What would the US Media do

Tonichelle · Dec 15, 2005

if Michelle doesn't get the gold? I don't think she won't make the team... but what if she gets silver or bronze? NBC is showing her face everywhere as the only us skater going to show up or something... would they change that if she didn't win Nationals?

Would they completely shut her out as a favorite to win?

Will they even be paying attention to nationals? :laugh:

Joesitz (RIP) · Dec 15, 2005

Tonichelle said:
if Michelle doesn't get the gold? I don't think she won't make the team... but what if she gets silver or bronze? NBC is showing her face everywhere as the only us skater going to show up or something... would they change that if she didn't win Nationals?

Would they completely shut her out as a favorite to win?

Will they even be paying attention to nationals?

Not in New York City. The TV ads are 90 per cent Sasha With MK as also skating. The times they are achangin. Even the Olympic ads have Sasha. What's going on in Alaska?

Joe

Lucy25 · Dec 15, 2005

It's been all Michelle here in Michigan on the TV ads.

Mathman · Dec 15, 2005

Joe, it looks like New York is in the avant garde as usual, with poor Michigan lagging behind the times. :laugh:

I think if Sasha wins the U.S. Championship the U.S. media will be on her like white on rice.

And why not? They could play up the American pixie princess gamely taking on the invincible Russian juggernaut. :laugh:

MM

R.D. · Dec 15, 2005

I've watched the Olympic ads and the only figure skater I've seen is MK.

BTW- MM I agree with your second point :laugh:

I wonder how she would handle the intense pressure that comes from being the U.S. Champion should she win next year.

Also- if it becomes known that MK is injured to the point where a 10th Nats win would be extremely difficult for her, the pressure could shift over to Cohen.

Ptichka · Dec 15, 2005

When Michelle lost Nationals to Tara, media didn't write her off. I don't think they'd do it this time either.

Mathman · Dec 15, 2005

Well, I think Tara did get a lot of publicity when she won U.S. nationals and then Wrolds in 1997. But Michelle came back at U.S. Nationals in 1998 with two of her finest performances ever, so the pendulum swung back to Michelle leading up to the Olympics.

In fact, IIRC the major public relations emphasis in the U.S. leading up the the Nagano Olympics was the team. There was a lot of hype about "the best team since Yamaguchi, Kerrigan and Harding," and even speculations in the newspapers about an American ladies sweep.

If Michelle comes roaring back and wins her tenth U.S. championship in January, I think we can expect a lot of "She's baaaack!" pre-Olympic hype.

If Michelle struggles onto the team with a weak performance in St. Louis, or if she is unable to compete and gets a bye, I would expect to see stories along the lines of, can the old war horse limp around the track one last time and somehow make it to the finish line before collapsing?

If MK does not go to the Olympics, Sasha, Sasha, Sasha!, LOL.

MM

Joesitz (RIP) · Dec 15, 2005

Tara's mother insured that Tara got equal publicity if not more.

Joe

Tonichelle · Dec 16, 2005

I remember the hype for the ladies... at least in that media hype we knew more than one skater from the US was going... but most people thought the team consisted ONLY of the three teens lol nevermind everyone else who showed up

havanamesa1 · Dec 17, 2005

Joesitz said:
Tara's mother insured that Tara got equal publicity if not more.

Joe

She sure did. And we know what kind of publicity that generated for her daughter. :laugh:

Frau Muller · Dec 19, 2005

I've seen only Michelle in the NBC ads & posters, in the Washington, DC area.

I don't think there's anyway that Michelle will fail to be on the team. She may even make it on a 'bye'...probably will skip Nationals if she's not feeling 100% sure of winning. Thus, she can go into the Olympics without having been recently beaten by Sasha. It's all about marketing, my dears. As Tonya Kwiatkoski said in disgust, at the 1998 Nationals Kiss n'Cry as she got marks lower than those of Nicole Bobek: "At least the Campbells Soup Cans will be right -- Kwan, Lipinsky & Bobek." Michelle's "can" for 2006 has been printed.

gr8fulmkfan · Dec 21, 2005

Michelle doesn't want a bye!

