ZuCritter

I've decided it's going to be RJ1, in tribute to his first Worlds medal. And I will definitely die (very happily).

This. As someone who used to find it hard to ask for help, I learned the hard way that there are times when the strongest of us (and I count myself one of those) need help. Today I salute anyone courageous and mature enough to take responsibility for their own wellbeing -- including seeking counseling when they need it. End of sermon.

Wow. Amazing! And I'll be just a few rows away -- section 101, row V, seat 15! I'll definitely look you up. Thanks for making these extra-extra charms!

I was about "Hanyuism" when a new word popped into my head: Hanyuosity: a nearly superhuman display of athletic prowess and artistic brilliance, known to have been achieved, to date, by a single human being.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this fascinating discussion, especially @HRvF! I would give anything to lurk when Yuzu, Ghislain and the other coaches try to work out the mechanics of the 4A -- or any new skill. So many factors come in to play -- not only on the side of physics but on the side of how Yuzu processes information and learns. I'm sure they have very technical conversations like the one in this thread. And, given what we know about the importance to Yuzu of image training, I'm sure that visualizing the experience of a successful 4A is central to his process. That was echoed in his comment at 4CC about getting to the point where he's able to "see the shape" of the jump (I'm paraphrasing). I also expect that to a large extent, he's just feeling his way into it -- thinking with his body rather than his brain. Not that the two are really separate, but I suspect that in the end, the kinesthetic wisdom gained over the whole span of his career will lead him to Nessie. And finally, there's the really unquantifiable element: his will to excel. How many others may have dreamed of mastering the 4A but given up? And then there are those who would never even attempt it. Nathan -- whom I admire -- has more or less indicated that he has no intention of venturing into such dangerous territory (despite anything Raf or Johnny might suggest). Only Yuzu has the courage and the determination to pursue this beast. And that makes him a GOAT among GOATs!

Sorry to quote myself, but Ghislain's description of Yuzu deciding he needs a WC program that can "overflow from within himself" is exactly what I was trying to say in my last post. ETA: To use @KatjaThera's beast metaphor, Origin is a beast he's trying to tame, Seimei is a force he has internalized that makes him a beast.

For me, what unites all of Yuzu's most successful programs -- RJ1, PW, Chopin, LGC, Seimei, Otonal -- is joy. Even H&L, as delicate as it is, has those flashes of wonderment/joy. As different as the mood of his iconic programs is, at some point in each of them he gets to cut loose and fling himself into the choreography with what feels like abandon. And he carries us with him. It's exhilarating. I would even say transcendent. Origin, for all its complexity and its grace notes, doesn't give him that opportunity. It's like a tightly coiled spring from start to finish, with no release. For that reason, I think it's emotionally exhausting as well as physically exhausting. It always felt like something Yuzu was battling from the outside rather than expressing from the inside. I'm glad he's stepped away from the battle, at least for 4CC.

I notice that the Pink Horror is carefully concealed by the Yummy Cable Knit! Good taste, indeed.

Maybe we’ll have Yuzu and PChiddy skating around holding hands like Yuzu and Dai. One can always dream, even though I don’t know if ambassadors actually get out on the ice ...

Gorgeous! Thanks so much to the dancers.

I'll be there!

Yes to all this. I had noticed those things but hadn't put them together before -- especially the part about the additional monitor that was visible under his training gear. Taken as a whole, they do seem to point to something beyond normal tiredness and jet lag. I'll trust that with several weeks to rest and regain strength, whatever afflicted him will be behind him before 4CC.

Just because he is a masterpiece ...

This graph, which shows only the GOEs for jumps (rather than all elements) is even more damning. There is NO WAY the ISU can defend or justify the insane increase in Nathan's scores. I just hope someone forces them to address the issue.

Surefire formula for shaming the purveyors of bogus comparisons and hype about rivalries: reprise the programs of purported rivals as your Ex. Of course, it would also embarrass the other skaters, so Yuzu would (correctly) never do it.

Am I the only one who thinks the world needs a Hanyu/Cizeron program? Talk about ISU will never sanction it, but we could petition FaOI ...

Thinking about Yuzu's quad arsenal, he's only achieved longterm stability on two: 4T and 4S (and, as we've seen to our dismay, even those can act up on occasion). At the time of his injury at NHK '17, 4 Lo was sometimes gorgeous but sometimes a how-the-hell-did-he-save-that? kind of affair. And he had just begun to tame 4Lz when that snake bit him bad. Since that time, he's spent half of each season off the ice or clawing his way back into competitive shape. So as of today, he's still trying to get on a truly solid footing with 4Lo and 4Lz while also training 4A, 5T and, apparently, the occasional 4F. Not to mention flourishes like 4T-Eu-3F and 3A-3A. Plus, he's altering the shape of his body by building muscle mass, which is bound to affect his jumps in complex ways. And he can't train as intensely as he used to for fear of injury. No wonder that Nathan, at the last press conference, gave him a look that subtly said: "I admire you, but you're bat-shit crazy!" As are we fanyus, I suppose. But what a beautiful madness!

What a beautiful man and a beautiful tribute. Thank you for lifting up this hero and pointing out how Yuzu shares some of the same virtues.

If Google translate hasn't totally butchered the meaning, Max says in the linked piece that although he assumes no bad faith on the part of ISU judges, he's increasingly plagued by doubts. Strong shade, indeed!

The ratio of edge jumps to toe jumps (6/44) also speaks to their relative difficulty (although the Flip seems to be an anomaly). Yuzu's mastery of edge jumps is one more thing that sets him apart. It also makes him uniquely suited to challenge Nessie.

It's all in his calculations!

Pooh-san in the laurel crown. Too hilarious!

Terrific idea. I was actually thinking of having a button made with my Planet avatar on it. (And I still may do that.) But buttons with our PH names and our real names would be more helpful. Count me in.

I couldn't agree more. This is a significant, amazing and potentially disruptive piece of work. Huge kudos are in order. As I mulled over your results, a few additional questions came to mind: 1. Would it be meaningful to calculate the percentage of judges from each fed that displayed bias? 2. What about the average degree of bias each country's judges exhibited? 3. And what are the odds of a skater from country X having a judging panel that includes a judge from country X? Using those three factors, couldn't you calculate the degree to which, over the course of a season, skaters from each country are likely to benefit from biased judging? Forgive me if I'm off base -- my days of formal schooling are long behind me. But if it's possible to calculate the degree to which some skaters are advantaged and others are disadvantaged just by their nationalities, it surely seems relevant. In any case, congratulation on your great work. I look forward to the upcoming segments!!!