Was Michelle too hasty in quitting?

mzheng · Feb 25, 2006

Joesitz said:
Overhearing remarks such as 'She should have won'; 'Better than her sister' 'Wuzrobbed', etc. I don't think they knew who won but that didn't matter.

It was Emily, Emily, Emily, the Newyorker.

Joe

Well, it is not that far fetched if you hear what her OGM sister had to say. That non of medalist delivered the lifetime performance, sure looks Emily did. So Emily should've won. :rofl:

hockeyfan228 · Feb 25, 2006

Mathman said:
Hometown pride -- ain't it grand? Here in Detroit the newspapers are all over themselves claiming Shizuka as a hometown girl. (She trained here for a brief time with Richard Callaghan.)

That may have been a brief time, but it was a year she skated with the most consistency she had shown in her career, perhaps because university was over.

There were a lot of articles in the Detroit press when she was training with Callahan, and I think Detroit may be the only city in America that did feel she was one of their own and was rooting her on in these Olympics.

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 25, 2006

Mathman said:
It must be a great comfort to Michelle knowing she has so many Internet chatters to make her decisions for her, and to help her understand when her choices are right or wrong.

and how many wanted her to retire after SLC as a two time loser (although she came away with 2 Oly medals out of 2 tries)? It was no one should skate a third try. Has this concept changed?

Joe

rob43 · Feb 25, 2006

I think the once she reinjured or freshly injured a freshly healed groin- she knew there simply was too little time for her guess if she could have that miracle. But 2 recent injuries and a fresh one are just too much to ignore- and a groin injury makes half of everything impossible. if she was fully in shape and just had a strain, maybe she could have tried. But she was coming off two injuries already and admitted she neede every day, minute, second.

I think she made the right call. And I think the last 3 years of smaller back and hip injuries combined with trying to learn new positions probably just brought all the possible scenarios to a head.

R.D. · Feb 25, 2006

Joesitz said:
and how many wanted her to retire after SLC as a two time loser (although she came away with 2 Oly medals out of 2 tries)? It was no one should skate a third try. Has this concept changed?

Joe

My opinion is that it's ultimately their decision, but if you try TWICE and don't get Oly Gold, it's not destined for you...it just isn't. Because the third time you'll likely be just on the edge (MK battling injuries, Irina suffering with sickness), and should you come up short the heartbreak will be more than ever.

jsteam4501s · Feb 26, 2006

mzheng said:
Well, Michelle skated a great short in front of monotoring team the Thursday before she left for Turino. Where the USFSA officials gave the final node.

Had she not hurt herself in the first day. Her sp could've won that session easily. But LP is another story, I have no concrete info based on. Since MS had not watched her complete clean runthroughs when her LP matured.

As much as I wanted to see her programs. But I think she made the right decition. Though under much of pressures.

Mzheng - I'm totally confused - Somehow the reply I posted on the question of SASHA'S injury ended up on this thread - I don't think you meant to pull it down, because your quote above doesn't relate to Sasha at all. Through some error on my part , I replied to the wrong thread. Sorry!! :bow:

JOHIO2 · Feb 26, 2006

soccer6,
"I think Emily got more hype (at least in NY) than Bode Miller."

if she did, good for her! She certainly had as good a time without getting drunk and comes home as America's sweetheart, not laughing stock (Bode).

nymkfan51 · Feb 26, 2006

Red Dog said:
My opinion is that it's ultimately their decision, but if you try TWICE and don't get Oly Gold, it's not destined for you...it just isn't. Because the third time you'll likely be just on the edge (MK battling injuries, Irina suffering with sickness), and should you come up short the heartbreak will be more than ever.

I absolutely disagree RD. Just look at Irina ... this was her 3rd Olympics and the gold medal was right there for the taking. She is the one who I think must be the most disappointed. All she had to do was skate a basically clean 6 triple program with no 3/3 ... well within her comfort zone. She would not even have had to skate inspired. It's no wonder she looked so unhappy.

Sadly for Michelle, her timing was all wrong once again. The one season where a 5 triple program with no 3/3 is the gold standard .... and she gets injured ... UUGGHHHH!!!!

jsteam4501s · Feb 26, 2006

Mathman said:
Edited to add: "Give me Kimberly!"

Hey, WATCH IT, Mathman. That's my line, I have a COPYRIGHT on it, and on Gimmie Kimmie, also! :laugh:

jsteam4501s · Feb 26, 2006

Hey, wouldn't Kimmie be bewildered to open a newspaper and see the headline, COURT CASE ON MEISSNER FAN'S COPYRIGHT BEGINS TODAY :rofl

Gimmie Kimmie :clap:

Mathman · Feb 26, 2006

soccer6 said:
I think Emily got more hype (at least in NY) than Bode Miller.

And she performed much better than Miller, too.

Jetstream4501 said:
Hey, WATCH IT, Mathman. That's my line, I have a COPYRIGHT on it, and on Gimmie Kimmie, also!

I know this. I was responding to your post (two above mine) where you used them both.

MM

Edited to add: OK, I just read "the Belle of Bel Air" on the other thread. :laugh:

I will have to think up one of my own.

