Lunna

Nah, Brain's figure will suite pooh's costume much better Well, it's my seventh season and I'm still (surprisingly) alive. But I have to admit during first years there wasn't so much info and translations around (though I new about pre-WC 2013 injury, just not how bad it was), Sochi's FS was already bad enough for my heart (till Patrick's scores at least), 14-15 was mostly heartbreaking (except GPF and WTT), 15-16 seemed great till Boston (and there wasn't any info about injury till the end of WC). But it's not like that experience prepares you to any hardships like this season It only teaches you that Yuzu can make miracles happen but he's only human after all and it's not like he will have less fans if smth. will go wrong this time. Still I know he will try his best and after all that years together his team and TCC coaches must already know what will work best for him in current situation. My most concern is the new FS layout (never was I more grateful for old programmes at least) and small training time during season for a new jump, of course Yuzu can drop it and go to the previous season's one but it's not like I believe he will, anyway he must do what he believes is right cuz in the end of the day he is the person that stands alone in the middle of the rink.

@LadyLou personally I agree with your points. The problem is that judges I think mostly know the rulebook well enough, why they are not applying it in every case is another question. I feel it's like unsaid rule that you can't have too low PSC if you have high TES (if you're not Boyang), like you can't have 7 for TR and 9 for IN at the same time. Even tech panel makes calls when they want which maybe even worse. So maybe (just maybe) lowering BV of the quads isn't that bad idea after all (so a quad with mistake will receive not that much over a good triple). In the ideal world of course judges must use the rulebook properly.

I've read this part of the article in Russian and to be more accurate he said "won confidently" ("won decisively" sounds a little too strong but I don't know the original words he used). And this is only second question. The first one was about how he felt winning over Olympic champion. Nathan: "Yuzuru skates very difficult programmes that's why to win over him is a big achievement from the technical point of view. Speaking about my feelings there wasn't conceit but more the confidence that I'm moving in right direction. We all are working to be the best. And when you understand that in this moment you're number one it boosts your confidence. Before I became winning I often asked myself: "Can I do that?", now I know that I can. In particular I can compete with Hanyu in PC. Honestly, we all owe a lot to this athlete. When I see how he works, how he skates, to what extent he gives himself to figure skating and how our sport must look like, I find a new motivation in me: to be like Hanyu, be better, go ahead. Yuzuru is a great (meaning closer to greatest/legendary) athlete in this respect."

What a sad news on Sunday morning I hope Yuzu will not go to Nats if he's still in pain or isn't fit enough. It's good that he can peak fast, but what worries me is the memory how long he couldn't get his jumps back last summer. So I hope he will be able to be back on ice as soon as possible *also I have Dice's injury flashbacks from his last Oly season wich is not helping* It will be hard to compete at PC after such a long break but at least maybe there will be less pressure and we can only pray for the best.

This GPF really made me think that maybe ISU must limit FS to 4 quads, but then guys can go for most difficult ones, so maybe punish more not only falls but very bad landings, it's interesting to see how in reality +/-5 GOE will go (not that I have much faith in judges though). Cuz really I'd rather see less quads but better overall performances and not empty programmes.

С днем рождения и пусть все стены будут покорены!

Yes. It's already 7th so I'm joining the party! Happy Birthday our precious Swan!

Also that's a commentators work to tell where is an athlete from. I think Russia is less nationalistic and we usually pity the weakest and innocent ones (athletes in this case) so I don't think the boycott from the government would be received well. Although I don't want to talk for everybody cuz the country is big and some can have different opinions.

Yes, that's the thing. And also FIFA isn't under WADA even as far as I understand

The saddest part is I think such people don't know that word at all. They'll get their warm place in another official department and that'll be it.

Well, maybe I should if I have time someday, it's just very hard to find were is the truth with all that media wars nowadays. And the real trueth we might never know. Rodchenkov indeed is a strange man that's why I said officials are still responsible for the situation, they hired him in the first place.

I fully agree with TAT interview that athletes have only one life and will get a support no matter a flag. And that after Rio officials didn't done enogh so we're in this situation now.

I also have a blank column on the side though I can see poohs in Chrome

Didn't watch it but I can say that it's so easy to twist the facts nowdays so I don't believe any eye-opening films. As I also don't believe that only Russia is bad here. Athlets get tested during different comps during season so this whole mess sounds like pure politics to me. But I also don't say that Russian officials are innocent cuz we ended up in this situation. In the end it's the innocent athletes who must deal with it - that's the part I'm mostly angry about.

I heard on TV that the Olympic Charter says that if a country decides to boycott Games they can be banned from Games 2 more cycles... (can't say how true it is) At least I (naively) hope that athletes will be able to make a decision for themselves.

Can I just say that I hate politics? Politics that wanted to ban Russian athletes and Russian politicians that didn't done enough to protect their athletes (I didn't follow the case closely so don't want to discuss whom to blame here). There was a broadcast of some kind of TV talk show now on Russian TV which I stumbled upon and I agree with the words of ex-athlete and commentator: it's easy to make a discussion when you're sitting in comfortable chairs (and when you're not training 12 hours a day I must add). Let's see how it'll go but as I understood the athletes can also take part in team events. I'm not that much patriotic although usually I cheer in some sports for Russian athletes. So personally I don't care that much will the athletes be under Russian or neutral flag in the end cuz I know from what country they are if I follow a sport just a little.

Add me too, even though I can be hardly helpful))

Yuzu during practice is a guilty pleasure really. I can just watch him skating around without doing jumps or spins or steps. Especially this season when he added some new moves like skating on one leg in sitting position trough more than half of ice rink and do stretching moves. And in UA you clearly see that he has the best lines - it's aesthetic dream come true.

All this talk about live vs TV is interesting. I'd say when I first saw an FS comp live (which was loooong time ago) the first thing that stood out was a skaters speed which you don't always can compare on TV. In terms of presentation my opinion didn't change much seeing skater live or on TV. For examp. Javi is fun (when he's not falling all over the place) on TV and live, Shoma can grab your attention but I had the same feeling watching him on TV. Patrick's skating I started to appreciate more after seeing him live but still can't connect to him. It also can depend on a day. Like even Yuzu can have an off day. Even on the off day I still can appreciate his performance and his movements. But I'm a fan, so I understand if not everybody feels the same way. But when Yuzu is ON he can bring crowd to it's feet and get them all emotional, like at GPF SP 2016 and WC FS 21017 - happy I decided to go to both comps. Speaking about ladies as an opposite to opinions above I liked Satoko more live at GPF 2015 than on TV. I'm not a fan of her jumps but I liked her musicality and movements back then. As for Carolina - I liked her SP at CoR but FS to me was boring. And I remember that I liked her EX at Helsinki a lot but at CoR I just couldn't concentrate on her after incredible Swan.

Maybe try another browser? It doesn't work in firefox for me but ok in chrome.

Added mine! It's funny to see if I have any neighbors

OK, I'm Oda. Gimme matcha ice cream anytime but I also love anything with mint flavour, so can give Yuzu's one a try too

OK I want a poster with that dreamy look

Let the 2018 be the happiest year!

Better get healed for Nats. For Boyang too there's no reason to risk it. That's a strange season really.