2016-2017 State of U.S. Men Figure Skating

da96103 · Dec 16, 2016

HanDomi said:
Hanyu is going to 4CC this year

4CC next year is the Non-European Olympic. So everyone must go.

karne · Dec 16, 2016

Getting the discussion back on track to US men...

Adorable Max article on IceNetwork!

(tl;dr: He's never been to New York, his taste in celebrity women is appalling, he remains entirely self-critical.)

Favourite bits:

He also hopes to celebrate Hanukkah with friendly rival Jason Brown.

"I think Jason will be around...maybe we can do something together," Aaron said. "We're the only two Jewish people at the Olympic training site. There were two (Jewish) interns this semester, but they are leaving this Friday, so now it's just us."

Aaron's thoughts are occupied by his new short program, choreographed by Phillip Mills to "La Virgen de la Macarena" ("The Bullfighter's Song"). He may perform the program at Brookfield Place on Sunday.

"I've been struggling with the ("Nessun Dorma") short all season," Aaron admitted. "It was time to take a different approach, play a different character, and that's what we did."

"I did what I usually do: came up with a bunch of options, went on the ice and skated to them. Something about this (music) stood out to me, and I took on the role very quickly. Now we're in the phase of designing the costume. I have a really neat idea for it, but I can't say it yet because it might not come true."

After Cup of China in late November, Mills flew to Colorado Springs and choreographed the new program in a day and a half.

"I told him, 'I just want you to be who you are. You're strong, you're fast, you're powerful -- let's trade on those three assets in your skating'," Mills said. "I thought it was a great idea he had. I did it as a very strict, classic paso doble. It's all there: the Spanish port de bras (arm carriage), the stomping and clapping."

"This season has been horrendous with the spinning, and it's really embarrassing," he said. "I need all Level 4s and better GOEs (Grades of Execution). I have a lesson (with Janet Champion) every single day now, as opposed to two times a week. I feel more confident. I've watched a lot of tape, and the spins look a lot better, more appealing to the eye."

The 2013 U.S. champion, who usually kicks off the season in high gear, felt like he was playing catch-up this fall after undergoing hernia surgery in late May.

"I didn't want to talk about it because I didn't want anyone to say, 'Oh, it's OK, you had surgery.' I had it and I needed it, and let's move on from there," he said. "But I didn't know how difficult it was going to be to get the core muscles engaged again, get everything firing again. It took a little longer than I expected, and it spilled over into the season."

How could anyone read an article like this and dislike him?

apgold · Dec 16, 2016

Great article. Planning to see the show on Sunday, and would love to see Max skate his new program.

karne · Dec 16, 2016

apgold said:
Great article. Planning to see the show on Sunday, and would love to see Max skate his new program.

You're going?! I am so jealous right now.

apgold · Dec 16, 2016

karne said:
You're going?! I am so jealous right now.

I live about a 10 minute walk from the rink, so yeah! Hoping the rain will end by the time the show starts. Will take video of course!

karne · Dec 16, 2016

apgold said:
I live about a 10 minute walk from the rink, so yeah! Hoping the rain will end by the time the show starts. Will take video of course!

But please make sure you don't jeapordise your own enjoyment of the show just to take video! :luv17: :agree2:

Princessroja · Dec 16, 2016

That article about Max... :luv17: I thought it was a really well-written article and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing his new program. Mostly I read it and thought, "Dude, give yourself a break! You just had surgery on your spine and are disappointed with two bronze medals?" :laugh:

Of course I can understand the sentiment, since I'm sure he hoped for more, but spine surgery's no joke and I'm just glad that he's feeling back to normal.

karne · Dec 17, 2016

It was hernia surgery - so likely to be in his abdomen, not his spine. It does explain a lot, but as always, of course, he refuses to use it as an excuse. :laugh:

Princessroja · Dec 17, 2016

Oh duh, you're right! I was thinking herniated disc

frida80 · Jan 3, 2017

Aw! Vincent Zhou landed his quad flip!

https://instagram.com/p/BOzxldJg8wA/

Crossover · Jan 3, 2017

frida80 said:
Aw! Vincent Zhou landed his quad flip!

https://instagram.com/p/BOzxldJg8wA/

Great! As good as Nathan's 4Flip. The U.S. men move forward rapidly to keep up with the current trend in the new quad era.

Tahuu · Jan 3, 2017

Crossover said:
Great! As good as Nathan's 4Flip. The U.S. men move forward rapidly to keep up with the current trend in the new quad era.

