Men's Short Program

[prettykeys]

Well, I watched the other top performances, and Patrick Chan was indeed the class of the field. He is such a talented, well-rounded skater and he deserves his placement after the short.

I hope no one takes this as a criticism of Patrick, but it's a little confusing to me that Daisuke Takahashi's Performance/Execution score is lower at 8.21 compared to Chan's 8.54 (and one judge gave Chan a 10.00.) It looked like Takahashi maxed out his performance while Chan could have given a tiny bit more. The overall impact of the differential isn't much, but I thought that was an aspect of the scoring I don't get.

Florent Amodio is another I enjoyed (hehe @ SeriousBusiness's comment about his arms) but I hate how Morozov structured his and Miki Ando's SP to be entirely frontloaded on the jumps. Don't like that.

Also, yay for Denis Ten at #10

[skfan]

THere is really no way Chan can lose this, but I hope Dai and maybe Brian can come back and medal. Not that surprised that the Japnanese men didn't look that dominant. So much stress and exhaustion, pressure...they all had to move training locations.

yes, and dai did a lot of work to organize the charity gala--mot i think posted an article about that. a lot of distraction--sitting in the different seats in the arena to determine the pricing of seats, worrying about the safety of the spectators in the arena? i admire him even more for having done that work, but it's got to detract from training. i don't know many skaters who are already prepared to be impresarios and promoters of the sport while still competing, so i think he had a bit to learn, maybe even about fire-safety limits for arenas, etc.

i haven't even finished downloading his youtube program yet so i won't comment on the actual skating, but when i saw that shirt, i thought, is this 'pimps on ice'? sorry fellow dai fans, that's my honest impression of that outfit.

[Bluebonnet]

oh please. as if abbott could have done so much better with that short program that is so unsuited to his amazing talents.

I believe that "so unsuited to his amazing talents" program could easily sweep up around 78, way better than any of these American suited programs.

[wallylutz]

And Joubert?

Disparu in the name of Passion!

[skfan]

I believe that "so unsuited to his amazing talents" program could easily sweep up around 78, way better than any of these American suited programs.

there's already a long thread about it somewhere here on GS, and i won't beat the dead horse beyond saying, i believe in fairness and transparency above all and i don't think having this event count some and that event count some--any system that's more fudge-able than nationals for all the marbles-- will increase the excitement, or make the average american fan (who only watches nationals when it doesn't conflict with NFL playoffs) feel that this anonymously judged sport is worth getting behind.

but honestly, whatever. i just download and watch. i leave the point counting to the experts here.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

I've only watched Patrick's SP so far, but I must say that he deserved those scores. Going to watch some other performances now.

[Mrs. P]

I believe that "so unsuited to his amazing talents" program could easily sweep up around 78, way better than any of these American suited programs.

For the record the highest Jeremy Abbott got this season was 77.61 at Cup of Russia, so pretty close to your estimate BB.

That said, I agree with skfan. The whole thing about whether these guys deserved to be here is getting old. All three skated relatively clean and did not bomb. All three made the LP, which some other countries can't say (sorry, Sweden.)

For some perspective — Jeremy Abbott finished 14th in his first Worlds SP in 2008, so Dornbush (11th) and Miner (13th) has already one-upped him. If both do well in the FS, both of them have the potential to finish better or at least match Jeremy's placement in his debut (11th).

Call me an optimist if you like, but I will root for these guys until the end and hope for great FS!

[Blades of Passion]

Actually, BoP was wrong. Chan received several 1s for his elements whereas BoP claimed judges just gave him all 2s and and some 3s, therefore automatically = generous. In stating Chan's 4T/3T should not be higher than +1, BoP also failed to include any explanation as to why his view is the correct one for instance. I thought his opinion was scarce in details and actual technicality.

