U.S. Men 2019-20 season - news & updates

[wickedwitch]

Since Skate America, I've been trying to figure out what's missing about Jason's LP for me, and I think I've finally figured it out. The Schindler's List score is incredibly haunting IMO, and while Jason projects sorrow, the choreography doesn't express that haunted feeling.

It's a solid program, but I desperately want him to use a choreographer other than David Wilson next year. (Shae-Lynn Bourne would be my first choice.)

Anyhow, best of luck to him at Golden Spin. And he should know that if medals at Worlds along with Hanyu, he definitely wouldn't get NHK next year, so if he needs extra motivation, there it is.

 

[mtnskater]

Sad Jason had such a poor outing at NHK. That said he still finished pretty high given his jump content and slow, somewhat tentative skate. I will miss him in the GPF. He looks beefier/heavier than before. Is the Orser camp getting him to put on more muscle?? I agree that I dont want him to work with David Wilson next year.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I wonder how Vincent woulda fared on the GP Circuit... Shame the current World Bronze Medalist just withdrew for school reasons. I get it. But still.

 

[Tavi]

Sad Jason had such a poor outing at NHK. That said he still finished pretty high given his jump content and slow, somewhat tentative skate. I will miss him in the GPF. He looks beefier/heavier than before. Is the Orser camp getting him to put on more muscle?? I agree that I dont want him to work with David Wilson next year.

I don’t think so. He actually looks somewhat thinner to me than he was a few years ago. This is very recent:

U.S. Figure Skating on Twitter

“WE GOT THIS FEELING... ? Q&A with @jasonbskates ⚡ https://t.co/aBprBGkzLZ”

twitter.com

 

[barbarafan]

I don’t think so. He actually looks somewhat thinner to me than he was a few years ago. This is very recent:

U.S. Figure Skating on Twitter

“WE GOT THIS FEELING... ? Q&A with @jasonbskates ⚡ https://t.co/aBprBGkzLZ”

twitter.com

That looks like the type of video they would tape at champs camp which is where he was injured in the summer. He sustained a concussion which would have kept him off the ice for quite a while and no jumping or spinning for even longer. It would make sense that during this time he would spend a lot of time in the gym to not lose everything during this period. Hope he is doing well now and able to build back slowly and carefully.

 

[Tavi]

You’re right, it’s possible it was taken this summer, and I’m sure he’s had to do off ice workouts to stay in shape since the concussion. But I while I’m sure he does do some weight training for strength, I think he does a lot of Pilates. Net, net, I don’t think there’s a plan to bulk him up, which is what the post I responded to asked about, and when I freeze frame his programs at NHK, I personally don’t think he looks bulked up. Like you, I’m really hoping he’s doing well now.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

I wonder how Vincent woulda fared on the GP Circuit... Shame the current World Bronze Medalist just withdrew for school reasons. I get it. But still.

He would have definately been in the final. A couple of the skaters got in with reaaly mediocre skates and help from other (i.e. Shoma). That's sport, just saying...

 

[Tavi]

He would have definately been in the final. A couple of the skaters got in with reaaly mediocre skates and help from other (i.e. Shoma). That's sport, just saying...

Maybe or maybe not. He scored 230 in Salt Lake City, and there’s no guarantee that by the GP he’d be at the same level as he was at Worlds.

 

[Vagabond]

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“It’s really difficult to balance classes and training at the same time,” said Zhou, who is in the middle of his freshman year at Brown University. “I want to perform at the highest level on the ice and in the classroom, and I have not been able to dedicate the necessary time to my skating with my rigorous class schedule...."

That doesn't sound like the words of someone who would have done just as much studying, competed at two Grand Prix events, and made the Final.

The fact that Nathan Chen can do it doesn't mean that anyone else can do it.

 

[missing]

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That doesn't sound like the words of someone who would have done just as much studying, competed at two Grand Prix events, and made the Final.

The fact that Nathan Chen can do it doesn't mean that anyone else can do it.

Since not even a skater who can land multiple quads can make the earth stop in its orbit, I have to assume Nathan Chen is making some sort of sacrifice to maintain both an intense academic and skating regimen. Maybe it's chess matches or salsa lessons or pizza and a movie with his friends.

