US Team: 4CCs and Worlds (updated)

[Mrs. P]

I was fairly dismissive of the hype until Scott Hamilton compared Nathan to Dick Button in terms of how far and how quickly he had pushed the technical boundaries of the sport.

I'm not a huge Scott fan (especially as a commentator) but he IS an Olympic champion, well versed in the history of the sport. That statement made me perk up my ears greatly, as that is a HUGE thing to be said about any skater by someone as noteworthy of Hamilton.

Speaking of which, Nathan is on Scott's show on IN this week! Check it out: http://www.icenetwork.com/fans/scotthamiltonshow

Scott can be a bit excitable, but Nathan really is attempting the hardest jump content ever. I don't know how any US fan isn't excited about Nathan's medal prospects. His success is dependent upon mistakes from top men like Yuzu and Patrick, but Javi has won the last two world titles winning only one of the four segments skated, so if Nathan can put together two solid skates he can certainly find himself on the podium.

I was a bit of a skeptic at first namely cause it did seem he was just doing the jumps as point grabs with out much of a program, but like Mr. P, can't really ignore the fact he's doing them cleanly and can rack up some major points with them. I think what really pull the light switch for me was the fact that he had managed to rotate all but one of 26 quad attempts prior to Nationals. That's pretty amazing when you think about it.

 

[karne]

Nathan might be attempting the hardest jump content ever and such, but man oh man I get sick of hearing his name during other skaters. And during times when they should be talking about other skaters. And in every press conference. And in every fluff piece. And in every spare second that the NBC thought they could get away with mentioning his name.

It was like - there are other US men, guys. Chen is not the only one. Can we actually give them some respect please rather than making everything about Chen?

 

[Mrs. P]

Nathan might be attempting the hardest jump content ever and such, but man oh man I get sick of hearing his name during other skaters. And during times when they should be talking about other skaters. And in every press conference. And in every fluff piece. And in every spare second that the NBC thought they could get away with mentioning his name.

It was like - there are other US men, guys. Chen is not the only one. Can we actually give them some respect please rather than making everything about Chen?

Sports folks do this all the time. It's not just in skating. Simone Biles is always mentioned ALL the time in gymnastics competition. Steph Curry get mentioned when other players do 3-pointers. And the extra mentions don't take away from the abilities of the other U.S. men. It's up to the other U.S. men to grab the limelight and command attention.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

After watching the Euros ladies LP, I think we're in deep, deep danger of losing the third spot at the Olympics. The way I see it...

Skaters who will likely beat all Americans: Evgenia, Satoko, Anna, Carolina
Skaters who will likely beat all but Ashley (but could also beat Ashley): Maria/Elena (whoever the third Russian is), Kaetlyn
Skaters who could beat Karen and Mariah: Gabby, the two JPN women, Elizabet

I don't see how Ashley gets into that top 4, so if she's 5th, Karen or Mariah have to beat four of the above women.

 

[begin]

Okay, I've read a posts from lot of folks who would probably criticize Jason for crossing the street too slowly, but this just makes no sense.

"Ugly" jumps? Ugly???

Doesn't have jumps, yes. Doesn't rotate jumps, maybe. But for ugly jumps, there are about 18 skaters in front of Jason (most of them scrunching themselves into ugly positions and throwing themselves into the air to revolve a quad.)

lmao, to coin a phrase (and one I usually scorn because it has no meaning. But I am overcome with the irony gene here )

Lol I don't think Jason has ugly jumps (which is why the comparison throws me off)

 

[Mrs. P]

Lol I don't think Jason has ugly jumps (which is why the comparison throws me off)

Honestly, I didn't take it that way. I thought you were more throwing shade at Joakim! I have to say that free throw during the Pacers game is probably the WORST of all time -- my daughter could have probably done a better shot. (Sorry Tavi, just bad timing with the comparison).

 

[tulosai]

After watching the Euros ladies LP, I think we're in deep, deep danger of losing the third spot at the Olympics. The way I see it...

Skaters who will likely beat all Americans: Evgenia, Satoko, Anna, Carolina
Skaters who will likely beat all but Ashley (but could also beat Ashley): Maria/Elena (whoever the third Russian is), Kaetlyn
Skaters who could beat Karen and Mariah: Gabby, the two JPN women, Elizabet

I don't see how Ashley gets into that top 4, so if she's 5th, Karen or Mariah have to beat four of the above women.

Truth.

 

[Sai Bon]

Yay! An on-topic post.

But yeah, totally lame that the Castelli/Tran couldn't get one assignment since they're silver medalists.

OMG, I just checked the results. I am outraged...for some reason I thought they were 4th!
If only they had one good international result, I guess...

