Max Aaron | Page 47 | Golden Skate

Max Aaron

I think Max can medal here as well - and he will have good competition from Patrick Chan, Shoma Uno, Boyang Jin, Takahito Mura, and even Han Yan (if Han can skate his potential). I wished that Denis Ten could still compete because they would make this 4CCs an even better warm up to Worlds (I also want to see what Denis does with his new Romeo & Juliet program).

I am really trying to be optimistic, but I don't think Max + Adam/Grant will get the below the 13 needed for the U.S. to keep three spots. Which is going to make a good number of the current healthy U.S. men as well as any of the recovering Jason/Joshua/Nathan/Ricky/Jordan's next season just awful.
 
I think Max can medal here as well - and he will have good competition from Patrick Chan, Shoma Uno, Boyang Jin, Takahito Mura, and even Han Yan (if Han can skate his potential). I wished that Denis Ten could still compete because they would make this 4CCs an even better warm up to Worlds (I also want to see what Denis does with his new Romeo & Juliet program).

I am really trying to be optimistic, but I don't think Max + Adam/Grant will get the below the 13 needed for the U.S. to keep three spots. Which is going to make a good number of the current healthy U.S. men as well as any of the recovering Jason/Joshua/Nathan/Ricky/Jordan's next season just awful.

Remember, too, that Max beat Shoma, Denis, Takahito and Han at Skate America!

Here's some optimism for you: there's no "spot earning" at 4CCs. Every country can send three if they have three with the scores to go! (Team Australia = 2 men, 3 ladies, 1 dance couple for this event!).
 
Here's some optimism for you: there's no "spot earning" at 4CCs. Every country can send three if they have three with the scores to go! (Team Australia = 2 men, 3 ladies, 1 dance couple for this event!).

True, that's always good about 4CCs (and will make me feel better about the U.S. men that are 3rd-4th at next year's Nationals). I am still bummed out about the idea of 2 U.S. men in Helsinki next year fighting to get a third spot for the 2018 Olympics. It could make what happens at next year's Nationals insane.
 
True, that's always good about 4CCs (and will make me feel better about the U.S. men that are 3rd-4th at next year's Nationals). I am still bummed out about the idea of 2 U.S. men in Helsinki next year fighting to get a third spot for the 2018 Olympics. It could make what happens at next year's Nationals insane.
Remaining optomistic, but if that did happen, Nationals would be one wild ride! :popcorn:

Max and Adam's highest worlds placements are 7th and 6th. That'd do it, so I hope they can. (As much as I like Grant, he doesn't seem to be in the mix to get the spots back.)
 
Schedule for Max's SP at Four Continents:

Friday, February 19, 2016

Local times in Taipei

20:58:00 - 21:05:00 Warm-up Group 4

21:05:30 - 21:12:00 18 Han YAN CHN
21:12:00 - 21:18:30 19 Shoma UNO JPN
21:18:30 - 21:25:00 20 Max AARON USA
21:25:00 - 21:31:30 21 Takahito MURA JPN
21:31:30 - 21:38:00 22 Boyang JIN CHN
21:38:00 - 21:44:30 23 Patrick CHAN CAN

http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/fc2016/fc2016_Men_SP_TimeSchedule.pdf

The link for live streaming (with commentary in Mandarin from Taiwanese source):

Go, Max :yay:.


I'm laughing over these photos of the Men's SP draw:

I recognize Brendan ... Andrew .. Shoma, Takahito ...Patrick ... Denis Margalik ... #ButWhereIsTeamUSAhiding? :laugh:
 
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Big hugs to Max :console: :ghug:.
Sending supportive thoughts to him as he gathers himself and moves forward to the FS.

Looking on the positive side ...

On an objective level:

Max's PCS today was 38.00, which is pretty close to his 38.71 at Skate America.
http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/fc2016/SEG001.HTM
http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/gpusa2015/SEG001.HTM

And he earned higher PCS today than the two men who placed above him. (I didn't see their skates.)​

On a subjective level:

The kazsport streaming kept freezing for me, so I was unable to see most of his SP. (And I have not watched a video yet.)
My streaming skipped over the first and third jumping passes.
Meanwhile ... I really did enjoy the bits and snatches of choreo that I was able to see, even as I wondered/worried why the TES box showed that points were not adding up as Max and we would have hoped.
(It was only when the streaming replayed snippets of his jumps that the reasons for his TES became apparent to me.)​

Wishing our Black Swan all the best on Sunday.
 
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Yes can't lie, this was all a bit discouraging but I do think it's encouraging that his PCS were still relatively high and if he had to have a skate like this, better here than at Worlds, obviously :)

Good luck to Max on Sunday! :cheer:
 
I thought he was going to cry when the scores came up and that was the last straw for me, I was bawling. Poor, poor SnuggleBat. All I wanted to do was give him a hug and tell him it would be okay.

:cry: :cry: :cry:
 
I thought he was going to cry when the scores came up and that was the last straw for me, I was bawling. Poor, poor SnuggleBat. All I wanted to do was give him a hug and tell him it would be okay.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

Jackie Wong ‏@rockerskating
Max Aaron: “This was a tough event for me. I learned a lot today and I’m definitely looking forward to skating my free program.”
7:05 AM - 19 Feb 2016
https://twitter.com/rockerskating/status/700697802440048640

I hope that Max now has woken up to a new day in Taipei :coffee:, and is starting to get pumped to take two steps forward :yes2: with his FS on Sunday.

