Sasha: coronation or upset in St. Louis?

dancindiva03 · Jan 9, 2006

True, Sasha has never actually been the US Champion and therefore she has never been the "defender" in the truest sense, but I agree with those who have pointed out that she was seen as the one to beat the past few years. There have been so many posts (not that I agree with them) that Michelle hasn't kept up her technical difficulty on her elements, that Michelle isn't up to date on what she needs to do to score well with COP, etc. Skating boards have been FULL of people proclaiming Sasha as the next champion, saying that she is the one to beat, yada yada yada. So while she has not been the one holding the gold that everyone else is chasing, she has been the favorite.

Skate Sandee · Jan 10, 2006

It doesn't matter if Sasha has been the one to beat, or the favorite at the last few nationals. In those years she's ALWAYS been in a scenario where she's competing against the defending champion. So this year is unique in that sense. She's now the favorite with no defending champ to knock out.

Be that as it may, I'm sure she's not going to be complacent and assume that it's a coronation. What I wonder is if she'll go for broke or skate conservatively. I'm banking on her skating conservatively (whether she plans on it or not). All she needs to do is be clean and the title is hers. No 3/3 required. I don't know if program even has a 3/3 planned.

IndieBoi · Jan 10, 2006

orchid said:
I will respectfully repeat myself " Sasha has NEVER been the US Champion, the "one to beat". She has perinneially been the favorite to challenge MIchelle.

This week no Michelle, Sasha has NEVER been in this position, she has no experience with nerves, pressure and expectations as the she is this week.

We and She cannot know how she will handle all that..until Thursday evening. I expect a bang of a short program and then... ???

Now to anyone else, I cannot possible stress any more that Sashs has never been the Champion, don't we know this? The Champion is always "the one to beat".

Wasn't Michelle practically out of the gold medal chase is Dortmund? So Sasha didn't have the defending champion between her and the title. I remember Peggy saying Sasha had the World Championship on the platter for her.

curious · Jan 10, 2006

Sasha is going to do great and prove once and for all to the jealous fans of a certain skater that she is the best skater in this country(has been for the past four years). michell in her present state would not have beat a so-so sasha much less a clean one :biggrin:

Skate Sandee · Jan 10, 2006

(Must. Not. Take. The. Bait....Must. Not. - ah heck, I'm blowing my New Year's resolution!)

curious said:
jealous fans of a certain skater

Interesting turn of phrase. Hmm, what's more likely:

A: MK fans are jealous of Sasha because she has no National, World or Olympic medals, but gets a lot of deservedly good press for her skills and is likely going to win this year's Nationals

OR

B. Sasha fans are jealous of MK because she has successfully held off Sasha's 5 attempts to get a National title, and has a slew of other World titles (and 2 Olympic medals) to her name.

Yup. It's got to be MK fans that are jealous of Sasha :laugh:

Frankly, this MK fan is not jealous of Sasha or any skater. I've always considered all the medals that MK has won since 2002 as just gravy at this point. Believe me, this MK fan actually can't believe Sasha hasn't managed a National title yet. She seemed legitimately poised to do so at least twice.

You can believe this or not (and I know you won't), but if MK never wins another medal, MK fans have a plethora of laurels to look back on fondly. Sad for a certain skater's jealous fans that they haven't been able to say the same thing over the last 5 years.

Piel · Jan 10, 2006

curious said:
Sasha is going to do great and prove once and for all to the jealous fans of a certain skater that she is the best skater in this country(has been for the past four years). michell in her present state would not have beat a so-so sasha much less a clean one

In her present state (an injured Kwan without much training) PROBABLY could not beat a well trained, and uninjured Cohen. OTOH, a healthy, well trained Cohen DEFINITELY has never beat Kwan for a National title.

Piel · Jan 10, 2006

Skate Sandee said:
(Must. Not. Take. The. Bait....Must. Not. - ah heck, I'm blowing my New Year's resolution!)

