this performance again for 13 years. It's a dream come true. Thank you so much ! ALexei Urmanov was my favourite skater until Plushenko appeared..but still I love Urmanov and his unique style, his elegance..his incredible beauty..marvelous. I bow in front of him
Alexei was brilliant at those Games and I was SO HAPPY when he beat Stojko for the gold. His skating skills versus Stojko were absolutely superior overall.
faeryquene 5 months ago
I so miss the old scoring system. I hadn't seen this performance in so long, but upon seeing it again, I feel he should've gotten the 5.9s for technical ability and the no higher than 5.8 for artistic with mostly 5.7s. His triples were absolutely beautiful but the spins were weak. I find it hilarious that the French judge placed him 5th!
SOLE2SOUL 6 months ago
I generally prefer the classical/balletic style that Urmanov had here for example, but I felt so much more passion & emotion from Elvis' program that I felt he should've gotten the gold
stefan7171 1 year ago
There were a few moves in his choreography that I absolutely hated. Yes, he won because many great skaters made major mistakes. He was not so well-known. But that is how it is: it is the best skater, on THAT night. Remember Sarah Hughes at Salt Lake? Judges too often "held up" skaters of greater reputations, through decades. I think the new judging system is worse because judges now are TOTALLY anonymous. Always something to argue. Alexei had such beautiful line and artistry.
ja3399 1 year ago 5
He is a very handsome man!
veboy 1 year ago 6
I've never been a fan of Urmanov's skating and believe his artistry is overrated, but he is a terrific athlete. That said, I cannot believe he won this competition so convincingly with such weak spins. For such a good skater, he is woefully incomplete in that area and the judges should have docked him for it. His spins are such an eyesore that they detract from an otherwise decent performance.
intldawn 1 year ago
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@intldawn I actually think all of Urmanov's transitions were aweful, not only his spins, for at least a whole second he literally came to a standstill in his GOLD Medal winning performance -- I don't think I've ever seen any Men's GOLD Medal winning Olympic champion actually come to a complete standstill for a whole second (and possibly more) during their winning program, and I've been watching the Winter Olympics since 1976.
TheWhatsinaname 1 year ago
@TheWhatsinaname That being written, Urmanov won this championship because the other men had other troubles during their LP's as well. I wasn't ever happy with Urmanov's jumping technique, it's just this time his lack of technique didn't hurt the majority of takeoffs, positions in the air or landings as they normally would and he stayed vertical a lot better in this championships then the other men.
TheWhatsinaname 1 year ago
@TheWhatsinaname I would agree that the story of 1994 Men's Figure Skating Medals would have been totally different if say Elvis Stojko, Kurt Browning or even say, Brian Boitano or Todd Eldredge had stayed totally vertical and had totally smooth takeoffs, positions in the air and landings than they did have at these championships. Any of those four men would have definitely beaten Urmanov on any other night of skating.
TheWhatsinaname 1 year ago
@TheWhatsinaname Todd Eldredge wasnt even at the Olympics. And Elvis skated cleanly with more technical content than Urmanov and still lost.
grafgirl27 9 months ago
Beautiful programme
6.0 for presentation
b2367 1 year ago 5
@boobeam: You mean the long curly haired Philippe Candeloro? :) Alexei Urmanov always has been one of my faves! I love his interpression of the music. Love his long programs. The best spinner in 1994 is Scott Davis in my opinion! Boy can he spin!
EdwardCullenJunkie 1 year ago 2
I am really trying to put together his music for this program. I don't know if its spliced from a few different peices, but it seems to end in parts of Suppe's "Poet and Peasant" however, it certainly doesn't start that way, any thoughts?
RustDemon79 1 year ago
@RustDemon79 Or is it the Barber of Seville I am thinking it ends with?
RustDemon79 1 year ago
Very lucky here. A lot of the favourites bombed in the short. Really thought Elvis should have won here but he had to wait till Worlds that year where he was fantastic.
