Nathan Chen (#Slaythan Fans) thread

[Laura4]

Nathan has been nominated for Best Male Athlete for the month of December. The Shibs are nominated for Best Team. Voting is open until the 9th.

Here's the link to vote: http://awards.teamusa.org/

From Maia Shibutani's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BO7I0A0hld4/?taken-by=maiashibutani

 

[Sylvia]

Nathan has been nominated for Best Male Athlete for the month of December. The Shibs are nominated for Best Team.

Nathan and the Shibs both won! http://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/Ja...r-Honors-For-Team-USA-Awards-Presented-By-Dow

 

[chapis]

Maia with baby Nathan https://twitter.com/MaiaShibutani/status/818951485434298368 so cute!!

 

[Vagabond]

I've been waiting seven years for that!

I loved how Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir were reduced to shameless fangirl and fanboi.

And Nathan Chen is still dwarfed by Johnny Weir!

 

[psycho]

Has anyone ever landed 5 quads in one program before? Not just in the US, but ever?

He did an amazing job! Major props!

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Nathan stole my heart when he was an adorable 10 year old little boy skating to "Peter and the Wolf" with his cute 'wolf' claws. <3 I've been a HUGE fan of his ever since and it has been a joy watching him develop and fulfill his potential. I was so scared for him last year with his injury. I thought it might even be career ending. Thank goodness he recovered fully and is now back stronger than ever.

Nathan Chen is the new Quad King!

I'll be cheering for him all the way to the Olympics!

 

[Rock2]

Nathan crushed it. I'm so impressed and agreed with Weir that there was actually a program there and not just going up and down the ice doing jumps.
He has out-Boyanged Boyang who is probably no longer seen as world medal threat this year given how the rest of the world has upped its game.

US broadcast was fairly OTT for Nathan and with reason. However, I will throw in these two asterisks:

1. Let's see how the body holds up. I think chances are good he's still walking by the Olympics but let's hope anyway
2. You learn a lot about an athlete when you see them perform with heightened expectations. I'll fully buy in when I see how the 2017 fall season goes, right through to nationals.

 

[skatesindreams]

Nathan stole my heart when he was an adorable 10 year old little boy skating to "Peter and the Wolf" with his cute 'wolf' claws. <3 I've been a HUGE fan of his ever since and it has been a joy watching him develop and fulfill his potential. I was so scared for him last year with his injury. I thought it might even be career ending. Thank goodness he recovered fully and is now back stronger than ever.

I feel the same.
I trust that he will continue to allow his maturing artistry to grow and "inhabit" his performances; so that it can equal his wonderful technical gifts.

 

[Pretty Vegas]

Nathan really impressed me this week - more so than I thought he would (and I already found him to be super endearing!) He's really coming in to his own. Watching his interviews, he's got this quiet confidence. He seems really sure of himself and his abilities - but not in a cocky way, more of just, "Yeah, I know you guys have these expectations of me and I know I can deliver on them." I'm curious to see if he can withstand this high level he's been producing throughout the second half of the season - but he seems to have good stamina and conditioning - as well as just sheer will to skate well.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I'm very impressed by Nathan Chen but I'm concerned a bit by his willingness to put in a fifth (or heaven forbid sixth quad) just to challenge himself.
It's one thing to show technical prowess and win by a landslide, but it's a slippery slope down to being foolhardy and risking your health. I want him to be around for a long time, not be a meteor for a year or two who shines brightly then had to stop skating completely because of injuries. Like Joshua Farris.

 

[Bellanca]

I'll be cheering for him all the way to the Olympics!

 

[livetoskate]

Nathan was the highlight of the championships! And there must be so much dedication and sacrifice on the part of his parents and 4 siblings. If I had 5 kids, there's no way I'd be able to support one in competitive skating. Anyone know what the Chens do for a living? His parents must be pretty open minded to let him do ballet too. I'm now inspired to have my younger son skate.

 

[Sylvia]

This article written by Vahe Gregorian, a well-known sports columnist, before the competition started in Kansas City, says Nathan's parents were a "molecular biologist and medical interpreter who emigrated from China" (includes a 2-minute interview video): http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article127773044.html

 

[Spun Silver]

His ability to handle pressure is extraordinary.

 

[Rock2]

His ability to handle pressure is extraordinary

Interesting statement considering I wouldn't say he's had much yet.

It's all pretty much fun and games through Finland. If he medals there, then we'll see what's up with his face all over every USFSA poster and media unit pumping up the fan base about the team's Olympic potential.

 

[Jammers]

Interesting statement considering I wouldn't say he's had much yet.

It's all pretty much fun and games through Finland. If he medals there, then we'll see what's up with his face all over every USFSA poster and media unit pumping up the fan base about the team's Olympic potential.

He had huge amounts of pressure here at Nationals. He was hyped to the moon and didn't blink once. And i guarantee if he finishes 4th at Worlds he won't crawl into a hole and collapse next season he will just come back with a vengeance.

 

[chapis]

Interesting statement considering I wouldn't say he's had much yet.

It's all pretty much fun and games through Finland. If he medals there, then we'll see what's up with his face all over every USFSA poster and media unit pumping up the fan base about the team's Olympic potential.

to try so many quads at any competition is enough pressure.

