American Evan Lysacek skated brilliantly to upset Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko by 1.31 points to win the men’s Olympic gold medal in figure skating. Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi won the bronze. Stephane Lambiel was fourth, Patrick Chan was fifth and Johnny Weir was sixth.
I am no skating expert, but it appeared to me like Weir got under-judged. Our skating writer Chad Conley, who was down on Weir pre-Olympics, left me a message that said, “Johnny got robbed tonight.”
The Lysacek result seemed fair, since Plushenko was not that inspired. “It was definitely my best, and that is what I came here to do,” Lysacek said. “Of course, you know it’s been tough the last couple of months not thinking about the results, but I’ve had to shove all those thoughts out of my head, and my thought process was just mind your own business.”
Weir also shared his emotions: “I did the best I could,” Weir said. “There were a few small flubs I made. I was very proud of myself. I was crying before I went on the ice. I had tears streaming down the side of my face and had so much emotion that I couldn’t get out of me.”
Plushenko, though, was a less-than-gracious runner-up: “I was positive that I won,” he said through an interpreter. “I suppose Evan needs a medal more than I do. Maybe it’s because I already have one. I have to share with you, though, two silver and one Olympic gold, that’s not too bad.”
Finally, Elvis Stojko was totally bitter that Lysacek won, writing for Yahoo that it ruined skating because of the new scoring system.
Use this as your thread to discuss the result and anything to do with the long program. I still think it’s funny that Jerry Jones and Tony Dungy were on hand.
- By Jim Buzinski
28 responses so far ↓
1
timnyc
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:07 am
Ohhh… wow….
Now we get to hear from this self-hating prick for the next 4 years?
He couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag.
As my partner pointed out, his arms look like “U’s”… like rubber U’s…
Johnny Weir is TWICE the MAN this B*TCH will EVER be!
2
Enigma
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:11 am
Elizabeth Manley (Canada’s Silver Medallist at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary) said it herself - she didn’t think Johnny Weir would score so low. She was shocked at his score and I think everyone else should be.
I’m just throwing this out there (I don’t necessarily believe it) but is it possible that he was scored so low based on his flamboyance?
If the sport is really trying to strengthen its image of bein all “macho” … would they go to great lengths to ensure a guy like Weir didn’t finish on the podium?
3
Cyd Zeigler jr.
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:12 am
If anyone still thought this scoring system was good, or homophobia doesn’t exist in figure skating, they got a slap in the face this week. Evan deserved the gold, and its great he won, but the judges robbed Johnny Weir of a bronze medal. Disgusting.
4
DruggyBear
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:22 am
Evan was fantastic and deserved the gold, good for him. but oh Johnny, you got so ROBBED, babe! Johnny’s performance was so graceful and artistic and beautiful, he should have won the bronze on choreography alone! How does the Japanese guy get the bronze when he falls on his ass?
Homophobia is definitely alive and well in the figure skating world, Johnny was just too flamboyant for the podium I suppose.
To hell with them Johnny, we love you and are so proud of you!
5
DruggyBear
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:34 am
“The night they killed figure skating”???
For such a proud heterosexual Elvis Stojko sure is a drama queen, not to mention a real bitch!
6
Chad
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:38 am
Cyd before i get started I know you are a big johnny weir fan. did he deserve 6th no, but 4th defiantly. You gotta start looking at the program components, and the others skaters speed, difficulty in footwork, and not just jumps but combos that they do. Weir need his second triple axel to be a triple axel/triple toe, not a triple/double.
Johnny gave the performance of his life tonight. I too think he deserved more, but i’d rather have in 6th then 4th, no one wants to be the first person to be out of the medals ever.
7
Ted
// Feb 19, 2010 at 4:17 am
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the fact that the Russian guy is happy that he already has a gold. Having one is a very special thing, having two doesn’t add that much. Even Lindsey Vonn said she didn’t really care if she won another one.
There is nothing wrong with him believing he won either. It’s a judged sport and…I know this is shocking…but it can be political.
8
chandler20
// Feb 19, 2010 at 4:39 am
Meanwhile Brian Joubert and Thomas Verner, who made many mistakes, were at the back of the pack, not held up at all–and they are the butchest of the butch. Takahashi was not held up either–he scored well below a messy Lambiel and was pretty much tied with Johnny in the free skate, but won the bronze in large because of the short program difference of six points…otherwise he’d have lost it to Stephane, who didn’t perform much last night like he normally would. Daisuke skated lights out except the quad, and did that in addition to, not instead of, the two triple axels. Stephane had 162 points in the free skate, Daisuke and Johnny were pretty much tied near 157.
