Will Michelle Kwan Retire?

SkateFan4Life · Feb 12, 2006

I'm not writing this to be cruel to Michelle Kwan, who I admire so much. However, in light of her unfortunate withdrawal from the Olympics, will this mark the end of her eligible skating career?

Michelle may go home to California, recover from her injury, and then turn pro and skate with SOI, other shows, television specials, or perhaps even start her own skating tour. I could certainly see Michelle starring in her own TV specials, as Kristi Yamaguchi has done so successfully over the years.

Michelle may go home to California, recover from her injury, and then retain her eligible status. She may show up at next year's US Nationals to see how she fares, at the age of 26. If she wins the title or just qualifies for the World Team, she may decide to continue on. It may be a "one year at a time" scenario for Michelle. She will be 29 in 2010, which is a rather advanced age for an elite figure skater, but perhaps Michelle will keep herself in top shape and continue on.

What do you think? Michelle has a lot of soul searching to do, that's for sure. I wish her the very best in whatever she chooses to do :love:

R.D. · Feb 12, 2006

this will be the biggest decision about her career that she's ever had to make. If she thought 2002 was a disappointment...well, 06 was a total letdown.

Enero · Feb 12, 2006

I don't think she'll retire, but I don't think she'll go til 2010. I just don't think she'd have the technical difficulty to compete with the up and coming Maos in Ladies skating. However, I do think that if her injury isn't career ending she'll go home and fully recover. Then come back next season and win her 10th National Title. Then retire.

I just can't imagine her ending her eligible career without skating one more time on Nationals ice.

SkateFan4Life · Feb 12, 2006

Michelle's Olympic experiences haven't been the happiest of her life, that's for sure:

1994 - Lillehammer - alternate.
1998 - Gold medal favorite. Skated cautiously and finished second to Tara Lipinski.
2002 - One of the favorites. Skated a flawed long program and finished third to Sarah Hughes and Irina Slutskaya.
2006 - Not a favorite. Withdrew due to injury.

However, that cannot erase a thing from her many accomplishments:

Nine-time United States champion. :bow:

Five-time World champion :bow:

cianni · Feb 12, 2006

Hope Not

The world is open to her in terms of offers and endorsements. I hope she takes time to heal and waits to make a decision. I have tickets for COI and hope she can skate the show. She has said in her article in ELL she gets offers in the entertainment world all the time. I predict she will overshadow the winner with attention in regard to her classy gracious way and how she accepted her disappointment. I hope she continues to skate and I dont care where I will watch and go to see her.

thisthingcalledlove · Feb 12, 2006

PAIRS!!!

Someone find her a partner now.

millie · Feb 12, 2006

cianni said:
The world is open to her in terms of offers and endorsements. I hope she takes time to heal and waits to make a decision. I have tickets for COI and hope she can skate the show. She has said in her article in ELL she gets offers in the entertainment world all the time. I predict she will overshadow the winner with attention in regard to her classy gracious way and how she accepted her disappointment. I hope she continues to skate and I dont care where I will watch and go to see her.

I agree with all the comments that the fans have toward Michelle. BUT, that not a very nice thing for you to say that Michelle will overshadow the winner with regards to the attention. I think that whoever wins the Gold medal will deserve it and all the attention it deserves. It's OK to sympathize with Michelle but not at the expense of the other skaters.

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 12, 2006

thisthingcalledlove said:
PAIRS!!!

Someone find her a partner now.

Michael Weiss!!!

As to retirement, when I heard she was skating to Scheherezad I began to suspect; when she turned to Tosca, I knew I was right, and when Bolero came on the scene, I thought, she already retired. Not that she skated to them badly but because they were not the real Kwan. It was a matter of time.

Depending on her wishes to get married and being a mother, I think she will live quietly in luxury of the family Ice Skating Dome.

Joe

kyla2 · Feb 12, 2006

I Think

I thnik she will retire sometime this year. I think Michelle has sustained some significant injuries and she can't continue like this. She will only sustain more injury and it could be life long. I hope and pray she retires so she can have a life without pain down the road.

thisthingcalledlove · Feb 12, 2006

Joesitz said:
Michael Weiss!!!

As to retirement, when I heard she was skating to Scheherezad I began to suspect; when she turned to Tosca, I knew I was right, and when Bolero came on the scene, I thought, she already retired. Not that she skated to them badly but because they were not the real Kwan. It was a matter of time.

Depending on her wishes to get married and being a mother, I think she will live quietly in luxury of the family Ice Skating Dome.

Joe

Oh Joe you kill me! =P

Although she's not the sex symbol that Kati Witt was, I think she will receive many many offers for marriage =P

Someone hook her up with that speedskater who won the first US Gold. Chad Hedrick, is it?

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 12, 2006

millie said:
I agree with all the comments that the fans have toward Michelle. BUT, that not a very nice thing for you to say that Michelle will overshadow the winner with regards to the attention. I think that whoever wins the Gold medal will deserve it and all the attention it deserves. It's OK to sympathize with Michelle but not at the expense of the other skaters.

Millie - I don't think the MK devoted fans will object to the winner of the Oly gold, and what it brings to the Oly winner. It's just that the devoted fans will not switch to another lifelong favorite. I do think they'll enjoy the winner's reigning years, and look for the winner on soup cans, and at various functions.

