Favorite male freestyle skater?

[Casey]

After watching a couple programs by Brian Joubert, most especially this one (http://sk8rland.com/video/competitions/brian_joubert-time-2004-worlds.avi), I have to say that there is no other male freestyle skater I envy/look up to more. Mostly because his style and flow matches what I dream of doing myself (hahaha I know, but anyways...). Who's yours and why?

[Anita18]

Jeff Buttle, no question. He's actually my favorite skater at the moment, since he has effortless flow over the ice and has gorgeous choreography that he KEEPS throughout the season. Plus, he has kickass spins. :giveup:

If there was any skater I could resemble in style, it would be Jeff. Too bad I physically look more like Michelle Kwan, but hey, not complaining here either... :P

[Cactus Bill]

Maybe I should pay attention to the men skaters...but for some silly reason I seem to pay more attention to the ladies! Must be those black boots of mine... :lol:

[singerskates]

Sorry Jeff, pal ol' buddy. I still like Elvis' skating but he's not elite amatuer anymore. So Jeff, right now until someone else skates better than you do, you're it Buttle. LOL

Actually, Elvis was about speed and power when he was an elite amatuer and I still like that but not all the time. Jeff has been about the nickle and dimes(everything but the jumps) which he's been fine tuning since before he could get those triple lutzes down in competition back when he was 16. Back then Jeff's nickles and dimes were not as many and those dollar bills(jumps) were sometimes tattered. Now Jeff's dollar bills are gaining interest and the change just drops in without ceasing. Jeff has wall to wall content in his programs and every part has meaning. His skating tells a story from beginning to end. You almost forget that he's competing and it goes by way to fast. That's when you know, you're seeing excellence.

singerskates

[Casey]

Maybe I should pay attention to the men skaters...but for some silly reason I seem to pay more attention to the ladies! Must be those black boots of mine... :lol:
Hey my boots are black too, but it's nice to know who you look up to. You should start another thread for favorite female skaters...

[vesperholly]

Shouldn't this kind of post go in General Skating Chat?

[Shinn-Reika]

Most definately it should it should.

Anyway I'm sure you all know I'm a huge johnny weir fan. and that's just as much due to his "It's just me" attitude as it is his ease on the ice.

I would like to say Kurt browning and emanuel sandhu, but I don't know that much of Kurt's freestyle programs, and while I enjoyed his 2003-4 short, we all know The E-man's s pro carreer will be better than his amateur one anyhow (at least thats the vibe I'm getting).

Also Sandhu's 2003-5 Exhibition was MY Idea (minus the initial triple). I may not have known what figure skating was when he choreographed it, but if I did....

[Casey]

Shouldn't this kind of post go in General Skating Chat?
Yep. Please move it if you can.

[sk8er1964]

Johnny Weir. I am simply fascinated with his skating. My second choice would be Jeff Buttle, because he's always doing interesting and unusual things.

Funny, Cactus Bill, I am always more interested in men's skating! Is it my white boots? :lol: :lol:

[lotusland]

Here's my 2 pesos for what its worth.

Mr. Jekyll & Hyde SANDHU in the non-pro ranks.
Don't get me wrong, the guy is a complete COMPETITIVE MESS, but underneath all that screw-up in motion, he is (IMHO) the most "naturally skilled/talented" non-pro skater in the world today. A very gifted natural jumper (his axel not included, but hey everyone has at least one problem jump). Great spinner (although I absolutely hate his signature spin). Generally very good at footwork. Lovely line. And of course, he is very handsome and he seemingly loves to perform. As an overall package, I don't think anyone else comes close ... too bad he can't put it all together when he has to ... such a shame and what a waste of ability.

Mr. All Around Super Dooper Root'n Toot'n Tall in the Saddle C'boy from Caroline, Alberta ... drum roll pleeeease .. Kurt Browning skates away with it in the pro-ranks. :bow: :bow: :bow:
All I can say is I LOVE THIS GUY LIKE NO OTHER! I'd be happier watching him sit on his sweet patutti than watching anyone else do a perfect program! ;)

[loveskating]

I think Plushenko is still the superior skater in the field but I don't know how he will be after physically peaking.

