Brian Boitano (USA) - 1984 Sarajevo, Men's Short Program

[szqsk8]

Damn, nobody dies a death drop like BB! It's hats to imagine he was ever in 8th place.

[faeryquene]

So Brian was already doing the arm overhead thing-only with his double flip. :)

[smokelean]

orser was the very best skater at this time he could match anyone he should have been given agold for winning two heartbreak silvers in a row

[mlc2005]

I understand what you all mean. I feel that Scott's skating skills were fantastic and beautiful, and normally he was the best in the world, but I felt at these olympics, he did not win the event. HIs free skate was subpar to many, and I was surprised that he won gold. This was def. a reputation gold, which is a shame really.

[faeryquene]

@mlc2005 It wasn't Scott's reputation as much as the fact that he placed well in figures-and Orser didn't. They were a part of the competition at that time. Unjust but all the skaters knew the deal back then.

[mlc2005]

Okay, Im confused...so Orser did a triple axle as his jump combo (and was rightfully first), Scott did a triple TOE!!!!! combo and got second??????? and brian did a triple lutz and was behind scott?????

THIS is why the 6.0 system needed to be changed. Im sorry, but come on people!

[3Axel1996]

@mlc2005 No one performed the 3Axel-2Loop combination here yet as it was still considered too risky. Both Brians did the 3Lutz-2Loop as their combination. I think Fadeev and Sabovcik performed this combination as well. Most everyone else such as Hamilton, Cerne, Simond, etc. performed the 2Loop-3ToeLoop. Granted, part of the reason why Scott placed 2nd in both phases of the free skating was due to his reputation as 3 time World Champion.

[3Axel1996]

@mlc2005 However, when you compared the quality of the elements and the choreography, that's where Scott was stronger than jumping phenoms such as Boitano, Sabovcik and Fadeev, and thus could justify the 2nd Place ranking in the Short Program.

[Zuranthium]

@3Axel1996 Scott's elements weren't better. Boitano's jumps AND spins were all better than Hamilton's. The only thing Hamilton possibly did better on the tech side was the footwork sequence, but Boitano's footwork sequence here is great. In terms of performance Boitano had excellent energy. Hamilton didn't do anything special that really put him far ahead in that regard. Boitano deserved to me marked ahead of Hamilton in both the SP and LP.

[grafgirl27]

@3Axel1996 these would have been my placings in the short except for Sabovcik and Fadeev who I didnt see:

1. Orser

2. Cerne

3. Hamilton

4. Boitano

5. Simond

I heard Sabovcik had a small mistake and Fadeev a big one. Simond placing 2 spots above Cerne (4th to 6th) was ridiculous, at the very least Cerne should have been over Simond in the short and would have won the bronze over Sabovcik overall if he did.

And Hamilton was subpar and overmarked in both programs.

[russianskatingfan]

@3Axel1996 didnt Sabovcik and Fadeev both make a mistake in the short program too.

[3Axel1996]

@russianskatingfan I don't know if Sabovcik did or did not as his SP was not shown on US TV, but he did place 4th in the SP behind Orser, Hamilton, and Boitano. I recall Fadeev did, which was why he wasn't even in the Top 5 going into the LP, and probably why he risked attempting the quad toe in the LP as well.

[russianskatingfan]

@3Axel1996 Sabovcik had some strange marks in the short, like the Czech judge giving only 5.3 technically then going up to a 5.6 in presentation while another judge gave him 5.8 technically then going down to 5.6 in presentation (more the norm for him). I am guessing he had a borderline jump that might or might not have been two footed or something like that.

[3Axel1996]

@russianskatingfan It's hard to say without seeing it. But this was the last year that the rules and judges were very strict that deductions were taken if the a move, especially a jump, was not executed perfectly...so, it could have been for an off-balanced landing on a jump, as you believe it to be...

[3Axel1996]

@russianskatingfan Oh, and shockingly, Fadeev fell out of a hands over the head double flip!

[sgmd93]

Thanks for posting this!