 

[gk_891]

I'm very impressed by Nathan Chen but I'm concerned a bit by his willingness to put in a fifth (or heaven forbid sixth quad) just to challenge himself.
It's one thing to show technical prowess and win by a landslide, but it's a slippery slope down to being foolhardy and risking your health. I want him to be around for a long time, not be a meteor for a year or two who shines brightly then had to stop skating completely because of injuries. Like Joshua Farris.

Hopefully he can pace himself well enough. It'd be a shame if he turns out to be a shooting star as opposed to a rising star.

 

[shine]

The last time I watched his skating was maybe when he was still not even a novice and I thought he was super talented. And WOW did I just fall in love with this guy after seeing his SP at US Nationals, which he did such a wonderful job presenting! Love his musicality, smooth and crisp edging, and the beautiful, masculine carriage! He's special!

 

[Sylvia]

Stephane Lambiel was asked about Nathan's Nationals free skate at the end of this interview at Europeans: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/01/24/214282678/lambiel-cherishes-time-on-other-side-of-boards

Nathan did a super program. That was just superb as a performance. He landed the most difficult elements and executed each one to perfection. It was fantastic.
Now the goal will be to bond all these elements into one. Let me ask this question: If Chen were fully involved in his performance from an artistry perspective, would he still be able to land all these incredible elements in such a perfect way?
There is absolutely no doubt that he is going to make it happen and add the emotion on top of it. He has all it takes to succeed, and what he's already accomplished is nothing short of amazing.
The human body has limitless resources and capacities. When it comes with discipline, work, intelligence, motivation and will, I am sure that things will keep going further, as they have always done. People who are precise and concentrated manage to keep going forward. This is what makes skating -- and sport -- so beautiful.

 

[DreamSkates]

Nathan crushed it. I'm so impressed and agreed with Weir that there was actually a program there and not just going up and down the ice doing jumps.
He has out-Boyanged Boyang who is probably no longer seen as world medal threat this year given how the rest of the world has upped its game.

US broadcast was fairly OTT for Nathan and with reason. However, I will throw in these two asterisks:

1. Let's see how the body holds up. I think chances are good he's still walking by the Olympics but let's hope anyway
2. You learn a lot about an athlete when you see them perform with heightened expectations. I'll fully buy in when I see how the 2017 fall season goes, right through to nationals.

3. and now, right through to Worlds! Rock on, Nathan. He seemed to hold up well under the pressure at Nationals not to mention throwing in a 4S on the fly.

 

[VGThuy]

So I admit I never watched his famous 2010 gala performance, though NBC made sure I saw tons of clips of it. I finally decided to see it for myself in full, and my God! No wonder people were hyping him up so much. Those skating skills at 10 years-old and that fearlessness and ability to project and commit to that choreography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHimaaLOYg

Nathan is truly special.

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting from his thread in GSD ... How training in Canton helped Nathan Chen win U.S. skating title (by Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...nathan-chen-us-figure-skating-title/97181906/

This is the earliest competition video I've seen online of Nathan's - his Novice SP (Kung Fu Panda) and FS (Peter and the Wolf) from Pacific Coast Sectionals in November 2009: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJM-0vOVRZU

 

[Pretty Vegas]

If you have access to the Scott Hamilton show on Icenetwork (Not sure if it's something you have to be subscribed for or not), his latest episode has a great interview with Nathan that took place after Nationals (there's a shorter version and then if you search in the videos, you can find the extended video, it's about 15 minutes of an interview with him as opposed to 7-8 mins in the show)

My favorite part is when Scott tells Nathan he should bring back Peter and the Wolf as a program.

 

[shine]

So I admit I never watched his famous 2010 gala performance, though NBC made sure I saw tons of clips of it. I finally decided to see it for myself in full, and my God! No wonder people were hyping him up so much. Those skating skills at 10 years-old and that fearlessness and ability to project and commit to that choreography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHimaaLOYg

Nathan is truly special.

He's so gifted in the way he uses those blades and it's evident during the step sequence. This sounds cliche, but watching him you really get the sense that he's born to be on the ice.

 

[Sylvia]

If you have access to the Scott Hamilton show on Icenetwork (Not sure if it's something you have to be subscribed for or not), his latest episode has a great interview with Nathan that took place after Nationals (there's a shorter version and then if you search in the videos, you can find the extended video, it's about 15 minutes of an interview with him as opposed to 7-8 mins in the show)

Here's the link to Hamilton's extended interview with Nathan: http://web.icenetwork.com/video/topic/207337050/v1221162583

Nathan and Rafael Arutuynyan/Arutunian will be featured on the "Ice Talk" podcast on IN this week (ETA: see link posted below by Pretty Vegas).

 

[skateboy]

Has anyone else noticed that Nathan doesn't smile for podium pictures? I wonder if he's self conscious about his teeth... not that he should be, he's got a great smile.

 

[VGThuy]

Has anyone else noticed that Nathan doesn't smile for podium pictures? I wonder if he's self conscious about his teeth... not that he should be, he's got a great smile.

On Instagram, every time there's a pic of Nathan smiling, a skater always comments on it with surprise. Happens on a few accounts. I first noticed it on Alex Shibs' account.

 

[Pretty Vegas]

Yeah, Nathan's lack of a smile seems to be a running gag between the skaters.

There's an interview with Nathan and Raf (interviewed separately) on this week's episode of Ice Talk - http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk. Both interviews are really good!!

 

[Sylvia]

Nathan is nominated for the USOC's "Best of January" award for his record-breaking Nationals performance (online voting ends on Feb. 6): http://awards.teamusa.org/#cat_236