Joubert or Plushenko?

[aglo]

The Euro championship-2005 went. All we can to see effort duel between Evgeni PLUSHENKO and Brian JOUBERT. In last year won Brian, he has really excellent programm and he was really better then Evgeni. In this year Plushenko again the best in Europa, but I'm waiting more strong encounter in Moscow, im April. Plushenko besides Joubert, has strong rivals from America and Japan. I think it will be very interesting competitions for all fans of figure skating from all countries. ;)

[danibellerika]

It will forever and always be the great Evgeny for this Plushy fan :bow: .

[Oracle]

We (USA) will see Europeans on our TV tonight so at present I can't comment on who I tho't skated better at this year's competition. If, however, you are asking who we think is the stronger skater then I vote for Plushenko. He's proven himself a champion for many years now. Joubert is still developing & desperately needs a qualified choreographer instead of Yadudin's rerun programs. JMO.

[Mel On Ice]

I'm more of a Buttle and Savoie girl myself.

[icedancer2]

I'm more of a Buttle and Savoie girl myself.

Me, too! Add Johnny Weir and maybe Stephane Lambiel and then I'd say we would have a great competition!!

[babyballerina]

I'm more of a Buttle and Savoie girl myself.

But realistically sans quad they are not going to challenge Plushenko at worlds.

The chances of Plushenko been beaten at worlds on home ice are slim to zero IMHO.

[Sk84lif3]

i vote for joubert or anyone else besides plushenko....he flails his arms way too much...

[BladeGal]

He may do so, but he looks good in the process...personally I would've voted for Plushenko, I like him better than Joubert anyways. I do think that they both had good routines, but Plushenko comes out on top all the time!

[galaxybounce]

Well I think that Plushenko is the man to beat these days. Looking at his skating I think that it is quite trite to say that he waves his arms around too much. IF you have any sence you can see that his skating is so much more than that. His jumps first of all are nearly perfect. There is hardly a bad jump in his line up. His foot work can be a little frantic but he has good energy and some of it is really good. His spins are his weak point but there not god awful.

Juber on the other hand has a long program that has been done before way too many time for my liking. His jumps are a bit sloppy but he can do very good ones when he tries. I think that he should also bring up his spins a lot. I don't think I have seen him do a back camel at all. Plushenko does have a great flying camel with a good position.

[None_Elf_Ear]

This is a hard choice : who to support more and about who to think that he is going to win. It is going to be a tough competition, with Evgeni stressed because of the home-competing and Brian trying to recover the points he lost at the Europeans.

I have also heard that Johnny Weir is going to be a strong opponent of the two, and this is no wonder, as the kid is coached by Tarasova and thus the artistic part is assured. For the technical, it is enough to mention that he had beaten Tim Goebel in the last two years in the USA, and Tim is the quad-man :D

I am not aware of the Japanese progress, but Honda will be certainly a force.

If only Evgeni could come back to his smiles and his skating easiness ... :giveup:

[Aimless]

For years now, Plushenko has been putting on basically the same act. He's technically great, nobody can argue that he's not. I just object to the heavy packaging, the stagecraft, the posing and fake fire. I remember him when he first came on the scene, skating from the heart with a sweetness, a charm and sincerity I ain't seen since. I've long thought that he needs to get away from Mishin and that he'd blossom under a coach that will allow the person in there to show through. His skating does not ever move me, although it impresses me enormously. It's just very impersonal.

Joubert is a little more present in his skating than Evgeny, not as much as I'd like but better. He'll improve as he ages a few years. But right now, give me Johnny, or Matt or Buttle any anybody else who brings me along with him on the ice the way Michele does.

[Mel On Ice]

I like Plushy's personality off the ice, and I like his skating in person, but he's flat and uninteresting to me watching on TV. I can't stop comparing Joubert to Yagudin, even though he's tried to change his ways.

I still vote for Buttle and Savoie, with Weir in the mix too.

[Tapper]

I like Joubert... but what I like doesn't mean a thing! Plushy is stupendous... his jumps... does anyone else out there have the arsenol Pulshy has regarding jumps? Personally, I don't like his arm swinging... in fact, his overall over-the-top presentation is not my usual cup of tea... However, I do think he's the best in the world right now... and although I don't care much for his presentation/style, I do get a kick out of him! I prefer Joubert to Plushy, but I think Plushy is probably one of the greatest male skaters this planet has ever seen and I think he's going to win the gold unless he screws up... and he is not likely to screw up.

That said, I don't know anything... haven't been on a pair of skates since I was 12 skating on a frozen pond ...I speak with no authority at all.

[alex4SA]

Well, I think that Plushenko is better than others, with his presentation and technique. Everything he does is almost like a FD with jumps and his footwork is just mind-blowing.... :bow:

Brian is just not there for me presentation wise...and these days he copies Yagudin (not good originals are always better!!!)...I thought he was better before when he was his own....
{and no I am not a true Plushenko fan (I'm an Urmanov girl) but you've got to marvel the guy!!!}
I love Weir and Lambiel...but they will not do it this year...one needs a quad and the other needs to stop making technical errors...Having said that I thought Lambiel should have won the bronze at the EC....Plushenko won deservedly...

To conclude between the two I would always vote Plushenko!!!!!

