Jeremy Abbott Uber Thread

[Proustable]

I wasn't gonna watch the program - watching someone have a bad skate isn't thrilling to me (I'm a Chan Uber, but I still haven't seen that JO performance). I eventually succumbed and I will say that "Bring Him Home" might be Jeremy's best LP ever. I like the SP, but LOVE LOVE LOVE that long.

[jl22aries]

^ me too Proustable, on the Chan aside. I LOVE both of Jeremy's programs. The short is so freaking fun. I can't wait to see if Jeremy choreographs for other skaters, like Jeff...I think he'd produce some really interesting programs. He seems to have a very unique vision and vocabulary of movement.

[spikydurian]

I enjoy both his SP and LP. I am sure as the season advances, his programs will improve and he will podium at the USA Nationals. Just hope his back injury is minor and he will heal fast and well. Go Jeremy go!

[centerpt1]

Icenet has the two Skate America video interviews Jeremy had with Tanith up.

He talks about how the curved entry quad is going in practice, how the SP went together, issues with the first version of his SP costume, how the FP is going in practice, etc.

Also- if you love or hate the SP music, blame Kaitlyn Weaver. She found the Spy music and suggested it to him.

[aftershocks]

^^ OT, in your profile, I couldn't help but wonder whether Ashley Wagner should still be considered an "underdog," but yeah I too enjoy cheering for Ashley, and for the really talented underdogs and skaters who have difficulty performing under pressure. However, I wouldn't call them "headcases." I think that term is unnecessarily derogatory and fairly inaccurate. Every performer and athlete has nerves and anxieties prior to going out to compete/ perform, and every person deals with similar butterflies on different occasions, just as we all suffer from negative chatter and over-thinking. The key is in how to manage nerves effectively and make them work for you. Everyone is different.

In Ashley's case, she took stock, thought long and hard and made some difficult decisions. She decided she wanted to continue competing and she wanted to be on the top and she made sacrifices and moved across country and found a great coach and choreographer who believed in her and helped her bring out her best. Her coach also helped her learn how to manage her nerves successfully under pressure. Ashley was definitely an underdog, but never someone who I would ever consider a "headcase" in the way that term has been being thrown around a lot. I think Ashley has always been a fierce competitor. She has just taken things up a notch with the team she has put together to support her.

I think Jeremy has a great working relationship and creative bond with Yuka Sato. Going forward, I hope he makes some good decisions regarding what he needs to do to effectively manage the physical and mental challenges he is facing. His skating is so wonderful to watch -- and I'm rooting for him to develop the competitive strength he needs to back up the amazing talent he possesses. And, kudos to Kaitlyn -- I love Jeremy's sp music and theme, and choreo (shout out to Benji Schwimmer too!).

[NadineWhite]

Haven't read the 11 pp. of this thread, just wanted to add my *live* figure skating impressions of Jeremy Abbott from this past weekend's SA:

He didn't disappoint, my all-time favorite American male figure skater is even more AWESOME in person, if that's possible, than on t.v. The honest to God first thought that came to my head when I saw him skate live for the very first time on Friday night was "this is what it must've been like to see Janet Lynn skate live".

[dinakt]

Absolutely, I agree. Jeremy started warming up and I turn to my friend and say- "And there you see beautiful skating"

There is so much anguish going on about what Jeremy should do, or should have done, that I feel that what he actually HAS done is getting lost. He established himself- in five years on International scene- and one of the most creative and individual skaters that skating has ever seen. It went from- "beautiful skating skills, where did this boy come from" to "one of the most, if not the most, musical skater competing"- to "a creative force to be reckoned with, with a possible future as a choreographer" in a rather short time in a skater's life. If you add to that that Jeremy is, by all accounts, an introvert, that blossoming of his talent is to be celebrated. Sure, I, like everybody here, hope he'll put it all together at Worlds one day. But if he does not- I would say he already underwent a great journey, uncovered where his talents lie and is gifting us year after year.

[Sylvia]

There is so much anguish going on about what Jeremy should do, or should have done, that I feel that what he actually HAS done is getting lost.

Yes, I agree. Thank you for your eloquent post. I mean, c'mon really, who wants to see "anguish" in an Über thread?

Thanks for sharing your live impressions of Jeremy's skating in Kent, NadineWhite!

ETA:
Jeremy skated "I Won't Give Up" in the exhibition on Sunday (kwanfan1818 posted in the SA forum: "Emo program, lovely flow and expression. Jumps still missing. Would have been a fine program with none") and he tweeted afterwards:

... Time to find a full time therapist.

I've been informed when I say "therapist" it makes people think mental. Although I'm a special brand of crazy, I was referring to physical.

[arakwafan2006]

Yikes... Yuka and Jason's students sure are injured these days... It must be frustrating for them as well

[aftershocks]

^^ Thanks all for your reflections, especially dinakt and Sylvia. Yes, upon further reflection, no need to anguish about any skater's less than stellar performance in an early season GP. Jeremy's fp debut at SA was a beautiful performance, obviously with great potential (despite lacking the jump content he is capable of delivering). I just felt a bit of what I perceived as being Jeremy's anguish and disappointment in the moment. As I said, I was offering encouragement and ideas because I love his skating and what little I know of him (whether he needs to hear my two cents or not -- yeah pretty presumptuous).

