Which American Men do you want on the Olympic Team?

Mrs. P · Oct 28, 2013

wordsworthgirl said:
Mrs. P I agree with you and you guys are convincing me re Max over Josh- however I do love Adam and this is his time as he is older . . .

Just adore Jason and his coach together. I saw him tell Jenny and Dave that story about the induction on The Skating Lesson and it was so adorable how much he appreciates her.

Slightly OT: But you should also listen to Kori Ade's interview with Manleywoman. The respect/appreciation is mutual: http://www.manleywoman.com/episode-45-2011-us-nationals/

Back to the topic on hand. It would be a great comeback story of sorts for Adam to make after struggling the last few years. I guess from a comeback/struggle story Adam and Jeremy would be a good pair.

Or beautiful skating you can always appreciate: Jeremy, Jason or Josh

The future: Max, Jason or Josh

TES masters: Max and Richard (he is the only other skater among all these folks to score 90+ in TES in any competition)

Friendly rivalry: Jason and Josh

Underdogs: Jeremy and Ross

karne · Oct 28, 2013

The only reason I haven't hoped for a combo of Josh/Jason just yet is because I'm not sure Sochi could handle that level of adorable.

Sara · Oct 28, 2013

wordsworthgirl said:
I have always loved Adam Rippon's skating- he is a beautiful, artistic, balletic skater who also has that something special- charisma, flair, excitement. His jumps are vastly improved now that he's with Rafael. I'd like him to go to Olympics for his own sake but also to accompany his best friend and training mate Ashley Wagner- I think if each has the other, each will do better in his/her individual discipline, and they'd be adorable together in the Team Event. I do think Adam with clean skates is the only American male with the potential to medal at the Olympics. However, he has a history of inconsistency and could fall apart again- but somehow Rafael and Ashley seem to be helping him and this really might be his breakthrough year. I'd be thrilled for him if it is as I think he has a world of talent, has been through a lot, and could bring a lot of new fans to skating, my stepdaughter for one who has a HUGE crush on him.

You wrote my exact thoughts about Adam!

I would love to see him skate in Sochi!

l'etoile · Oct 28, 2013

ITA with what OP said about Ricky Dornbush. He just has that it factor but is struggling to find his moment with quads.
I want him on the olympic team! May the consistency God touch his skating again.

CanadianSkaterGuy · Oct 28, 2013

Aaron and Abbott if he actually gets his consistency back.

But right now, I'd prefer Rippon over Abbott.

ManyCairns · Oct 28, 2013

Adam and Joshua, and see wordsworth girl's post #34 for explanation. If pressed I could switch out Jason for Adam and just say, let the young 'uns go for the experience on the international stage, since it is unlikely any of the American men will medal anyway.

But really, I won't be sorry if any two of Joshua, Adam, Jason, and Max goes. Great experience of a lifetime for any of them! Oh, and I wouldn't really rend my garments either if Dornbush or Miner gets tapped (not that I think it's likely), because again, unlikely even the strongest American's performance will land a spot on the podium, so go and have an experience to remember. But I'd rather send Adam and one of the young guns.

I might have to gnash my teeth or rend a shirt or two if Abbott goes, however. Never have really enjoyed him but more than that I don't think he's ever much lived up to his hyped potential, and it's getting old watching him (literally) crash time after time. He's had plenty of international comps -- give someone else the experience.

CanadianSkaterGuy · Oct 28, 2013

I would not let Jason go to the Olympics. He will have a chance in 2018, and his lack of even attempting the quad, IMO, is immediately reason for keeping him off the team, even if the rest of his skating is brilliant.

Mrs. P · Oct 28, 2013

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
I would not let Jason go to the Olympics. He will have a chance in 2018, and his lack of even attempting the quad, IMO, is immediately reason for keeping him off the team, even if the rest of his skating is brilliant.

That would be more of a factor if he was skating in Japan, where we've seen decent quads from Machida, Hanyu and Oda already this season.