Hey Skate Sandee,

Didn't you know that resolutions don't begin until after Worlds?:agree:

mzheng · Jan 10, 2006

Skate Sandee said:
Frankly, this MK fan is not jealous of Sasha or any skater. I've always considered all the medals that MK has won since 2002 as just gravy at this point. Believe me, this MK fan actually can't believe Sasha hasn't managed a National title yet. She seemed legitimately poised to do so at least twice.
.

And to think what kind gravy!
She's never been the one looking for any excuses, though excuse were there to take.

And back to topic. Sasha will skate conservatively at Nationals against this field. Her goal is the Olympics, she won't waste her clean skates (however scaresly) at Nationals.

skatingfan5 · Jan 10, 2006

Sasha recovering from "the flu"

Nothing like creating a little more pressure/press -- apparently, according to Nicks (as quote a Chicago Tribune story), Sasha is recovering from a bout with the flu -- which came on Friday night.

She did a light run-through of her short program, doing very few jumps, and then left the ice shortly before the practice ended. "She's got to get her feet back underneath her," said John Nicks, Cohen's longtime coach. "She's going to rest the rest of the day."

Cohen had a "wonderful" practice last Friday morning, but she began feeling ill later that night, Nicks said. She had a fever and a sore throat, and didn't practice Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

The women's short program isn't until Thursday night, and Nicks said Cohen will be healthy by then.

"She's got two things going for her," Nicks said. "She's trained very well and she's very determined."

Not sure if anyone wants to change their "rating" -- I think I would have given Sasha at least an 8, more likely a 9 before this -- and would still stay the same even now. It definitely is hers to lose this year, flu or no flu.

SkateFan4Life · Jan 10, 2006

orchid said:
I will respectfully repeat myself " Sasha has NEVER been the US Champion, the "one to beat". She has perinneially been the favorite to challenge MIchelle.

This week no Michelle, Sasha has NEVER been in this position, she has no experience with nerves, pressure and expectations as the she is this week.

We and She cannot know how she will handle all that..until Thursday evening. I expect a bang of a short program and then... ???

Now to anyone else, I cannot possible stress any more that Sashs has never been the Champion, don't we know this? The Champion is always "the one to beat". Regards,

Take it easy, OK? :biggrin:

Look, back in 2004, Sasha had won the short program and Michelle (although she was the defending champion) was considered vulnerable, as she had not had a successful fall competition season and her program was still considered to be "a work in progress". Many people really did expect Sasha to win that year, including yours truly.

At Worlds that year, she, again, had won the short program and was given a good shot at winning the World title.

In both circumstances, a clean long program probably would have won gold.
It just did not happen. Sasha wasn't able to handle the pressure of being in first place going into the long program and skating for the title.

millie · Jan 10, 2006

orchid said:
Duly noted> I'll clarify. Sasha has never been the Champion, the one to beat.
Only the favorite to beat the Champion.

Don't forget, Sasha beat Michelle at Worlds last year with a silver medal, under the new judging system. Does this one count.

SkateFan4Life · Jan 10, 2006

millie said:
Don't forget, Sasha beat Michelle at Worlds last year with a silver medal, under the new judging system. Does this one count.

I think it shows that Sasha can finish ahead of Michelle on any given day; however, she still did not win the gold medal at Worlds last year.

bronxgirl · Jan 10, 2006

skatingfan5 said:
Nothing like creating a little more pressure/press -- apparently, according to Nicks (as quote a Chicago Tribune story), Sasha is recovering from a bout with the flu -- which came on Friday night. Not sure if anyone wants to change their "rating" -- I think I would have given Sasha at least an 8, more likely a 9 before this -- and would still stay the same even now. It definitely is hers to lose this year, flu or no flu.