Maybe Vincent Zhao isn't willing to make an equivalent level of sacrifice, so he opted for academics (and I hope freshman year socialization) over skating for a few months.

They, and Karen Chen and all other young skaters who combine college with skating, deserve nothing but respect.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Maybe Vincent Zhao isn't willing to make an equivalent level of sacrifice, so he opted for academics (and I hope freshman year socialization) over skating for a few months.

They, and Karen Chen and all other young skaters who combine college with skating, deserve nothing but respect.

(and i deeply resent TSL's recent comments, which are nothing more but assumptions, that the reason for Karen Chen and others to follow the new fashion of attending an elite University is because they are copy-cats of Nathan Chen. And that Nathan is super talented and can do it, but these others can not.)

 

[jlai]

I got the feeling that Nathan is fine with very good but not perfection in both, but Zhou is the sort who would want to skate great and get 4.0. Nathan is definitely not a 4.0 student. That balance varies for each student

 

[Jammers]

He would have definately been in the final. A couple of the skaters got in with reaaly mediocre skates and help from other (i.e. Shoma). That's sport, just saying...

Vincent has yet to even medal at a GP event and is a notorious slow starter so him being a guarantee to make the GPF would not have been a sure thing.

 

[Alexa]

I got the feeling that Nathan is fine with very good but not perfection in both, but Zhou is the sort who would want to skate great and get 4.0. Nathan is definitely not a 4.0 student. That balance varies for each student

Luckily , it is just your impression. Nathan stated very clearly in his Japanese Heroes and Futures interview last year that his goal was to stay on top both in school and competition. At that time, we all thought he was day dreaming.

Nathan himself mentioned in his most recent interview that school would have more impact on his life than skating. If he doesn’t do good at school, it would stick with him for the rest of his life while for skating, he has another chance if he blows up a competition.

In one of his interviews before Olympics, he talked about is things like doing physics test at school, he wants to be best, it would bother him if he is not the best.

Nathan is very serious about school, he is taking 4 courses each semester while Vincent, according to this article is taking two, it could be he is taking more, but the article fails to disclose what the other classes he is taking.

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An Olympian in line at the Ratty

www.brownalumnimagazine.com

The beginning of last season was really really hard for Nathan. He fell sick 2 weeks after school started, and never fully recovered from the sickness for a very long time, in Jackie’s word “dead sick”. He was still coughing at Skate America. He said himself at one point he was having doubt that if he could pull the two off.

Can we stop making assumptions?

Here is link to the transcription of Nathan’s interview with Jackie right after Skate America. If you listen to the interview, you could hear Nathan was sick at that the time

Nathan Chen fanclub on Twitter

“Nathan: It honestly makes skating a little easier, I would say. I kind of feel like I weigh academics so heavily upon the rest of my life, that like what I do at one competition - and of course, it matters a lot to me, and I want to be able to do well at every single competition”

twitter.com

Nathan Chen fanclub on Twitter

“But with school, I feel like if I fail a midterm, or if I don’t do great on one or two things, it kind of sucks for the rest of my career. So I definitely feel like I weigh that side of academics a little bit more.”

twitter.com

 

[Vagabond]

Nathan is very serious about school, he is taking 4 courses each semester while Vincent, according to this article is taking two, it could be he is taking more, but the article fails to disclose what the other classes he is taking.

Fans Everywhere

An Olympian in line at the Ratty

www.brownalumnimagazine.com

I would be shocked if Brown allowed freshmen to take anything less than four solids in their first semester. Other Ivy League universities require freshmen to be enrolled full-time.

 

[Alexa]

I would be shocked if Brown allowed freshmen to take anything less than four solids in their first semester. Other Ivy League universities require freshmen to be enrolled full-time.

I found that odd too, that is why I said he might be taking more.

Just found this Heroes and Future interview from last year, Nathan was asked about his goal for the new season, around 1:24

네이든통신문?™ on Twitter

“#Nathanchen Heroes & Future 2018 Interview? https://t.co/9rNG4vNxr9”

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He only Skyped 4 times with Raf the whole last season. He did mention that he was not thinking about skating during exam time, and basically had no sleep around finals.

 

[jlai]

I found that odd too, that is why I said he might be taking more.

