2014 Skate America Men's FS 10/25

[ioanna]

Machida was superb. Definitely looking to be a top contender this season. Predicting top 3 GPF placement. I also completely disagree with negative comments about his performance, i believe that he's currently the best at performance for male skaters.

I agree with this and I think Machida is the best performer out of all the male skaters. His FS (as well as his SP) is rich in footwork and transitions and I guess this is partly the reason why some people may find it overwhelming. Not the case with me, I think this is another wise way to get good scores, besides adding quads.

I also don't find his interpretation overly dramatic because Symphony no 9 is a monumental piece and it takes talent and courage to own it. IMHO, he could do it and it's also going to get polished as the season progresses. From what I've seen he also got an excellent response from the audience so I could only guess the majority of them liked it.

All in all tastes are different and cannot be discussed.

 

[MIM]

I adore Machida. He is a way better skater than Jason and Nam. I think he got what it takes to be the top since the last WC. I respect him that he is not backing it off, but explores further. My humble opinions only shed from wishing him the best to be the top of the top!

And thank you, Meoima

 

[caitie]

I agree with this and I think Machida is the best performer out of all the male skaters. His FS (as well as his SP) is rich in footwork and transitions and I guess this is partly the reason why some people may find it overwhelming. Not the case with me, I think this is another wise way to get good scores, besides adding quads.

I also don't find his interpretation overly dramatic because Symphony no 9 is a monumental piece and it takes talent and courage to own it. IMHO, he could do it and it's also going to get polished as the season progresses. From what I've seen he also got an excellent response from the audience so I could only guess the majority of them liked it.

All in all tastes are different and cannot be discussed.

I didn't find his interpretation overwhelming or overdramatic personally, but I thought the choreography seemed disconnected from the music more often than not. I loooove his SP, though. It's only the LP I wasn't really feeling, but it's the choreo and not his performance.

 

[Meoima]

I adore Machida. He is a way better skater than Jason and Nam. I think he got what it takes to be the top since the last WC. I respect him that he is not backing it off, but explores further. My humble opinions only shed from wishing him the best to be the top of the top!
And thank you, Meoima

I am glad I found several people who have the same thoughts as mine.

I have studied sym 9 for so long, even participated in the chorus for the last movement several times (heck, standing for more than an hour for that final movement is not really nice, though), so I did expect much from Tatsuki when I've heard he chose sym 9 as the LP. Because of my special feeling for this symphony, I really wanted to see the best. If he chose something I don't like I wouldn't have said this much. I have the feeling Tatsuki was overpowered by the music in the second half of the LP. It's not his fault IMO, but the choreography.

He can polish it all the way he wants and he can, but the step sequence, the movements... which were set to be quite balletic (because it's his style)... isn't very suitable to sym 9. Overall I don't think that it's Tatsuki's fault that I can't feel his sym 9 LP. It has more to do with my personal experience with this symphony. To be frankly I think the choreographer (not Tatsuki) did not do justice right for this piece. It's grand and iconic and very dramatic so it's dangerous. Maybe I expected too much.

Anyways it's just the same when I said I can't get MCM's music cuts for Rach 2 (but well, Rachmaninov is not the composer that I am fond of).

Actually I am glad that it's Beethoven sym 9 because it's still not my best favourite. Had he chosen Schubert's Unfinished Symphony or Beethoven's sym 7, or Tchaikovsky sym 5... and the choreographer did not help him much... I would go crazy by that time.

... I thought the choreography seemed disconnected from the music more often than not. I loooove his SP, though. It's only the LP I wasn't really feeling, but it's the choreo and not his performance.

Totally agree. Exactly my point.

 

[OS]

Rewatching Men's FS in HD on Eurosport now with Brit commentary. Wow, is it me, or does Jason Brown looks like the secret love child of George W Bush and the actress Allison Janney?

Machida is the run away deserved winner today no doubt, and I agree up to a point it can come down to taste. However when you compares with Jeremy's FS, itself a monotonic (+without an obvious beat or melodic highlight) slow intricate introspective piece of music which makes it actually not ideal for skating, yet how he were able to captivate the audience with each choreograph phrasing with grace and apparent effortlessness; every pause, every beat, subtle intricate nuanced movement in relation to the music, incredible edge work, coverage, greater variation in speed, connection, Machida's artistic performance feels shallower in comparison.

Beetoven 9th to me although implies majestic, but it also implies grace and enlightenment, spiritual freedom, liberation, empowerment, happiness, joy and celebration all the way to the grand glorious finale. There should be buildups of distinctive parts, I don't get all of that from the performance. It is a great piece of music to compensate those lack in emotion though. It is one of those programs if done successfully, it should create a wild frenzie to the right crowd. Hanyu, better watch out at Japan Nationals.

 

[Alba]

Rewatching Men's FS in HD on Eurosport now with Brit commentary. Wow, is it me, or does Jason Brown looks like the secret love child of George W Bush and the actress Allison Janney?

Pretty much yeah.

 

[ioanna]

Also disagree with the choreography comments for Machida's FS. I felt like it was on point most of the program (not saying it was perfect because it wasn't). The spread-eagle into the arabesque spiral was the climax of the ChSq. The spiral was right on the music change. I think Phillip Mills did a great job. In the end it all comes down to personal taste.

 

[ks777]

Jason looks like Sue Heck from the tv show the Middle to me. or Kimmie Meissner.

