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

[Mrs. P]

I also don't think Jason is retiring. In the GS article he comments about the the new rule changes and it basically sounds like he's going to be around to compete under them.

I do agree we have a great roster of men. I think Jimmy Ma certainly has time to improve, but he's actually 22 -- just a year younger than Jason. I guess the true newbies coming up are like Alexei K, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Camden Pulkinen and Andrew Torgashev. (And also my new Viet adoptee Dinh Tran!)

 

[TontoK]

I also don't think Jason is retiring. In the GS article he comments about the the new rule changes and it basically sounds like he's going to be around to compete under them.

I do agree we have a great roster of men. I think Jimmy Ma certainly has time to improve, but he's actually 22 -- just a year younger than Jason. I guess the true newbies coming up are like Alexei K, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Camden Pulkinen and Andrew Torgashev. (And also my new Viet adoptee Dinh Tran!)

Thank you. You said that so much nicer than I did.

 

[Mrs. P]

Here's a better photo of the signs Jason/Tarah/Danny made for Grant.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BedneqSjP-F/
(5th photo in the series)

I love how they're telling him not to retire, LOL.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I know now that Max is still contemplating his future in the sport and might not retire. I support this fully. :2thumbs:

 

[Mrs. P]

I know now that Max is still contemplating his future in the sport and might not retire. I support this fully. :2thumbs:

Several people on here would too! I say why not...

 

[karne]

I know now that Max is still contemplating his future in the sport and might not retire. I support this fully. :2thumbs:

Me too. Just one more year. One more year with no Olympic pressure and no studies and just one more year to be Max. I would like that.

I don't think I've ever been so proud of him. After the devastation of US Nationals he could have come here and been too unhappy to skate well. Or he could have withdrawn. But instead, he came, he saw, he delivered. It was everything I love about him and his skating and more. He never gives up, always keeps fighting, always keeps working. I loved what I saw at 4CC and to me it is proof he should go around again - because he still has so much more to give to the skating world.

and now i'm all emotional again

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Me too. Just one more year. One more year with no Olympic pressure and no studies and just one more year to be Max. I would like that.

I don't think I've ever been so proud of him. After the devastation of US Nationals he could have come here and been too unhappy to skate well. Or he could have withdrawn. But instead, he came, he saw, he delivered. It was everything I love about him and his skating and more. He never gives up, always keeps fighting, always keeps working. I loved what I saw at 4CC and to me it is proof he should go around again - because he still has so much more to give to the skating world.

and now i'm all emotional again

I was so thrilled for him at 4cc's! I wasn't a huge fan of his programs early in the season but came to love them esp his LP, and he skated it amazing last night!

I want to see what he can do without pressure and just a chance to be him. I wanted him to make the Olympic team with Nathan and Adam so badly, and was so sad when he didn't, he has such a fighting spirit.

I have to say, your support for Max is amazing and I know it's been pretty emotional for you.

 

[travelbug]

Happy for all. I wonder what Caroline and Grant will do now? Skating is so expensive so I guess in some way they might have more without skating. The future of USAs mens team looks great even if Brown retires. Nathan, Vincent and Jimmy Ma are the future.

I got the feeling from Caroline's IG the other day she's not out yet.

She specifically hashtagged something #offseason which...makes me think she's coming back to some degree probably?

caroline___zhangGuess which jump I’m more excited about!? (Hint: It’s the triple sal) #olddognewtricks #offseason #skatesus #johnwilsonblades

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKAEJtjXZ0/?taken-by=caroline___zhang

 

[TontoK]

I know now that Max is still contemplating his future in the sport and might not retire. I support this fully. :2thumbs:

Wait. How did I miss this?

I am really excited at this prospect!

 

[mrrice]

As long as skaters continue for the love of the sport, I'm all for it. I don't support them staying for any other reason. The judges will tell them with their scores whether or not they will be successful but, it's not really up to anyone but the skater to decide when, and how, they retire.

 

[karne]

Wait. How did I miss this?

I am really excited at this prospect!

It was in his ISU "quick quotes" after the FS. He hasn't confirmed or denied anything, but when they asked outright, he said he took it season by season and hasn't made a decision yet. So hopefully...hopefully...

 

[ice coverage]

... I guess the true newbies coming up are like Alexei K, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Camden Pulkinen and Andrew Torgashev. (And also my new Viet adoptee Dinh Tran!)

Perfect segue to mention that Camden is en route today to World Junior camp in Michigan (per Instagram stories from Drew Meekins and him).

Both entries and alternates attended last year's camp, so I expect that all of the men in Mrs P's "newbies" group were invited this year. Along with Maxim Naumov.

(Side note: Last year, the only camp-related photos/mentions that came to light pertained to singles skaters, AFAIK. Maybe other disciplines have pre-JW camp separately??)​

ETA (on Jan 30):

Hmmmm .... FWIW, Drew's Instagram story today seems to have a "class photo" of skaters on ice, holding a sign that says, "Go Team USA: Junior Worlds."
The men skaters in the photo are: Alex K, Camden, Tomoki, and Ryan Dunk.
The ladies skaters are: Ting Cui; Emmy Ma; Hanna Harrell; Brynne McIsaac; Angelina Huang.
Sam Auxier is in the photo. Plus a male (coach?) whom I do not recognize (does not look at all like Drew, IMO).
FWIW, no sign of announced alternates Torgashev, Tran, Naumov, and Tessa Hong.
Meanwhile, Dunk, McIsaac, Huang had not been announced as alternates.​

ETA:

Brynne has posted photos showing the same group (with the same "absences" as mentioned above).​

As a comment unrelated to World Juniors, I hope that Emmanuel Savary will be another man rising through the ranks in coming seasons.

