2015 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic SLC General

[sabinfire]

Ice Network always makes me sad because year after year I hope for the people who subscribe that it will be better than in previous years, but it never is... If they don't figure out how to post the full ladies SP you guys should definitely make a fuss/ask for a portion of your money back.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that IN still hasn't made available the Ladies SP. Why did they even bother to tweet out false promises, on top of failing to deliver the original live-stream? :disapp:

But that's okay, keep continuing to use that big picture of Satoko to promote this event, even if you can't provide any live-stream or on-demand video of her.

I can't believe I let my IN auto-renewal this year... argh!

 

[TheGrandSophy]

Well, I received an email confirming my IN refund. I didn't even have it 24 hours before cancelling! Lol

So glad that Shoma did better in the FS. Still, a little bit worried by how exhausted he looked (adrenaline crash from nerves, physical tiredness or something else?). I hope he can gain some confidence and do better at JO.

Congrats to Daniel, Keiji and Ross!

Really disappointed not to see Satoko. :-(

 

[A.H.Black]

I'm not going to go through all the previous pages, but did anyone notice that Angela Wang got higher PCS than world silver medalist, Satoko Miyahara! :shocked:Karen Chen also pretty much got the same PCS as Satoko too.

Angela's PCS were well deserved. She commands the ice. I thought Chen and Miyahara were both somewhat robotic. It's one of those ineffable qualities that doesn't show up on video.


The funnest part of pairs was a boy and his little sister (about 4-years-old) up on the concourse, who decided they would be pairs skaters during the ice make. He was spinning her around and throwing her and finally got her way up in the air in a lift. When they got a big cheer, the little sister ran and hid behind the soft drink machine.

Line of the week so far: "He could skate better if he could see" (Tanaka's short program).

 

[Layback11]

Angela's PCS were well deserved. She commands the ice. I thought Chen and Miyahara were both somewhat robotic. It's one of those ineffable qualities that doesn't show up on video.


The funnest part of pairs was a boy and his little sister (about 4-years-old) up on the concourse, who decided they would be pairs skaters during the ice make. He was spinning her around and throwing her and finally got her way up in the air in a lift. When they got a big cheer, the little sister ran and hid behind the soft drink machine.

Line of the week so far: "He could skate better if he could see" (Tanaka's short program).

Oh my goodness, you have no idea how much I wish I had seen that! #FutureShibs

Also, who said Tanaka could skate better if he could see? Does he wear glasses/contacts but didn't have them on? That would seem the most likely...:scratch:

 

[A.H.Black]

Oh my goodness, you have no idea how much I wish I had seen that! #FutureShibs

Also, who said Tanaka could skate better if he could see? Does he wear glasses/contacts but didn't have them on? That would seem the most likely...:scratch:

Hair!

 

[Layback11]

Hair!

Oh

I didn't get to watch, but maybe he needs to wear it in a ponytail. Nah, that's been done...French braids FTW.

 

[A.H.Black]

If he's not careful, a few of the mothers (grandmothers, actually) around here are going to kidnap him and cut it themselves.

 

[TheGrandSophy]

It is hardly that long or thick! Keiji with Shoma

Leave the boy alone!

 

[Layback11]

It is hardly that long or thick! Keiji with Shoma

Leave the boy alone!

I really have no idea how Shoma is so mini.

He looks about 12...it's actually quite endearing.

EDIT: looked it up. He is-from different sources-either 5' 2 1/2" or 5' 3", which is actually taller than I expected. But still tiny for a 17-year-old boy, obviously. Maybe Keiji is just really tall, and that gives the illusion of Shoma being smaller than he is? Eh, whatever, it doesn't hurt his skating, so I don't care.

 

[YesWay]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that IN still hasn't made available the Ladies SP. Why did they even bother to tweet out false promises, on top of failing to deliver the original live-stream? :disapp:

But that's okay, keep continuing to use that big picture of Satoko to promote this event, even if you can't provide any live-stream or on-demand video of her.

I can't believe I let my IN auto-renewal this year... argh!

Still no ladies SP >:-(

But they have put up Miyahara and Chen's individual SP's. In typical IN incompetent fashion, they don't seem to show up on any screen... unless you do a video search for "2015 International Classic Ladies"...

 

[Mrs. P]

Angela's PCS were well deserved. She commands the ice. I thought Chen and Miyahara were both somewhat robotic. It's one of those ineffable qualities that doesn't show up on video.


The funnest part of pairs was a boy and his little sister (about 4-years-old) up on the concourse, who decided they would be pairs skaters during the ice make. He was spinning her around and throwing her and finally got her way up in the air in a lift. When they got a big cheer, the little sister ran and hid behind the soft drink machine.