 

[wordsworthgirl]

I was just thinking this, wordsworthgirl! Per usual I couldn't get a stream going and forgot my ice network password and per usual I finally got it going right when Jeremy popped or fell on a jump. (I nearly put my job in jeopardy during Sochi Olys to duck out and take a late lunch at Starbucks to watch only to finally get it up and going right when Jeremy hit the boards. And as I'm sure many of you could relate to, if I told my coworkers the lengths I went to to watch Olys figure skating, they would have been, really? lol). But wow! that choreo! I found myself becoming enraptured so much that the mistakes, while frustrating, didn't totally sully the performance for me. I didn't feel that pit in my stomach when seeing him miss. I so hope he skates it clean this season so I can witness an extraordinary piece of art. He was feeling that whole thing right out to his fingertips and it will be electrifying if skated well. The slide across the ice was mesmerizing.

RoundedBackCamel, I'm so glad you agree with me! I love what you wrote too. and I love your dedication and willingness to sneak out to watch him.

And I'm heartened by all the positive comments from others about Jeremy's skating and program. I agree with everyone who thinks it's a masterpiece of a program and if skated clean or semi-clean could be staggeringly great. And while I agree that it's the quad that spooks him, I'm not sure about removing it because his goal in staying in is to medal at Worlds. Possible with a clean quad-less program, but not likely.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

In case anybody wants to go looking on YouTube for routines with the British Eurosport commentary, here is a list of the skaters whose Free Skates were shown in the highlights:

6 Nam NGUYEN CAN
8 Adian PITKEEV RUS
9 Denis TEN KAZ
10 Jason BROWN USA
11 Jeremy ABBOTT USA
12 Tatsuki MACHIDA JPN

It's not many, but unfortunately that's about all you can fit into a 45 minute broadcast.

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan

 

[balletanddancefan]

Jason looks like Sue Heck from the tv show the Middle to me. or Kimmie Meissner.

Jason Brown looks like Jason Brown. A very nice young man.

 

[Alba]

Jason Brown looks like Jason Brown. A very nice young man.

Don't be so sensitive. Of course he's Jason Brown, is a well known fact, and we're not questioning his persona. So he may very well be a nice man.

 

[balletanddancefan]

Don't be so sensitive. Of course he's Jason Brown, is a well known fact, and we're not questioning his persona. So he may very well be a nice man.

One of the comments: "Sue Heck from the tv show the Middle to me. or Kimmie Meissner." An other comment: "Wow, is it me, or does Jason Brown looks like the secret love child of George W Bush and the actress Allison Janney?" And your comment: "Pretty much yeah."
?

 

[Alba]

One of the comments: "Sue Heck from the tv show the Middle to me. or Kimmie Meissner." An other comment: "Wow, is it me, or does Jason Brown looks like the secret love child of George W Bush and the actress Allison Janney?" And your comment: "Pretty much yeah."
?

So? It's about the looks not his persona. Many times in this forum, and other places also, people make comparisons between skaters and other personalities. What's the big deal? Sorry if we don't compare him with George Clooney.

 

[Meoima]

So? It's about the looks not his persona. Many times in this forum, and other places also, people make comparisons between skaters and other personalities. What's the big deal? Sorry if we don't compare him with George Clooney.

I like Jason, and I don't think it's offensive anyways. It's not even offensive comment to his look IMO. I mean Allison Janney is pretty, George W Bush is not bad-looking. :think:

 

[wonderlen3000]

I think only a handful of skaters have crack the 170+ scores.
Chan, Takahashi, Hanyu, Plushenko, Machida, Kazuka, Oda, D10, Fernandez.... maybe Lambiel. And the list have 4 world champ and 2 OLMP champ + all world or olympic medalist (except Oda) so its not 2nd tie score. Come of think of it, no american men has crack the 170+ score. I think only Lysacek come the closest in 2010.

As for Machida looking tired after skating his FS, its still early in the season and he went for full program difficulity. I think anyone will be lying flat on ice after this.

 

[Alba]

I like Jason, and I don't think it's offensive anyways. It's not even offensive comment to his look IMO. I mean Allison Janney is pretty, George W Bush is not bad-looking. :think:

I once said Yulia and her dog looks alike. And you know very well how much I like her, and her dog actually.

I don't think Brown is good looking guy, far from it, but that's just my opinion. For some he could be prince charming.

 

[balletanddancefan]

So? It's about the looks not his persona. Many times in this forum, and other places also, people make comparisons between skaters and other personalities. What's the big deal? Sorry if we don't compare him with George Clooney.

This is not of his person? Only about the looks? Come on! To criticize the physical appearance of a person is a very bad thing. And you should not be compared him even with Jason George Cloony (which he has to do in this case?). Jason is unique. No secret love child of George W Bush, no George Cloony.

 

[Meoima]

I once said Yulia and her dog looks alike. And you know very well how much I like her, and her dog actually.
I don't think Brown is good looking guy, far from it, but that's just my opinion. For some he could be prince charming.

Yeah, I understand because once I said Yuzuru has pretty face like girls so...
I also don't think of Jason as handsome, but he is charming and cute, not bad looking. I have to agree he does look like the combination of Allison Janney and George W Bush.

 

[Alba]

This is not of his person? Only about the looks? Come on! To criticize the physical appearance of a person is a very bad thing. And you should not be compared him even with Jason George Cloony (which he has to do in this case?). Jason is unique. No secret love child of George W Bush, no George Cloony.

Not criticising his looks, just saying looks similar. And no, it's not about his persona so cheer up and give it a rest.