Never liked Urmanov's landings especially on combos where the 2nd jump was always small and sometimes awkward.
premierrules 1 year ago
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I hated this guy's costume here.
smartbomb33 2 years ago
He always hit the note when he land a jump. Great skater always do that for the presentation marks.
amandakova 2 years ago 2
Lovin' the pirate shirt! Early 90s represent; seriously, thankfully I was only four and all I knew about then was Lion King.
Crimsonsniper89 2 years ago 2
I remember this program. I thought he stepped out on his 2nd 3a but it was his wonky flip landing instead. However, he still landing on 1 foot regardless how messy it looked. He had almost no spins. Overall, I did enjoy his program though.
amexred 2 years ago
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This guy has HORRIBLE spins. Is he unable to bend his knees?
Clemontine7 2 years ago
Great classic skating. 6.0
lieven2008 2 years ago 4
i m interested who was the french sportsman that year :)
boobeam 2 years ago
I thought he is Pierce Brosnan in his young ages.
ZojaKozm1 2 years ago
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That awkward pause at 3:39 to 3:45 should have made it impossible for him to get higher than 5.7 for presentation.
octopussy1234 2 years ago
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Not to mention the running into the boards issue.
octopussy1234 2 years ago
Beautiful light balletic quality to his skating. He could use a bit more stretch; but ok overall. The program is really boring though...
Kurt Browning's program was excellent!
yokopoko1 2 years ago 2
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To me this is boring -Elvis all the way in my opinion - but then I am not a judge! Oh I just got to the point he almost went head first into the boards -first excitement in whole program!
Escort201 2 years ago
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@Escort201
Easily the most boring gold medalist in the history of figure skating.
salome7580 2 years ago
maybe they gave Alexei extra points for his Hugh Grant-esque coif and Elvis negative point for that Billy Ray mullet he was sporting
phnoaty 2 years ago
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And an awful musical gulyas. Everything, what has been in a frig.
naprdel 2 years ago
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Nice. But every of the jumps are smaller end lower than Midori does.
naprdel 2 years ago
Alexei has always been very artistic and elegant on ice, his lines are irreproacable as these ones of a ballet dancer. He was instable sometimes, but seeig his programs brings a lot of esthetic delight.
lamarin777 2 years ago 13
Thank you for posting great to watch a true master on the ice much joy.
autumn1942 2 years ago 11
Glad he won n glad Oksana won-they both deserved it!
janespears1962 2 years ago
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Did Mishin choreograph this? If he did, then it shows...
vietgrlterifa1 2 years ago
Not the best men's gold medal performances. But unlike Elvis, Urmanov didn't bend his knees and land close to the ice while landing the triple jumps. Perhaps that made him appear more artistic?
ste3021878 2 years ago
Yes, he was much more artistic and classical than Stojko. By a lot. AT least this time, that is.
Parker528 2 years ago 3
Alexei was cuter than Elvis - in the end that's what made the difference.
Just kidding - but seriously this was a sort of light-hearted boyish program. I love the way he moves on the ice in between the jumps - something Elvis in all his athletic greatness never learned to do. Everybody makes fun of the knee wiggles but i think they fit in with the light-hearted mood here. Just my honest opinion - don't freak out. He was a great skater and he is now a great coach a good father as well.
sk8412c 2 years ago
Actually, you're right -- his spins are pretty good. I've never heard of him before, but he's a pretty decent skater overall.
1hipster1 2 years ago
I think it was his night. And you cant get more classic from a skater than that!
But for me it was a bit boring. And i havent seen him really performing with pros or having an artistic evolution. Sad.
heyheyheylolita 2 years ago 2
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Stojko got screwed.
Flamesfan7 3 years ago
I know I'm in the minority, but I actually liked his costume. The tights and boots suited him and his classical Russian personality. He skated with great enthusiasm and ebullience on his face as is especially apparent at the end of his program. Even back then, I was taken aback by Kurt Browning's rude little smirk on his face. No one tugged on his leg when jumping--it's all his own fault he never won an Olympic medal. At least Elvis was more gracious.
bunnyrabbit9999 3 years ago 4
The French judge had him in 5th? Oh well, he got the gold he deserved. It was the most artistic program and I think that final series of jumps, the triple toe followed by a loop and a few turns into triple salchow -- or was it the other way around? -- sealed it.
dylanvalente 3 years ago 2
Oksana did not skate the cleanest. She two-footed her Triple Flip and also touched down a bit with the free foot on the Triple Toeloop. Those mistakes are somewhat made up for by the quality of her Lutz and Loop being greater than Nancy's, but Nancy also actually had combinations in her program, including the important Triple-Triple, so she deserved to be .2 above Baiul for technical, imo.
