2022 U.S. Nationals: Senior Men's Free Skate

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Yeah, Jason got one or two gifts today.

You gonna go through the absolute joke that is Zhou's protocol? Or is that not convenient for you? Hell, they didn't even call an actual fall for him.

I also acknowledged Zhou's protocol had gifts too.

But even if the judges did enough to put Brown ahead of Zhou, I would still say Zhou is the better/smarter choice to send to the Olympics.

Zhou has the 2nd highest total score internationally and is a legit favourite to be on the individual podium. He is the only person to win a competition against Chen since the last Olympics.

By comparison, Brown has the 9th highest total score this season, and has absolutely zero chance at an individual medal. After today, I would say even Malinin has more a shot to win an Olympic individual medal than Brown.

Brown has had his entire career to execute a quad, and he failed to do so today. If the US cares about getting the best possible results at the Olympics, he shouldn't be on the team. Beautiful skater, best artistically that the US had today - yes. But from a COMPETITIVE skating/jumping context, he was thoroughly outskated.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Man.....I'm torn now.........I like both Jason and Ilia......after yesterday, I said Jason over Ilia.....now I want both!

 

[labgoat]

Actually Adam and Jason were the ones who made the GPF that year with Nathan
So they were kinda the projected 3 before Nationals

They could've pushed Vincent out (for Miner) as he was 3rd but they wanted to cultivate him

How things come full circle. I wonder if it will be like a figure eight, where the second time around goes the other way. It did for Mirai and Ashley.

 

[moonvine]

Some really interesting discussion in there. Apparently Jason has never finished lower than 9th at Worlds or Olympics. I didn’t fact check it but if true it is certainly saying something.

 

[kmw227]

Can you translate that to Europe? Would that be in the middle of the night CET?

It's 2 hours 15 minutes from now, whatever time that is for you

 

[TontoK]

How do you count on Vincent in the team event at this point?

And Ilia could come in last in the free. He is not getting these big scores from the ISU.

Is Nathan going to do both?

He hasn't gotten those type of scores because he hasn't skated like that before. The quality of those jumps is undeniable, but we haven't seen it in competition before. I don't think he's delivered a 4 quad performance on the junior circuit, and he certainly couldn't have delivered two SP quads.

There is something to be said about rounding into form at exactly the right time.

 

[kan01]

While there is a point to still send Jason (Ilia hasn't done much internationally in senior events, and Brown has GP medals this year and is a perennial fave), it is really hard to ignore that Malinin scored 22 points higher (deserved to be 25 with Brown getting a q instead of a < on his 4S) on TES, and in the SP Malinin executed 2 quads and 11 points higher TES than Jason. That 33 point discrepancy in TES score cannot be made up by Brown's artistic ability.

USFS is always looking for the next best thing. Brown lit it up in 2014 Nationals and got his newbie moment and earned a trip to the Olympics over Aaron/Farris even without quads - something he still doesn't reliably have and never has.

I think Malinin deserves his moment now.

Am I missing something, didn't Ilia score 12 points higher than Jason, not 22 like people say? Maybe I'm just too tired.

 

[RatedPG]

Malinin didn’t get a chance to wow us in the Junior Grand Prix Finals. He went with “safer” layouts to win gold at both of his events and then his goal was go all out, in the finals. He didn’t get that chance due to the cancellation of that event. He was capable of surpassing Jason’s score at that event.

 

[Skatingcat]

Can you translate that to Europe? Would that be in the middle of the night CET?

I think, since Nashville is in Central time, 5:45pm would br 12:45am in Europe.

 

[labgoat]

The answer is no. Definitely not in the team event. And we really send out Malinin there?

It's a roll of the dice. What is your risk tolerance...

 

[sworddance21]

On the one hand he should do both, Because the difference between Gold and Bronze could be tiny,
On the other hand, 4 programs in a week? I think they should choose Vincent to do it and hope for the be

Some really interesting discussion in there. Apparently Jason has never finished lower than 9th at Worlds or Olympics. I didn’t fact check it but if true it is certainly saying something.