 

[NanaPat]

Yeah... maybe it's cause C/L had that steller SP while C/T had two so-so programs.

So do you think C/L deserved the silver medal? There is an algorithm for combining scores and deciding outcomes, and it isn't "placement in best program". Or are you OK with way medals are awarded but think they can or should be ignored in assigning competitions?

 

[Mrs. P]

So do you think C/L deserved the silver medal? There is an algorithm for combining scores and deciding outcomes, and it isn't "placement in best program". Or are you OK with way medals are awarded but think they can or should be ignored in assigning competitions?

I don't really have a strong opinion about it. I'm just trying to guess reasonably what could have contributed to the decision. The only thing I can think of is that Cain/LeDuc had shown consistent-but-steady progress all season long while Castelli/Tran has sort of been muddling in the same place for a few years.

 

[brightphoton]

Hopefully Tran is on the green card fast track for American citizenship. Or maybe he and Castellini entered the relationship knowing he would not go to the Olympics or at pre-Olympic World's

 

[slider11]

Nothing for Marissa/Mervin; no worlds nor 4CC, in spite of the fact finishing the second??? Oh c'mon. :sarcasm:

I agree! After watching the European pairs I think Marissa and Mervin are the only ones with the potential to come anywhere near to the Europeans! I know the SBS jumps are a problem. But the twists, throws and lifts are getting-to-be magnificent but they need some competitive miles. I can understand 4CCs since everyone is so gah-gah about seeing the Olympic venue but Denny and Frazier and Castelli and Tran are the only 2 pairs that can maintain 2 spots and should be going to Worlds. I'm afraid that the US is doomed to one spot after Worlds.

 

[SnowWhite]

Hopefully Tran is on the green card fast track for American citizenship. Or maybe he and Castellini entered the relationship knowing he would not go to the Olympics or at pre-Olympic World's

To my knowledge, they live and train in Canada so it would be very unlikely that he could get a green card.

 

[CoyoteChris]

To my knowledge, they live and train in Canada so it would be very unlikely that he could get a green card.

Didnt Tanith get special consideration?

 

[CoyoteChris]

........ Castelli/Tran has sort of been muddling in the same place for a few years.

Boy, am I glad YOU said that.....now I dont have to put on my flak jacket.....more than one serious fan at KC said the same thing....

 

[Jammers]

Didnt Tanith get special consideration?

Tanith lived in the US for years before getting citizenship while Mervin lives and trains in Canada.

 

[SnowWhite]

Didnt Tanith get special consideration?

As has been said, it was a different situation. Tanith was training in Detroit at the time, and she wasn't a citizen in time for the 2002 Olympics even though they'd been partners since 1998. She got a special act of Congress to get her citizenship in 2005 for the Olympics, but they were medal contenders who'd been together a lot longer and she'd actually lived in the US for about seven years at that point.

 

[karne]

Didnt Tanith get special consideration?

Wasn't that also because she had already started her citizenship process but a bunch of post-9/11 stuff sort of stranded her in no-man's land?

 

[CoyoteChris]

Lol I don't think Jason has ugly jumps (which is why the comparison throws me off)

ITA.
Did someone call Jason's jumps ugly? Probably didnt happen. But if it did, That wasnt very nice.
Lets see...the commentators at the event dont think Jason's jumps are ugly....I was there and I saw his 3 A right in front of me in warmup and I dont think his jumps are ugly...the crowd likes his jumps....
I would say for a guy with a bad back and stress fractured leg, his jumps are pretty darned good.
Or, in the words of my friend Albert Einstein, "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition ........."
Some of You may not agree that Jason is a great spirit. You may not enjoy his jumps...and that is fine. And you have a right to say that.
Lets play nice. It is fine for someone to say they do not prefer Jason's jumps....to call someone's jumps "ugly" is mean and bullying.
How would you feel if someone called your kid "Ugly"?
Jason fan

 

[CoyoteChris]

Another GS poster said Jason is more like Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs. Nathan Chen could potentially be LeBron, not as far as GOAT (Nathan needs a lot more comps under his belt), but I think their technical-driven styles are similar.

I compared him to Stephen Curry mainly cause of the underdog aspect in his early career, but Steph is two-time MVP and three-point king, now, so I agree Tony Parker is a better example

Actually can find this.

I wrote my analogy first (http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...gure-Skating&p=1564441&viewfull=1#post1564441) and you can see the responses below. (including CDG, which was really good! http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...gure-Skating&p=1564916&viewfull=1#post1564916)

Arrrrgggguuuuhhhhh. Games of the ball Analogies. Jason is Fred Astaire. Nathan is Gene Kelly.