Line of the week so far: "He could skate better if he could see" (Tanaka's short program).

Interesting you think of Karen of robotic. Seems she is someone that people love ("She is a great performer!" Or are lukewarm (as you and others I heard seem to be) when one sees her in person.

 

[TheGrandSophy]

I really have no idea how Shoma is so mini.

He looks about 12...it's actually quite endearing.

EDIT: looked it up. He is-from different sources-either 5' 2 1/2" or 5' 3", which is actually taller than I expected. But still tiny for a 17-year-old boy, obviously. Maybe Keiji is just really tall, and that gives the illusion of Shoma being smaller than he is? Eh, whatever, it doesn't hurt his skating, so I don't care.

Keiji is 1.73m, I believe, and jointly with Ryuju Hino is the tallest of the Senior men in Team Japan currently competing, I just read. And Shoma is the shortest.

 

[A.H.Black]

Interesting you think of Karen of robotic. Seems she is someone that people love ("She is a great performer!" Or are lukewarm (as you and others I heard seem to be) when one sees her in person.

It's not really performance ability. They both do the choreography and positions and all the rest. It's something that I can only describe as command, or connection, or presence? It's something you can see/feel immediately in person, but I can never see/feel it when I watch video.

 

[yyyskate]

Karen needs to learn look at the audience right into their eyes and souls.

 

[Layback11]

Still no ladies SP >:-(

But they have put up Miyahara and Chen's individual SP's. In typical IN incompetent fashion, they don't seem to show up on any screen... unless you do a video search for "2015 International Classic Ladies"...

I searched it and Satoko, Angela, Karen and Elizabet's SPs came up. So it does have something.

I was basically talking to the computer the entire time. Commentating, if you will.

I was a bit underwhelmed by Elizabet's program/expression but her elements were excellent. She's a very good spinner, and her jumps are pretty good too (although I'm concerned they might not survive her growth spurt...they're even tinier than Satoko's :no.

I think it was a good choice for Satoko to take on such a different style from what she usually does, and the elements were very good. Her jumps were solid, and her spins are always pretty good. The program has a lot of potential, but it's not quite at the level of expression her Miss Saigon was...although that is to be expected this early on, and the artistic side will probably come with time as she gets used to it.

Angela's is okay, and her elements were ON love: that loop variation), but the program does nothing for me and probably never will (I'm left to wonder why the heck she is smiling to this music...). She is a lovely skater anyhow, with a lot of potential.

Karen's was my favorite program, and it was much better than at GF. She didn't seem so overwhelmed by the music this time. The combo was botched, but the rest of the elements looked great (that layback combo! ) and she seemed to be better prepared. Also, she is giving SO MUCH FACE and it is EPIC!!

 

[Mrs. P]

Karen said her post SP interview she was playing it a bit safe so she could focus on the performance, so maybe the 3-2 was planned?

 

[Layback11]

Karen said her post SP interview she was playing it a bit safe so she could focus on the performance, so maybe the 3-2 was planned?

Maybe, but I definitely saw the performance side. :yes:

 

[Layback11]

Karen needs to learn look at the audience right into their eyes and souls.

Yes. Hypnotize them.

 

[sabinfire]

I searched it and Satoko, Angela, Karen and Elizabet's SPs came up. So it does have something.

But it still does not have what IN had tweeted yesterday: "We will have the full ladies short program available without interruptions available later today."

This is neither full, without interruption, nor provided yesterday.

They just have individual cuts for the top 4. Skaters like Veronik Mallet and Brooklee Han remain missing from IN video. And if someone had missed the original live-stream entirely, they would still only have access to individual cuts of those top 4. I won't be able to catch the Ladies FS live today, so I hope IN will post the on-demand archive soon after that event concludes, or at least have it there the following morning.

I suppose it's likely IN subscribers will not have access to the Ladies SP before the Ladies FS begins in a few hours. Even if IN can post it up soon, you likely wouldn't have enough time to watch it before the Ladies FS live-stream begins.

I prefer to watch sports live whenever possible (or at least immediately afterwards). If I wanted limited piecemeal videos after the fact, I wouldn't pay for IN, I'd just rely on the videos that are posted on YouTube afterward...

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Was watching a video of Shoma's FS at around 1:30AM (had to work during Men's, yet again) and when he finished I started screaming "No Shoma! Don't! Oh!...Shoma!" What my neighbors must've been thinking~: Seriously thought the poor boy was going to keel over at the end though. Actually thought he was being sick behind the boards. Glad he has Mihoko-sensei to care for him. He seems to really trust her. Anyway, great fight by Shoma on his FS!
.
Also, congrats to Daniel. I like that he challenges himself.
And nice job by Keiji! Wow! (...so kakkoii in his SP)