Readers' Choice -- Which U.S. skater had the best season?

[Tonichelle]

alright I'll bite - I chose Johnny for the simple fact that he'd been counted out by so many including himself. Is he the perfect skater? No. Is he my personal favorite? Far from it. But I cannot deny that he had a season he can be proud of and he has 'comeback' from a couple of crappy seasons. He worked hard for everything he got this year, and he deserves to be acknowledged for it.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

^
Your argument is lame, imo, but it is much better than just giving a name which can easily be interpreted as a favorite.

Rachaeil worked extremely hard I would imagine to win over the two who were so talked about. But I realize that not every fan has access to watching Juniors and so it is understandable that for some fans, Juniors are not considered.

btw. Johnny deserved every bit of his bronze medal and his silver at Nationals will always be remembered as controversial.

Joe

 

[Nigel]

Hard to choose between Mirai and Johnny, but since Mirai won Senior Nationals her first year as a Senior (with a record breaking SP score) and then went on to win a silver medal at Jr. Worlds, I say she gets it! :agree:

Mirai took the bronze medal at Jr Worlds, not silver. It was Flatt, Zhang then Nagasu.

 

[Angelluv]

What was special about Johnny's season was that he was able to conquer his inner demons and rise above. IMO, that's special! He went from being a complete train wreck to a more confident skater and individual and was awarded two GP golds, a silver at NAts and then the World bronze medal. Adam Rippon emerged as a different skater--more consistent and then backed up his consistency with medal winninng performances.

 

[Tonichelle]

Rachel is a senior (and yes I realize she also skates the junior circut - and even if I can't watch it until someone posts it on youtube she had a good season) and I watched her skate as a Novice in Portland. I don't have to agree to have an opinion 'lame' or not.

Rachel is a good skater, to me I don't get much out of watching her skate. She did very well at nationals which is something I pretty figured would happen. For me Johnny's semi-comeback story was the bigger deal for me. It's no secret that I was cheering for the 'other guy' this season (and every season lol) but Johnny touched me at nationals especially when he broke down in his final spin (the one that cost him the title).

That and he did a total 180 in attitude, and he and Evan both handled the judging 'controversy' at nationals with a lot more grace than a lot of people figured they would.

Is Johnny the only one worthy of it? Probably not, he's just my choice. lame or not it's mine.

ETA - following an earlier formula. Here and on other boards Johnny Weir was pretty much deemed less likely to take a title or even give Evan a run for his money come nationals and certainly worlds. Yes, his fans thought otherwise - and some of us who basically said we hoped he could pull it together, but for the most part he wasn't really in the running. More people were excited about Jeremey and Steven (which they weren't wrong in thinking that, they're great skaters as well!) than Johnny who people just didn't know what he'd do.

Then he had a good Grand Prix, and came to Nationals pretty prepared. He didn't LOSE to Evan, he TIED Evan and the CoP chose who won, and IIRC the judges were booed for that decision I even joined in. Evan just didn't skate the best he could, and yet he was rewarded as if he had. That set aside both he and Johnny took it with a fair amount of grace and so it didn't have the same stigma as a lot of other controversial moments in skating.

At Worlds it was again thought Johnny didn't have an ice cube's chance in you know where to come anywhere near the top, and he proved the naysayers wrong again. He wasn't the top pick and people were lamenting that the US wouldn't be able to hold on to 3 spots without Evan... Johnny delivered. I don't think a gold medal at any level of competition is a requirement for a fun little poll. This isn't deciding a champion, it's a 'reader's choice' a popularity contest if you will (why did Michelle win every year? it's not like she defied odds year after year)

 

[werelump]

Johnny brought home the only US medal, his first World's medal, when most people did not expect him to bring home a medal at all. He had a surprising turnaround season when people counted him out, tied in the US Championship with Evan with a performance that many people thought was perhaps more deserving of the gold. His only real falter was the GPF where he had an injury and had uncharacteristic falls after fall in practice.

In addition to having a good season and regaining his consistency, he also dealt with the issues he had in the past:

1. The Quad Issue. His quad was not ready, but he threw it in anyway. That's not a smart move, IMO, but it's something he gets frequently criticized for.
2. His issue with his nerves became more evident as the season progressed, as the pressure increased and with the addition of the quad to his program, but he managed to remain clean regardless.
3. At GPF 2007, he had an injury and he had a fall in both programs. In previous seasons he might have given up mid-program after the falls but with the exception of the falls he was otherwise smooth.

