2021 Worlds: Men's' Free Skate

[el henry]

Jason was egregiously underscored in PCS. He should have gotten high 9s. That is the real problem with PCS scoring.

I understand what you are saying, I agree. I think theoretically PCS was supposed to be evaluated that way.

But figure skating judging has never matched the theory

 

[pianistliz]

Is it just me, or does it seem like whenever Hanyu loses an excuse comes out after the fact? He looked like he just had a bad day. Probably nerves. If was having a bad asthma attack, he would have been gasping for air.

There's video footage of him taking his mask off in the venue (during Covid, if he were ok he'd never do that) and gasping for air BEFORE the free, so...

I've performed virtuosic concerts with asthma before (not recommended btw). Once when I was on stage no one knew I had been gasping and using my inhaler just a few minutes before. I forced myself to breathe slowly and shallowly while performing so I wouldn't really cough. It wasn't my best performance but I was just glad to get through it. Afterwards it wasn't until one of my friends saw me coughing hard in the green room that anyone suspected anything had been wrong. And no one else found out and probably assumed I'd "just had an off day" or "was just nervous."

I highly doubt Hanyu had planned on saying anything about his asthma...if so he would have mentioned it in yesterday's press conference. He only lightly mentioned it today (and didn't even blame his performance on it btw) after video footage surfaced of him struggling to breathe and news was leaked that he'd arrived late to the venue, had his inhaler out constantly, didn't style his hair for his performance, and shoot, he was so out of it he didn't even do his normal rituals when skating onto the ice for his free...

 

[WeakAnkles]

Well I did see The Big Showdown, and it was a joy to behold. Philip Glass is a very very inspired choice for Chen and his interpretation and artistry HAVE improved exponentially. He's never going to be a lyrical skater like Hanyu, but who says every skater has to be lyrical?

And aren't they both such class acts?

 

[formersk8ter]

In what universe should Hanyu even be 90+ with that performance. That deserves below 85. The hubris! That's almost as bad as 2016 Worlds LP. When Hanyu bombs he bombs hard. Chen is quite reasonably scored IMO.

This.

Hanyu was scored very generously for that sloppy and uninspired program, and was lucky to be 4th in the free skate. Keegan was better, maybe even Kolyada.

 

[formersk8ter]

Have to justify Nathan Chen receiving 96 PCS somehow, when it's about 10 more than deserved.

Compared to whom? Surely not Hanyu, who was an absolute mess, even in the PCS department.

 

[formersk8ter]

Oh no. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Hanyu skate like that.

2014 Olympics?

 

[rollerblade]

I have to figure out who to write to, but I want to let the powers that be know that he is a fantastic commentator. For me, he made it so enjoyable. He's knowledgeable, he knows when to keep silence, he's positive but not in a sappy, cheerleader way. I could just go on and on. I thought he was great.

I guess you could tweet ISU about it like this guy did.

 

[anonymoose_au]

I guess you could tweet ISU about it like this guy did.

I dunno the other guy has nearly 20% of the vote!

 

[Arriba627]

I guess you could tweet ISU about it like this guy did.

I tweeted to Mark and copied ISU on it. Seems like many other people have too.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Wow, that’s extremely unfortunate (I don’t think he’s had an asthma attack in a while— or at least at skating events in a while). I could tell something was off. Everyone can have a bad day, but there was just something in his eyes that was... really different (and his skin seemed pale).

Man, Yuzu has got to have some of the worst luck for a skater I’ve ever seen I hope he doesn’t go to WTT and just stays home and healthy.

Well, that or its just a BS excuse like the ones they come up with every time he loses.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Well all skaters have edges but I guess I disagree about the quality level. And it doesnt really matter I guess because with his jumps he still will win. But his scores make me rethink some of past skaters who were seen as just jumpers. I know it is hard to compare the past even Lambiel and Buttle. Nathan is the best jumper/technician so far probably every. He is a monster, a machine. i actually like him andhis skating I just don't think h is pcs are so deserved but I amnot the judge I am just saying what I see. You compare the edging, cleanness,, depth he is not Brown or Chan.

I'm talking about freaking edge quality, which Nathan has whether you refuse/fail to see it or not. That is what I mean about edges, and of course we all have edges on our blades, if we didn't we'd be pretty screwed TBH.

 

[gliese]

Go see Nathan skate in person and know what the hell you're actually looking at when you do so. He has the jumps and the pcs.

Seconding this, especially if you get to stand at ice level, or even better, on the ice with him. His PCS quality is truly impeccable.

 

[Olympic]

That is a good question: Over the years there has been plenty of head-scratching over judges scores for many skaters. So, is Nathan’s PCS more self-evident in person than on screen?

 

[el henry]

That is a good question: Over the years there has been plenty of head-scratching over judges scores for many skaters. So, is Nathan’s PCS more self-evident in person than on screen?