Just found this Heroes and Future interview from last year, Nathan was asked about his goal for the new season, around 1:24

네이든통신문?™ on Twitter

“#Nathanchen Heroes & Future 2018 Interview? https://t.co/9rNG4vNxr9”

twitter.com

He only Skyped 4 times with Raf the whole last season. He did mention that he was not thinking about skating during exam time, and basically had no sleep around finals.

No one said he is not taking school seriously. But there is a difference between excelling and being perfect.
Perhaps you should stop making assumption with my one short paragraph. I read every single article you read. I said he didn’t get straight As which is what he said himself. But if zhou wants A++s in every single assignment then less focus on skating makes sense. That is all I am saying

 

[Alexa]

No one said he is not taking school seriously. But there is a difference between excelling and being perfect.
Perhaps you should stop making assumption with my one short paragraph. I read every single article you read. I said he didn’t get straight As which is what he said himself. But if zhou wants A++s in every single assignment then less focus on skating makes sense. That is all I am saying

The last sentence is an assumption itself if you don’t have facts to back it up.
There is a difference between you want straight As and you actually got straight As, and you are ok with non As. Everyone wants gold medal, not everyone got gold medal, and it doesn’t mean the one who didn’t get as many gold medals doesn’t work as hard, or put in as much efforts. Let’s not forget they never attended same school, and is not in same school right now, where the academic rigor and even the grading system, and requirements is different.

Nathan said himself in a recent interview he is a perfectionist, and he stated in that pre Olympics interview if he is the best at school, it bothers himself. Nathan is studying all the time, when he traveling, anytime he has a break during practice, in Sui Wenjing’s words when they were invited to ATS, Nathan was studying. Romain Ponsart posted so many IGS Nathan studying during ice show breaks, competition breaks, and when he was watching other disciplines competing. Plus he doesn’t even has his mom in New Haven to help him all the time.

He was never the kind of person only focuses on one thing when he was young. He was doing skating, hockey, piano, gymnastics, ballet at the same time while being a good student. He would drive all the way to Hartford to perform for kids the week between IdF and GPF and in the middle of preparing for final exams. He treasures every minute to be with Raf, yet he would still spend a whole day to give a skating seminar for kids in Oregon after SOI.

if I am making an assumption, he has developed superior time management skills since he was very young, that is what helps him balance school and skating. He made realistic planning and sticks to it. He didn’t have time to go to CS series and 4CC, so he never plans those competitions . For the things he planned, he made every effort to make it happen. Plus Raf’s skater is very independent in Raf’s words.

 

[jlai]

The last sentence is an assumption itself if you don’t have facts to back it up.
There is a difference between you want straight As and you actually got straight As, and you are ok with non As. Everyone wants gold medal, not everyone got gold medal, and it doesn’t mean the one who didn’t get as many gold medals doesn’t work as hard, or put in as much efforts. Let’s not forget they never attended same school, and is not in same school right now, where the academic rigor and even the grading system, and requirements is different.

Nathan said himself in a recent interview he is a perfectionist, and he stated in that pre Olympics interview if he is the best at school, it bothers himself. If Nathan doesn’t aim for A, why is he choosing the class in the first place, he still hasn’t given up med school plan when your GPA count so much for the application. He is studying all the time, when he traveling, anytime he has a break during practice, in Sui Wenjing’s words when they were invited to ATS, Nathan was studying. Romain Ponsart posted so many IGS Nathan studying during ice show breaks, competition breaks, and when he was watching other disciplines competing. Plus he doesn’t even has his mom in New Haven to help him all the time.

He was never the kind of person only focuses on one thing when he was young. He was doing skating, hockey, piano, gymnastics, ballet at the same time while being a good student. He would drive all the way to Hartford to perform for kids the week between IdF and GPF and in the middle of preparing for final exams. He treasure every minute to be with Raf, yet he would still spend a whole day to give a skating seminar for kids in Oregon after SOI.

if I am making an assumption, he has developed superior time management skills since he was very young, that is what helps him balance school and skating. He made realistic planning and sticks to it. He didn’t have time to go to CS series and 4CC, so he never plans those competitions . For the things he planned, he made every effort to make it happen. Plus Raf’s skater is very independent in Raf’s words.

