2017-18 State of U.S. Men's Figure Skating

[mrrice]

Honestly, I think Jason and Adam both need to realise the gigantic free kick they've been given here with the way the NHK field has turned out. Max and Vincent wound up together at two of the toughest fields in the competition and Jason and Adam have somehow ended up at the weakest. Their thinking should be to capitalise.

I'm not sure if two bronzes will be enough for Max. But at CoC he did give away some points in the SP and a few in the FS that he admitted to wanting to fix, which could easily boost him up a few numbers (that short clean should be topping 90 for sure).

The wild card in France will be Fernandez. Out of the running but if he skates well could very much mess up everyone else's plans. Max could definitely medal in this field, but it will be hard, hard work.

And then of course there's the question of what the TP will be like in France...



I don't think Adam has a technical advantage going into the free skate at all.

Neither do I. However, I do think that Adam has a better free program than Jason. IMO, it will all come down to the performance. Adam and Jason are judges darlings and when they skate well, they usually get big scores.....I still believe that the US needs big jumpers to keep up with the men at the top of the sport. I think Max and Nathan are the top 2 men right now and it will be a fight for the 3rd spot. Vincent needs to bring it at his next event if he hopes to stay ahead of Jason and Adam.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Neither do I. However, I do think that Adam has a better program than Jason. IMO, it will all come down to the performance. Adam and Jason are judges darlings and when they skate well, they usually get big scores.....I still believe that the US needs big jumpers to keep up with the men at the top of the sport. I think Max and Nathan are the top 2 men right now and it will be a fight for the 3rd spot. Vincent needs to bring it at his next event if he hopes to stay ahead of Jason and Adam.

I don't think Adam is a judges darling whatsoever. That was proven last night once again.:disapp:

 

[mrrice]

I don't think Adam is a judges darling whatsoever. That was proven last night once again.:disapp:

Do you think Adam should have finished ahead of Jason in the SP? I didn't see the event but, their scores are virtually tied. Adam my not be a judges darling but, he does have one of the best free programs from a choreographic standpoint and before his injury, I really thought he was going to beat Jason in the free program and medal at Nationals. I don't think any US Man will catch Nathan but after Max, there's no other skater that seems to be a lock for the final spot.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Do you think Adam should have finished ahead of Jason in the SP? I didn't see the event but, their scores are virtually tied. Adam my not a judges darling but, he does have one of the best free programs from choreographic standpoint and before his injury, I really thought he was going to win the free program with it. It won't be long before we see the results.

I have no doubts that he has the best LP because I've been saying so since he got it in 2016. And yes he got ripped off in the SP especially in PCS.

 

[andromache]

I'm not sure if two bronzes will be enough for Max. But at CoC he did give away some points in the SP and a few in the FS that he admitted to wanting to fix, which could easily boost him up a few numbers (that short clean should be topping 90 for sure).

The wild card in France will be Fernandez. Out of the running but if he skates well could very much mess up everyone else's plans. Max could definitely medal in this field, but it will be hard, hard work.

And then of course there's the question of what the TP will be like in France...



I don't think Adam has a technical advantage going into the free skate at all.

Two bronzes was enough for Adam last season, so I am kind of just assuming that two bronzes will be enough in a GP field that is depleted of 3 favorites (PChan, Hanyu, Javi).

I would loooooooooooove for Javier to do well in France. I'm a Javi fan. I can't help it. At the same time, I don't want him to possibly take Max or someone else I like out of the GPF. We'll see. IMO, better to take yourself out of the running for GPF than to bomb twice and not make it by default, especially in an Olympic year. That said, Javier is a little like Carolina - a non-Russian, sole European darling who will be rewarded when the time comes if he earns it (and sometimes even if he doesn't) - so bombing again in France won't hurt his Olympic medal hopes. (Gosh, I want him to win an Olympic medal of any color more than anything. SPAIN!!!! FIGURE SKATING!!!! It will be tragic if he doesn't).

Anyway, re: Adam - his skating skills are simply inadequate in comparison to many of the top men. His choreography and interpretation are TOP NOTCH, better than many of the top men - but the skating skills aren't there. I would consider Jason to be not quite as good (or not as to my taste, though I love him) as Adam in regards to choreography and interpretation, but he is now head and shoulders above Adam in skating skills.

Technically, they are the same. Beautiful-looking jumps and spins, none of which are quads.

 

[SnowWhite]

Oh, sorry. Not only that, but I intended to quote the post of "Ask," instead of yours. I can't seem to keep my Russian superstar ladies straight on this thread.

What could possibly be confusing about Russian ladies in the US Men's thread?

 

[karne]

I don't think Adam is a judges darling whatsoever. That was proven last night once again.:disapp:

I thought the PCS score was rather generous, considering.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I thought the PCS score was rather generous, considering.

of course.

 

[karne]

of course.

 

[Seren]

I won't lie, I love Jason. I dont love Adam's skating in the same way. But they are both so talented and I really hope they both have clean skates tomorrow. They are the types of skaters who mesmerize you to the point you don't care about scores.

I disagree that Max is any sort of a lock. He still lacks consistency. Let's see how he builds towards Nationals, but he is definitely in the mix which is a pretty good place to be right now.

 

[shine]

Adam's artistry is sort of overrated. He's more flamboyant than actually artistic to me.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Adam's artistry is sort of overrated. He's more flamboyant than actually artistic to me.

In his current SP yes, but his other programs no.

