Jason Brown's US Nationals senior debut - opinions/constructive comments?

[Sylvia]

I'm glad that Japanese TV (JSports Plus) bought the rights to televise 2011 US Nationals in Japan -- link to a video of Jason Brown's Senior FS from their broadcast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFVz7WJgkK0

Your thoughts? (Please include in your post if this is your first time seeing this young skater or when you first saw him skate. )

ETA video link to Brown's international debut -- his Junior FS to the "Pas de Deux" from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite at Gardena Spring Trophy in Italy (April 2010): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6P-EycfmS0

[Kasey]

He was freaking fantastic! Love his style, love his transitions, love the height and flow on his jumps, love his musicality; I hope he ages well, I hope he doesn't lose any of the above if he adds a 3A or quad to his arsenal. Really a beautiful, wonderful skater!

(Jason and Cassar for Sochi for me!)

[merrywidow]

I'm very high on him & his talent. I first watched some of his programs on YouTube in December & thought to myself, "Wow! All he needs is a triple axle & a quad & he'll be a contender at Worlds." I'm just amazed at the talented teens we have in the men's discipline. The next few years will be an exciting time to follow them & their progressions. (No failures allowed! LOL!)

[floskate]

I first saw him in a video of JGP Courcheval. Liked what I saw but it was a tiny internet feed so it didn't wow me. Then I saw his score in the US Nats Mens LP pbp thread and thought I had to see that 'cos I knew he didn't have a triple axel so that is one HUUUUGE score without the big tricks.

I absolutely love both the SP and LP. He never stops moving from the first second to the last but it's all done so cohesively. His programs are very well choreographed and he's soooo musical he really knows how to make them work and not just go through the motions. Wonderful and inventive spinner too; I hope he can hang on to his flexibility as he matures. Add in the wonderful flow, good edge work, wonderful knees and you have one rather skater already!!

Of course he needs a triple axel to get out of Nationals and a quad to make it to the very top but I think he has the talent to do it. I also love the fact that he adores his coach and isn't going anywhere without her despite pressures from elsewhere in the sport to move to a 'bigger name'. If it worked for Brian and Linda there's no reason it can't work for Jason and Kori.

What's so great was watching the NBC feed and seeing one great skate after another - Rippon, Dornbush, Mahbanoozadeh, Messing, Miner - then going back and finding there was another guy who actually skated as well as - if not better than - all of them. It's shocking that NBC didn't show him but at the same time another year under the radar of the general public isn't necessarily a bad thing. When he has a triple axel consistently landed in his programs is when you really want to make your media splash. But it doesn't hurt that the judges are already recognising his prodigious talent and giving him the marks he deserves, although I think his PCS actually should have been even higher again!

So have I gushed enough? No? Ok gush gush gush some more

[Cheylana]

Floskate, I don't think there is such as thing as too much gushing for Jason Brown!

He gave us all chills!!! Everyone in the arena went bonkers, and I overheard so many people gushing about him after the competition was done. (I just hope people aren't going to pressure him to cut off his ponytail... it might give him special strength, like Samson! )

Wishing him the best at Junior Worlds!

[AYS]

My constructive comment is for the judges: give him the PCS he deserves, esp. in the TR score. There were great connecting moves everywhere in that lp!

[Nan]

He never stops moving from the first second to the last but it's all done so cohesively. His programs are very well choreographed and he's soooo musical he really knows how to make them work and not just go through the motions.

Soooooo much to like about Jason, but I think this is what caught my eye first. His moves are so smooth and his landings so solid. He never made me "worry" about any of his moves or jumps.

I think this might be the one I've been waiting for.

[kwanette]

I love him. I had never heard of him until the first men's practice and he blew me away. When I saw that this "little kid" was going to skate to ND, I ..Silly me..He owned that music in every practice. How could he not get a standing "O" in a practice session with a clean run-through...twice? I wept.

After the first practice I went out for a ciggie and I saw the coach putting things into an SUV in front of the practice arena. I complimented his skating to her and she said into the car.."Jason, Come out here. You have a fan here." He was darling. It was drizzling..I said to him.."Get back in the car. I don't want to be a career ender." I saw him a few other times in the concourse and each time he gave a chipper greeting. One of the greats of the sport predicted that he was one to watch...she was right.

