rockstaryuzu

Yuzu as a choreographer...somehow I picture it being more like him and Mura in CWW: " and then you do twizzle-3A-twizzle, that 50-step StepSeq I showed you before, one-foot travelling camel spin, Ina Bauer into another 3A-" "-Hanyu-sensei?" "-3A combo, 4lo, hydro-" "Hanyu-sensei!" "-what?" "I'm still trying to understand the first combo jump...4T-3A into a sit spin, you said?" "You mean the easy part?"

The little samurai onigiri character though! So cute. Matches Yuzu.

I wonder if kids in Sendai pretend they're Yuzu when they play in the playground or schoolyard and try to do 3As? It's something I would have done at that age.

I like Yuzu's the best, but Yuna's has less travel so in a TES sense, hers is probably better. However, his had more impact and significance in the program.

He's not in Chan's league, no. On the other hand, I challenge anyone to sit rinkside during SOI Canada, watch those guys skate side by side, and try to spot a weakness in any of their skills. For that matter, try and spot a weakness in any of Radford's, Poirier's, Poje's, or Nguyen's basic skating skills. It's just not there.

He has them though. Anyway, it was a different era, the programs were constructed differently. He was definitely known for fast feet in the footwork sequences. They don't even do footwork any more. It's step sequences now.

Even so, people will try, and going across different eras is exactly the case for which you'd need widespread agreement in order to identify a potential GOAT. Any one individual can say someone else is the GOAT, but to really be the greatest of all time, more than one person has to think so.

Maybe it looks a little hokey on Youtube, but it really worked as a high-energy open for the show on the big screens at the arena. And yes, Kaitlyn and Kaetlyn opened the show with some great skating.

Popularity isn't what I meant by having many people agree that you're the GOAT, though. What I meant is that in order to be the GOAT, whatever skill, talent, or genius has to be obvious to a reasonably large number of people, from a wide variety of viewpoints on whatever discipline you're in, and that those people would rank your skill, talent, or genius as better than all your competitors. I mean, Jason Brown is popular but he'll never be the GOAT. Plushy is often controversial and not necessarily popular but there are many who would consider him the GOAT.

I think that was the case last year too.

You can see it so clearly with Kurt. His feet are big LOL so his skating skills stand out.

I was thinking exactly that last night. I hope she's just being a sponge and absorbing ALL THE KNOWLEDGE... because even Nam has those skills and you can totally see it in the show. If I had to describe Patrick's technique, I'd say he put his blade down heel first, if that makes sense...except that's not possible in every single step..but that's what it looks like - like the rear half of his blade makes contact with the ice before the front does. But it's so, so, so subtle of a difference - most of the other skaters are making contact in the middle area of the foot I think. I'm not 100% sure even of this observation, because they all move so darn fast. It's like they're playing a game of 'the floor is lava' and stepping so quickly that each foot doesn't touch the ice for long unless they're holding an edge.

Agree. Although whoever choreographed SOI Canada this year tried to include some of that into the group numbers. There was a whole piece with a breakdancing theme that was basically all the skaters pairing off in turn and doing SBS elements. Unfortunately it was nearly impossible to film with my crappy Android and all my videos are blurry.

Well it's not like skaters seem to age all that much.

You sure? I mean, Yuzu's suit fits and everything...

Yes, yes .When you look at that pic, suddenly the "Thousand Years of Death" story is that much more believable.

No, no, no, they're still too busy competing to see who gets to be Yuzu's flower boy...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLANET!!! Here's to oodles more years of Yuzu-related mayhem and joy!!!

No, that's not what I meant. More like he's obviously at ease with Nam and doesn't hold back. Plus his different expressions are fun.

Still, it's good to see Yuzu and PChan with their arms around each other all friendly-like like that.

Raise your hand if the first thing you did was zoom in to make sure they spelled 'Olympic' correctly...

I just went to Stars On Ice last night and watched two guys in their 50s do 2As, and backflips...two guys who were injured during their competitive careers...two guys who just happen to skate at TCC now...Kurt and Elvis. If they can get back to the point where they're putting on performances that kids half their age would be lucky to be able to do, there's plenty of hope for Yuzu.

Of all the photos to come from World's, this is the best one! I love it. Yuzu showing us what he really thinks...

ACI and Skate Canada International this past fall. But I was comparing to her Olympic performance/appearance. If you look at her now, she's just stronger-looking altogether.