U.S. Men in 2018 - articles & latest news

[annie720]

What’s a bit unusual, though, is that Kori has coached Jason for 18 years and that she’s rumored to be leaving. It’s one thing for an athlete to move on in order to take the next step - that makes sense in Jason’s case because he seems to still struggle with the bigger jumps. But 7K is wholly Kori’s creation and if I recall, she brought coaches and admin staff in from different states. So if she’s moving on and /or 7K is dissolving, that’s a change of a different magnitude.

Interesting, if it's true. But if she's choosing her kids over her job, possibly switching to something that requires less travel, then that's a smart move and I applaud her. I just hope it wasn't too sudden for everyone. The Ladrets established their own 7K Instagram account within the past 2 to 3 weeks. Could that be indicative of something?

 

[Willin]

I wouldn't read too much into the Rohene thing. If you look at his instagram, even when he was full time at 7k he was travelling around the country to hang out with friends. During her TSL interview, Kori also said that Rohene was a free spirit that tended to go off and disappear to do things on his own for weeks at a time - even when he was technically full time. So every time people speculate that he's moving because they see him somewhere random I'm assuming it's just another one of his random trips. He's also been choreographing for a lot of non-7k skaters, so that could be another reason.

All in all, I could see him moving, but I wouldn't read too much into seeing him in LA with Jason.

 

[olympic]

I'm really concerned about Nathan and the fact that they sent him home early with the flu. He was ill at Nationals and now sick again. One wonders what the impact will be on his ability to do well or even shows up at Worlds

I had the flu in January and it took me out for a week. But I was back training by the beginning of the next week. My husband had some sort of non-flu that was equally nasty and took him out for the same amount of time. I think Nathan’s illness will be over quickly, at least for him to be healthy enough for Worlds, so I am not worried.

What I am concerned about is that he listens to RA this time, hoping he learned that lesson from the Olympics

 

[Tavi]

I had the flu in January and it took me out for a week. But I was back training by the beginning of the next week. My husband had some sort of non-flu that was equally nasty and took him out for the same amount of time. I think Nathan’s illness will be over quickly, at least for him to be healthy enough for Worlds, so I am not worried.

What I am concerned about is that he listens to RA this time, hoping he learned that lesson from the Olympics

Well, except that unlike you, he may be dealing with post Olympics exhaustion.

 

[kwanfan1818]

"Flu" is used to describe a lot of things, most if which aren't flu proper, too.

 

[olympic]

Well, except that unlike you, he may be dealing with post Olympics exhaustion.

True but there are other forms of exhaustion that people experience, they get ill, and recover all the same. Job-related stress or family issues might be overwhelming for someone in a way that Olympic related stress is to Nathan.

"Flu" is used to describe a lot of things, most if which aren't flu proper, too.

I was in the ER and diagnosed with the flu. I was dehydrated and given an IV and recovered in about one week

 

[kwanette]

Jason does indeed have an agent. Jerry Solomon, Nancy Kerrigan's husband. If *he* is giving to Dave, I am and . I guess anything's possible.....

But personally do not think, given the cray-cray pseuds who have commented on 7K in the TSL Twitter threads, that *anyone* from Jason's camp is feeding info to Dave. JMO

Info doesn't necessarily come out of people's "camps"..People know people from all of the rinks. People see, people talk.

 

[Tavi]

True but there are other forms of exhaustion that people experience, they get ill, and recover all the same. Job-related stress or family issues might be overwhelming for someone in a way that Olympic related stress is to Nathan.

I was in the ER and diagnosed with the flu. I was dehydrated and given an IV and recovered in about one week

Well I’m glad you recovered and are back to normal! And you may well be right that Nathan at 18 will probably bounce back very quickly. My only thought was that after peaking for the Olympics, it might be hard to peak again so soon for Worlds even without the flu, and that illness could make that harder. But other top level competitors go to post Olympic Worlds, and hopefully he’ll be fine.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Adam Rippon will be appearing on Ellen on March 1st at 3PM - NBC

 

[olympic]

Well I’m glad you recovered and are back to normal! And you may well be right that Nathan at 18 will probably bounce back very quickly. My only thought was that after peaking for the Olympics, it might be hard to peak again so soon for Worlds even without the flu, and that illness could make that harder. But other top level competitors go to post Olympic Worlds, and hopefully he’ll be fine.

Very good point re the ability to peak again

 

[Jayar]

So entries for the WC are due on Monday. The team from US Nationals will stand unless someone WDs before then. If that happens, then Brown will be promoted to the team. If Miner has declined the alternate spot (possible), Aaron will become 1st alternate and Hochstein and Dolensky will be added as alternates. Sometimes US Figure Skating has named only two alternates, so it's possible that it would just be Aaron and Hochstein.

