US Nationals - Men

This is the first year I've watched US Nationals and it was really interesting to get to see skaters other than the 'big names' - Jeremy, Evan, Johnny, Adam etc - and to see guys whose names I've seen mentioned lots but never actually seen skate, like Parker Pennington, Alex Johnson, etc. It's been kind of a long time since the competition and I have watched a lot of skating since then, so instead of anything structured I'm going to do a list of the things that stood out to me:

• Jeremy Abbott. Everything about him. His short, his long, his reaction to his programs, his parents jumping up and down in the stands after he skated...he was just amazing. I love this guy and I really, really hope he can hold his head together in Vancouver!
• Johnny Weir. I've never really gotten into him but this season I've completely done a 180 on him, and the more I read about him the more I like him. It was kind of a shame that he had a few mistakes in the free, but his incredibly detailed explanation of his costume in the press conference afterwards had me laughing out loud and he really just makes me smile.
• Adam Rippon. His face after his short was just heartbreaking. I was so, so sad for him. The first 3/4s of the program was absolutely gorgeous, and then the crash into the boards and the fall...I'm kind of already really excited to see him skate over the next four years, I reckon he's a future world champion for sure!
• Ryan Bradley. I've loved Ryan since I went to the Nebelhorn Trophy this September - he's another one I'd never really seen skate before - and his performance in the free last week is one of my favourite performances I have ever seen. It was practically foot-perfect and he looked so, so happy right afterwards, and his little bow to the flower girl was just lovely, and I am heartbroken for him that he missed the Olympic team because of his short program (although his 4-3 in that was a thing of absolute beauty). The moment where he waved and mouthed 'bye bye' to the camera after Jeremy, Evan and Johnny went 1 - 2 - 3 was way too sad, and his expression in the medal ceremony was just as bad. I really hope that he at least gets to go to Worlds this season, and if he retires - what an incredible performance to go out on!
• Keegan Messing. There is definitely something about this guy that I like, I think he has great power and attack. I also loved him in the KnC after his short; "Is that good?"
  
• Jonathan Cassar's spreadeagle. Enough said!
• I also really liked Parker Pennington's spins, in the short, and Jason Wong, also in the short.
• The medal ceremony. I don't know what Johnny said, but as the four guys gathered together on the podium to have their photos done, he said something that made Jeremy's jaw drop and Ryan giggle like a little kid, and it was just super cute. I also liked Johnny & Ryan having a little conversation, because Ryan looked so sad otherwise, and Jeremy's coughing into his elbow just as they were having pictures done made me smile, too.
  
• Evan's attitude in the KnC really rubbed me up the wrong way. Also his comment that Nationals is 'just a practice', which I thought was just disrespectful and unnecessary.
• The sheer tension of that last group in the free! I could barely even breathe watching Ryan, Adam and Jeremy, I was so nervous for them all, and then I was so, so excited for both Ryan and Jeremy when they both skated so gorgeously, and getting to watch it live - even if we had to watch it on, like, Japanese internet streaming or something - was definitely really exciting!
  

I'm sure there are a whole bunch of other things that I am forgetting. Overall I loved the competiton. There was a moment during Johnny's free where I thought, oh my gosh, Ryan Bradley is going to go to Vancouver, and apparently that wasn't to be, but for me, Ryan and Jeremy definitely made that competition, and if it was left to me, Ryan would definitely have had Evan's spot ;).

I'm definitely willing Jeremy on to Gold in Vancouver, hopefully he can skate as perfectly as he did here!

xxx