2022 Olympics Team Event Day2: Men's Free Skate

[flipsydoodle]

I've always heard the phase as "the proof is in the pudding," in the USA, that is correct.

Brandy in the Christmas pudding.

 

[4everchan]

I don’t think Yuma is perturbed by who he skates against. His technique is just so solid that all he needs is confidence in himself.

I’m actually really astonished at the lack of +5s for Yuma’s jumps. Some of them were literal perfection. How his 3A+3T was only a +3 and those same judges gave +3 to Mark’s axels is just completely wrong.

that 3a-3t and the 3f-3l combos OMG... beautiful.. .give him all the GOES !

 

[skylark]

Vince peaked at SA vegas

Well ... he could definitely peak again. It would be very Vincent-like. And he was fabulous in vegas. He can do it again.

I agree with @el henry. I think this may help him in the individual skates. Did anyone but me notice that after the first troubles, he gained power and strength in the second half of the program. No URs on the last 3 jumping passes. Only 2 URs in all. I take my glass half full. LOL.

He's such an emotional skater, and that's one of the many things I love about him. I can't wait to see him perform "Vincent" in the indiv. SP!

 

[Jontor]

That's funny, I think Red Pants Jesus is one of the most "American" programs, in approach and style, that I've seen. Not to mention that the is music a staple of the Broadway stage.

A musical imported from Europe I might add...

 

[4everchan]

Japan can certainly place ahead of US in pairs.

even Canada could. Russia and China definitely will.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Wow! I was just thinking after my last post. Wouldn't it have been cool to see young Ilia skating in the Olympic team fp event AFTER phenom Yuma Kagiyama!!! Awww, what a huge mouthwatering missed opportunity dumb U.S. fed!!! We woulda had a chance to see the future battling it out right before our eyes!!! Oh boy! How I dislike U.S. fed and their backwards decisionmaking process. Nope, don't lay it on Jason either. Jason Brown deserved to be here. He showed courage and gumption in the U.S. Nationals fp, and over the past four years too, whereas Vincent tanked in the Nationals fp, and he tanked at Worlds 2021, and he's had other poor performances. And, at one point, he'd supposedly left the sport even. He should have stayed away.

Jason has had only 1 free skate this year that would have been better than what Zhou just laid down here. And he already has a team medal. Zhou outperformed him on the Grand Prix and even with so many tech calls and a giant pop still pulls close to Jason’s FS best this season. I get that Brown is a sentimental fave but there’s no question Zhou was a safer bet.

And for reference, Jason’s FS personal best would have still placed behind Kondratiuk’s team FS. So the result/team points would have been likely the same.

 

[yuumagical]

Yuma was the cutest little gladiator out there! That reaction at the end of his skate was priceless! I was already a fan of his, but now my love for him has gone through the roof!

 

[*~RussianBleux~*]

Yeah, I will never understand why Malinin wasn't chosen for the Olympics. He would have been a medal contender!!

There is a 0% chance Malinin was getting a medal here. The spins and steps at the end of his FS were a mess.
He is clearly very talented but one of those skaters who can’t carry it through for four minutes yet. Chen, Hanyu, Uno, and Kagiyama are all excellent spinners, can do all the content Ilia did and more, and can do it through both programs.

 

[Sjs5572]

Mariah is not placing ahead of Kaori. And it was already decided that C/B would do the free. USFS changing it would be a nasty betrayal to them considering they were probably the ones who decided to split with H/D. H/D probably won't beat S/K again anyway.

Also, Nathan is under no obligation to do the team event. I don't blame him at all for prioritizing his individual medal over the team one. Besides, even if he skated in the free and got 1st, USA would still probably end up 2nd behind Russia.

Putting in Tarasova/Morozov is fine. USA made it easy for Russia by giving them Karen and Zhou (although Mark delivered). But Russia shouldn’t be stupid and put in Davis/Smolkin. Maybe if they had a better first three segments they could afford that but if the Americans win the FD and D/S come 4th (or even 5th against the Chinese duo which is very possible), that could make things too close for comfort.

Not that I want to see D/S in FD, however, at worst they would still beat the Japanese.

 

[4everchan]

Not that I want to see D/S in FD, however, at worst they would still beat the Japanese.

so would sinkats... and considering how they were scored in the RD sinkats will finish at worst 2nd here. they can make mistakes and still score high while others skate clean and get lower scores.

 

[el henry]

Yeah, I will never understand why Malinin wasn't chosen for the Olympics. He would have been a medal contender!!

Ilia would have outscored Yuma, Shoma, Nathan and Yuzu? Based on his 220 total scores in international senior events? I'm American, I like American medals, and no, Ilia was not contending for any Olympic medal except in the team event.