 

[el henry]

Info doesn't necessarily come out of people's "camps"..People know people from all of the rinks. People see, people talk.

That I totally agree with; I think the rest of us (at least speaking for myself) were just trying to say that it is highly unlikely to have come from Jason himself or someone connected to him.

And we wouldn’t want TSL to be traumatized by direct contact into crying in yet another bathroom.

 

[Rafter]

The talk of Nathan going to Orser, I don’t see it unless Mommy stays in the USA. Orser’s already been there with a bad skating parent (Nam N), doubt he wants that nuisance again. Also it looks like he has enough to deal with with Tursy’s crazy mother.

As for Brown, I don’t see it either. I think Brian likes to take on senior skaters who already have quads.

 

[Tavi]

So entries for the WC are due on Monday. The team from US Nationals will stand unless someone WDs before then. If that happens, then Brown will be promoted to the team. If Miner has declined the alternate spot (possible), Aaron will become 1st alternate and Hochstein and Dolensky will be added as alternates. Sometimes US Figure Skating has named only two alternates, so it's possible that it would just be Aaron and Hochstein.

I thought I just saw a post somewhere (by Sylvia?) saying that entries are due tomorrow, but that changes can be made up to the day of the SP draw? I can’t find it now.

 

[olympic]

I thought I just saw a post somewhere (by Sylvia?) saying that entries are due tomorrow, but that changes can be made up to the day of the SP draw? I can’t find it now.

Yes. @Sylvia was replying to my question and confirmed what you posted - Entries due Monday, but changes can be made before the SP draws

 

[Sylvia]

This is what I wrote:

as I understand it, USFS still can submit their original entries and alternates by the Worlds deadline of 2/26 20:00 in Milan (if they haven't already done so) and swap in a sub from the alternates list anytime before the SP draw.

I don't know if new alternates can be added after the deadline.

 

[Vagabond]

You know what she wants us to say, you guys.

"Nice sweater."

 

[Tavi]

This is what I wrote:

I don't know if new alternates can be added after the deadline.

Thanks for clarifying- I thought I was nuts!

Hmm. I’m wondering if Monday may not be definitive. For example, maybe they clarify the alternates by then but we don’t find out if anyone is withdrawing for another week or so. I can see Nathan, for example, as possibly needing more time to decide, due to illness.

 

[Karen-W]

Does anyone really think that the USFSA officials on the ground in South Korea, who have been in direct contact with the entire team, don't have a good idea, already, who is or isn't heading to Milan? Just because nothing has been announced doesn't mean they don't know.

Of the US men - I think Nathan and Vincent will be in Milan come hell or high water. And I expect that Adam will pass, with Jason Brown getting his spot on Monday.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Monday is only definitive for listing entries and substitutes. The draw dates are supposed to be announced at event registration. The first day of practices and the Leaders Meeting is 19 March.

 

[aftershocks]

Back to Nathan, I don't know if moving to Brian would be the right move for him. I'd certainly be interested in seeing it

As I said in another thread, I hope this does not happen. Orser was essentially throwing darts at young gun quadsters (meaning Nathan) when Nathan was seen as a threat to his top guys. Now that Javi and Hanyu will likely be retiring, why should Orser get the pick of the young gun quadster crop he's formerly looked askance at? I know it doesn't matter to Nathan or to Orser and that kind of thing is forgiven in pursuit of a bigger mutual aim, but I personally hope to see Nathan stay with Raf. That's my hope in any case. But we can always bet on developments being unpredictable in figure skating. As well it seems that dealings with Nathan and his family have often been an obstacle course for Raf.

Still, Raf brought Nathan to where he is today, and Raf deserves some of the 'thanks' Nathan also rightfully wishes to extend to his family.

 

[aftershocks]

So, what about Jason to Orser? Not sure how likely that is, if he is in SoCal, coach-hunting, but it's an intriguing thought.

Why does everybody have to or need to go to Brian Orser? Yes, he's a good coach and he can have the pick of the crop, as he chooses and pleases. But it's a two-way street and everybody does not need to knee-jerk think going to a famous and successful coach is going to solve all of their issues. Anyway for Jason, I really don't see him moving to Canada.

If Jason has left Kori, I'm sure it had to be a wrenching decision for both of them. As far as coaches, I would think that Frank or Raf are better fits than Brian. In terms of Worlds, Nathan may be too ill to have enough time to recover and then regroup after the Olympics, much less to have the time to get back into training shape. But we shall see. I'm not sure Adam is planning to continue. He's achieved his Olympics goals and further stardom opportunities appear to beckon. Surely Adam will be walking the red carpet at the Oscars on March 4.

