Ryan Bradley to compete in Nationals?

[Blades of Passion]

Bradley is my #1 hope to win Nationals (if he has come up with good programs this year). He really deserves that moment for the length of time he has been in the sport, his showmanship, and the way he has been trying to push the technical side of the sport with the Quads.

 

[Nadine]

I was delighted when I read about this earlier today, and it immediately brought to mind Rudy Galindo, whom became the second oldest American male singles skater to win Nationals in 1996, at 26 yrs. of age!

It's good to remember that age is only a number, it is the mind that matters the most, if you believe you can do it you will. For example, Evgeni Plushenko won the Olympic Silver Medal at 27 yrs. of age despite some saying he was too old, washed up, et al. The same goes for Maria Butyrskaya, whom became the second oldest woman in history to win Worlds in 1999, and she became the oldest woman in history to win Europeans in 2002 at age 29! :thumbsup:

Back to comparisons to Rudy Galindo, he too was coached & accompanied to Nationals by his sister, and now Ryan will be too. Likewise, both he & Rudy's first names begin with "R" and have 4-letters in them, as well their last names contain 7-letters. Lol, you can see how I can get carried away!

On a more serious note, Ryan has been humbled, now I feel & hope it is his time to rise. If 28 yr. old Evgeni Plushenko can still land quads & triple axels galore, which he just recently did in the last 30 days in exhibition, then so can 27 yr. old Ryan Bradley!


GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO RYAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! arty:

 

[iluvtodd]

Great news! Looking forward to seeing Ryan at Nationals!

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Bradley is my #1 hope to win Nationals (if he has come up with good programs this year). He really deserves that moment for the length of time he has been in the sport, his showmanship, and the way he has been trying to push the technical side of the sport with the Quads.

I thought you really liked Abbott - in a discussion about the men prior to the season, you were rooting for him, Kozuka and Takahashi to make up the Worlds podium.

 

[dorispulaski]

Lately, winning US Nationals in the men's division has not insured finishing the highest of the US team at Worlds--case in point, Jeremy Abbott. So it's not inconsistent to hope for Ryan to win at Nats and for Jeremy to be on the podium at Nationals--in fact, Todd Eldredge's only World Championship was won after getting trounced by Rudy Galindo at US Nationals. For that matter, Evan's gold Olympic medal and World Championship were won after getting beaten Jeremy at Nationals...

 

[Bluebonnet]

^^ Oh, joy! I hope you're right. Let Bradley win Nationals and Abbott win the world title. Everybody's happy.

 

[pangtongfan]

LOL at some people even imagining Abbott to win Worlds. I mean I guess if Chan has 8 falls and all the Japanese men have 5 falls it could happen.

 

[Layfan]

Lately, winning US Nationals in the men's division has not insured finishing the highest of the US team at Worlds--case in point, Jeremy Abbott. So it's not inconsistent to hope for Ryan to win at Nats and for Jeremy to be on the podium at Nationals--in fact, Todd Eldredge's only World Championship was won after getting trounced by Rudy Galindo at US Nationals. For that matter, Evan's gold Olympic medal and World Championship were won after getting beaten Jeremy at Nationals...

^That's true. If Ryan finally won a nationals and Jeremy finally medals at worlds that would spread the love pretty evenly. :thumbsup:

 

[Bluebonnet]

In reality, I don't. Imagination should be allowed. However, Abbott on the podium is possible.

 

[pangtongfan]

Abbott didnt even make the Grand Prix final this year. To even hope for a bronze at Worlds he has to step it up in a huge way from what he has shown this season. He needs to:

-Start doing the quad again, probably in both programs now. He is the underdog to alot of men and doesnt have a big rep at the World level so nothing less will do if he hopes for a medal.

-Start skating alot faster than he has so far this season.

-Improve his spins alot from what they were on the grand prix this season.

-Skate completely clean programs or if he makes a mistake be very clean and secure on all his completed elements. Not look shaky and tenative on many of his moves like so far this season.

 

[Bluebonnet]

The way the top four skaters skated, I believe only Chan is a lock on the podium. While Kozuka, Takahashi, and Oda have much greater chance of holding on top four, there always is a chance that they falter in one of those competitions (not that I wished anything bad to happen to them). None of top four skaters is consistent enough in their career. There is no skaters consistent enough this year. So the possibilities are endless. I wouldn't even dare to predict.

