Boivin: Cold War Games-lite breaks out in men's figure skating - AZCentral.com

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VANCOUVER

Evgeni Plushenko, come in from the cold war, would you?

After Evan Lysacek gave the United States its first gold medal in men's figure skating in 22 years, Russian skater Plushenko wasn't exactly a model of graciousness.

"I was positive I won. But I suppose Evan needs a medal more than I do."

And . . .

"If the Olympic champion doesn't know how to jump a quad, I don't know. Now it's not men's figure skating. Now it's dancing."

Tsk, tsk, Evgeni.

Lysacek edged Plushenko on Thursday night in the Vancouver Games without performing the difficult quadruple, which the Russian did. But Plushenko was not as sharp as usual on several of his jumps, and his risk vs. playing-it-safe approach cost him.

The drama was very old school, kind of Cold War Games-lite in an environment of sequins and Salchows.

In the weeks leading up to the Vancouver Games, the Russian figure-skating federation backed Plushenko's criticism that skaters shouldn't be rewarded for avoiding difficult maneuvers.

Plushenko has an ally in Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who sent the skater a telegram Thursday night that said he "performed the most accomplished program on the Vancouver ice" and "your silver is worth gold."

Ilya Zubko, a reporter for the Russian government-run Rossiskaya Gazeta, said Friday that his nation was blindsided.

"It was not a pleasant surprise," he said. "We expected gold. He is a superstar in Russia."

Meanwhile, many former U.S. skaters, including those in broadcasting circles, have defended Lysacek's approach. So, clearly, have those on the periphery.

"How odd that one skater who gracelessly questioned the masculinity of a skater who was not going to attempt a quad in their long program should hit the ice dressed like the masters of ceremonies at a drag club," Hal Rubenstein, InStyle magazine's fashion director, told the Associated Press about Plushenko's sparking red vest.

Ouch.

In truth, for Plushenko, this is not an Eastern Bloc-Western Bloc deal at all but a blow to a showman used to being on top. And that's not an insult.

Ego is what makes Plushenko fun to watch on the ice. He preened and flirted with the crowd during his tango Thursday and demonstrated his usual how-can-you-not-look-at-me flair.

Usually we can't. But on this night, he struggled with his jumps, and that was enough to put Lysacek on top in a competition that measures choreography and performance as well as technical know-how.

"It's not a jumping competition," Lysacek said. "If it was, they would give you 10 seconds to go do your best jump."

To Lysacek's credit, he was a textbook example of humility Friday and wouldn't slam his skating rival even though reporters gave him numerous opportunities.

"Nobody likes to lose," Lysacek said in an effort to explain Plushenko's reaction, which included leaping over the gold-medal podium to get to the silver. "He's a great guy, great skater, and I thought he did a great job last night."

He added that Plushenko always has been "a positive role model to me." Only when pushed would Lysacek admit, "I guess I'm a little disappointed that my role model takes a hit at me in the most important moment of my life . . . but it's important not to take it out of context."

Agreed. Plushenko is a much-decorated skater because he earned it. He should be applauded for having the guts to do a quad, but he also needs to understand his timing when griping about how the rules stunk.

And Lysacek? Well, his older sister, Laura, who lives in Scottsdale, is about to see her brother's life change dramatically.

His IMG agent, Yugi Saegusa, said she received a marketing-related call "30 minutes after he got off the ice."

"He's attractive, articulate and he got to where he is with hard work," she said. "He's really the total package."

It's great for the sport that both stars said they want to keep skating, and it's a terrific twist to the story that the 2014 Winter Games are being held in . . . Russia.

Lysacek mused that he would like to be there, "if I can somehow get a visa into that country."

Reach Boivin at paola.boivin@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8956. Follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/PaolaBoivin.

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