 

[olympic]

As I said in another thread, I hope this does not happen. Orser was essentially throwing darts at young gun quadsters (meaning Nathan) when Nathan was seen as a threat to his top guys. Now that Javi and Hanyu will likely be retiring, why should Orser get the pick of the young gun quadster crop he's formerly looked askance at? I know it doesn't matter to Nathan or to Orser and that kind of thing is forgiven in pursuit of a bigger mutual aim, but I personally hope to see Nathan stay with Raf. That's my hope in any case. But we can always bet on developments being unpredictable in figure skating. As well it seems that dealings with Nathan and his family have often been an obstacle course for Raf.

Still, Raf brought Nathan to where he is today, and Raf deserves some of the 'thanks' Nathan also rightfully wishes to extend to his family.

Bold mine - I think Javi is semi-retiring: He is not going to be at '18 Worlds and has said he might compete here and there but he is not aiming for another Worlds or Olympic competition.

I don't think Yuzu is retiring. Do you have info that he is retiring?

 

[BittyBug]

Hanyu has not indicated that he plans to retire. He is taking time to heal from his current injury but after that, he has said that his next goal is to land a quad axel.

 

[Allisanna]

Adam Rippon will be appearing on Ellen on March 1st at 3PM - NBC

This show is syndicated. Check your local listings for the time and channel in your area.

 

[Spareoom]

If Jason is leaving Kori, I wonder if it is less about having an issue with Kori and/or her coaching and more about needing to take personal risks in his life and career. Jason’s skating career has been the antithesis of risk; he’s always erred on the side of safety and caution. Even moving to Colorado with Kori wasn’t as massively life-changing for him as it might be for others since Kori is practically family to him. Maybe he wants to personally feel that feeling of uncertainty and risk that comes with doing something massively different. It could be what he needs to take his skating to the next level, which is what he desperately needs if he wants to win major medals next quad.

I love Jason and Kori, but it has been so frustrating this quad to know that he’s so good, but not quite good enough to be in contention. If he wants to keep skating, I’d love all of us to know that at the very least, he did everything he could. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but at least we’ll all know that he tried.

 

[vesperholly]

Why does everybody have to or need to go to Brian Orser? Yes, he's a good coach and he can have the pick of the crop, as he chooses and pleases. But it's a two-way street and everybody does not need to knee-jerk think going to a famous and successful coach is going to solve all of their issues. Anyway for Jason, I really don't see him moving to Canada.

Right - remember Adam was with Orser for a while and left.

I do think a change for Jason could be good. Sometimes you need to jump out of the nest. (I also think Kori was hugely mistaken when they took soooo long to work on the 3axel and then soooo long for the quad and question her logic, but that's another discussion altogether.)

 

[BittyBug]

Jason’s skating career has been the antithesis of risk; he’s always erred on the side of safety and caution.

That may be true in some aspects of his training, but I think he has taken many risks with his choreography - probably more so than many other skaters. It may have looked safe because Brown has ultimately been able to deliver his programs as planned, but he has certainly challenged himself on that front.

 

[Mrs. P]

That may be true in some aspects of his training, but I think he has taken many risks with his choreography - probably more so than many other skaters. It may have looked safe because Brown has ultimately been able to deliver his programs as planned, but he has certainly challenged himself on that front.

Yes, I agree with this. I think it's not so much he didn't want to do the quad or couldn't , but that he wanted to do the quad/3A with the choreography.

I think in retrospect, he would have benefited from repeating the free skate with The Piano. I think he truly wanted to challenge himself and do two new programs, but I think doing that AND trying to get quads in proved to be too much and it kinda psyched him out.

The free skate was beautiful and had so much going for it, especially the step sequence, but Jason never really fully got himself around the skate. I loved it, but when he went back to The Piano at 4CC, I was kinda sad they didn't make the switch earlier.

I think whoever ends up coaching him I hope will be able to boost his technical arsenal without losing what made him stand out. I think there's a happy medium between the choreography-packed programs they insisted on him doing and empty programs full of crossovers and two-footed skating.

 

[GreatLakesGal]

Right - remember Adam was with Orser for a while and left.

And remember why he left? Brian wanted Adam to do off-ice training and Adam didn't want to do that. (Phil Hersh wrote an article about their split.)

Then a few years ago Adam apparently finally figured out that, yes, he needed to do off-ice training. Imagine how much more he might have accomplished as a skater if he had listened to Orser instead of wasting years jumping from coach to coach.