Frau Muller said:
I don't think there's anyway that Michelle will fail to be on the team. She may even make it on a 'bye'...probably will skip Nationals if she's not feeling 100% sure of winning. Thus, she can go into the Olympics without having been recently beaten by Sasha. It's all about marketing, my dears. As Tonya Kwiatkoski said in disgust, at the 1998 Nationals Kiss n'Cry as she got marks lower than those of Nicole Bobek: "At least the Campbells Soup Cans will be right -- Kwan, Lipinsky & Bobek." Michelle's "can" for 2006 has been printed.

From what I have heard, be it third hand, not seen or heard by my eyes and ears from the horses' mouth, so to speak, Michelle will not ask for a "bye". She wants to earn her place on the Olympic team, and she will skate at Nationals, health providing. If she doesn't skate at Nationals :disapp: , then there will be no Olympics for her. Shep has said there is no Plan B. Realistically, if she isn't healthy enough for Nationals, can she be healthy enough for the Olympics? A month can make a lot of difference. I wish she would take that "bye" so she can continue to heal first and train later, but it is her career, her life, and, most importantly, her health. My distant armchair desires don't matter. Perhaps she will change her mind, or even better, be healthy and prepared by Nationals. That's what I would really like to see

.

The media will do what it always does. Put someone on a pedestal and then wait to kick them while they are down. What an industry! BTW, I have seen different versions of the Oly commercials in S. FL. Some feature Michelle. Some feature more Sasha. I think it's telling that NBC's Olympic home page doesn't mention Michelle. Sasha and Johnny are on that page, but you have to search for Michelle to find her bio, etc.

R.D. · Dec 21, 2005

I think we have the answer to the original question.

Hype Cohen to the HILT- that's what they'll do. Just look at the NBC olympics website for proof. :disagree:

Lanie · Dec 22, 2005

Well re: Sasha being over-hyped now at NBC Olympics.com, it also can have to do with the fact that Michelle wasn't at the Olympic press conference thing, so therefore no new photos of her or interviews to share! Maybe that's a reason?

Joesitz (RIP) · Dec 22, 2005

Oh so much speculation. Fact: Sasha is getting the hype in the media: NBC, Int'l Figure Skating Magazine, USFSA Skating Magazine, Olympic Website.

My feeling is so what. I do not understand why getting hype carries a connotation of negativity.

Joe

gr8fulmkfan · Dec 22, 2005

Joesitz said:
Oh so much speculation. Fact: Sasha is getting the hype in the media: NBC, Int'l Figure Skating Magazine, USFSA Skating Magazine, Olympic Website.

My feeling is so what. I do not understand why getting hype carries a connotation of negativity. Joe

The negativity usually kicks in if the skater doesn't live up to the hype. There's nothing inherently wrong with hyping the hopefuls. It's good for their self-esteem, but sometimes the hyped believe the press and stop training or the non-hyped work even harder and skate past them. It's happened before!

I know some people think hype puts too much pressure on a skater. I personally don't believe that. I think the skaters enjoy their moments in the spotlight (and why shouldn't they?) even when the forecasted results don't turn out as "hyped".

R.D. · Dec 22, 2005

Personally, I tend to get sick of skaters who are hyped non-stop. Good for them if they get off on it, but there is only so much I can hear about a skater. Good thing I wasn't keeping up with the media in 2002 or I might have just rooted against Kwan.

new_europe2006 · Dec 23, 2005

I think Michelle might be in a better position if she doesn't win Nationals since there won't be so much hype around her or there would be negative press surrounding her if there is hype to where it would motivate her even more to do better.

flowjo35 · Dec 23, 2005

I don't think Michelle will ask for a bye. If she is healthy enough to skate she will. If she is health enough to skate at nationals, I can see her making the team. She might place 1st, 2nd or 3rd, but she will try to make the team by skating the best she can at that point. At this point its all about her skating two good COP programs. Then at the olympics see what happens. Continue to heal Michelle.

What would the US Media do

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Joesitz (RIP)

Lucy25

Mathman

R.D.

Ptichka

Forum translator

Mathman

Joesitz (RIP)

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

havanamesa1

Frau Muller

gr8fulmkfan

R.D.

Lanie

Joesitz (RIP)

gr8fulmkfan

R.D.

new_europe2006

flowjo35

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