With Nathan's 4T, 4S, 4F and 4Lz, Vincent's 4S, 4F and 4Lz, Adam's 4T and 4Lz, Andrew's 4T and 4S, Max's 4S and Jason's 4T, if all clean it would be a spectacular senior men's competition at Nationals.

ice coverage · Jan 3, 2017

frida80 said:
Aw! Vincent Zhou landed his quad flip!

https://instagram.com/p/BOzxldJg8wA/

Congrats to Vincent :bow:

.

Interestingly, Tom Z shot the video ... suggesting that Vincent still is on a long-ish visit to Colorado Springs. Vincent has been there since before Christmas (unless he's on his second trip within a couple of weeks).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOzwsFCAlol/?taken-by=govincentzhou (Jan 3)

Alex Johnson has been visiting Colorado Springs as well. Torgashev trained in Colorado Springs for a week before Christmas.
Altitude training would be one reason, I assume.

Dolensky has been training with Team Cain in Dallas for quite a few days.

As mentioned elsewhere, Nathan visited Canton again.

Nathan and Jason (separately) visited Jackson Ultima in Waterloo.

... And that's everything I can think of for today's travel report :laugh:

.

Tahuu said:
With Nathan's 4T, 4S, 4F and 4Lz, Vincent's 4S, 4F and 4Lz, Adam's 4T and 4Lz, Andrew's 4T and 4S, Max's 4S and Jason's 4T, if all clean it would be a spectacular senior men's competition at Nationals.

If we're envisioning every potential quad attempt in KC, then Tim, Tomoki, Grant, Ross, Alex, Jordan belong on the list too. I'm not sure who else.

Possible that Max will be adding a 4T.

Tahuu · Jan 3, 2017

ice coverage said:
Congrats to Vincent .

Interestingly, Tom Z shot the video ... suggesting that Vincent still is on a long-ish visit to Colorado Springs. Vincent has been there since before Christmas (unless he's on his second trip within a couple of weeks).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOzwsFCAlol/?taken-by=govincentzhou (Jan 3)

Torgashev also trained in Colorado Springs for a week before Christmas.

Dolensky has been training with Team Cain in Dallas for quite a few days.

If we're envisioning every potential quad attempt in KC, then Tim, Tomoki, Grant, Ross, Alex, Jordan belong on the list too. I'm not sure who else.

Possible that Max will be adding a 4T.

Maybe Vincent is back with Tom

Maybe those I listed will have clean quads

But you are right, Tim, Tomoki, Grant, Ross, Alex, Jordan belong on the list and Max may add a 4T.
Show it this year clean or not, and bring it next year to get on the Olympic team!

ice coverage · Jan 3, 2017

Tahuu said:
... Maybe those I listed will have clean quads
But you are right, Tim, Tomoki, Grant, Ross, Alex, Jordan belong on the list and Max may add a 4T.
Show it this year clean or not, and bring it next year to get on the Olympic team!

You already were imagining (for example) Vincent's 4F to be clean in competition in KC (not to mention Adam's 4L and Jason's 4T), so the guys I named are deserving of equal optimism, IMO :yay:.

Tahuu said:
Maybe Vincent is back with Tom ...

I was and am trying to steer clear of such speculation.

Tahuu · Jan 3, 2017

ice coverage said:
You already were imagining (for example) Vincent's 4F to be clean in competition in KC (not to mention Adam's 4L and Jason's 4T), so the guys I named are deserving of equal optimism, IMO :yay:.

I'll bet my bank for a clean 4Lz for Adam at Nationals :laugh:

karne · Jan 3, 2017

Tahuu said:
I'll bet my bank for a clean 4Lz for Adam at Nationals

You're going to be quite broke after Nationals, then?

I'd sooner wager on Jason and the clean 4T.

Tahuu · Jan 3, 2017

karne said:
You're going to be quite broke after Nationals, then?

I'd sooner wager on Jason and the clean 4T.

After GPF Adam knows "he needs to go back to 4Lz and lands it cleanly at Nationals to get on the 2017 World team (my imagination)".

narcissa · Jan 3, 2017

Tahuu said:
After GPF Adam knows "he needs to go back to 4Lz and lands it cleanly at Nationals to get on the 2017 World team (my imagination)".

Not a good idea to bet on fantasies...

Skater Boy · Jan 3, 2017

I would assume Nathan Chen is America's no. 1 then it is a battle. I think the USFA would prefer Jason Brown but Rippon and Aaron might have something to say about that. I don't have great faith in Grant or anyone else really challenging maybe Zhou.

2016-2017 State of U.S. Men Figure Skating

da96103

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

apgold

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

apgold

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

Princessroja

karne

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Princessroja

frida80

Crossover

All Hail the Queen

Tahuu

ice coverage

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Tahuu

ice coverage

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Tahuu

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

Tahuu

narcissa

Skater Boy

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