Fai wa.

 

[jlai]

(and i deeply resent TSL's recent comments, which are nothing more but assumptions, that the reason for Karen Chen and others to follow the new fashion of attending an elite University is because they are copy-cats of Nathan Chen. And that Nathan is super talented and can do it, but these others can not.)

Exactly. People prioritize their lives according to what is important to them. Nathan did amazingly well but They are all living amazing lives in different ways

 

[meer]

People really confuse Nathan's rather laid back attitude with him not being that competitive (not really here, but I've seen quite a few people lately say he doesn't have competitive fire ) and not wanting to be absolute best in everything he does. From listening to his interviews, he wants to do both really well. Not just get by well enough in skating or school. Doesn't mean it always happens, but it's his goal anyway.

 

[jlai]

I don’t know who is saying Nathan isn’t competitive!in school or in skating. (For pete’s Sake he is a two time world champion and he got 800 in sat math? And got As and Bs in his first semester at Yale) But there is no reason to downplay Karen or zhou in their academics.

Zhou simply strikes me as the sort who wants to focus 110% on one thing at a time, which IMO is fine. Just because I think this is who he is doesn’t mean others aren’t doing amazing things or more amazing things. Besides Zhou is a late starter anyway so He will be fine by January.

 

[olympic]

^Yeah, but if he uses the early part of the season to work out the kinks and doesn't have that opportunity this year, then it will be problematic for him.

 

[Alexa]

No one is downplaying Karen and Vincent about academics in this thread. It is someone attributed Nathan’s balance of school to him devoting less time and efforts to study, or not as good a student in terms of grades.

Again, strive to get something doesn’t equate you get something. It is comparing efforts against results.

 

[meer]

Even with kinks, I'm pretty sure Vincent is fine for the world team anyway. The rest of the US men aren't exactly giving me any reason to doubt his place as #2 at the moment.

 

[Dobre]

^Yeah, but if he uses the early part of the season to work out the kinks and doesn't have that opportunity this year, then it will be problematic for him.

It might. Hence, Vincent is trying out this experience this year rather than next. He is pretty driven, though. It would be very unwise for anyone in the men's field to underestimate him. I don't think Nathan would; therefore, it would probably be unwise for fans to make that error. (I believe there are literally pages of last year's U.S. Men's thread that were wasted doing so. And, come to think of it, a few pages from the year before as well).

Also, I mean, we all saw the men's field during this GP.

 

[Karen-W]

It might. Hence, Vincent is trying out this experience this year rather than next. He is pretty driven, though. It would be very unwise for anyone in the men's field to underestimate him. I don't think Nathan would so; therefore, it would probably be unwise for fans to make that error. (I believe there are literally pages of last year's U.S. Men's thread that were wasted doing so. And, come to think of it, a few pages from the year before as well).

Also, I mean, we all saw the men's field during this GP.

Which means Vincent is pretty much like all the other men except Yuzu and Nathan.

 

[Alexa]

I don’t think it is wise to downplay anyone in any competition. Nathan said himself that the top 6 could stand on top of the podium any given day.

And it is not that Vincent stopped training. Per that Alumni magazine article, in days when Brown’s rink is not available, he trained in Boston 3 days a week. In a summer interview, he mentioned mom would be driving him to Boston for training, and there are picture he was at MJM, and other rinks with Hamada, Tammy and Ross in the beginning of the semester, days leading to USIC this year. His Japan Open outing in October showed some progress compared to what he did at USIC. In his IG post about withdrawal, he stated he didn’t get the intensive training for GP because of preparing midterm.

Plus he has every incentive to do well at worlds and 4CC again. He mentioned in his Ice Time interview the Japanese sponsorship Hamada helped him to secure is yearly based. He stated that he landed the sponsorship probably because of his placement/achievements in 4CC and worlds.

 

[olympic]

Yes. Vincent did get his programs out there at the USIC and JO. I guess he will have the month before Nationals to get it together

 

[Lizziebeth]

I hope Vincent is training. Perhaps his plan is to have a successful freshman year at college and continue to train without the distraction of prep and travel to competitions. I bet that was a really difficult decision. If he does well at nationals and makes the world team, that decision will cost him some valuable world standing points. Hope it works out for him.