Seriously, whenever we as fans go on our rants or offer even well thought out responses, it is more based on who we are, on our own presumptions and life experiences and perceptions. I suggested that Jeremy not identify with the pain and disappointment... well, quite often when we offer others suggestions (or even throw out criticisms of others), if we stop for a second, we will see that what we are projecting onto others is actually something we personally may need to take heed of ourselves.

Jeremy's on his own journey as an athlete and an artist, and a human being, so I shall judge not. We can not all reach the pinnacle, but it is in making the attempt and never giving up that the greatest lessons are learned. I will try to learn how to not identify so much with whatever happens to any of the skaters I root for. And, in the meantime, I will see the glass half full and enjoy and appreciate Jeremy's immense talent and great accomplishments. Thank you, Jeremy.

[centerpt1]

Yikes... Yuka and Jason's students sure are injured these days... It must be frustrating for them as well

And they've been successful at bringing Marchei and Balde back after injury.

Has anyone heard how Jeremy's doing? I wonder if he'll be able to do his second GP now. Hope he's feeling/doing better. I hope he'll be at his best for Nationals (and hopefully Worlds)

[aftershocks]

Saw this 2008 off-ice practice session of Jeremy's -- fun to watch. He is such a wonderful dancer/ mover/ interpreter of music. I really love him and his unique style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...5KJmrCwPA&NR=1 2008 off-ice practice

[centerpt1]

Apparently Jeremy is going to TEB. Any news on how his injury/nerve issue is doing? Is this year worse than usual as far as injuries go? Rachael. Alissa, Johnny, Caitlins partner Josh, Evan.....

[Sylvia]

Abbott took the 4T out of his SP today at TEB and landed 3F+3T, 3Lz, 3A (SB 81.18, 1st place): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8O1PZAxfOQ

ETA this snippet from the press conference afterwards that was transcribed/posted in the Kiss and Cry forum:

After Skate America I took a week off to rest and see the doctors and it was much less serious than I thought, which made me happy. The 2nd week we started to rebuild the program without rushing things and then training. I haven't landed the quad since Seattle [SA practice, I assume?] so yesterday in practice it was not going around so we decided just to skate a clean program with a 3/3 and build confidence for the future - I was quite down after SA and we wanted to come here and skate a solid performance.

Article before the SP: Anguished artist Abbott joins 'Miserables' in Paris

[Jammers]

With the field in this competition he didn't need the quad anyways.

[Sylvia]

An improved FS performance from Skate America to Paris is good to see, and Jeremy's silver medal is the first GP medal by a U.S. man this fall. Here's his 3rd place FS (Italian commentators): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL14QJEAFxc

Excerpt from J-C Berlot's TEB Men's FS article for IN (be sure to read his eloquent "Anguished artist" article - link posted above, if you haven't already):

Abbott's skate was just a romance between his blades and the ice, between his body and the stars, between his soul and perfection -- or maybe this is simple love; call it the way you want.

As soon as he entered the ice, the audience knew that we were entering into a different register. Take the time to look. To watch. To reflect. Abbott made us realize that what counted in skating was not only what you do but also how you do it -- just like any artistic composition.

Expression and emotion do come also from the "how," not only from the "what."

"It was not my best program," Abbott said, "But at the end, I realized that my back and legs were all right. All the work we did paid off. I missed some of my spins and that cost me victory, but altogether I love this program so much that I was happy to skate it the way I did."

[skatesindreams]

I'm happy to see that Jeremy's skating is receiving this kind of recognition and appreciation.

[aftershocks]

^^ ITA. Wonderful to see that the true artist Jeremy is and has always been (and that he has grown into being even moreso over the last two seasons) is being recognized, understood and appreciated. Probably a wonderful thing that Jeremy had the chance to paint the ice canvas in France (a place where many artists have blossomed and found refuge and inspiration). At the least, it is apparently a place where a skating journalist has discovered words to express some of what Jeremy evokes and inspires through his skating.

Kudos to Jeremy for persevering through his physical difficulties (in what was admittedly a somewhat weak field competitively). It's clear to me the judges marks show that if Jeremy can manage to find technical consistency and clean performances, he will be highly rewarded.

ETA:
No matter what happens, Jeremy Abbott's artistic mastery of blade and movement on the ice will last in my memory far longer than the recall of podium placements, medal counts and CoP scores from anonymous judges.

[spikydurian]

Beautiful skate in both programs from Jeremy in TEB. Take the time to rest and heal well before Nationals.

[skatesindreams]

It's my hope that Jeremy will one day be mentioned in the same company as John Curry, Janet Lynn, and Toller Cranston; as one who raised the level of artistry, combined with technique, in skating.