2019-20 U.S. Men's Figure Skating

karne · Jan 26, 2020

Feline Feeder said:
I miss old Jason Brown.

He was so. . .happy! Riverdance! Hamilton! Prince! Brown Betty! He was so peppy and perky and fun.

When they cut his ponytail, it's like his spirit was lost. Schindler's List has been overdone and no matter how beautiful one skates to it, it's very depressing. And that ballad in his short program wasn't great either. It's like those original songs that people used to write for Johnny Weir (or maybe he wrote them himself, I don't remember. Either way, they weren't great.)

Come back, old Jason. There has to be another way to show "artistry" than to do slow, somber music. You used to be unique, now you're like everyone else!

PS. I'm sure many will disagree with me, and I realize that he skates cleaner with less involved programs, but I still miss them!

I disagree.

I remember, for a good three years at least, Kori and Rohene talking about how they wanted to present Jason a "more mature" skater. I think the first year we heard that line was 2012-2013, almost certainly in response to Josh, who by then was already cutting a more mature, refined figure on the ice. That was the year they put him in George Washington ruffles for the Prince program he wasn't ready for and then blue velvet pants for Liebestraume to make him look like a Junior. Riverdance was good, and the second season of the Prince SP was much more mature, but then we had the massive step backwards the next year with the Juniorish Juke SP (bedazzled suspenders really don't scream "mature") and the terribly-costumed Tristan.

What I see with Jason with short hair is a Jason who is taking control of his career. Remember the story of how he had to fight Kori and Rohene to do Hamilton even though it was something he really wanted to do? He also really wanted to do Schindler's List, and instead of telling him no, Brian, Tracey and David Wilson made it happen for him. I think while Jason sorts out his technique this is the right sort of way for him to skate, and then at a later time I'm sure we'll see more of that bundle of sunshine on the ice.

lariko · Jan 26, 2020

Amei said:
This didn't have anything to do with giving figure skating a 'middle finger' - this press conference took precedent on all the networks.

They could have replayed the blocked out segment in its entirety.

NanaPat · Jan 26, 2020

crazydreamer said:
I don’t blame them for cutting out for the Kobe press conference, but it is inexcusable that they did not immediately replay Nathan and Jason.

Kobe’s death is a tragedy. I gasped when I heard (hours ago). But why they felt that people watching their FS broadcast cared more about the press conference and NBC’s commentary about it than about Nathan and Jason’s skates is beyond me.

Anyway, Nathan A, Jason A+, NBC F.

lariko said:
They could have replayed the blocked out segment in its entirety.

They ran out of time after they showed Nathan. If they'd shown Jason, it would have lapped over into the first 5 minutes of the following program. That would anger people who set their PVRs without using the "add time to this live program in case it runs late" option and viewers who had other content pre-empted for (gasp!) a figure-skater.

I was pretty P'd off at NBC, but in fairness, I don't believe they had any control over the timing or content (or any prior knowledge of the content) of the press conference. As far as they knew, it could have contained actual news.

sjchilly · Jan 26, 2020

Amei said:
This didn't have anything to do with giving figure skating a 'middle finger' - this press conference took precedent on all the networks.

CBS did not interrupt golf for the "news conference" that did not offer any "news" that NBC had not reported earlier, or 20 minutes later on local 6 o'clock news and again on the national news.

TontoK · Jan 26, 2020

discode said:
Gotta go with Vincent honestly. He was only 3 points behind. He's the defending bronze medalist and he was pretty remarkable considering his lack of training time. First time I actually really enjoyed his skating. Of course, it might change when he adds back in all those quads he has trouble landing.

I'm also not for fighting it out after nationals, but 4CC would be a good place to decide it.

See, I'm the opposite. Not that I don't like Vincent, because I do very much.

I think they should name the team by placement, and be done with it.

With Nathan's probable high placement at Worlds, it should be relatively easy for either Jason or Tomoki to finish high enough to maintain three USA spots. And, to be frank, if they don't, then they can't complain if it costs them a trip next year.

This gives Vincent time to settle into his new situation, regain his strength and stamina, refine his technique, become tip-top world class again... without Worlds pressure. Because after this week, I think we can confidently hope that he is going to regain his standing very quickly.

lariko · Jan 26, 2020

NanaPat said:
They ran out of time after they showed Nathan. If they'd shown Jason, it would have lapped over into the first 5 minutes of the following program. That would anger people who set their PVRs without using the "add time to this live program in case it runs late" option and viewers who had other content pre-empted for (gasp!) a figure-skater.

