rockstaryuzu

Why? Because Shoma has stagnated the last year or two and he's not going to be pushed or challenged by skating with girls.

Glad I'm not the only one. I keep thinking he'd starve to death (sorry, I just can't shake those Eteri rumours about how strictly she governs her skater's diets). And maybe he wouldn't know how to handle all those fiery Russian girls. I honestly can't picture anything more opposite to typical Japanese-ness. But more importantly, Shoma is at a stage where he REALLY needs to be opposite another guy who can give him a run for his money in training every day. Someone he can compete with.

Yuzu gave him Yamagata cherries? No wonder he's excited, those are not cheap ...also how cute is Yuzu's notepaper? It looks like this:

I sure hope it's not. Try and picture Shoma doing a Daniil choreo to one of those hideous music cuts.

That app once saw a 3 year girl in the geometric patterns of a woven wall hanging I have, so yeah. Gotta watch for those hidden children in textiles I guess

Dear Lord, the app actually recognized him as a MAN! Hallelujah! and while he's wearing white lace, no less...

I have another take on the idea of Shoma at TCC, which is that it might lead the JSF into pressuring Zu to step aside in favor of Shoma ( as Zu has already had a lot of success). As much as I could see Shoma getting along with the TCC crew, I'd prefer to see him go elsewhere. But does Shoma really need a jump coach that badly? He's gotten this far without one. It's only this year, since his injury, that's he's really struggled. IMO he needs bigger challenges. His Great Spirit ex from SLB was perfect proof of that - he could barely keep up with the choreography but it was absolutely dynamite when he did, cultural appropriation aside. He needs someone that's gonna make him do more of that and really push him, without breaking him. IMO Eteri is the wrong choice. Mishin or Raf would be great though.

All interesting choices. Doug Leigh would maybe be a step backwards though. Yes he was Brian's coach but I think Shoma's jumps are beyond what Leigh teaches already.

OOOHHHH, interesting!!! I could envision Kevin and Shoma playing well off each other and learning lots. I like this idea.

This. I was thinking of this possibility as well. But who is there that he could go to, that has proven results already? For all intents and purposes, Coach Fluffy is the top men's coach in Japan right now. Anyone else is probably a step down.

I know, right? I can't even begin to imagine Shoma without Coach Fluffy at his side. But they're right, it's time for him to grow. I see no one's suggested Ravi Walia - Kaetlyn Osmond's old coach, and the guy who resurrected P. Chan from the dead - yet. As far as I know, he doesn't have any elite skaters right now and he's definitely got the chops. Not sure how Shoma would get on in Edmonton though. Are there are any single's coaches in Montreal right now? Shoma's already been there for choreo a few times, so he's at least familiar with it.

They usually don't ask someone who is currently competing to light the fire, though....the symbolism of it is that the flame is passed down from previous competitors to the new ones. So I think it'll be a retired athlete and from a summer sport.

Yes, and yet I still fret. I am an auntie, after all. It's in my nature.

Well, that was fun! My 26 year old, male, Persian co-worker just told me he thinks figure skating is cool, so I showed him LGC and Masquerade. He was admiring the cleanness of Yuzu's jumps...but making assumptions about Yuzu's androgynous appearance.

It's so like Yuzu to do that, but it makes me fret. A person can tear themselves apart trying to respond to others' expectations. I hope he knows when to draw the line and stick to his original plan instead.

The one from St. Peter - LMAO!!!

Has anyone checked out their full Twitter? Every tweet has between 20 -40 likes, and then there's Yuzuru - 1500 likes and counting. Seems like Laureus and Olymipc Channel aren't the only ones who've discovered the social media power of our boy.

Must be new? Tweet doesn't say

Good. That hand was looking terrible, but what's this about his eye? Google translate says they're saying the opposite side (from the hand) of his face and eyebrows is swollen. Whatever it is, the ones who said it might be an allergy or insect bite look like they're correct.

True and that's still not a reason to accept an unjust status quo.

I haven't listened to a lot of modern classical music, however I would be very hard put to hear the Japanese elements in it. Perhaps it's the overall aesthetic. I'm just saying that to a casual listener it doesn't stick out.

And this is the literal truth. The guy has an innate sense of musicality.

People being able to understand it is actually a very Yuzu way to think, and about the only explanation so far that makes sense. edited to add: Just to make it clear where I'm coming from here: even the most cherished cultural institution in Canadian sport, Hocket Night in Canada, is broadcast in languages like Italian, Inuktitut, Hindi, Punjabi, Tagalog, Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, to say nothing of French, and most recently, Plains Cree. To say Japanese lyrics make a piece unsuitable for a figure skating competition because of crusty conservatism in the sport is both very sad and at the same time, nearly incomprehensible to me. Oh-Kay. Now that I'm done beating the dead horse...... how 'bout that Masquerade?

Didn't Yvett Toth just do that in the Olympic season? She skated to AC/DC. But she's nowhere near the top in terms of skill, so it's tough to say if the music choice was an issue or not. And I think Brendan Kerry has done AC/DC as well. With LGC, though, Yuzu never quite skated a clean program so that would affect the overall scoring. I don't think anybody objected to him doing it really. He was practically channeling Prince, he embodied the guy's attitude so perfectly. No one else could have done that.

Okay, but yet H&L did not sound 'Japanese' to me - it sounded like a modern but classical composition. And Seimei couldn't possibly have been any more Japanese and yet it won the Olympics in fine style. I think it still comes down to the skater, the program, and how the music suits both. Also, ISU needs to start banning warhorses just on the grounds that the recordings are getting worn out. I don't care if I never see another Carmen.