But yes, it was gut-wrenching to see him in the Kiss and Cry. Hope he knows how much we all still believe in him :ghug:.

(BTW, sabinfire has uploaded Max's SP with Michael Weiss commentary from Universal HD:
https://youtu.be/z-v3mBZoBJ4 (5:09) [although I have not been able to bring myself to watch it])​

Soooo ... a good time to throw back to a happy photo of smiling Max :) that I somehow had missed yesterday:

@USFigureSkating
As the 1st group of ladies competed, the U.S. men drew their start order for tomorrow's SP ...
https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/700249080321015808 (Feb 18)​
 
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Mini-vid of Max smiling :) and hamming it up :laugh: in the stands during the Pairs FS ... alongside Liam :luv17:, Ross :luv17:, and Madi Chock.

Friday had been a rough day on the ice for all three men, so it is great to see that they are looking relaxed and in good spirits today.

ETA:

Max skates third in Warm-Up Group 3 for the FS at Four Continents.

Warm-up at 14:01:40 local time.

Max skates at 14:25:50, after Martinez and Tanaka.

http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/fc2016/fc2016_Men_FS_TimeSchedule.pdf

Go, Max :yay:. (Ditto for Liam, Ross, Patrick, Grant, etc., etc.)​


ETA:

I finally watched the video of Max's SP on Universal HD (thx to sabinfire).
And I could have kissed Michael Weiss.

Near the end of the slo-mo replays, the Universal announcer was saying something about Max almost quitting the sport in 2012.
Just as the shot changed to Max in the Kiss and Cry waiting for his score, Michael replied:
"I'm glad he stayed in. He still has so much more to give."
https://youtu.be/z-v3mBZoBJ4?t=4m26s
 
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Max Aaron [after the FS]: “This week has been a real struggle for me. I’ve had to fight through it. There’s just been a series of unfortunate events throughout practice and in my performances here. Things happen and you just have to fight and make the best of it. Unfortunately this happened at a championship event, but all I can do now is keep fighting and look forward to Wor[l]ds.”

http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.com/uncategorized/4cctaipeicity-team-usa-competition-central/

We're with you as you keep fighting, Max :ghug:.

And karne will be in Boston to cheer for you :yay:.


Photo of Max in the FS Green Room with Keiji Tanaka and Michael Christian Martinez:
 
:cry: :cry: :cry:

I'm so proud of him. So proud. He could have given up, but he didn't, he kept fighting, all the way to the point of changing one of those 2As to a 3Lz-3T! I nearly fell off my couch when he did that!

I also noticed that while there is still a pause in the footwork, it's considerably shorter, and where the original horrible "pause" was, he now KEEPS MOVING! :cheer:
 
I agree. This event was disappointing (I'm sure fr Max more than anyone) but as fans all we can really ask is that skaters genuinely try their best and keep fighting, and he did that. I'm still excited to see him at Worlds and am glad that if this had to happen it was here and not there.
 
Max's Black Swan at Four Continents with Weir commentary can be seen as part of sabinfire's video of the entire NBCSN broadcast of the men's FS at Four Continents.
https://youtu.be/KbfCwkC5VWI (Max's program begins at approx. 1:25)​

Thank you, sabinfire :bow:.


More images of Max hanging out in the green room after his FS:

Another one with Keiji and Michael: https://www.instagram.com/p/BCCuljLt6AG/

Keiji and Max clapping for Shoma, who is in the Kiss and Cry: https://www.instagram.com/p/BCC2TFuoham/

Keiji and Max pose for a photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/BCCjImEm38a/

Shoma on Keiji's lap with Max sitting alongside:


Throwing back to Nats, where 7K Coach Vincent's many selfies included a nice one with Max:


ETA, photo of Max at the Four Continents banquet with Alexa:


ETA (on Feb 24), a different shot of Max A + Maddie A that Edea posted before Nats (but I first saw today):
 
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It is the 25th here, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish our dear SnuggleBat a very happy birthday!
 
:hb: Happy birthday! :hb:

re 4CC :console: to Max, and :ghug::ghug::ghug:to all his fans. Good luck, Max, at Worlds in Boston! :)
 
Newly-seen visuals on social media today in honor of Max's birthday:

... then Max came out in his tux outfit for a number before Exhibition. They lined up all the teen girls on the ice and Had Max do down the line dancing with them. Very cute. .... he was smiling like a mad man the entire time ....

I think someone tweeted photos of this part of the show in Colorado that Stitch described in April.

(We saw some previous photos of this show of Polina with Max in a tux, but Max is with other ladies in these "new" pics of the old show.)


And I think TSL published "new" training video of Max from its old trip to Colorado Springs. Or at least I don't recall seeing this clip before??



Max thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!

Thank you for all the Birthday wishes! Really appreciate all the love! ��
10:41 PM - 25 Feb 2016
https://twitter.com/MaxTAaron/status/703062234394570752

Here's to another great year! :hb:

:dance2: Glad that Max had a happy birthday and knows that he is much loved.
 
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