2013 US Nationals Senior Men LP

[little_meatball]

13 is for 3 spots. 28 is for 2 spots. Unless one of them compete while seriously injured, I doubt US would lose the current 2 spots.

 

[deedee1]

Since I did not fully read this 30-page long thread, idk if someone mentioned it already, but I've heard that Jonathan Cassar is retiring after this season...Is it true?

Though he does not have hard jumps, I have really really been looking forward to his performances at US Nats every year! :yes: I hope he will do show-skating, so that we can still have many chances to watch and enjoy his skates!!!

btw, thanks for your thoughts on Mens Free, Butterscotch! I enjoyed a lot. How did you see Alexander Johnson's Free? He's been quite a topic here.

 

[dorispulaski]

I had heard Jonathan Casser was retiring.

People think so because of this twitter of his:

Jonathan Cassar @Jonnaye05 1d
Omaha was a great trip. No better way to spend my 10th Championships, my #swansong. Thank you to all those who have shared in this journey.

 

[snowflake]

So, despite some great performances, US has no complete, consistent male skater. Anyway, good luck to Miner and Aaron at world's :thumbsup:

Unhappy for Jeremy. The quad destroys it for him. He knows he needs it… so hwell: he has to try it. His FS music is a bit too zzz. With a fall and other mistakes it doesn't work for me. Glad to hear he's still battling to reach his olympic goal

 

[TontoK]

I've mulled over a couple of comments made in the past few days (I can't find them, or I'd quote them)...

They were to the effect that Max Aaron "skates like a dude." I completely agree. He looked masculine, athletic, powerful... and that's a good thing. It was a men's event, after all.

I'm from an older generation than most board members, I suspect. I admit that I have to guard against homophobia... I'm from a different time and place... but I sincerely try to be fair. At any rate, take the following with a grain of salt.

I do not like men figure skaters' performances when they come across as feminine or prissy. It doesn't mean I don't like gay skaters... sexual preference/identity has nothing to do with it. For example, when I look back at Urmanov's Olympic win, I think he just looks preposterous. The blousy shirt with the exagerated ruffles running down the front... really. The opening sequence where he's waving his arms about and doing the little "funky chicken" move with his legs... that's not artistry; that's just ridiculous. I contrast this with Rudy Galindo's epic Nationals win. His FS costume was elegant, but manly.

Artistic does not have to mean "girly." Now, that's not to say that Max Aaron couldn't/shouldn't develop more musicality, more flexibility, more sensitivity in his skating. I hope he does. But I also hope he doesn't channel Johnny Weir.

Flame retardant underwear has been donned... because I'm certain some will take offense.

 

[dorispulaski]

Please do not insult other posters.

 

[ryanbfan]

I had heard Jonathan Casser was retiring.

He is. I think it was determined before the season began that this would be his last.

Maybe slightly OT, but I thought Jeremy turned down being an alternate to Worlds to focus on getting his injury healed and working on the quad. Can anyone confirm if this is true?

It is. I posted this on page 28. Yuka told someone I know at the Hilton after the event Sunday.

 

[silverlake22]

Interesting, well now we're down 2 worlds alternates and the only one left is Farris who is competing at JW just weeks before. Ross and Max, stay healthy okay!

 

[Ziggy]

Alexander Johnson got an international event! Good going USFS, definitely well deserved.

He will be taking part in Challenge Cup later this month.

Right now, Max Aaron is basically a one-hit wonder, but there's reason to be hopeful.

He won the US International Figure Skating Classic (or whatever ridiculous name that comp had again) and was second at the Cup of Nice this season so he's had a very successful season so far.

They were to the effect that Max Aaron "skates like a dude." I completely agree. He looked masculine, athletic, powerful... and that's a good thing. It was a men's event, after all.

...

I do not like men figure skaters' performances when they come across as feminine or prissy. It doesn't mean I don't like gay skaters... sexual preference/identity has nothing to do with it. For example, when I look back at Urmanov's Olympic win, I think he just looks preposterous. The blousy shirt with the exagerated ruffles running down the front... really.

Expecting every man to act in a way traditionally perceived as masculine and every woman to act in a way traditionally perceived as feminine is really discriminatory. Everybody should be free to express their gender in whatever way they wish.

And yes, this has nothing to do with sexuality. Sexuality and gender are two different things (even though there often will be a lot of overlap for many reasons).

 

[dorispulaski]

One should not be thought a bad person for hating gloves & ruffled shirts.

One should not be thought a bad person for liking them either.

Urmanov had some preposterous outfits, particularly the one for his Egyptian themed program. I don't remember whether he was still amateur or a pro at the time.
That one didn't have either gloves or ruffles.

