Spoilers... Mens Sp

[RealtorGal]

I read a report on Michelle Kwan Forum (I figured those folks would already know EVERYTHING!)--apparently Tim G. missed all major elements/jumps. Ouch & bummer. Apparently Evan L. brought the house down with an amazing performance.

REALLY can't wait to watch this on TV tonight. 3 hours to go!

 

[Tonichelle]

OMG! No way!!!!

 

[RealtorGal]

RESULTS:

1. Weir
2. Savoie
3. Lysacek
4. Weiss
5. Bradley
6. Jahnke
7. Smith
8. Delmore
9. Overett
10. Goebel
11. Lind
12. Brauninger
13. LaRoche
14. Dillon
15. Phan
16. Ward
17. Pennington
18. Miller
19. Wilson
20. Bruni
21. Lee
22. Villareal

 

[Ptichka]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!! (RGal, I though at first you posted the starting order...)

Can't wait to see...

Johnny in the lead ?! Weiss in 4th? An poor Tim

I know it's only the short, but still WOW!

 

[RealtorGal]

I realized that it looked that way, so I edited it to add the word "RESULTS" ! I would not be surprised at all if Johnny took the title. He is probably very anxious to prove that he's not the weenie so many thought he was after withdrawing last year when he did.

 

[amykaren]

WOW! Tim in 10th??? Has something like this ever happened-World and Olympic Bronze medalist in 10th at Nationals!!! I feel so bad for him.

Weir-Yipee!!! Last year was so bad for him and the bashing that went on against him! I am super glad he did so well-that'll show 'em!

 

[Callystarr]

This is really a major surprise...

but to be honest with these results, the ordinals in the LP are going to shift all over the place...really i would not be surprised if Tim Goebel still ended up with the bronze medal at the end of the championship. This is going to be a really interesting championship...congrats to Lysacek & Weir, was anybody clean?

 

[RealtorGal]

Wasn't Michael the class act? In his interview, he was very gracious saying that Johnny Weir, Matt Savoie, the guys ahead of him skated great programs "so you've got to hand it to them" [for a job well done]. Way to go, Mike!

 

[show 42]

I totally agree, RGal........he did himself proud tonight, and looked relaxed and ready to skate on Saturday. I love Weir, but I wouldn't be surprised if the top four are shifted a bit. I love Lysacek, but wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't hold on to third............just a hunch.........42

 

[LittleAngelCora]

Wow. I feel so bad for Timothy. Just...wow. With the exception of a few skaters, most everyone showed on the ESPN broadcast had some mistake of some kind. Oh how interesting the long program will be.

Courtney

 

[Mathman]

Tim will come back strong in the long. He still has a chance to medal.

Hey, I'm glad you signed up for the new Golden Skate, Courtney. Welcome to the forum.

Mathman

 

[Grgranny]

And Goebel didn't blame his splatfest on his boots, either.

 

[RealtorGal]

Did you notice how Dick was basically poo-pooing the whole boots drama?

 

[Grgranny]

That's mainly the reason I posted it. And so many people are always talking about how the skaters use things like that to try and discredit them. Tim said that he hadn't even skated that badly in practice for years. Worst competition program he had ever done. I really felt bad for him. Also, I just loved that Ryan B. was so excited over his skate. He was really exciting to watch.

 

[nysk8r]

My heart really broke for Tim. Before the boot fiasco, he was pretty consistant (not counting last year's nats). What exactly happened with the boot situation? Are the ones he used last year a discontinued model or something? How do you that it's your boots and not your body? He did have a hip injury after all. Anyway, I hope if anything he gains back some of his confidence back.

On the brighter side, top three skaters were just fantastic! After last year I didn't have high hopes for the men, but I'm glad my low expectations were shattered, especially after seeing Matt Savoie skate. I've heard nothing but injury reports about him for the last few months and when I finally see him skate... . Hopefully his injury will become nothing more than a thing of the past and he'll continue to keep the momentum going.

