Nathan Chen (#Slaythan Fans) thread

[Sylvia]

If Nathan Chen would have skated like this [in the short program in Korea], he would have been Olympic champion

Fixed it for ya. He didn't so he wasn't. He's a very deserving world champion, however!

 

[Bellanca]

Congratulations to Nathan Chen!

 

[suki]

OMG World Champion!!! So happy for him! He was amazing today, going for everything when he didn’t even need to.

Admit it FireDancer. Your heart was racing like a NASCAR at the finish line when Nathan skated just as mine was (and I won't mention the sweaty palms if you won't).

I see the third member of our overreactors club, kittysk8ts hasn't weighed in yet. I hope she did not pass out from joy and still hasn't been revived!

 

[Firedancer]

Admit it FireDancer. Your heart was racing like a NASCAR at the finish line when Nathan skated just as mine was (and I won't mention the sweaty palms if you won't).

I see the third member of our overreactors club, kittysk8ts hasn't weighed in yet. I hope she did not pass out from joy and still hasn't been revived!

Absolutely! That was such a crazy event, I didn’t know was going to happen by the time Nathan came out. But once he hit the first couple jumps I felt better that he had it.

 

[3Lz+3Lo]

Well done on your first world title Nathan!

 

[olympic]

I was lurking on other boards and his world champ status is drawing a little army of detractors/ haters. I guess it comes with the territory

He conquered his Olympic demons, skated last while holding the lead, and had dealt with a small foot injury. I don’t see how you can’t have total respect for that.

He reminds me of Mao in 2014, both Olympic and Worlds performances

 

[Fiero425]

I was lurking on other boards and his world champ status is drawing a little army of detractors/ haters. I guess it comes with the territory

He conquered his Olympic demons, skated last while holding the lead, and had dealt with a small foot injury. I don’t see how you can’t have total respect for that.

He reminds me of Mao in 2014, both Olympic and Worlds performances

What can they possibly be "hating on?" Everyone else crashed and burned, while Nathan skated quite well and didn't hold back when he could have with his lead! It wasn't even close so I can't imagine what their beef can be!

 

[Sylvia]

This was Adam's response to USFS' tweet/photo of the newly crowned world champ: https://twitter.com/Adaripp/status/977574115807604736

 

[Firedancer]

I was lurking on other boards and his world champ status is drawing a little army of detractors/ haters. I guess it comes with the territory

He conquered his Olympic demons, skated last while holding the lead, and had dealt with a small foot injury. I don’t see how you can’t have total respect for that.

He reminds me of Mao in 2014, both Olympic and Worlds performances

They are just jealous that their favorites couldn’t skate well enough to even come close to Nathan. And now that he has conquered his demons from the Olympics and obviously learned from that experience he is only going to get better.

 

[Laura4]

I'm so thrilled for Nathan! I'm sure this win will take some of the sting out of what happened at the Olympics for both him and Rafael. And going forward, this should give Nathan a lot of confidence.

At Stars On Ice, he'll be announced as the new world champion! How thrilling it will be for him to hear those words at each stop!

 

[olympic]

What can they possibly be "hating on?" Everyone else crashed and burned, while Nathan skated quite well and didn't hold back when he could have with his lead! It wasn't even close so I can't imagine what their beef can be!

Mostly, the trolls were on about how 'horribly inflated' his PCS is. How he only strokes and jumps blah blah blah. One drama queen vowed to quit watching the sport. My take was that they couldn't take away his win, so they pick apart other elements of his skating.

I think some people confuse theatrics w/ artistry or choreography, which I guess could be a part of it all. Theatrics allow a skater to grab the audience by the throat and pull them in, when done properly. Nathan does not have that. His non-element movements are subtle but that should be OK. I do think he could do more on one-foot. I admit that.

Outside of jumps, his carriage, back, extension and arm positions are actually quite lovely. I would say he also has really great, fluid non-jump elements - spins and FW, and just about always achieves LV 4.

 

[jlai]

I do think he could do more on one-foot. I admit that.

Outside of jumps, his carriage, back, extension and arm positions are actually quite lovely. I would say he also has really great, fluid non-jump elements - spins and FW, and just about always achieves LV 4.