However, I like seeing Johnney Wier skate best...he is a "total skater" with all the aspects of skating at a very high level, including difficult jump entries and jumps that are light and yet cover a lot of ice and are big.

I also just love the way he moves over the ice, like Kulik or Abt, like Honda...flowing, with great speed, you can't buy that.

[lisou]

Johnny Weir is doing it for me. Such great skating , great spins , superb flexibility , magnificent 3a-3t . GO JOHNNY :bow: !

[diagetus]

I agree with loveskating. Evgeni Plushenko is my favorite right now. I love the story his coach gave when Plushenko first started training under him. It's something like, "He came in like a chicken, thin and economical". Now Plushenko's a rooster. No doubt about it. I think the cool thing about him is that he has power in his thin frame. Then, when he needs it, he throws in some elegance. Most thin skaters can't do that. It's like trying to be more muscular by taking a deep breath and sticking out your chest. He's probably the only man who can pull off a flexible beilmann spin that is on level with a woman.

Todd Eldredge - He has power, but then he also has pinpoint control over it. He has good spins.

Scott Hamilton - Hamilton is one of my favorites also. Most times, his confidence during a performance is off the charts.

Tim Goebel - I just like the gutsy moves this guy pulls off. He was doing quad jumps at a young age. When he came on to the scene, it was unheard of for even a grown man to do a quad jump in competition. This is not to say that people couldn't do quad jumps, but they sure weren't doing them like triples at the Olympics or World Championships.


Sometimes I confuse good technical skating with a skater's attitude. There are skaters out there who I think have golden athletic character even though they may not be the best skater out there. Many of the top skaters go through hard times and it's hearing about what they do off the rink that can make them a crowd favorite. Todd Eldredge is a good example of this. After injury and coming close to a World Championship title, he kept getting back up and trying again. Some said he'd never bounce back. He kept going and finally grabbed a first at Worlds. There are many untold stories. The biographies are almost more interesting than the skate performances.

[Oracle]

John Curry, Toller Cranston, Todd Eldredge, Johnny Weir.

[Mel On Ice]

current eligibles are Weir, Lysachek, Rohene Ward, Buttle.

[chimbu1984]

current eligibles - I love Jeff Buttle, Johnny Weir and Emmanuel Sandhu

[havukanessa]

I love Plushy, Buttle and Thomas Verner!

[galaxybounce]

Well it really is strange that no one mentioned the best skater of all time... :P

Stephane Lambiel... !!!! well now I really like to watch jeff and Jonny skate but I mean come on guys doesn't he land quad tripple in compition and then do the most difficult and fast spins of all the men? Also his footwork has a good abandon to it and flow. Sometimes a little wierd at times but on the whole I have to say I would be hard to pressed to find a guy that could beat him when he is skating his best.

Lastly I do agree that Jeff has really good spins and choreography in his progams. His back threes into back camel are outragous. Wier is very much a flow and overall a good skater but his 3axle 3 toe is slightly sickening to watch since even plushenko can struggle with that one.

Of course Klimkin goes down as being the most strange and it will be hard to see someone doing the bizzare moves he used to do :P

[Raye]

I may be dating myself but my favourite male skater of all time is Toller Cranston

[miraclegro]

Well, Scott Hamilton will always be dear to my heart.

After that, it was oh- what's his name that went on to law school -- i'll remember after i get off this post,oh, yeah, Paul Wiley

and most recent, i can't remember his last name, but he is American -- Evan (does his last name start with an L?) anyway, he rminds me a little of Paul in a nice way. He has a little ways to go yet, but he is so joyful when he skates. Feels the music very well.

I like the Russian guy who won the Olympics -- skated to a song called "Winter" or "Snow" or something like that.

