Reigning world champion Evan Lysacek of the US trails reigning Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko of Russia by less than one point (.55) after the men’s short program concluded on the fifth night of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi is only (.05) behind Lysacek setting up a competitive free skate for the gold medal in tonight’s big primetime showdown.
The broadcast team covering Figure Skating, Tom Hammond, Sandra Bezic, Scott Hamilton and Dick Button all had some interesting things to say about the big three.
Plushenko on his reputation: “Many people don’t like me. Many. But I’m going to skate anyways.”
“My enemies, they worry about me because I’m back. And they’re afraid a little bit.”
“Of course it’s my dream to skate in the Olympic Games and skate better than in 2006. I would like to be two-time Olympic champion, like Dick Button.”
Hammond: “It’s appropriate he’s wearing black because he certainly does have enemies and critics among his competitors.”
Bezic: “His jumps were spectacular. The performance was there. He delivered.”
Hamilton: “This guy is special. He is really special.”
Button: “I think he likes looking like an evil character. I think he likes the fact that his beard is undone, the hair is undone and stringy. If I wanted to do a movie where there’s an evil agent, I’d pick him. I love that persona. He commands you to look at him.”
ON LYSACEK
Hammond: “Evan Lysacek brings them to their feet in Vancouver.”
Bezic: “To do it in this circumstance, under this kind of pressure, with that kind of intensity is spectacular.”
Hamilton: “Eliminate every would’ve, could’ve or should’ve. When you step on the ice at the Olympics, know that you’ve done everything that you can to be prepared for this moment. He’s done just that and he’s delivered the goods.”
ON TAKAHASHI
Bezic on Takihashi: “That was hot.”
Hamilton: “He milked every moment out of that performance.”
Hamilton: “All three members of the Japanese team just threw it down.”
ON WEIR
Hamilton: “With all the distraction and the sound bites off the ice, he delivered the goods on the ice.”
“And with that pink tassel, every man in America envies him because he’s rooming with Tanith Belbin.”
The other big story tonight is Shaun White and his attempt to win gold in the snowboarding halfpipe competition. This is a must see event and White always seems to be able to deliver.
Olympic correspondent Cris Collinsworth again joined primetime host Bob Costas in studio, to talk about White and his intensity.
COSTAS: “In another life, you’ve had linebackers and safeties coming to take your head off. But I don’t think you’d want to try what this kid does.”
COLLINSWORTH: “Uh, no. The one thing you learn about him that you may not have known going in, is that he’s one of those Michael Jordan kind of competitors. He really doesn’t want to just win. He wants to dominate. He wants to embarrass the competition. And tomorrow night, you’re going to see that he will push the envelope in a way that even he didn’t think he could four years ago.”