I think if the chor sequence is more of a step sequence and if two of the later jumps were preceded by some moves, (Like that lovely spread eagle into the 4 toe), the program would look a bit more packed.

That said, Nathan uses Math to win. So he will learn the new math if the system changes. Hopefully that gives him some new challenges too. After all, he has won just about everything except the big O -- he might as well find some challenges to keep it interesting!

 

[IceAlisa]

I noticed the resentment on social media too, the quality vs. quantity argument brought up by Hanyu fans and Hanyu wasn’t even there. I suppose he makes them nervous. Same people who complained about Chan 4 years ago.

He is also being compared to Zagitova, completely unfairly IMO. He is musical and has good lines.

Congratulations, Nathan, you are a fully fledged star, complete with a set of haters!

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

My baby boy who stole my heart skating to "Peter and the Wolf" not so long ago, or so it seems, now all grown up and winning World Championships. How time has flown! I feel like my youngest son just won Worlds! Even though I don't have a youngest son!

You did it Nathan. Onwards and upwards my handsome baby man. And be kind to all of those young fans who think you're so cute and sexy on IG! I used to feel that way about Sexy Alexei Yagudin! I can't feel that way about you, or see the sexy, but then you're my imaginary youngest son. <3

 

[olympic]

I noticed the resentment on social media too, the quality vs. quantity argument brought up by Hanyu fans and Hanyu wasn’t even there. I suppose he makes them nervous. Same people who complained about Chan 4 years ago.

He is also being compared to Zagitova, completely unfairly IMO. He is musical and has good lines.

Congratulations, Nathan, you are a fully fledged star, complete with a set of haters!

I noticed the Mao fans bristling about the comparison of Nathan's trajectory in 2018 vs. hers in 2014, like he wasn't fit to carry her water, but she herself tweeted her admiration at his comeback at the Olympics

 

[tylersf]

So happy for Nathan Chen!
Keep going!

 

[IceAlisa]

I noticed the Mao fans bristling about the comparison of Nathan's trajectory in 2018 vs. hers in 2014, like he wasn't fit to carry her water, but she herself tweeted her admiration at his comeback at the Olympics

And so did Guillaume Cizeron

 

[Firedancer]

Nathan talked to PJ Kwong at worlds:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8w0rGB2ujlE

 

[Sylvia]

A new interview with Rafael Arutunian about Nathan at Worlds has been translated in GSD: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/vaytsekhovskayas-interview-with-arutyunyan.103707/

Summary of what Nathan said at the Men's press conference after the FS (from the ISU website):

I’m so happy I was able to do what I did here. Again, I learned a lot from the Olympics where I didn’t do things at all the way I wanted to, except in the long program. I wanted to do a better short here and long program too. It was an honor to win and to represent the US and to come out in 2018 with a gold medal (after Evan Lysacek’s in 2009), and it’s an honor to be sitting here with him (Shoma Uno) with the silver medal (NB Mikhail Kolyada had not yet arrived).

(On whether he knew what other competitors had done)

I was aware of what the other guys had done, relatively, not exactly, but I knew a lot of guys made lot of mistakes and that helped solidify my approach to do six quads, because the opportunity to make mistakes because points were much further behind than expected.

(On the Olympic Games)

Olympics are on a different level to Worlds so coming in with that experience of what to set my mind on and what to think about throughout the program really did help me out a lot.

(On whether Worlds should be held in an Olympic season)

I’m really glad the Worlds were held so close after the Olympics because it gave me the chance to end the season on a better note. The Olympics are very taxing and take a lot out of skaters and that may have contributed to what happened here, but from the closing ceremony to this event gave all of us time to recover. However, a little more time would have been better, but I’m really glad this event was here.

(On quads)

I’m happy to be able to do six quads. The six quad decision was sort of based on what other guys were doing but I prepared well for it. I did six at the Games too, they were also not perfect and they weren’t perfect here either so I have a lot to improve on. I did five, but stepped out of the sixth. I’m glad I had the opportunity to try it. As far as I understand there may be a rule change coming up but I’m glad this season I have been able to keep trying and keep trying so I was able to do what I did here.