Sorry my brain cells die a little more each day! - Miraclegro

[skaternum]

Hmm, I'd have to say my pairs partner, David. (I'd have to say him, because someone reading this might tell him if I don't!) ;)

[sarahyani]

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[sk8er1964]

<snip>american <snip> they just have, it seems, a messier style of skating. <snip>

What about Weir? I think he's about as smooth as they come. (And I don't disagree with your choices, either, BTW)

[diagetus]

MiracleGroand most recent, i can't remember his last name, but he is American -- Evan (does his last name start with an L?) anyway, he rminds me a little of Paul in a nice way. He has a little ways to go yet, but he is so joyful when he skates. Feels the music very well.

I think you mean Evan Lysacek. (Not the easiest last name to remember IMO). He seems like an up and coming favorite. I just read that he had a good skate season this year.

[Casey]

Sorry i know its korney but it'd definately have to be alexei yagudin or evgeni plushenko.
Okay I'm not actually too much of an Alexei fan, but Evgini kicks major butt! I really like his skating, and he's a great entertainer as well. I know what you mean about American skaters, all of my favorites out of what I've seen are European or Russian (and I say that as an American skater :P ).

[Kevin Callahan]

Brian Boitano.

And I have WHITE boots. Am I breaking some kind of taboo?

Sue me; I don't like black.

[Melzorina]

Evgeni Plushenko, hands down. :bow:

[snoopysnake]

Brian Boitano is my all-time favorite. He has both power and elegance and and aura that no one else has. His 1988 Olympic win still ranks in the top 5 best moments of my entire life.

If I could personally be any skater (male or female) my choice would be Paul Wylie. I would rather just experience doing forward stroking as Wylie than anyone else's jumping. He has the intensity that I dream of having if I could skate. As a New Englander, he's also the one I feel most sentimental about.

On the sentimental side, I would love to see Michael Weiss put together a performance of a lifetime to win Worlds or get an Olympic medal before he goes pro. (I have met him, and told him to skate to North by Northwest, and Indiana Jones. I know those pieces would get him one of those medals!)

Of the current eligibles, if all skate their best, then no one beats Evgeni Plushenko. He has the great posture, charisma, athleticism and artistry of the consummate all-star. IMHO he is way better than Yagudin ever was.

If I could wish a skater a magical season (a la 1992 Olympic Wylie or a 1996 Nationals Galindo) it would be for Ryan Jahnke. His skating can make me weep. I see Johnny Weir's skating heading in that direction for me, too. Johnny gives me chills; his skating makes me feel like I'm watching a beautiful antarctic creature in his natural habitat.

In the other direction, pizazz and showmanship, I love Evan Lysacek and Stephane Lambiel. I can't wait to see what great musical interpretations they are going to do in the future.

I'm not slighting skaters not mentioned here, but those listed above are my favorites.

[Lane85]

Ok, I know that this forum is a year old but I just have to disagree about Plushenko being better than Yagudin ever was - That is complete load of crap - in my humble opinion. Yagudin was a story teller and he connected with the audience, plus he had the athletic skills to get high marks in the technical aspects as well. Without his jumps and girly spins, Plush is so boring to watch and his footwork is nowhere near as exciting or beautiful as Alexei's. I feel very defensive, I am sorry, about Alexei because he is my favorite figure skater of all time and the best there ever was. You may think Plush is superior technically, but Alexei had and has the ultimate package - passion, artistry and an amazing athletic ability (triple Axel and death drop - wow). If Alexei weren't suffering from a degenerate hip, I am sure he'd be a two time Olympics winner now.

[kittie067]

Evan Lysecek!!(how ever its spelled)

I think he is just sooo cute! (im a dork okay)
plus I love the way he skates. Manly, but graceful at the same time.

Johnny weir is a nice skater to watch too, I just dont like his costumes.

Scott hamilton, elvis sto..(how do u spell it?).and hmm... tim geobel, and plushenko.

If I forgot one that I liked, sorry guys!!

Oh and Jeffrey Buttle, and who was the one who could do spirals?? like sasha cohen spirals!!8O

Is that even suppose to be possible?!8O 8O

that was cool,

~kittie

[_aurora_]

evan lysacek and jeff buttle

kittie, i think the superflexible one you're thinking of is shawn sawyer from canada.