I am pretty sure that's true.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

It's 2 hours 15 minutes from now, whatever time that is for you

Well thank you, it will be right after midnight so now I have to go to sleep and have nightmares about the selection

Given that they will announce in only 2 hours I have a feeling the Team was pretty much set before the FS, so I´m guessing Chen, Zhou and Brown are in and Ilia will be 1 alternate.

 

[Mista Ekko]

Guys, Vincent won Skate America recently over Nathan and Shoma,

I get the argument to ignore Malinin right now, But Vincent is not the guy you leave at home,
He's a medal hopeful for the United States

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

he OUT JUMPED them all. He did NOT out skate them all.

Yes. And jumping is what scores points and wins competitions. It is the reason why Zhou and Chen may win Olympic individual medals and Brown has no shot at one. Brown has no reliable quad and attempted just one in the FS. And was showered with PCS even with a fall and one quad attempt.

 

[moonvine]

Anyone want to give me odds on Jimmy for 4CCs?

Unrelated, but it costs way more to follow Collegiate gymnastics than it does to watch elite figure skating. I’ve already had to sign up for Big 10 network at 14.95 a month and am about to have to sign up for ESPN plus.

 

[RatedPG]

I keep thinking about Vincent: He missed the cut at Worlds, he won back the spot we lost at Nebelhorn, then won Skate America, finished lower at his next Grand Prix, no GPF, and now has this freeskate. This looks like a downward trend the closer we get to Olympics. Yes he has higher scoring potential, but do I trust him?

No. He made the GPF.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Guys, Vincent won Skate America recently over Nathan and Shoma,

I get the argument to ignore Malinin right now, But Vincent is not the guy you leave at home,
He's a medal hopeful for the United States

This.

People are focusing on the wrong thing.

The question isn't whether to send Brown over Zhou.

It's whether to send Brown over Malinin.

 

[*~RussianBleux~*]

He hasn't gotten those type of scores because he hasn't skated like that before. The quality of those jumps is undeniable, but we haven't seen it in competition before. I don't think he's delivered a 4 quad performance on the junior circuit, and he certainly couldn't have delivered two SP quads.

There is something to be said about rounding into form at exactly the right time.

But yet he’s had all season, no?

Jason has been delivering all season.

We’ve seen all this before. They peak and nationals and then nothing.

 

[invisiblespiral]

Anyone want to give me odds on Jimmy for 4CCs?

Pretty high, I think. (plus Camden and someone else who isn't the first Olympic alternate)

Also there's no way to leave Zhou off the Olympic team unless they ignore their own guidelines.

 

[Horsefeathers]

It's been a long month this week.

I'm not going to speculate on team selection, as I think there are going to be COVID quarantine shake-ups after today. Since I'm not psychic, I can't predict how it will shake out in the end and who will actually board the plane to Beijing. I know who I want to be on the team, but I won't be devastated even if someone doesn't get chosen.

I'm quite familiar with Nashville, having spent a lot of time there pre-COVID, but I could see this coming months ago (even without said psychic skills). Omicron was going to spread like wildfire. I hope USFS doesn't come to regret their choices (concerts during breaks aside). I desperately wanted to attend this one (would have been my first), but I couldn't justify the expense and COVID came along to slam that door shut.

Final thoughts:

Nathan: It cheers me to see him react humorously to silly mistakes like the splat at the end. He let the endorphins get ahead of him. Regardless, he's still a true champion. His artistry isn't frills and furbelows, and I like it. We have Jason for that. I can't wait for a final Yuzu/Nathan showdown.

Ilia: Very impressive debut. I like him. He really didn't have anything to lose by skating full out. It'll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure now that he's in the spotlight. If he can build artistry like he's built jumps he'll be unstoppable.

Zhou: I love a come-back kid, but I'm not sure what happened today. My fear is that he'll announce he tested positive within the next 24 hours. That seems to be the pattern when skaters do a sluggish routine.

Jason: I will never complain about him. EVER. He could have hung up skates a few years ago, as some of the haters obviously wished he had, but he didn't. I'm not sure why the haters are so vocal. If he's no threat, why so much vitriol? What are you afraid of? Maybe they'll send him to Four Continents to collect another medal. Wherever he gets sent, I will be happy to see him perform again.

Yaro: Someone please send him money for better skates. We need his humor in this sport. I like seeing performers as much as I like seeing jumpers.