Emotions were high at the end of the Men's Short Program Tuesday night. Most of the top men delivered outstanding performances, making the event the most nailbiting since the "Battle of the Brians" in 1988.Evgeni Plushenko is, not surprisingly, the leader after the short program. As the tenth skater, to have the score stand up through an evening where each skate seemed to build off the last, is a feat in and of itself. The reigning Olympic champion seems well poised to take a second gold - an accomplishment that only one other man has ever done, American Dick Button - but he can't leave anything out Thursday...
...Because American Evan Lysacek is only .55 points behind him, and Japanese Daisuke Takahashi is only .05 points behind that. It will come down to strategy, cleanliness, and heart tomorrow night and every single man has what it takes. History will be made one way or the other, and it seems this event is one people will talk about and remember for some time.
The night was not all possitive, however. Favorites to do well, France's Brian Joubert and America's Jeremy Abbott both had disasterous shorts. Falls, popped jumps, disappointment. Their body language suggested utter devastation before the end of their programs, and most everyone in the arena and watching at home felt their grief.
What's on the skaters' agenda for tomorrow? One can only speculate, Plushenko has made it clear he feels a skater without a quad does not deserve gold - and it seems to be suggested a place on the podium - so expect to see him keep true to his word and attempt at least one quad - and one could be certain he'll go for more than that.
Evan Lysacek stated days before the event that he would not be attempting a quadruple jump in Vancouver - citing injury and his crash landing at nationals for reasons - but did Plushenko's comments rile him enough to change his mind?
Johnny Weir is going to have to pull out all the stops and go for broke to make the podium - but it is doable. So long, of course, as those ahead of him make mistakes or play it safe.
It's competitions like these that make you wish a podium could hold more than three.
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