I was pretty P'd off at NBC, but in fairness, I don't believe they had any control over the timing or content (or any prior knowledge of the content) of the press conference. As far as they knew, it could have contained actual news.

On my end, NBC showed a lot of content, and only then they had replayed Chen’s skate. Given that the press conference lasted for a long while, it was not impossible to restore the last most exciting segment of the competition.

seabm7 · Jan 26, 2020

USFS just uploaded Nathan and Jason's free skating programs on twitter, without country block.

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1221592597094916097

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1221596731445579781

NanaPat · Jan 26, 2020

lariko said:
On my end, NBC showed a lot of content, and only then they had replayed Chen’s skate. Given that the press conference lasted for a long while, it was not impossible to restore the last most exciting segment of the competition.

I may have FFd through some of that content, so you may be right that they would have had enough time if they'd reacted immediately. I don't think the people putting out the show knew immediately that they'd been pre-empted. When they showed Nathan at the end, it was complete with commentary that had been done at the time he skated. Don't know when they actually knew that they'd been pre-empted, and exactly what hadn't been broadcast.

You're right that they showed Nathan sitting backstage, some replays of Jason, and Jason waiting for his marks. If they'd skipped that and gone right to severely-edited Nathan (no bows, replays, waiting for marks etc) they might have had time for severely-edited Jason as well. But it could be that at that point they didn't know that the material they were sending out wasn't actually making it to our TV screens/PVRs.

NanaPat · Jan 26, 2020

seabm7 said:
USFS just uploaded Nathan and Jason's free skating programs on twitter, without country block.

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1221592597094916097

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1221596731445579781

Excellent. It's the least (and probably also most) they could do.

lariko · Jan 26, 2020

This twit says the assignments are in:

https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/1221614207222853632?s=20

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1221614532998705152?s=20

World: Chen, Brown, Zhou
4CC: Brown, Hiwatashi, Pulkinen

karne · Jan 26, 2020

lariko said:
This twit says the assignments are in:

https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/1221614207222853632?s=20

World: Chen, Brown, Zhou
4CC: Brown, Hiwatashi, Pulkinen

That's really terrible for Hiwatashi if so.

The USFS' message is basically "We care so little about you we're going to put a skater who hasn't skated the whole season and is a known UR on the World team ahead of you even though you beat him in your only head-to-head matchup this year."

truthbooth · Jan 26, 2020

lariko said:
This twit says the assignments are in:

https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/1221614207222853632?s=20

World: Chen, Brown, Zhou
4CC: Brown, Hiwatashi, Pulkinen

Not surprised that Vincent got the nod for Worlds.

4CC assignment is interesting -- looks like Nathan and Vincent declined, but I'm surprised Pulkinen got named before Torgashev (maybe wants JW?) or Krasnozhon.

karne said:
That's really terrible for Hiwatashi if so.

The USFS' message is basically "We care so little about you we're going to put a skater who hasn't skated the whole season and is a known UR on the World team ahead of you even though you beat him in your only head-to-head matchup this year."

I feel like we have this conversation every year. US Nationals is the primary, but not the only, consideration for assignments. Vincent is the reigning world bronze medalist and that should be taken very strongly into account. A three point gap at Nationals with watered-down content from Zhou is not a strong argument for him being left off the team. His scoring and placement potential/maximum is considerably higher than Hiwatashi's is, at the moment.

lariko · Jan 26, 2020

Here is one from USFS:

Torgashev is in Junior Team Camp

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1221614532998705152?s=20

Charlotte 71 · Jan 26, 2020

skatespin said:
Thanks a lot NBC, you make it nearly impossible to watch US Nationals other than through NBC or it's paid services and then you interrupt when Nathan and Jason skate with a news report (that people can get so many other places).

What disrespect to two great athletes in figure skating to take away their moments on live national TV. Finally, at the very end they replayed Nathan's free so that we could actually watch it, but Jason's was never shown. I hope someone puts up a decent video online. I don't see why they couldn't have waited until the last two skaters were done to interrupt the program.

It is easier to watch the nationals of other countries than it is to watch my own US nationals. I await the day when NBC no longer owns the rights to show figure skating.