Doesn't anyone know about flu vaccines in this sport? Sasha gets the flu now?One year Sasha even had shingles. Geez, for young healthy athletes, they get sick at bad times

orchid · Jan 10, 2006

IndieBoi said:
Wasn't Michelle practically out of the gold medal chase is Dortmund? So Sasha didn't have the defending champion between her and the title. I remember Peggy saying Sasha had the World Championship on the platter for her.

INdieBoi, Millie, et aL My quote said.. US Champion.... US National Champion, not WORLD. everyone clear?

She is "expected" (by many) to finally, finally win. Ya think, this is not on her mind 24/7?. Ain't that a whole lot of pressure now, that Michelle isn't in front of her?

I think so, much different competition that in the past.

Curious: I have no reason to be jealous of any skater. Silly analysis.

Skate Sandee · Jan 11, 2006

bronxgirl said:
Doesn't anyone know about flu vaccines in this sport? Sasha gets the flu now?One year Sasha even had shingles. Geez, for young healthy athletes, they get sick at bad times

How do you know that she didn't get a flu shot? Given how rampant the flu was in Nagano (in biblical proportions), I wouldn't assume that most athletes hoping to get to the Olympics don't get a flu shot. But the reality is that flu shots only decrease your chances of getting the flu, not eliminate them.

All Sasha needs to do is lay down a reasonably clean program. She doesn't have to come out guns blazing to win the title IMHO. I doubt this mild bout of flu will affect anything except perhaps her overall speed.

Kwanford Wife · Jan 11, 2006

Skate Sandee said:
(Must. Not. Take. The. Bait....Must. Not. - ah heck, I'm blowing my New Year's resolution!)

Interesting turn of phrase. Hmm, what's more likely:

A: MK fans are jealous of Sasha because she has no National, World or Olympic medals, but gets a lot of deservedly good press for her skills and is likely going to win this year's Nationals

OR

B. Sasha fans are jealous of MK because she has successfully held off Sasha's 5 attempts to get a National title, and has a slew of other World titles (and 2 Olympic medals) to her name.

Yup. It's got to be MK fans that are jealous of Sasha

Frankly, this MK fan is not jealous of Sasha or any skater. I've always considered all the medals that MK has won since 2002 as just gravy at this point. Believe me, this MK fan actually can't believe Sasha hasn't managed a National title yet. She seemed legitimately poised to do so at least twice.

You can believe this or not (and I know you won't), but if MK never wins another medal, MK fans have a plethora of laurels to look back on fondly. Sad for a certain skater's jealous fans that they haven't been able to say the same thing over the last 5 years.

bronxgirl · Jan 11, 2006

I doubt it highly that Sasha even got a flu shot, let alone get a variant strain that is not covered in the standard trivalent vaccine available. She probably doesn't even have the flu, just a bad cold. If it was the flu, she'd have a high fever, be aching all over, and not feel up to getting out of bed, let alone performing her routine:yes:

cianni · Jan 11, 2006

Oh come on

Im expecting to hear shes in the hospital. Come on she has a runny nose with Nicks hyping it up again. The flu would put her down for some time. Let it go shes fine we will see her blow her nose and then we have the ans.

SkateFan4Life · Jan 11, 2006

And if Sasha doesn't win this week, she'll tell the world that she's suffering from the flu and not physically able to skate at her top level.

Excuses, excuses, excuses........

millie · Jan 11, 2006

SkateFan4Life said:
And if Sasha doesn't win this week, she'll tell the world that she's suffering from the flu and not physically able to skate at her top level.

Excuses, excuses, excuses........

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses--yeah--there seems to be a lot of excuses lately from some other skaters.

Sasha: coronation or upset in St. Louis?

dancindiva03

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Skate Sandee

IndieBoi

curious

Skate Sandee

Piel

On Edge

Piel

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mzheng

skatingfan5

SkateFan4Life

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millie

SkateFan4Life

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bronxgirl

orchid

Skate Sandee

Kwanford Wife

bronxgirl

cianni

SkateFan4Life

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millie

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