Xen

Also can't drink, allergic to it, my skin hates it if I drink. But I have work so I go into workaholic mode to cope with the nerves! I bet my bosses love him....

So, too bady Yuzu probably will never say, "Have you seen his tapes?" to the media...

Was it for competition? I cannot imagine ANA allowing him to go economy for competition. At least I hope he went econ+ for extra leg room, most economy class seating leg room is horrid for your knees.

what if Yuzu's definition of low success is different from ours? Is anything less than 80% with twizzles considered successful?

I can't watch it either, got work during the SP. Well, we can be happy-the planet will face a Mt Irene Eruption first, so we can fortify our hearts before we turn to Youtube.

Bet he tests out as a guy in this one under the microsoft ID program...the flat hair makes him look older and more like a guy.

I kind of want the mission impossible trashbag pants and glitter shirt, only now done by an older Yuzu with a more mature interpretation. On the other hand...who wants to see him try to sell "Hello I love you"? That charisma would be out of the roof.

Il Divo version of Hana wa saku would also be amazing. =D

Oh, ISU has had it's slew of figure skaters as ISU presidents- the last one was in 1980 where ISU had a backbone to act correctly (according to Button), and Ulrich Salchow was a president of ISU too. Actually it seems that figure skaters have been less involved only recently (post 1980), and then speed skaters took dominence in ISU. So maybe Button is right- it's time to get another figure skater on the managing board.

Button's rant at the ISU pretty much was "The only time ISU got its act together was when a figure skater was in control, and since then no figure skater has been in control."

Well to most casual veiwers, I think Javi's programs are probably more easy to get invested into. I also don't think he's exactly dismissive of Yuzuru's skating-if anything his description of what's wrong with men's skating is probably more dismissive of Nathan, Boyang and even Shoma (and the more quad oriented junior men's). It seems his beef, if it does exist, with Yuzuru is that gradually Yuzuru's programs have bent in to the rules as he's chasing after quads with more ferver than Javi. Well I read Button's statement as he agrees that Yuzuru's program, was probably the best that could be done for what the rules allows for-quad fest plus sufficient creativity/artistry to not be too dry and boring (aka the quad fests of other skaters).

I thought it was more that H&L is a symptom of the times and rules than anything. But if we go by his logic, then wouldn't the ultimate old school skater be Pchiddy?

Hmm, my reading of it is more the second part: “I don’t like the rules that exist now. In my book, what is the matter with having something that is technically difficult and also creative?" He's always been pretty supportive of Yuzuru, and if anything, he might be more inclined to say that Yuzuru's artistry is constrained by the technical points he has to meet to fend off the quadsters. Because Yuzuru most certainly does not have the largest repeatoire of quads, nor the highest count of quads in his program. It is more or less encompassed in his first sentence about Hanyu- "“I think it was marvelous for the rules that exist now.” As for Button's remarks, you should see this video. It's quite a lengthy rant- and he would want skaters to be actually in control of ISU. Anyone want to send the ISU president this video, as Button pretty much complains about speed skaters running the ISU? So Yuzu...ever considered it? Hmm, he was pretty effusive about Hanyu in Sochi. I think he looks on at Yuzuru's addition of quads as a slight pity, but a concession that Hanyu had to make.

My understanding was that the professional figure skating championships he started was then later taken over by the ISU and went quite different from what he intended. Nevermind that in the article itself, Button dismisses the idea of ISU's idea even remotely close to what the original intention of his suggestion is; nor ISU's actual ability to correctly apply rules and formats. If anything, the system we have now is the closest we could get to objective judgment of skating, but the application of the rules itself has been uneven, which does not allow the COP to really shine. I think if someone were really to say, recalculate the co-efficients for PCS score, I think Button would be more or less on board. I don't think that Button's idea of the 2 programs is the same as the ISU's, where you get different champions for each segement and then an overall champ- he pretty much says outright you cannot separate technique from artistry etc. And was quite dismissive of ISU's leaning to give everyone a medal for just about anything. As for the World Professional figure skating championships, did it not have some very interesting skaters, such as BOrser, Scott Hamilton and Uncle Kurt competing in its ranks at some point after they stopped competing on the ISU circuit?

