rockstaryuzu

Most Canadian universities, the regular course load is five courses per. At my school, engineers were just expected to do more because engineering.

Maybe. Reality is that Johnny was that good, and Scott didn't support him even though he was American. Also, Adam has never seemed particularly unmacho to me. Someone's sexuality has almost nothing to do with their competitiveness, assertiveness, protectiveness, or any other so-called 'masculine' trait, in my experience. But I come from a land where dainty-looking moms play hockey as roughly and aggressively as Hextall and Domi, so maybe my perception of gender norms is slightly skewed.

Agreed. IMO this is the thing that deserves hype about Nathan - and Raf. They've figured out something good it seems.

It's the way they're doing it. Otherwise it wouldn't be so noticeable.

Hmm....maybe my memory is faulty, but back when I was a kid and watched figure skating, Scotty Hamilton never struck me as projecting all that masculine of an aura himself. Yuzu as Sakura fairy is still 100% more masculine-looking than Scott in his zip-up blue one piece jumpsuit with rainbows across his shoulders.

If this going to be a thing, I favor the Red Cross, just because it's a known entity. They're also the ones most likely to be able to handle donations from outside Japan.

According to an article I found on Google, Nathan's course load is four per semester. Normal complement at most North American schools would be five. And if you went to my alma mater for engineering (like I did) you took six per semester and liked it that way. So yes, while it's obviously challenging to do a competitive sport and go to a famous school at the same time, Nathan's not killing himself at it. The media could drop the hype.

He's not even the first to do that. Sara Hughes, 2002 Olympic champion, did it first. And according to Google, he's only taking four courses a semester anyway. As a one-time engineering student, this amuses me greatly...my school required engineers to take six courses per semester. which I did while working 30 hours a week. Don't brag to me about time management at university.

The telling point here is that even Nathan doesn't believe this level of hype about himself ( and Raf certainly doesn't if his comments are anything to go by) so I'm thinking we can safely ignore what Scott says. Also remember that Scott is the man who originated Stars On Ice, so he's not someone skaters can really afford to call out or offend, I'd guess. That being said, some of these comments go way beyond rah-rah-rah-America's-great patriotism and sound more personal, like Scott just dislikes Yuzu, full stop. Which is kind of incredible in its own way. It's not like Scott has to compete against Yuzu or anything.

Can't help but wonder if Scott actually watched the same World's as the rest of us.

Sad, but also weird when you consider that the US is the ground zero of the whole LGBQT rights movement, going all the way back to the 60s, long before any other country was open to it. America definitely has a bit of a schizophrenic attitude in this regard. That being said, I take issue with Scott's comments from a different perspective. Saying anyone is 'unbeatable' is always demonstrably false ( even saying it about Yuzu...reality is that this is figure skating and winning or losing is the judge's hands, not the skater's.). And to say that Nathan's doing things that have never been done...what, exactly, might that be? 4Lo? No, Yuzu was the first one to land it. 4F? I do believe that was Shoma. 4Lz? That was Brandon Mroz back in 2011. 4S? Timothy Goebel, 2002. And the first 4T was landed before Nathan was even born, by Kurt Browning in the 90's. If he wants to talk about the number of quads in a program, yes, Nathan is the only man to have attempted 6 and it was a spectacular failure. And under the new rules, such an attempt would be extremely difficult if not impossible. Nathan hasn't invented any signature moves either. So no 'things that have never been done' for Nathan. Nathan's very, very good and getting better all the time. But he's no innovator and he's as human as anyone else so I don't really understand Scott's comments. They're unrealistic at best and jingoistic at worst.

Well, that post from Javi Raya showed Yuzu on the ice already so I think you're right. I still hate his injuries anyway.

Head's Up for those who have access: CBC's Road to the Olympic Games is re-broadcasting the Worlds Gala starting an hour from now. ( At 4pm EST)  They're airing it on their regular TV channel as well as on the CBC.ca /sports site. Unfortunately, I'm all thumbs technologically, so I don't know how to share it other than suggest trying to watch from the web if you have a VPN with a Canadian address. 

And if he'd been healthy all season, he might have got there...he'd have had at least two more competitions (GPF and Japanese Nats) to perfect it with. As positive as I try to stay here, I effing hate his injuries....

I wonder where the heck the photographer was, that they managed to capture him at such an angle!!!

Ohhhh yeahhhhh... definitely!

I've got to agree. However! However... Think of the power a Vertigo hiproll would have now, with all the oomph of a fully grown man ( instead of an innocent boy) behind it. The networks might just be forced to censor it...it would be too hot for TV.

Think of the entertainment value watching them try!

Nah, I was thinking the Jeff Buckley version. Actually, while we're on that topic, I think an ice show where the skaters swap programs and do each other's pieces would be really interesting.

No! No Carmen! Knowing Yuzu's luck, the curse of Carmen would strike him down at ACI. But Roxanne, now there's a possibility... I think Lady Marmalade would be great too. Or, ultimate troll level: Hallelujah.

I agree, Ice-chan is absolutely a tsundere.

Seconded!!! More Prince, please!

I kinda feel like that's what he did with Origin, tbh. If he does go with new programs next year, I hope he goes in a totally fresh direction that no one could expect or predict: Bossa Nova. Or he could go for maximum Trollzuru and do covers of his vanquished opponents' old programs, but make them way better. Although he might think that would be too mean-spirited to do.

Well, there's lots of inspiration to be had from Japanese sources as well. He could try doing something with shamisen.

As fun as that would be, there are so many pieces of music out there he could do. I totally want to see him bring a manga-inspired program to competition. I bet he could make something really striking out of Tokyo Ghoul. Or he could do some Rachmaninoff or Tchaikovsky. I think a Romantic composer would really suit him.