However, except for Max, none of the U.S. men have a consistent quad. Adam is close, but he hasn't landed a clean quad yet this season. Josh and Jeremy have rotated their quads but haven't had clean landings yet. Ross completely missed both his quad attempts. We'll see what Richard does at Cup of China.

At this point, the current stats show that -- at this point in the game -- the lack of a quad does not keep Jason from getting solid scores relative to the other U.S. men if he skates a clean program. He still has the highest SP score and the third highest overall score among the men in the GP. And his PCS, even accounting for hometown inflation at SA are quite solid, for a first-year senior.

Anyway, it's all a moot point if Jason doesn't finish in the top two at Nationals anyway.

mskater93 · Oct 28, 2013

So even though his SA score is high and he made mistakes (which he will correct as he gets comfortable with this program) you'd keep him off the team for not attempting a quad? Successful quads have been pretty scarce so far this fall...and he's the type of skater who casual fans could fall in love with watching.

ice coverage · Oct 28, 2013

pangtongfan said:
Farris and Brown. None of the U.S men have a hope of a top 5 at this point, so might as well send the U.S future. If not them some combination of Dornbush, Aaron, Rippon. A huge NO to Miner, Abbott, or Lysacek.

Aaron has said that his sights are set on a ticket to Sochi as his short-term goal -- and on 2018 as a long-term goal. He is both the present and the future.

(Until he broke through and won Nationals, even Max himself did not consider 2014 a realistic goal.)

Top five for Max in 2014 does not seem unthinkable to me.
When he was seventh at 2013 Worlds, his overall score was within a point of Takahashi's and within two points of Reynolds'.

http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2013/CAT001RS.HTM

Max was sixth in the FS, within a point of Mura.

http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2013/SEG002.HTM

But first things first. Max knows that he has to earn his spot on the Sochi team. Can't and won't take it for granted. #attaboy

Jaana · Oct 28, 2013

Farris and Rippon would be my choices.

Jammers · Oct 28, 2013

Aaron just lacks a lot of things to his skating other then quads as we saw at SA. Farris will pass him up soon if he can finally start landing quads again and so will Jason.

Mrs. P · Oct 28, 2013

Jason Brown is also focused on peaking in 2018, though qualifying in 2014 isn't out of the question.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...-20131018_1_jason-brown-triple-axels-kori-ade

Kori Ade also response to the whole why send a guy w/o a quad assertion:

"I think Team USA would like to send two guys with quads, but I haven't seen two guys with quads be able to put them out there consistently," she said. "I don't see why overall points can't trump somebody who tries a quad."

The two guys is my emphasis. She definitely knows Max has the quad, but she's noting that there isn't two guys with that advantage. At least, not yet.

2018 will be just as brutal. Vincent Zhou and Nathan Chen (who just won both his JGP events) will be in the mix as well by then.

Ultimately, quad or not, what it comes down to is who can get the total points. If Jason and/or Josh can rack up the points to get one of those top two spots at Nationals, then they should be able to go.

Jammers said:
Aaron just lacks a lot of things to his skating other then quads as we saw at SA. Farris will pass him up soon if he can finally start landing quads again and so will Jason.

I wouldn't underestimate Max's jump arsenal. At Skate America FS, while his PCS was nearly seven points lower than Jason's, his TES was more than 20 points higher.

I don't see Jason getting 90+ PCS to make up that gap-- that is Patrick Chan territory. Jason, however, lost approx 15+ between the two 3A mistakes in his FS.

So if Jason cleans up his jump mistakes, he make up most of the gap. But again, Jason has to be clean for that to happen.

Of course the same goes for Max. If he is not clean either and his jumps aren't there, he doesn't have the PCS to keep him afloat.

caitie · Oct 28, 2013

I'd like to see Rippon and Aaron go, personally. Jason Brown is not ready IMO, I think he is too young and needs these next four years to develop. I feel sad about Jeremy Abbott, but... IDK, I just don't think he can get it together.

drivingmissdaisy · Oct 28, 2013

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
I would not let Jason go to the Olympics. He will have a chance in 2018, and his lack of even attempting the quad, IMO, is immediately reason for keeping him off the team, even if the rest of his skating is brilliant.