As for the newcomers, Johnny Weir made me happy by continuing to be Johnny (and a clean skate Johnny at that) and Evan L. pleasantly surprised me.

.....Please oh please let the LP not be a repeat of last year's human zamboni festival!

 

[ladybug]

My heart is just breaking for Tim. 13 pair of boots in one season. I wonder if in trying to compensate for the boot problem that he threw off his balance/take off/timing. I hope he has a great skate on Saturday no matter where he places. He needs to get his confidence back. He looked so sad in his interview but made no excuses. I admire him for that.

Mike's interview was also good tonight. Maybe he has taken a Dale Carnegie course this season. Two thumbs up for Mike.

Ladybug

 

[Rgirl]

Johnny Weir: I'd honestly forgotten how wonderfully this guy can skate. He also looks more mature and didn't have what seemed like a constant deer-in-the-headlights look that he seemed to have previously. I was very impressed. Though I thought the costume was way too busy.

Timothy Goebel: I think Tim said it best himself--mortified by that skate. I just felt so bad for the guy. And good for him that he didn't blame the boots (I noticed that too, Grgranny and Twinnie). I've always found him to seem very sincere in his interviews and very articulate in both success and defeat. Some are just born good at it, I guess. I hope he figures out what went wrong before Saturday. Even if he does go to Worlds, I hope doesn't start to get the rep of only doing well at Worlds and the Olympics. Though I'd rather have that than the rep of always choking at Worlds, but it is strange how the past two seasons he's had no fall season to speak of, has been disappointing at Nats (at least so far this year), and then goes to Worlds and wins the silver. Go figure.

Michael Weiss: Best he's done with the quad this season, even with the two-foot. But Mike has had that scary 3Axel take-off for as long as I can remember. I hope Don Laws can help him fix it because even when he lands it, it's not good and at Mike's level, the 3Axel should be one of his money jumps. And ITA about his interview. After he gave props to the guys ahead of him I thought, "Hmm, he's been taking lessons from Crash Davis on how to be a sports star." Speaking of interviews, this should go under ladies but I liked how Michelle caught herself when she said how much she was looking forward to learning from Artunian in the next couple of months before...ANYTHING! Now that girl knows how to handle an interview!

Ryan Bradley: Actually Ryan has been an up and comer for about three years. Except for the pitch forward on the 3Lutz, this is the best I've seen him look since his debut about three years ago. He had a growth spurt that was almost all in his legs the year after his first Nats, but now finally seems to have grown into workable proportions. I love his style and those twinkly eyes and smile. What a cutie. One of the few energetic SPs of the night.

The other new guys didn't do much for me, although the guy skating to the Spanish music was better than the guy Dick had such hopes for. Would have liked to have seen Scott Smith. Jahnke looks like he won't be back to Worlds, but then who knows with the men?

Men's LP predictions: Throw them all up in the air and see who doesn't land on his butt.
Rgirl

 

[Jaana]

I saw Weir´s programmes in Finlandia Trophy and really liked the short programme. Did not think that the freeskate was as good. It remains to be seen how he succeeds in freeskate... WOW, really glad for Lysacek!!!

So sad about Goebel, and hoping that he will succeed in freeskate. Or would it be better to withdraw, because I would think that everyone knows that it has not been the real Tim on the ice so far...

Marjaana

 

[JonnyCoop]

This was about the level of weirdness I was expecting in the men's competition this year, tho I wasn't expecting things to get really out of control until the long program. I'm thrilled that Savoie is in the mix; I wish Derrick Delmore was in it as well. I also wish Weiss was the one in 10th instead of Goebel; he is really working my nerves this year for some reason and it's not just because of all the falling. Does he still have that stupid thing on his chin that he had at the GP Final?? (I am cable-TV-less, so won't be able to see anything till Saturday )

 

[Tove]

OH MY GOD!! this is christmas for me, both Weir and Lysecek in top 3...too bad it's only the short p....