But isn't that true for almost any characteristic of a skater? I'm no huge jump fan, but seeing well executed jumps in person, of course I go "wow"
And I actually have encountered a person or two who said, I didn't understand about Jason until I saw him live. Now I've seen him live and give him all the PCS.

I'm not sure the FS is the one where I would quarrel most with Nathan's PCS. And it's more relative PCS than absolute. In other words, impossible to prove or disprove

 

[Flying Feijoa]

But isn't that true for almost any characteristic of a skater? I'm no huge jump fan, but seeing well executed jumps in person, of course I go "wow"
And I actually have encountered a person or two who said, I didn't understand about Jason until I saw him live. Now I've seen him live and give him all the PCS.

I'm not sure the FS is the one where I would quarrel most with Nathan's PCS. And it's more relative PCS than absolute. In other words, impossible to prove or disprove

I've only watched one event live, and of course some skaters look better in person than on video (Keegan was unreal, so was Kevin Aymoz), but I also found the reverse held true (not naming names, but certain skaters looked surprisingly slow/choppy).

I'm envious you saw Jason live! A young friend of mine was on ticket ice somewhere (not TCC) when he dropped in. Starstruck

 

[karne]

Is it just me, or does it seem like whenever Hanyu loses an excuse comes out after the fact? He looked like he just had a bad day. Probably nerves. If was having a bad asthma attack, he would have been gasping for air.

I disagree. The Hanyu fans, maybe, but Hanyu himself rarely makes excuses, which makes me inclined to believe him.

However, there is someone else in the men's event who does always seem to have an excuse every time he has a bad day...

 

[ElSoteroLoco]

I disagree. The Hanyu fans, maybe, but Hanyu himself rarely makes excuses, which makes me inclined to believe him.

However, there is someone else in the men's event who does always seem to have an excuse every time he has a bad day...

Ohhhh tell me who ?? Lmao ! I want to know if I have picked up on it too.

 

[Skatefan15]

Well, that or its just a BS excuse like the ones they come up with every time he loses.

No one comes up with an excuse when Yuzu loses. If he has a bad day, he has a bad day and many fans acknowledge that. However, when a video surfaces of him looking uncharacteristically tired (beyond just nerves) people become concerned. Also, that’s why I said Yuzu has really bad luck, because a lot of the times when he competes, something completely unfortunate has happened. Just this past year alone, he has had to train without his coaches and face two pretty major earthquakes (which is most likely very traumatic since he went through the 3/11 earthquake). He’s also one of the only skaters known to have some type of illness that would lead to a very severe reaction if he were to catch covid (and the fact people were so comfortable without wearing a mask around him is disgusting). He always used to put his skating before his health (which I’m thankful he doesn’t anymore) and he himself still never makes excuses. I can’t believe there are people out there thinking that he’s using “excuses” just because he lost. He made it very clear when coming to this event that his goal above all was just to stay healthy and help keep three spots for Japan. Of course he’s probably a little disappointed from the result (or rather more with himself for the free skate) but he did what he set out to accomplish. I’m proud he was able to make it through the free skate because I don’t think many would’ve been able too.

I envy the people who have a favorite skater who rarely gets injured and just gets to coast along (and train where ever and however they want)... must be nice

 

[Skatefan15]

As someone who has seen Yuzu, Shoma, Jason, Keegan, and Nathan (unfortunately not Mikhail), I can firmly say that imo in terms of PCS, Nathan is the weakest. I first saw Nathan in person in 2016 and he has certainly improved from there but compared to the others mentioned above, I just don’t get how he has better PCS (especially SS). I acknowledge that having high PCS doesn’t mean you have to be lyrical (I like Kevin Aymoz’s skating and I wouldn’t exactly call him lyrical) but I’ve seen Nathan for many years and I just don’t see the edges I see with the other skaters mentioned. Depending on the performance, I can get Nathan’s performance and interpretation component being high (but not 9.50 high). But I don’t get his SS and transitions being higher than a Jason. Obviously you could’ve given Nathan low PCS at this competition and he still would’ve won (and he deserved to win), it’s just weird to see that whenever you land jumps your PCS sky rocket (well... depending on what nation you skate for), it happened with Trusova as well (love her but her PCS were way too high here for what she did).

I guess that’s the thing PCS though, is that it is subjective and we can all have our favorites and prefer a skater’s PCS to another.

 

[el henry]

I've only watched one event live, and of course some skaters look better in person than on video (Keegan was unreal, so was Kevin Aymoz), but I also found the reverse held true (not naming names, but certain skaters looked surprisingly slow/choppy).

I'm envious you saw Jason live! A young friend of mine was on ticket ice somewhere (not TCC) when he dropped in. Starstruck

I have seen Jason live, but not in competition, sad to say. Although seeing Jason in Stars on Ice was not exactly a hardship

I was repeating what those, who were not as starstruck as I, said after seeing him in competition.

But it's true comps can change your mind one way .... or another.