Comparing this to last Olympics–156 in the long versus 128–Johnny definitely improved his score, though not his placing.
It bothers me that a fall is considered the be all and end all of scoring–it’s really not, it’s the total of what you attempt. Verner, who was considered a long-shot medal contendor, is buried in the back of the pack not because he fell, but because he popped two planned triple jumps to singles and got low levels–ones, not fours–on his footwork.
9 Related Blog Site » Blog Archive » Evan Lysacek wins figure skating gold | Outsports 2010 Winter Olympics // Feb 19, 2010 at 6:06 am
[...] Continue reading here: Evan Lysacek wins figure skating gold | Outsports 2010 Winter Olympics [...]
10
DR
// Feb 19, 2010 at 6:48 am
you didn’t post this gem from Plushenko:
“If the Olympic champion doesn’t know how to jump a quad, I don’t know,” Plushenko said. “Now it’s not men’s figure skating, now it’s dancing.”
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=429679.html#lysacek+brings+home+gold?__source=msnhomepage>1=39003
Now I’ll be one of the first to admit that skating has become a bit artsier than I prefer, but to slam the guy who just beat you because he didn’t do a quad, which he has landed with success in the past, is really coming across as sour grapes.
Men can dance and skate in a masculine manner without making it just a pure jumping competition. That’s where I would disagree with Stojko and Plushenko (who is pretty feminine with his donut and Beilmann spins)… this is not just a jumping competition.
I liked Evan’s response… if this were a jumping competition, they would go and jump for a couple of minutes, and that’s it. It’s not just a jumping competition.
11
Rob W.
// Feb 19, 2010 at 8:44 am
Glad someone beat Plushenko, even better it was an American.
Why was such a homophobe (read: Tony Dungy) present at such an event as figure skating? Anyone else see the irony?
I’m not so sure Weir should have medalled, but he was certainly underscored. No shock there whatsoever.
It was a great night.
12
Mike
// Feb 19, 2010 at 9:28 am
The fallout of these subjective judging ‘competitions’ is almost as entertaining as the competition itself.
Figure skating is great entertainment and high drama, but for all the reasons listed in the comments above it’s got to be the most flawed competition ever.
13
sportinlife
// Feb 19, 2010 at 9:39 am
Perhaps this video and story explain why Tony Dungy was at the figure skating finals:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=100114/JohnnyWeir
Proving that any male who is athletic has to be at least a little “manly” seems to be ESPN’s “Higher Calling”:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=100128/TonyDungy
14
sportinlife
// Feb 19, 2010 at 9:42 am
BTW - I’ve seen Lysacek’s performance to Stravinsky’s Firebird in an earlier event he participated in, and I have to admit it is the first time I’ve been “moved” by that piece of music. I’ve read he also worked with a female ballet performer to get a feel for the moves. I think the guy did step “out”side his comfort zone a bit.
15
Lucrece
// Feb 19, 2010 at 10:38 am
Ice Skating cannot be a sport if it’s judged artistically, very simple. You can’t be subjective in the scoring, or judge is not really a judge since they’re allowed to bring their biases into scoring.
And I like that figure skating is an art. Maybe instead of going for Olympics they should start going at it more like performers on shows.
And if you thought the Yahoo article was annoying, just read the one on AOL.
When referring to Johnny, it was “the flamboyant skater”. The article, instead of discussing the skating itself, just fixated on costumes and mockery of the skating because it’s perceived as effeminate.
Disgraceful media portrayal.
16
furious boy
// Feb 19, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Damn judges, they will burn in hell!!!
The Russian deserve the gold medal, yankees and canucks stolen him!
Fuck you all!!
17
jaydeenyc
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Yes, yes, you are so right! The Russian “deserve” the gold medal for having the shakiest landings on his jumps, not a hint a choreography for the final minute of his program, general unshaven skankiness, blowing kisses and most all, for his unforgivable unsports”man” like conduct by being the biggest cry baby sore loser in many an olympiad.
18
Dutch Diva
// Feb 19, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Strange that so many New World homos don’t know that Plushenko is gay ….