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.... Also, this is the sweetest thing ever: Jason (and Tarah O'Kayne and Danny OShea) cheering for Grant after his free skate! Jason and Grant have such a lovely friendship!
https://twitter.com/pandaatlarge/status/957138052769394688

... And now Grant can enjoy the wedding planning process with Caroline (and enjoying their travels!)

Plus as a reflection of their strong friendships, Grant mentioned that his besties Jason, Tarah, and Danny will be in his wedding .

---

I got the feeling from Caroline's IG the other day she's not out yet.

She specifically hashtagged something #offseason which...makes me think she's coming back to some degree probably?

caroline___zhangGuess which jump I’m more excited about!? (Hint: It’s the triple sal) #olddognewtricks #offseason #skatesus #johnwilsonblades

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKAEJtjXZ0/?taken-by=caroline___zhang

Thank you for making note .

 

[Mrs. P]

OMG I love it! I cannot wait to see wedding photos of Grant and Jason (and Tarah and Danny)! So is Tarah going to be a groomswoman? That's going to be cool!

(Though ice coverage, where did you see that? I'm surprised to have not seen that myself).

 

[ice coverage]

OMG I love it! I cannot wait to see wedding photos of Grant and Jason (and Tarah and Danny)! So is Tarah going to be a groomswoman? That's going to be cool!

(Though ice coverage, where did you see that? I'm surprised to have not seen that myself).

Post-FS quotes (emphasis added):

Grant Hochstein (USA) 2018 National Championships 5th

I feel complete. This is obviously the program I was looking for at Nationals, but I had another opportunity to come here and skate. The short program wasn’t so great, but I feel like I can finish the season feeling very proud of myself and accomplished. At US Nationals I was very emotional and I wasn’t today. I think I got all my sadness out of me and I did this one for myself. I was very in the moment. (on his teammates Tarah Kayne, Danny O’Shea and Jason Brown coming to the Kiss & Cry area to cheer for him) They’re my best friends and they’re going to be in my wedding in the summer. (on his future plans) Caroline (Zhang), my fiancée is here and we’re going to Hong Kong for a few days and then we have a wedding to plan. We teach skating, so we have a lot of work to do with the kids. We have a lot of really talented skaters that we teach. We have girls making the final round of our regionals and girls doing double Axels and triples.

http://cloud.isu.org/index.php/s/pDN5aUhkXQQl4hZ/download?path=/&files=4CC18_QQ_MenFS1.pdf​

 

[Mrs. P]

Ah! I only hadn't had a chance to read all the quick quotes! Thanks IC. That is so exciting!!

 

[ice coverage]

USFS pre-OWG media teleconferences have begun.

Lots of tweeting today from @rockerskating and @olyphil re Adam's call.

---

BTW ... just noticed that Krasnozhon recently spent a week in Chicago, working with Denise Myers, Scott Brown, and others, and training alongside Bradie.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BebkZ4jlwaS/?taken-by=akrasnozhon (Jan 26)​

(I know that Krasnozhon has worked with Brown in the past ... I dunno whether first time working with Myers???
Seems to be the same week that the Cains were away at Four Continents.)

 

[skylark]

Lots of tweeting today from @rockerskating and @olyphil re Adam's call.

Wow, these quotes from Adam are totally Awesome! Such fun to read. And they are such a mix of Adam's eloquent statements of how he hopes to perform, how he's inspired, what top 3 moments he's looking forward to, and his quirky humor.

thanks for posting the link, IC.

Post-FS quotes (emphasis added):

Grant Hochstein (USA) 2018 National Championships 5th

I feel complete. This is obviously the program I was looking for at Nationals, but I had another opportunity to come here and skate. The short program wasn’t so great, but I feel like I can finish the season feeling very proud of myself and accomplished. At US Nationals I was very emotional and I wasn’t today. I think I got all my sadness out of me and I did this one for myself. I was very in the moment.​

​

I'm so glad to read all this from Grant. It's actually exactly how I felt about his free skate, so I guess I must have some freaky emotional intuitive link to Grant.

 

[ice coverage]

Wow, these quotes from Adam are totally Awesome! Such fun to read. And they are such a mix of Adam's eloquent statements of how he hopes to perform, how he's inspired, what top 3 moments he's looking forward to, and his quirky humor.

thanks for posting the link, IC. ...

Good news: IN has resumed posting audio of USFS media teleconferences.

Links so far for 2018 pre-OWG calls:

Adam audio:

http://web.icenetwork.com/video/?content_id=1873640283 (01/29/18 | 34:54)​

Knierims audio:

http://web.icenetwork.com/video/?content_id=1873667383 (01/29/18 | 26:20)​

And BTW, Jackie Wong's tweeting re Knierims call:

https://twitter.com/rockerskating/status/958091528160899078 (Jan 29)​

(Chock/Bates pre-OWG teleconference took place on Jan 29 as well. Mirai's took place this morning, i.e., Jan 30.

In case anyone is wondering: IN has *not* retroactively posted audio of 2017 pre-Skate America calls or of 2018 pre-Nats calls. [At least not yet, as far as I can see.])

---

ETA:

Ice Network topic link where audio of all 2018 pre-OWG media calls will be added:

http://web.icenetwork.com/video/topic/265554398​

 

[skylark]

Good news: IN has resumed posting audio of USFS media teleconferences.

I look forward to listening to them!

 

[noskates]

For the record - I love Dinh Tran. Not his story and what he's had to do to continue skating, but he has such presence on the ice. Looking forward to watching him and Cam Pulkinen in the future. While it will be sad to see some of the current skaters retire, we have much to look forward to.