Well, that had to be absolutely the most heartbreaking thing to witness in person -- especially after witnessing the exact opposite in person four years ago. The sad thing is, I knew it was game over when he completely botched the quad. You could sense it was going to be a bumpy ride. Again, it was SO frustrating because he looked great at the warm-up this morning and during the competition.
He worked so hard to keep the performance together, but compared to the short program here (and in general), he was WAY more tighter than usual. The skating, the spins, step sequences were absolutely gorgeous but it didn't have as much of the spark I usually have seen from him. That said, the step sequence and spiral sequence were AMAZING to watch...and as I've said, the massive improvement in his overall skating quality was really great to see.
I hope he gets 4CC and that he can hang out with Grant and Caroline (who I bet would go to Taipei if Grant got 4CC) and go eat soup dumpings at the original Din Tai Fung together. Speaking of which, I forgot to mention this earlier; before the warm-up started this morning, Grant and Jason greeted each other warmly with a hug and had what seem to be an enjoyable chat. They truly respect and like each other.
Honestly, this season really was a setback of mental sorts. It seem like he struggled so long physically with all the injuries that perhaps he didn't have a chance to really deal with the mental aspect of things, which is kind of crucial in a high-pressure Olympic situation. I hope he can pick himself up and slay 4CC in a few weeks if he is assigned to that competition.
Otherwise.: Jordan and Ben both had really nice skates, so I was really happy for them. Tomoki was fantastic as well. And Ross is another favorite of mine (he was on my "want" list with Jason and Nathan) so I was really happy he killed the FS. And while not a favorite, Vincent also rose the occasion -- underrotations and all-- and I was among those who gave him a standing ovation. And obviously Nathan was amazing. It truly was kind of an exhausting night for me.