 

[rabbit1234]

2017-2018
BV（SP+FP)
153.56 ： Vincent ZHOU ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
149.85 ： Nathan CHEN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
141.02 ： Vincent ZHOU ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
136.13 ： Max AARON ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
134.33 ： Max AARON ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
124.82 ： Nathan CHEN ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
119.81 ： Adam RIPPON ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
116.67 ： Adam RIPPON ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
111.84 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP 2017 Skate Canada International
108.77 ： Jason BROWN ： 10th Lombardia Trophy 2017
106.24 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
105.71 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
105.70 ： Alexander JOHNSON ： ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2017
104.67 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： 25th Ondrej Nepela Trophy
104.19 ： Ross MINER ： 2017 Autumn Classic International
104.16 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
97.91 ： Timothy DOLENSKY ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
97.80 ： Ross MINER ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
93.62 ： Sean RABBITT ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic

TES(SP+FP）
162.42 ： Nathan CHEN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
148.01 ： Vincent ZHOU ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
143.31 ： Max AARON ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
142.64 ： Nathan CHEN ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
141.10 ： Max AARON ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
138.61 ： Vincent ZHOU ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
134.62 ： Adam RIPPON ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
126.41 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP 2017 Skate Canada International
124.33 ： Jason BROWN ： 10th Lombardia Trophy 2017
123.79 ： Adam RIPPON ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
113.31 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
112.74 ： Ross MINER ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
112.55 ： Alexander JOHNSON ： ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2017
106.51 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
105.91 ： Ross MINER ： 2017 Autumn Classic International
104.77 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： 25th Ondrej Nepela Trophy
102.29 ： Timothy DOLENSKY ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
98.26 ： Sean RABBITT ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
97.44 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017

PCS(SP+FP）
136.55 ： Jason BROWN ： 10th Lombardia Trophy 2017
135.73 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP 2017 Skate Canada International
134.64 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
132.40 ： Nathan CHEN ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
131.37 ： Nathan CHEN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
127.37 ： Adam RIPPON ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
127.09 ： Adam RIPPON ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
120.98 ： Ross MINER ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
118.59 ： Max AARON ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
118.25 ： Max AARON ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
115.05 ： Ross MINER ： 2017 Autumn Classic International
114.75 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： 25th Ondrej Nepela Trophy
114.65 ： Timothy DOLENSKY ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
113.49 ： Alexander JOHNSON ： ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2017
111.65 ： Vincent ZHOU ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
111.65 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
111.40 ： Vincent ZHOU ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
110.93 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
107.20 ： Sean RABBITT ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic

Total
293.79 ： Nathan CHEN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
275.04 ： Nathan CHEN ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
261.99 ： Adam RIPPON ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
261.56 ： Max AARON ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
261.14 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP 2017 Skate Canada International
259.88 ： Jason BROWN ： 10th Lombardia Trophy 2017
259.69 ： Max AARON ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
256.66 ： Vincent ZHOU ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
250.01 ： Vincent ZHOU ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
249.88 ： Adam RIPPON ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
245.95 ： Jason BROWN ： ISU GP NHK Trophy 2017
233.72 ： Ross MINER ： Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2017
226.04 ： Alexander JOHNSON ： ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2017
219.96 ： Ross MINER ： 2017 Autumn Classic International
217.52 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： 25th Ondrej Nepela Trophy
216.44 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2017
214.94 ： Timothy DOLENSKY ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic
206.09 ： Grant HOCHSTEIN ： ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2017
204.46 ： Sean RABBITT ： 2017 US International Figure Skating Classic

 

[andromache]

Welp I must have jinxed Jason.

I was really thinking of him as a lock for the Olympic team in my head, but that LP was uncharacteristically messy, and his 3A has become a pretty big problem in comparison to the past few seasons.

 

[Mrs. P]

Welp I must have jinxed Jason.

I was really thinking of him as a lock for the Olympic team in my head, but that LP was uncharacteristically messy, and his 3A has become a pretty big problem in comparison to the past few seasons.

That's why I never say anything was a given. And NHK for whatever reason really is not his competition. I wonder how much not having Yuzu there and suddenly being the lead contender messed with his head. He's got to get over that, of course. But yeah, his stock's gone down quite a bit and figuring out who is going to be on the Olympic team (other than Nathan) remains a mystery.

All that said, Jason does tend to bounce back from terrible competitions and peak at the right time. So we see. And crazy enough, given the unpredictable nature of the men, I think mathematically he still has a small chance of qualifying for GPF.

 

[concorde]

I don't think Adam has a technical advantage going into the free skate at all.

I guess I am in the minority that has more confidence in seeing a quad from Adam than a quad from Jason.

 

[Mrs. P]

I guess I am in the minority that has more confidence in seeing a quad from Adam than a quad from Jason.

Technically Adam does have a few ratified quads (a few 4T with -GOE back in the 2013-2014 season and his 4T from Trophee de France last year) vs none for Jason.

 

[sheetz]

The race for the Olympic spots is getting exciting! Impressed with Adam's performance today. He now has the 2nd highest SB behind Nathan.

Not sure what was up with Jason. Might have been the pressure of suddenly being the favorite and possibly qualifying for GPF. Max and Vincent must be smelling blood. Can't wait to see how they respond next week.

 

[Seren]

Yeah, it's all too early to tell. I guess the only good thing about how heartbreaking this is all going to be is that some of these skaters won't retire after these Olympics. Whether or not Jason makes the team he still has so much potential to keep growing as an artist and technician.

 

[yelyoh]

I guess I am in the minority that has more confidence in seeing a quad from Adam than a quad from Jason.

You are not as far as I'm concerned. I would put my money on Adam before Jason.