U.S. Men in 2017 - articles & latest news

[misskarne]

I can't believe no-one's mentioned the actually most important thing reported on yet.

Jason a) stood up on a one-foot quad in the first practice and b) did a "beauty" of a quad toe in the second practice! (per Jackie Wong). Go for it, Jason!

 

[olympic]

There was actually a twitter post that stated Slaythan did a 6 quad run through w/ a step out on a 4F. I'm sorry I don't have the link but I read it on another board.

ETA - It was Jackie Wong at Rocker Skating

 

[skatingguy]

If you go to the Worlds section there is quite the discussion regarding this in the practice reports thread.

 

[Firedancer]

There was actually a twitter post that stated Slaythan did a 6 quad run through w/ a step out on a 4F. I'm sorry I don't have the link but I read it on another board.

ETA - It was Jackie Wong at Rocker Skating

I saw that. Based on Raf's comments that they have been trying things we haven't seen yet and he doesn't want to show things before they are ready, I think if he doesn't do it here we will see it by next season. It does mean he can go back to one 3A.

 

[YukiNieve]

Worlds 2017

Nathan's practice on Monday afternoon (run-through with music):
http://m.miaopai.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:8f1cd6a72e9e45cb130a3279bd46448b

Jason's practice on Monday afternoon (run-through with music):
http://m.miaopai.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:7cee4a1c2a5abb4c576c23f16e7c9450

 

[Vagabond]

No 3F or 3S. What a slacker! He should be doing 3A-1/2lp-3S/F instead.

The lengths to which some skaters will go to cover up the lack of a triple salchow!

 

[Tavi]

Worlds 2017

Nathan's practice on Monday afternoon (run-through with music):
http://m.miaopai.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:8f1cd6a72e9e45cb130a3279bd46448b

Jason's practice on Monday afternoon (run-through with music):
http://m.miaopai.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:7cee4a1c2a5abb4c576c23f16e7c9450

Thank you for these!

 

[A.H.Black]

I notice there is still no loop. I haven't seen Nathan do more than a double loop - in Nationals and since. Has anyone seen a 3 loop this season? I continue to think the loop is the last jump to come back after last year's injury.

 

[Dobre]

I notice there is still no loop. I haven't seen Nathan do more than a double loop - in Nationals and since. Has anyone seen a 3 loop this season? I continue to think the loop is the last jump to come back after last year's injury.

He had the triple loop in his 4 quad rendition of the program. (GPF). He took it out when he put in the quad salchow (more points).

Rafael was quoted in one of the ice network articles saying Nathan has done the quad loop in practice.

 

[skatingguy]

The stress of the World Championships is clearly getting to Jason Brown.
https://twitter.com/jasonbskates/status/846082267424460800
https://twitter.com/jasonbskates/status/846449082327543809
https://twitter.com/jasonbskates/status/846963641891115009

 

[Firedancer]

ESPN article "How US teen Nathan Chen jumped into upper echelon of figure skating"

http://www.espn.com/olympics/figure...hen-us-national-champion-spun-quad-jumps-gold

Excited to see Nathan and Jason skate tomorrow morning!

 

[Willin]

Considering he didn't do a quad, it's amazing to see Jason almost tied with someone that did a quad and had a clean program (Kolyada). I guess it goes to show how great of a skater he is despite the quad. I'm happy to see that judges are rewarding him for that as much as they can.

 

[VGThuy]

Jason is that rare type who has been ordained as an "artist" in that simple binary skating fans come up with, but who is also not a headcase and knows how to compete.

 

[Spiralgraph]

Exactly,
and considering that some of the US skaters, (ladies and men) present and past are headcases and can't handle the pressure, competing well is half the battle right there.

 

[Impromptu]

Jason is that rare type who has been ordained as an "artist" in that simple binary skating fans come up with, but who is also not a headcase and knows how to compete.

I really dislike that binary [artist/athlete], because it completely misses there are at least two other areas that factor into things... one being, as @VIETgrlTerifa notes, "competitor," and the other being "technician." The latter being one that fans seem to forget. Honestly, as much as Jason is an "artist," I'd qualify him even more as a technician, because the artistry wouldn't register as highly, nor would he be able to focus on the performance as much as he does, were he not able to rely on his technique. It's also a lack of technique that can hold back both the artists and the athletes in the long run, and the pure technique that can help out the competitors.

 

[Seerek]

I'm happy to see that judges are rewarding him for that as much as they can.

Jason's Grade of Execution was 3rd in the short program, only behind Javier and Patrick.

 

[VGThuy]

Jason's Grade of Execution was 3rd in the short program, only behind Javier and Patrick.

It's well-deserved.

 

[Allskate]

He had the triple loop in his 4 quad rendition of the program. (GPF). He took it out when he put in the quad salchow (more points).

Rafael was quoted in one of the ice network articles saying Nathan has done the quad loop in practice.

My hip hurts just thinking about it. (But it was his left hip that he had surgery on, right?)

Jason's Grade of Execution was 3rd in the short program, only behind Javier and Patrick.

I hope this works for him in the long as well, especially against skaters who are doing only one or two quads. Given the American quad boys, Jason's best hope of making the Olympic team might be doing well enough, along with Nathan, to get that third spot.