Lu Chen was better than Baiul as well.
Zuranthium 3 years ago 5
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I really don't see why they saw Urmanov over Stojko in the SP or LP... IMO, his choreography is kind of ridiculous and robotic and his spinning is just terrible. I think he was favored because he was Russian.
barkingtree88 3 years ago
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aleksei urmanov is the sarah hughes of the men
sekretaznman81 3 years ago
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i agree
sergioayala 3 years ago
this whole competition kinda stank...his performance deserved the gold...it was alright, no one was that much better.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago 5
Well, Mishin hasn't changed much has he?
kitkat9288 3 years ago 3
Thanks for posting this. The skating is so-so. But I've always thought that he was incredibly HOT!!
trschaefer 3 years ago
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Horrible spins, absolutely horrible.
ShamusMacGuffin 4 years ago
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Yup, they're pretty bad. I've yet to see a Russian that can spin well. Anyone know of a good male, Russian spinner?
1hipster1 3 years ago
That's true. Kulik, Yagudin and Plushenko all had very mediocre spins as well, although Plushenko was forced to improve under CoP.
kitkat9288 3 years ago
Abt used to be better spinner.
hatula87 3 years ago 3
How does Plushenko have bad spins? He's the only man in the world to do a bielman or a donut spin...
Ariaelf 3 years ago
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TOTALLY! I never even noticed that until I watch it now after the new scoring system has been in place.
cms8884169 3 years ago
You might have noticed as well how horrible and simple were Stojko's spin !
hatula87 3 years ago 4
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shouldve learned from pairs; counterparts like Grinkov and Dmittriev
1andonlyCobra 3 years ago
one fucken min armanov was the best so fuck all you losers.....
5513011 4 years ago
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Elvis got flat out ROBBED!
djtankster 4 years ago
Very nice skate, but not the best I've seen. Out of all the Olympic Skater's I've seen on tape or youtube John Curry and Brian Boitano gave the performances of the amateur careers.
rickram1961 4 years ago 2
The CANADIAN Judge placed Urmanov over Stojko.
Zuranthium 4 years ago
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A near fall on a triple flip - and he still wins?!! Elvis was flawless that night and deserved the gold. Plus Urmanov's choreography was dreadful - the flapping knees!! What was with the "answering the phone" movements twice in the program? I don't think there were phones in Rossini's day. And a mandatory .5 deduction for that costume - although it was an improvement over that horrible SP costume in which he appeared as some kind of drag Queen Elizabeth I.
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
I never said anyone deserved to win. That's your opinion in a very SUBJECTIVE sport. FYI, Elvis is a cry baby.
Nevelstraum 4 years ago
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When did he cry or say he should have won? Can you point out a specific example?
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
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Calling Elvis a cry baby is like calling the Terminator a pussy.
Elvis won silver in the Olympics with a severe groin injury so bad he couldn't even skate to the podium, but limped. He's a national inspiration for his toughness and courage. Look up some facts!
Ariaelf 3 years ago
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Elvis was amazing. I absolutely agree with you - he never made excuses or accusations. His performance to "Dragon" in 1994 was so exhilarating it brought me to tears. My dad thinks Elvis' performance in 94 was one of the best ever! I agree!
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
Yah, I just thought I'd set the record straight. I really hate it how on youtube people who know absolutely nothing about the history of figure skating or what all the various athletes have accomplished will run around and mock various people. Like there are actually people who just love to say that Plushenko "can't skate." I mean honestly. What will they say next? Jordan can't jump?