[Helenista]

I have been watching him for a couple of years. It was great to see that performance at Nats and I think we're going to see a lot more of him in the future. He's really got "it."

[briancoogaert]

I've just discovered him at US Nats.
He is amazing. I love his flow, spins, steps...not so much his style, but he is young.
And he gives everything, that's really entertaining !
He and his coach in the KnC were so lovely !

[julieann]

I though he was great! So many people were standing up before he was even finished, that rarely even happens at Worlds; By the end, I don't think anyone was in their seats!!!

I can't wait to see more of him.

[essence_of_soy]

I remember seeing Brown and Farris two years ago place 1 - 2 in men's NOVICE at U.S. Nationals and thinking, ooooh, here's some talent to look out for.

Was absolutely gob-smacked to see the skater he has become in two years. Brown's program is a keeper and one I have watched about half a dozen times now.

Shocking to think this 16 year old newbie skates like a seasoned veteran.

[Sylvia]

I remember seeing Brown and Farris two years ago place 1 - 2 in men's NOVICE at U.S. Nationals and thinking, ooooh, here's some talent to look out for.

Actually, Brown placed 3rd as a novice in 2009 (behind novice champion Farris and silver medalist Steven Evans). Link to his USFS/IN bio: http://www.icenetwork.com/skaters/de...=100826&mode=I

I've added a video link to my original post of Brown's international debut in April 2010. It doesn't come up in a youtube search because his name isn't in the title and it's misspelled in the description.

ETA the following comments about Brown's Nationals FS that were posted in another thread:

Dang, that footwork into triple flip/double axel/twizzles/footwork sequence (which was really cool) was unbelievable Amazing first spin combo, great salchow entrance. Nice. Also, that's the longest hair I've seen on a male singles skater ever, I'd imagine someone giving him crappy feedback on it from the conservative old USFSA?

Gotta say, I wish his choreographer would take out the lame David Wilson facestroking It detracted a bit for me, since at this point I equate it with "LOOK, I'M SINCERE. LOOK. THAT COUNTS FOR SOMETHING, RIGHT?"

[essence_of_soy]

3rd!! My bad. But that makes this result at the senior level even MORE impressive. Go Jason.

[manleywoman]

About five years ago Jason and I took our Junior Moves test on the same session, so he'd been practicing at my rink a lot. he was just getting the double Axel then. He was TINY and always a nice kid and super hard worker.

[skatesindreams]

I though he was great! So many people were standing up before he was even finished, that rarely even happens at Worlds; By the end, I don't think anyone was in their seats!!!

I can't wait to see more of him.

I think he surprised himself!
May this be the first of many "skates of a lifetime" for Jason.
I'm delighted to "gush", along with the rest of you.

[BigB08822]

BY FAR my favorite on the men's side. He was a total throwback to the days before COP because he made everything flow seamlessly together! I didn't care if he did a 3axel or not because what he did do he did very very well. I could watch his program all day long. I have a feeling he is a big fan of Johnny Weir and Michelle Kwan. If he gets a 3axel then he could really challenge the best next year at Nationals.

[ryanbfan]

Thought I'd share one of my Jason videos - him at the Galleria skating in our show this past December: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf2uQMOhIeg

He is very impressive, he projects to the audience (his movements are sharp, solid, and he makes it so people even high up in the arena can see them) and he has great speed.

[CynicElle]

Oh, wow. I'd heard about him but never seen him skate until now. Brilliant! I always get nervous about being really enthused for the young ones, but I can't wait to see how his skating develops.

ETA: Even Phil Hersh couldn't find anything to complain about!

[Aussie Willy]

I had never heard of this guy until the discussion on the mens thread so I had to have a look. From the US Nats FS video on youtube I was blown away. He covered all the bases from a PCS aspect and I would have been in the 8s. I wonder if the round table discussion for the judges after the US mens might have brought that up. A judge could have certainly been justified in giving those kinds of marks. And not one PCS was a weakness. The program was loaded with transitions which worked choreographically and the music was wonderfully interpreted. As for skating skills, he used both directions, had speed and flow and exceptional balance. He used his whole body. You never felt on edge watching him. And for a boy he has lovely arms.

I would much rather watch a kid like that all day than Bradley who was the eventual winner.