I've always appreciated the quality of Jason's skating, but his music choices and performance style haven't been my favorite. I really like the artistic direction he's been taking his skating more recently, though. I like the excitement that Vincent and Nathan bring, but I definitely prefer Jason's skating at this point.

 

[Dobre]

I love both Nathan & Jason. Go team USA! This is an unbelievable group of men heading into the free. Four clean short programs at the top. I am standing by my opinion that all this competition is making everyone else be better.

(Meanwhile, can we save Denis from Morozov's choreography/taste in music, please?)

 

[olympic]

Ugh. Nathan kills the 4z/3t and 4f, only to bite it on the 3a! Looks like a couple of non-jump elements right after the fall got only LV 3. Maybe he got distracted. I don't think he will let it get away from him in the LP.

OTOH, good on Jason for a PB. The US has a fighting chance for 3 spots

 

[Jammers]

Time for Nathan to start working more on that 3 axel. What good are quads if you miss it especially with this much talent in Men's now. If Adam Rippon can fix his awful 3axel with Rafael then Nathan has no reason not to fix his either.

 

[Pretty Vegas]

I think Nathan was just hyper-focused on the quads, he landed some beautiful 3as in the warm-up. My thinking is - he was so focused on the quads that when he got through them, he relaxed a little too much. He'll learn from it, he's a very smart competitor. Curious to see how his 6-quad plan goes because you know they are going for it, Raf basically confirmed it after the SP.

I was really encouraged that even with the mistake, he still scored close to 100. It just goes to show how quickly his reputation has risen.

 

[misskarne]

WAY TO GO JASON! 93! And it sounded like it was beautiful!

Of course, by certain people's logic, he shouldn't have even been on the team, after all.

 

[olympic]

I think Nathan was just hyper-focused on the quads, he landed some beautiful 3as in the warm-up. My thinking is - he was so focused on the quads that when he got through them, he relaxed a little too much. He'll learn from it, he's a very smart competitor. Curious to see how his 6-quad plan goes because you know they are going for it, Raf basically confirmed it after the SP.

I was really encouraged that even with the mistake, he still scored close to 100. It just goes to show how quickly his reputation has risen.

I watched the fall in slo mo. He had the jump but it looked like he failed to check the landing. He does a spread eagle 3a spread eagle and it looked like he screwed up the snap into that last transition

 

[Pretty Vegas]

I watched the fall in slo mo. He had the jump but it looked like he failed to check the landing. He does a spread eagle 3a spread eagle and it looked like he screwed up the snap into that last transition

Yeah, it seemed to be more of a lapse in concentration than anything. He talked about how much more nervous he was. Either way, I look at this as a good experience for him. Like I said, he'll learn. I'm a huge fan of his, I think he's absolutely great - but all the talk of him winning Worlds his first time out was a tall order - no matter how consistent he's been. I'm thinking he'll finish 5th, but we'll see what happens.

 

[olympic]

Mixed feelings - If you had told me as recently as New Years that US men would score 97 and 93 in the SP at Worlds, I would've said 'Wow! Unbelievable! Great!' But expectations have been wildly inflated for Nathan since Nationals and 4CCs, so now I am a bit let down. I had predicted a Bronze for Nathan. Still a distinct possibility.

Interesting that he is going for a 6-quad LP. If he's nervous, I guess nerves don't hold him back!

 

[Firedancer]

He said he was nervous in the SP at the GPF too and then skated that clean FS. I think he can definitely move up, at least over Jin, hopefully more. But I do wish he wasn't skating right after Haynu again.

 

[Pretty Vegas]

Mixed feelings - If you had told me as recently as New Years that US men would score 97 and 93 in the SP at Worlds, I would've said 'Wow! Unbelievable! Great!' But expectations have been wildly inflated for Nathan since Nationals and 4CCs, so now I am a bit let down. I had predicted a Bronze for Nathan. Still a distinct possibility.

Interesting that he is going for a 6-quad LP. If he's nervous, I guess nerves don't hold him back!

I hear ya - the expectations were huge. I wonder where he would have slotted had he landed the 3a. In front of Shoma? Right behind Shoma? It would have been close. I believe he can have a clean free skate - I think he skates well when he's disappointed in himself, but I just hope the boots hold up. They are certainly a factor in all of this too, along with the extra pressure/nerves!

 

[Spareoom]

The whole competition last night was such a pleasure...and what a wonderful thing to see such a well-skated event and have the US men still be right in the thick of it. I'm so pleased for both of them. Sure, Nathan had a mistake, but it was his debut Worlds so I'm not going to be hard on him. He has such a bright future if he can keep his body in one piece, lol.

And Jason; what a sublime skate. I was so nervous for him; he looked so out of place in that group with all the other men who were doing insane quads. But Jason did what he did best and I was so happy for him!

 

[firstflight]

I was glad to have seen the videos before they got copyright blocked.
I know this must have been addressed in another thread, so sorry for the overlap. But, why is Fuji-tv only blocking the men's videos? And why in the world is Patrick Chan un-blocked but the rest of the top are?