 

[karne]

One should not be thought a bad person for hating gloves & ruffled shirts.

One should not be thought a bad person for liking them either.

Urmanov had some preposterous outfits, particularly the one for his Egyptian themed program. I don't remember whether he was still amateur or a pro at the time.
That one didn't have either gloves or ruffles.

There's a difference between thinking a costume is bad and casting aspersions over someone's gender by claiming that one particular skater "skated like a dude" (thus implying that the other men did not, thus were not men).

There are plenty of costumes I don't like - I hate Jason Brown's SP costume, for instance. But only because I think that between the ruffles, puffy sleeves, and asymmetrical waistcoat, it murders his natural bodyline. Not for any other reason. But I think he skates well and I don't care if he doesn't fit someone's outdated opinion of what "skating like a dude" is.

 

[Butterscotch17]

There's a difference between thinking a costume is bad and casting aspersions over someone's gender by claiming that one particular skater "skated like a dude" (thus implying that the other men did not, thus were not men).

There are plenty of costumes I don't like - I hate Jason Brown's SP costume, for instance. But only because I think that between the ruffles, puffy sleeves, and asymmetrical waistcoat, it murders his natural bodyline. Not for any other reason. But I think he skates well and I don't care if he doesn't fit someone's outdated opinion of what "skating like a dude" is.

By no means do I want to get in an argument about this. However, saying one man "skates like a dude" does not imply that the others were not men, at least not in my mind. Some skaters skate more masculine than others - that's just the way it is. Like Ziggy said, they're not all going to conform to the traditional ideas of what masculine means. Not all of them are going to be the same, which is good, because that would be boring. Neither style is better than the other, and I enjoy watching them both. I tend to prefer watching the more "manly" skaters, but that's simply a personal preference for viewing, not any kind of prejudice. I enjoy Johnny Weir and I enjoy Max Aaron, but I don't think it can be denied that one has a more masculine style than the other.

Anyway, getting back more on topic, I'm sad to hear that Jonathan Cassar is retiring That will make his lovely skate at Nationals even more meaningful if it is his last one. Does anyone know right off hand what his highest Nationals finish was?

 

[dorispulaski]

Jonathan's Competitive History from his IN bio

2013 - U.S. Championships - 11th
2013 - Pacific Coast Sectional - 2nd
2012 - U.S. Championships - 11th
2012 - Pacific Coast Sectional - 2nd
2011 - Ondrej Nepela Memorial - 4th
2011 - U.S. Championships - 11th
2011 - Pacific Coast Sectional - 1st
2010 - Finlandia Trophy - 7th
2010 - U.S. Championships - 12th
2010 - Midwestern Sectional - 4th
2010 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional - 3rd
2009 - U.S. Championships - 16th
2009 - Midwestern Sectional - 3rd
2008 - Coupe de Nice - 7th
2008 - U.S. Collegiate Championships - 2nd
2008 - Midwestern Sectional - 5th
2007 - U.S. Collegiate Championships - 4th
2007 - U.S. Championships - 9th
2007 - Midwestern Sectional - 3rd
2007 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional - 2nd
2006 - U.S. Collegiate Championships, Junior - 1st
2006 - U.S. Championships, Junior - 8th
2006 - Midwestern Sectional, Junior - 4th
2006 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Junior - 1st
2005 - Midwestern Sectional, Junior - 9th
2005 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Junior - 2nd
2004 - Midwestern Sectional, Novice - 5th
2004 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Novice - 2nd
2003 - North American Challenge Skate (Thornhill), Novice - 6th
2003 - Midwestern Sectional, Novice - 6th
2003 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Novice - 2nd
2002 - North American Challenge Skate (Dieppe), Novice - 6th
2002 - U.S. Junior Championships, Intermediate - 5th
2002 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Intermediate - 1st
2001 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Intermediate - 4th
2000 - U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 12th
2000 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Juvenile - 4th
1999 - Eastern Great Lakes Regional, Juvenile - 6th

 

[deedee1]

Oh... so it's true Cassar is retiring... Thank you so much for the info on Mr. Cassar, doris & ryanbfan.
I wish he will be staying with skating world, even if it may be only partially, for the sake of US figure skating. But whatever he chooses to do, I wish Jonathan all the best on his next chapter in his life! :yes:

Alexander Johnson got an international event! Good going USFS, definitely well deserved.

He will be taking part in Challenge Cup later this month.

Thank you, Ziggy! Hope he does very well there!, so that he will get a third spot at SkateAmerica next season! :yay:

 

[Butterscotch17]

Thank you dorispulaski. Looks like 9th in 2007 was his highest finish. Best of luck to Jonathan with whatever he chooses to do with the rest of his life