Thank you Mr Button for never mincing words, as straightforward and reasonable as always. (and it certainly feels like he's slamming certain skaters and schools in the article, not calling names out but if you watch enough and see enough you know who he's getting at) Artistry requires technique, just as technique cannot exist without artistry in this thing we call Figure Skating. It's too bad he never really got to reign over the ISU. Or forcefully make his opinions a rule in the ISU. Now for Yuzuru though, since he always mentions wanting to stay and help skaters later on in his life, I do wonder if he'd be up to taking the mantle of ISU management or at least the technical side? Ulrich Salchow, according to his wiki page, actually ran the ISU as president for quite a while after he left competitive skating.

Looking at the video, the sleeves for the new one seemed more puffier, but the cut of the shirt itself seems more chopin 1.0 than chopin 2.0-a bit straighter from shoulder downwards with a slight puff out at the waist. It's probably going to be some 1.0 and 2.0 love child. Okay, now I am off to watch the videos.

Lol, sorry. For me, Yuzu chooses some of the design of his costumes for a reason. I liked the ruffle on the H&L costume because it matched well and actually accentuated the music a bit (the wind through the trees for example-when he jumps the ruffles kind of accentuate and give off a more airy feel). Seimei of course, is quite literal. But if, IF, I had to say which costume felt most close to his personal aesthetics, I would actually pick Chopin 1.0. Simple, elegant and accentuates the music. Besides he gives off his own sparkles effect when skating, so naturally all artificial non-organic sparkles had to decrease. As for Javi...the long program costume was a bit better, but the SP, I cannot get over the black butt sparkles, and it all had to point in a triangle towards the bottom

Hah, I come in today after work and this Chopin is what greets me. Seriously though, at this point, if Yuzu's goal was to troll us until we stopped caring about everything but his actual skating, he's succeeded. I really don't care anymore, I just want to sit back and enjoy his skating, period, and let his skating do the talking (as he's always wanted, and as it always should be). Still, regardless of what he ends up with, I think both Chopin and Seimei are STILL two of the prettiest costumes out there for the men. I mean really, look at Pchiddy or Javi (banana nut muffin sleeves). I'm always amused by the jokes about regarding Yuzu and sparkes/glitter etc. In my opinion, he always struck me as a minimalist aesthetically. He's more focused on the costume serving the skating art, and elegance rather than beauty for beauty's sake. If the sparkle, glittery stuff serves no real purpose, then he'd do away with it. If anything I would probably vote him more likely to go for a nearly all light blue shirt with just faint light gold embroidery or lacing at the cuffs and neck (minimal but elegant victorian pattern) than sparkles and jewels if he could get away with it on ice or if the jewels serve no purpose. That would fit his personal aesthetics more. So IMO, if the current Chopin costume ends up highlighting his skating's art form, then it has served its purpose.

God bless this thread. Whenver you are stressed out by work/life/anything, just look at jump faces and say, yeah, was your day really as bad as some of these?

Okay, so now all is right with the world. I was wondering what happened to allow that software to ID him as male!

and we should send an encouraging thank you note to the brave soul that dares to take up the mantle to wake up the kuyashii demon.

yep, he needs his annual canadian silver to feel motivated. So after pchiddy retires, who will take up the mantle of delivering Yuzu his annual dose of canadian kuyashii? Or will the pattern change dradtically?

But he usually wins after his kuyashii stare at gold medal moments....

Depending on which jumping passes they take out, we might see both. Do you think he takes many selfies?

Oh the Honda+Nobu fanboysquad cheer squad. Since we're on the topic of baby 4Lz, isn't the 7 jumping passes/4 min long for men's rule going into effect 18/19 season? I wonder how long that 3F will say with us, or will the 3A go first? (it was nice knowing you guys while it lasted)