Sunshine on Christmas Eve.
1. Enough people are doing this that I don't feel like a jerk for following suit. If you want to write me a Yuletide treat, my letter is here. Not to be all grabby hands or more-Yuletide-than-thou or anything, but I did write two pinch hits this year.
2. Japan is having its Nationals this weekend, and the men's SP was less of a foregone conclusion than generally expected. Yuzuru Hanyu was sublime - sometimes I think he just looks young out there, but he was really on this time. He's a very lyrical skater and all of that, but he really gets my attention with the purity of his jumping technique. And his spins - his sit position gets the rare Mosca Stamp of Approval. I hope the Japanese Skating Federation sets aside its usual tactics and sends him to Worlds if he earns it in the free skate.
Winning by almost ten points is Takahiko Kozuka, who was also spectacular. I can't see a reason, in terms of the skating, why he should be so far ahead of Hanyu; I think he should be in the lead but that Hanyu should be within a couple of points, unless my naked eye missed something in Hanyu's rotations, edges, or spin/step levels. That's not to take away from Taka-chan, though: he managed to bring the charm (although he still gets seriousface before his hard jumps) and to really bring the technical content. He's never going to be an artist, but he's solid.
Poor Oda and Takahashi were total messes. Oda fell on his quad, seemed to completely lose his nerve, and tripped again in his footwork. His score is still respectable because he fully rotated the quad before he buttplanted, but it really looked like a flame-out. Meanwhile, Takahashi's knee looks positively arthritic, and it seems like he can barely skate on it. More and more, I feel like he should have done the classy thing and Buttled out after winning Worlds.
It feels mean to embed the trainwrecks, but you can find the programs here. Wish they'd been able to upload Machida and Murakami, but you can't have everything.
3. In other Nats news, practice groups for US Nationals have been posted. Ryan Bradley's Ass is on the men's roster! I am torn between begging him to retire already and being excited to see him skate again. My baby phenoms, Jason Brown and Josh Farris, are both competing senior at Nats, and then of course there are the usual suspects. Aunt Joyce referred to Rippon, Abbott, and Virginia as "the three nelly bottoms," and now I can't un-see that. I'm also excited to see Rockne Brubaker and his new partner, Mary Beth Marley, listed for pairs.
4. For those of you more into music nerdery than skating nerdery, Robyn Hitchcock has released a free stream of cover songs. Indie legends can play whatever they damn well please.
On the other end of the musical spectrum, the British electro-pop band Fear of Tigers is my new favorite:
5. In conclusion, a Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!
2. Japan is having its Nationals this weekend, and the men's SP was less of a foregone conclusion than generally expected. Yuzuru Hanyu was sublime - sometimes I think he just looks young out there, but he was really on this time. He's a very lyrical skater and all of that, but he really gets my attention with the purity of his jumping technique. And his spins - his sit position gets the rare Mosca Stamp of Approval. I hope the Japanese Skating Federation sets aside its usual tactics and sends him to Worlds if he earns it in the free skate.
Click to viewWinning by almost ten points is Takahiko Kozuka, who was also spectacular. I can't see a reason, in terms of the skating, why he should be so far ahead of Hanyu; I think he should be in the lead but that Hanyu should be within a couple of points, unless my naked eye missed something in Hanyu's rotations, edges, or spin/step levels. That's not to take away from Taka-chan, though: he managed to bring the charm (although he still gets seriousface before his hard jumps) and to really bring the technical content. He's never going to be an artist, but he's solid.
Poor Oda and Takahashi were total messes. Oda fell on his quad, seemed to completely lose his nerve, and tripped again in his footwork. His score is still respectable because he fully rotated the quad before he buttplanted, but it really looked like a flame-out. Meanwhile, Takahashi's knee looks positively arthritic, and it seems like he can barely skate on it. More and more, I feel like he should have done the classy thing and Buttled out after winning Worlds.
It feels mean to embed the trainwrecks, but you can find the programs here. Wish they'd been able to upload Machida and Murakami, but you can't have everything.
3. In other Nats news, practice groups for US Nationals have been posted. Ryan Bradley's Ass is on the men's roster! I am torn between begging him to retire already and being excited to see him skate again. My baby phenoms, Jason Brown and Josh Farris, are both competing senior at Nats, and then of course there are the usual suspects. Aunt Joyce referred to Rippon, Abbott, and Virginia as "the three nelly bottoms," and now I can't un-see that. I'm also excited to see Rockne Brubaker and his new partner, Mary Beth Marley, listed for pairs.
4. For those of you more into music nerdery than skating nerdery, Robyn Hitchcock has released a free stream of cover songs. Indie legends can play whatever they damn well please.
On the other end of the musical spectrum, the British electro-pop band Fear of Tigers is my new favorite:
5. In conclusion, a Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!