2017-18 State of U.S. Men's Figure Skating

[karne]

I gotchu

http://cloud.isu.org/index.php/s/EWtBSOR6CIRUDya

Max Aaron:

It was a tough program but for the time that I had training I did the best that I can and I have no regrets. I’m somewhat proud of what I did but I’m really just here to support the boys Nate [Nathan Chen] and Vincent [Zhou] in case anything goes wrong and I can sneak in there and help them secure two spots. But I’m really confident that those boys are going to lay it down and, hopefully, bring home two World medals. So I’m just here for support and to help them out as much as I can. I actually wasn’t training. I took time off, I was an alternate and I didn’t think it would ever happen so I had 3 or 4 weeks off, shame on me, then I got the call and came back and threw myself into it. I am happy that I qualified for the free but I’m really just here to support our two men.

*heartbroken* This makes me so sad. He views himself as just "backup for the kids" and says he's ashamed that he had some time off. And you don't have to read too hard between the lines to know where this is going.

backup. He views himself as backup.

 

[snowflake]

What a mess. Doesn’t the US federation communicate with their skaters? After olympics it was pretty obvious that Adam along with Ross were not going. Now it seems like both Jason and Max took time off after 4 CC. I’m mostly surprised by Jason(if he’s healthy) who always looked like a dedicated Team USA-supporter to me.

Strange comments from Max. He should not see himself as just a support for Nathan and Vincent. He should focus on his skating and practice hard these remaining sessions to skate well tomorrow. Not give up already and rely on the others. A tenth place shouldn’t be impossible if he fights. Things can happen(like to Alexa in pairs) and US men would be down to two spots next worlds.

Right now I don’t think the state of US men looks as good as it did at the beginning of the season. I was excited for the battle of the olympic spots. Now I’m a bit disappointed. I hope Nathan and Vincent have glorious carriers! The federation and the male skaters should be very, very lucky to have them.

 

[brightphoton]

*heartbroken* This makes me so sad. He views himself as just "backup for the kids" and says he's ashamed that he had some time off. And you don't have to read too hard between the lines to know where this is going.

backup. He views himself as backup.

That's literally what an alternate is: backup.

My goodness you're a flip flopper. Less than a week ago, you were scolding and berating other board members for even daring to suggest that as 3rd alternate, Max was probably relaxing and not training. You said it would be "stupid" to not train.

That said, it's not entirely Max's own fault that he's in this predicament. USFSA should have communicated to skaters about the their chances of being called up for Worlds. But the USFSA also should have communicated to skaters about their standings due to body of work in 2017-2018, and I'm not going to rehash that mess. All around, US men's skating is in a sorry state, except for Nathan and Vincent.

What? Max was at home with his family in Scottsdale, Arizona. He made no secret of this - all of his social media posts were in Arizona, he mentioned in his press interviews at 4CC that he would be going back there after 4CC, and it was obvious (to me, anyway), that he intended to spend his birthday with his family.

That does not mean he wasn't training. We know Scottsdale has at least one rink, and I can't ever imagine him being the kind of person who would sit on the couch eating potato chips all day long. Plus, in the past, he's mentioned taking his responsibilities as an alternate very seriously. As I said, he's not stupid. He'll have been in some kind of maintenance mode since 4CC.

 

[Mrs. P]

I'm thrilled for Vincent and Nathan, of course, but to say U.S. Men's skating is in a sorry state outside of those two is a bit much.

* We got three spots for junior worlds.
* We will probably get three spots for worlds.
* Adam Rippon contributed to a team bronze medal at the Olympics.
* There are FIVE men in the top 13 SB. (In comparision: 1 Lady in top 24, at #14; 4 pairs in the top 24 (highest is #12); 4 dance pairs in top 14; 3 in the top 10).
* We had someone (Jason) who earned a 4CC medal.
* We had three men in the GPF (yes people w/d, but this is fact that 3 us men made it there) and several men who earned GP medals. We also had three men in the JGPF with two of them medaling in the JGPF. We had another junior men medal on the JGP.

The only discipline that is better in the U.S. is Dance.

Could have the selection process gone better, especially regarding the alternatives, of course. But USFSA's selection process has little bearing on how the U.S. men actually skated this year.

 

[brightphoton]

I'm thrilled for Vincent and Nathan, of course, but to say U.S. Men's skating is in a sorry state outside of those two is a bit much.

* We got three spots for junior worlds.
* We will probably get three spots for worlds.
* Adam Rippon contributed to a team bronze medal at the Olympics.
* There are FIVE men in the top 13 SB. (In comparision: 1 Lady in top 24, at #14; 4 pairs in the top 24 (highest is #12); 4 dance pairs in top 14; 3 in the top 10).
* We had someone (Jason) who earned a 4CC medal.
* We had three men in the GPF (yes people w/d, but this is fact that 3 us men made it there) and several men who earned GP medals. We also had three men in the JGPF with two of them medaling in the JGPF. We had another junior men medal on the JGP.

