U.S. Men 2012-13 news, updates & general discussion

[query5]

also surprised in an article that states evan want to win 2 olympic medals.
unless he come back for real in competition i highly doubt it, with the 2 quads intact like states he has.
didn't put one in olympics why should believe him now.

[NadineWhite]

So our Canadian cousins have their very own 'Quad King'.

Lol, yep, and now we Americans have OUR own "Quad King" in Max Aaron.

Btw, I've watched his FS again over on youtube (IN won't have it up until Tuesday ON DEMAND) and was blown way once again, and noticed things I mght've missed the first time, like that FAB 3T-1/2R-3S sequence, as well as ending with the 3R jump! But more than anything else I noticed how much Max reminds me of another long-time favorite of mine, Elvis Stojko, they're built similar and are T O U G H. 'nuff said

What a joy it's going to be to watch Max over the years, my gosh he's only 20 yrs. old, just imagine what's ahead, WOW, and he's American, a big plus, we *finally* have our own "Quad King"...

[olympic]

Max Aaron - Looking forward, I'm very happy that Max is going to 4CC's. He needs to test drive his skates in a high quality field that includes the Japanese and Canadian Men. It will be very interesting to see where he will place relative to the best in the world. I'm also glad that Tom Z has Max working with someone like Pasquale Camerlango, and he's not trying to handle his choreography *yikes*. But, there were quite a few throw-away moments in the choreography of WSS and too many stand-and-pose moments. Still, I do see some improvements.

I think Max shouldn't pluck his eyebrows. Natural eyebrows would look better and compliment his strong facial features. Same goes for the hair ... small points, but they may matter in a situation where skaters are separated by 0.10.

Ross Miner- I'm a believer and a fan of Ross Miner, now. He generates nice speed and has nice, powerful jumps. Congrats to him on strong performances and I hope it continues for Worlds and beyond.

I think the US men have a legit shot at obtaining 3 spots for 2014.

So much has been said re Jeremy Abbott that there is nothing that I could say or add to the conversation, besides that I think his best days are behind him. It's just maybe not meant to be.

Joshua Farris has a bright future and I was sad that he was not able to land the Quad. I do hope this is not the start of a bad pattern, though.

Hooray for Adam Rippon - Of all the competitors, he is one who stands out for having conquered a chronic problem (3x) and just looking like a different competitor. I think training w/ Rafael Arutunian has been the smartest move by any skater in these championships. So, I hope he can tackle a Quad next year.

Richard Dornbush- I like the guy, but he seems to have some rotten luck. I hope it finally comes together for him.

[Marco]

But more than anything else I noticed how much Max reminds me of another long-time favorite of mine, Elvis Stojko

I saw the analogy too but didn't see it as a good thing.

Between the lack of natural musicality, the rotten spins and the poor posture, one could tell he is a Tom Z student from ten blocks away.

Still, he absolutely earned his World berth even though I would have given Miner the title instead. [ideally I would give the title to Miner and the silver to Farris]

Fact: every time a Tom Z student goes to Worlds as a first time National champion, he or she places last amongst all US competitors.

[Sk8tn]

I saw the analogy too but didn't see it as a good thing.

Between the lack of natural musicality, the rotten spins and the poor posture, one could tell he is a Tom Z student from ten blocks away.

Still, he absolutely earned his World berth even though I would have given Miner the title instead. [ideally I would give the title to Miner and the silver to Farris]

Fact: every time a Tom Z student goes to Worlds as a first time National champion, he or she places last amongst all US competitors.

That will work just fine, as long as the placements are 6 and 7 (or 5 and 8, etc.)

[Vagabond]

didn't put one in olympics why should believe him now.

He was recovering from an injury at the time and, what's more, didn't need one.

It is apparent from his interview on NBC on Sunday that he has been paying attention to what skaters in other countries have been doing and is well aware that he does would need one next year. Also, people here on FSU posted links to videos of him doing quadruple jumps in practice last year, so he obviously did go back to training them after the Olympics.

That said, if he isn't landing quadruple jumps in practice later this year, he probably won't go forward with his current plans to compete at next year's U.S. Nationals

[NadineWhite]

Max Aaron - Looking forward, I'm very happy that Max is going to 4CC's. He needs to test drive his skates in a high quality field that includes the Japanese and Canadian Men. It will be very interesting to see where he will place relative to the best in the world. I'm also glad that Tom Z has Max working with someone like Pasquale Camerlango, and he's not trying to handle his choreography *yikes*. But, there were quite a few throw-away moments in the choreography of WSS and too many stand-and-pose moments. Still, I do see some improvements.

I think Max shouldn't pluck his eyebrows. Natural eyebrows would look better and compliment his strong facial features. Same goes for the hair ... small points, but they may matter in a situation where skaters are separated by 0.10.
.

He plucks his eyebrows!?! I didn't know that. Now that's something Elvis Stojko definitely would *not* do.

Actually imho Max resembles pair skater Nathan Bartholomay to an uncanny degree, even their build is the same, and they both skated to "West Side Story". (:^)

Here's hoping Max continues to work hard on his PCS, so by this time next year he has the whole package. But as of now he's got the other guys beat, those fully rotated perfect quads and triples are divine, no other American man can touch, and just think he does all 7 of those triples (including two 3axels) in the second half of the program for bonus points. Wow, unbelieveably difficult to do on tired legs, especially ending with that 3R jump. But more than anything else he has learned to tame "the beast" (his words).