Ariaelf 3 years ago
Ha! I love it. You're obviously a very informed and knowledgeable person on the subject of figure skating. If Pluskenko "can't skate" then I guess the world is flat, right? Plushenko is a breath-taking skater - in so many, many ways.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
Thanks =) Yes, he is absolutely breath-taking, and has 50+ gold metals for a reason! I think it's the die hard Yagudin fans who mostly say things like that though. Or American idiots who watch the Sex Bomb exhibition show and pipe in with "That is gay!" and "Those muscles aren't real!"
Idiots.
Ariaelf 3 years ago
These are the same fools that say figure skating isn't a sport because of its subjective nature. Actually, all sports are somewhat subjective - witness the 1972 gold medal basketball game when a poor judging decision cost the US the gold. If we'd had the same technology in 2008 that we had in the 1960 Games, Michael Phelps most likely would have come away with 7 golds - most judges back then would have deemed his finish in the 100 meter free to merit only second place.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
There are plenty of subjective sports. Any sport with a referee or a judge is subjective - football, baseball, soccer, etc. Maybe sports that involve artistry are "more subjective" but still, it's obvious whether the performance moved the audience into a standing ovation or not, isn't it? You can't put a finger on artistry, but you know when it's there. I can't really think of many finishes in a skating competition where I thought the placements were completely wrong.
Ariaelf 3 years ago
I agree - there aren't a whole lot of competitions where I totally disagreed with the placements but the 1994 ladies Olympics does come immediately to mind. The 2002 pairs initial placements got a lot of flack - including from me - but really, good arguments could be made as to why either the Russians or Canadians should have won. I thought Oksana should have won the silver in 94 because her performance was much easier than Kerrigan's and she made a few mistakes like two-footed landings.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
If I remember right Kerrigan made a bunch of mistakes - from two-footing to popping a triple. Oksana not only skated the cleanest she did a wonderfully original and artistic swan program. She was rightly rewarded for doing something beautiful and out of the box, IMO. And her performance is what originally inspired Johnny Weir to start skating, so she should have gotten yet another gold just for that! =)
Ariaelf 3 years ago
Nope - the only mistake in the LP Kerrigan made was turning a planned triple flip into a double at the very start of her program. She later included a triple flip. Her program was extremely clean and far more difficult than Oksana's. Oksana's was more passionate and lyrical but I don't think it should have won gold. I also don't think Oksana should have beaten Surya Bonaly in the 93 World's for the same reasons. I love Oksana's style of skating but it just IMHO wasn't gold medal winning.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
Ugh. I stand corrected. Kerrigan didn't have a triple flip after all. But she had two very powerful combinations and Oksana didn't have any. I think that's why Viktor Petrenko beat Paul Wylie in 92 - he had a more difficult program with two combinations and Paul didn't have any. I certainly have loads of respect for Ms. Baiul, but all things being equal, she was way overscored on the technical mark in 94. Her artistic marks however were absolutely right on the money.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
I just watched both performances again...I was confusing 94 with 92 at first!
Okay in 94 Oksana did tripple lutz-tripple flip-tripple loop-another tripple-double axel-double loop-tripple loop-double axel/double toe loop
and Kerrigan did double flip-tripple toe loop/tripple toe loop-tripple loop- tripple- double combo-tripple lutz-double axel
They both did the same number of triple jumps, though Kerrigan had tougher combos. Oksana though had a second double axel.
Ariaelf 3 years ago
You can argue that Kerrigans program was a little tougher technically. But the problem is she also skated like it was...muscling her way through the elements, looking very nervous and frowning at the beginning of her program... she wasn't as light and exhuberant and joyful on the ice as Oksana, who was a pleasure to watch. Oksana was unselfconscious, which is to her credit, despite the fact that she was skating with several pain injections in her back. Kerrigan had the sympathy of the world and
Ariaelf 3 years ago
an unprecedented TWO chances to stand on the Olympic podium in two years! No one else had that opportunity. With all the judges and the audience swayed to her side over the knee scandal, if she still couldn't win, then I can't blame biased judging. IMO Oksana is simply a more elegant, graceful, light-footed, original and flexible skater. And I personally can't stand the way Kerrigan yanks on her knee to do a high spiral or does bad form "rump-eagles" instead of spread eagles. To each his own!