The correct skaters were selected for the US men's team according to the criteria. In this comp, Vincent could have been good Vincent, he could have been not good Vincent, he was in between.

Onto the next skates

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Jason has had only 1 free skate this year that would have been better than what Zhou just laid down here. And he already has a team medal. Zhou outperformed him on the Grand Prix and even with so many tech calls and a giant pop still pulls close to Jason’s FS best this season. I get that Brown is a sentimental fave but there’s no question Zhou was a safer bet.

And for reference, Jason’s FS personal best would have still placed behind Kondratiuk. So the result/team points would have been likely the same.

Yeah, I don't care. I would have preferred seeing Jason. Actually, Mark was over-scored. Jason at his most exquisite best has scored very high on the strength of his exquisite artistic abilities and superb polish. He does what no one else has done before or since. He could have blown Kondriatiuk's gutty but non-polished performance out of the water. Jason has reached the top of the podiium over quad guys, ya know.

In any case, as I said earlier, the damage was done at U.S. Nat'ls when the quad-obsessed selection committee and judging panel decided to give Vincent extra points to place third over Jason, after Vincent's dismal showing in the fp. Send Ilia, Nathan, and Jason. We might have enjoyed a better evening of figure skating here had Ilia performed after Kagiyama. But we never really know, until it happens. Anyway, that would have been my preference.

I hope Jason skates his best ever in the individual events here, all you quad-obsessed fans who enjoy dissing Jason.

 

[4everchan]

well see ya all some other time.. i am running away before it gets too messy... buh bye

 

[Sjs5572]

so would sinkats... and considering how they were scored in the RD sinkats will finish at worst 2nd here. they can make mistakes and still score high while others skate clean and get lower scores.

Of course. I was just talking about the case of an Eteri fueled spectacle.

 

[rollerblade]

Kagiyama's 208.94 is the highest FS score this season (thus far). Yes, I know scores at the Olympics tend to be very generous usually.

 

[auser]

Yeah, def saw that coming. Vincent gets called all the time for UR’s but that popped Flip didn’t help. ROC can safely afford to put Davis in to protect Nikita’s back and still win gold at this point. I would SCREAM though, and honestly it would be smart, if ROC puts Tarasova/Morozov in instead. This way, it protects Mishina and Galliamov from losing twice to Sui and Han, ROC still has the gold, and Eteri still gets her 40 percent cut from winnings for another gold medalist. It depends on what Russia values more, their chances at a gold in Pairs, or “gold” (silver) in Ice Dance.

Did not know about this. It takes away from skaters winnings?

 

[ice coverage]

... And, at one point, he'd supposedly left the sport even. He should have stayed away.

Goodbye Karen and Vincent. Good luck in your post-figure skating lives.

Congratulations on sinking to a new low in unnecessary harshness against skaters.

Yes, Karen and Vincent underperformed tonight. My heart goes out to both of them.

If you are not interested in watching them again, that is your choice to make.

But I hope that they will stay in the sport for as long as THEY wish to -- and will shut out the noise from naysayers.

 

[NanaPat]

We have autocorrect????? how do I turn it on?

Try looking at your browser settings. I think autocorrect is a function of the browser. Warning: turning it on turns it on for ALL sites, not just GS. You might not like what it does.

 

[readernick]

Yeah, I will never understand why Malinin wasn't chosen for the Olympics. He would have been a medal contender!!

No, he wouldn't. He doesn't have the incredible SS of Yuma and he has no reputation. He also URs some of his quads. He may have scored what Vincent got with a clean skate but he likely wouldn't have been second since the judges went with Mark. ( A bit too much imho/ though he certainly deserved 2nd place)

Vincent probably would have wanted to place one or two places higher but he didn't implode. So, good for him! I think he'll do better in the individual event. His choice was in harmony with selection criteria.

Anyway, I trust the US pairs and ice dancers to deliver in the FS. So, it will really come down to Karen whether the US gets it's Olympic silver or not. Nothing against Karen, but it is ironic that the one skater who was selected despite the criteria not being in her favor is the one who imploded. That's a good message for the USFS. I don't care what criteria they have, I do care if they follow it or not... And they didn't in this one case after being loyal to it in all other instances.

 

[skylark]

No, he wouldn't. He doesn't have the incredible SS of Yuma and he has no reputation. He also URs some of his quads. He may have scored what Vincent got with a clean skate but he likely wouldn't have been second since the judges went with Mark. ( A bit too much imho/ though he certainly deserved 2nd place)

Vincent probably would have wanted to place one or two places higher but he didn't implode. So, good for him! I think he'll do better in the individual event. His choice was in harmony with selection criteria.

Absolutely. We should all try to keep a little perspective here.