Lysacek sidelined, Kwan to compete (Hersh article) | Golden Skate

Lysacek sidelined, Kwan to compete (Hersh article)

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...9,1,1494647.story?coll=cs-international-print

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Michelle Kwan, who has neither skated before an audience nor spoken to the media since spring, emerges for an ersatz competition with an "American Idol" format Sunday in Boston.

Kwan, who this fall pulled out of two Grand Prix events and an invitational because of a hip injury, has a news conference scheduled for Saturday.

Two weeks ago, Kwan seemed unlikely to go to Boston for the U.S. Figure Skating Challenge because the event, (noon, Ch. 7), offers no measure of where she stands in terms of future success at the January nationals and the February Winter Olympics.

Here is the scenario that undoubtedly made Kwan, the nine-time U.S. champion, think twice about flying 6,000 miles for a meaningless event:

Tired from the trip (predicted snow for Boston could make it a marathon), Kwan re-injures the hip and cannot compete at the nationals, generally considered the Olympic trials. As bad as that seems, it still would not prevent Kwan from making the 2006 Olympic team.

Could Kwan be going to Boston because the same USFSA officials whom she might need to ask for an injury petition are frustrated by her non-participation in Grand Prix events over the last three seasons?

Or is she simply so tired of nothing but practice she simply wants to satisfy her urge to compete, no matter how silly the competition?
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
IMO, he's just in a snit because Michelle isn't doing what he thinks she should do. Michelle probably needs to get out there as part of her mental and emotional recovery -- the "no jump requirements" format will help prevent re-injury, but it will still give her a chance to get some confidence back in her body.
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I don't think Philip likes the fact that Michelle hasn't given him an interview yet this season. His article has a bit of an edge to it, IMO.

I also think it's quite normal that she hasn't said much this season ... there hasn't been a whole lot to talk about thus far. Plus, I think she wasn't quite sure herself there for awhile, about whether she would be able to compete or not.
I'm guessing this press conference will pretty much be what she would normally have said early in the season.
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Here's a quick prayer to the skate gods that she does not reinjure her hip over a meaningless exhibition (I can't call this a competition except for the fans)
 

swannanoa54

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
I don't see the "snit" part of this article at all. I just see Hersh asking questions. He has even less answers than we do and while it may bother him, I just don't see him being in a snit. Personally all of Hersh's articles, no matter what the sport, annoy me anyway so he deserves to be in a snit.:rofl:

As far as this press conference goes, I can see it two different ways. One way is that Kwan is going to give an update on her injury, how she's progressing, stuff like that.

The other way is much sadder to imagine because I've never seen Kwan call a press conference before except for the ones that have been scheduled for her. I wonder if her hip injury, the training, the inability to compete due to the injury, have made her rethink where she wants to be right now. She has always said she loves to compete, but what if this injury is the one that tells her it's time to move on and that is what the press conference is about?

Oh well, does anyone know what time it's scheduled for and who will air it?
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
real, I was trying to think of the worst-case scenario ... but I just don't see her calling a press conference the day before this event ... to say she had decided to call it quits before Nationals. I can't imagine why she just wouldn't skate in this event, and then make an announcement after it ... if she decided she couldn't make a go of it.
Plus, from everything I've heard recently, her training has been going much better.
It could be that the USFSA and ABC asked her to do this ... partly because there has been so much question about what she will do this season ... but mostly because it will boost interest in this event the day before it takes place.
Also ... she is part of that VISA athlete promotion for the Olympics, and missed the media summit right after Campbells ... so they may have wanted her to get out there and say something definitive about how she's doing and that her plans have not changed any because of her injury.
 

kyla2

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Nymkfan51

Cut it out!!! She is not calling a press conference to call it quits. I don't think shw would show up for the cheesefest if that was her plan. Let's be optimistic here.
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
LOL kyla!!!
I don't think she is either ... it's just that I always worry, so I have to start out thinking the worst and then talk myself out of it! :rofl:
 

mememe

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 20, 2004
My guess is she's having a press conference in order to get all the interview requests taken care of at one time. Since she hasn't been seen on the ice or heard from via interview for several months, every writer, every TV outlet, etc., will want to talk to her here. So, schedule a press conference and give all of them a chance to get their interview/sound bite at once.

That makes sense for her and for the media. If she wants to do individual things with individual writers/networks later, she can, but this takes care of the "what I've been doing, how bad is/was the injury, do you still plan to go to nationals, do you have any plans past this year, what triple jumps can you do and not do now, are you all the way back, do you think you'll be code of points ready, etc." questions that every single interviewer would ask if she talked to them separately.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'll put it this way- Kwan does what Kwan wants to do, and she'll either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences. Only time will tell.
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Red Dog said:
I'll put it this way- Kwan does what Kwan wants to do, and she'll either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences. Only time will tell.

Reaping benefits or suffering consequences from a press conference?

I'm kwanfused. :scratch:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
nymkfan51 said:
Reaping benefits or suffering consequences from a press conference?

I'm kwanfused. :scratch:

No, I mean any decision she makes.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Hersh cracks me up. He thinks he can read Michelle's mind and he doesn't even realize how foolish it makes him look.

Nobody said anything two weeks ago about it "seeming unlikely" that Michelle would compete in Boston -- except Phil Hersh.

No one said anything about "traveling 6000 miles for a meaningless competition" -- except Phil Hersh.

No one said anything about Michelle worrying that she wouldn't get CoP feedback from the event -- except Phil Hersh.

Yeah, I agree with Attyfan. Hersh is in a snit because Michelle made a monkey out of him. :rofl:

MM :)
 

swannanoa54

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Well, duh, RD. She's an adult. I swear it makes my eyes cross every time someone says "she'll suffer the consequences" for a decision she's made. You'd think she's the only one in the whole wide world that suffers consequences.

kyla, sorry about wondering if Kwan's press conference is to say she wasn't going to compete anymore. I really believe it's just to give an update, etc., but you know there's always something to be said for giving two different scenarios in case I feel the need to say "I told you so".:rofl:
 

millie

Medalist
Joined
Nov 1, 2004
At this point everyone is spectulating what she will say at the press conference. This may be a way for her to say that is is completely healthy and ready for Nationals or it could be that she is about to retire. But I doubt if it is that she is going to retire. She has been practicing in private, away from the watchful eyes, at Lake Arrowhead. He may be in better shape than last year, when she seemed to be a little on the wider side. Only time will tell.:) :)
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
realistic51 said:
kyla, sorry about wondering if Kwan's press conference is to say she wasn't going to compete anymore. I really believe it's just to give an update, etc., but you know there's always something to be said for giving two different scenarios in case I feel the need to say "I told you so".:rofl:
It's not address to me. But I would say if there had been any kind of debating after her injury, this type press conference would've happened the beginning of November.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Maybe Michelle really is going to announce her retirement, and she timed it like this so people would feel sorry for her and vote for her in the cheesefest. :p
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
IMO it wouldn't make sense for her to retire now. She must still have a little left in her. The OLYs are only two months away, and she's guaranteed a spot on the team, so why retire?
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I'm not sure what the consequences would be. Can anyone tell me? Will she have to surrender her 145 medals? Will she be booed in Boston and St. Louis?
Will her injury lead to amputation? Will she be disgraced in America? What exactly are these consequences?

Whatever it is at the Press Conference, I want to hear. The speculations about it just don't gel Why it has to be prejudged is not what makes a reporter factual.
After the conference, then there is time for serious discussion.

Joe
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Forgot. Poor Evan is left out of this topic. There is an article on the USFSA site about his withdrawing from GP Finals and the thing in Boston. He's in serious pain.

Joe
 
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