The only discipline that is better in the U.S. is Dance.

Could have the selection process gone better, especially regarding the alternatives, of course. But USFSA's selection process has little bearing on how the U.S. men actually skated this year.

:no: :no: :no: using the ladies and pairs as a comparison just emphasizes how even more sorry a state American ladies and pairs is in.

I have mixed feelings about Adam. On one hand, I adore his personality, admire him for his work in LGBT activism, and his Birds free skate is a thing of beauty. On the other hand ... I'm not excited that he was sent to the Olympics with a slight hope that he would have a quad flip, but ended up doing all triples and finished last of all the men anyway. That team spot could have be equally carried out by anyone, but oh well.

note: I want to add that as a marketing and branding strategy, doing all triples and going clean was a good idea, because it adds replay value for casual viewers and would help Adam's LGBT activism.

It might not be so bad to be an Italy, in terms of figure skating. To have 1 or 2 very very good athletes, and then everybody else. If Nathan and Vincent can carry the team and get spots, that's good enough. For me, in any case.

I don't follow the juniors, but :agree: to hear they're doing a great job!

 

[evasorange]

I feel for Max. I probably wouldn't train too hard ether if I was the third alternate, behind two healthy skaters. But this can be a lesson to future third alternates-train like you've already been named to the team cause you just never know

 

[sheetz]

In the latest Icetalk Ben Agosto said Max had started a job in Arizona. And while Agosto did not elaborate on whether it was a temporary or permanent position it appears Max had no intention of returning to Colorado to train in the immediate future.

 

[mrrice]

I find it sad that I can't watch an interview with Max without thinking...Gawd he's good lookin'. He gives these heartfelt answers which I love but...He's so handsome, I have a hard time concentrating on what he says. :disapp:

 

[el henry]

I find it sad that I can't watch an interview with Max without thinking...Gawd he's good lookin'. He gives these heartfelt answers which I love but...He's so handsome, I have hard time concentrating on what he says. :disapp:

Mrrice, has @karne hacked your account?

And I do agree that Max is a good looking young man, and a class act as well.

 

[#1Kerryfan]

If Jason, Adam, Max, Ross and Grant all retire, I wonder who will get the third spot for Worlds for US men next year? (If we keep three)

 

[el henry]

If Jason, Adam, Max, Ross and Grant all retire, I wonder who will get the third spot for Worlds for US men next year? (If we keep three)

Jason has posted on Twitter and IG that he is working on a new short program, so I doubt he is retiring.

 

[karne]

If Jason, Adam, Max, Ross and Grant all retire, I wonder who will get the third spot for Worlds for US men next year? (If we keep three)

Jason is NOT retiring. He's literally said this half a dozen times and even posted on Twitter that they were starting next season's short program last week.

 

[oatmella]

aww - I feel for Max. But it seems that's probably how the older skaters feel at this point. Vincent is establishing himself as the solid #2 guy and is supposedly trying to up his tech content even more to have the greatest difficulty in the world. And of course there's Nathan - I think that it's hard for the other skaters to feel they can really challenge them.

 

[princessalica]

Jason is NOT retiring. He's literally said this half a dozen times and even posted on Twitter that they were starting next season's short program last week.

We also have Alexei krasnozhon and other upcoming juniors.

 

[Mrs. P]

Congrats to Nathan Chen, World Champion!

And congrats to Max for helping the U.S. keep 3 spots with a few spots to spare.

Sad for Vincent, but hope he'll grow from this tough experience.

 

[concorde]

Since Nathan is now World Champion, I really wonder what he is going to do. I can see him retiring now and going to school full time. He recently stated that he had applied to several universities and was waiting to hear back from them. From how I read the article, school was going to be #1 and depending on what school he chooses, he might skate.

Vincent has said that he wanted to go to 4 Olympics (1 down, 3 to go). I think it is ok to say that skating will be Vincent's #1 priority for awhile.

 

[Mrs. P]

Surely Nathan might want to go for an Olympic medal?

I'd be interested to see what Max Aaron does. Although from his mixed zone comments it sounds like he's moving on. If he does, what a way to end!

 

[Erin9]

Congrats to Nathan! He’s only 18. I would think he’d want to stick around for another Olympics. From what I’ve read- he plans to do both- school and skate. I doubt winning World’s changes that.

I read somewhere that this was our longest drought of winning a world gold medal. It had been since Meryl and Charlie in 2013. Nathan just ended the drought.

Hopefully Vincent will learn from this. He has lots of potential.

 

[oatmella]

So happy for Nathan!! <3 . And also respect to Max Aaron for skating well and keeping 3 spots for US men!!

 

[karne]

The backup became the ultimate backup, in the end.