It was a season of growth and redemption for him. IMO, these reasons are no more lame than voting for Rachael because, "She was the least favorite among the favorite Americans to win that competition - but she did" in addition to her J. World's medal.

If we are going to go on purely the color of medals on who had the "best season", why not vote for Adam Rippon? Who, with the exception of one silver medal, walked away with the gold in everything else and with a mature program and solid execution that put him at a different level than the rest of his junior peers.

People are going to vote for 1) Who had a good season and 2) Who they would like the see win.

I did throw in a vote for Mirai too. My reasons being that she got the gold in everything but the Junior World Championships, she is one of our youngest US Champions, she also came away with the bronze-- I think nerves held her back from the gold/silver-- in Junior World's which is in itself quite good. She's also one of my favorite ladies so of course I wouldn't mind seeing her winning.

 

[Tonichelle]

you said it better than I did, werelump!

 

[Mathman]

By the numbers...

Well, the only way to settle it “scientifically and objectively” is with a “code of points.”

Worlds = 13 points – your placement
Four Continents = 7 points – your placement (none of the top contenders for this award competed at 4Cs this year.)
GP Final = 6 points – your placement (might seem low compared to 4C’s, but you already have points from your individual events just to get there.)
Individual GP event = 4 points – your placement
U.S. Nationals = 7 points – your placement (this is a U.S. contest, after all )

So the maximum you can get is 35.

Juniors: 60% of seniors (I would have said 50%, but juniors can’t get points for 4C’s.)

Men.

Weir: 10 + 0 + 2 + 6 + 5 = 23
Rippon: 12* + 0 + 5* + 5* + 6* = 16.8

Ladies.

Nagasu: 10* + 0 + 5* + 6* + 6 = 18.6
Flatt: 12* + 0 + 4* + 5* + 5 = 17.6
Zhang: 11* + 0 + 2 + 3 + 3 = 14.6

Dance.

Belbin and Agosto (last year’s winner of this award): 9 + 0 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 25
Samuelson and Bates: 12* + 0 + 4* + 6* + 3 = 16.2

Pairs: MacLaughlin and Brubaker did not complete at worlds; no pairs team is really in the running.

Synchro: The Haydenetts (former winner of this prize, tied with Sasha Cohen) won U.S. nationals and finished fifth at worlds. I’m not sure how to rate this discipline. (However, if all the family and friends of all the synchro teams out there all vote, synchro may have an advantage in this “readers’ choice” format. :yes: )

So there you go. By the numbers, in spite of evereything, it’s Belbin and Agosto!

 

[demarinis5]

So there you go. By the numbers, in spite of evereything, it’s Belbin and Agosto!

You won't hear any complaints from me if B/A repeat again this year. :thumbsup:

 

[discoduck]

What Johnny did this year was something that a lot of people never find the will to do. He reached within himself and found he spark he used to have and brought it back. I make no secret about the fact that I am a huge Johnny fan but even I was worried about him since the Olympics. He lost the fire that I saw in Atlanta in 2004 and I was afraid that it would never come back.

He tried to be what everyone wanted him to be last year and it didn't work. This year he made changes, he went back to his own unique style and he showed the world what he could do. He deserved to win outright in St. Paul, I'll always say that and so many people thought that we were doomed when Evan pulled out of Worlds. Johnny proved them all wrong, he went out there and skated like a champion and won a bronze medal..the ONLY medal we won in Goteburg, I might add.

Johnny is a fighter, he beat the odds, he proved the naysayers wrong and for that he gets my vote.

 

[Tonichelle]

Tanith and Ben are a good bet to win the popularity vote, but they didn't have as stellar a season as they wanted, but I don't feel it was really their fault...

 

[Mathman]

In contests like this, I think voters appreciate skaters who exceed everyone's expectations.

I don't think Belbin and Agosto will win the popular vote, because, although they won the U.S. championship again and did well in the Grand Prix -- still, with Domnina and Shabulin out they were expected to win the world championship, and they didn't.