R.D. · Feb 26, 2006

nymkfan51 said:
I absolutely disagree RD. Just look at Irina ... this was her 3rd Olympics and the gold medal was right there for the taking. She is the one who I think must be the most disappointed. All she had to do was skate a basically clean 6 triple program with no 3/3 ... well within her comfort zone. She would not even have had to skate inspired. It's no wonder she looked so unhappy.

Well, the bottom line is she didn't follow through. It just wasn't meant to be, I guess.

I can't help but think that assuming Cohen stays until 2010 and is in position to win after the SP that a similar thing- no wait, deja vu- will strike yet again.

Sadly for Michelle, her timing was all wrong once again. The one season where a 5 triple program with no 3/3 is the gold standard .... and she gets injured ... UUGGHHHH!!!!

Perhaps. But if Kwan HAD been there, you never could have known what happened...perhaps she could have shaken things up...or ended up disappointed like Irina...

graceness · Feb 26, 2006

Rgirl said:
Slightly off-topic, but not one of the experts on "Olympic Ice," including David Pelletier who said a number of times that Arakawa was his favorite, predicted she would win the OGM. Anyway, IMO, Michelle was the best skater in '98 and '02, but by '06, I felt she had lost her edge. I've liked and enjoyed her skating more since '03 USN, but with a World bronze in '04 and off the podium in '05, IMO, her best competitive days were behind her.

Rgirl

Hmm, Rgirl, Michelle dropped from 3rd at Worlds in 2004 to 4th in '05, so you conclude that her best competitive days were behind her.

Well, did you also think the same of Shizuka? I mean, goodness, she fell from 1st at Worlds in 2004 to 9th in 2005, so clearly she was on a downwards trajectory, no? Brilliant in '04, but over the hill in '05? Who'd have thought she would win the gold at the Olympics in '06??

Sometimes I think we all are much too quick to decide a skater's best days are over.

Graceness

Misplaced Gymnast · Feb 26, 2006

Let's face it, Kwan's Olympics consisted of ONE triple jump, and she promptly (re)-injured herself going for #2. Even if the podium wasn't a hotbed of 3-3ers, each of the medalists at least had more than one triple jump.

I strongly believe that Kwan would have been out there if she thought she had a remote chance of staying on her feet. I think she must have known she didn't have a prayer of even getting through the competition, let alone pulling off a miracle. I have visions of her having ended up like Elvis, or even Tara.

And, as someone posted, she came out smelling like a rose.

flowjo35 · Feb 26, 2006

graceness Sometimes I think we all are much too quick to decide a skater's best days are over. Graceness[/QUOTE said:
ITA. There were many stating that after the 2002 olympics that Michelle had nothing left to give, but she went on to win everything she entered in the 2003 season. The same could be said for Shizuka after her World Title in 2004, she was not skating her best but look at how she came back at the olympics when she was the forgotten skater (with everyone looking at Irina and Sasha). It ain't over till it's over.

Lynn51 · Feb 26, 2006

Slightly off-topic, but not one of the experts on "Olympic Ice," including David Pelletier who said a number of times that Arakawa was his favorite, predicted she would win the OGM.

Rgirl, Pelletier did pick Shizuka to win the gold during the Olympic Ice program televised the evening of the ladies long programs.

Gipson · Feb 26, 2006

Red Dog said:
My opinion is that it's ultimately their decision, but if you try TWICE and don't get Oly Gold, it's not destined for you...it just isn't. Because the third time you'll likely be just on the edge (MK battling injuries, Irina suffering with sickness), and should you come up short the heartbreak will be more than ever.

Dan Jansen didn't win Olympic gold until his fourth Olympics. And after the Olympic Ice show this morning, there was a profile on Eugenio Monti. He won 11 world titles in bobsled and didn't win Olympic gold until twelve years after his first Olympics. Yes, different sports but you can never be too sure.

rob43 · Feb 26, 2006

I personally love many performances from multi-quad Olympians. Lu Chens '98 free skate at what I think was her 3rd Olympics is an all time favorite of mine. And we should all note that even 1 month ago no one thought Arakawa was going to be Oly medalist or that the winner would have 5 triples.

If someon has the heart to try and is willing to accept the consequences I think they should go for it.

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 26, 2006

One can never use a rule of thumb as being definitive. We can speak in hindsight and definitely, a healthy Michelle would have won this Oly, if an only if she was injury free. There was nothing so technical that she couldn't compete with. She could have used one of the old Lori routines with no sound from the audience provoking a standing ovation at the conclusion.

But she got hurt, and that didn't happen.

Joe

R.D. · Feb 26, 2006

Gipson said:
Dan Jansen didn't win Olympic gold until his fourth Olympics. And after the Olympic Ice show this morning, there was a profile on Eugenio Monti. He won 11 world titles in bobsled and didn't win Olympic gold until twelve years after his first Olympics. Yes, different sports but you can never be too sure.

True in a sense. But my comment was directed specifically at figure skating.

Was Michelle too hasty in quitting?

mzheng

hockeyfan228

Joesitz (RIP)

rob43

R.D.

jsteam4501s

JOHIO2

nymkfan51

jsteam4501s

jsteam4501s

Mathman

R.D.

graceness

Misplaced Gymnast

flowjo35

Lynn51

Gipson

rob43

Joesitz (RIP)

R.D.

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