Well, to me at least, not having a quad seems shouldn't hurt the "complete package" concept because quad is such a prestigeous element and represents the pinnacle of the technical abilities. But not having a 3A seems a lot to missing in a "complete package". I don't know. If anyone really insists it is still a "complete package" without 3A, be it. It's just a word game and affects nothing.
By the way, I think Joshua Farris does have his own style in skating. Maybe it's not that kind of in your face style and hair which make him stands out. But he does have it. Particularly his use of his wrists made his skating different from others.
ITA. And I like Jason and I apologize to his ubers for saying this, but at this point, I think Josh is the better skater and closer to being the full package than Jason. Everyone might not appreciate his artistry, but he IS an artistic skater, in addition to being flexible, elegant, a very good spinner, and a solid technician who has a 3a (and quite a nice one at that) in his arsenal already. He's also been training the quad for two seasons now, and we saw at nationals it's pretty close. I know some complain that he is boring or balletic, but since leaving Tom Z, he has come a LONG way artistically. Compare his last season programs to this season's and you'll see what I mean, he almost looks like a completely different skater, one who incorporates a whole lot more emotion, expression, and tension into his skating. I see what some people say regarding Josh needing more power, but I believe that will come in time, and already he has become stronger than before since he's started to fill out through the shoulders this season and look more "manly" on the ice. For me, all this kid really needs to go places on the senior ranks is more power, and then a consistent quad would help too. Plus he's so young, everyone keeps saying that about Jason, but Josh is even one month younger and has been jumping 3a since he was 14, so he can afford to really work on strength and getting that 4t consistent now, and those are really just extra things to make his skating even better, because everything else is so solid already.
I mean, Rippon is US #2 right now, and Josh has a lot of the same strengths as Adam along with a much better 3a. And actually, the PCS Josh got at JW are already close to what Rippon gets internationally, same goes for Miner. Further, Dornbush and Mahbanoozadeh, both are who well below Josh on the SB list, on average, actually got lower PCS internationally this season than Josh did on the junior ranks. I think as early as next season, maybe the season after, who is man number 2 in the US will come down to who among Rippon, Miner, Dornbush, and Farris gets a consistent quad first, in addition to being a good/consistent competitor. Mahbanoozadeh could be in the mix too if he continues to improve under Christy Krall, but currently he doesn't get much love from the international judges so it might be harder for him. If Jason can get a consistent 3a, I will add him to this list as well, but when I say consistent 3a, I mean dependably landing/rotating one in his SP and two in his FS on a regular basis, and trying for that every time out, because as special a skater as he is, if he's going to keep up with other men going for three 3as and one or two quads between their two programs, he'll need to at least be trying for three 3as.