(On the time changes [FS to be cut from 4.5 mins to 4 mins.])

It’s not our decision, whatever is thrown our way we’ll take it, regardless we will prepare as best as possible but right now I don’t know what the change will be. We all try not to do the same thing. Right now I’m not really sure what the ru les are or going to be but we’ll take it and try and progress on as best as possible.

(On the point deficit between him and the other medalists)

Shoma is injured, we knew that all week, and through the short program and long program at Olympics he didn’t do that. I sympathize because I’ve competed with injuries so I know how difficult it can be. I wouldn’t look at the point deficit, I’ll take it as a win for today and keep working and I know these guys will do too.

(On Shoma Uno)

I know Shoma is very hard working and he has really challenged me over the years. When he landed the quad flip that motivated me to try, and seeing him go for the quad loop gets me motivated to do that too. He also brings a lot artistically to the table. It’s great to have the opportunity to compete against him, he keeps me inspired and motivated and trying to improve myself.

(On his coach, Rafael Arutunian)

I haven’t talked to Raf yet. He brought a lot of skaters here so there was lots of pressure on him and I am sure he was nervous for all of us but he was super happy that I was able to do what I did here. We have worked hard for the last few years so a lot of my success goes down to him too. I’m happy and know he is too that I was able to do that. We have a bond further than a skater and a coach, he’s like a father or a mentor to me. I’m glad I can work with him and continue to work with him in the future.

(On whether he would take back his short program performances at the Olympic Games)

No, the Olympics is what it is and I learned so much more from making mistakes in the short program than if I had skated better or like I did here. It helped me improve as a skater and taught me how to approach big competitions, and that will help me better than if I’d done this short program there.

ISU's Video of the press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3VCwmExAx0

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

THATS exactly how I thought Nathan would skate at The Olys (well, he did with the LP, masterful)

I wonder what got into his head for the SP at Olys.

SUCH AWESOME SKATES HERE! Great costumes, GREAT music choices... this is how you choose music

Cant wait to see him for another quad!!!!

 

[Dobre]

Yay, Nathan! So proud of you!

 

[jlai]

THATS exactly how I thought Nathan would skate at The Olys (well, he did with the LP, masterful)

I wonder what got into his head for the SP at Olys.

SUCH AWESOME SKATES HERE! Great costumes, GREAT music choices... this is how you choose music

Cant wait to see him for another quad!!!!

There was an insane amount of hype, plus media coverage, plus endorsements, etc etc etc. Too much for the kid I think

 

[A.H.Black]

I'm sure someone has posted this before, but I get such a kick out of it I thought I would post it again.

https://twitter.com/nemesischen/status/976930592746074113?s=09

 

[Wyliefan]

Very classy and mature. I'm so proud of him!

 

[jlai]

Out of sheer idleness I wonder how well Nathan did in terms of endorsements? Estimates said he made high hundred thousands or maybe in the millions.

Well whatever that is, I hope he has his 4 years of training expense plus college fund taken care of!

 

[IceAlisa]

Out of sheer idleness I wonder how well Nathan did in terms of endorsements? Estimates said he made high hundred thousands or maybe in the millions.

Well whatever that is, I hope he has his 4 years of training expense plus college fund taken care of!

I don't know what he made but was happy to see my local store stocking his Kellogg cereal and an ad of him drinking Coke by the soda fridge. (put that Coke down, Nathan!)

 

[snoopy]

Oh snap. Nathan has a cereal box? Cool.

 

[IceAlisa]

Oh snap. Nathan has a cereal box? Cool.

Yes. My son is on his second.

 

[Sylvia]

Oh snap. Nathan has a cereal box? Cool.

From before the Olympics: http://newsroom.kelloggcompany.com/...inter-Games-PyeongChang-2018#assets_135:21500

ETA:

A rare glimpse of Nathan being silly (at the Worlds banquet, filmed by Mariah Bell) : https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgy47hng0gU/

 

[Skittl1321]

I don't know what he made but was happy to see my local store stocking his Kellogg cereal and an ad of him drinking Coke by the soda fridge. (put that Coke down, Nathan!)

His face greeted me from the seat card every time I flew United.

I think he did pretty well.