Jason Brown

[Jeanie19]

Lots of good discussions here and very good points. I am finally back in New York, after some air travel drama and finally got a chance to check in and see what everyone is saying. All points made are good, valid points. I am basing my hopes for Jason on that last K&C where he sat between Brian and I think it was Lee, if I remember correctly, and said "Baby Steps!" And Brian told him with gestures that he had skated from his heart and not his head. Once he popped that quad, he got out of his head and went for it. It wasn't perfect, but it was Jason and that's what counts. He's been through a lot, and things won't happen overnight, but everything that I see is showing progress. And it's clear that he is happy. His friendship with Zhenya is a bonus that I never imagined. After his EX he bounced into the waiting area (after being fist bumped by Gilles and Poirier!) to hug Zhenya and probably everyone else who was back there. And they hugged during the finale and they had matching white shirts. And he's clearly become close to Cha and Joseph Phan. They are all great skaters deep in the learning process to get better, but all with talent, drive and a love of what they are doing. He's HAPPY! And he feels challenged and he feels optimistic. Medals will be great, and the 2022 Olympics is a realistic goal for him and Zhenya. And I hope they make it. But what is important is that they are happy, working hard and enjoying life in Toronto and being friends. I loved watching him skate at SCI. The short was dismaying, yes, but the free was good and he went off the ice feeling like he accomplished something good. I'm looking forward to France with high hopes for all of them. I hope that you do get to 4CCs Mrs P! That was our original plan, but we gave up on it when it was shifted from Colorado and then decided to go to SCI. So that's it for live comps for me for quite a while. I really enjoyed SCI!

Great post Bookseller. :thumbsup: And I too am thrilled by Jason and Zhenya's friendship; it is good that they have each other for this long journey to Beijing.

 

[katmari]

The entries for Golden Spin CS are out and Jason is listed as is TCC rink mate Javier Raya:

http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108971.htm

The schedule for Golden Spin (12/5-12/8) and the GPF (12/6-12/90) overlap. Yuzuru and Zhenya will probably be going to the GPF. Junhwan also has an outside chance of making the final. I'm guessing Brian / Tracy will be going to the GPF and either Lee Barkell or Karen Preston will go to Golden Spin with Jason and Javier.

 

[Tavi...]

The entries for Golden Spin CS are out and Jason is listed as is TCC rink mate Javier Raya:

http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108971.htm

The schedule for Golden Spin (12/5-12/8) and the GPF (12/6-12/90) overlap. Yuzuru and Zhenya will probably be going to the GPF. Junhwan also has an outside chance of making the final. I'm guessing Brian / Tracy will be going to the GPF and either Lee Barkell or Karen Preston will go to Golden Spin with Jason and Javier.

Interesting that Team USA is sending strong entries in 3 of 4 disciplines (no ice dance entries at all) - in addition to Jason and Alex K, Mariah, Bradie, Megan W, the Knierims, Deanna & Nate, and Kane & LeDuc are all listed. I approve - everyone on this list could potentially make the 4CC Team if not the Worlds Team, and all could use the extra experience.

I’m especially glad for Jason. It will give him another chance to get comfortable with the new technique and try out the 4S in competition. He also has a chance to increase his SB scores and earn world ranking points, which will be important if he makes the World Team (right now his season’s world ranking is only 25). Since there’s a quick turnaround from TDF, he will have the opportunity to build on whatever happens there - ie, to correct mistakes and reinforce things he did well. I’m also really happy because in the past few years there have been concerns that he’s fragile /injury prone (Brian: we have to keep him healthy); scheduling him for a second CS suggests those concerns have lessened. And based on the little we’ve seen, he looks comfortable enough with Lee and Karen that I’d guess it won’t be an issue for him that Brian and Tracy likely won’t be there.

In any other year I’d say he had a chance to win and certainly to medal. And he may. But this year there’s far less certainty - not only is he still a work in progress, but in addition to Alex K, the field has several other potentially strong guys who haven’t hit their strides yet, including Deniss V, Kovtun, Samarin, Bychenko, and Samohin - as well as Paul Fentz (Germany) and Daniel Grassl (Italy), who is very young, but is apparently landing millions of 4Zs and other quads.

Last year there was a livestream for 10€ but not sure it’s available in US. Anyway, it’s exciting that in the next month we’ll potentially be able to see Jason compete twice! Fingers crossed he stays healthy enough to compete at both and that we see improvements over SCI.

 

[Mrs. P]

Did I call it or what?!

Anyway, it will be exciting to see Jason compete, though I will be at GPF, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to catch in real-time! I hope somebody buys the live stream and posts the videos on YT or Daily motion later.

The extra world standing points will certainly be nice, but his 25th season's world ranking isn't THAT much of a concern, at least as far as ISU Championship starting order. Jason is #5 overall (http://www.isuresults.com/ws/ws/wsmen.htm). So a few more points here will cement that standing a little more.

 

[Bookseller]

Hoping that we can get a livestream or a replay. It's good for Jason to have another outing before Nationals. The goal for this year is podium at Nationals and World Team. Good results in France and Zagreb would certainly help that goal to become reality. And I'm always happy to get another chance to see Jason skate. Team USA will be well represented at that competition. That might be a reason for someone to pick up livestream rights.

 

[Mrs. P]

If there's an on-demand option, I might pay the cash.