A billionaire crashed in his helicopter and took his 13-year-old daughter with him. As Americans, we are obligated to boo-hoo about it. Why are you complaining about missing figure skating? You're not used to it by now? If there is anything, literally anything happening in the world of pro sports, be it football, basketball, hockey, or baseball, figure skating will always be pre-empted. Ask anybody who stayed up to 11 last night hoping to catch Europeans on NBCSC. 11 came and went and the advertised Europeans did not appear. A pro hockey "skills tournament" was wrapping up. Well, okay. I wouldn't like it if my figure skating competition were running a little bit over time and the ending were cut off for bowling for dollars, so I waited. And then the tournament ended, it was 20 minutes after 11, and "European Skating Champions - coming next!" teaser was on the screen. Okay, sounds like it's coming any minute, I'll wait up... and then the chit-chat started. Three commentators TALKING about the hockey skills tournament. Okay, I say, well, they want to wrap it up. I would want a couple minutes to do that too. So I wait. And they keep talking, and talking. It's now nearly 11:30. And still they talk. Aggravated, I zap off the tv and exclaim loudly, "NBCSC, you have LOST a VIEWER!" and go to bed. I don't know how long they talked before they decided there was absolutely nothing more that could possibly be said about the hockey skills tournament and they would finally turn it over to figure skating. I couldn't wait any longer last night or I would have busted a gasket. When I start yelling at the tv, I know it's time to let it go.

YuBluByMe · Jan 26, 2020

lariko said:
This twit says the assignments are in:

World: Chen, Brown, Zhou
4CC: Brown, Hiwatashi, Pulkinen

Wait....what? Why Pulkinen over Torgashev? Torgashev placed higher than him. So did Krasnozhon. I’m surprised they named Zhou outright but I do agree with the decision.

Jeanie19 · Jan 26, 2020

When is Junior team camp? Do they air it live?

crazydreamer · Jan 26, 2020

karne said:
That's really terrible for Hiwatashi if so.

The USFS' message is basically "We care so little about you we're going to put a skater who hasn't skated the whole season and is a known UR on the World team ahead of you even though you beat him in your only head-to-head matchup this year."

I mean, he is the reigning world bronze medalist.

Seven Sisters · Jan 26, 2020

YuBluByMe said:
Wait....what? Why Pulkinen over Torgashev? Torgashev placed higher than him. So did Krasnozhon.

I think Camden’s exquisite LP would be very appealing to the Korean audience. I’m sure that’s not USFS’ reasoning, though

karne · Jan 26, 2020

truthbooth said:
I feel like we have this conversation every year. US Nationals is the primary, but not the only, consideration for assignments. Vincent is the reigning world bronze medalist and that should be taken very strongly into account. A three point gap at Nationals with watered-down content from Zhou is not a strong argument for him being left off the team. His scoring and placement potential/maximum is considerably higher than Hiwatashi's is, at the moment.

Vincent may be the reigning world bronze medallist, but he also hasn't skated all season, which I think should be taken into account even more strongly because we have no form guide for him. Hiwatashi's results may not have been great this year but he's actually skated, which is a bonus; he beat Vincent head-to-head and is the reigning Junior World Champion.

Also, I thoroughly dislike picking people based on "potential". Yes, Vincent won the world bronze medal last year. And what happened the year before? Seven underrotations in the free skate. With absolutely no evidence that that particular problem is fixed. For all we know, the Worlds panel this year might be super-strict, and then suddenly Vincent dumps 20 points TES.

TontoK · Jan 26, 2020

karne said:
That's really terrible for Hiwatashi if so.

The USFS' message is basically "We care so little about you we're going to put a skater who hasn't skated the whole season and is a known UR on the World team ahead of you even though you beat him in your only head-to-head matchup this year."

It's the wrong place to gripe about this, but they pulled the same stunt with the pairs.

Gold and pewter medalists going to World's. The silver medalists, who had the skate of the pairs event, left off the team.

Calalang and Johnson headed to 4CC, but Cain/LeDuc are not. The conspiracy theorist in me says it's contrived so that no one can second guess the USFSA if C/J beat the snot out of them again.

2019-20 U.S. Men's Figure Skating

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

lariko

NanaPat

sjchilly

TontoK

Hot Tonto

lariko

seabm7

NanaPat

NanaPat

lariko

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

truthbooth

lariko

Charlotte 71

YuBluByMe

May Rika spin her hair into GOLD….in 2026.

Jeanie19

crazydreamer

Seven Sisters

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

TontoK

Hot Tonto

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