So, is this John? A five minute quiz. Lysacek & "How To Pick Music"

Sick of me yet? *g*

Stuffy head remains. Breathing is... *breathes in*... almost restored. Viral infection and bronchitis may have been averted in my case.

So. An Out Of Bounds Quiz. It takes five minutes to complete, respond in comments:

Is this John Sheppard?

Or do we need more fire? *eyebrows raise*


ETA: Another of the same skater

ETA 2: Okay, now this is very John. Same skater but not as good (probably injured), very focused on just landing the jumps

Looking ahead to the Nationals

Now that it's less than a week before the U.S. National Championships* I've been researching who's slated to compete.

The favorite to win on the American side was Evan Lysacek but he's injured and his blog dated January 2nd says that the doctors took him out of competing for six weeks. He's pushing to go, but even in the unlikely event the docs will let him, his chances are much less. Bummer. I was hoping to see him.

Johnny Weir will be there (yay!). But Johnny, like Lysacek, has trouble landing the quad (okay, okay, I have to take Lysacek off the table as my example for John -- this is the complete opposite problem from Sheppard. But there's something about his skating that is like John, that loose surfer-Joe California manner.). Unlike Lysacek, Weir doesn't build up points in other areas of his program.

Michael Weiss and Tim Goebel have both retired from competition which leaves the American field wide, wide open. Apparently, other than Lysacek, the Americans have been doing shitty at the world events. We're getting our asses kicked.

As it works out the midwestern sectional this year was highly competitive, yielding four, count them, four, top notch new skaters: Jeremy Abbott, Parker Pennington, Ryan Bradley, and Braden Overett. Hooray midwest. Then the far-too-young reigning Junior champ, Stephen Carriere, might have a shot though it would be really unusual for a kid to do that well in his first Nationals. But we'll be hearing from him, I think.

Derrick Delmore, who's been competing at the upper levels for eleven years but in the shadows of everyone else may be able take advantage the clear playing field for a swan-song performance.

Then there's Scott Smith. Fourth at Cup of China, Smith is "considered the favorite" (well, now) "provided he can land his triple axels and make a creditable attempt at the quadruple salchow."

Bottom line: The U.S. has artists but we've lost all our hot-shot jumpers. *g* Where's John Sheppard when you need him?

What does this mean to you? You're probably not going to recognize most of the names at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic games. Other than Lysacek and Weir, it's a whole new ball game.

I think this is going to be pretty exciting. This many young skaters fired up for their first shot at something big? There will be so many falls we'll need a trampoline.



*I no longer care that my seats are miles away. I now know the performance carries that far and that these arenas are tiny -- they'd have to build another arena to get as far away as I thought I'd be.

Story hour: Out Of Bounds

Hi there!

I'm looking for someone who doesn't mind total and utter spoilers who might be in Y!M so I can write the next part of Out Of Bounds at you. My usual story hour suspects (amothea, lizardspots, electricandroid? Hello?) don't appear to be around.

Anyone?

Ping me at icarusancalion.



ETA: *birds chirp*

Okay, now I'm laughing. All right, if I can't find my usual suspects I guess I'm stuck. *laughs until I start coughing*