Unless an American skater wins the Ladies Division, I doubt COI will star a non American in their shows, and SOI USA will have to think about hiring a non American as its main attraction.

Joe

*~RussianBleux~* · Feb 12, 2006

Is Michelle dating anyone right now?

Mathman · Feb 12, 2006

Matt Savoie!

(Um, this is in answer to Thishingcalledlove's question, not RussianBleux's. :laugh:

)

Vash01 · Feb 12, 2006

I am going to be selfish and say that she should stick around till 2010.However, that is not likely. I do expect to see her skate and possibly compete one more season after she gets healthy.

Vash

cianni · Feb 12, 2006

Response

I said Michelle will overshadow the winner due to the gracious way she accepted her disappointment and not trying to compete while not at her best. It wasnt sympathy it was admiration for her stepping aside. I saw heart and real love of the sport in her voice and her demeaner. I didnt say the winner wouldnt deserve to win either. I said she will overdshadow the winner in terms of the fans and causal fans who have watched her grow up and wanted her to win . I know many who dont watch or care about skating but know Michelle and wanted her to finally win that medal. I meant in terms of respect and admiration from the media and corporations looking for role models to sponser their products. She is what they look for to be their spokes person because of who she is and how she conducts herself in glory and defeat. That will overshadow a Medal. That isnt always a fan talking its others as well. A medal is a medal it doesnt change what and who you are. Michelle will do fine and my bet her popularity will soar.

sk8addict · Feb 12, 2006

already semi-retired

Don't you think not training all year for 3 years is semi-retirement? Skating in just 2 competitions a year is semi-retirement? Michelle has not been a full-time skater since 2003.
All the adds for the Olympics had Michelle in them. Several product adds shown since the Olympics started had Michelle in them. She was the featured athlete during the opening ceremonies. She was the first interview on the Today show.She's not retiring but changing professions. Michelle is a young business woman now & she is doing what is best for her future. Being seen at this Olympics satisfied all the sponsors, nbc & disney as well. She was obligated to show up if she could skate or not & she did it with style. Her makeup has never been better! Wouldn't you like to see her replace Peggy Flemming as a comentator? Or win all the professional competitions she entered? Who knows? If she goes professional people might actually start watching again & that would be great for skating & Michelle. The end of her amatuer career is not the end of Michelle. Allow her to grow up & have a life besides training everyday. That's what she's been trying to do. Many thanks to her for thrilling & entertaining us through her youth. Best wishes for an adult life full of joy & happiness.

rain · Feb 12, 2006

I fully expect her to retire. I got the feeling the last couple of years she simply hung in as an amateur to try for that Olympic Gold one more time and with that now not an option, she really has nothing else to prove to herself, IMO. She's got world titles, national titles, and now injuries that would most likely continue to recur if she were to continue in the amateur world (groin injuries are notorious for hanging around). I hope she sticks around to compete in the pro ranks.

Mathman · Feb 12, 2006

I think Sk8addict's perspective is a sound one. Joe gave a similar analysis. For the last three years Michelle's full time profession was being Michelle Kwan.

Rather than "retire," she will just segue into Michelle Kwan, the sequel.

MM

thisthingcalledlove · Feb 12, 2006

Mathman said:
Matt Savoie!

(Um, this is in answer to Thishingcalledlove's question, not RussianBleux's. )

I remember a few years ago, during one of those team cheesefests, she was paired with Matt Savoie, and she joked that they should throw in some lifts and throws and they'll be set LOL.

Really, though...I think she should try another discipline. Dance, even. Michelle Kwan and Pyotr Tchernyshev?

Mathman said:
I think Sk8addict's perspective is a sound one. Joe gave a similar analysis. For the last three years Michelle's full time profession was being Michelle Kwan.

Rather than "retire," she will just segue into Michelle Kwan, the sequel.

MM

I think the best is yet to come from Michelle, and not as an amateur skater (all the joking aside with switching disciplines). She will truly be able to stretch as a professional, and who knows? What if she ends up coaching a future gold medalist? We haven't seen the last of Michelle Kwan.

Spark · Feb 12, 2006

I think she'll retire from eligible skating either this year or next. On the NBC Olympic site she's quoted as saying "I've had a great career. I've been very lucky". That sounds to me like she doesn't plan on going on much longer, if at all. I've never heard her talk about her career in the past tense before.

I'll miss her, but I think that would be a good decision.

I remember some comments from her shortly after Nagano about how she'd never want to skate as an ineligible skater, because what she loves about skating is competing. I hope she changes her mind, because I think she'd be a great pro skater. Without the pressure of getting in so many triples, I think she could come up with some great programs.

Will Michelle Kwan Retire?

SkateFan4Life

Guest

R.D.

Enero

SkateFan4Life

Guest

cianni

thisthingcalledlove

millie

Joesitz (RIP)

kyla2

thisthingcalledlove

Joesitz (RIP)

~RussianBleux~

Mathman

Vash01

cianni

sk8addict

rain

Mathman

thisthingcalledlove

Spark

Similar threads

Connect with us