US Ski Team Nominations: Men's Development Team

The time has come to rip the Men's D-Team for all of their past failures and missteps.

Ha, just kidding Randy.

Too soon?

As with the women's team, the known facts of the men's team are what they are, and we'll try our best to stick to them here.  The men's Development Team has enjoyed enough success over the past few years that you really do have to give credit where credit is due.  The men's side has a spotty history when it comes to successfully advancing athletes to the B- or C-Teams in the last decade or so.  They've enjoyed considerable success in some years, but have fallen well short in other years.  At times when they've carried, say, 16 guys on the D-Team, you got the sense that they were just throwing it all against the wall to see what would stick.

These days, though, it seems to be swinging upwards in a positive way.  In the last couple of years, a number of guys have moved up to the C- and B-Teams (Cochran-Siegle, Rubie, Ankeny, Daniels, Granstrom, Gregorak, Kasper, Maple, Ford, are we missing anyone?), and in large part they've done a good job sticking with their athletes and helping them realize their potential.  Many of those who have moved up from the D-Team were on it for multiple years.  There have been a few guys along the way that many people feel should have been given another chance, but overall you can see something that looks like a development process in motion.

This year sees a healthy crop of new blood in the system.  Scott Snow made criteria outright, as did Stratton's Nick Krause.  Krause is Stratton's first male Ski Teamer since 2002 when Brad Hogan was 22-years old, and he's the proud handiwork of their program since he was at least a J3.  Bryce Bennett, though he was a fair ways from meeting criteria, brings his rather loud voice out of the NDS and onto the Ski Team courtesy of coaches Randy Pelkey and Ian Garner's discretion.

Rob Cone just missed criteria (ranked 258 in GS and 434 in SL, though at one point last season he was 265/379, which just barely sneaks him in) but nonetheless earned himself a year off of college - the first college guy to make the D-Team in a very long time (maybe ever?).  Kieffer Christianson was also sort of close to criteria and was given the go-ahead, likewise for Tanner Farrow, a product of Sun Valley and highly recommended by Tyler Palmer.  A couple years ago at Loveland during the now-infamous superdeath injection hell week, Farrow was literally the only person whose skiing looked at all worthwhile, besides Sarka Zahrobska, but we can't seem to find any video so you'll just have to take our word for it.

Brian McLaughlin of GMVS made criteria, as did his teammate Sandy Vietze (the second "e" is silent).  Two GMVS guys making the Team in one year?  That hasn't happened since, dare we say it, the Transue brothers?*  Steve Utter, if you're reading, feel free to weigh in here.**  McLaughlin surprised everyone at an Aspen Nor-Am Super-G when he moved from #79 to 20th and scored a 33, and then he sealed the deal at the end of the year with GS in Stoneham and Mission Ridge.

And lastly, Matt Strand.  Strand traveled with the team on what seemed like Double Secret Invitee status last year.  He's a bit of a rarity on the D-Team these days because his point profile is so heavily weighted to one event (Slalom, insert Buck Hill joke here), but when he's on, he's so good that you really can't turn him down.  8th place at World Juniors, anyone?  Despite his 86 Super-G points, we'd still pick him for our fantasy team.  And really, 36 GS points is pretty damn good.

Go team go.



*2 GMVS guys is one thing, but 5 Eastern guys?  It's like USSA forgot about the Western Bias Conspiracy while making their selections.
/sarcasm

**That GMVS count doesn't include their Tryout and Mt. Hood camp invitees Danny Duffy and AJ Ginnis.  That's a power team.