Max Aaron

[Ic3Rabbit]

Good luck to Max at Nationals. I really want to see him on the podium!

 

[karne]

Good luck to Max at Nationals. I really want to see him on the podium!

Welcome aboard the SnuggleBat train!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Welcome aboard the SnuggleBat train!

 

[Arriba627]

I have a "dream podium" in my head, and he's one of the people on it! Go Snuggle Bullfighter! :hap85:

 

[karne]

I have such a really good feeling about this weekend, you guys! I can hardly wait!

 

[charmblade]

Why isn't it the weekend yet? I need to see this bullfighter program already!

 

[karne]

Why isn't it the weekend yet? I need to see this bullfighter program already!

I know! I'm dyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyying.

At least it will be nice lunchtime for me. I can practice in the morning to get the nervous energy out of the way and then eat lunch and then it will be Bullfighter time!

 

[ice coverage]

Max's schedule at Nats is below (as of Jan 14, subject to change).

All times local in Kansas City, which is on Central Standard Time (CST).

(Please note: Do not be fooled by the incorrect notation at the top of the IN results page, which currently says MST in error. I hope the mistake will be caught and corrected.)

Max is in Practice Group B along with Alex Johnson, Jimmy Ma, Nathan Chen, and Tomoki Hiwatashi.

Wednesday Jan 18

- Practice Group B 11:00 - 11:35 am
Max's music gets played 3rd​

Thursday Jan 19

- Practice Group B 11:55 am - 12:30 pm
Max's music gets played 5th​

Friday Jan 20 [ETA, updated as of Jan 17]

- Warm-Up for SP (before the evening SP itself)

Max is #11 in the SP start order, putting him in Warm-Up Group 3 (AFAIK)
3:50 - 4:10 pm
Max's music gets played 2nd (music played in event starting order)​

- SP 7:30 - 10:35 pm​

Sat Jan 21

- Practice Group B 11:45 am - 12:20 pm
Max's music gets played 2nd​

Sun Jan 22

- Warm-Up for FS

The men will be in four groups, according to FS starting order
10:30 am - 12:05 pm for all four groups; 20 min per group​

- FS 1:00 - 4:52 pm​

Go, Max :yay:.

---

USFS fanzone Competition Central page with many helpful links related to 2017 Nats:

http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/uncategorized/2017-prudential-uschamps17-competition-central/​

LOC website:

http://www.2017usfigureskatingchampionships.com/events/​

 

[Meoima]

Good luck to Max! I hope he will do well.

 

[TontoK]

OK, I wasn't much interested in US Nats, but I have GOT to see the bullfighter program.

I like the concept. Pure unbridled masculinity.

This approach should be an excellent fit for Max, and is a direction he should stick with.

 

[ice coverage]

Why isn't it the weekend yet? I need to see this bullfighter program already!

Things to do while we wait to see Max's new bullfighter program :

(1) Look forward to the start order for the Men's SP :hap85:.

The start order for the Championship SD, which takes place Friday, already was posted on IN tonight (Tuesday).
So maybe/maybe/maybe the start order for the Men's SP will be posted tomorrow (Wednesday)??
(Perhaps my pessimism was unwarranted in just assuming that it would not be posted until Thursday.)​

(2) Vote for Max :yay: ... in NBC's fan poll: Who Will Be The 2017 U.S. Men's Champion?

The poll is on the same NBC Sports page that will have live scoring:

nbcsports.com/usfigs
(This short link will redirect automatically to: http://www.nbcsports.com/US-Figure-Skating-Championships)​

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Things to do while we wait to see Max's new bullfighter program :

(1) Look forward to the start order for the Men's SP :hap85:.

The start order for the Championship SD, which takes place Friday, already was posted on IN tonight (Tuesday).
So maybe/maybe/maybe the start order for the Men's SP will be posted tomorrow (Wednesday)??
(Perhaps my pessimism was unwarranted in just assuming that it would not be posted until Thursday.)​

(2) Vote for Max :yay: ... in NBC's fan poll: Who Will Be The 2017 U.S. Men's Champion?

The poll is on the same NBC Sports page that will have live scoring:

nbcsports.com/usfigs
(This short link will redirect automatically to: http://www.nbcsports.com/US-Figure-Skating-Championships)​

I voted!! :agree:

 

[karne]

My fingers are crossed for two things with the draw: first, that it's posted tomorrow my time, and second, that Max and Jason end up in either the same group or adjacent groups, as I am supposed to be going to a movie with my sister on Saturday and, uh, she won't be impressed if I make her sit through the whole men's SP before we can go.

(Both in the first group would be utterly perfect. Just saying.)

 

[ice coverage]

Max is #11 in the Start Order for the SP:

http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2017/24267/CAT018SEG038.html​

So if I am not mistaken, he will be in Group 3 (#10-#15).

Friday Jan 20

- Warm-Up for SP (before the evening SP itself)

Warm-Up Group 3
3:50 - 4:10 pm
Max's music gets played 2nd (music played in event starting order)​

Warm-Up Group 3:

10 Daniel Kulenkamp, Sun Valley FSC
11 Max Aaron, Broadmoor SC
12 Sebastien Payannet, Rocky Mountain FSC
13 Scott Dyer, All Year FSC
14 Grant Hochstein, SC of New York
15 Vincent Zhou, SC of San Francisco​

 

[karne]

*wringing hands anxiously*

He's buried in the middle of the pack, well away from the other contenders. I'm not sure I like this. It could hurt his score. The judges might be inclined to go conservative with it even if he lights it up.

 

[musicfan80]

Interesting - Max is in a group with Grant and Vincent. I'm way more nervous about the last group, though - especially for Ross and Jason skating after Nathan.

 

[karne]

My concern is primarily that the judges might feel they need to "leave room" for Vincent, Chen, and Jason...

 

[ice coverage]

I voted!! :agree:

Thanks for voting for Max :yay:.

More things to do as we wait for Friday:

(3) Listen to today's new Ice Talk episode (#15), which has an interview with Mirai (starting at approx. 30:10).

- Max's name came up more than once as Jackie Wong interviewed Mirai.

The most memorable instance: When referring to TZ's training methods, Mirai mentioned something (I'm paraphrasing) about Tom Z giving stickers in his calendar for a skater's better programs. With a laugh, Mirai added that Max and she don't acknowledge it, but they -- in their 20s :yes: -- like getting stickers :luv17: .​

- Also, at the very beginning of the podcast, Max's voice has been added to the mini-clips of skaters introducing themselves.​

(4) Try not to be envious of Laurie Reynolds (whoever she is ) for receiving this reminder of what a nice guy Max is :

https://twitter.com/lsreyn/status/821821505218707457 (Jan 18)​

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Congratulations to Max's training mate Camden Pulkinen for winning the Junior Men's SP :yay:.
He is sorta following in Max's footsteps. Before moving to Colorado Springs to join the Z Squad, Camden previously was coached by Doug Ladret at Max's home rink in Arizona.

 

[karne]

Jackie reported that Max landed the 4T this morning, outside of his FS runthrough. Looks like he's going after all three quads in the opening of the program. Quads in the FS runthrough were 4S (step), 4S (hand), 4T (fall).

Last year I was freaking out because he nailed seven clean quads in the practice. This year I'm freaking out because clean seems to be a problem. It's only practice. It's only practice.

 

[karne]

Today's the day, you guys! Just a couple of hours until we see the SnugglaDor in action for the first time!

And Jackie's practice reports sound great - he didn't miss a thing!