19
jaydeenyc
// Feb 19, 2010 at 4:02 pm
I thought that was old news. Read about it on the old discussion boards here on OUTSPORTS One of our remembers ran into Plushenko and his “friend” in the steam room of his gym.
20
Dan
// Feb 19, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Yes, homophobia is very much alive in figure skating, and last night was not the first time it was so evident. Look back at the 1996 Worlds, and the results for Rudy Galindo. He never skated better in his life and yet the scores didn’t reflect this in the end.
We need to remember that the judges are the the figure skaters of the past, when being gay was not an ok and was hidden and somthing to be ashamed of. So when a skater like Wier hits the ice and when he is of the ice never trys to come across as “butch” or “straight”, they fear for themselves, that thier own hidden pasts could come to light if they allow an “enfiminate” skater to do well. It will take time like all things to change, it is not right but it will take time.
As for Plushenko, he needs to get over it. The sport is figure skating, not “JUMP” skating. Yes he can do amazing jumps, but his landings are shakey, not smooth. his foot work is ok as are his spins. He filled the front half of his program with jump after jump after jump, and for the second half he just glided areound on the ice. If he wants to show us that he should have won a gold, how about throwing jump in after the 2 minute mark of the program.
21
Stadiumguy
// Feb 20, 2010 at 3:10 am
Evan deserved to win. I agree, it’s not only about the jumps. It’s the whole package… and Evan is just that.
22
terry
// Feb 20, 2010 at 4:30 am
Wow, the Norweigan troll is really bitter than Evan won. Someone please point Elvis to the nearest bridge and tell him to stay under there!
23
kait
// Feb 20, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Leaving gay/straight out of it just for a minute, figure skating is an event that needs some fresh air in all directions. Remember the days of Candelera and Bonaly? Too athletic was she, too out there was he, on and on. Clearly, they were simply advocating for more openness to the next and newer generations, as well as some changes to the scoring system. Too bad that clearly hasn’t come to pass. And Johnny? In an event which encompasses both art and athleticism, and where body type and grace are discussed over and over as necessary qualities, one would think that his beauty would only add to his consideration as a skater, not detract from it. He certainly deserved at least 4th place, as surely as Lysacek deserved gold. I think the Russians are also pissed that their years long “legacy” has been broken, as much as anything else. I even wonder if that’s why the Canadian team didn’t take gold in ice dancing. The Russians had to have some kind of bone–it’s “their” heritage (they believe). And while they have given us so many great skaters and coaches, time changes anyway, even if judges don’t. More Korean and Chinese skaters will continue to learn and advance, as will former Soviet states. AND so will Johnny Weir, I hope!
24
Charlie Carson
// Feb 21, 2010 at 1:11 pm
I laughed when reading Elvis’s article. First, it’s no surprise the king of no transitions between jumps would come to Plushenko’s defense this year — to do otherwise would be to deny the case Elvis made about himself during his entire career. But it is bizarre that someone who skated the same Karate Kid program over and over and over because he couldn’t master another championship routine would talk unironically about anyone else taking the sport “backwards”…
As for the gratuitous swipe at Boitano, frankly, Brian’s program was choreographed and performed arguably better than any of this year’s routines, including Evan’s. I’d certainly rather watch the sheer joy at the end of Boitano’s Calgary performance than sit through recaps of more than half the men’s Olympic medal skates since.
25
furious boy
// Feb 22, 2010 at 11:00 am
The gold medal was STOLEN, again, again, again, again, you fucking “gringos” will burn in hell.
Boitano, this moron, mary lou retton, etc etc etc
The russian deserved the gold and nobody else!!!!!
26
Kim Clark
// Feb 24, 2010 at 4:50 pm
internalized homo-phobia is alive and living well in the form of Rudy Galindo who AGREES with Elvis Stojko that men don’t want to see feminine skating, and male skaters should be mach like, ahem, him. Self-hatred will kill you queen. love yourself, love the queen. Hate Elvis Stojko not Johnny Weir and, ahem, yourself. Get it?
27
Kim Clark
// Feb 24, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Also, Evan needs to lay off the spray tan. He won the Gold and the Bronze! He looks like Snookie. Get it?
28
Druggybear
// Feb 24, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Furious Boy lol more like Hilarious Boy! Keep em coming!
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