[PinkFeathers]

He plucks his eyebrows!?! I didn't know that. Now that's something Elvis Stojko definitely would *not* do.

Not sure what you're trying to imply here, but ummm. Plucking ones eyebrows doesn't mean anything other than they care about their appearance.

[luenatic]

Alexander Johnson is amazing. I hope he'll get some international assignment(s) next year.

[Marco]

Alexander Johnson is amazing. I hope he'll get some international assignment(s) next year.

Very nice jumping - love the 3lutz half loop 3flip!

[Ziggy]

Kevin Reynolds is about as boring a skater as Tim Goebel.

He can actually skate to the music. Something Goebel has never managed.

I think if Max got a new choreographer he'd be fine.

Don't blame the choreographer for the fact that Max doesn't have good basics and has never even remotely paid attention to the music so far. A choreographer can't get blood out of the stone.

I think Max shouldn't pluck his eyebrows. Natural eyebrows would look better and compliment his strong facial features.

You mad? He looked like an Orangutan until he FINALLY sorted his eyebrows.

His huge, bushy, dark eyebrows used to completely swamp his face.

He plucks his eyebrows!?! I didn't know that. Now that's something Elvis Stojko definitely would *not* do.

God, you're unbelievably sexist and narrow-minded.

[aftershocks]

My favorite skates 2013 Nats mens event:

Jeremy Abbott sp, plus his beautiful moves (not counting mistakes) in fp

Max "Jet" Aaron
sp: Tron Legacy Daft Punk, "You're the One"
fp: West Side Story "You're the gold medal kid with the heavyweight crown. Yeah!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exGJsv6ZNlo "Jet Song"

Ross "The Boss" Miner sp and fp (I love Tom Dickson!)

Adam "AdaRipp" Rippon sp and fp (What a cool layback spin And that 3-axel -- I love Rafael Arutunian!)

Jason Brown -- both programs, he's got such style, charm and energy; and he landed the 3-axel!

Wesley Campbell fp Ave Maria

Alexander Johnson -- both programs, especially fp (Did I say how much I love Tom Dickson?!)

Joshua Farris was so cute in the sp press conference. He did a good job in both programs. He's on his way.

And shout out to Ricky, Philip, Armin, Keegan, Jonathan, Sean, Grant, et al. -- Keep going! Don't give up!


I'm surprised not to see those who thought Max could win lording it.

[Marco]

Don't blame the choreographer for the fact that Max doesn't have good basics and has never even remotely paid attention to the music so far. A choreographer can't get blood out of the stone.

yay I am not alone

[Alex Forrest]

Am I completely missing something? Max Aaron? I saw two quad sals and then after he lumbered to the halfway point he started jumping. What in the hell was there to like about that? And that is what wins national championships? I thought Ross and Jeremy absolutely outskated him. Do I need to start drinking again to understand this sport?

I am also a Broadway slut, so I already have my programs to WSS or MFL or whatever done. And Aaron's WSS is so awful I can't even critique it.

[Marco]

Am I completely missing something? Max Aaron? I saw two quad sals and then after he lumbered to the halfway point he started jumping. What in the hell was there to like about that? And that is what wins national championships? I thought Ross and Jeremy absolutely outskated him. Do I need to start drinking again to understand this sport?

I am also a Broadway slut, so I already have my programs to WSS or MFL or whatever done. And Aaron's WSS is so awful I can't even critique it.

How dare you! His coach is Tom Z who has produced some of the finest US National Champions or medallists to place outside the top ten at Worlds in recent seasons.

[pinky166]

Max Aaron's basics are fine. His artistry needs work, I'll give you that, but he in no way has bad basics nor is his skating inferior in any aspects. He may not just be everyone's cup of tea. He only won because Ross popped his second 3a and Jeremy made mistakes anyways, can't blame the kid for going out and landing everything he planned in his program. I think he will do great at Worlds.

I still want Ricky and Josh to go to Sochi, however.

[Ziggy]

Max Aaron's basics are fine. His artistry needs work, I'll give you that, but he in no way has bad basics nor is his skating inferior in any aspects.

Just off the top of my head: He's slouched, he has shallow edges and needs to scrape a lot of small cross-overs in order to generate speed (it looks like he's running on a treadmill). His movements are off-time most of the time.

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

Sooooo, are Americans again going to send some obscure skaters and miss spots for the Olympics?
There MUST be something between the American "ah, we are so strict" and the Russian "we do what we want" approaches

Personally, I find Aaron pretty much unbearable, quads or not. He's so unfinished, unpolished and immature... Don't think he's going to have any favors from the judges on the international scene.

[Ziggy]

Aaron won US International Figure Skating Classic getting really high PCS from the judges after he landed his jumps. :/

If he skates near clean programs at Worlds, he'll get 7s. Like Kovtun at Euros. Who needs choreo?

[dots]

After breaking your back there is not much upper flexibility.

Sorry but that is/will be part of his skating. However, I do think we can get him to feel the music a bit better much much BETTER!!


Glad he won nationals*