Posted on 02/12/2006 12:35:38 AM PST by blondee123
It was just announced (2:30 a.m. central time) on NBC TV that Michelle Kwan has officially withdrawn from olympic competition. Said that the U.S. team has filed a replacement form with the Olympic committee.
Sasha Cohen was and is America's hope for a gold.
Sasha Cohen (that's three times her name has been mentioned haha).... is really on her game these days - her skating this year has been fantastic - and I think she has finally conquered her demons.
What makes her such a dramatic skater and one unafraid to try such impossible positions while flashing down the length of the ice IS the same thing which gives her nerves.
I believe she will do well, but don't forget Slutskaya....
this will be her last Olympics no doubt... and she is as formidable as little Cohen....plus she is a better jumper which this year seems to count for more.
The jumps would have done Kwan in anyway - she is more of a presentation skater than a technical one.
I apologize if the members here don't think this is an important discussion, but I appreciate having a place where I feel I can say goodbye to Kwan after so many years of watching her grow into the sport - and a true Olympic athlete to represent this country.
wow you're the only person who gets it!
Emily is not that good. She is not expected to do that well in the Olympics.
She's a great skater. I always felt that she was the best skater overall, but she just never pulled it out at the Olympics. Tara Lipinski was great when she won, and Sarah Hughes was a joy to see her pull off a great program.
It's also a shame that Emily Hughes is not better. It does seem like a weaker team this year, but there are a lot of great up and coming skaters.
I hope Sasha Cohen can skate 2 clean programs. If she does, she's got the gold.
I agree with you. Michelle did not compete all year because of a hip injury and then a groin pull. She did compete in the Marshalls cheese fest (not a real competition) and did lousy. She then pulled out of Nationals but requested a bye for the Olympics. Emily was cheated-she didn't have a chance to walk with the US team in the opening ceremony and now has to rush over to Italy. Michelle has been a very consistent skater for years, but this ploy for attention and sympathy makes me sick. And don't even compare her Olympic bye to Nancy Kerrigan. Nancy had extraordinary circumstances. Nancy had competed all year, but then was attacked with a tire iron to the shin.
Well I still have a sinking feeling Slutskaya will be the gold medal winner unless she does something overtly bad...
The Russians want a Pairs/Mens/Womens sweep and Slutskaya's last Olympics may be her gold medal moment too.
Cohen is a beautiful skater but unless she does the technical portion with the jumps and keeps her cool...she'll end up silver.
Emily Hughes is not ready - but she's going to give it a try and I love her enthusiasm.
Kwan when compared with Hughes is ridiculous - Kwan is clearly the more advanced Olympic skater (in rebuttal to another poster's message).
Of course I don't know all the other competitors so I could be way wrong.... there is a Japanese girl who could win hands down, but she didn't make the age category and will have to wait four more years to qualify if she is still skating.
I feel fine with Cohen representing the U.S. however - she is a talented and lovely skater to watch.
Michelle should not have been selected to the team in the first place. She did not qualify due to a previous injury, and therefore, couldn't compete. She was awarded the slot on sympathy. At least she stepped down early rather than embarress herself even more.
I agree 100%
Michelle should not have been selected to the team in the first place. She did not qualify due to a previous injury, and therefore, couldn't compete. She was awarded the slot on sympathy. At least she stepped down early rather than embarress herself even more.
I feel bad for her.
Although she's had her chances to win the gold, and although she says that everything is "alright". I don't believe it for a second.
If this is the last time, it will be one of her regrets.
It's a shame for Michelle and the U.S. Emily Hughes stinks.
She has the athletic ability but NO grace or style.
ummmm no probably not.
She can't push off correctly to perform her jumps because of a groin issue.
Kwan should have taken the gold in 1998. It was "Given" to Tara Lipinski so that she'd become the youngest skater to win gold.. IMHO.
bump
Oh, that's a very good point. I never even thought about that. I've never seen a live performance, and of course during the TV coverage, between the music and running commentaries, guess I'm not listening for that aspect.
My problem with other skaters mentioned such Slutskaya and Lipinski, among others, is the element of beauty and grace seem to be missing. Granted this is just a personal preference on my part and although I fully appreciated the athleticism of the sport with jumps and speed being important factors, all in all there's just nothing more beautiful then Cohen's interpretation of her music. Her spirals and extensions such as her Ina Bauer, Biellmann spins and lay-backs are simply unsurpassed. Just think she's got the full package especially if she can hold it together.
I'm sorry, but no she wasn't. Sasha Cohen has a great long program this year and is a real contender.
Now, before I am thoroughly flamed, let me say that I really admire Michelle Kwan, and have watched her skate since she first appeared on the scene. I believe that she will go down as one of the greatest skaters in the history of the sport.
That being said, she has been injured all season. She has not competed, she did not compete in the U.S. Nationals, she did not "make" the team. She was placed on the team, despite her injuries, by the figure skating honchos. They did that because of her reputation, but she was injured, had been injured all year.
The "injury" that has been described by the tv people as "another groin injury" is the same groin injury that has kept her off the ice for the entire skating season.
Sorry, but she should have never been put on the team in the first place. I am glad she pulled out now and did not try to skate, putting in a poor performance that would have been the one remembered. She has had a tremendous career winning more championships than any other female skater (I believe, correct me if I'm wrong). The only thing she does not have is an Olympic gold medal. She does have a silver and bronze. An Olympic gold would have been nice, but not having one should not take anything away from the massive accomplishments this young woman has achieved in this sport.
Time for her to make some money at it --- she (and her parents) have put a lotta years, and money, into her skating and she deserves to reap the rewards for all that hard work.
It's a tough thing to say, but at 25, she is "over-the-hill" in competitive skating. However, she has given us a lot of wonderful performances over the years and has been a joy to watch. Good luck to her.
LOL See, what "we've" started!
I apologize if the members here don't think this is an important discussion
No need to apologize----probably doesn't fall into the category of "political", and might be better in "Chat", but certainly think this is very newsworthy considering this is the Olympics, and she's (Kwan) certainly an icon in this sport.
Think you may be referring to Mao Asada. She's the 15 year old that was too young. Great potential, but right now has that immature quality that only experience and age will fine tune
I'll disagree with you. Tara skated a great program, and Michelle missed on a jump (or something).
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