Was Evgeni Plushenko Robbed of Olympic Gold?
Evan Lysacek skated beautifully but cautiously (much like Michelle Kwan did in 1998 when she narrowly lost to Tara Lipinski). While Lysacek's program was more well-rounded, Plushenko's program was bigger, bolder and riskier.
Was Evgeni Plushenko Robbed? The Jumps
Evan Lysacek came through in the jumping department. In the second (bonus) half of the program, he was able to save his difficult triple axel jump combination. Yet he played it relatively safe. Because he was so focused on skating "clean," his jumps weren't as high or as big as Plushenko's.
Some of Evgeni Plushenko's jumps were off-axis to the point where it looked like he was going to fall. While this cost him points in the execution department, one has to give him credit. Many other skaters in his position would not have been able to save that first triple axel or that triple lutz. It's actually a testament of genius that Plushenko was able to save those off-axis jumps. And he was willing to take risks--his jumps were higher and faster than Lysacek's. That had to count for something in the execution department.
Was Evgeni Plushenko Robbed? The Quad
Evan Lysacek did not include the quad in his long program. Evgeni Plushenko not only landed his quad, but he did it in combination (quad-toe/triple-toe). While difficulty of jumps does not account for everything, it does account for something. Otherwise, Michelle Kwan would have won over Tara Lipinski, and Lu Chen would still be competitive in today's women's field.
TV commentators such as Scott Hamilton tried to portray the Plushenko/Lysacek match-up as The Quad vs. Artistry, as if to suggest that Plushenko was some kind of one-trick pony. Hamilton and Sandra Bezic would condescendingly ask, "How much difference is the quad going to make?"
Funny, I never remember anyone complaining about Evgeni's artistry before this year. If he really were a one-trick quad pony he wouldn't have won three Olympic medals, three world titles, and six European titles (in spite of a three-year retirement).
Was Evgeni Plushenko Robbed? Style/Artistry
Evan Lysacek delivered the goods in his spins, footwork, and spiral sequences, delivering a well-rounded program. And he did have a commanding presence on the ice. Yet he did seem like he was holding back (possibly to conserve his energy for the end, but it came across as too cautious).
Plushenko, on the other hand, has that extra-special flair. He knows how to perform and to add his signature touches to every program.
As for music, Evan went with the conventional choice of Scheherazade, one of the most overly-performed pieces in figure skating (along with Bizet's Carmen). While he delivered the goods in the presentation department, it seemed a bit safe.
Evgeni Plushenko performed a powerful but lyrical rendition of Edvin Marton's Tango Amore, but commentators like Sandra Bezic seemed quick to dismiss Plushenko's artistry, similar to the way critics used to dismiss Elvis Stojko and Irina Slutskaya.
Was Evgeni Plushenko Robbed? Final Thoughts
I am not going to outright claim that Evgeni Plushenko was robbed of the gold medal, though I will say that I find Yevgeny a more unique and compelling skater overall and enjoyed his performance more.
Evan Lysacek worked hard, remained mentally tough, and gave the performance of his life (similar to the way Sarah Hughes upset Michelle Kwan in 2002). Yet last night, Evgeni Plushenko showed why he is still one of figure skating's all-time greats.
Published by Tina Molly Lang - Featured Contributor in Arts & Entertainment and Lifestyle
Tina Molly Lang is a violinist, violin, piano, and voice teacher. She is also an active writer. Her work has been published in The American Thinker, Active Americans, Yahoo's OMG! and Yahoo News. View profile
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- Evan Lysacek delivered the goods with a well-rounded program, but he seemed a bit cautious.
- Evgeni Plushenko took more risks, both technically and artistically.
- Biased commentators were too quick to dismiss Plushenko's style and artistry.
40 Comments
Post a CommentThis comment is for Leslie, and Dan, who think that Plushenko came in second because he wasn't as artistic...Plushenko's artistic scores were HIGHER than Lysacek's. He scored higher in artistry because he is more artistic than Lysacek. It's as simple as that. It was his technical score that came into question. That's why he was robbed.
E. Plushenko is complete! Technically perfect and mora than this he transmits a great emotion. I think this is very important in dance, music,and art in general. Emotion is all an artists needs,after dominate the technique.
Nona Rostagno
I watched both performances and here is what I think. Plushenko took a lot more risk and had more artistry. Lycacek was smoother but because his legs hardly left the ice rink. Lycacek's program was smooth but boring with no risk. I also watched the Japanese guy whose spins were faster and better than Lycacek's. I believe that Plushenko deserved Gold or even Platinum medal. Japanese guy deserved silver and not bronze. Evan Lycacek deserved bronze.
Plushenko had too many off kilter moments and most of his jumps came in the first half of his program. It's a known fact that you get bonus points for everything you do in the second half with the new system. Lysacek took advantage of this Plushenko did not.
Figure skating is a mix of the technical and artistic. If you want it to be just be about the jumps line everyone up let them do each jump, score them and be done with it. Then see how long it lasts as a sport. I used to like and respect Plushenko he now just looks like a sore loser.
I have been watching skating competitions for the Olympics for at least 30 years. I have seen wonderful and awe inspiring programs with artistry and I think that Lysacek deserved the gold medal. He skated with heart and emotion and his jumps were incredibly clean. Plushenko does have the ability to complete a quad but a program requires much more than quads to make a program exceptional. His artistry was very mechanical and left me with a very blah feeling once he had completed his program.
PLUSHENKO IS THE KING!!!!
I have to disagree with every world of this article. Evan did not "play it safe," and I disagree that his jumps weren't as high as EP's. EP's entire performance was sloppy, almost all of his jumps were not landed cleanly, and he was awkward looking in the air. I have to wonder what competition YOU were watching. EP got full credit for his quad. The rest of his program is what cost him. Hey, Russians, we won, shove your quad.
Poor US skater!!! I don't want to imagine how he feels knowing he was inferior and has a medal that he doesn't deserve. I think all athlets want to win but being the best & he wasn't.
Lysacek can celebrate but he knows in his interior he wasn't the winner.
PLUSHENKO WAS AND WILL BE THE REAL WINNER!!!
Clearly, PLUSHENKO WAS SUPERIOR AND DESERVED TO BE THE GOLD WINNER; the US skater was good but he doesn't have that corporal expression and grace to skate.
PLUSHENKO WAS ROBBED, BECAUSE HE WAS THE BEST!!!!
Hey, nice article, tucked away.
Yeah, it's been funny how suddenly Evgeni couldn't skate to save his life and Evan, who has been neither renowned athlete or artist, is suddendly Renoir and Usain Bolt.
How things get twisted to suit a point of view. The hacks all think Evgeni's jumps were dreadful. They haven't a clue. That Evan's weren't perfect either... someone mentioned creating snow?
Evan's coach said, "he's not the most talented". But according to the olympic blow ins, he is.
All skaters were ripped off in their component scores except for Lysacek. That his component scores ranked with the artistic big boys was a joke. And that Plushenko should have added another jump in the bonus section... bah. They worked it out... if scored fairly, he was going to win it.
It's not just the lack of quad that heralds a possible death of mens fig skating. It's the artless ugliness that was Lysacek's choreography, his ungainly manner of throwing his arms in the air and tossing his