Maybe. Maybe not. I really do not agree that a statement like this can be defended at this point.
One question is whether Miner can develop his quad (or 2 quads). Miner has managed to medal at 4CC's (beating Rippon & Ten internationally), and to medal in a GP. So I don't expect him to be a pushover. Even not going to worlds, he will get 2 GPs, always a help in the PCS & perception battle. It's also important that he get 2 programs that suit him as well as Casablanca did.
And it has yet to be seen whether Farris can get some power in his skating & size in his jumps (of which he does not have enough at this time). This is less evident in juniors, but more clear when he is competing against seniors. And, like Miner, he needs the right programs to succeed.
I am not a big fan of Dornbush, but if he rebounds in the next season, Farris may have trouble passing him, too. USFS seems to adore him. He has landed one quad in competition, and has a nice 3A when he lands it, too.
Rippon needs to get his 3A consistent and a quad. I have doubts at this point that he will get them, but it is not impossible.
My fervent hope is that Rippon and Abbott have the skates of their lives at Worlds and thus the US gets 3 spots. However, if they succeed at that, they will have a leg up for next year.
In some ways, Abbott is the most vulnerable-not because he doesn't have the skills to do so, but because he is so wildly inconsistent.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the summer competitions and the early Senior B's (Nebelhorn, Finlandia, Schaffer if it is scheduled), who goes, and how they do.
