Because I have been sooo busy that I never got to publish the rest of my yearbooks. And now the new season has begun and so much has happened that they are not relevant, but whatever, any predictions are pretty much irrelevant in this sport from one week to the next these days. So here is what I thought of the men. I could not add everyone (sorry Stephen Carriere, Parker Pennington, et al) and once again, this is completely arbitrary!
Jeremy Abbott
2008-09 Grade: B+
Absences: N/A
Recommendations: More stamina, please! Abbott came on like gangbusters this season. He was fun to watch, and he managed to win the Grand Prix Final and his first nationals. However, he got no competition from Lysacek or Weir at Nationals, and he completely fizzled out at Four Continents and the World Championships, where he came in a disappointing 11th. He's going to have to find a way to hang til the end of next season if he wants to be in the Olympic medal hunt.
Chances of Making the Olympic Team: Good. I'm not sure how much his poor performance at worlds hurt him (in comparison with Alissa Czisny, who shouldered the blame for the American ladies only receiving two slots in the Olympics. Luckily for Abbott, Lysacek won. Oh yeah, and former training mate Brandon Mroz came in a spot lower than Abbott did). Also, how much will the coaching change to Yuka Sato affect Abbott? Cause that was kind of a big deal.
Quote: Team USA Website, 03/19/09: <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style><![endif]-->After Four Continents: "This season, I've had three mistakes, total. This was my worst competition this season and it wasn't that bad," Abbott said. "I'm proud of myself - not necessarily this performance - but proud of what I'm becoming."
Superlatives: Best Breakthrough Year
Ryan Bradley
2008-09 Grade: C+
Absences: N/A
Recommendations: Bradley started the year off well with a surprise second place at Skate Canada, but was a miserable 7th at Trophee Eric Bompard and missed the medal stand at Nationals, where the competition was steep. He is a fun skater but he's got to find a way of forcing people to pay attention to him to have a chance at one of the Olympic spots.
Likelihood of Making the Olympic Team: Fair. Cannot count him out....
Superlative: Most Likely to Be Overlooked
Evan Lysacek
2008-09 Grade: A-
Absences: N/A
Recommendations: I'm going to be annoying and say that I'd love to see Lysacek make the quad more than a cameo, but at this point, it seems unlikely that the quad will become a normal part of his programs. Additionally, there are a lot of grade of execution points he still misses out on. Thankfully, he started to really come on after the U.S. Nationals and made the small changes he needed to after the disappointing beginning of the season, which proves what we have seen before out of Lysacek: He responds well to adversity and never gives up, a great sports cliche! I find it hard not to root for someone like that. I'd also like to remind Lysacek to bring his passion to Vancouver, if he makes the team.
Likelihood of Making the Olympic Team: Good. As close to a lock as there is on the men's side, and a major reason why they have three slots to fight over.
Quote: Chicago Tribune, 03/28/09<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style><![endif]--> After winning worlds: "This was a different experience for me altogether," Lysacek said. "This season hasn’t been my most relaxing."
Superlatives: Most improved (from beginning to end of season), Most likely to manipulate the audience with a strategically placed footwork sequence.
Brandon Mroz
2008-09 Grade: B-
Absences: N/A
Recommendations: Mroz has to refine his artistry and gain some more program components points, but as far as jumping, he is doing pretty well. He finished the season stronger than he started, which is what you have to do in this game. A breakthrough season for him, and he's so young. He is definitely making a name for himself as one to watch over the next few years.
Chances of Making the Olympic Team: Fair. If he skates Nationals like he did his long program last season, watch out for him.
Superlatives: Freshest Face, Most Likely to Knock a Former Olympian off the team
Adam Rippon
2008-09 Grade:C+ (Yes, he won the Junior World Championships for the second year in a row, but his senior season was a disappointment)
Absences: N/A
Recommendations: There was no consistency from Rippon on his first year on the senior circuit, although he switched coaches after the season began, which must have been jarring. He's going to have to land more jumps if he wants to be competitive.
Chances of Making the Olympic Team: Unlikely. I don't know that Rippon will be able to edge his way in there with all of the other experienced competition, but I wouldn't completely count him out.
Quote: China Post, 02/27/09: <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]></p>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style><![endif]-->"I gained a lot of experience during the senior Grand Prix this year. I think it's really helped me and it's brought my skating to a new level."
Superlatives: Most respectful of Sequins
Johnny Weir
2008-09 Grade: B
Absences: N/A
Recommendations: Johnny Weir is a rollercoaster ride. Three years ago, I wondered if he had lost his focus for good. Two seasons ago, he made a valiant comeback and won his first world medal. Then last season, he became a punchline at times, while also possibly cementing his status as the most well-known U.S. male skater still competing, thanks in part to his viral sensation "Poker Face" exhibition skate and his successful documentary "Pop Star on Ice." He had some rough luck with illnesses at the wrong times last season, leaving him weak for nationals. I think his heart is still in competitive skating, especially after missing worlds last season; I'm sure he wants to prove he deserved to be there. It's important to remember that he did have success earlier this year, medaling in the Grand Prix Final and in both of his Grand Prix appearances. I have to give him kudos for working with choreographer David Wilson, although he earlier vowed to only work with Russian choreographers. It proves that he wants to win, because Wilson knows how to work the scoring system. I would love if he could produce a competition program as memorable as "Poker Face."
Chances of Making the Olympic Team: Fair. He's really a wild card this year and anything can happen at nationals.
Superlatives: Most Likely to Make You Never Able to Eat a Chicken Cutlet Again