[Lark]

In my opinion, Plushenko is the best male skater in history. Period.

Having said that, he is not my favorite skater.

I prefer Weir.

As far as Joubert, he is a sloppier version of Yagudin.

[proam]

Plushenko is the best and should win handily.

Sandhu can come the closest to Plushenko if totally on-like that is going to happen.

Joubert has very good jumps and not much more. His biggest problem was having Yags as a coach, even for a brief period. Joubert didn’t have the Yags look and moves before this season, so was there a concerted effort to make another Yags? If so what a shame.

Both Buttle and Weir are beautiful skaters, but no quads-no one gets the Gold without a quad when Plushenko in the competition.

Goebel can get on the podium with a couple of quads.

Lambiel, Li and Lindermann are dark horses.

So
Plushenko the Gold
The other Men fighting for Silver and Bronze.

[lotusland]

Home Ice Advantage to Plushenko! Definately!!

I like them ALL, very much and all for different reasons ... although none, Buttle, Joubert, Sandhu, Weir ... or Plushenko, are without their faults and shortcomings.

Buttle needs to get consistency on his 3 Axel and ANY QUAD ... otherwise he is fantastic!

Joubert is a looker! SIGHHHHH But he needs much better choreography and consistency ... when he is on, he is great, when he isn't it ain't purrrrdie

Plushenko has the most gorgeous jumps of anyone but his SPINS SUCKS!!! I can't remember him ever actually getting into a true sit spin position. And, like Joubert but more so, Plushenko needs to GET A REAL CHOREOGRAPHER! His programs are a rehashed mess, which is a real shame because he is a guy who likes to entertain the audience ... I just wish someone would actually give him some material to do it with!

Sandhu needs to work on his 3Axel technique, its his weekest jump. I would also like to see him get a chorepgrapher, Joanne McLeod just keeps rehashing his old programs, if you've seen one so-called "dancy" number you've definately seen every program from his Junior career on. But most importantly he needs to get a handle on his COMPETITION MINDSET ... HE is a competitive MESS!

Weir reminds me of Buttle, he needs more experience, depth and consistency ... he also has to (like Buttle) get any QUAD ... otherwise he too is great!

[alex4SA]

Plushenko has the most gorgeous jumps of anyone but his SPINS SUCKS!!! I can't remember him ever actually getting into a true sit spin position. And, like Joubert but more so, Plushenko needs to GET A REAL CHOREOGRAPHER! His programs are a rehashed mess, which is a real shame because he is a guy who likes to entertain the audience ... I just wish someone would actually give him some material to do it with!



I agree about the spins ...although I dare say that his spins have improved over the last two years......but I just love his programs - the strength he gives to music, the tension, the energy!! He is not a classical skater (and I've always preferred those who were) but he just makes it hard to look elsewhere - not that I would want!!! He is unique and I guess you can either love him or hate him?! Personally I like everything he has done back from 2001...

[aglo]

Thank you all for yours opinions. :D I'm not crazy fan of Zhenya, I'm fan of sport fan, but as patriot of my country I'll support Zhenya and all our skaters. But I wish to other skaters also good jobs, especially to Stephan Lambiel (and Brian too :twisted: ). I want to see him (Lambiel) on podium, I think he's deserved it :halo: .
See you in Moscow! Have a nice days! :bow:

[duane]

If Plushenko skates cleanly--or makes just a few mistakes--the gold is his.

IMO, Figure skating has lost so much of its excitement and allure. The women are so inconsistent...both pairs and the men have clear front-runners in Shen & Zhao (who I LOVE!!) and Plushenko. No longer do we have the true rivalries that gave figure skating its bite. :cry:

[loveskating]

In my opinion, Plushenko is the best male skater in history. Period.

Having said that, he is not my favorite skater.

I prefer Weir.

As far as Joubert, he is a sloppier version of Yagudin.

BRAVO! My thoughts EXACTLY...except I would add that being a sloppier version of Yagudin makes you awfully great, LOL.


P.S. To someone else: Plushenko does not "flail" his arms! He is so masterful, he is in complete control of his arms, and even his HANDS...if one does not like his choreography, fine, but don't even DARE try to say he is flailing ANYTHNG...he is in complete control!

[loveskating]

If Plushenko skates cleanly--or makes just a few mistakes--the gold is his.

IMO, Figure skating has lost so much of its excitement and allure. The women are so inconsistent...both pairs and the men have clear front-runners in Shen & Zhao (who I LOVE!!) and Plushenko. No longer do we have the true rivalries that gave figure skating its bite. :cry:

I totally disagree except in ladies...

In mens, anyone in the top 5 could win if Plushenko falters...isn't that the way it has always been? Plushenko has faltered, too.

It should be close between B&A and N&K in Ice Dance...B&A could win!!

Pluse we have is a large number of very great skaters to enjoy, whereas in the past, the greats were few and far between.

Things change...it was only natural that more and more people would become really good in the sport, but skating is NOT being marketed to reflect those changes, instead, we have top down control.

Read Stephen J. Gould's "The Evolutionary Wall" which is about baseball!

[alexisdancn69]

I would have to say that Joubert has gotten better and I think he's get better and better each year. Evgeny was at one in the spotlight but I do think that Jourbert will take that spolight away from Evgeny..So, I would have to say that Joubert has my vote... ;)