 

[Tavi...]

If there's an on-demand option, I might pay the cash.

I looked at the info from last year and it doesn’t look like replays were available, but it looks like someone recorded it and saved the videos. I just wrote to ask them if there will be a livestream this year.

 

[el henry]

The times they are a changing: Jason in a late season challenger.

But wow: Jason, Deniss, Deanna and Nate, ETA: Alexa and Chris, Ashley and Tim:agree:

How difficult is it to get to Zagreb

 

[Ross74]

How difficult is it to get to Zagreb

On that note, how much time will he have back in TO before heading back to Europe? Isn't it a trek to get to Grenoble?

 

[el henry]

On that note, how much time will he have back in TO before heading back to Europe? Isn't it a trek to get to Grenoble?

Yes, i think it is.

My dream: he stays and trains in Champéry with Deniss and Stéphane

 

[Tavi...]

If Jason is invited to the Gala in France, he couldn’t leave until late Sunday night 11/25 or Monday 11/26. That leaves between 7-10 days at most, including travel days, until he has to be in Zagreb. It really could be tough. And now that Stephen is going to JGPF, I wonder if maybe Lee and Brian will both go to Vancouver. If Tracy has broadcast commitments for GPF, I wonder if we will see Karen Preston with Jason in Zagreb. Time will tell, I guess

 

[Bookseller]

Karen is a good bet for Zagreb. That will be a busy time for TCC coaches. I might pay for a livestream also, but it may not be offered. Zagreb is definitely being used by Team USA as a warm up to Nationals though! But first.....GP France! As for travel, it does make some sense for Jason to stay and train in Europe before the Zagreb competition. Maybe he and his family will take a little vacation in France and then all go to Zagreb together. He could arrange for ice time. Yes, it would be fun to see him train with Stephane and Deniss.

 

[Tavi...]

The only thing about Jason staying in Europe and essentially killing time there - either vacationing with family or working with Lambiel - is that there’s very little point in him doing Golden Spin unless he’s using it to improve on what he does in France. It seems to me he needs to be working with his own coaches for that. But I guess we’ll see.

 

[el henry]

The only thing about Jason staying in Europe and essentially killing time there - either vacationing with family or working with Lambiel - is that there’s very little point in him doing Golden Spin unless he’s using it to improve on what he does in France. It seems to me he needs to be working with his own coaches for that. But I guess we’ll see.

I thought of that too. So here’s my plan.

Deniss could use some help on his jumps as well, right? Ghislain Briand stays with them He and Stéphane can chat in French, Deniss and Jason could work on jumps, and then they can have a spin off.

Yeah, Yuzu, but Yuzu doesn’t really need Ghislain for a week.

Someone call TCC and make this happen

 

[Tavi...]

I thought of that too. So here’s my plan.

Deniss could use some help on his jumps as well, right? Ghislain Briand stays with them He and Stéphane can chat in French, Deniss and Jason could work on jumps, and then they can have a spin off.

Yeah, Yuzu, but Yuzu doesn’t really need Ghislain for a week.

Someone call TCC and make this happen

Mmmhmm, dream on!

Seriously, they’ve had several weeks to figure this out - deadline for Golden Spin was a month ago, they’ve known for three weeks or so Jason would not make GPF, and chances were strong for Stephen as first alternate to make JGPF. So I’m sure they have a plan. It’ll be interesting to see what it is and how he does and all.

 

[icetug]

I thought of that too. So here’s my plan.

Deniss could use some help on his jumps as well, right? Ghislain Briand stays with them He and Stéphane can chat in French, Deniss and Jason could work on jumps, and then they can have a spin off.

Yeah, Yuzu, but Yuzu doesn’t really need Ghislain for a week.

Someone call TCC and make this happen

Taking into consideration that Ghislain was twice in Champery this summer, hope he fell in love with a view, fresh air or whatever and wants to visit Palladium again. What would make your clever plan quite probable (with a great benefit to Jason's health... not to mention his and Deniss' jumps, of course).

 

[NanaPat]

If Jason is invited to the Gala in France, he couldn’t leave until late Sunday night 11/25 or Monday 11/26. That leaves between 7-10 days at most, including travel days, until he has to be in Zagreb. It really could be tough. And now that Stephen is going to JGPF, I wonder if maybe Lee and Brian will both go to Vancouver. If Tracy has broadcast commitments for GPF, I wonder if we will see Karen Preston with Jason in Zagreb. Time will tell, I guess

The GPF is on the CBC broadcast schedule, so no Tracy: she's CTV/TSN, not CBC.

In Canada, CTV/TSN have broadcast rights for Skate Canada International and Nationals, CBC has all the international competitions except SCI.

 

[Mrs. P]

So TSL posted the Team USA list for Golden Spin in its IG Story and under the coaches list only Karen Preston is listed. But that could just be reflective of registered USFSA coaches.

 

[Tavi...]

So TSL posted the Team USA list for Golden Spin in its IG Story and under the coaches list only Karen Preston is listed. But that could just be reflective of registered USFSA coaches.

Interesting. It would make sense though, given all the stuff the TCC coaches will be juggling. She was also at ACI.

 

[StitchMonkey]

I assumed that was just for Golden Spin purposes.

BOrser will be at the GPF that weekend.

Also note that Raf is not listed for Mariah's coach likely for the same reason.