Regarding to Abbott didn't make GPF, I don't think that was a big deal. If you compare the actual scores of the skaters who made GPF last year, Abbott's scores were much higher. I know that they were in different seasons and different competitions, but a big leap in scores makes them considerable.

Sorry, OTed.

Back to Bradley. Wish him to have a great National showing!

 

[pangtongfan]

Chan is a lock for gold at Worlds this year irregardless how many falls he has. Kozuka, Oda, and Takahashi have by far the best chances of the silver and bronze. Abbott to beat 2 of those 3 along with all other challengers (Verner, Joubert, etc..) would need to skate almost perfectly and need 2 of those 3 to make several huge errors, in addition to improving his overall skating from what it was on the grand prix circuit in all the areas I mentioned. All that plus his own history of inconsistency at the international level and that he isnt a judges favorite outside the U.S means it is a real long shot for him to get on the podium at Worlds this year. Not impossible I suppose but it would take alot of things happening.

Back to Bradley I dont think he can win Nationals this year. I think if he even got 3rd (or even 2nd) and made the World team it would be a huge victory for him and imagine that is his goal.

 

[silverlake22]

Chan is a lock for gold at Worlds this year irregardless how many falls he has. Kozuka, Oda, and Takahashi have by far the best chances of the silver and bronze. Abbott to beat 2 of those 3 along with all other challengers (Verner, Joubert, etc..) would need to skate almost perfectly and need 2 of those 3 to make several huge errors, in addition to improving his overall skating from what it was on the grand prix circuit in all the areas I mentioned. All that plus his own history of inconsistency at the international level and that he isnt a judges favorite outside the U.S means it is a real long shot for him to get on the podium at Worlds this year. Not impossible I suppose but it would take alot of things happening.

Back to Bradley I dont think he can win Nationals this year. I think if he even got 3rd (or even 2nd) and made the World team it would be a huge victory for him and imagine that is his goal.

Takahashi and Oda aren't immune to bombing. Takahashi especially hasn't skated that well all season so I think Abbott could definitely beat him at Worlds and medal if Takahashi skated like he did at the GPF. Oda doesn't have a PCS advantage to Jeremy so just a few mistakes could allow Abbott to pull ahead. Plus if Chan has multiple wipe outs he won't win gold, maybe silver or bronze if he's lucky.

 

[pangtongfan]

Takahashi and Oda aren't immune to bombing. Takahashi especially hasn't skated that well all season so I think Abbott could definitely beat him at Worlds and medal if Takahashi skated like he did at the GPF. Oda doesn't have a PCS advantage to Jeremy so just a few mistakes could allow Abbott to pull ahead. Plus if Chan has multiple wipe outs he won't win gold, maybe silver or bronze if he's lucky.

But if Takahashi and Oda do bomb then Abbott would still have to skate great to take advantage which he isnt prone to doing in big international meets.

And lets get real here about Chan, he has atleast a 5 fall advantage on the field, like it or not.

 

[Bluebonnet]

And lets get real here about Chan, he has atleast a 5 fall advantage on the field, like it or not.

If we get real, I see there is no possibilities of having a 5 fall or even 4 fall world champion. SC was enough for the judges to sit on cold benches. If they gave Chan a world title with 5 or 4 falls, the skating world would be boiled. It would be even more scandalous than a quadless OGM. Next year, the scoring system would be changed again accordingly.

Sorry, Bradley!

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Chan is a lock for gold at Worlds this year irregardless how many falls he has. Kozuka, Oda, and Takahashi have by far the best chances of the silver and bronze.

Irregardless is not a word. Regardless is the word you should use here. If the choice was between banning irregardless from use vs banning ten fall performances from winning a medal, I would choose the former such a pet peeve it is for me.

 

[blue_idealist]

Wait, Bradley is going now? Awesome! I thought I didn't see him on the entries list though, last week

 

[Tonichelle]

well, so much for the Ryan love fest :sheesh: some people ruin all the fun...

Nadine - I like your thinking.

 

[Layfan]

^ Did you mean Silverlake?

Anyway ... Ryan Bradley deciding to be there had increased my interest in the men's event this year about seven-fold.

 

[Tonichelle]

^ Did you mean Silverlake?

I wasn't talking about one specific anyone... just bummed the conversation went to Abbott...