Ariaelf 3 years ago
I agree - it's a subjective sport. I guess my point is that if they were going to give the gold to Petrenko in 92 (with a very flawed performance) because of his more difficult content, they should have done the same with Kerrigan. But it's all the luck of the draw.
I would really have loved to see Oksana compete in another Olympics. As good as she was, can you imagine how much better she could have been? Wow. Mind-boggling.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
I'd love to see everyone who wins an Olympics come back to try to defend their title. I really don't understand the mentality of "quitting" the sport as soon as you get Olympic gold. Perhaps the big endorsement and tour contracts are just so lucrative that I can't judge someone from a tough background for choosing the simpler thing and just going on tour and making money, but ... well who knows what the reasons are. But I'd really like more longevity for the sport, not a new crop every 4 years!
Ariaelf 3 years ago
I think Oksana, even as great as she was as a young girl, would have totally blown us away with a little more seasoning. I'm sure the lure of the dough has a lot to do with earlier retirements but there's a lot to be said for mature skating!
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago
I agree there=) Look at how much Yamaguchi improved as an artist and performer on the pro circut...
Ariaelf 3 years ago
Kerrigan and Baiul both did 5 triples. Baiul two footed one triple slightly. Kerrigan had no triple flip, one of the most important and difficult triples, while Baiul had all 5. Kerrigan had a triple-triple combo and a triple-double combo. Baiul had an extra double axel, one in combination. Baiul had much bigger and better quality jumps. Baiul had much superior artistry. Both had mediocre spins and almost no footwork, nice spirals. Baiul was the deserved winner overall.
grafgirl27 3 years ago
Baiul didn't two foot that jump "slightly." She was lucky she didn't fall. Baiul also downgraded a planned triple toe - one of the easier jumps - to a double. Baiul's spirals were laughable in comparison to Kerrigan's. Baiul was all style and little substance. Perhaps the opposite could be said of Kerrigan - but I still would given the gold to Nancy.
Still, you make good arguments for why you think Oksansa was correctly picked for the gold. Subjective sports are always ripe for argument.
pellebravesskylar 3 years ago 2
Agreed.
Ariaelf 3 years ago
Until now, I never quite realized how arrogant Stojko and Browning were.
Nevelstraum 4 years ago
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I don't understand your comment. In 1992, Browning entered the Olympics as the 3-time world champion - with a bad back. He performed poorly, due to his injury, and finished 7th overall. Throughout it all, he was gracious. Elvis was just as humble in accepting defeat in 1994 - though I think it's clear he should have won.
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
If you don't understand my comment, then you don't understand body language very well. That sad attempt at applauding by Stojko and smirk on brownings face.lol. Honestly?!
Nevelstraum 4 years ago
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Aren't you being a little unfair? I could understand if they started screaming or criticized the judges - but they were calm and didn't really react. I think you're reading too much into this but whatever.
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
Gr8! No one skates like Urmanov! He's one of the most elegant skaters ever!
Darkangel127 4 years ago
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You obviously have never seen John Curry's performances. Urmanov was a beautiful artistic skater but nothing nothing compared to Curry. Curry was quite simple perfection and the best skater of all time.
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
Seriously...R E L A X! I'm not a fan of either. I don't think any of them were ever brilliant skaters. AT ALL! The only one that improved over the years as a performer was Browning. As far as Curry being the best skater of all time. That's insanity. As Figure Skating grows, we can only suggest that someone is one of the greats, not the greatest. That I'm certain about!
Nevelstraum 4 years ago
I agree that it's difficult to ascertain who is the greatest of all time. Certainly Michael Jordan was the best basketball player of his generation - but of all time? It's all relative. But in Curry's case - as with Babe Ruth - no one can come close. Even Dick Button agrees that Curry is the best.
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
Oh my God, oh my God...finally !! I have been waiting to see this performance again for 13 years. It's a dream come true. Thank you so much ! ALexei Urmanov was my favourite skater until Plushenko appeared..but still I love Urmanov and his unique style, his elegance..his incredible beauty..marvelous. I bow in front of him
TreasureM 5 years ago 4