He received +1.86 for both his Quad Combination and Triple Axel and +1.5 for his Flip. The GOE grades were indeed mostly +2's and he DID get a few absurd 3's as well for elements (one for the Quad combination and two for the Triple Flip). I was completely correct. He received a total of +1.82 more points on his jumps than he deserved. Patrick Chan's Quad is not huge and the rotation could be more wholly completed in the air before landing. There were not any incredibly outstanding transitions before or after the Quad combo or the Triple Axel either. +1 GOE is all those jumps deserved. The Flip deserved +2 because the quality there was wonderful but certainly not +3. He would have needed to do it in Tano position or somesuch to deserve that high of a mark.

His combination spin utilizes easy positions and not an incredible amount of speed. +1 is the absolute most he would have possibly deserved there and a 0 GOE would really be fair too. He completed a Level 4 change of foot combination spin satisfactorily. It didn't sing or amaze. He received a +3 from one judge for this element and a ton of +2's. So there was an extra half point bonus right there. His change-of-foot Camel received some unwarranted +2's as well considering his average positioning and speed and again would have been fine with getting a 0 GOE. That puts his tech score at at least 2.5 points over what it should have been for all the elements I've talked about up to this point. His Flying Sit received an average of +2 GOE (with yet another +3 from a judge, that got thrown out) and that was probably too generous as well, but I won't get picky there. All in all, I would have scored his performance at an 89.

[Dodhiyel]

I missed a lot, but I did get to see Patrick Chan skate his SP, and this was the best skating I've seen from him since he was 16. This time he was not frenetic, and his programme was aesthetically satisfying. It was as if he finally had discovered the meaning of life (i.e., the meaning of "the art of" figure skating.). I am glad for him, and for the sport, because the sport has suffered so much in recent years, as the very core of it seemed to be forgotten.

Once upon a time, singles figure skating was about precision and elegance, and that was fine. Then came Janet Lynn, and she showed us that it could be even more than that; it could take our breath away.

Doing only top-level spins and footwork may pile up technical points, but there must be a sense of balance, a sense of an integrated programme, an artistic whole, or general audiences will inevitably get bored. I applaud Patrick's choice to do what worked, instead of just doing awkward, high-point collecting stuff. Congratulations, Patrick; you were looking good out there, and you got the points, too.

[herios]

I believe that "so unsuited to his amazing talents" program could easily sweep up around 78, way better than any of these American suited programs.

And on top of that, he skated his SP most of the time cleanly all season long. But he has now to prepare his next season and move forward, forget about the "could've, should've, would've", what is that good for now?

[Blades of Passion]

And Joubert?

13th at the very best. He certainly did NOT deserve to be in the top 12. His non-jump elements are not strong, his performance and program are not particularly inspiring, and his jumping was weaker than everyone I listed as the top 12 as well. His Quad probably even deserved to be downgraded, making it that much more obvious he did not deserve to be in the top 12. Look at how Kevin Van Der Perren's attempt at the Quad was downgraded. From what I saw, Joubert's certainly was no better rotated. Definitely feels like unfair favoritism muddying the waters there - Joubert doesn't get his Quad downgraded because of his long history of doing that jump, whereas Van Der Perren is not regarded as highly and so he is hammered.

[herios]

For some perspective — Jeremy Abbott finished 14th in his first Worlds SP in 2008, so Dornbush (11th) and Miner (13th) has already one-upped him. If both do well in the FS, both of them have the potential to finish better or at least match Jeremy's placement in his debut (11th).

!

Mrs. P, incorrect. Jeremy Abbott finished 11th at his first worlds, and not 14th.

[ImaginaryPogue]

She's referring to his placement in the SP.

[Mrs. P]

Mrs. P, incorrect. Jeremy Abbott finished 11th at his first worlds, and not 14th.

Please read my post again. I said Worlds SP. Not overall. To Jeremy's credit, he finished 10th in the FS to finish 11th overall. The FS will tell the tale, of course. But I only make that point for some perspective.

ETA: IP beat me to it!

[Tonichelle]

What was it that Michal ate? His coach put out a plate with something yellowish on it..

I would assume Oranges, not sure why but a lot of athletes eat them after they come off the ice/run/whatever