Honestly, a quad doesn't matter at all if it is followed by falls or pops on the triples that come afterwards, which is what we usually see. Some of Yuna Kim's best TES, with an extra jumping pass and factoring her PCS to the men's scale, would do quite well on the men's circuit, and she doesn't even do a 3A.

Blades of Passion · Oct 28, 2013

Yes, exactly. You don't need a Quad if everything else you do is the best. A Quad is just one move. It gets you 5-6 more points in the SP (value as compared to 3Flip) and 7-8 more points in the LP (value as compared to 2Axel). There's the argument that Quads also boost PCS because of the excitement they bring into the performance, which is valid...but only if you deliver the rest of the performance and program on top of it. Extremely hard to do, which is why we so rarely see it happen. Quads are actually still a little undervalued in the current scoring system (especially with regards to doing Quad combinations), to be honest.

wordsworthgirl · Oct 28, 2013

Sara said:
You wrote my exact thoughts about Adam! I would love to see him skate in Sochi!

So glad I articulated your thoughts and that we're on the same page re Adam! yay! Have you listened to his interview on The Skating Lesson? He is wonderful in it and my love for him went up a new level after hearing it.

wordsworthgirl · Oct 28, 2013

rallycairn said:
Adam and Joshua, and see wordsworth girl's post #34 for explanation. If pressed I could switch out Jason for Adam and just say, let the young 'uns go for the experience on the international stage, since it is unlikely any of the American men will medal anyway.

But really, I won't be sorry if any two of Joshua, Adam, Jason, and Max goes. Great experience of a lifetime for any of them! Oh, and I wouldn't really rend my garments either if Dornbush or Miner gets tapped (not that I think it's likely), because again, unlikely even the strongest American's performance will land a spot on the podium, so go and have an experience to remember. But I'd rather send Adam and one of the young guns.

I might have to gnash my teeth or rend a shirt or two if Abbott goes, however. Never have really enjoyed him but more than that I don't think he's ever much lived up to his hyped potential, and it's getting old watching him (literally) crash time after time. He's had plenty of international comps -- give someone else the experience.

Glad you liked my post! I spent a lot of time thinking about it and have really enjoyed participating in this discussion. I like what you say too!

wordsworthgirl · Oct 28, 2013

Blades of Passion said:
Yes, exactly. You don't need a Quad if everything else you do is the best. A Quad is just one move. It gets you 5-6 more points in the SP (value as compared to 3Flip) and 7-8 more points in the LP (value as compared to 2Axel). There's the argument that Quads also boost PCS because of the excitement they bring into the performance, which is valid...but only if you deliver the rest of the performance and program on top of it. Extremely hard to do, which is why we so rarely see it happen. Quads are actually still a little undervalued in the current scoring system (especially with regards to doing Quad combinations), to be honest.

Agreed. I think Jason with two clean performances could be top 10, even top 5, actually.

pangtongfan · Oct 28, 2013

Dornbush, Brown, Farris, and Aaron all have potential be around for 2018. Brown and Farris for 2022 maybe even, although no point thinking that far ahead. I guess in theory Miner could be a contender for 2018, but I see that as unlikely the way things look now. Rippon, Lysacek, and Abbott are all done after this year, and none is likely to post even a respectable result in Sochi so I see no point in any of them being on the team. Given the current state of the U.S men it is best to look ahead and thus have 2 out of Dornbush, Brown, Farris, or Aaron on the team, whichever skates best at Nationals.

Which American Men do you want on the Olympic Team?

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

Sara

l'etoile

CanadianSkaterGuy

ManyCairns

CanadianSkaterGuy

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

mskater93

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605

Jaana

Jammers

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

caitie

drivingmissdaisy

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be

wordsworthgirl

wordsworthgirl

wordsworthgirl

pangtongfan

Match Penalty

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