Johnny Weir, on the other hand, was expected to continue his slow fade from the top ranks, and he jumped up and surprised everyone.

I think it will be between Johnny and Mirai and Rachael.

 

[Tonichelle]

yes but Tanith and Ben have sex appeal

 

[fairly4]

regarding mirai and rachel flatt voters, good job . yes based on their wins, but was they wins correct, no--why the judges didn't mark off for their underrotation, wrong edge takeoff, would have the outcome been different maybe but we don't know.

did i vote for them no-not because i didn't feel they deserve it but because it was Handed to them.

 

[Mathman]

regarding mirai and rachel flatt voters, good job . yes based on their wins, but was they wins correct, no--why the judges didn't mark off for their underrotation, wrong edge takeoff, would have the outcome been different maybe but we don't know.

Oh, I wouldn’t say so at all.

In the Junior Grand Prix Final, Rachael Flatt’s 3Lz+3T combination was both downgraded and hit with an edge call. It cost her second place, to an error-free but easier program by Yuki Nishino.

In the long program, Mirai Nagasu received downgrades for underrotation on both her triple flip and her triple toe. This cost her first place in the long, but she still won overall because of her lead in the short program.

At Junior Worlds, Rachael also received an edge call on her triple Lutz, while Mirai had two downgrades (triple flip and triple Lutz), and two edge calls (her solo triple Lutz and her triple Lutz attempt in combination).

Despite being properly marked down for these errors, Rachael and Mirai won these events handily for the simple reason that they were light years ahead of everyone else in the competiton (except for Caroline Zhang at Junior Worlds, who also received two edge calls on her Lutzes). At Junior Worlds, even after all the deductions, Mirai still finished 20 points (and Rachael, 30 points) ahead of their closest challenger, Jenni Vahamaa.

 

[Dee4707]

My vote went to Johnny, I was so proud of him this year.

Dee

 

[chuckm]

In the Junior Grand Prix Final, Rachael Flatt’s 3Lz+3T combination was both downgraded and hit with an edge call. It cost her second place, to an error-free but easier program by Yuki Nishino.
.

That was in the JGPF SP. Rachael won the JGPF FS, where her 3Z+3T was ratified, and she received no edge calls on either of her lutzes. She beat Mirai in the FS by almost 5 points because Mirai's 3F and 3T were UR and her flip combo was only 3F+1T.

Rachael's FSs at the JGPF, Nationals and JW were all clean and beautifully skated. I think that in itself is extraordinary. Few skaters achieve one clean FS per season, let alone three.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

That was in the JGPF SP. Rachael won the JGPF FS, where her 3Z+3T was ratified, and she received no edge calls on either of her lutzes. She beat Mirai in the FS by almost 5 points because Mirai's 3F and 3T were UR and her flip combo was only 3F+1T.

Rachael's FSs at the JGPF, Nationals and JW were all clean and beautifully skated. I think that in itself is extraordinary. Few skaters achieve one clean FS per season, let alone three.

Very true, but fans prefer their favorites.

Joe

 

[Tonichelle]

I voted for Johnny.. and he's not a favorite...

 

[Kwanford Wife]

regarding mirai and rachel flatt voters, good job . yes based on their wins, but was they wins correct, no--why the judges didn't mark off for their underrotation, wrong edge takeoff, would have the outcome been different maybe but we don't know.

did i vote for them no-not because i didn't feel they deserve it but because it was Handed to them.

While I might agree with you on the technical side, I totally disagree about "deserve" portion...

For one: it doesn't really hit the spirit of the contest - this is about the skaters; not disagreeing with the judges.

Secondly: in terms of having a best / great season both of these young ladies skated their hearts out and have great success. Along with Caroline (who I love...) and Ashley (who I'm not feelin just yet...) I feel very positive about the future of US ladies skating - something I wasn't too sure about six months ago

Its borderline mean spirited to knock them for technical issues when you can see the potential for greatness... these aren't seasoned vets who continue to display poor technique and still win - these are up & comers who proved that sometimes the hype is actually based in talent. For that alone, they deserve the votes (and medals...) they receive.

As for my vote - Johnny Weir hands down. I love it when an athlete pulls themselves together and demands their due. Its been simply awesome to watch Johnny this year and I wish only the best for him leading up to Vancouver.